Big Top by Rob Harrell for March 02, 2010

OMG I think I’m first! I… I.. don’t cook much and I’m scared!

Here goes… Flapjacks with maple syrup Veggie omelets (easy on the green peppers) Home fried potatos Assorted juices the famous nuclear coffee and room service for anything I left out.

Breakfast, huh? Well let’s see what I can cook up here. Pancakes, Blueberry or Chocolate Chip French Toast Eggs, Your Choice Hash Browns Ribeye Steak Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Tea, Your Choice Juice, Your Choice Pirate Coffee AND……GRITS

Oooops, we cross posted there, WoodEye!

JFri Interesting, we both started with the flapjacks…

Good Morning Woodeye!

Woo Hoo! Double breakfast!! Good Morning and Thank you, WoodEye and JFri!

Good Morning Tribe!

Carmy, knock yourself out, lady!!

WoodEye, an interesting observation. Great minds and all that…

Good Mrning WoodEye, JFri, Carmy & Marg

Good Morning Grog!

Good Morning Grog!

WoodEye, I’m proud of you for trying your hand at breakfast. Johnny Doc only feeds us Pop Tarts. And Jfri stepped up to assist you, too. I’ll have flapjacks, two eggs, over easy, a cinnamon roll, and Irish breakfast tea. Thanks, guys!

Good morning Terry, Carmy, and Grog!

‘Morning, Grog! I set aside a nice Widmer Hefeweisen for you.

Pretty avatar, Marg. Makes me want spring even more. :^)

Thanks, JFri!. I’ll take it!

Good Morning Marg!* Goodnight All!

Thanks, Terry!

Goodnight, Carmy, and goodnight to the rest of you, too!

Good Morning Everyone!

Good Morning LuvH8!

Good Night Marg!

Good Morning Lonewolf May I call you LoneWolfie on BC or should I stop after today? How are you this evening? What is your favorite color?

Good night Carmy & Marg

That’s fine LuvH88. I’m doing alright. How about you?

Three colors depending what it is. Maroon, Purple and Royal Blue.

Good Night LuvH8 & Grog

Good Night All!

P&L

Good Night Lonewolf, sleep well, don’t think of the SQUIRRELS.

Grog be a good Influence please?

Lonewolf I am full of ideas tonight.

Ah ha ha haaa haaaaaaaa!!!!!!

What did I say?

Good night, Lonewolf & LuvH8 & everyone else still hangin’ round.

You didn’ t say anything bad. I just need a good influence so I don’t say anything too bad.

Good Night Grog! Don’t let the clowns get you.

Amended. Thank you!

Nite-all.

Good morning and happy Tuesday!! Thanks for the breakfasts woodeye and jfri Of course, I’ll take some grits.

I see no one started the bidding on Dusty’s talent. I got 28 cents sitting at my computer, so I’ll start with that.

Good morning Akenta, Grog, LuvH8, Lonewolf, Marg, Carmie, JFri, WoodEye. And to anyone else who drops in today. I don’t want anyone to think that I missed them on purpose.

I’m just finally getting caught up on my comics. A day without comics is pretty BLAH.

WOODEYE and JFRI Now I have to make two bowls of pancake mix. I will have to eat about 28 flapjacks. The things I do for BT comics.

Morning TRIBE. Should I leave the dishes in the sink?

Good Morning Tribe

Dusty needs to provide more of a description of those talents that he is selling.

Good Morning Serena. Good to see you.

Good Morning Lewreader

Good Morning serenasakity, Akenta, Lewreader and Lonewolf (again)

Good Morning Grog

And a very good morning to you too, Doc. Such is how it works with our furry friends! They wuv you too, man!

Good Morning, Doctor Toon

@Dora D:

Thanks for reminding me, Dora! Now my avatar’s up to date also! I keep forgetting there’s only 28 days in Febrauary!

I think you find those under “other” on Ebay, Doc.

Morning All!

Agreed, Doc.

Good Morning DFrog

Looks like Joe’s making new friends over at Non Sequitur this morning.

Good Morning, Digital Frog!

Good Morning All. Good job on breakfast Woodeye & JFri. I will have flapjacks with maple syrup and a ribeye. You know how I like that steak kind sir.

Grog, he’s got several posters going this morning.

Good Morning, Cleo.

Hello Terry.

Goodmorning Doc, Grog and Cleo!

Doc, I love your avatar! I assume he/she is a legally licensed driver?

