Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen for January 10, 2013

My greyhound can take you any day, Chiefy.

Animal Control has never caught him and neither has Millicent MaGuffin. Even though she’s staked out her lawn and garden, High Chief manages to leave her a little ( actually, rather large ) gift , every day !

Uh Oh….High Chief looks pretty formidable….

Hope he’s not coming for some of what I brought!

Do we need to turn out the lights, Bev?I don’t think so, really, cos the surprise will probably be later….

but whatever you think….

There’s a greyhound adoption group at the market I go to all summer.

Nice dogs.

Ok…. everybody….lights out….just for a second or two….

SURPRISE!!

Happy Birthday Linda Dean!

I know you won’t see this for hours…. but I want it to be here when you arrive.

Hope you’re having a great day!

Cool cake, Bev.Fashionable!

You can see mine now, can’t you?The first two tries didn’t work.

Bev — I think Borat… um…. needs a few hours of work himself….maybe on his… well, never mind…

One strange dude, though.

But who knows…. there’s no accounting for tastes.

Which reminds me…

I have a present for you too, Linda….

At first, I admit, I had a few misgivings about your choices, as well….

But gosh…. this came out so cute….

It’s a picture I took at he Tiki, during our Christmas party…when was that…. the Saturday before the holiday?

I had it enlarged and framed….

Why, Bev….

You know I baked that whole cough cake!

Yes…. chocolate, strawberry, vanilla and, of course, banana…

Cos we are using the Tiki for this party…..

@LindaHAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVELY LINDA !!!!!!!!pFor your birthday, I’ve arranged a little cruise on my galleon, The Irish Rover, including lunch. Then back to Ballard Street for a birthday fete at the Tiki. All your drinks are on the house !

Oh…. the picture!

Hope you like it, Linda:

Bev….

I sure hope Linda likes it.I showed Fenton…. he was a bit embarrassed (he’s private sort of guy)but he seemed rather proud.

Ess…. did you see my hood ornament before the turn?

I gotta go see whether the Monkey is actually grinding daiquiris…. or just eating all the bananas….

Or, as Red suggested, sleeping on top of the fridge.

It’s warm cos the the heat escapes next to the wall…he climbs up to get the bananas ripening up there….and next thing you know….ZZZZZZ…..

Sometimes when I hear snoring look for a monkey tail hanging down the side of the fridge.

Oooh Linguist…. that sounds great.

But…. um…. will any of those surprises….well… you know….I mean… be… personal?

Ok, I guess I could always pack some brain bleach chews….

Aw Ess… just checked….and thank you!

Wish I could offer everyone a piece of cake… but we need to let Linda cut the first piece…

Not to mention see it before it’s half gone!

But we’ve got plenty of yak ribs, chicken wings, baked beans, coleslaw (made it myself) and other goodies…

I brought chocolate chip cookies, too …. both regular and banana.

Eat up!

I’m headed out to The Irish Rover to get everything ready. Spread the word. I’ll met everyone around 5 Bells ( er. 10:30am ) at the Tiki and we’ll all go from there.I’ll arrange transport for us all.. Party !EVERYONE’S INVITED !!

Thanks Ling … twice.See you then!

Oh…. forgot to say in my earlier post to Essex….

Ess…. isn’t that how you tell a happy hood ornament?

Bev said " I think this is the first time Ling has taken us all on board without being kept tied to the dock."

Oh my!

He kept you tied to the dock?

oh…. g’night, Red…. you too….

“High Chief is built for speed, and he knows it.”++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HE’S JUST NOT BUILT FOR STOPPING ON A DIME!!!

