Big Top by Rob Harrell for March 24, 2010

A few things new and a few things old for breakfast Omelets, your choice Canadian bacon or scrapple French toast with strawberry or blueberry syrup Lox with cream cheese Homestyle Country bread Strawberries in Red Wine Biscotti Stuffed Baked Pears Roasted Chestnuts Assorted teas, Pirate Coffee, Lattes, various juices

And GRITS for our special Lady! And also Dr. Pepper for our other special Lady!

I hope Dusty isn’t writing on my living room walls! Geez oh man!

I may let him use my catch phrase, I’ll have to think about it!

From the heart, Dusty……..From the heart!

Good Morning/Late Evening Tribe

Good Morning Dry! I think I’ll have a cheese omelet and a latte. Thank you!

Dusty, what’s wrong with “Bark This”? I like it!

Good Morning JFri and Marg!

Welcome back!

Welcome back from me too, Marg!

Keep at Dusty. I’m sure you’ll come up with something.

ME THREE MARG! WELCOME BACK, MY FRIEND!

Dry, that looks great! I’ll have a biscotti stuffed pear. Sounds like the food we just left behind.

‘Morning Dry, Carmy, and Terry!

I have one for Dusty:* “Keep Your Stick on the ice and watch your back!”*

I’ve brought back as a souvenir some meyer lemon with blueberries creme brulee, dig in!

Sounds great Marg! Thank you!

Congratulations to you and your hubby, Marg!

What can Brown do for you?

’Morning, Dry & Carmy!! Dry, breakfast looks good! I’ll have French Toast, Canadian bacon & pirate coffee!

Have a good night, ALL!

I’m outta here too! Goodnight Marg, Dry and JFri!

Good Night Everyone

P&L ALL

I’m just in from a late night at work. Breakfast looks good and I’ll have “The Lot” as he said in the Monty Python movie…..(Somebody help me out) I’m kinda tired…

Hey, WoodEye! How goes the battle?

I’ve got to retire again. This working stuff is overrated!

Thanks for asking JFri

What kind of work do you do, WoodEye?

good morning and happy Wednesday dry thanks for the grits

Good Morning Tribe

Hello Akenta & Woodeye

Good morning, tribe! Dry - some breakfast I don’t have to cook sounds mighty good this morning.

HI Woodeye and Akenta!

Mornin’, all and sundry.

Good Morning, Tribe Howdy, Lonewolf, Rmom & Fellow Baby

Good Morning Rmom, Hymenoxis & Grog!

Electrician’s coming today to wire up the pool equipment, so I gotta stay home. Rough duty.

Good Morning, hymenoxis

Hi, Grog!

Hm…looks like heavy weather in my neck of the woods today…lovely.

BBL

Good morning, All!

Doing a quick run-through.

Have a day filled with small joys and minimal irritants!

Bye!

Take it easy, Hymenoxis

G’Morning Celecca

Hi, celecca

Hi, Terry! Sounds like a rough job, hymenoxis. Is it getting warm enough to think about swimming outdoors in TX? We actually got up to 70 yesterday, but a cool front is coming in today. Rain & highs in the 50’s. Much better than the blizzard we had on Saturday, though.

Good Morning, Doc.

55° and partly cloudy here today. Rain on the horizon for tonight and tomorrow.

DRY. Looks delicious but MARG has tempted me away.

Morning TRIBE! Elastic waistband extenders needed.

Hi, Doc! - You can just keep your snow. We’ve had enough winter here, we’re ready for spring!

Yes, they do, Doc. But I think we’re supposed to have warm enough temps that we’ll just get rain & thunderstorms, not snow in my part of the state. NW KS is supposed to get snow, though.

Doc, I know we get most of your weather passed on here in Chicago.

Morning, Doctor Toon.

That snow better not be heading south-east!

I second what Grog said!

Good Morning Yappy Nuts!

I think you’re fairly safe from snow now, Grog.

