The Funny Pages - Tickle Me Elbow - The Original

[Jestgar]

Ok, so my internet has been malfunctioning all day. Tried rebooting the computer, tried resetting the router, etc, etc. I called the company this afternoon, and they're sending a guy out tomorrow morning. So, naturally I pulled the desk out and started dusting back there-- it was gross! How embarrassing, I wasn't gonna let a stranger see that. I knocked the phone jack loose. Plugged it back in. Forgot about it.

I find that those workperson overalls do a great job of dusting as the repairperson crawls around...

Sophie spent all last evening turning her room upside down, gathering junk material to sell at her friend's garage sale today. She came into the living room with a garbage bag FULL of evidence of her pack-rat status.

I did an unwise thing. I peeked in the bag. GAH!! I whip out her two stuffed bears that were given to her, a year apart, when she passed senior kindergarten, then grade one. Ya GOTTA keep those!! Then, more unwise manouvers - - dug down some more , and there was her Etch-a-sketch that we gave her for Christmas when she was four, and she and I sat with it on her bed every night concocting amazing faces and animals together....What are you thinkin' Sophie? This STAYS!

Then the beading set she got from Grandma when she was in bed with the chicken pox, to keep her occupied....the autographed photo of Walter Gretzky.....AND....wait for this.....CARE BEAR figurines ("Sophie, you HAVE TO keep these, in honour of Sillyville. Don't you understand??")

Gad. She left with a small box of things....

Who's pack rat status???

And I really have to go poop. To hang up, or not to hang up?

soo... not only are you on the phone, on the toilet, you're announcing it on the internet....

I think, as a nation (nations? Canadians and Brits), we've become just a little too sharing.

[elye]

Emily calls Sophie a pack rat, and then tells her she must keep a bunch of old stuff. I seem to recall something about a pot and a kettle.

ME?? A hoarder? Nevah!

.....jus' stuff that's so full of memories, meaning, sentimental value......CANNOT rid meself of such treasures.....

Aren't call centers the most wondrous thing in the world, Sarah?

Aye, aren't they? This sounds very like our friends at Bell Canada....probably the same seventeen-year old kid in Manilla manning their phones and your ISP, Sarah....

soo... not only are you on the phone, on the toilet, you're announcing it on the internet....

And doing a POOP, no less!

Only in Sillyville......

Watch the newbies scatter!

[Ridgewalker]

I think, as a nation (nations? Canadians and Brits), we've become just a little too sharing.

And doing a POOP, no less!

Only in Sillyville......

Watch the newbies scatter!

[CarlaB]

This is what my Friday nights have come to--sitting at the computer in my jammies, eating almond butter from the jar. Don't know if I can take much more excitment

I went out for pizza and ice cream, then roller skating with a bunch of kids for a birthday. Of course, I had to rest most of the day to be able to do this (after I slaughtered my 20 year old in racquetball in the morning ).

[Jestgar]

I went out for pizza and ice cream, then roller skating with a bunch of kids for a birthday. Of course, I had to rest most of the day to be able to do this (after I slaughtered my 20 year old in racquetball in the morning ).

YAY!!! Carla's getting better!!

[blueeyedmanda]

Hi Sillies, its a busy weekend for us. John's sister is having the baby baptized....one big circus, she invited everyone, high school friends, drinking buddies, the entire family. Afterwards, there is a huge party at John's families house. John's sister says well we have lots of beer so it could last all night....Baptizing is supposed to be a sacred event, this is a zoo!

We are not going to the party afterwards since we have a prior committment, my coworker is having a BBQ at 3:30 and we are going there instead. We might have a drink there but there is more on the menu.

I am not fond of my inlaws...can anyone tell? They make everything into a party, as if to call attention to themselves. His mom tried to do that to my wedding, but I held my ground. I wanted an intimate gathering not relatives who I would never see again who came because they felt an obligation.

[CarlaB]

YAY!!! Carla's getting better!!

Making progress, yes. Still a long way to go .... but it's nice being able to get out more often.