On the fly, of course. How did you know I’d need two breakfasts to get though this long day? I think I may have missed a day or two here. I’ve been on the computer writing so much that I don’t know where I am who I am, or where I am going.

Oh yeah. I’m Shikamoo. I have to go to class now.

BBMML

Morning, Cleo

Thanks for the info on Jeff Smith last night. I can’t believe I didn’t hear about it back then. I guess none of my friends & co-workers watched him or I’m sure I would have heard about it.

I actually have 4 of his cookbooks and one is a hard cover.

Good Morning Dry, Doc, Shika & Grog.

Grog, I think that I have 4 of his cookbooks as well, or did have. I had so many cookbooks when I met my wife (and she did too) that we eliminated some when we moved in together. I find I use his cookbooks less and less as I discover knew books. My new favorite, which is absolutely fabulous, is Mario Batalli’s “Molto Italiano”. Every recipe we have tried has been excellent.

Good Morning Shika! Have a great day, lady!

Good Morning, Dry & Shikamoo

Cleo, I used to refer to his books a lot for ideas. However, I think Paul Prudhomme’s books are my most referred to books now. I especially like Louisiana Kitchen.

Lonewolf, I guess he’s too busy at other sites to be stirring the pot over at most all of my favorite haunts.

Morning, tribe!

(Laughing). Any place is place is a good place for Joe to get into an arguement, Doctor Toon. I just can’t recall seeing him over at N-S before. Or maybe he never made enough noise for me to notice before. I don’t know.

Good Morning Rmom. How are you doing?

Hi, Terry & Doc! Not too bad. An emergency dental appointment this afternoon, but at least I’m not in pain. I made a hospital visit last evening after leaving my mom’s house. The family had all gathered around her, and she died a couple hours later. I have been friends with her kids for a long time, and since they knew I’d been through a similar situation, they really appreciated my short visit. She had been having a lot of health problems the last several months, so it will be a relief in many ways. Getting old is no fun.

True, it can be a battle royal, as Shoe can when it gets political. I stay away from those, too.

Grog Left you a message at One Big Happy.

Good Morning Rmom. I am taking LilG’s mom for a Doc appt. so I shall bid you all a fond adieu. BBL

Good morning, cleo.

Hi Rmom Good luck at the dentist & sorry to hear about your friends’ mom.

Dry you probably are, but I just couldn’t resist non-the-less. The strip looked perfect for that comment.

Good morning, tribe.

I remember reading one of Joe’s posts once that said he does what he does just to get a rise out of some people. Since then, I don’t bother to answer him. Why feed the CCBSSS (check Pibgorn if you don’t know what that means).

Grog It was indeed, “fellow baby!”

Good Morning Saucy–I know what you mean.

Thanks, Grog. Especially considering her health problems in recent months, everyone is more at peace. Just always a difficult thing to go through, but is part of life.

Good luck at the dentist, Rmom.

Good morning Saucy1121

Dry:

I TOLD YOU I NEEDED A GOOD INFLUENCE!

Good Morning Everyone!

LuvH, what’s shakin!

Good Morning LuvH8!

Hello Grog, Doc & Lonewolf!

I’ve just got back from NS again. Of course you guys are supposed to be a good influence.

Doc T

I noticed you had some run ins recently on comics I don’t usually read. The prejudice against mental illness is not something I enjoy seeing on the strips. Any ideas?

I suggest information from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) or NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health).

LuvH8, you should have kept foozled. I wasn’t the only one who liked it.

Hey I like foozled! I may even start using it in the future. There I was with the dictionary looking up F words. (Sighs and shakes head.) I could look up more but at this point that would be a bad example.

Lonewolf how are you this fine and overcast day?

We have tons of daffodils. I should probably pick more they don’t like the rains & snails.

I didn’t even realize it was a word until now. I just googled it.

Well no one is perfect Doc and I wouldn’t expect it. And humor is a great tool for dealing with some aspects of mental illness especially the depression.

But I have noticed several times where Mr Doty has made comments that put down people with mental illness. He might not realize what he is doing, but he is certainly smart enough to learn better. Someone who goes out of their way to correct people who show even the slightest prejudice towards one group should NOT be promoting prejudice against another group.

There I go being judgmental. Apparently this situation calls for Bunnyface!

Doc I just put down anything you said yesterday to overall frustration. Thus my reminder to think Peace & Love.

My point exactly. Probably it doesn’t help that homosexuality was considered a mental illness…. oh I forgot the numbers. But it wasn’t wiped completely out of the diagnostic book until the 80’s.