Doc, you can send all the snow you want here. It won’t last long with a high today here at 73F. :-P

Good morning Rmom, celecca, HY, Fellow Baby, Doc and Lewreader!

Hey Carmy! 73? Gee, lucky you! Sunny clear blue skies here, a little cooler than the weekend was, but that’s okay.

Good morning TRIBE.

Hi, serena!

Hi, serena!

Morning All!

Hymenoxis - You wouldn’t need an electrician if it wasn’t for that “ground-breaking” ceremeony…

Hello, Serena. How are you doing?

G’Morning, DFrog!

Good Morning All. Fluff My Tail.

Good Morning, DFrog & Cleo

Good Morning Terry. Welcome back marg.

G’Morning, Cleo!

Sunny, springtime weather here today.

And Good Morning to you Rmom.

Morning, D-Frog & Cleo

I think Spring is here, too. Unfortunately, that will mean severe weather at some point. I don’t think this storm coming in is supposed to be tornadic, but I’ll take my weather radio along, if I can find it.

Greetings Grog.

cleo, I am NOT touching your tail!

JFri I trying that as a new catchphrase. Think it will work with the ladies?

Good morning Cleo! I didn’t know you had a tail! OR is that supposed to be Dusty’s new catch phrase?

HEY JFRI!

Hi Serena and Digital!

That’s okay Doc! I’ll let you have the fun of building a snowman! Spring is here for me! You may now officially keep your snow!

Love “Bark this!” “Eat a soggy chew toy!” Suggestions: “That’s a wagger!” “Smell ya later!” “The cat make me do it!”

Hello Dry. I thought I’d give one of Dusty’s discarded catchphrases a try.

Afternoon folks…back to the grind after a short hiatus for a memorial for my late son last week. Drove through 37 different types of weather on the ride back to Philly, everything from snow to hail to bright sunshine. It’s about 50 and sunny here in Philly now. I can deal with that.

I missed that one!

Hello, MisngNOLA I missed that on my first pass. My condolences.

It’ll be a while before we see mid-day 50 degree weather again.

MisngNOLA, you have my most sincere condolences. I am truly sorry for your loss.

Ditto.

Having no children myself, I can only imagine. And probably poorly.

MisngNOLA your post wasn’t there when I posted a bit ago. I too offer my deep felt sympathy for your loss. I too am a parent.

NOLA - My condolences. I’ve heard it is harder to lose a child than to lose a parent. I’ve lost both parents, but neither of my children. I know I would find it much harder to lose either one of my sons.

MIsngNOLA, I am so sorry for your loss. You have my deepest sympathy.

Good Morning, all you crazy, yappy peeps! Especially: POPPA, cleo, NOLA, Dry, Grog, hymen, Rmom.

Sympathy to NOLA: children are not supposed to be buried by parents, so that makes it harder. I may not have children of my genes, but I do have plenty of children of the spirit, and it leaves a void when any of them die.

I’ll have a breakfast, thanks–if there’s any still left. Sounds delish.

I’m sorry MisngNOLA.

There have been many deaths occurring lately to people I know. I found out this week that a dear friend had passed away in January. She had moved to Arkansas, and I started wondering when I no longer received emails from her. She was only in her 50’s, but had severe health problems. That makes 3 deaths for my friends this year, and that isn’t counting my mother last fall. The other two were close to my mom’s age, so not as close or unexpected.

Good afternoon, Bunnyface! Are you getting any of the storms that are coming from Doc’s direction?

Hello MisngNOLA.

As a fellow parent, my thoughts and prayers go out to you.

No storms here–blue sky and sunny (for once), and nice out, mid-40sF I’d guess (=about 10C).

Edit: checked out the forecast–might have a bit of rain Friday-Saturday, but looks fine otherwise.

Hello LuvH8 & Bunnyface(bmonk)

Hello, LuvH8 and Terry. Oops–gotta run for lunch!

