Peterman's Choice*
Getting There

I've driven almost one and one quarter MILLion miles,both professionally,and avocationaly. I can't beeelieve how driving skills have deteriorated. ,while the abilioty of the auto has improved- -well,right along with the built-in distractions.

Just managed to read posts from the last couple of days. Park4 I hope the gas has worn off and you are pain free. magicangel, you said you had visited Casadega. Talk about a strange place to visit! I was there in the 60s and just about every house had a shingle hanging from the porch eave or a sign planted in the yard ...palm reader, tarot reader, clairvoyant, crystal gazer, mystic...you name it...if it had anything to do with mysticism or the supernatural, you could find someone to read or devine your future....but, the strangest thing to me was that there were hills...or at least the little town felt hilly...which was very out of place topographically for flat Florida. No other place like it anywhere in the area. Nice to see you again SpringFragrance. I liked your little play on words....re:habits.

RY, I always wonder why so many people in their fancy new cars can't be bothered with turn signals.
 

MISS JANE:  The Stuff from the Blue Hair gets into their Brains, and makes them forget the Lever .......
 
Most Right-Handed people did Turn Signals INSIDE the Car, in the Old Days, anyway .......

Gibraltar. Human activities like driving and parking helps entertain the apes. Patience Required like in Ronda, Spain gave my Clan in the Van a thrill on narrow streets and cliff side non-shouldered views. Texting while driving highly suicidal.

Hi Jane!! Good to see you!!

Hazel, am watching 'The story of Wales', this part on the industrial
tion during the 18th century, when Wales started mining copper. Wales beautiful!

Revolution

Since I don't work anymore...I try to use my brakes as little as possible.too.
I have it on good authority that all the afore mentioned possibilities can be found in China.

Traffic circles are a form of legalized mayhem that boggles the mind. Paris, Rome, Washington, London, the list goes on.....but they're not good ideas just because everybody does it. Worst rental cars incorporate anything made in the former Soviet Union.....and taxis included. The Trabant looked like a Yugo, but it was actually worse, ox cart suspension & belching black smoke. When watching video of the conflict in Yugoslavia some of us actually stood up and cheered when we saw the Yugo plant engulfed in flames.....

Cuba was always noted for the bootleg cabs that were actually 1950's pre-embargo cars, kept together by ingenuous fabrication of rare parts and by cannibalizing of other parts cars. American dollars only, the locals refused to accept their own currency as legal tender for fares, but a free history lession was included. Now website appeal to Americans directly as tourism has again become legal, and boring European econoboxes are offered when you make online hotel reservations.

Bert, I'm with you on traffic circles. I think they're nuts. We had them in NJ when I was a kid and they took them out. Now they are the darling of the WI traffic engineers and they are appearing everywhere.  Now, on a fairly quiet 2 lane road, they're fine. But they are putting them at highway entrance/exits: they have two or three lanes and they stack them together to handle all the different roads, so you have back to back and sometimes another to back traffic circles.   It's insane. 

I do remember driving through Bolzano, Italy and I did have fun driving around the traffic circles in the city center.  It was busy, but not too much--just enough to make me feel like a big-city cabby with no fear.  I don't think I could ever drive around the Arch de Triumph in Paris. That would take nerves of steel.  Generally, I like driving in Europe. I think the drivers are better there.  Everyone (for the most part) keeps right.

If there is a safe way to drive in Kabul today it's in an armored personal carrier for more reasons then one.   

How appropriate!  My crazy south african friend is driving down from Seattle to pick me up for a road trip tonight after work.  We are just going to Jackson Hole and staying in my family condo, which is about a 3 (ish) hour drive from my house but it is still a welcome change of scenery. 
 
There are 2 main routes to Jackson from Logan...around Bear Lake or up through Soda Springs and Tin Cup...I think we'll take the lake drive tonight going up there (have to stop for a fresh raspberry shake of course) and the tin cup route coming home on Sunday (gotta stop and see the world's only captive geyser), best of both worlds!
 
In between I'm up for anything and apparently that includes whitewater rafting again and possibly my first paragliding experience at the village...I'll let you know if I chicken out or not.

Next weekend I will be in the home to some of the worst traffic around, L.A.  Wish me luck.

With apologies to one of the lovliest cities in the United States, Boston, in my mind, takes the cake. As an 18 year old, my shi[p had changed homeport from Norfolk to Boston while we were on a six-month Med Cruise so my first exposure was from the sea. After a long weekend at home, I returned to Boston after driving all night and could not find my ship. I finally spotted a man walking to work? with a lunch bucket in his hand. I ask him where I might find my ship and after a few minutes conversation learned it was a couple of blocks away "...but you can't get there from here. Look I'll just ride with you and show you...I can't describe it" which he did. Thank you, sir!  In the time I was there I learned to drive like I was the only human within a mile with wanton disregard for life or limb and locals would look out for you. BUT, let anyone know you had even a hint you knew anyone was within a mile of you they'd run your ass off the road or you'd wind up in New Hampshire. After a 30 year break, I returned to Boston for an  Eleven-Week stint at MIT and found it to not be changed one bit.except half the town was torn up working on the multi-billion dollar BIG DIG....just as charming but  traffic like someone had tahen a doublehand full of matchbok cars and scattered them down he highway.

We have a friend who lives in Zagreb, Croatia. We've traveled to see him and traveled with him.  He tells great stories about the cheap cars over there.  My favorite was the story about a car (I think it was the Yugo, or maybe something even cheaper) that they took to a wedding in a remote village. Unfortunately, a goat ate away the car body while they were celebrating the nuptuals.  They were stuck for ahwile. I don't remember the rest of the story, actually, I think that was the story... 