The problem is he’s getting far too much attention than he deserves. He’s too hard for most everyone to ignore, but rarely says anything you can flag him for. Fritziod and Johanan are continually teeing off on him with no effect and still they are not likely to stop any time soon.

The funny thing is some people actually enjoy this nonsense and like seeing Joe stirring things up.

Grog & Lonewolf - Did you Run Away!?

Good afternoon all. Had to get an MRI on my back this morning so I’m late. Just finished my nice leftover lunch of sirloin steak with sauteed onions, alfredo noodles and nice sweet corn, along with my trademark Cokey Cola. Gotta fast tonight for bloodwork tomorrow so I’m gonna stuff myself before then, heh heh.

Still here, but also working.

Just about lunchtime for me, MisngNOLA Yours sounds delicious!

Grog, Joe is so popular because so many of you (and not just you) all either make comments to him or about him! Even when he hasn’t posted someone will make some reference about him, If you would all just let it go, it would all quiet down!

MisngNOLA - Sorry about the fasting blood draw. I hate those. Good Luck!

(sauted onions - blechy!)

Good Morning/Afternoon MisngNOLA

No LuvH8, I did not run away. I am just keeping my opinions here to myself and saving them for the other comics.

Dry I have ignored him for the longest time. I have and still do scroll right on by his ramblings. He’s pretty hard to ignore, though, when he makes a remark directly at you. Not that he’s called me stupid or idiot (yet). He didn’t like one of my posts and I gave him a piece of my mind about one of his.

If he doesn’t mess with me, I won’t mess with him. But no one has the right to call anyone an idiot here, even if it were true.As he, himself, has said, he is intelligent enough to articulate without using that kind of language.

Okay Dry, Let me see if I’ve got this right,

Mr Doty is in no way responsible for his own popularity.

No one should not respond to any of Mr Doty’s comments directly or indirectly.

That’s the general idea, LuvH8. But that’ll never happen, because there are 2 at least who make daily digs at Mr. D.

You are perhaps very wise Lonewolf I would go comment on the comments but I am still questioning my ability to be a good influence and resist temptation. Though I am getting better at passing up the set ups that are just too easy.

Did you notice no one questioned my acronym for HURRY?

Grog I usually try to avoid commenting on comments about Mr Doty also (I like Mr D, but I doubt he would). I am having a real hard time with his prejudice though. And I actually find the way he defends homosexuality offensive to the homosexual population.

Good Night Doctor Toon!

Have a good rest, Doc. Catch you later!

Good Night, Doctor Toon

LuvH8, you can either ignore his posts altogether and not be offended, or you can read them and risk being offended.

Of course you can flag him on those truly offensive occasions for posting something completely inappropriate for the comics page. I think more people would prefer to do battle though and Krewd is a good example of what could happen if you do. Mr. D. has already said that he will flag people.

I wouldn’t want to see your account closed out on his account.

I am not planning on attacking Mr Doty.

I am considering giving a little educational material to promote awareness of the negative effects of prejudice and the stigma on mental illness. (If I can think of how to do it without offending too many people, or having a negative effect on the image mental illness already has.)

Seriously, the prejudice does almost as much harm as the mental illness itself. And people commit suicide or just give up rather than seeking help.

I don’t see a problem with that, particularly if it’s not aimed directed right at Mr D. We can only hope that all those it is intended for, will learn from it, however prejudice is not easily overcome.

Did you see the description of “The Bog of My Mind” I posted a couple of weeks ago? (Nobody will give me an opinion on that BTW) I spent over five years feeling like that every day, and I gave up on the medication that wasn’t helping because of the side effects and doctors who wouldn’t change a prescription that didn’t help.

I have to fight everyday to avoid prejudice against myself because part of me still believes I should be able to control everything about myself. It is extremely difficult to tell how much is something that can be controlled and how much can’t. (Doing better currently.)

Even if I help only a couple people feel better (or not alone) about themselves or seek help, then I accomplish something positive.

LuvH8 - Although N-S isn’t on my routine, I had to go see what y’all are talking about. Couldn’t help leaving my 2 cents worth. I really enjoyed your alternates for the acronyms! I basically try to follow “Let those without sin cast the first stone”. If Mr. Doty wants people to treat him kindly, he needs to do the same. He can be as hateful towards other people as the Phelps family at Topeka Westboro Baptist are towards his group. Well, I’ve got to go take care of RL.

BTW - Mr Doty probably reads these comments, maybe he will learn something from that ( :

Going for a short walk, then back to work.

