tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-177441282024-03-07T00:53:04.112-06:00The LabratLDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-15359839232534987172011-12-09T17:14:00.000-06:002011-12-09T17:14:20.336-06:00Absolom_ The fifth point of the compassOne of the things I enjoyed in the past was finding my own pigment and grinding my own paint. I have started doing it again. Hand grinding is time consuming, but relaxing (and in a perverse way, fun) I am working on a beautiful golden ocher that is so rich it radiates light and a sienna that rivals others from Europe and from historical mines. Both found about seven miles from where I live. I'm excited, and can't wait to go on another pigment hunt. I have a gray/green one I have had my eye on for quite awhile... it's waited a million years for me, it probably will have to wait a few more months. :-D<br />
<br />
Absolom is a drawing-painting I'm working on at the present time. It is reaching a crossroad, so I thought I would scan and post it before I make that fateful "wrong" turn. Only time will tell what it's potential is.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG_7hPi48_OY42N42TlKOEjYntMyDaV0Ojh0AxXQtGjb4CDpPSampBTBbVeOlZh8TkVMZYa0BTABuyG4JKacDy23A9hX7YzxnlgHW7b5SYERcJyngN-fzHy-SWH0JbzRTwQrj/s1600/absolom5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG_7hPi48_OY42N42TlKOEjYntMyDaV0Ojh0AxXQtGjb4CDpPSampBTBbVeOlZh8TkVMZYa0BTABuyG4JKacDy23A9hX7YzxnlgHW7b5SYERcJyngN-fzHy-SWH0JbzRTwQrj/s400/absolom5.jpg" /></a></div>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-71390773404428847012011-12-07T14:33:00.001-06:002011-12-07T14:42:38.890-06:00Café Britt Commercial<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xrFgh66SGl4?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />
Best viewed on You Tube.<br />
The Boys do it again. The product is real, the "commercial" is a film class project.<br />
(The house is my youngest son's) Some of you might remember when his old house was lost in the flood.LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-36589209695927589822011-09-17T17:49:00.000-05:002011-09-17T17:49:25.164-05:00I'm a proud mamma!<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">Check out my son's and friend's video. Youngest son Jon is the zombie. I think it's brilliant and I'm not being biased. Not one bit. :-) Brilliant I say!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="224" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l5-bSKL7SL8?rel=0" width="444"></iframe><br />
An instructional video designed to prepare the "average Joe" to survive a zombie apocalypse...in STYLE! These are all "hometown" boys. Jeremy Fiest is in a film making class. This was made for an assignment.</span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"> Jon says:</span></span><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"> This is the long anticipated Zombie Clip that my friends and I made.<br />
<a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=510074184" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510074184">John Johnson</a> provided his voice talents, <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1298317632" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1298317632">Bobby Gamage</a> was the zombie killer, <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=552145194" href="http://www.facebook.com/kinderbean">Jason K</a> recorded the audio, and <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=511495056" href="http://www.facebook.com/jeremyfiest">Jeremy Fiest</a> took credit for it. :p</span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br />
</span></span></h6>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-73610298438788664242011-05-26T00:58:00.002-05:002011-06-22T10:10:33.684-05:00Spring fun in Kansas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKQiCWtz4KhPK4GPrI8WRbmta3R3FGd6Tb4w2qnFD_dJobVp2caPGbkG5N4DIOmjVxCP3cj006evYJglcMCzEDyaqzW93TCVU_JKRhvNV083WOTNi_ryL4NQ2aAHj-FsCv_RL/s1600/kansas+city+today.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKQiCWtz4KhPK4GPrI8WRbmta3R3FGd6Tb4w2qnFD_dJobVp2caPGbkG5N4DIOmjVxCP3cj006evYJglcMCzEDyaqzW93TCVU_JKRhvNV083WOTNi_ryL4NQ2aAHj-FsCv_RL/s400/kansas+city+today.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My daughter-in-law was in this today. She was in the back of a store, either in a cooler or between big refrigeration units. She was texting my daughter who had me on the phone, we three rode it out together as the back side of this system roared through Kansas City. Her text of "All Clear" was most welcome to say the least. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Love spring, except for the weeds and the extreme weather. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBpcrvKsSdKhw66xYM1fuQRijin1jimh9Lgizuhz1raW-ghm7bVchZwGRuCMHJvas9dKR9EOicvLe6PC8Wxa64KpwCzx3V0GuLgY6xNc9o7-OA60atFeIFuFpIYDwPH90cTAd/s1600/clouds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBpcrvKsSdKhw66xYM1fuQRijin1jimh9Lgizuhz1raW-ghm7bVchZwGRuCMHJvas9dKR9EOicvLe6PC8Wxa64KpwCzx3V0GuLgY6xNc9o7-OA60atFeIFuFpIYDwPH90cTAd/s400/clouds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Every year the clouds seem to have a "style" for that season, this is an example of this year's.<br />
Top picture was taken at the first part of June, two lower ones taken out the back door two nights ago.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_09vZDdxGpmuw9u3AJOSVQpq5-3IkdC-Wj6wPn9dFwicA2I8o3HWOezZABj5IdptEC01TaORfeZ3Xn0rWc8mtVnpOUIZEHaeaP7oWJpwvIjG6R6hS_Qt8MqsclCkG_VHoxmE/s1600/Bubble1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_09vZDdxGpmuw9u3AJOSVQpq5-3IkdC-Wj6wPn9dFwicA2I8o3HWOezZABj5IdptEC01TaORfeZ3Xn0rWc8mtVnpOUIZEHaeaP7oWJpwvIjG6R6hS_Qt8MqsclCkG_VHoxmE/s400/Bubble1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmcpBFGZl7bBkdeE9Wk7xWcJeLh8I7-4DhvFxf22DFG_Mbe-i3-RmYmSohmzsUzNQclnlmWemeNTYhxfcqR0Vp9aDK3moubZredOfdbe2cCZGux-39ojVPHK7Y2Juk-sVv_r5/s1600/Bubble2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmcpBFGZl7bBkdeE9Wk7xWcJeLh8I7-4DhvFxf22DFG_Mbe-i3-RmYmSohmzsUzNQclnlmWemeNTYhxfcqR0Vp9aDK3moubZredOfdbe2cCZGux-39ojVPHK7Y2Juk-sVv_r5/s400/Bubble2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
June 21: Forty three Tornadoes on the ground in Tornado Alley last night, more expected tonight. Good start for the summer don't you think? 1317 so far this year in USA and counting.LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-51713439618442719852011-04-11T16:33:00.001-05:002011-04-11T16:51:26.601-05:00Bottled<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2f9OOYk1m2tJG4A9Df_087aeWvxar0D4t-pUxrTWPgH2XJkS8esCOkYciEKe7FWfVz-OI5e-L7r4NhavRJaEdRv4bKZuZ5jwRsj31eOzluvEQGb3r7A3tY28PDKNTMdx-G7-j/s1600/Bottled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2f9OOYk1m2tJG4A9Df_087aeWvxar0D4t-pUxrTWPgH2XJkS8esCOkYciEKe7FWfVz-OI5e-L7r4NhavRJaEdRv4bKZuZ5jwRsj31eOzluvEQGb3r7A3tY28PDKNTMdx-G7-j/s640/Bottled.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">The bees were robbed in the night by a big brown bear. At </div><div style="text-align: center;">dawn they went in search of someone to vent their bottled fury upon.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-17447124249305398312011-03-28T00:23:00.004-05:002011-04-10T13:16:16.376-05:00I am not a toy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSGMOECbhngECNdo_Ot2GuIdUl91eLj2GvapHp_M_E5rS4H0x85Lfge1LJmPj2uBBH48WM8ZrPd1LwBNAB2E3xISNRAomR51FsmMbn0lqv4JPrrsRcezRiMVfMfifTZfUElkS/s1600/BGEO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSGMOECbhngECNdo_Ot2GuIdUl91eLj2GvapHp_M_E5rS4H0x85Lfge1LJmPj2uBBH48WM8ZrPd1LwBNAB2E3xISNRAomR51FsmMbn0lqv4JPrrsRcezRiMVfMfifTZfUElkS/s320/BGEO.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Boogie George's wife has gone missing and he<br />
has gone to search for her. I hope everything<br />