Nachista--good luck. Your weekend sounds wonderful.  George Hall, a friend of mine, when returning from Boston said, "Boston, where stop lights are only a suggestion..."

Boston, followed by a back road in Colorado that turned out to be a dry stream bed!

I love to drive and if it is a new and uncharted (to me)place, all the better. However, all of that bravura went flying out the window in Bogota, Colombia. "Suggestion of stop lights" morphs into suggestion of traffic lanes, speed limits, any sort of common sense....an amazing melee of vehicles all bent on some kind of cartoon like chaos practically driving up and down the sides of buildings. Found that the cost of a car &driver was not much more than a rental car.

I recently watched a series about The Ice Road in Alaska. That would scare me to death!  Driving huge fully laden trucks over frozen rivers and lakes  and hoping the ice is thick enough to take your weight.? No thanks.
Girlie solution to coping with what you call traffic circles - put your hazzard lights on, indicating that you are (maybe) about to turn left or right, or perhaps go straight ahead.
 
 

Checking Out Early Today ... Little Road Trip of my own to do .......
 
I Wish Everyone in the Village a Marvelous Weekend, Great Weather Be Yours, Good Friends, Family, Good Food, Good Wine, and Good Times For All of You !!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Be Safe and Be Well, and Leave Monday Take Care of Itself !!!
 
 
To the Tribe:  GOOD   SHABBOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I Wish You a Sabbath of Peace, of Joy, and Rest !!!
 
"See How Good It Is For Us to Live Together in Peace ..."
 
May Our Rest Be Pleasing to Him Who Brought Us This Far ...
 
 
Blessings Upon You All ...
 
 
IVAN

The oddest rental car incident we had was in Norfolk, Va.  After settling in the car prior to leaving the airport my husband had a question about something in the car, so I went to the glove box to dig out the owner's manual.  Which happened to be a video tape cassette---many years before so many cars came equipped with entertainment centers.   I honestly don't know how they expected anyone to use it---Oh! probably hold it against your forehead and let it seep in.............. I would never ever ever ever ever ever drive in Karachi!!  I even had great reluctance at being a passenger.  So many cars fully loaded and bursting with passengers, so many motorcycles zipping along with 3-4 passengers clinging on.    So much dirt flying around and exhaust fumes blowing up your nose....cars are side by side with not more than two inches of space between them.  And yes, the horn is an extremely popular method of communication there, as well.    I wouldn't opt for bus travel, either, however since those wheeled jewelry boxes--honestly, there's more jewelry on buses and trucks than on twelve women and their bangles put togeter!--are laden as well with passengers.  Full to bursting on the inside, more on the roof and others clinging to window frames on the outside.  

Hazel Leese the Girlie way is sometimes the way it works on the road...In Phoenix and Scottsdale..Arizona I was famous for California Stops with a 5 speed stickshift...on the dime... Yesterday gota tell you...a ... great show the Blue Angels are in town, a Must-see Rendition of F16's Flight ascents in Latrobe, Pennsylvania: Go Blue Angels...! Yesterday they flew over our Horse stable: I recognize the sonic booms...at the time I was washing... by pouring ice cold water on my wrist trying to withstand the 93 degree heat...then walked outside the stable then saw the complete F 16 shadow on the ground 14:30...ikes...tree top line thats' how close it was...Oh My ...those jets were blue...saw the white vapor smear...forced wind on the pilots windshield...Super Cool....Super Force..witness the breaking of the sound barrier.....just knocked my sweaty cowboy boots right off, Man!

The WORST place to drive is behind anyone with Wisconsin plates.

paolos that's what we say here in Utah about Idaho plates or California plates ;)

Nachista ~ You would say the same about Wisconsin plates but the first car to leave Wisconsin for Utah is still somewhere on Route 66 just outside of St. Louis.

Hey, what's with Wisconsin? Are you saying they are slow drivers?  The drivers I find annoying are MN drivers. They seem to assume ownership of whatever lane they occupy. And if they are in the left land and you want to pass, too bad.  It's their lane and they're not budging. We call them squareheads.  I guess WI drivers are slow compared to IL drivers.  They're faster than a speeding bullet!

I marjorie ~ I am certain that every driver finds every other driver annoying.  To quote the revered Click and Clack...Don't drive like my brother & Don't drive like my brother. 

Come on Paolos Wisconsin and Utah are sisters in the dairy trade, there could be some exchange there...there isn't, but there could be!

Its the New Jersey drivers you have to watch out for. Unless you're in Holland, then its the Belgians.

Well I'm less worried about other drivers tonight than I am about things like cattle, horses, sheep, deer, elk, moosed, etc.  Totalled the family suburban when a steer ran out in front of me and stopped in the road.  Bloody Sunday drivers.

Nachista ~ I returned this morning from a 2500 mile road
trip originating in Atlanta Georgia, winding through the Carolinas, Virginia,
West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and on to my
destination Georgia, Vermont. They say Vermont is dairy country also. It was a
beautiful day for a drive. Mostly highway driving but I did take a few side
trips.  There is a two lane mountain road
that runs through the towns that border Lake George east of Glen Falls NY.  A few tourists were out braving the summer
heat, unaware that I was traveling through.  On the return trip I stopped for lunch and
some sightseeing in Winchester Virginia. 
By all rights I could have spent three months on side trips, but I only
had three days to complete the journey. 
When I arrived in Vermont I consulted my Rand McNally and found that the
town of Jericho, home of Snowflake Bentley, was only a dozen or so miles from
Georgia (VT) so I took the extra time to visit and pay tribute to a man who
could find no commonality amongst snowflakes. 
I’d bet he couldn’t get along with anyone.