Recipe: Irish Creamer - NonAlcoholic by LuvH8

2 cups milk 1 cup 1/2 & 1/2 6 - 8 Werther’s Original (butter & cream candies) 8 Altoids (peppermint) 1/2 cup hot cocoa mix 1/4 cup chocolate syrup 1 cup Ovaltine malt sugar to taste

Mix in blender thoroughly.

(tastes way better than the nondairy creamers for those who don’t consume alcohol)

I’ve been working on that recipe for a few months off and on. (mainly off) The non-dairy creamers taste too fake. I don’t consume alcohol both by choice and necessity, so I am really happy to come up with a good alternative.

Have to Real Life! Have a Good Afternoon!

Lot’s of Luv

LuvH8, I have an aversion to the sweet stuff, but I’ sure there are many who will try it.

I, for one will be having a couple Irish Coffees in a couple of weeks.

I wonder if Doctor Toon drinks Irish Nuclear Coffee.

Grog you drink actual alcohol. I don’t and like I said add the sugar to taste. When others will be drinking this in their coffee I plan on omitting any sugar. It can be added at the last minute to individual servings. If it’s still too sweet I would suggest using unsweetened chocolate powder instead of chocolate syrup.

I was really impressed with my final recipe, I started by getting a few other recipes and tweaking them. I’m trying to cut down on consuming things that sound like they were created in a mad scientist’s lab. (Irish Cream Whiskey is one of the few alcohols I liked the flavor of )

Bye-bye

Really?

The foozle at NS kept me from being a bad example at the strip where I was ready to comment first and think later!!

bye again

Good Afternoon Tribe.

Back from the day’s adventures! Is anyone home?

Hello Terry. I has been a day of errands for me, starting at 8AM by taking LilG’s mom to a doctort appt. and then a hike on the other side of the lake. In a half hour I am off to the bookmobile. How was your day?

Hi Cleo

My day was busy today, but it all went well. I got good news and bad news from the Doc, but the long term outlook appears better than it has in the past. (Fingers & toes crossed!)

Good Luck (((Terry))).

I had to order an outside door handle for a customer/friend of mine. He has a Mazda Previa and my cost is $96.00! I was shocked.

Thanks Cleo. I’m trying. Up until this week, they were fairly certain I’d be on those meds the rest of my life. Which would have meant certain diabetes among other concerns. That’s why I was so quiet about it the last 3 months. I am lucky.

It is slow around here. I came back with so many books from the bookmobile that I have got to get a bigger basket in the future. LOL

Terry, it is always amazing how much parts are for cars. I think you were present when I thought I would need to get a new key for my wife’s Jetta.

Hi Cleo & Lonewolf

Hello Grog. How are things in the Lone Star State?

I remember about the key, Cleo.

Howdy to you, Grog!

I have to go start on dinner, but will try to keep checking in.

Weatherwise, it looks like we’re going to have a beautiful week, at least until the week-end arrives

Just havin a little supper now and then it’s off to movie land. I’m watching “The Harder They Fall” tonight.

They are saying up to 50 degrees here by this weekend!! WooHoo!!

That is good news, Terry! It has been a good day for me, too. I thought I had an abcess, but evidentally was just irritated from food getting stuck. Made another hospital visit tonight. This time to a gentleman who is in intensive care also. They weren’t sure he was going to make it, but after draining 3 or 4 quarts of fluid off his lungs, and so he could rest (3 days of not being able to), he’s doing much better. They think he might be moved out of the ICU tomorrow. I wasn’t sure if he would even be alive when I showed up there tonight, and not only was he alive, he was sitting up in bed, and greeted me as I walked in the room!

Chop, chop, chop is what I am up to.

Hi Rmom.

Glad all went well at the dentist. Also glad the gentleman is doing very well in the hospital!

Lonewolf, I’m sure that sounds awful good to you. If I were still living in Montreal, I’d be ecsatic to have that kind of a high for the week-end.

Yesterday was our coolest (and wettest). The rest of the work week will be in the 60’s and the week-end is calling for low 70’s. But with those temps, come the rain

Many a day I wish I was back in Texas, Grog.

Sometimes, I wish I could be further North in the summer and in the south for the winter, Lonewolf

At least in Dallas, the humidity is not normally near as stifling as it is in Houston. But I’d still take summer over winter, even in Houston.

Terry - It has been a long winter! It got up in the 50’s today, so it was much better than it has been. We’re supposed to have nice weather for a few more days, so I hope it stays long enough to move the furniture Saturday, that I’m taking from Mom’s.