will be ok, I'm a bit worried!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4JFi_nvP6j__gw-SDRtbV62xBwdPKePAy5-6O1ttqL0qvRP0qB9H6l64mn4eWe8YHwLlVR6li5O0iPN0-CPeoZzW5gavat31xZSEGpBBRwRsnGYweQhpCxSM5D_uF3pAvyNM/s1600/Andrewbear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4JFi_nvP6j__gw-SDRtbV62xBwdPKePAy5-6O1ttqL0qvRP0qB9H6l64mn4eWe8YHwLlVR6li5O0iPN0-CPeoZzW5gavat31xZSEGpBBRwRsnGYweQhpCxSM5D_uF3pAvyNM/s320/Andrewbear.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEuE4gceS2D5i8s81wD8gz5YvVOKppl_9PRzHnC2_5oig2FR47NDdvQsdGlhZDXirVVsm-1ZEbJ6X4bc3ZuwSSEn3IOZx3sToM5RLbwklroxgRTlw590pGrnaba1mGcYh78cDk/s1600/ABear+Hide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Evil Sir Reginal Farquar had a pig burning</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>night at Andrew Finnie's blog and he made </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>the poor toys watch. This little bear managed</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>to escape and ran here for sanctuary. I </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>think it is traumatized, hopefully it will</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>recover. Go see the carnage if you dare!!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://andrewfinnie.blogspot.com/">Andrew Finnie:Artist and Illustrator</a></i></span></div></div>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-10031936445452406532011-03-19T11:02:00.000-05:002011-03-19T11:02:53.459-05:00CultivateToday it's sounding like spring, thunder is rumbling and robins are singing. I saw this tiny little guy heading for my garden. Two more of them were dragging a packet of Fairy's Breath seed. I hope this means I'll have a nice garden this year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9VRFo83uxhEdGFwPhPOyN1mJXjhm0cNoZhL92m9CUjJ6LvZ7LqS3k_CflRNBmej0v1g4h09K_xVWKRsybETyIi2bfo5jAVO8YAYBHY2eTjv5M8s8yMuvSaJQBM2At7HtpJPH/s1600/newgardenersketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9VRFo83uxhEdGFwPhPOyN1mJXjhm0cNoZhL92m9CUjJ6LvZ7LqS3k_CflRNBmej0v1g4h09K_xVWKRsybETyIi2bfo5jAVO8YAYBHY2eTjv5M8s8yMuvSaJQBM2At7HtpJPH/s320/newgardenersketch.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-59047785602617630072010-12-27T02:53:00.001-06:002010-12-27T03:32:41.038-06:00<div class="smallfont"><b>Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies</b> </div><hr size="1" style="color: white;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNIVc-_er0_K_Hve7gybN_734BuwwgB8XYdpivB7_BVQd6yudnJ6W3J9GG-T5ln5PW1P-ZhNlVrz84DUukXr-SIHzt0pet5Gam812LAKrY1VQvw2SNVM3FyN-X79Ocvu6S42Z/s1600/Making+Cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNIVc-_er0_K_Hve7gybN_734BuwwgB8XYdpivB7_BVQd6yudnJ6W3J9GG-T5ln5PW1P-ZhNlVrz84DUukXr-SIHzt0pet5Gam812LAKrY1VQvw2SNVM3FyN-X79Ocvu6S42Z/s320/Making+Cookies.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div> <br />
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FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE TO BAKE…<br />
<br />
Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies<br />
<br />
1 cup of water<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 cup of sugar<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 cup of brown sugar<br />
4 large eggs<br />
1 cup nuts<br />
2 cups of dried fruit<br />
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila<br />
<br />
Sample the Cuervo to check quality.<br />
Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again,<br />
To be sure it is of the highest quality,<br />
Pour one level cup and drink.<br />
<br />
Turn on the electric mixer.<br />
Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.<br />
<br />
Add one peastoon of sugar. Beat again.<br />
At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still ok,<br />
Try another cup just in case.<br />
<br />
Turn off the mixerer thingy.<br />
<br />
Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl<br />
And chuck in the cup of dried fruit.<br />
Pick the frigging fruit off the floor.<br />
<br />
Mix on the turner.<br />
<br />
If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters<br />
Just pry it loose with a drewscriver.<br />
Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.<br />
<br />
Next, sift two cups of salt, or something.<br />
<br />
Who geeves a sheet. Check the Jose Cuervo.<br />
Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.<br />
<br />
Add one table.<br />
<br />
Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink.<br />
Whatever you can find.<br />
<br />
Greash the oven.<br />
<br />
Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.<br />
<br />
Don't forget to beat off the turner.<br />
<br />
Finally, throw the bowl through the window,<br />
Finish the Cose Juervo and make sure<br />
To put the stove in the wishdasher.<br />
<br />
Cherry Mistmas!<br />
</div>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-49265705673456946462010-11-08T02:13:00.000-06:002010-11-08T02:13:50.087-06:00Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirating we'll go!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4Omzv_gPx9a5UysNaYmba3mQvyjN6SAt1FeT27yF8LA0aK1oTEq2ZgkuSFEkVQTN8-k0Lx86bMpa0URlWDCzEJ3JXfR5Le8kI67T-RvgT62myPJWw4TKLheKDsrXlxPi3PHh/s1600/Rob-Piratef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4Omzv_gPx9a5UysNaYmba3mQvyjN6SAt1FeT27yF8LA0aK1oTEq2ZgkuSFEkVQTN8-k0Lx86bMpa0URlWDCzEJ3JXfR5Le8kI67T-RvgT62myPJWw4TKLheKDsrXlxPi3PHh/s1600/Rob-Piratef.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">My son the evil one...scurvy dog!</div>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-69783814876346088852010-06-25T19:56:00.005-05:002010-06-26T07:06:16.649-05:00Learning GIMP, day two: Brushes<div style="text-align: center;">A gust of wind blows the leaves: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">They are quiet.<br />
~Basho </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSq-JZ_wnaneTnX61rUCpGzEPQTuISgNghKBKLDwZQGlUT0QOYCgeLAst_OnC-wDRbE3MScckYRdnljnNt-YwLuvRyyUkQLddLprpMbq_oq2Dxn2mnebWbpWKAY_fruj1HLJN/s1600/GhostGarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSq-JZ_wnaneTnX61rUCpGzEPQTuISgNghKBKLDwZQGlUT0QOYCgeLAst_OnC-wDRbE3MScckYRdnljnNt-YwLuvRyyUkQLddLprpMbq_oq2Dxn2mnebWbpWKAY_fruj1HLJN/s400/GhostGarden.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> A Garden of Ghosts </div>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-8558252544574230142010-06-25T19:44:00.002-05:002010-06-26T04:37:29.122-05:00IF: Paisley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBT7-OuDwBnQ1EtGUxfHchzrs1h-vegdQHBnoO_4Z7MFoLijutV_0un0XjlifCEJTj3xLmiixK9hwTZVf04H2Yr_-uUFnYsa2fPjga466BWEmtDjmL9pQ1BKRdlbR-fn7RrsW/s1600/Paisley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBT7-OuDwBnQ1EtGUxfHchzrs1h-vegdQHBnoO_4Z7MFoLijutV_0un0XjlifCEJTj3xLmiixK9hwTZVf04H2Yr_-uUFnYsa2fPjga466BWEmtDjmL9pQ1BKRdlbR-fn7RrsW/s320/Paisley.jpg" /></a></div>I did have a good idea for paisley(at least I thought so). Visualize a wall with a newspaper tacked to it. Above a headshot photo of Harry Potter the headline reads: House Elf does what Dark Lord has been unable to do!<br />
<br />
In front of the wall stands Kreature with smoking gun. Kreature is wearing a hideously loud paisley toga, he looks totally disgusted and appalled.<br />
<br />
The text reads:<br />
Yesterday Harry Potter freed Kreature with a gift of clothes.<br />
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But then, I had second thoughts. Paisley always gives me a migraine. :)))LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-22660262655126338742010-04-23T23:26:00.003-05:002010-04-23T23:33:10.159-05:00Liars club, the truth will out!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCE3gTs_gbafKZdGqjCZKBMD4UyhbyDDw5k8q6dN1vUSWvm-_3tp4gA4Axv4hMPF-7EfS4zrP96EsjEZa16yEJ-l34uzK26-ODCzNB3SoSOflpsgd2tsyydxqR4asUuz3lBRE0/s1600/My+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCE3gTs_gbafKZdGqjCZKBMD4UyhbyDDw5k8q6dN1vUSWvm-_3tp4gA4Axv4hMPF-7EfS4zrP96EsjEZa16yEJ-l34uzK26-ODCzNB3SoSOflpsgd2tsyydxqR4asUuz3lBRE0/s320/My+chair.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Photo by my friend Jean of a fairy chair I made</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: x-small;">for her. The cat is really a tiny pillow, a vintage </span></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: x-small;">replica, hand sewn by me. Pumpkins grown in </span></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: x-small;">my tiny garden...well maybe not! :)))</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Andrew, I will quit sitting around and letting time </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: small;">pass while I stare out the window.</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">1. I robbed a bank vault when I was a kid,</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">and got away with it. <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">#1</span> is a WHOPPER: </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Not the vault!