ChefDeb ~ Traveling north on I 87, I saw a roadsign for Woodstock and was tempted to stop but the pull of Yasgar's farm just wasn't strong enough.  I swear I saw the ghost of some young blond hippie chick hitching her way back to NYC.

paolos, I'll admit I had to look him up, guess I learned my one new thing for the day, thanks!

Road to Hana early in my travel life. St. Thomas en route to the Banana Daquiri Joint at the top of the mountain. 1971. Driving my motorcycle up past Brushy Mountain State Prison that housed James Earl Ray at the time on hwy 116 to Fork Mountain and to a girl that was cute as a speckled pup but remote. Meeting a coal truck or logging truck or a drunk in an oversized pickup with previous road rash on a switchback with no shoulder and a view to oblivion made a young hippie type quite "noivous" and then her neighbor threatened to cut my hair with a knife. I stayed too long and it got dark and the ride home was even more "Pucker City". She found her another man before too long. It was best. I saw a snake that was the entire width of the road. I stroked that rabbit's foot vigorously during those days.

A memory~
The cloud of red dust from the diesel stinking wake of a truck had long since vanished over the horizon, the dust had settled, leaving a vista of shimmering visions. The car had gone 'cough, cough. cough' and refused to continue the journey. We were stranded on what was a dirt track logging road somewhere in East Africa. Dad did the man-stuff of opening the bonnet(hood) and taking a look, which was as much use as opening a book of instructions written in Sanskrit. Miraculously, out of the wobbly landscape, goats appeared with a young boy in casual supervision of their browsing. He was shy, big brown eyed agog and very cautious to approach this strange white family in a car - a very uncommon sight, maybe never before seen by him - it must have been like seeing a UFO with aliens in occupancy. The global currency of food worked on assuring him that we were friendly. He was particularly enamoured by my mothers Vanilla Sponge with Sultanas. Meanwhile, Dad and I were trying to explain our predicament  and we needed a fundi (expert, mechanic) - the boy thought a while and then asked my Dad if he could walk a while to help take the goats home quickly to his village. Eeeew! We were instructed to stay in the car, keep the doors locked - hot or what? After what seemed an age, a gaggle of people in brightly coloured garments appeared through the heat haze - I think it was the entire poulation of the nearest village, including the kids, the dogs and the odd goat who'd come to join in the fun. The village fundi sucked his teeth and shook his head as mechanics the world over do, so all these amazing people pushed us in our car to the next village, fetched us water to wash and cool down, and were amazingly hospitable. It turns out, as we were on a logging road, that some villages have a sort of 'garage' for trucks in trouble and we had the good fortune to happen on one. The guy knew what he was doing - much cleaning of air filters and the carbourettor and the car is runninng sweet. While all this was going on, us kids were having a ball with the village kids, the dogs and a tame monkey - and learning how to milk goats.  

PAOLOS enjoyed your trip and the big smile you gave me.

Hazel! What a rich experience and told so very well. Thank you!

Haze- good stuff-
p-...used to work that area. Everytime I have a vision of such natural loveliness; me thinks of Donovan's "Wear your love like heaven"..
Ivan- My Jesus saves Moses invests Tommy Relaxes shirt came today just as you sent your blessing. So Groovy

haze, terrific memory.

Felt like I was there.

Maybe even milked a goat.

Hazel---your memories would make beautiful movies..................

Hazel enjoyed the story on Africa..."vista of shimmering visions..." good story descriptions, made me feel like I was in Africa....I am putting in a photo of the Blue Angels..flight...I saw all of their rehersal....but only got two pics while tending to horses...that day at the stable.

What's going on? No new topic?

uh oh......why do these Peterman people think they are entitled to lives?! Humph!
We are spoiled and want a new topic!! Its not our fault they're alwys so reliable that we go nuts if they err in any way........

Topic!

Topic!

Topic!

I second the new topic motion!!! 

TOPIC!
TOPIC!
TOPIC!

Seapansie~ are your blue angels the same thing as our red arrows? Enough public pressure was bought to bear - along the lines of 'They frighten the horses' - to forbid low flying except in designated areas. There are little roads that cling to the sides of the mountains around here and occasionaly, you can see  jet planes doing a tremendous speed in the valley below you and making a deafening noise. It's a bit disconcerting - but I did have one plane come up to the level I was at and the pilots waved to me and waggled their wings!

there is nothing more dissconcerting than pilots waving and
wiggling their wangs at a young lady.

for my penance, I will recite the wang monologues on the statehouse steps.

Because seapansie set the direction, I will tell the rest of the story.  I traveled off the beaten path to Jericho Corners not only because of Snowflake Bentley but because that General Store was once the home of a friend and associate who now lives in Atlanta.  As seapansie mentioned, the family did have their living quarters upstairs. I couldn't pass up the chance to email a picture to him and ask, Where's Waldo?

http://www.petermanseye.com/photos/601651

Miss Hazel The topic is delayed so that you may regale us with another tale out of Africa.Did you ever visit with the Dogone tribe?   I'm sirius.

Hazel, the Blue Angels are same & similar to your Red Arrows. Promotional for Air Force recruiting, helpful with public relations with the general public, fun to watch, but DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. Apparently the topic is in suspended animation, stay tuned for details.....

Sirius, I say.  A midnight road trip is not complete without a two or three hour session of George Noory's Coast to Coast, where you will hear such...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wqHMSktXUk

Good morning Bert.  Good day all.

I just went to the "NEWER" button, which worked the last time this happened, and I ended up here.
I guess someone is asleep at the switch.

Ivan, late, but power was out. Good shabbos to and yours.