Big party plans after the Linguist Irish Rover Cruise :

Oh, my stars and garters!!Susan and Bev…marvelous cakes!! Susan you know my email signature is true…and those books are amazing! So many flavors…so little time! Bev, you must know I love hats, because I can see wearing either layer as one!..lol…Bev, can the 3 hours you hired Borat for me be used by him shaving his body? and finding clothes to cover up with?…lol…Susan, That picture of me and Fenton is one of the lovliest gifts I have ever been given! Thank you so much!!Linguist, I love boating…sailing, motorized, any of it and am looking forward to lunch and a cruise with my favorite Pirate!Afficionado, and IckyMudd and Red, Thank you all so much!Essex, Ya’ll are just too sweet for remembering my heritage and birthday!Stel, man, I am just astounded by all of the “gifts” today…and this just rocked me. I lived in Hollywood for a while when I was attending U.C.L.A. to get my masters…and I am a history buff about old California history, especially the formation and development of Hollywoodland (too bad Mack Sennet didnt get to build his development) and the history of the Hollywood(land) sign is a part of that. This really hit home and I bet you Peg Entwhistle wouldnt have jumped from any of its letters! An article in Variety (wow) and a star on the walk of fame!! I am just beside myself with pride…Thank You All So Much!!!I am off to go shower and find my deck shoes and some shorts for the luncheon cruise on the Irish Rover…see you all at the dock!

@ Sheriff Monkeyblues

re: Yesterday

Thanks for asking about me. I’ve been a little under the weather the last few days and my usual reports to you were not being sent out as efficiently as I expected, much to my chagrin. That will be the last time that I contract with the Ballard Temporary Office Services and Poultry Advocacy Project .

The Board of Directors of BTOSPAP …

…and the members (apparently upset that the Chicken Advisory Council has begun a rather agressive “Chicken Wing” advertising campaign:

One of the younger members shouting “İViva la revolucion!”:

Chicks on Hogs rolled into town to join forces with the Poultry Revolutionary Forces :

Agent 000000007 was spotted with several chicks at the local nightspots.

BTOSPAP has now countered with their own ad campaign:

With all this going on, it’s a wonder that anything got done at any of my offices! SCHAABS Gift and Used Avatar Shop , which just opened this week, is in a shambles! Anyone know where I might find reliable temps?

Susan, I hope you dont mind, but the picture you gave me is now my avatar!

Chief does not appear in any hurry – seems to be sauntering.

Good to hear that everyone is feeling better now (as are we, tho’ I was embarrassed by a bloody nose in bed just at the wrong time this morning while too dark to be sure). The northern winter air is a bit of a problem. Subsequent visits will be in milder weather ;-D

High Chief remembers the days when he could run really fast. Looks to me like he is day dreaming. I have a Rat Terrier Chihuahua cross that could take him any day. When I take her out squirrels shiver in fear and flee to the trees. Birds take flight. Other pets bow to her superiority. Then she starts wagging her stub tail and rolling over getting a good belly rub then lays in the warm sun on the warmest part of the grass and falls asleep. Then begins to snore. Loudly.Dogs. We live in their world. We are the entertainment.

@ Linda Dean

I’m glad you’re enjoying the party! We’re all looking forward to the Irish Rover cruise today!….then……….party all night at the Tiki (soon to be world famous when featured in BALLARD ST.: BACK ROOM AT THE TIKI ! ) lolAren’t you glad now that you signed up with StelBel’s Talent Agency and Bartending School ?

Have a happy day!!

Morn’n All ! I see the Birthday Girl has been here. Stel, I love your post-cruise party plans !But you need to take a break from Schaabs Gift and Used Avatar Shop for awhile. It’s a beautiful day. Get your deck shoes and shorts on and join the merriment. We’ll leave from the Tiki for the dock in about 20 minutes.Oh, BTW there is NO chicken on today’s luncheon menu !I arranged with Monkey to give Fenton the day ( and night ) off , as one of my birthday surprises for Linda. He’s already onboard !

(ow…. mah hed…. snik*)-————thanx fer heppin me out frum behind teh fridge Stel… it wuz kinda hard ta yell out loud, butt yew always seem to find me… musta fell off teh backside when I went up tehr lass nite fer more ‘nanners… -——-oh well, found sum kool stuff tahts bin missin round teh tiki… um, mah IG Joe bottle opner, 3 green skittles, mah drivers liesents from ’82…. Lin’gs glass aye’ he lost new years ’11… an a foil rapped hed gasket… think tahts Esses-——————-HAPPY BURTDAY LDean…!!!! YEEEHAW…!!!!!Smokin up a batch of Armadiller Eggs fur yah…. thell be redeye buy noon or 3…. (ah nose you lykem)

oh, by teh by… them cakes shur lookin gud..!!! Grate job Ms Bev an SuSun…!!! yall are cookin’…!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Linda Dean!Essex60, I make a lot of rather indirect jokes and I can’t tell if you got the chicken census advice one yesterday. A census is a count, of course, and the advice would have been on the countability of eggs.

