"Puzzles and the "County Fair"...

 

Good "gray, potentially wet" Saturday Morning, y'all.

There's a song by Joe Walsh called, "County Fair." It's not one of those knock down, kick ass, get your blood moving type of songs he is known for. It's a song about puzzles that don't get finished. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvJuiaR7qZ0

I have quite a few friends that enjoy solving puzzles and do it rather successfully. I'm impressed. I am impressed because I can no longer sit that long to complete one.

Yesterday, I was posting back and forth to a friend that I've never met about someone we both knew and worked with all through the late eighties and nineties. I got into it enough to pull down my Daily Planner from those years in an attempt to ascertain times, places and names.

It was a trip to read and reminisce just like it was when I found those dainty prayer books the other day. It kinda sends you to another place, ya know? I mustah had ten books out on the table trying to sort out the pieces of my life and oh, so many others.

Puzzles...

I never did find when we last worked on a presentation but the planner's telephone directory in the back of the book no longer had his contact information under the letter "B." in 1993. Although I had the pleasure of "reeling in those years" tying one job after another smiling at all the "peripherals" I eventually gave up any further research and had to let those old pieces remain unsolved.

Gone, in a way, yet not forgotten... We do remember the good times, don't we?

Later in the evening, I found out that another high school alum had passed away. That's three gone in less than one month. In a way, those pieces will never fit. I will probably never attempt to make them fit...

First introspective cup!

Copyright 2011/ Ben Bensen III

"Just A Four Hour Sketch"...

A four hour sketch...

Good "wacko" Wednesday, all bodies.

Finishing my first cup to the mellow sounds of "Mitch Miller Does Joe Walsh" while waiting for the ax to fall in Washington, D.C.

I might need a stiff brandy for a third cup.

Last night, my Vietnam vet artist friend called from the San Francisco area to see how I'm doing with Therese, Covid and government. I told him that he's no more discombobulated than anyone else and I proved it by trying to explain Facebook's photo inset policy... which is counter intuitive. Had about a hour's worth of hilarity.

I think he'll be okay.

My SoCal pal will be calling soon and I hope I don't have to talk him off the precipice... ha!

Yesterday afternoon, with the help of a scotch on the rocks and a whole lotta James Gang played over and over again, I decided to go "Craig Nelson" on myself by trying to paint a picture in sixty or so minutes.

Craig, one of my teachers at Art Center, does a demo in oil every Friday afternoon around 1pm CST. When I remember to check him out I always learn something.

Anyway, I barely got the drawing done in that time, but undaunted, I dove right back into the oils. I actually forgot how intense Cad Red Light is... Whoa!

Well, one hour passed, then another, and then another... Okay, okay, screw Craig 'cuz this is getting to be too much like work.

I found myself cutting lines with a straight edge even though that's not the idea. Once I paint a straight line, everything else will have to tighten up and it will take me four days instead of what was getting close to four hours.

Maybe the subject matter might have been a bit too intense for a quick study that I'll probably never go back into with changes.

Regardless how it looked, four hours was my limit. I walked out, turned out the light, had one more libation to watch Disney's "Cinderella."

Included with the painting is the original sketch I created from the Helen Guillet concert...

And, a photo I took which I used to make some additions.

Time to flip over to the B side of "Mitch Miller Does Joe Walsh"...

... and have another Cup 'O Courage!

Copyright 2021/ Ben Bensen III

"Just Another Melancholy Monday!"

Good days, good times!

Good "miserable" Monday Morning, y'all.

Not really.

It's a gorgeous morning. The contrast of the icy blue grass in the shadows against the glow of the sun is worth getting out of bed for. Admittedly, a cup of coffee, at first, helps!

Looking out our nook window passed the frozen bird bath I noticed a sapsucker hopping up our maple tree in a rather circuitous way. That's a way of recognizing them even if you cannot get a good look at them.

I started to vacuum the house when the Saints game came on. Lord knows it needs it. But, I just didn't want the season to end in the way I envisioned it. And, I envisioned it correctly.

Never mind the third game in one season jinx. They just seemed flat. The gadget play was fun but gadget plays are a definite indiction. No need for more analysis. Like all other "WhoDats" I just feel bad for Brees!