We had a gorgeous day yesterday. Sunny, 70, breezy for a while, but calm by sunset. I’m ready for a lot more days like that! Unfortunately, I have to wait until next week for another day that might be that warm & sunny.

Good Afternoon, Bunnyface, LuvH8 & Lonewolf

Hello Lonewolf, Bunnyface, Rmom & Grog

Enjoy your lunch Bunnyface

Hi, LuvH8!

When I was first reading the strip, instead of ‘BARK THIS’ I thought it said ‘BARE THIS’. Hi Cleo!

Have A Nice Day Everyone!

Good afternoon, tribe.

My dog would vote for “I’m the puppy, gotta love me!” as her catchphrase.

Hi, Saucy! My dog’s catch phrase is “Throw it already!”

Hi Saucy. Hey JFri! I think my late Charlie Girl’s slogan would have been, “feed me!” And when she was younger it would have been “I have to get out the front door the next time someone opens it, so they can chase me around the neighborhood!”.

To coin a phrase I heard somewhere…. Hola, Dry!

I just got a call that a good friend, who just finished building his dream home on the lake had a stroke on Sunday. I called the hospital and I guess he is doing rehab, but initially couldn’t speak very well and had some paralysis. I am going to visit him sometime today or tomorrow, once I coordinate with my wife’s work schedule, so that we can see him together. Gosh, he seemed so healthy. It reallly hits you when things like this just seem to happen out of the blue. I have another older friend who had been a nurse. On Friday after getting off the phone to make plans for Saturday, pushed her medic alert button, told them she was having a stroke, by the time she was in the ambulance she went into a coma and never regained consciousness. That wasn’t expected either. It certainly shakes you up.

((Cleo)) Sorry about your friends.

I’m heading out to spend a couple days with my hubby. See y’all later.

cleo, so sorry for your bad news. All we can do is live our lives as best we can and play the hand we are dealt. I hope he makes a full recovery, my friend.

Cleo, sorry to hear about that.

This is a bad news day.

Grog, I say we put a moratorium on bad news. What do you say?

Got it JFri.

JFri are you getting the glorious sunny day that we are up here? I think it may turn into our warmest day yet of this new year.

Best wishes for your friend in rehab, Cleo. My condolences for your other friend and to all involved. You just never know…..

cleo, indeed we are! Wish it was going to last through the weekend!

My weather is lousy today, but it’s looking up for the weekend.

I have spent the last hour sitting outside, basking in the sunshine reading a book, warm sun feels so fine.

I was able to do that Monday…for about an hour. Saturday’s looking real good to do that.

Grog, we take each day and make the best with the situation. Having said that, I am going on a hike. BBL

@JFri and Grog, speaking of a moratorium on bad news, I did tell the Funeral Director to go away; we had just had a funeral the day before–and I hoped not to see him for at least three months.

When it does happen, it always appears to happen in bunches, like bad luck. At least that’s been my experience.

Well, this has been a beautiful day weatherwise. I do like sunshine.

Cleo, we probably see so little of it in our respective locations during the course of the year, you really appreciate it when you do get it.

What’s up guys? I just got done with a brake job on a Buick. Tomorrow I’ve got one coming here that appears to need a starter. Picking up, I hope!!

I’m doing dinner & a movie, Lonewolf. A Cary Grant movie tonight: Holiday

((((((((((((((((((ALL TRIBE MEMBERS)))))))))))))))))))

Hi, ((((((((((Serena)))))))))–You too, dear!

Sounds good, Grog.

Wolfangil has only been gone one day and I’m already getting bored! lol

Hello serena. Grog yep, you take sunshine as you get it.

Hello, serena

Do you get a lot of rain in your area, Cleo.

cleo, I do believe it’s Bookers time!

Serena!! Why did I have all those empty ice cream cartons in my kitchen??

Here we go. Let the cocktail hour begin!

Grog, it is definitely

Happy Hour!

