Messing with the Scale

 

Caesar in the Freezer

 

See how you can add to this silliness.   (Sorry, girlies -- I can't help myself.)

Just don't add Cleopatra to the mix -- no sense of humor

A Thoughtful Tale

 (This story was adapted from one that ran on Quora.)

One day, everyone's possessions disappeared.

No one had anything, including food...and people soon were hungry.

Three days later, God gave everyone a chicken.

The first group was overjoyed. They immediately killed and cooked the chickens -- then threw a party. Other people could not decide what to do at first. When they saw the fat and happy expressions of the people who had killed their chickens right away, they did the same thing. 

Another group was also hungry. But when some realized their chicken was a hen, they gritted their teeth and endured the hunger pains until the hen laid an egg. It wasn't enough for full stomachs, but the hen laid an egg every day after that -- so they didn't starve, either. 

Others had a rooster. They endured their hunger long enough to hire the rooster out to wake everyone up to feed the hens daily, as well as fertilize the eggs. In return, they got some egg to eat, plus a few chicks to raise. They also made a group deal; every once in a while, a non-necessary rooster was sacrificed, so everyone could have a taste of the meat. This kept the group healthier while the chickens continued to thrive.

So life went on.

The first group of people, as well as those who'd decided to follow their lead, were hungry. Why hadn't God given them more chickens??

The second group ate their eggs, going without just enough to mate the hens and roosters and raise chicks. (The occasional feast of chicken meat helped, too.) In time those chicks grew up, and the second group had a fine flock -- plus roast chicken every now and then, when the hens and roosters were too old to do their part.

    Eventually the flock grew too big to manage. Then the second group approached the first, who by now were skinny with hunger, and hired them to help with the chickens -- in return for an egg a day.  

-------------

In time, some of the first group grew tired of this 'inequality,' and prayed, "Oh God please take away everyone's property -- so life will be fair again." God answered their prayers, took everything away...then gave each person a chicken on the third day.

And the cycle began again. 

The Final Service for Queen Elizabeth II

     It's an abridged version... please consider watching to the end. The final moment: the Queen's bagpiper playing "Sleep, Dearie, Sleep."

Go here for text and the video

I believe strongly in showing respect, for a monarch who ruled so long and with such dignity. Please consider giving her memory that respect, as well, by watching this. 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Hello, Blissful Fall

 (Do you know how to temporarily get out of doing a job you don't feel like doing? Work on a 'Monday Stuff' post, instead!)

    The cool air and lovely skies around here are very inspiring. We only have patches of color down on the flatlands, but the mountains are working on it much harder. 

    We have a quiet week here -- lunch with friends, and a stop Tuesday night at a Irish pub 'trad' session. I have a collection report to finish up, and hope to put in a lot of hours on some quilt restoration. Maybe some movies too, while I'm working. The Brick is busy replacing seams on the trailer and doing some winterizing, before colder temperatures arrive. Ruby is busy 'supervising,' in her role as service/guard dog. It's amazing what you can accomplish with closed eyelids. 

   Lovely, lovely Fall.

Not here -- Michigan. We rarely get those shades of orange and red.

Photoshop battles -- mix two photos, and whaddya got?

A Georgia woman finds more than $500 cash under her sandwich... and returns it!

A whole lotta fuss about a banana duct-taped to a colored background (artwork by Cattelan)...from an artist (Morford) who duct-taped an orange AND a banana to a colored background, and considers that his trademark. (I am not making this up. I wish I were.) To add insult to stupidity, the banana guy (Cattelan) had this about his 'masterpiece,' Comedian:

According to court papers, three copies of Comedian sold, as well as two proofs, for a total of more than $390,000.

    My question: What do you do when the produce spoils? (Yes, they're using actual fruit.) And what happens when the fruitflies arrive?

            Ewwww.

Increase your happiness by making your spending a treat. Thoughtful advice from ESI Money.

Crown Prince William and Kate meet Australian and New Zealand troops... and get to experience (again) the Haka dance -- an interesting memorial for the Queen.

The story of Queen Elizabeth's tiara collection.

What are some unusual things you can sell? 

From Quora: "What was your most memorable investment?"

Ten ways you're making your life harder than it needs to be.  (from Thought Catalog) Tell me this at 2 a.m. in the morning, when my brain won't shut off...

Rainbow gelatin cubes. A lot of work at first -- but boy, are these wonderful-looking!

A searing night vision look at migrants illegally crossing the border -- more than 500, just in one night.

A Colorado dog lost, after an auto accident, found after 3 months -- using a drone!

A very interesting opinion on Martha's Vineyard's new inhabitants. While you're pondering this -- 

An interesting take (and use) on the cages first proposed by Obama's administration. (Yes, Gentle Readers, these first went into place during Obama's period...though Trump took the lion's share of blame for it. Ex-president Obama was very careful not to change that perception.) Maybe these could be constructed on the Obamas' estate, to save room? 

Retired at age 38 -- thirty years ago?!?  Not only that -- their investment total has DOUBLED.  (From Millenial Revolution, the authors of my revered book, Quit Like A Millionaire)

The Georgia election probe continues.

The first quadruple axel successfully attempted (and landed) in figure skating competition. Wow.

Our national debt is now at a stunning THIRTY-ONE TRILLION DOLLARS. Oh goody. Of course the White House picked this time to host its:

"Yay, inflation's been conquered!" party. (Only it wasn't.)

(Here's something weird -- CNN didn't even cover this big celebration on its print site, and Nancy Pelosi had to remind people to clap for President Biden's "extraordinary leadership." And this was from handpicked celebrants, too.  Hmmmm.

Dinosaur tracks -- found in a dried-up Texas river.

Celebrities with unusual habits...like eating only purple foods! (That's Mariah Carey, in case you were wondering.)

Actors cracking up -- some of the funniest moments from the Carol Burnett Show. (Don't miss the last one especially, about the Siamese elephants.)

The same bodega that had an incident months ago... gets robbed. Yay for New York City. (At least they caught the guy...but they let him go free on bail. Figures.)

The moose that savaged a hunter will NOT be put down. (Turns out the guy shot at him -- and missed. Can you blame the moose for being angry about it?)

The strange life of Timothy Dexter, the millionaire that happened to be in the right place(s) at the right time(s).

Want to make some Scottish rumbledethumps? 

The Colonel's 'secret ingredient' for fried chicken is exposed -- and it's not what you think.

Eleven tips for dining out more cheaply...from a former restaurant critic.

Have a great week. 

The Vigil of the Princes

     I hope you have taken some time to watch the ceremonies by Queen Elizabeth II's coffin these past days. 

One that is especially poignant:  'The Vigil of the Princes.'

  King Charles and his siblings took one shift --

 and William, brother Harry and their cousins took another. 

The grandchildren arrive about 8:30 in the video -- but I hope you'll watch more than just their entrance, then exit some 15 minutes later. The respect and affection shown by the passing mourners is just as moving. 

More in the video below. Her Majesty's funeral service is the 19th. 

God rest the Queen.

Ah, Romance...

 

The middle-aged couple had finally learned how to send and receive texts on their cell phones.

She texted: "If you are sleeping, send me your dreams. If you are laughing, send me your smile. If you are eating, send me a bite. If you are drinking, send me a sip. If you are crying, send me your tears. I love you."

The husband, being a no-nonsense sort of guy, texted back: "I'm on the toilet. Please advise."

(He must have been an engineer.)