Though often lost, even with GyPSy, Washington, DC is a place where, I believe, most people live because they couldn't find their way out. Trying to get to the Watergate had us finally hailing a cab, asking him to go to the Watergate and instructing him not to lose the car behind him.

aAgreat place to avoid while driving are roads (usually narrow two lane oft time gravel) that are used by logging trucks in the Cascade mountains of Wa. ,Ore. or Ida.. Most of the log truck drivers act as  if they are on a calvary charge and the devil take the hindmost. Being in front of one when it is barrelling down the hill is scary. Looking in the rear view mirror ale seeing a grille that looks as if it loves to eat ordinary vehicles and it is about ten feet behind you give nes meaning to the phrase "only the laundry knew how scared I was".Part of the reason to be on these roads is to get to some great spots for a little mountain climbing which brings us to the second subject today. It is fun to be pretty high on a mountain when the bombers of McChord A.F.B. are practicing stealth 'low lever approach training and you look down and see them buzzing thtough the hills at super fast speeds and they are a hundred or so feet below you . It makes for good conversation when having something cold and foamy when the day is drawing to an end and you are relaxing.            c

aAgreat place to avoid while driving are roads (usually narrow two lane oft time gravel) that are used by logging trucks in the Cascade mountains of Wa. ,Ore. or Ida.. Most of the log truck drivers act as  if they are on a calvary charge and the devil take the hindmost. Being in front of one when it is barrelling down the hill is scary. Looking in the rear view mirror ale seeing a grille that looks as if it loves to eat ordinary vehicles and it is about ten feet behind you give nes meaning to the phrase "only the laundry knew how scared I was".Part of the reason to be on these roads is to get to some great spots for a little mountain climbing which brings us to the second subject today. It is fun to be pretty high on a mountain when the bombers of McChord A.F.B. are practicing stealth 'low lever approach training and you look down and see them buzzing thtough the hills at super fast speeds and they are a hundred or so feet below you . It makes for good conversation when having something cold and foamy when the day is drawing to an end and you are relaxing.            c

No, paolos, never got so far as to visit the Dogon. Seen plenty of film about them and my feelings were 'Leave them alone!'
Passing through, we did visit the Ankole tribe - very tall and very dark skinned with profiles that would grace a Greek God. They live by herding cattle and their diet is milk mixed with bovine blood. Their 'village' is mostly a large compound surrounded by thorny hedges as the cattle are bought in every night and guarded against predators. The cattle have exceptionally long horns but as they are so cherished, they have a kind temperament. The people .... so beautiful and so undemanding - they need to own a long stick as they guard the cattle when they are out browsing and stand on one leg for hours and then the other, so the stick makes them into a tripod. They tuck the 'resting' leg up onto their thigh, in a sort of yoga posture. The other thing is a strange U shaped wooden object, the size you can carry on the back of your neck. The top is flat, so you can use it as a work surface, a thing to sit on and most especially, when sleeping  on the ground, as they do - as a pillow!!! I tried it and found no comfort there. The third thing is a piece of cloth - a garment by day and a bedcover by night. How little these people need. I wonder what three things we would regard as essential? 

You should, dear Hazel, compile these stories in a bound volume and offer them for publication.  I would be honored to purchase the first copy.

Paolos, *****Reviewed the video on Dogon cosmology and here are some of my deductions: Cosmological words founded before written langauge....ancients cosmology is fascinating... the science of the Dogon "all knowing culture....manifested energy matter science,"....Ancient Ancestrial science connection of the history of atom/ neutron/ electron/..proton....fabrication of the Universe..."Tribal Evolutionary God," constructing...matter.....this historical account of Godly work sure illustrates a dedicated work of science<> creation...the pyramids all over the world our workhouses or "science centers," for creation diversity species<>species diversity...made from matter of inorganic or organic nature....gene pooling.......some society has one big recipe book!

O no, paolos~ I would need an editor with a sound bladder to go through my notebooks with me and decide what might be suitable for publication. Thanks for the compliment.
 

I don't know where this originates, but we had bad storms yesterday and possibly the power is out......or nobody's home

Ps .... Korthal, I tried that too...twice.

Good morning, Paolos (noontime rapidly approaching in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains). Perhaps we should vote on a de facto topic.....

We seem to be doing quite well without Mr P today - I do hope he doesn't make a habit of it. Maybe we should be talking about addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

What would our 12 step plan entail? Step one, separate 10 eggs, reserve yolks......

I have pondered life with out the Village and found that I didn't like it. I recently made reference to "a friend of mine" to my son and upon hearing my reply as to who it was, he said "Thats not a real friend Mom, thats a virtual friend" but you know what? I don't feel like that.

Very funny, RY!

Hello all, and Haze I loved your story, oh to have your memories....I see we've been left to be our own nannies here today in the Village.  I think we'll be okay...for today anyhow.  Two days on our own and I think we might consider nailing white flags to the piers and/or sending up flares.  

As we are all trying to figure out what happened can't you just imagine Mr. P. peeking in on us saying to himself, "Ah-ha, It's fun to see what happens if I just leave them on their own.   I knew I had a group of smart ones here, but I can't let this go on to often they may get to like it."  So ChefDeb you may have said exactly the right thing. 

¤ having virtual friends all over the world in instant/constant contact....all meeting in the club car....(By the way, I think the rules state that if the topic departure is delayed, the bar is open)and the coin operated mirror is free,also. We must appear bright EyE'd for the new topic

O.K.

O.K.

O.K.

So we do not officially have a topic.

So let's do this:

Let's designate as today's topic the topic we often morph to: Food.

And, since it officially is summer, let's discuss the food we like to eat on hot summer days.

One of my favorites:

A tomato sandwich.

A simple tomato sandwich:

Our favorite bread, rye.

Lots of salad dressing.

Pile the bread high with slices of tomato. Preferably home grown. We have plenty; some friends just brought us a big sack of tomatoes from their garden.

Sprinkle atop it all some sea salt.

That's it.

Accompany it with some sweet onion.