(((((((((((Cleo and LilG))))))))))))*

Hi, Dry!

Terry no, not a lot of rain, just a lot of gray, drizzly days.

JFri, I do believe you are right sir. Booker’s time for sure. Dry thank you and you must be up for some Booker’s as well.

Hola Dry, JFri, Cleo, Grog! Grog, I LOVE Holiday! I have it on tape, but I don’t think it’s in very good shape. (((((Cleo & LilG))))) (((((MisngNOLA)))))

Y’all think I could get a latte instead of the Bookers?

Hi, Carmy! Here’s your latte!

cleo, I have poured you a double and for Dry a single shot (don’t want her getting sloppy on us!).

I too love Holiday. I love the free spirit that exists in the movie.

Hello, Carmy & Dry

Thank you JFri and good move. Dry may still have some of Carmy’s machetes.

Thanks JFri! Cleo, me too. Grant is great with Hepburn.

Sorry to read about your friends’ troubles, Cleo.

I also like Cary Grant’s friends relationship as a couple. Edward Everett Horton and Jean Dixon play a couple that I would love to have as friends and Lew Ayres is so good as the brother that has such a good soul, but to weak to stand up for himself.

Thank you marg. I will try to visit him tomorrow and assess his condition. He is a fellow who is always upbeat and happy.

Hi Marg! Thank you, Cleo! I was trying to remember the couple that were Cary Grant’s friends in the movie. Yeah, thet were definitely a fun couple. I didn’t know that was Lew Ayres, kind of young there wasn’t he?

We are cooking Chinese food for dinner and my dish needs to be prepared so carry on… as if you wouldn’t, snerk.

Hi Marg.

I just blew a part of my bonus and just ordered the complete Emma Peel megga-set of The Avengers. I can’t wait to start watching those shows again. I haven’t seen them in a long time.

Grog, I have Holiday, The Bishop’s Wife, Arsenic and Old Lace, Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer and Monkey Business all on VHS that I recorded, no commercials.

Grog digs Emma Peel!

C R A P I missed Cleo!

And just what do you mean JFri? You don’t want me getting sloppy? Geez!

Carmy, at one time I too recorded VHS tapes of movies. They did deteriorate over time though and needed replacing.

I have all the titles you listed on DVD now, except Bachelor & the Bobbysoxer, which I have on VHS. Holiday is from a Cary Grant collection I recently purchased, which includes The Awful Truth, His Girl Friday, The Talk of the Town & Only Angels Have Wings. I got The Bishop’s Wife in time for Christmas.

I got Monkey Business as part of a Marilyn collection.

Yeah Carmy I have a bunch of VHS tapes, but with all the different VCR’s over the years, I’ll bet the VHS are worthless now! And I had almost all the “I Love Lucy’s”! Sigh! Haven’t checked them in years, Dust, age, different VCR’s, oh well! Oh and the “Yes, Ministers” and “Yes Prime MInisters”!

JFri I know you aren’t a fan of British Comedy, but you would LOVE these! The political game, be it British or American. You should check them out! I know you would enjoy them! And laugh your butt off in the process!

Grog you get those ‘KRP’s yet?

Yes, I do Carmy. In all honesty, I do not recall Honor Blackman being the female lead. I think I was too young at the time and I never saw any of her shows in syndication. Many who have seen the whole series have said that the Diana Rigg era was when the show came together. There was good chemistry and good writing in that time span. Not my words, but the reviews I’ve read. To buy the entire series would be very expensive without having the benefit of seeing it.

Hey Marg! Where’d you go girlfriend?

Not yet, Dry I haven’t even received confimation that the order was shipped. This was due to my credit card company holding things up with an anti-fraud verrification.

Anybody remember the movie “About Mrs. Leslie” with Shirley Booth and Robert Ryan? I would love to get my hands on that! That was a great love story!