[blueeyedmanda]

Making progress, yes. Still a long way to go .... but it's nice being able to get out more often.

still great news

[Green12]

Frozen short exam on a stick! I get it now....a quiz cicle

Oh Sillies, very rough afternoon and night yesterday, turns out my sore throat was actually an angiedema in my throat. It kept moving around and growing, was on stand by with my epi pen and ready to go to the ER

Carla, funny you mention a rollerskating party. Bev and I were talking about that recently, having a rollerskating b-day party for us, not the youngins Glad you got out and had a good time

Amanda, busy day for you. A baptism and a BBQ!

Glad Ripper's play went well Emily.

Sarah

I phorgot what else I wanted to respond too

Nikki, LOL at yer tumbleweeds. THey seem to be blowing through here now, Sillyville is deserted......

[CarlaB]

That would be fun Julie, count me in!

Sorry about the angioedema.

[elye]

Well, excellent news about your returning health, Carla!....But heinous news about your throat, Julie! I'm sorry to hear this....it must have been very frightening last evening.

I'm glad to hear you're okay.

[jerseyangel]

Oh Sillies, very rough afternoon and night yesterday, turns out my sore throat was actually an angiedema in my throat. It kept moving around and growing, was on stand by with my epi pen and ready to go to the ER

Oh no, Julie....that sounds awful! Is it a random thing, where you never know where or when an outbreak will occur? I hope the new doctor in Arizona will be able to shed some light on this.

Carla--Wow! I have times when I could do that sort of thing, and then periods like this whan I get a gluten reaction and it takes weeks to get back to "normal". Glad you're getting back into the swing

[jerseyangel]

Frozen short exam on a stick! I get it now....a quiz cicle

I looked at this last night for the longest time, and I still couldn't see what ya'll are seeing

[CarlaB]

Carla--Wow! I have times when I could do that sort of thing, and then periods like this whan I get a gluten reaction and it takes weeks to get back to "normal". Glad you're getting back into the swing

Thanks. Sorry about the gluten reaction.

I still require lots and lots of rest, but it's nice being able to go to the grocery, pool, workout, etc. in between resting. Adam doesn't have to work out of the house to take care of me anymore .... I can feed myself even on a bad day .... sometimes it's not even a full day .... this morning I was FINE, now I am lying in bed .... it's so unpredictable.

[tom]

Hey where's Boehv?

CALLING BEVVY-WEVVY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I watch America's Test Kitchen on PBS all the time, even tho I just about never can eat what they make. But today . ...totally amazed .. . .White Chicken Chili w/ ZERO forbidden ingredients!!!!!

(Still more work than I'd want to do, but maybe someday eh?)

Turn anything into a "-cicle" and it's funny to me. I don't know why.

<filing that away>

Yeah right, this is Surry County. It's one 17-year-old computer genius sitting there all by himself. Whatev.

<chuckle-chuckle>

I say, you honestly tried to call them.....tape a nice note to your door saying that you tried several times to call and cancel the appointment --the problem has resolved itself, and you had to run out.

Hell yeah, I'd do that. Hmmm but maybe I'd worry too much that an hour later I somehow couldn't get online.

Gnich's tumbleweeds look like snowflakes.

Saw Stonehenge on the news for the Solstice - they're dressed like we'd be in JANUARY 'round here!!

I find that those workperson overalls do a great job of dusting as the repairperson crawls around...

Heeheehee

Oh Sillies, very rough afternoon and night yesterday, turns out my sore throat was actually an angiedema in my throat. It kept moving around and growing, was on stand by with my epi pen and ready to go to the ER

Yipes that does sound truly awful! Sure hope it doesn't last.

[elye]

Ptaoughmghmn! Get busy on that White Chicken Chili!

Well, DD made $18.00 at their garage sale. I think she was assuming that her stuff would be flying out of the driveway, and that she'd be coming home with $250.00. A rude, but necessary, awakening.....

She did NOT take her old hockey pads up there to sell! Gahhhhh....I thought of it when she got home. They are a junior size, around $300.00 new...she probably could have gotten a hundred bucks for 'em. Ah, well....guess it's usedottawa.com......