Maybe some chilled dill pickle.

Wash it all down with glass after glass of iced sun tea.

And consume all of this while watching baseball on teevee.

Enjoy.

O.K.?

Now it's your turn.

There was an old psychic in Wales
His powers he tried on two females
He asked them to strip
For this psychic trip
His time is now spent in Wales' jails.

Current events.

After a wine tasting in 100 degree weather ducked inside the AC and had goat cheese dip and warm bread & beer so cold it made my teeth hurt. Life is so incredibly tasty and after news of a tragedy so precious. This conversation can go on with or without a topic. It is about life & living large!!!

All this talk about Goats. I had 5 in my life. My last goat was named AYLA. I raised her from 2 days old, she lived 20 years. I loved her. I fed her milk several times a day from a bottle under an umbrella in a beach chair, she loved it, I loved it.

Today is sad for me, I had to put my 14 yr old Springer Spaniel down, her name was Aura May.

magicangel
Sorry about your dog. You did well to get her to that age.

Magic angel If there is a better place for dogs, and mostly they have a pretty good life here, I am sure Aura May is resting easy in that place.

This village has a charm all its
own. It isn't just that we gather at the village square most days waiting for the Town Crier J Peterman to show up with a fresh topic.  If we lived in the same village,would we gather at the town square or the general store to share yarns, jokes, stories, ideas, gains, losses, devotions, recipes, prayers or songs?  Would we worry if Mr. P didn't show up one day? Or Miss Bebe and Miss Blue?  Would we shove over to make room for a favorite or a newcomer? Turn our back ever so slightly to an annoying pest? 
There is a peculiarity or two about this village.  Most daily gatherings are gender specific. The old codgers get out of the house and make their way to the square or the store, rarely are they joined by the ladies and probably for good reason.  I suppose a club car is a better spot for such mingling.
The other peculiarity is the food.  I can imagine there would be a tasting shared by all of some special treat made and enjoyed a previous day or made just for the occasion...MMMmmmmmmm.

Sweet dreams, village!

Totally off whatever subject we're on today, but my cousin sent this to me.  It'll put a smile on your face.......Let's Dance -- from ballet to the Three Stooges http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=ab9i0s4WEY0&feature=related

Fun 2 days of posts. Paolo, you're in fine form today....especially funny 9:11.
magicangel...so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved Aura May,

Thank you my friends, your kind thoughts comfort me.

If when pierced with a knife in the center,and it comes out dry,it is done...you may,however,place it under the broiler to give it a pleasing,lightly browned,crust...

If when pierced with a knife in the center,and it comes out dry,it is done...you may,however,place it under the broiler to give it a pleasing,lightly browned,crust...

Topic gridlock............ I have heard of this phenomenon but never witnessed it first hand. Hope everyone behind the EyE is OK...

This was all a test and in two whole days we did not make 100!!  I guess we are all going to have to try harder in the future

Magicangel~ so sad to lose a beloved pet.
Looks like we have to paddle our own canoe again today.

It's that time of year when people open their garden to the public for one day to raise money for charity. Since it has finally stopped raining, I'm off with friends to investigate a village that has  no less than eleven gardens open. It's by the seaside, too - and has a good pub. What's everybody else doing today?

Good Morning Hazel Leeze, I decided to go with the Garden Theme today, too, being a health care professional, Dietitian; instructing Health and Nutrition, I was invited to a program under the Birmingham Bridge for a walking trail on "Biognosis, ancient mode of cognition...The Energetic of Plants!" should be interesting...and walking among plants is so much fun too....also I started my book on Blueberrys....and the book Honey For All, I make by hand it has gotton quite large I keep adding to it....Pittsburgh Victoria is also a large, long pictorial.....reflections of all my years of music productions and plays...looking forward to a walk with plants and the HoneyBees!I will take pictures too....

Magic Angel, I dreamt of a grey .....cute as ever....baby goat last nite...and how we love our pets..animals....so sorry to hear about Aura May...I had a beloved Brittany Spaniel, Stumpy...darling blue eyes...dogs are great companions...hope you feel better... Peace Out!

Good morning, everyone. Is there a way to diplomatically inquire about our host's health? We need to see if there's anything we can do to ease his path to recovery, if he's under the weather. He has, after all, put up with us for years w/o complaining.....

21,000+ days on this Garden of Eden and each morning amazes me. I am glad my armband has not expired and the coffee beans still work their magic.

I hope there has been nothing tragic behind the scenes at the Eye...  I so rarely have anything of value to add to the conversation here then last night I realized why.  We don't talk about cheap food or cheap beer, or basic mixed drinks.  So, I am completely out of my element. 

As it has been said, if I am what I eat, I am easy, fast and cheap... 

Hope everyone has a marvelous day.

mbaily, the most precious treasures begin as basic elements, not only silver and gold,but especially the infants we cradle in our arms. more often than not we have a woman who was feeling "easy, fast and cheap" at the time for many of those treasures. You can sit beside me in the club car anytime. I'll order up a dry martini and a Jack & Coke. You do the same. If there are two martinis left, we'll ask Stoney and ChefDeb to join us. If there are two Jack & Cokes remaining or one of each or none at all, we can still ask them to join in. I'll even buy another round.

Front Porch. Hummin' Gershwin like a Gregorian Chant and working on a sweet Wa Wa Melon after my 3 mile constitutional. Map my walk is a cool App. Summertime,
And the livin' is easy~Fish are jumpin'~And the cotton is high...98 in the shade...98 Posts...Laziness is hard work...

I am there Paolos.

Hey shove over a little…
Would a G&T be too much to ask for?

Proof enough, there is life on this planet.

A little tonic for the soul, just what the doctor ordered.

mmbailey~ Easy, fast and cheap...I like that! Whata crowd we got. Whatta crowd!