</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">My Grandfather lived in a very small town,</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">consisting of one main business street. </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Years of visiting and exploring gave me</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">intimate knowledge of the ins and outs</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">of all the old business buildings. A little </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">like Harry Potter, I solemnly swear, I </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">was often up to no good. I knew where</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">the hidden ways into back rooms, </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">upper floors and basements were. The </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">old bank was no exception. I could and</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">and did get into the upper floor. It was</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">hot and very dusty but contained some </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">interesting items. I remember there </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">was an old cracked leather feinting couch </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">and a box of antique photos that I liked to</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> spend time studying. There were names </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">written on the back of many of them so</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">naturally I made up stories about the </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">personages pictured. </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Then came the spring when I discovered</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">a new bank had been built. The old bank</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">was due to be demolished. I had to save</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">my people! I asked an older cousin to go</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">to the bank with me to help me rescue</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">the precious box. I showed him the </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">secret way in. There he found an antique</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">wooden child's wagon. He carried it out,</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">then went back for the heavy box of </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">photos, down a set of stairs, down a</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">dark creaking hallway and then down</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">another set of stairs, we made our</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">getaway! Pulling the wagon back to</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> my grandfathers, we were brazen,</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">hardened criminals, no fear of getting</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">caught.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Cousin hid the photos in my parents car </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">and put the wagon in his parents car. </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">When we heard the bank had had it's date</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">with destruction, he took the child's</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">wagon to his mother. They decided to</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">donate it to a local museum. I showed</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">my mother the box of antique photos.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Seeing the names on the backs, she </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">had the idea of trying to find some of </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">the family locally. A few phone calls,</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> mom hit paydirt, a man who said</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">he would call his sister to come take a </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">look. The day arrived, the elderly lady </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">sat on the couch and I brought her the box.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">As she named the people in the pictures</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">she burst into tears. They were photos </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">which had been missing for years,</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">the only ones the family had. She was</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">terribly grateful that I had been a </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">bank robber and had saved her family</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">pictures from the wrecking ball. </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I received a Christmas card every </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">year from her until she passed away.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">2. My second cousin cut my third finger off</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">my right hand with scissors when I was five.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span>#2<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> is a</span> WHOPPER: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Not the whole finger, </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">just the top of it</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span>.<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Miss</span> smarty pants(me) knew cousin wasn't<br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">supposed to play with Aunt Faye's scissors. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My intentions were to take them from her </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">and play with them myself. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">She taught me the valuable lesson of never </div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">presenting a frontal attack. Always approach </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">from the side! The end of the finger was</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">reattached in the emergency room and</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">eventually I recovered full use of it. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I still bear the scar, it makes for a good</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">cautionary tale for the grand kids.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've never liked that cousin.</div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">3. Gypsies kidnapped me and stole </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">my first home. </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">#3 is a WHOPPER:</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">They didn't get me, just the small</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">trailer my parents were using until</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">the big farm house was </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">remodeled</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">enough to live in. </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Yes, Gypsies!! </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">My mother always told me when I</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">was being particularly awful, they </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">would be back for me. After reading</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Ransom for Red Chief, I was ready</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">for them!</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">4. My Dad and I found a complete</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">skeleton in a prospector's shack in </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">the desert. He said if I ever told my </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">mother he wouldn't take me with him </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">to check out stuff anymore.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">#4. Drum roll... TRUE!</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">My dad was a rockhound ,we were<br />
tourists long before there was such a<br />
thing. We traveled great distances <br />
every summer in our Jeep station <br />
wagon. Forests, mining camps, lost<br />
caverns, all of that and more was<br />
par for the course when I was a kid. <br />
When we were going through a desert<br />
my dad saw a shack south of us and<br />
he just had to investigate. He and I<br />
were off to see what we could see. <br />
There behind the door to a second <br />
room I found "him" under a deteriorated<br />
quilt. Poor old dear had left this veil of <br />
tears while in bed. Nothing left of him but<br />
his bones which had become white with<br />
desert summer's blinding heat and <br />
winter's biting cold.<br />
I never told my mother until my dad<br />
himself had passed.<br />
Dad and I did have our secrets. :) </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">5. I won my first Purple ribbon at the</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">State Fair for scratch baking when I </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">was eight. I entered my white cake</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">with strawberry icing.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
