Well thank goodness – there’s been considerably less rain this week and the brook at the bottom of the appropriately named Brook Street has returned, more or less, to its pre-flood capacity. Instead of the rain we’ve had cold and frosty mornings with clear blue skies. Daisy comes home from her morning and afternoon walks less coated with mud than has been the case recently which is a good thing. Normally, when she is caked with mud she receives a, no doubt, “refreshing” hose down. Over the past few days, the hose has been frozen so she has escaped that particular humiliation, much to her relief I’m sure.
Continue reading “22 January 2023”22 January 2023 – Amusements
Four years ago, I asked out the girl of my dreams for the first time. Today I asked her to marry me. She said ‘no’ both times.
Continue reading “22 January 2023 – Amusements”15 January 2023
Well, that week flew by in a hurry! And I, personally, have achieved almost nothing. Hey, ho.
Continue reading “15 January 2023”15 January 2023 – Amusements
A big city New York lawyer went duck hunting in rural Texas. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer’s field on the other side of a fence. As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing.
The litigator responded, “I shot a duck and it fell in this field, and now I’m going into retrieve it.”
The old farmer replied. “This is my property, and you are not coming over here.”
The indignant lawyer said, “I am one of the best trial attorneys in the U.S. and, if you don’t let me get that duck, I’ll sue you and take everything you own.”
The old farmer smiled and said, “Apparently, you don’t know how we do things in Texas. We settle small disagreements like this with the Texas Three Kick Rule.”
The lawyer asked, “What is the Texas Three Kick Rule?”
The farmer replied, “Well, first I kick you three times and then you kick me three times, and so on, back and forth, until someone gives up.”
The attorney quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old codger. He agreed to abide by the local custom.
The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the city feller. His first kick planted the toe of his heavy work boot into the lawyer’s shin and dropped him to his knees. His second kick landed square on the man’s nose. The barrister was flat on his belly when the farmer’s third kick to a kidney nearly caused him to give up.
The lawyer summoned every bit of his will and managed to get to his feet and said, “Okay, you old coot, now it’s my turn!”
The old farmer smiled and said, “Naw, I give up. You can have the duck.”
Continue reading “15 January 2023 – Amusements”8 January 2023
Well, that was a lot of fun. We had a marvellous Christmas with the additional bonus of a visit from Ben, Brex-Anna and Max. We had a great New Year’s Eve at ours with all three boys, their delightful and beautiful wives and our four marvellously gorgeous/handsome and extraordinarily intelligent grandchildren. Absolutely priceless.
Continue reading “8 January 2023”8 January 2023 – Amusements
All of these witticisms came from Penny’s sister J – thanks!
Billion dollar idea. A smoke detector which shuts off when you yell, “I’m just cooking!”
I’ve been watching my weight. It’s still there.
I’m in a WalMart parking lot watching a woman who can’t remember where she parked her car. Everytime she holds her remote in the air, I honk my horn.
It turns out that when you’re asked which is your favourite child, you’re supposed to pick one of your own. I know that now.
At my age rolling out of bed is the easy part. Getting off the floor is a whole other story.
One thing no one ever talks about when it comes to being an adult, is how much time we debate keeping a box because, it’s, you know . . . a really good box.
Being a little older I am very fortunate to have someone call and check on me each day. He is from India and he is very concerned about my car warranty.
Nothing spoils a good story like the arrival of an eyewitness.
Anyone remember the good old days before Facebook, Instagram and Twitter? When you had to take a photo of your dinner, then get the film delivered, then go around to all your friends’ houses to show them the picture of the dinner? No? Me neither.
I grew up living paycheck to paycheck, but through hard work and perserverance I now live direct deposit to direct deposit.
Do you sometimes feel like your body’s check engine light has been on and you’re still driving it like, “Nah, it’ll be fine.”
When I say “the other day,” I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago.
A giraffe’s coffee would be cold by the time it reached the bottom of its throat. Ever think about that? No. You only think about yourself.
I’ve reached that point in my life where my brain goes from, “You probably shouldn’t say that,” to “What the heck, let’s see what happens.”
Brain: I see you are trying to sleep. Can I offer you a selection of your worst memories from the last 10 years?
I choked on a carrot this afternoon and all I could think of was, “I bet a donut wouldn’t have done this to me.”
If a woman says, “Do what you want,” DO NOT DO WHAT YOU WANT. Stand still. Do not blink. Don’t even breathe. Just play dead.
How to parallel park: 1) Park somewhere else.
The biggest lie I tell myself is, “I don’t need to write that down, I’ll remember it.”
I like to make lists. I also like to leave them laying on the kitchen counter and then guess what’s on the list while at the store. Fun game.
You drop something when you were younger and you pick it up. When you’re older and you drop something, you stare at it for a bit contemplating if you actually need it anymore.
We keep a potato masher in a drawer because it’s fun to not be able to open that drawer.
I don’t now how to use TikTok, but I can write cursive, do long division and tell the time on clocks with hands. So, there’s that.
I saw a sign in a store window which reads, “We treat you like family.” Yup, I’m not going in there.
1 January 2023
25 December 2022
Thankfully (?), the cold, cold, cold temperatures of the last week have gone and we are once again enjoying more or less appropriate temperatures for the time of year. “Fresh” but not frozen which is somewhat of a relief. On the other hand, it means that we’ve moved directly from winter to mud season in the space of a day or so. The dog comes back from her walk wearing a discreet and distinctive mud splattering and Penny and I come back about four inches taller wearing platform mud boots. Lovely.
Stop Press: After “Zooming” with my brothers and sisters yesterday afternoon, I realise that I need to stop complaining about the “cold” temperatures we get in the UK. Compared to what they’re currently enjoying, our “cold” weather is rather akin to sitting on a beach in the Bahamas. My cousin in Montana is expecting a low of -52 F (-47 C). So, no more complaining about the “freezing” winter temperatures we sometimes see.
Continue reading “25 December 2022”25 December 2022 – Amusements
Christmas Etiquette
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it’s rare. In fact, it’s even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can’t find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the centre of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Reread all tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.
Continue reading “25 December 2022 – Amusements”18 December 2022
Oh, my goodness it’s been cold. The mercury has barely poked its head above freezing all week. Thankfully, our central heating is working well and the wood stove in the lounge has been employed in the evenings to provide the additional blast of heat which old age pensioners such as ourselves need. The only one not shivering is Daisy who seems to think the snow and frost is great! Bizarrely/worryingly, the temperature tomorrow is supposed to reach 13o C (55.4o F)!
Continue reading “18 December 2022”