Frozen smoothies-40 proof...

O bovver! That will teach me to take my eye off the ball! I wanted to do the 100th comment!

Sorry, Haze, If I had known, I'd have waited. Hell, I would have held the door for you. Stay alert for 200.

ChefDeb, Tropical storm Debby is churning in the Gulf. Odds are she will be heading into Dallas. Just an amusing tidbit I thought you might appreciate.

An entire lifetime of Debby Doing Dallas!!!

Everybody,s camer than I would have thought. Do we know what's going on with the EyE? I know I'm getting a little fractious myself!

I missed the Twain and Sarte topics due to my unannounced road trip. IVAN'S "Lightening ricochets" is going up on my wall right next to my favorite Sam Clemens..."thunder is good, thunder is impressive but it's lightening that does the work."

And the VAST difference between lightning,and lightning bugs

I spent a nice day in a pot hole in Western New york....Does that count?Other than  seeing a few lovely islands in the Carribean, I really haven't traveled too much.  I was fortunate (and maybe talented) enough to secure an acting job with a national touring company while in college...took a year off, saw the USA, and "Acted it up" with some very fun people.  Have been in every state in this country except Alaska and Hawaii due to that tour. Longest drive without stopping other than gas, bathroom, and snacks..... Bangor Maine to Dallas Texas.  A great year, and a good lesson learned.....I realized I wasn't the great actress I thought I was, and I would never make a debut on Broadway.  Finished my tour, went back to college, got my degree(in Theatre), got a job (not in Theatre) and lived happily ever after.   But now as I  am pushing the big (not 60) let's call it 55 plus, I'm toying with the notion  of treading the boards once again...just for laughs....

GeorgeHall My guess is that Mr. Peterman is off on an adventurous buying trip in the nether regions of the universe and Elaine has taken the weekend off, leaving George or Kramer in charge of IT and the eye. That is how I got through the village gates the first time and they haven't found a way to boot me out yet.

Smilesforever, may our own TommyTypical be your inspiration and your guide. A dress rehearsal in the club car before opening night is mandatory.

If there's a steamy summertime movie, it's the one TCM is showing late afternoon today and it's one of favorites, along with "The Long Hot Summer" (PaulNewmanPaulNewmanPaulNewman!) for this time of the year.  It's "Picnic" with William Holden and Kim Novak.  Hot couple.  Great storyline.  Read on: Picnic (1955)

A handsome drifter ignites passions at a small-town Labor Day picnic.

D: Joshua Logan. William Holden, Rosalind Russell, Kim Novak, Betty Field, Cliff Robertson, Arthur O'Connell, Verna Felton, Susan Strasberg, Nick Adams, Phyllis Newman, Elizabeth W. Wilson. Excellent film of William Inge's Pulitzer Prizewinning play about drifter (Holden) who stops over in Kansas, stealing alluring Novak from his old buddy Robertson (making his film debut). Russell and O'Connell almost walk away with the film in second leads, and supporting roles are expertly filled; adapted by Daniel Taradash. Remade in 2000 for TV. CinemaScope.

If there's a steamy summertime movie, it's the one TCM is showing late afternoon today and it's one of my warm weather  favorites, along with "The Long Hot Summer" (PaulNewmanPaulNewmanPaulNewman!) for this time of the year.  It's "Picnic" with William Holden and Kim Novak.  Hot couple.  Great storyline.  Read on: Picnic (1955)

A handsome drifter ignites passions at a small-town Labor Day picnic.

D: Joshua Logan. William Holden, Rosalind Russell, Kim Novak, Betty Field, Cliff Robertson, Arthur O'Connell, Verna Felton, Susan Strasberg, Nick Adams, Phyllis Newman, Elizabeth W. Wilson. Excellent film of William Inge's Pulitzer Prizewinning play about drifter (Holden) who stops over in Kansas, stealing alluring Novak from his old buddy Robertson (making his film debut). Russell and O'Connell almost walk away with the film in second leads, and supporting roles are expertly filled; adapted by Daniel Taradash. Remade in 2000 for TV. CinemaScope.

If there's a steamy summertime movie, it's the one TCM is showing late afternoon today and it's one of my warm weather  favorites, along with "The Long Hot Summer" (PaulNewmanPaulNewmanPaulNewman!) for this time of the year.  It's "Picnic" with William Holden and Kim Novak.  Hot couple.  Great storyline.  Read on: Picnic (1955)

A handsome drifter ignites passions at a small-town Labor Day picnic.

D: Joshua Logan. William Holden, Rosalind Russell, Kim Novak, Betty Field, Cliff Robertson, Arthur O'Connell, Verna Felton, Susan Strasberg, Nick Adams, Phyllis Newman, Elizabeth W. Wilson. Excellent film of William Inge's Pulitzer Prizewinning play about drifter (Holden) who stops over in Kansas, stealing alluring Novak from his old buddy Robertson (making his film debut). Russell and O'Connell almost walk away with the film in second leads, and supporting roles are expertly filled; adapted by Daniel Taradash. Remade in 2000 for TV. CinemaScope.

MagicAngel...Aura May is now romping, young and without pain with my big lovable (dumb, but cute) St. Bernard/Lab mix Pudglie,  and the sweetest fuzzy kitty cat named Romeo that thought he was a dog.  Prayers to St. Francis, Patron Saint of Animals.  It'll take time, but you will be okay.

It only happens when I use IE.

magicAngel, I am so sorry to read about your loss.  Here's a{{hug}} for you today. Dog's aren't our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

Love the random remarks and speculations.
 
How was the garden tour, Hazel?
 
Magic Angel, smiles forever said it perfectly. 
 