#5. WHOPPER:<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> It was a blue ribbon and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I won it in the local fair.</span> 4H!<br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">6. The King of Sweden visited a town</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">14 miles from here, I got to shake his</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">hand. So I have had the privilege of </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">shaking the hand of a past President </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">and a King.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">#6. WHOPPER: I did shake President</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Eisenhower's hand, if I told you all of </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">that story you would swear I was </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">telling you another whopper. The </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">King of Sweden did visit and I saw him </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">but of course, never shook his hand.</div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">7. I recently learned one of my Barbies </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I had since I was a kid would be worth</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">21 thousand dollars if it was still in the</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">box. As it is, it is only worth about </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">seven thousand dollars.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> Yep, it's a WHOPPER! </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Mostly an outright lie!</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">If I still had my one and only Barbie</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">and she was still in the box, she would</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">only be worth about $700. (She was</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">a Champagne bubble cut Barbie. )</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Well, it was fun! If I had it to do all</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">over again, I would tell you about our</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">diamond mine in Arkansas and what</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">we found there... and about</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">laying on the train tracks and letting</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">the train roll over me(scary!)</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Oh well, maybe another time. </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-53367181760135029272010-04-03T18:08:00.002-05:002010-04-03T18:13:07.744-05:00Liars club<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I have been given this award by Andrew of<br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Andrew Finnie: <a href="http://andrewfinnie.blogspot.com/">Andrew Finnie, Artist and Illustrator</a></span></span></span><br />
<div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black;">Thank you Andrew... I think. Nah, I'm tickled as not</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">everyone is a bold face....uhm, creative writer. </span></span> </span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://andrewfinnie.blogspot.com/"></a></span></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyqhXvpuxUoAbrQd2WW-msMFgFhoxptBBcHMeJC3BskW7T6zlm7TyN0DMCBR8QEsov7-UlVEvGX79ynh9pBXlZWIPrexlH94J8sdylgvAKrfxNzRYtKS6vYOoZrqfqhtzgXYD/s1600/CreativeWriter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446460604342475010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyqhXvpuxUoAbrQd2WW-msMFgFhoxptBBcHMeJC3BskW7T6zlm7TyN0DMCBR8QEsov7-UlVEvGX79ynh9pBXlZWIPrexlH94J8sdylgvAKrfxNzRYtKS6vYOoZrqfqhtzgXYD/s400/CreativeWriter.jpg" style="height: 121px; width: 123px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">1. I robbed a bank vault when I was a kid,</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">and got away with it.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">2. My second cousin cut my third finger off </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">my right hand with scissors when I was five.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">3. Gypsies kidnapped me and stole </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">my first home.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">4. My Dad and I found a complete</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">skeleton in a prospector's shack in </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">the desert. He said if I ever told my </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">mother he wouldn't take me with him </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">to check out stuff anymore.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">5. I won my first Purple ribbon at the</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">State Fair for scratch baking when I </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">was eight. I entered my white cake</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">with strawberry icing.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">6. The King of Sweden visited a town</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">14 miles from here, I got to shake his</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">hand. So I have had the privilege of </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">shaking the hand of a past President </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">and a King.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">7. I recently learned one of my Barbies </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I had since I was a kid would be worth</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">21 thousand dollars if it was still in the</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">box. As it is, it is only worth about </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">seven thousand dollars.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCmPVQmtNtslWBf2c7mUnWFoaTFwQBTmM0-TaTrVmpOePMfcqSXYGtBXMTLMzasqGxD-9h1S3eKfO1yRP53o_epJgK3WuTMuV7AsX0SoFP5pu-kocIOV4H-t5Ma3_nWBtdRaG/s1600/beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCmPVQmtNtslWBf2c7mUnWFoaTFwQBTmM0-TaTrVmpOePMfcqSXYGtBXMTLMzasqGxD-9h1S3eKfO1yRP53o_epJgK3WuTMuV7AsX0SoFP5pu-kocIOV4H-t5Ma3_nWBtdRaG/s320/beach.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
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<div style="color: #a64d79;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #a64d79;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">There you have it. Which are the Whoppers and</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span></div><div style="color: #a64d79;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">which one is the truth? Can you tell?</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I will with fear and trepidation present these </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Blogger friends with this <strike>burden</strike> special award.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Guyana-Gyal</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> <a href="http://sapodilla.blogspot.com/">Guyana</a></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">She is well equipped to handle this Award.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Val Walsh <a href="http://valgalart.blogspot.com/">ValGal Art</a></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Because she will forgive me, I think!</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Donn <a href="http://homoescapeons.blogspot.com/">Homo Escapeons </a></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">He says he's quit blogging, maybe this</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">will tempt him to come back.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Albina <a href="http://outofhands.blogspot.com/">Out of Hands</a></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Revenge for yummy post!</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Simon <a href="http://dailybitsnbobs.blogspot.com/">Bits and Bobs</a></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">He's on vacation and I'll be</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">able to hide before he finds out.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Andrea <a href="http://didrooglie.blogspot.com/">Coloring Outside the Lines</a></span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">So you will visit her and see her</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">paintings she has for sale.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Merlin Princesse <a href="http://princessemerlin.blogspot.com/">Photos Reflexions Creations</a> </span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">She has a great sense of humor.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Thanks again Andrew, it was <strike>embarrassing</strike> fun!</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">It <span style="color: #a64d79;">was</span> fun.</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Here are the rules:<br />