I realized that the game was gonna last well into the Radiators closing night at Tipitinas. I purchased a three day pass, so maybe I can cash in on that third night since it was all on virtual TV.

In hindsight, playing Tips without the usual raucous crowd in analogous to playing in the Superdome with only a few fans in attendance.

Still, I felt they were tired and going through the motions. Never mind their incredible musicianship. It is par excellence. I think they missed the boat by not being more engaging with the albeit virtual audience.

More about the concert later, I suppose since I fancy myself a "rock critic!"

Second "Martin Luther King Day" cup!

Copyright 2021/ Ben BensenIII

Friends Help Ease Into The New Year...

Good "New Year's Day" Friday, y'all.

I had a good day yesterday meeting, by chance, some friends I haven't seen in a while. One guy, Ricky McCubbin, singled me out as I walked out of The Fat Spoon in Covington. We were both covered with our masks on so I don't know how he recognized me. Ricky called me "Benny" so I knew he was from way back, but it wasn't until he told me who he was that I got it.

Naturally, we spent another half an hour catching up on the forty plus years that has passed us. The dude knows everyone in this town, I swear!

Shaking my head in disbelief, and with a full belly, I headed out to get some things accomplished. At the Mandeville Walmart I bumped into... actually, she bumped into me, Tanya Dischler. She looked too good and well dressed to be grocery shopping, so we talked instead.

We should've just put the baskets away and stopped by a Starbucks to continue our many topics. I don't believe I seen Tanya in over a year. Funny how we take such things for granted. When I had a gym membership at the Pelican Health Club, I'd see her just about every other day!

We joked about her sons concern and living alone with the pandemic. She said they suggested she wear one of those medical alert buttons on a necklace and the first thing I thought was, "it's gotta be fashionable!" Ha!

As we continued yapping and laughing away, clogging up shoppers in the produce center with those oversized grocery carts, in pops Kelly Fortier. I caught her zooming on by so I didn't say hello.

Twenty minutes later, she stops to say hello and then zooms by us with her booty amazed that Tanya and I were still partying in the produce section. We finally pulled ourselves away vowing to continue our conversation later... maybe next week.

Checking out of the store, a woman passed by me staring the whole time. There was, I'm sure a bright smile behind the mask because her bright blue eyes twinkled in a way that said I know you from somewhere.

As with my friend, Ricky, there's this momentary fog in your brain that just doesn't seem to comprehend what your eyes already know...

"Hey dummy, wake up... We know this person!"

And, we did, that is; my brain and my eyes did.

"Wait, she said, I think that I know you from... "

"Uh... yeh, but um... where?

I don't know if she was just being coy or too shy, but for sure, I felt like I needed a third cup!

"Your Ben and I'm...

But before she could say her name, I blurted out, "Julie Lemaire!"

From that point on we chatted for a few minutes reminiscing our times with our mothers at the Mandeville Senior Center. She was a retired nurse that came every Wednesday to take the vitals of every patron that passed through the doors.

My mom so enjoyed Julie's mom's companionship that when "Dot" died, I just had to paint a portrait of her for Julie. It sure doesn't feel like it was that long ago. She invited me to become one of her Facebook friends, so now it won't be so long between chats.

She was telling me that she's taking classes to be re-certified to help administer vaccines in the coming months. I think she's feeling good about that!

On my way back to Folsom, I stopped by an Office Depot to replace 2020 with 2021 though I'm not too thrilled about it.

Finally, a second cup!

Copyright Ben Bensen III/2021

“Be A Doll And Be My Santa Claus"...

Santa Would Be Pleased...

 Good "cold, wet and gray" Wednesday, y'all.

"A winter's day, on a bleak and dark December!"

(Paul Simon)

I decided to clean out my night stand top drawer which had assorted balsa wing glider parts ever since my nephews dropped by to hang with our son. That event happened sometime in the summer 2009. Assuming that they had such a great time, I went and bought three more gliders…

But, they never returned.

I dumped the wire gears, the wheels, rubber band powered propellers, taped together fuselages and assorted wings into the garbage, but decided to keep the three cheapo Guillow flyers and deliver them to our local Marine “Toys for Tots” dropoff box. I had read a flyer at the coffeehouse that posted today as the last drop-off day which ended at 5pm.