And there was a movie with Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn and it was great but the name escapes me. I remember a scene where they or he, was in a plane, and it was a long movie for that time period. I would know it if I heard the title. Geez, I should just google it!

More Bookers? Anyone?

I am still able to watch the VHS tapes, but I know it won’t be long before they’re unplayable. sniff, sniff!

Grog have you ever seen “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” or “Cold Turkey”? (I think you said before you never saw “Cold Turkey” or maybe that was someone else.)

Not Adam’s Rib, Pat & Mike or Woman of the Year, Dry? Then there’s Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, but I don’t think you’re talking about that one.

Grog No none of them. I’ll have to google.

JFri you mean I can have another Bookers without getting sloppy? Well what are you waiting for man? Anybody have any shrimp?

Gosh, JFri, I could stand another Booker’s. The only time I couldn’t stand another Booker’s is if I couldn’t stand after another Booker’s, but I never realize that until to late. But, I am far from that moment.

Carmy there is a way to transfer those VHS to DVD but I have NO IDEA how! Mine are probably too old to do that with. Sigh!

If you’re gonna talk Kathryn Hepburn then let’s get serious and mention African Queen with the inimitable Bogey!

You guys are talking movies from what I consider to be the heyday of movie making and I love them all.

I haven’t seen either of them, Dry

I was in the Florida Keys one winter, spending the winter camping at the foot of the seven mile bridge, when a gentlemen came into the concession stand (bar) at the campground and proclaimed that he had found the original boat from Aftrican Queen and wanted volunteers to help him tow it up to Miami, well I ignored him, but upon getting home, saw a story on him and the boat which at the time I believe was operating on the St. Lawrence. Last I heard it was down south.

Bookers for Dry & cleo!

Thank you kind sir, Booker’s keeps me mellow man.

JFri, that is a good movie - and I do have it - but I wouldn’t call it my favorite pairing. I always liked the Bogey & Bacall billing as well as the Tracy/Hepburn chemistry. Even when Tracy was doing Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, the chemistry was still there, though he was not in top form due to ailments.

Dry, it might be easier to try and find the movies you want on DVD, unless of course they are too many that you want. I think I’ve got that problem.

cleo, time in the Keys is time well spent!

OMG Grog Cold Turkey is hard to find, but” It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad Mad World” is around. It’s long but it is a LAUGH RIOT! You have got to see it!

Edie Adams Milton Berle Sid Caesar as dentist Melville Crump (a role originally meant for Ernie Kovacs before his death in a car accident) Buddy Hackett Ethel Merman Dorothy Provine Mickey Rooney Dick Shawn Phil Silvers Terry-Thomas Spencer Tracy Jonathan Winters

Jim Backus William Demarest Jimmy Durante Peter Falk Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson Paul Ford Carl Reiner ZaSu Pitts Don Knotts JerryLewis Bob and Ray Jack Benny and on and on

That really doesn’t surprise me Cleo. Budgets are often limited for props and the production people usually will get there props from junk yards. It’s amazing though how they can dress them up and make them look awesome.

Grog, Bogey & Bacall…..Key Largo!

Truly an all-star cast, Dry. I hope TCM will put it on soon.

Time in the Keys is time in Paradise. I loved spending my winters there. No better times ever. Plus, fresh seafood every night, conch, grouper, etc.

And still many classic films are not available. Warner Brothers, alone, is sitting on a wealth of titles.

And there is some great SCUBA diving there, **cleo!

Grog, can I interest you in a Heffeweisen?

Yes, JFri. My favorite Bogie & Bacall. Edward G. Robinson is very good in that movie, too.

JFri the water in the early 70s was so clear that 1 foot of water looked the same as 20 feet. I watched a big sailboat discover that the hard way.

Sounds good, JFri!

Hi everybody! I just got home a little bit ago.

Hello, LW18

To Have And Have Not is my favorite Bogie-Bacall movie.

I think that Lauren Bacall has been sexy every day of her life.

Here you go, Grog.

cleo, the water is still crystal clear there!