1. Thank the person who gave this to you.<br />
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.<br />
3. Link to the person who nominated you.<br />
4. Tell up to six outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth.<br />
5. Nominate seven "Creative Writers" who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.<br />
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.<br />
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.</span></span> </span></span></span></i></b></span>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-8617071545669792332010-03-09T20:22:00.005-06:002010-11-08T03:05:05.313-06:00The End<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYFX2uHT67lNb8Rh0f_e5nbgcKxqrBXJTUv2KYMn8Shg9H-i9t2AFwFk3O9Bfsy7NNy0kurC5wefJ5Q_BOtRol6CPs2MYPrSowEdCnq_gmoZhh7LZ8SvIRKUuJ1uL5_IIY-Bo/s1600-h/PaddyGoldpot.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449408429805008258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYFX2uHT67lNb8Rh0f_e5nbgcKxqrBXJTUv2KYMn8Shg9H-i9t2AFwFk3O9Bfsy7NNy0kurC5wefJ5Q_BOtRol6CPs2MYPrSowEdCnq_gmoZhh7LZ8SvIRKUuJ1uL5_IIY-Bo/s400/PaddyGoldpot.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 400px; width: 386px;" /></a><br />
<br />
Paddy's Gold<br />
The pot might be bigger than we originally thought.<br />
Even if you were to find this very spot I think you<br />
would have to be very brave to try to take the gold<br />
from this rabid Leprechaun. He just might bite your<br />
ankles!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/st%20patricks%20day/wonder_lick/Holidays/St%20Patricks%20Day/wonder_lick_CelticShamrock.jpg?o=140" target="_blank"><br />
</a>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-88303210706150391662010-02-15T00:27:00.003-06:002010-02-15T00:29:54.581-06:00Haiti 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiltZpXrcGThilazySYJ-4AQLZimN3B66CI4J9yng115QbDEHT6AF5qikGvIpUETETKZB3TomN6KeyQFznCQkptq3WOJTtAj8FIN-ANrj_HwKOslJcUdtrpHLexwdDswqcQca/s1600-h/Haiti+2010+%7EAdrift%7E.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiltZpXrcGThilazySYJ-4AQLZimN3B66CI4J9yng115QbDEHT6AF5qikGvIpUETETKZB3TomN6KeyQFznCQkptq3WOJTtAj8FIN-ANrj_HwKOslJcUdtrpHLexwdDswqcQca/s400/Haiti+2010+%7EAdrift%7E.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438353608305561522" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-size:130%;" >Adrift</span>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-43329648117040366422010-02-04T14:07:00.004-06:002010-02-04T14:36:46.903-06:00More Playing while it Snows and Snows<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQ3rtRY_VaCGuQbeWFrFjF5WKs_XtwWHc97K9W9MXuswevyVdztvh8zE6AMKg00p0pG-0ux7ROrLGW4cxx3yAsycWFIaHbUs5hSN-9yvnhAJNkeAcMoSuLmtPtypptKZ7o8ld/s1600-h/RP2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQ3rtRY_VaCGuQbeWFrFjF5WKs_XtwWHc97K9W9MXuswevyVdztvh8zE6AMKg00p0pG-0ux7ROrLGW4cxx3yAsycWFIaHbUs5hSN-9yvnhAJNkeAcMoSuLmtPtypptKZ7o8ld/s400/RP2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434489492749886866" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I'm having Ideas about Root People. I pulled out some big weeds behind the shed and found they had the most interesting roots, gnarly, grasping and hairy. I'd like to make people out of them, and I might give it a go when they are good and dried out. (Yes, guilty... I did save them!) Until then, my sister and I had fun with ink. Here is my first attempt. We laughed a lot, I cooked supper while she made her's... she came up with some perfectly charming monsters. She had so much fun that I've been able to tempt her to come back this coming weekend for a session of smearing around some paint. (She's a chemist by day) It seems to be the proper thing to do when it's cold, wet and gray day after day. Remember when we were kids, the sound of blunt scissors whacking hunks out of construction paper, the smell of paste and crayons, our tempera paints leaving splotches on our paint shirts? Everyone having a good time just playing, no thought where it was going to end up any more than "on the fridge". February, a good month to return to play for awhile I think.</span>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-71415657570059895822010-01-28T17:11:00.004-06:002015-10-23T10:42:24.518-05:00Clumsy<br />
<span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br />George</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-style: italic;">Who played with a Dangerous Toy, and </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-style: italic;">suffered a Catastrophe of considerable </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-style: italic;">Dimensions</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">When George's Grandmamma was told</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">That George had been as good as gold,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">She promised in the afternoon</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">To buy him an Immense BALLOON.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">And so she did; but when it came,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">It got into the candle flame,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">And being of a dangerous sort</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Exploded with a loud report!</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The lights went out! The windows broke!</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The room was filled with reeking smoke.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">And in the darkness shrieks and yells</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Were mingled with electric bells,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">And falling masonry and groans,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">And crunching, as of broken bones,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">And dreadful shrieks, when, worst of all,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The house itself began to fall!</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">It tottered, shuddering to and fro,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Then crashed into the street below-</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Which happened to be Savile Row.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">When help arrived, among the dead</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Were Cousin Mary, Little Fred,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The Footmen (both of them), the Groom,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The man that cleaned the Billiard-Room,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The Chaplain, and the Still-Room Maid.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">And I am dreadfully afraid</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">That Monsieur Champignon, the Chef,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Will now be permanently deaf-</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">And both his aides are much the same;</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">While George, who was in part to blame,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Received, you will regret to hear,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">A nasty lump behind the ear.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Moral:</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The moral is that little boys</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Should not be given dangerous toys.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">~Hilaire Belloc<br /><br /></span></div>
<br /></div>
LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-69087378257558326872010-01-21T11:31:00.003-06:002010-01-21T11:44:23.390-06:00Wilderness underfoot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh162331OMkZWfwxwWl7jXwEsiGrLnB_hkb52rkDm39BX7p97ZCKFV13-52OH8Wu2N6FX3Wjd-Awf69a-pgFiziEo6uzD2h07BoMeau8dQ6GJl3ETjChjkqF4t7V36BMdqXQQLq/s1600-h/Peg.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh162331OMkZWfwxwWl7jXwEsiGrLnB_hkb52rkDm39BX7p97ZCKFV13-52OH8Wu2N6FX3Wjd-Awf69a-pgFiziEo6uzD2h07BoMeau8dQ6GJl3ETjChjkqF4t7V36BMdqXQQLq/s400/Peg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429248661191921794" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Excerpt from Vegetation:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:times new roman;font-size:14px;" ><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" >It is a love in darkness wrought</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" >obedient<br />to the unseen sun,</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" >longer than memory,<br />a thought</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" >deeper than the graves of time.<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" >~Kathleen Raine</span></span><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(121, 159, 115);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" ><span class="Helvetica10"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Green </span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span class="Helvetica10"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(121, 159, 115);font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span class="Helvetica10"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">by D H Lawrence<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" align="left"><span class="Helvetica10" style="font-size:130%;">The dawn was apple green,</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" align="left"><span class="Helvetica10" style="font-size:130%;"> The sky was green wine held up in the sun,</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" align="left"><span class="Helvetica10" style="font-size:130%;">The moon was a golden petal between.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" align="left"><span class="Helvetica10" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" align="left"><span class="Helvetica10" style="font-size:130%;">She opened her eyes, and green</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" align="left"><span class="Helvetica10" style="font-size:130%;"> They shone, clear like flowers undone</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="color: rgb(121, 159, 115);font-size:130%;" ><span class="Helvetica10"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For the first time,<br />now for the first time seen.</span> </span></span></div>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-86756834858529455052010-01-11T15:41:00.012-06:002010-01-11T17:11:45.352-06:00Your kids can change<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgermydjyzDdK0uLaSCTCzpgYVe09onaW2NB1VWXdXbfUPWpxFwS61Sxbv0VORGIfCTXpp9wf-xUpuoVGxK-H5vvifEJ9ShC3Zb9TMTh0yebBPUt7yWhCzE42zVUcAEA8PwHL2o/s1600-h/Mask.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 336px; height: 364px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgermydjyzDdK0uLaSCTCzpgYVe09onaW2NB1VWXdXbfUPWpxFwS61Sxbv0VORGIfCTXpp9wf-xUpuoVGxK-H5vvifEJ9ShC3Zb9TMTh0yebBPUt7yWhCzE42zVUcAEA8PwHL2o/s400/Mask.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425600769760137698" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">At the speed of light.........</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A few days ago I got a call from my beautiful daughter.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">She said,"Are you ready to have an</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"I'll take full credit, I'm so proud, Mommy moment""?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I thought, "What!?!", but said with hesitation , "Sure..."</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Amanda: I just sent you an email with some drawings</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I've just done.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Me: What!?! (She always said she hates to draw!)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Click, click, click(email opened)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Me: Oh my god!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Amanda:* Giggle* So what do you think?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Me: Who are you and what have you done with my</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">daughter?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">********************************************</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">OK, you probably get the idea...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Amanda has always made me so proud as her</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">mother. She is a great wife, mother and</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">daughter. She is a kick-ass ICU nurse. As she</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">says, "You don't want to see me because that</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">means you are very, very sick. But then you</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">do want to see me because I'll do everything</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">in my power to keep you alive until shift</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">change."</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">But drawing? She has never shown the</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">slightest interest. None, zippo, nada.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So suddenly she starts drawing...</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">...picked up a pencil and went to town.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I'm stunned! And for some odd reason</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">soooooo very happy!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I just wanted to share with you my</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"Proud mommy, I take full credit"</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">moment.</span><br /><br />Amanda's Zombies<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_skadggnm1NkBOUt_J_fyTpHUgnWE4RLw4VN23ix1a3Zp04TWk1NZJKduRAypMbJb66PfZTfZ6iJn2jsIalANEq64ipW6WovnDOOUwfEALDA6bluQIkNb8MTCB0PSyq9hY7at/s1600-h/AJWzombieb.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_skadggnm1NkBOUt_J_fyTpHUgnWE4RLw4VN23ix1a3Zp04TWk1NZJKduRAypMbJb66PfZTfZ6iJn2jsIalANEq64ipW6WovnDOOUwfEALDA6bluQIkNb8MTCB0PSyq9hY7at/s400/AJWzombieb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425616438290348530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNben-vMqMC2Byo2dZfviGOnWSiJotSvlKiAhH0_ixtpN9Yb363IgoIozgsSrSi3Jccp7J6FfKrmK51cDlHwsLfeILNWBi6hPBEtcqdXoI7jwswe54cHhD7nOLFbFixYoTe2nj/s1600-h/drawingzombie007b.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 313px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNben-vMqMC2Byo2dZfviGOnWSiJotSvlKiAhH0_ixtpN9Yb363IgoIozgsSrSi3Jccp7J6FfKrmK51cDlHwsLfeILNWBi6hPBEtcqdXoI7jwswe54cHhD7nOLFbFixYoTe2nj/s400/drawingzombie007b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425616781568636546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjton8UYN_8XTanj8JBkaJ9xjrgi2vTFC920WKm7rEdJkhYTnF0tUqn1axCJjc6B6OmRlg_qKD-gG4HQN2OlCpmf0dLRYS-B2qgsDdWG2HqZzu_PYe66Q8iXEIqaa5cB1JxKbzP/s1600-h/zombiegirlb.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 345px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjton8UYN_8XTanj8JBkaJ9xjrgi2vTFC920WKm7rEdJkhYTnF0tUqn1axCJjc6B6OmRlg_qKD-gG4HQN2OlCpmf0dLRYS-B2qgsDdWG2HqZzu_PYe66Q8iXEIqaa5cB1JxKbzP/s400/zombiegirlb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425622937415110322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYJsOxF1f3FDUmJ0TLYauFqJFH5dHqP2bkgZd43BhUoCE_LebspV05_ilzbBCFQSEw3qNU08Wy-CgUK4XMt0y3VGFL_PGJGfa0U0CBMDppDA0ssfwI6CeS0Uox_0dEwWC_gBB/s1600-h/frankenbunny016b.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYJsOxF1f3FDUmJ0TLYauFqJFH5dHqP2bkgZd43BhUoCE_LebspV05_ilzbBCFQSEw3qNU08Wy-CgUK4XMt0y3VGFL_PGJGfa0U0CBMDppDA0ssfwI6CeS0Uox_0dEwWC_gBB/s400/frankenbunny016b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425617306439554354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A few days have gone by and she is still at it!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I'm thrilled!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And now may I introduce you to the artist:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheV2a4Cr4WW1ncUVugi5XwRp7CrK3QJHRAQtVyCV4akzp6-c_uqXoawd1ZJRQ18VSjT20tsz-a66iPCxsXYi-llNPWRRpD7cSCbG1MAipcAjCog3XRMVRvbs2NIvs1fHFKUUbp/s1600-h/halloweenA&N.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheV2a4Cr4WW1ncUVugi5XwRp7CrK3QJHRAQtVyCV4akzp6-c_uqXoawd1ZJRQ18VSjT20tsz-a66iPCxsXYi-llNPWRRpD7cSCbG1MAipcAjCog3XRMVRvbs2NIvs1fHFKUUbp/s400/halloweenA&N.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425617890116199826" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">My daughter Amanda and her hubby</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Fido...I mean Nick. They are dressed</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">up in their Halloween costumes as </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">characters from the movie 'Fido'.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUAhPholxJT-lu1RDLYOd0ODKu3tUY0IGfE43QMXgS6le1VopkyFl9Ermw-afrF5wyxT9GPslR2yLc5yYn6aJzRw7KUahsqC50-nDcTo7-B94g1rexJ72BDLcOln4ZBZ19RR9/s1600-h/The+Fam.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUAhPholxJT-lu1RDLYOd0ODKu3tUY0IGfE43QMXgS6le1VopkyFl9Ermw-afrF5wyxT9GPslR2yLc5yYn6aJzRw7KUahsqC50-nDcTo7-B94g1rexJ72BDLcOln4ZBZ19RR9/s400/The+Fam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425621999029072866" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-84021806093802804022010-01-01T20:33:00.005-06:002010-01-02T13:22:08.499-06:00Happy New Year!