I buzzed over to Star Physical Therapy in downtown Folsom to deliver my three balsa gliders, but decided that it was a pretty chinzy gift, so I told the secretary that I’d be back with some better gifts.

She reminded me that they would be closing the office at 5pm.

I hopped on down the street to the local Family Dollar Store which had some pretty nice toys on sale.

I grabbed a “Hot Wheels” collection for a boy and a Mattel “Frozen” makeup kit for a girl and waited my turn in line.

The cashier was a friendly type welcoming everyone as the entered the store and wished them Merry Christmas as they left. Her name was Myrtle. At least, that’s what it said on her name plate.

“How ya doin’ honey? Gettin’ a little something for a Kris Kringle party,” she inquired.

“Actually, I dropped off some balsa wood gliders that to Star Therapy next to Main’s grocery for the “Toys for Tots” donation box,” I said.

“Today’s the last day to donate and I didn’t feel good about just leaving those gliders as a gift… So, here I am purchasing a little more for Christmas!”

“Wait,” she said while putting my purchase in a plastic bag. “Today’s the last day?”

So, I explained the details of donation and the time frame and she said.”Honey, can you do me a big favor?”

I said “Sure” not having the slightest idea what she wanted me to do for her.

“Let me get someone to cover the register and I’ll meet you out back in a minute or two!”

A few minutes later, she arrives with a ciggie hanging from her lips and takes me to the back end of her minivan. When she opens the tailgate of the car there were stacks of games and toys strewn all over the place. Myrtle grabs a “Candy Land”, a “Chutes and Ladders,” a “Mr. Potato Head, a game of “Sorry” and three coloring books and stuffs them into a big Family Dollar grocery bag.

“Be a doll and be my Santa Claus! Deliver these to the donation box, could ya,” she asked.

“Myrtle, it would be my special privilege to play Santa Claus for you!”

I grabbed the goodies, hopped into my car and drove over to Star Therapy.

Dropping my gifts plus Myrtle’s, the woman at the front desk quipped, “Boy, you went all out this time, sir!”

“Sure did, ma’am, I said with a smile.

I decided not to explain the whole strange story, but waved goodbye wishing everyone including those on the therapy tables, a very Merry Christmas!

I think the real Santa would be pleased!

First cup!

Thanksgiving Thoughts...

Good "the Aftermath" Friday Morning, y'all.

I trust everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving Day whether you had leftovers alone or a big blowout with family. It's gonna be a wet Friday and probably all weekend too!

Our quiet little Thanksgiving yesterday, gave me time to think about all the other big family gatherings we've enjoyed. It's not unlike most huge family get togethers on Thanksgiving.

My uncle would bring the family over from MidCity around ten or so. I met my two cousins as they drove up and escorted them into the house to greet everyone. My maternal grandfather, known to everyone who knew or worked with him as "Pops", had already brought his sister, who we only knew as "Nanaan" over earlier that morning. Accompanying them was the all important, oyster shells.

After being courteous and pretending to be in the way so we could get shooed away, we took off for the playing field of my front lawn.

The front lawn, you'd swear, was a full 100 yards long... it was so hard to score a touchdown. In truth, it was only about twenty by thirty feet long. If we made a great play on defense we were the Fearsome Foursome of the Los Angeles Rams or Ray Nitsche of the Green Bay Packers.

We were a host of great offensive players when we scored. Players like Paul Hornung, Bart Starr, Frank Gifford, and Jimmy Taylor were some of our favorites to emulate.

Jimmy Taylor was a favorite because he played his college ball as a fullback at LSU!

Every now and then, we'd call a timeout to check in on the food festivities. My uncle, with a large cup of coffee, pretty much ignored the goings on in the kitchen preferring to sit with our portable television tuned into whatever game was playing. Back then, the Cotton Bowl was first to grace the tube.

In the kitchen, squabbles were always present with my mom trying to referee the correct procedures for the perfect meat pie. Her mother, a big boned German/Italian would always try to win the hearts and tummies over my rather diminutive French aunt.

My Nanaan would have none of her guff!

One meat pie just wasn't enough for this hungry crowd, and my grandmother always argued over who's pie was the better of the two. When it got to how to prepare the oyster patties, Pops would eventually step in. Luckily, the women deferred to his "expertise!"