Good to hear JFri. I haven’t been there in about15 years.

Grog The Hepburn/ Tracy movie I was thinking of was “State of the Union”.

cleo, I dove there just a few years ago and had about 150’ of visibility!

Another excellent movie, Cleo. Bacall certainly aged more gracefully than most of the female movie stars. Then there’s Shelly Winters, but I don’t don’t think I want to go to sleep thinking about that so forget I even said it.

good to hear JFri. I need to revisit my old stomping grounds. Movie time.

Cleo as old as she is, she is still one sexy lady! Amazing isn’t it? And I don’t think much of it, if any, was bought from a plastic surgeon.

Grog I believe she passed some time ago, didn’t she?

Then there’s Jean Arthur.

Where did Carmy get to?

Bacall or Winters, Dry I just googled Bacall, and it appears as though she’s still alive.

Thanks, JFri. Tastes great!

Dry, I don’t believe I’ve seen State of the Union. Another one I’ll have to look into because I love that chemistry between the two.

My wireless thing decided it was time to update and it took forever. Then I had to do a restart, yada, yada, yada. I think Key Largo is really good too. Edward G. Robinson is great. i like him in the Ten Commandments also.

Grog I meant Shelly Winters! I know Lauren Bacall is still around and as far as I know, quite healthy!

Welcome back, Carmy!

Thanks JFri!

Shelly died Jan. 14/06. Though I am not a big fan of Roseanne, Shelly was good in her occasional appearances in that show.

I’ll never forget the night Shelly and Annie Potts were guests on Carson. What a riot. It’s part of a Carson collection I have on tape.

LMBO! I love this comic!

Ouch!, Carmy I’ve never seen that one before.

Carmy, did that happen to a poster who supposedly did that?

This one too!

The Egg And I will be on TCM Sunday night at 7PM ET for those who don’t have it in their collection. Very funny movie.

Wishful thinking there, JFri.

OK, everyone watch their piddle posture. Very funny, Carmy

Grog, The Piranha Club is my of my favorite comics. Lots of hilarious characters.

I was googling and I just found out Fess Parker has passed away! Sigh! All my childhood heroes are leaving this earth!

I had to search “The Egg and I.” I think I saw that a long time ago. I do love Ma and Pa Kettle.

Robert Culp (I Spy) just passed away too.

Well, buckle up, Dry, because Robert Culp died today!

Carmy, thought it might explain a few things! ;-D

Is there any good news?

Yes I knew about Robert Culp but not Davy Crockett/Daniel Boone!

Hmm, you’re probably right, JFri. Grog, good news? Let me know if you find some.

I also saw that Dennis Hopper is dying.

Carmy, from what?

Grog, good news? I have another Hefewisen for you!

I think all this good cheerfull news is making me sleepy. I think I’ll call it a night. Good night, everyone!

No thanks, JFri My pillow is calling. And I know it’s time when I practically spelled your handle backward on my first attempt!

JFri, he has prostate cancer.

Goodnight Grog! Sorry I brought you down.

g’ night Grog.

irFJ? How do you even pronounce that?

Carmy, it’s kind of like Spock’s first name! SNICKER

Mr? SNICKER

Good one!

Is Dry still here?

What’s she look like? Wait, is that her passed out under the dessert table?

Very Funny Turd! :-P :-P

It is her, yikes, we can’t take her anywhere! She has some creme brulee in her hair too!

YEP! That was her!

For your information, I was passed out under the seafood buffet table! I have no idea who was under the dessert table! SO THERE! Was it one of them thar varmints? You know the kind!

I think

is still here!

Oops, sorry Dry! Yeah, it was one of those kind, the worst kind.

Tomayto, tomahto……

potayto, potahto…

clamayto, clamahto?

I do NOT have creme brulie or whatever in my hair! That’s ice cream I’ll have you know!

Yep, desert table!!

Dry, what flavor is it?