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBUQwHFnaj12z2hcDaL9GsZbYGXSOg4Mbva0wf0tH79hMgyxSL4o0w8IeN77JoUvndbGukCHQmDnvTZfzHYifA5We75pKmabnZs-Drm0Iqen21Q_8G9cKLOkj_BT5cLBpK1FI/s1600-h/p11398.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBUQwHFnaj12z2hcDaL9GsZbYGXSOg4Mbva0wf0tH79hMgyxSL4o0w8IeN77JoUvndbGukCHQmDnvTZfzHYifA5We75pKmabnZs-Drm0Iqen21Q_8G9cKLOkj_BT5cLBpK1FI/s400/p11398.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421965231511388930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I hosted my first New Year's Eve party in years last night. It was the first one I have ever hosted on my own, so I was a bit nervous, and frankly I think I may have gone over the top as there was no one to say "Stop!". I always wanted to have a masked ball like the old ones of Mosart's Vennia or like the Carnival of Venice, so I set the theme as 'Come as a character that Terry Gilliam might have dreamed of'. What fun!!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I rented beautiful Lakewood Lodge; I had made the reservation back in April but as there was a wedding reception held there on the 27th, I really had to scramble to get the ballroom decorated in time. Two darling friends helped me, but even still it was a major job. Everything was done in gold, silver and red as much as possible. Unable to find that many tablecloths in red, I used white ones with red and golden candles nestled in greenery sprinkled with silver glitter. We used white candles in the chandeliers simply because I thought it would look better, more romantic. Lakewood has a mirror ball so with the lights low and all the candles lit, it looked truly spectacular! Bubbles, baubbles and sparkles everywhere!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Last night, a Blue Moon... the moon that only occurs once every nineteen years on New Years Eve. It's not really blue, but full, against a sky of the deepest, clearest midnight blue. The man in the moon looked like it came from a vintage story book with the brightest stars dotted artfully about, all reflected in the still lake below the lodge. It was bitter cold but the lights from the ballroom glowed warmly on the closest trees of the surrounding woods, making everything seem cozy and inviting. There was even a hint of woodsmoke from the roaring fireplace in the air. Perfect!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I think everyone I had invited came and brought friends. The fantastical creatures that arrived at my party seemed not of this world. I felt as if a portal had opened up in the ether and beings from unseen worlds had come pouring in. Wings, horns, wands and crowns...glimmer, gossamer, silk, satin, sequins, velvet and soft leathers. Heroes and villains, beauties and crones, serfs and kings, dancing denizens of beaches and forests... all and more.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">All had come for a Midnight Dream.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The catered food was spectacular as was the music provided by a group of friends. Many of my friends are multi-talented and those with musical gifts sat in with the band and added their special sounds to the delight of all. I don't think it was just the magic of champagne that made everyone glow with excitement and happiness. We were all saying goodbye to 2009 with style and hello to 2010 with the sparkling eyes of children opening birthday presents. Ah, what is in this big box, what will it be? All I know it is just for me! Hehe!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I dressed as the Snow Queen. Vintage lace, white, heavily beaded satin, fur trimmed cape, all assembled with the tiniest hand sewn stiches. I borrowed my great aunt Lavinnia's diamond tiara (Yes, it was real, presented to her by her adored husband Theodore on their tenth wedding anniversary... unfortunately he was killed in a tragic hunting accident two years later. She never remarried but remained alone in their Victorian manor where I, coincidentally spent many an enchanted hour amonst her vast collections of pictures and books.)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I felt the part, even though my heels were killing me. :) </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">At Midnight we held our glasses high and began the countdown, some were misty-eyed, some were grinning with anticipation of New Year kisses, some were looking a bit serious and thoughtful. As the count of seven was reached, the huge double doors of the ballroom crashed open and there stood Zorro! Posed, left hand on hip, right hand grasping a rapier pointing down at the floor. The room suddenly became quiet, every eye fixed on this stunning man in black. He grinned wickedly and began marching towards me, flicking his rapier as he came. When he stood in front of me he bowed deeply, one leg crossed over the other. (Men can be beautiful too can't they?) Quick as a cat he stood upright, snapped his sword at my face and lifted the diamond tiara from my hair in one smooth movement. High in the air it sailed and as it came down, he caught it in his gloved hand. "My lady." he laughed, turned and ran from the room.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Stunned but for a second, I rushed after him but unfortunately he was better on his heels than I on mine and I (and the crowd behind me) reached the open door to the outside just in time to see him rear up on his black horse. We could only watch in shock as he galloped off and melted into the dark woods, leaving behind a "Z" cut deeply into a snowdrift by the door. Great aunt Lavinnia (who had came as a hag complete with a wax 'poisoned' apple) passed out on the spot!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Of course the police were called, but I don't think they took it seriously, believing their time would better spent catching drunken drivers than chasing a man on a horse in the cold woods. It had clouded up since the party had started and snow was falling heavily. Hoof prints were not to be found. They took statements, wished us a Happy New Year and left us to get on with our party (after cautioning us to drink responsibly and have designated drivers). Police! </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Well what could one do? We did as advised. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I began to write this to you today just to let you know the first thing that happened to me in 2010 was that I was robbed by Zorro! It is kind of funny; horrible, but funny. (but not as horrible as my hangover:) I got halfway through the telling, when there was a bold knock at my door. When I answered it, there was no one to be seen, but there was a small gold foil wrapped package left on the step. Pinned to the silver ribbon, a mask! A black velvet half mask!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Opening it I found the tiara and this note: </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">My Lady,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Forgive me my theft of your treasure! A prank, a practical joke, nothing more</span>,<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">to give you and your guests an unforgettable New Year's Eve!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Find enclosed the tiara, unharmed!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Forever your faithful servant,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"Z"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I'm back in Great Aunt Lavinnia's will!</span>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-46665264633471636242009-12-23T20:40:00.002-06:002009-12-23T20:47:35.078-06:00My wish for you<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKej-ed9PTG6FkEO-13iGoAmbw8Xq8YhyphenhyphenlD_zSekCTHo7yCukReSlaiG3OnWrtXQRutGTgufK4dTF9SHvlTYXVZxmqJ-JovuvMkHRdPzl6TTXzfRxdGYVArYoe1SX2pfLWpp_F/s1600-h/Magic.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKej-ed9PTG6FkEO-13iGoAmbw8Xq8YhyphenhyphenlD_zSekCTHo7yCukReSlaiG3OnWrtXQRutGTgufK4dTF9SHvlTYXVZxmqJ-JovuvMkHRdPzl6TTXzfRxdGYVArYoe1SX2pfLWpp_F/s400/Magic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418627405891244322" border="0" /></a>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-15249442316289102782009-12-11T10:55:00.004-06:002009-12-20T20:18:56.284-06:00Oh no you don't!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWP_1QQj7oQ5UH14lxiMzhZrSqpCU8AYsxgQq-xlED1E6a30bdw00HD_y6mOHoNdl2g6Xfy1tnxn0odH6AOAyE9C_fg11IVNwHA5Mrd7wpN_1WSgjvSUGeqiURahjT0BcFE_R/s1600-h/squirrel.