Cranky Swamp Yankee

They are impressive! INCREDIBLE athletes!
I hope I didn't get R in trouble! Don't blame him. Blame God, or Nature, or whatever you believe in that made us that way!
I am madly in love with Mary Ellen, and I would never, EVER consider even TOUCHING another woman with "bad" intentions. However, just because you're on a diet doesn't mean that you can't look at the menu, does it? The same holds true for women. (Be HONEST now! Don't you JUST LOVE watching Brad Pitt running around shirtless and in a cowboy hat and those tight-fitting jeans in "Thelma and Louise'? HUH?)

Come on home, Pooch! You are SORELY missed!!!!! Great treats, tons of love and long romps await you!

Great shot! And George looks like he's one for independent thinking! (But, then again, I've never known a cat that wasn't!)

Glad to hear that you're bouncing back, my friend!

I was going to ask if it is difficult to counsel married couples when you are single yourself, but, now that I think about it, Catholic priests have been doing that for years.
The single get-together sounds like it was wonderful.
I too dislike the saying, "And a good time was had by all." It sounds like something from a small-town, bi-weekly newspaper story about the local fireman's barbeque. I also hate the word "feted." There's a whole lot of feting (sp?) going on in small-town newspapers!

You can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose...but you can't pick your friend's nose.

I guess all we have to do get out paying taxes is incorporate! Isn't it amazing?
Saw two bumper stickers the other day that said, "George W. - Making enemies for the US faster than we can kill them!" and "John McCain - Bush's third term."

Wow! This is absolutely fantastic!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you! Sometimes, all you need is a positive attitude...and a WHOLE BUNCH OF HARD WORK! CONGRATULATIONS, KID!

Sounds like you're having a ball! I love your simile of the lone sock! VERY descriptive and VERY FUNNY!
By the way, I haven't forgotten my promise about editing your long story. As soon as I find some time to myself..

What a sad and scary situation. I good friend of mine, (oombutu here at MyBloggers)is from Michigan. He used to work as an IT person at Ford. He paints a REALLY scary picture of the economic crisis there!

Hang in there, my friend! Know that we are thinking about you and sending positive energy your way!

I think as we grow older, our topics of conversation turn scatological and medical, don't you? I often catch myself in conversations with my peers talking about blood count numbers and the Levitra vs. Viagra debate.

Ya know, I HATE technology! It just makes things SO DAMNED COMPLICATED! When I was younger, you bought a phone, you plugged it in, and you left it there on the table in the TV room. And all the damned thing did was receive and make calls. That was it.
About a year ago, my wife bought me a Pantech cell phone that I could use to take pictures with, send and receive email from, surf the net with, and even send and receive phone calls with. Being technically challenged as I am, it took me about seven months just to learn how to get my voice messages off the damned thing!!...and then came the day I dropped it in the toilet.

Being an avid baseball fan from way back who ALSO kept his baseball cards in a shoebox, (We used Topps brand cards as currency back then!)I too have noticed the dismaying trend that you mention, particularly among Bosox pitchers. ("Josh! For God's sakes! Get your hands away from there! You're on national television, for crying out loud!!!!)
That is why I think I am changing my allegiance from baseball to women's beach volley ball. (I think I'm in love with Misty May-Traenor!)For some reason in that sport, the "crotch problem" doesn't seem to...uh...come up.

A long time ago, I brought a new girlfriend back to my bachelor apartment. On the kitchen table was a vase full of flowers I had picked out in the pasture next to my building. I had picked them because I found them to be beautiful and delicate.
I left her for a moment, and when I came back into the kitchen, I found her staring at the floral arrangement. She then looked at me and said, "Did you know that these are weeds?"
I shrugged and said, "Okay. But they're pretty, aren't they?"
She looked at me incredulously and said, "Jim! They're weeds!"
That was a fast date, and a very sort relationship.