Look out for the lamp POST!………………..ooh that’s gonna leave a mark.

What a lovely day….Aboard the Irish Rover, hand in paw with Fenton, sipping a mimosa, anticipating a great lunch and then partying at the Tiki and enjoying those fantastic Armadillo eggs (no poultry involved or harmed in the making of these) and possibly some of Monkey and Reds music….life just may well begin at 60!!

That probably should be the Official Ballard St. Birthday Song! I’m sure Linda will love it!!

Hilarious!

Good morning all!

um… what?Hey morning is “relative.”

Nice cruise LIng…. hope there’s some lunch left.

Happy birthday again, Linda! Of course I don’t mind that photo as your avatar….I’m honored, and anyway, it’s yours.

If you like I can…um… ship you… the larger version that was too big to post….and I can also, if you give me a day or two, frame it up cropped a little closer, so the faces look bigger as an avatar.

Stel!! Wonderful stuff!Don’t even know where to start.

And Monkey and Pcolli… I always thought it might be cos of pictures like this…. LOL

I gotta go shopping when we get back to shore…. but I’ll be around later for salon appointments…and then at the Tiki.

Oh Susan, that would be marvelous! lol Fenton is so good looking in that pic….glad the papparazi is leaving us alone here on the street….and btw…that baby armadillo is so precious that it makes me almost regret eating an armadillo egg even as I type this…I sneaked into the Tiki and stole one on the way home from the Irish Rover to freshen up before meeting Fenton at the Tiki…this has just been the best day! Thank you Ballardeers for what has been a marvelous birthday! Its one I dreaded and expected to be depressing but isnt….You guys all rock! See you at the Tiki soon…

Good evening everyone. Hope you all enjoyed our little cruise, today. Especially, you Linda. And Bev , the look on your face when we made you walk the plank into what you thought were frigid waters, was priceless !Those fake ice floes made for a great practical joke. Essex and I hatched that one with a little bit of Hollywood prop magic. Even my Fifth Mate, Furtive Freddie Feeblefinger is a better navigator than that. But you were convinced the water was going to be freezing. Surprise ! The only thing I couldn’t come up with on such short notice was a fake Polar Bear.Actually, Linda was meant to walk the plank first, but we couldn’t peel her away from Fenton.Hope everyone had enough to eat and drink. I confess those cakes were so delicious, I probably gained five pounds just sampling them.Well drinks all round on me !I’m for a RedBreast, neat , with a splash of water !

Youngest member of the Ballard Temporary Office Services and Poultry Advocacy Project reacting to news of growing popularity of wings and nuggets in the restaurant industry:

@ x_Tech

Ooooooooooh………….Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah……..Wowwwww!!!!! Woooohooooooo!!!!!

great display! loved it!

@Linda DeanWe would have had more fireworks for ya but High Chief and his buddy (shown here) had other ideas.

@ Linguist

BTW, if you ever need a spare pirate ship….we’ve got those, too!

x_Tech said, 18 minutes ago@LinguistGot some video of today’s cruise. Seems there was a little mishap

That wasn’t taken on the Irish Rover. We didn’t have any mishaps ( unless you count Susan and … ah..never mind !)

That video came from the Barq, The Square Deal. That was that leggo clueless crew who think they’re pirates but really are a bunch of blockheads who don’t have all their oars in the water. They may be good at sticking together but they’re out to sea without a full set of sails.

Sorry about the quality but photobucket wouldn’t let me upload a better gif

Ole High Chief has seen better years I guess.

Glittery musical time!

https://cleoandcompany.net/january-10-2023/

Good morning Balladeers, (((((Plods))))) and Miss Susan.