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWP_1QQj7oQ5UH14lxiMzhZrSqpCU8AYsxgQq-xlED1E6a30bdw00HD_y6mOHoNdl2g6Xfy1tnxn0odH6AOAyE9C_fg11IVNwHA5Mrd7wpN_1WSgjvSUGeqiURahjT0BcFE_R/s400/squirrel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414023349765126802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Behind my back yard there is a bit of fencing and a row</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">of mixed trees. They are under the power lines and two</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">years ago after a particularly bad ice storm, the power </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">company did much trimming. The crews were back last</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">week to mark trees for removal. All of those trees had</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">green plastic bands on them to indicate they were all</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">to be cut down and removed. It has snowed here and</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">we have below zero temps even during the days. I</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">thought, "Poor squirrels, they will come and cut down</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">your nest trees just when you need them the most."</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Two days ago I was surprised to see a squirrel up</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and about in the freezing weather and wondered what </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">he was up to. Well, he was busy removing the </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">green bands off his trees, just his trees. He </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">carried off the bands and I think he stuffed them</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">in his nest. A couple of hours ago the crew to</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">cut the trees arrived in their heavy weather</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">coveralls and hard hats. They kept staring up</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">at the trees in the corner and the huge Cotton-</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">wood tree. They seemed quite puzzled. They left</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and soon others came to look too. Now they are</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">out there cutting. I didn't 'rat out' the squirrel and</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">so far, his trees are still standing. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This is what passes for excitement when we're </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">snowed in.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">On the squirrel front:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">One complete tree w/ nest remains.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">One trunk and large branch of Cottonwood tree remains</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Small set of trees in corner of fence remains (heavily trimmed)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The rest of the trees are down and stacked into firewood.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Tree crew was not back today for whatever reason.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Tuesday morning. The squirrel nest is gone! He's packed up</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and moved in the night. Two hours later the cutting crew</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">arrived, down came the squirrel trees. I wonder who</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">tipped off the squirrel?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Thursday: Squirrel has returned, his nest is now in</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">a tree away from the power lines. He is climbing</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">the power pole and using the trunk line like his</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">private highway once more. All ends well.</span>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-75455314544584905012009-12-07T16:35:00.004-06:002009-12-07T16:53:47.002-06:00Above and Below<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJ4rqEiPp3VMTXIQ9ePhnz9N5qDaKCDUTV1HF9nctxk5FAprPWFVqhXFlaHPjTHTBhtw9BCuiIRBpp0qH79-U2kyNoaPKCcIi7KOVqEw0iqTa1mvadfHamGlgaV5bMIVFVMsf/s1600-h/Above+and+Below.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJ4rqEiPp3VMTXIQ9ePhnz9N5qDaKCDUTV1HF9nctxk5FAprPWFVqhXFlaHPjTHTBhtw9BCuiIRBpp0qH79-U2kyNoaPKCcIi7KOVqEw0iqTa1mvadfHamGlgaV5bMIVFVMsf/s400/Above+and+Below.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412626607509327954" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A whimsy to combat the "Grays"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I'm actually rather excited today,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">after much time with the creative</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">blahs, I have and Idea. The perfect</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Idea. It will allow me to play</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">without restrictions and it is</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">something I believe will be easily</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">accomplished as I can work on</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Idea in fits and starts.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The best part is it is something</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I think will be fun. I have been</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">low on fun (and energy) the</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">last few months. It should get</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">me perking around again.</span>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-53495638186522918492009-11-24T21:19:00.002-06:002009-11-24T21:25:32.976-06:00Paper, marker, old mop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUP_JISpWSNdQPbW5giFrDlC4g5EcWXDWPDo4Xqz9F3Hx7NMQfFoCx0HYDRUKpFkHUUtKmbBx5uDI6f3ZNeTdQ5sFYLByFav3qhCd3ED8-4Ekw7cl4YASu7WzQpZDmT67MUiAs/s1600/Heads.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUP_JISpWSNdQPbW5giFrDlC4g5EcWXDWPDo4Xqz9F3Hx7NMQfFoCx0HYDRUKpFkHUUtKmbBx5uDI6f3ZNeTdQ5sFYLByFav3qhCd3ED8-4Ekw7cl4YASu7WzQpZDmT67MUiAs/s400/Heads.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407876034636736306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Heads I made for Halloween.</span>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17744128.post-83885520755852089362009-03-27T15:00:00.003-05:002009-03-27T15:20:13.762-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiEkKtW1VEyPL81Fi32MH5FVvJ7f9Yix40scLR5CrSDhwrJ2s87Px7HCzryC6CO62JN4ReqA-faqk3WyM1zzWH2Wsi8LYXAY7JqozvPFLBmX1dsGTy4kkdJrh_rP0IBkrjLlL/s1600-h/CreamofTartar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 347px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiEkKtW1VEyPL81Fi32MH5FVvJ7f9Yix40scLR5CrSDhwrJ2s87Px7HCzryC6CO62JN4ReqA-faqk3WyM1zzWH2Wsi8LYXAY7JqozvPFLBmX1dsGTy4kkdJrh_rP0IBkrjLlL/s400/CreamofTartar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317963826265887266" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I continue walking my dark side on a leash. How far can this go? I have no idea at this time.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I am finding out interesting facts on my path to mayhem. (Sounds like a town name doesn't it? Mayhem Mississippi, home to swamp-light ghosts and catfish hunters.)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">55 words, does it work? Click on the can if it is too small to read here.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Some notes........</span><br /><br /><b style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Loki</b><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> is one of the major deities in the Norse pantheon. He is a son of the giant Farbauti ("cruel striker") and the giantess Laufey. He is regarded as one of Aesir, but is on occasion their enemy. He is connected with fire and magic, and can assume many different shapes (horse, falcon, fly). He is crafty and malicious, but is also heroic: in that aspect he can be compared with the trickster from North American myths. The ambivalent god grows progressively more unpleasant, and is directly responsible for the death of Balder, the god of light.</span><br /><br /><b style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Cream of Tartar</b><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> is a natural, pure ingredient left behind after grape juice has fermented to wine.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Potassium bitartrate crystallises in wine casks during the fermentation of grape juice, and can precipitate out of wine in bottle.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">This crude form (known as beeswing) is collected and purified to produce the white, odorless, acidic powder used for many culinary and other household purposes. It is also a major ingredient in baking powder.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Cream of Tartar has no aroma and has an acidic flavor.</span>LDahlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17063861840067555655noreply@blogger.com4