My mother tried to persuade her brother to turn the channel to the Macy’s Parade which always seemed wedged between bowl games.

It seemed to settle the women folk!

My cousins, Mark and Glenn and I would snatch something tasty off the huge makeshift dining room table and return to the playing field.

Eventually, we'd get called in to wash up for dinner. As was expected, our neatly combed hair, our Thanksgiving attire and our manners were left behind. Everything tasted as good as it looked.

No one seemed to be overly concerned that the oyster patties maybe needed a bit more salt and that some of them were "burned" at the bottom. My aunt, had very little to say about my grandmother's delectable baked macaroni, or creamy mash potatoes. There was always a bottle of chilled red wine though no one except Pop's and my uncle imbibed.

My father, having alcoholic parents, was a teetotaler all of his life and my mom only took a sip or two just to be social.

Pop's always made a thing about extracting the cranberry from the can intact. I always looked forward to his entertaining act. Until I moved to California, I thought that that was the only way to serve cranberry.

Pop's handled the turkey carving as well as the gravy. It seemed safer that way although the persnickety of a Frenchman showed if someone carved across the grain or if, worse than that, the carving knife... ANY knife was not sharp. Could've sworn he brought along his wet stone to dinners.

As kids, we never paid much attention to the adult conversation. I just remember my mother Marine's glaring stare if her children did not hold their utensils correctly or misbehaved in front of the family. This is from a woman who actually years later, on two occasions, initiated a food fight between me, Mark and Glenn.

That's a story for another time!

I don't believe me and my cousins hung around for dessert, but I loved to wait around to see Pops carve the skin off of a navel orange in one piece. I thought it was SO cool.

As an adult, I never could get that right. I guess my knives were never sharp enough.

Unless his wife, Aunt Vee, complained, Tony Pie, (that was his family moniker, and I never knew why!) would sit and watch football. In his high school days, he was a drum major at St. Aloyisus and I think, in the Marine Corp. Turns out, he loved watching the halftime shows when marching bands, not the gratuitous halftime shows of today, entertained the crowds.

But, as is often the case, when a woman casually walks behind a man in the middle of a conversation and touches his shoulders, it is a sign that she's had enough...

Never did like that part!

All in all, from a kid's perspective, it was a great day of being together. I hated to see them go, but I knew we'd see each other again... probably, Christmas.

Besides, there on TV, the day was not over. It was still daytime when teams played against each other for the PAC-10 title in Pasadena. And, there was turkey left for a sandwich or two!

First cup!

"Scrapping Off The Fat"...

 

Good "Monkey" Monday, all bodies! 

That ole Matchbox hole needs some attention, y'all.

So many things, and I gotta long way to go...

Therese seemed a bit upset about the death of Alex Tribeck. She knew, like everyone else did, that he fought fourth stage pancreatic cancer for over a year. Tee is almost in her fourth year of surviving that cancer.

Some one wanted me to let her know if Therese high school letters were moved from their original spot on the kitchen table.

They have not!

I've got a dress shirt that is about five years old, but I get more compliments from women about the shirt when I wear it... Wish I knew why!

More and more, our pup is needing a boost to hop in and out of the car and unto the sofa though he is not at the point of giving up trying.

Man, the fat I scraped off of the chuck roast stew I cooked last night was disgusting. I pretended my spatula was an icebreaker ship breaking up the packed sea ice. Having fun where I can find it!

On the causeway last night headed to NOLA, my friend Carol was clicking off photo after photo from a glorious red and orange sunset. I told her I was gonna demand a location fee from her if she continued.

Oh yeh, if you follow my posts, you remember me talking about Monday morning lawn mower wars. That is, cutting the football field grass that doesn't need cutting. Well, this morning, they didn't show up.

They mustah over slept!

I offered this woman that I had not seen in over a year a seat with me when I realized she wasn't waiting for a friend. I think she was hoping that I'd ask her to join me. We had a great time catching up with each other. In jeans and a tank top that showed off her developed shoulders and arms, I complimented her on looks. She told me that she had started cross training and eating right. 

"Jeepers, Debbie, I said, isn't the rigors of being a farrier enough?"

Oh and by the way, I finally found my Spencer Davis Greatest Hits album on United Artists... so there!

Enough... first cup!

Copyright 2020/Ben Bensen III