Existing In BFE

The original Christmas cards my mother made every year growing up continues today.  Again, like I said a couple days ago, I can remember the assembly line-like process of of making the patterns, cutting the felt, gluing, drawing and putting a recent posed picture of the boys and dog.   The dining room table would be full of these boxes, stacks of reindeer, sprinkles, ink bottles for quite a while. I can remember, too, one unfortunate incident involving a particular year's picture taking.  Presumably I was responsible for the destruction of the pictures when I opened the camera while the folks were gone, thus exposing the film.  Needless to say, Marj was very upset and I recall the dread that ensued from that event.  I thought Christmas was going to be ruined and that Santa would never find me, or even worse, that I would be placed on Santa's "Naughty List."  I think it is safe to say, Santa did find me.   I also recall using George Washington's line when int

Today I want to talk about things we never talk about.  I'm not just talking about the usual politics, religion and money and sex thing that are the usual big trunked animals in the room in every conversation amongst people.  Although, yeah, we never talk about those things, too, and its for the best, I suppose.  People are rabid about their politics.  Notice I didn't say stupid or idiotic?  See, I can play nice.  I don't think people are as rabid about their religion, unless you happen to be a Pope or someone who actually gets paid to hawk the product.  Sex?  Who really wants to know how or who you bonk anyway?  It's all wonderfully messy, but who wants to talk to friends about it over a hotdog and baked beans? Although, it is kind of funny how we readily discuss our girlfriend's proclivities but when we marry never our wive's.   Here are some things I think we'd all be better off if we talked about every once in a while.  Money and the accumulation

++++++++++ This is the time of year when I decide whether or not to keep this blog going.  It's been going for 10 years.  Everything has an expiration date. ++++++++++  I'm not sure if I have ever posted this or not.  It is one of those posed Christmas pics Marj would take for her cards. This one I like particularly because in the expressions of the three of us you can just about see what we would end up like, personality-wise.  Mark, eager to please and willing, but don't push it.  Phil, self-assured and confidant, I could do this all day.  Me, awkward and shy, and get me the Hell out of here.  Yep, that's us, then and now. Here are some goldy (moldy) oldies that should be in the Flashback section, but I have run out of Fridays. Now see description of top pic and see if it holds true with these. ++++++++++ ++++++++++ ++++++++++ Dear Santa, This is what I want for Christmas:  Brat Burge

We start this week with another car show I attended while up in Northlandia.  It was kind of a funny morning for me.  I had thought I received assurances from Richard and Eddie that they might attend the Monmouth Prime Beef Festival show.  Eddie has a policy that if it is not raining when time to leave, he goes.  Richard has no policy.   My radar app told me it was clear sailing after raining the day and night before.  The show is usually at the Monmouth Park and since I have so few chances of attending these things while incarcerated in Kitschland (for the moment) I decided to go.  Cooler with soda and sandwich, check.  Lawn chair, check.  Warm clothes (it was brisk out), check.  Miss Frump gassed up and ready to go, check.   I left Emerald City for G-Burg, where the Frump is stored.  She started right up and off to Monmouth we go.  Past the Gibson Woods golf course we turn right for the Park.  But no one is there.  A truck has followed me since the turn and he yells that the show

This series was first displayed about seven years ago.  It has become a bit of a tradition this time of year to honor my mother's creative bent. ++++++++++ As I have mentioned before my Mother made her own Christmas cards. I can still see her at the dining room table cutting, pasting, sprinkling and drawing her creations from scratch. I do not have all of the cards she made but I do have some of them and I will be featuring them the next couple of days. Simple, colorful designs were her forte.  This early one was all pastel paint and a bit of sprinkle. Another simple design that was painted. Pictures were included every year to show the growth of the kids.  This first card must have been one of the first after Herb and Marj married, and that is Sandy, their cocker spaniel. The second one here is when Phil was a newborn.  I don't recall how many she would make from year to year, but I do remember seeing all of the materials