I was wondering, but hadn't head, if Kentucky ceceded from the union.  Speculation.
 
Ivan hasn't pop in yet either.

OH NOOOoooOOOOO.  I made 'dogs' possessive instead of plural.  Excuse my poor grammar.  I know better than to do this.

OH NOOOoooOOOOO.  I made 'dogs' possessive instead of plural.  Excuse my poor grammar.  I know better than to do this.

I hope y'all noticed I sidestepped the Bangor to Dallas straight line. Even I have some semblance of moral rectitude. Very little, albeit some.

I'm sorry, Stoney, what's that you say? "At best moral torpitude but most likely moral ineptitude." Well, there is that.

It's a scorcher outside folks, but I am all in, even up, for a picnic with Kim Novak. Good call, Miss Park.

Mr Peterman may be on a tour,source searching,in some of the sunniest places, for Parasols...

Just as an apology, and not asking for sympathy or empathy, I am suffering from self diagnosed Christopher Moore Overload Syndrome or CMOS. I have been reading his latest "Sacre Bleu" a novel loosely based on a previous life and loves of our own missing miss blue. If you have never indulged in a Christopher Moore reading, I suggest you pick up a copy of "Lamb" to start. If you are familiar with the man's work, I know you will understand. Please say a prayer for me and my soul. There must be a patron saint of morons looking down on me, shaking his head and muttering, "Even I can't help that one."

I didn't much care for Kim Novak until just a few years ago.  I think I had her pegged and pigeon.holed as that woman in Hitch's film "The Birds" who I didn't like, but of course that wasn't Kim Novak it was Tippy Hedren (what kind of name is that anyway?), so I'd been avoiding watching Kim Novak by mistake.  "Picnic" was what changed my mind.  Just about now, there's another not so dumb blonde played by a not dumb blonde, Judy Holiday, who I also never much liked, until the last decade or so.  I thought she was silly, and a dumb blonde.  It turned out I was the silly dumb blonde to think that about Miss Holiday who really shines in the movie that just started, "Born Yesterday."  I'm off to my favorite chair, to watch it.  

The garden tour(s) were great - a small seaside  village with gardens open for the day - well, 11AM to 4PM, an assortment of rather grand places that would have belonged to sea captains, to little backyard gardens absoluteley stuffed with flowers. Most of the gardens had a veggie plot as well - and I did spy a couple of dope plants tucked among somebody's tomatos in a greenhouse. A very casual affair - you buy a sticky badge that says you are a paid up visitor, they give you a map of the village and you wander around at your leisure. Each garden is manned(or womaned) by proud owner who is only too happy to talk plants, give you a cutting of something that takes your fancy, enjoy the compliments from visitors. The weather behaved - we even got some sunshine and the views over the estuary to the mountains was wonderful, soft greens and blues with cloud shadows scudding over. Some of the larger gardens were serving cream teas so you could take a breather from clambering uphill and down dale exploring gardens, sit and take in the view. (Message interruptis - Mother on the 'phone. I may be some time!)

Paolos, thank you for the Moore latest.  I have recommended Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff to all the real readers I know.  Will now wait expectantly for my copy of Sacre Bleu.  Who wants help?  I'll take your CMOS--dare I say--happily.

Okay, we're doing book recommendations?  Can I add one:  The Rules of Civility   by Amor Towles.  I read it a year or so ago, when it just came out, promptly said it's the best book I've read in about forever, and all these months later, since it's become something of a short list must read summer novel - which tends to diminish a book in my estimation, I don't trust those short lists - this book deserved the Booker award but didn't get it (says a lot about Man Booker prize committees), it deserves many awards, first time novelist Towles "knocked it out of the park" - it's chic, smart, intelligent, great story, a page turner like you wouldn't believe, I hated to be done with it...think Gershwin, the thirties just prior to WWII, New York City, Manhattan, rich people, poor imigrants, nice clothes, literature, more Gershwin spiced up with Cole Porter, martinis - what a book!  So even if it gets really popular, remember it's not just an "it" book, it's not trendy, it's got trendy in it, but unlike the book of the moment, it will stay with you for a very long time.   read it! (it's just come out in paperback)

Okay, we're doing book recommendations?  Can I add one:  The Rules of Civility   by Amor Towles.  I read it a year or so ago, when it just came out, promptly said it's the best book I've read in about forever, and all these months later, since it's become something of a short list must read summer novel - which tends to diminish a book in my estimation, I don't trust those short lists - this book deserved the Booker award but didn't get it (says a lot about Man Booker prize committees), it deserves many awards, first time novelist Towles "knocked it out of the park" - it's chic, smart, intelligent, great story, a page turner like you wouldn't believe, I hated to be done with it...think Gershwin, the thirties just prior to WWII, New York City, Manhattan, rich people, poor imigrants, nice clothes, literature, more Gershwin spiced up with Cole Porter, martinis - what a book!  So even if it gets really popular, remember it's not just an "it" book, it's not trendy, it's got trendy in it, but unlike the book of the moment, it will stay with you for a very long time.   read it! (it's just come out in paperback)

Okay, we're doing book recommendations?  Can I add one:  The Rules of Civility   by Amor Towles.  I read it a year or so ago, when it just came out, promptly said it's the best book I've read in about forever, and all these months later, since it's become something of a short list must read summer novel - which tends to diminish a book in my estimation, I don't trust those short lists - this book deserved the Booker award but didn't get it (says a lot about Man Booker prize committees), it deserves many awards, first time novelist Towles "knocked it out of the park" - it's chic, smart, intelligent, great story, a page turner like you wouldn't believe, I hated to be done with it...think Gershwin, the thirties just prior to WWII, New York City, Manhattan, rich people, poor imigrants, nice clothes, literature, more Gershwin spiced up with Cole Porter, martinis - what a book!  So even if it gets really popular, remember it's not just an "it" book, it's not trendy, it's got trendy in it, but unlike the book of the moment, it will stay with you for a very long time.   read it! (it's just come out in paperback)