Ottawa's Jazz festival is in full swing now....we're thinking of taking in Buddy De Franco and Herbie Hancock later this week. Wonderful things to look forward to..... Ptaoughmghn (or anybody), have you heard or ever seen Al Di Meola? He's a highly-touted jazz-fusion six-stringer veteran that I'm reading about and wondering if he might be worth checking out, as well....Of course, there is my favorite piano great Oliver Jones. Gad!! Too much to see, and far too little time and money!

[jerseyangel]

I think she was assuming that her stuff would be flying out of the driveway

Flying out of the driveway!

That white chicken chili sounds good, Pataughm--any beans in it?

[tom]

Ptaoughmghn (or anybody), have you heard or ever seen Al Di Meola?

Highly touted indeed and very rightfully so!!!! :excitementface:

He was in the original Return to Forever, w/ Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and some drummer. They reunited for some dates this year.

Saw Al fronting his own band way back in '80 or '81. FAAAAAAAAAAAAAN-f******-TAStic!!

It was at a campus-adjacent bar in Tucson that had once been a church.

Thinking of the place always reminds of a funny story. This one goofball friend of mine from Queens stopped by w/ some other goofball friend of his saying they'd just been at Dooley's (aha! I DO remember the name) and in the men's room were lighting paper towels on fire and throwing them at each other. It's the kind of goofballs they were.

So, an hour or two later I hear that the place was burning down!!!!!

The goofball (aka The Greek) hadn't actually been there at all - just already knew that it was ablaze.

So they're out making the rounds telling this tall tale. (I lived just a few blocks away)

Back to Al De Meola - go GO GO!!!

Surprised I don't know of Oliver Jones.

I *DO* know you canucks couldn't possibly be OVerly proud of Oscar Peterson. It's just not possible. He was too tremendous.

That white chicken chili sounds good, Pataughm--any beans in it?

Yup. Some white ones. You can't do any beans???

Cannel. ...uhhhh ...cannelloni is it?

Some whole, some in food proc w/ the 3 - count 'em THREE - kinds of peppers.

I bet it'd still be darn good w/out beans.

Hehe I was reading an article about a food trade show. Here's a good paragraph.

The emergence of gluten-free options was one of the major stories coming out of the 2008 Natural Products Expo West (NPEW), as every aisle seemed to have at least one gluten-free option. Attendees were not the only ones noticing, either; exhibitors spotted the trend early, and by the end of the show, many had added "GLUTEN-FREE" signs to their booth, even for products that had never featured gluten in the first place. Regardless, similar episodes were noticed among several exhibitors--a clear sign that gluten-free is coming of age.

[~alex~]

This flashes me back a couple of years, when The Ripper was a liitle boy in the school yard, ALWAYS last picked for ANY sports team....such a cruel way for them to organize a gym class.....

That makes my heart hurt. Cruel is a good word to describe that . . . I would also say lazy and lacking in imagination on the part of the gym teacher. There's so many different more creative ways to divide teams.

Does anyone here fancy themself an Emily Post . . . Emily perhaps you're in a good position to channel her holy etiquetteness through your name unity! I could use some sage input. I've been obsessing over something that I want to do that might be breaking many rules of etiquette and may create an awkward situation.

So . . . I'm going to a 50th birthday of someone whom I owe a lot of thanks. She's the mom of a good friend of mine from high school. I stayed at their house for awhile after my mom died and she took care of me in every way and even after that she continued to look out for me. So anyway . . . her family is throwing her a 50th birthday and on the invitation it said Best wishes only BUT I have a special gift that I want to give her. It's one of those Royal Doulton Ladies -- she has a collection of them. It was my mom's (she didn't collect them it was her only one) but I don't want it. It's just been sitting all wrapped in my closet but I don't feel right selling it on ebay or something.

Is it weird of me to give the figurine to her? I know it's worth sort of a lot so maybe that makes it kinda weird. I don't want to make her feel awkward or anything. I would give it to her in private, not in front of all of the party people. I keep going back and forth. Would it feel strange to you if someone gave you a gift like this given the situation? I'm so scared that it's going to come across as creepy.