Well, I think it’s time to put on that movie now. I want to turn in early tonight.

Great news

And glad to hear your dental problem was not to bad, RMom.

Hello Dawn! Thank you. Good to see you! I keep missing you.

Cleo the other day you congratulated the Canadians for the hockey win. Thanks!!! It started out poorly but those Olympics sure wound up on a high note. ANd both the Canadians and the Americans should be very proud of their athletes.

Grog hate to tell you, but the weather here on Vancouver Island is still unbelievably nice. We listened last night to two owls hooting back and forth and the tree frogs are very active.

Rmom, we had quite a bit of snow this year, but the temps were not bad, except for about a 3 week period. All in all not too bad. But at this time of the year, the winter always seems to drag on and on.

Thanks, Dawn! It seems like I’m rarely on when you are anymore.

Hi Terry. Yes I’ve only had time just before bed to get on the computer and then I try to catch up on the comments but today I had a few moments so decided to just jump in.

Hi RMom - yep - just cross-posted too.

And I double those congratulations, Dawn, from a very avid hockey fan. :^)

Thanks Terry Those last 25 seconds of regular play were heart stoppers! My husband wondered if he might end up with a heart attack!!! Luckily, though, he didn’t.

Dawn–Just a great game all the way around. And I heard it got the largest TV view for a hockey game in Canadian history.

Well, guess I’d better get dinner on. I’ll try to pop back in before bed. l8tr

Terry - It wasn’t that bad with the snow around here. A little more than normal, but not that bad. However, being a native, I expect to have a warm spell in the middle of winter, and we didn’t get one this year. This is the FIRST time in the 122 years of recordkeeping for KS that it did NOT get up to at least 60 degrees even one time between Dec. 1 to Feb. 28. I’m used to getting high 60’s, even 70’s for a few days every winter which is nice to use for some of those small projects that need done in the garage or outside. We’re used to the weather CHANGING in KS, not staying one way for so long of a stretch. (At least we got our days of sunshine during this winter, so it wasn’t so bad if we didn’t need to go outside.)

Oops - a Shika - yes I heard that too Terry I know all my friends watched and they aren’t all hockey fans. Take care.

Take care Dawn. See you later.

Dawn the Canadians deserved the gold. They outplayed the US. It must have been a nightmare for anyone heading south on Sunday from Vancouver though. A young man jumped in front of a tour bus heading south and took his life and in the process put a stop to south bound traffic on I-5 for over 4 hours. On Monday, on our bike ride, I saw over 70 buses heading south and Vancouver was expecting their busiest day at the airport ever.

Hibye Doc.

Greetings, Doc!

Cleo you around?

Hi Rmom

Hi, Dry

Hello Rmom, are you still around?

In & out. My college son has a speech due tomorrow, so he’s needing some help.

Rmom, I noticed the one quilt is no longer posted on your picture site. How come?

Dry, just finished dinner. We have LilG’s mom over tonight and will be watching a movie soon. I just finished cleaning up the dinner dishes.

Terry - Which quilt is missing? I didn’t remove one that I know of.

Hey Cleo Hope your MIL is doing good and got a good checkup!

What movie?

Dry, I will find out shortly. Something with Doris Day.

Movie time.

Rmom, I was looking for the “Drunkard’s Path” quilt. I thought it was in an album, but I found it. :^)

Back on for a moment. Cleo we didn’t hear about that. I do feel so sorry for the young man and his family. He must have been so very depressed. It would have been a terrible way to end the Olympics for those heading home on the I-5. we saw footage from the airports and ferry line-ups. I’m glad I wasn’t in any of the line-ups but I would have enjoyed being there. I was in Calgary in 88 and we had a great time even if we couldn’t afford the major events, we got to see the aerial trials and the jumping.

Terry - Just checked. It is in the artwork album, but it is on page 2.

Cleo Love Doris Day movies!

Good night!

Good Night Rmom.

I think this has been the most exhausting day in oh- since the weekend anyways.

Gee, will I ever sleep?

Shika-wise, peace and love.

(((((((Shika))))))) hang in there girl! Goodnight and peace & love to you also.

(((((((((((((Carmy))))))))))))))

Miss you gal!

and Dry and Tabby and all my friends here.

Hi Shika-Good Night Shika!

Sleep well, my friend!

miss you too!

i HATE math!!!

that is all.

good night

(((((((Tabby))))))) Goodnight Sweetie!