Okay, we're doing book recommendations?  Can I add one:  The Rules of Civility   by Amor Towles.  I read it a year or so ago, when it just came out, promptly said it's the best book I've read in about forever, and all these months later, since it's become something of a short list must read summer novel - which tends to diminish a book in my estimation, I don't trust those short lists - this book deserved the Booker award but didn't get it (says a lot about Man Booker prize committees), it deserves many awards, first time novelist Towles "knocked it out of the park" - it's chic, smart, intelligent, great story, a page turner like you wouldn't believe, I hated to be done with it...think Gershwin, the thirties just prior to WWII, New York City, Manhattan, rich people, poor imigrants, nice clothes, literature, more Gershwin spiced up with Cole Porter, martinis - what a book!  So even if it gets really popular, remember it's not just an "it" book, it's not trendy, it's got trendy in it, but unlike the book of the moment, it will stay with you for a very long time.   read it! (it's just come out in paperback)

Eeeew, Mother!!! I wanted to say that around each corner of the gardens, there was something interesting, so I was lured into walking much further than I meant to. Now, will somebody come and unlace my walking boots, haul the things off and run me a nice hot bath?

Is this like ballot box stuffing?

Dear Miss Hazel, I offered to hold the door but I suspect that now you are teasing me. I shall gladly draw your bath if you will pose sans boots. Somedays I can be such a shameless schmuck.

I think it is something like that, RY.  My scrolling finger is about to cramp up.  ... Did we forget to pay our Village property taxes or something?  No pay taxes, no get new topic?

Did Mr. P quit?  strange

paolos~ can you do one of those 'Beam me up Scottie' things and be here in a nano-second?  I have managed to get the boots off - with a lot of ouching and cussin'.

Japenese Knotweed, which makes a fine red fruit honey, has taken over the Allegheny River shore line!....and it was too hot.but winter is still too cold and filters in with a cold chilly memory...to remind me don't complain about the humidity.......I visited alot of the South Side Shops..Boutiques...and took pictures on avenue...camera shots...after walking and looking down memory lane....came to conclusion after shopping... I am cutting and sewing enhancements for old fashionable colthes and sewing cloth swags.. lace.. rick rak..scraf puffs..an.update my clothes ........dang it ....sew..and fix the problem areas of my soso clothes and get more ware out of them ...yesterday I spent an afternoon in the cedar closest reviewing the clothing inventory and it is ......dizzy confusing...to recall....wardrobe...shops....and why I bought this or that... so to enhance my fashionable girl....persona...and save money.revamp...reconfigure...all out sewingathon..this week.....change is good...walking is good...will post a urban picture from my excursion....on The South Side...!!!

I am all bathed and tooth scubbed - sans assistance from our gallant paolos. Off under the duvet now. I do so hope that I wake up in the morning to see a new topic from Mr P. Nos da, dear people. x

Beer, We Want Beer....frothy, cold...Iron City...Posted a picture I found today: We Want Beer...on the community page...check it out Beer Lovers!!!

Miss Hazel Could we perhaps take a train to Bath and extricate ourselves from the ignominy of all those the wagging tongues?

In the village as in life itself timing is everything. Nos da, Miss Hazel.

Paolos-one of my favorite quotes to date; the out come of a rain dance is affeceted greatly by timing

I wonder if anyone is in the club car. Iron City, you say? I find myself wandering aimlessly, wondering topiclessly. Ah the vicissitudes of life! Vicissitude after vicissitude. It has been a day of imminent rain. I could use another of Miss Bebe's "Huh?s"

RoadYacht, Is that from Saul Bellows' "Henderson the Rain King"?
I read it long ago and should read it again. If not I'd bet he would have worked it in.

Paolos-i tend to use quotes like jokes; once understood,subtle changes can be made to fit the sit-she-a-shon.....

One of my favorite quotes (are we doing quotes?) - Katharine Hepburn as the feisty Katherine of Aragon, to her King-hubby (aka Peter O'Toole):  "What would you have me do?  Give up, give out, give in?"  and a really good one:  "I could peel you like a pear and God would call it justice."  Whew.  What a woman.  Don't you agree - paolos, roadyacht, all you deserters out there?  

A rabbi, a minister and a priest walk into a bar. The bartender says, "Is this a joke?"

You must mean desSerters...I'm up for that

Paolos- youlda thougt the last one woulda ducked.....

Miss Park, I know of no good reason to peel a pear, I would consider that an injustice to the pear. An appalling thought, that, peeling a pear. Not appealing at all, not at all.

Why a duct? Why notta bridge?

I can't recall which of the two I told.
Maybe both.

A neutrino walks through a bar.

To get to the other side. Why did the neutrino cross the road?

to be positive, of course,and, possibly, in another state

....and that would be dimensionally, I think

I'm done in. I feel like I walked the three miles. Someone keeps thanking me for my opinion, my guess is they aren't really paying attention. Won't someone be surprised when they show up for work tomorrow?

"I thought you were going to..."

"No. I gave you specific instructions to..."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? We can put your sari in the next Owner's Manual. Damm. Just Damm."

"Damm...just Damm"....a notable quote

157 comments and barely a crust of bread ...no olive oil...no roasted garlic...no balsamic vinegar....is mentioned?

Hi Penn:  I thought there was some balsamical talk way up top, but I could be wrong.  That was days ago.  Since then I stumbled over a neutrino while walking into a bar with a rabbi...and I hit my head and he went to get a priest...and then I woke up.  And I still don't know what day it is...or time...but does anybody really care? about time?............