[curlyfries]

Saw Al fronting his own band way back in '80 or '81. FAAAAAAAAAAAAAN-f******-TAStic!!

It was at a campus-adjacent bar in Tucson that had once been a church.

Hey Ptaughm, we missed each other! I used to live in Tucson from '77 to '79.

[curlyfries]

I have a special gift that I want to give her. It's one of those Royal Doulton Ladies -- she has a collection of them. It was my mom's (she didn't collect them it was her only one) but I don't want it.

Is it weird of me to give the figurine to her? I know it's worth sort of a lot so maybe that makes it kinda weird. I don't want to make her feel awkward or anything. I would give it to her in private, not in front of all of the party people. I keep going back and forth. Would it feel strange to you if someone gave you a gift like this given the situation?

I don't think it's weird at all. Before I finished reading your post, I was thinking that it should be done in private. And do tell her where it came from and why you want her to have it. If it were me, I would be very touched by that gesture...and I'm sure the waterworks would be going full blast!.....but in a good way I think it's an excellent idea!

[Jestgar]

So . . . I'm going to a 50th birthday of someone whom I owe a lot of thanks. She's the mom of a good friend of mine from high school. I stayed at their house for awhile after my mom died and she took care of me in every way and even after that she continued to look out for me. So anyway . . . her family is throwing her a 50th birthday and on the invitation it said Best wishes only BUT I have a special gift that I want to give her. It's one of those Royal Doulton Ladies -- she has a collection of them. It was my mom's (she didn't collect them it was her only one) but I don't want it. It's just been sitting all wrapped in my closet but I don't feel right selling it on ebay or something.

Is it weird of me to give the figurine to her? I know it's worth sort of a lot so maybe that makes it kinda weird. I don't want to make her feel awkward or anything. I would give it to her in private, not in front of all of the party people. I keep going back and forth. Would it feel strange to you if someone gave you a gift like this given the situation? I'm so scared that it's going to come across as creepy.

It is not weird. Tell her that it was your mom's and it means too much to you to sell it, and you'd like her to have it. She'll understand.

[tom]

Hey Ptaughm, we missed each other! I used to live in Tucson from '77 to '79.

I got there in August '79!!

Was that you at Gentle Ben's? Or the Bum Steer? Greasy Tony's?

What part of town were you in? And why Tucson?

Alex, I agree w/ Jess & Lisa. In private, as you say, and w/ a few words along the lines of what you've told us, and that one may instantly be her favoUrite. :)

<sheesh, even *I'm* gittin' a lil misty>

[jerseyangel]

Yup. Some white ones. You can't do any beans???

Cannel. ...uhhhh ...cannelloni is it?

Some whole, some in food proc w/ the 3 - count 'em THREE - kinds of peppers.

I bet it'd still be darn good w/out beans.

I'll have to check out their website--can't do beans, but love peppers

Is it weird of me to give the figurine to her?

I don't think it would be creepy at all. I think taking her aside is a good idea--and just tell her what you told us--I think she'll be touched....I know I would be

[elye]

Alex, I don't think it's weird or creepy at all. In fact, it is a FANTASTIC idea that just fits the situation so well - - she was a big part of your life at a very difficult time, she became, it sounds, like a second mom to you for a while, she collects Royal Doultons, and you happen to have one that was your mom's.........sounds perfect. Yes, there will be many happy tears, I am certain!!

Let us know how it goes......

Saw Al fronting his own band way back in '80 or '81. FAAAAAAAAAAAAAN-f******-TAStic!!

He's with his own band here, I'm sure. Okay, you've sold me. Gettin' tickets!

Chick Corea is here, too. And there's a big band tribute to Lionel Hampton that I'll be heartberoken if I miss......

Oliver Jones is the next Peterson....It doesn't matter if it's an old, worn upright or the world's most expensive Steinway grand, when Oliver Jones sits down at the piano, he owns it. He's got deep roots in gospel and blues with an unfailing sense of swing.

HOW AM I GONNA AFFORD ALL OF THIS? Bah.......should have gotten a pass.......