Nice story, Rue. I would entitle it The Prisoner’s Dilemma that is Love.
Guess that’s why I don’t write many stories.
For the record, I liked the original. There was a point in my life that I was a sucker for any O. Henry story.
I don’t get the references to the Marianas Trench, but I figure someone will be along shortly to ask about it.
I forgot to throw this little tidbit in for Lissla in my last post. It’s 80 degrees and sunny in south Jawja today. 
Yep, eighty-one here. No snowing signs working like a charm. 
bob, be sure and let us know what you find out about vunderwife.
Not for nuthin’ but did everyone leave their slippers out mlast night for St. Nick? I did. I got a cord reel for my big orange extension cord. This made me very happy.
We also sent a load of wrapping paper with Nick, so he could give it to his buddy Santa Clause. This is how come Santa wraps our loot in paper we bought at Target. We buy it, we leave it by the slippers, St. Nick hauls it up to the North Pole and Santa uses it for Christmas. It’s a good system and this way Santa doesn’t have to use the ugly paper.
Well. my anti-tiger charm is still working.
Prayers and good thoughts coming, Bob.
You forget, swampy, that I like cold better than heat. I’m staying up here in Tranna, Canada, thankyouverymuch. Nice and cold. I just don’t feel like carrying laundry about in a 100kmph wind.
Aerin has just inserted herself headfirst into one of those long, thin Coke cases for 12 packs. I just gave Bailey his first pill. Life is all joy, isn’t it? At least Bailey never bites.
Oooh weather! We actually had some yesterday, light rain which was lovely since I was curled up on the couch. Today is all sunshiney though. How boring. Scout, would you get over your bad self (I’m not jealous, nope, nuh-unh) and toss some rain over the mountains? Thenk yew.
Wha?! Rue, what’s this about slippers and paper? This was not discussed at the meeting. In fact; what meeting?! You have to give people notice on proper Ruemas activities. Can I make up the slipper thing after school. Can I get extra credit with fancy paper?
Remember the good part Bob, Mrs. Bob is getting this checked out before it’s a big nasty emergency. Smootches to you both.
I had to run in that thar rain yesterday. I’m happy to have it move along now.
I don’t get the Mariana’s Trench thing either. I saw it in another thread (it was a really long one) and didn’t get it there.
The best part of Rue’s story was that Alex’s coupon was at the bottom of his to-do list. That little detail in and of itself marks Rue as a genius in our midst, poised to resurrect the short, short story form, a prophet of prose, a tremendously talented teller of tales, a wry, cynical softie seeking satisfaction in swift wit, heir to Aesop, Chaucer and Thurber (no higher praise is possible).
Oh how I have missed the MMP!
I’m back and swamped at work, but still taking the time to pop in here. You should all feel honored. Or something. My Mom is doing well, her doctors say that she is remarkable (but I could have told them that even without two surgeries in two months). There was lots of pain and that’s very, very frustrating, but it is slowly getting to a manageable place (and Mom is so kooky that even if the pain meds get her high, we’d never know!). Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts, she got a kick out of knowing that people all over were sending her good vibes.
I am probably a great-aunt (I know I’m a great aunt) by now, my neice was supposed to have her twins between 9 and 10 today, since they wouldn’t come out on their own. As of last Thursday, the babies were each almost 7 pounds (amazing what the doctors can tell, isn’t it? You’d think that one time in your life that you would be safe from weighing would be while you were in the womb.). So Garrett and Marielle should be healthy and fit–as children of the perfect couple, they will most likely sleep through the night, never cry and be reading the collected works of Dostoevsky as soon as they get home.
Inspired by Nick Hornby’s The Polysyllabic Spree, I have bought a notebook and started keeping a list of things I read. Actually, his book has two lists at the beginning of every month- books bought, and books read. Books bought is almost always a lot longer.
I figure this will make me too embarrassed to read Laurell K. Hamilton books, and encourage reading better stuff. I hope. The first two entries are Hornby’s book and Brideshead Revisited, so I feel all cultured. Mr. Lissar is trying to make a list of everything he’s ever read, but there’s no way I’m doing that. I can’t remember books I read last month, let alone a year ago.
Glad to have you back, Kalley.
My kids got chocolates, apples, gum, Kindereggs, some assorted other candies, Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, a kitty piggy bank, and a couple of other knick-knacks. I moved my shoes too early for St. Nicholas to get anything in there.
Sankt Nikolaustag is on December 6th, when he fills the shoes of good little children with goodies. The bad ones get switches and coal. I’m good for heating for the winter.
Also, the Girl got a place on the under 10 All Star team ~and~ the U-9 Select team. The Boy has a Championship game tonight, but to say that it’s his fault would be a classic overstatement.
I’m late getting here today - having rebuilt our dryer this afternoon. It was working fine yesterday, but today it was just blowing cold air. My sweetie started out de-linting it - I think he got about 500# of lint out of the lines. But it was still cold. So we took it apart.
Interestingly, there wasn’t a whole lot to it. We de-linted each piece, vacuumed the carcass, greased the shaft, and put it all back together. We checked all the electrical contacts and did a few continuity checks, and near as we could tell, everything was good. So we hooked the exhaust vent back up and plugged it in - and it worked!
Which is good. If it died, I’d be hanging my clothes out on a line since a new dryer isn’t in the budget this month, or next. But I’m spared the clothespin encounter at least for one more laundry day.
In other news, we didn’t do much of anything this weekend. We did get the garage organized enough so that we can now fit both vehicles inside. And we took the smallest of our old kitchen cabinets and installed it between the washer and dryer, so I have a place to keep my detergent and bleach and stuff. And, um, I cooked a few meals. And did laundry. Mostly we just enjoyed a weekend where we didn’t have to do anything! It was loverly!
Would I be a nit picker if I asked about the exchange rate of those English dollars?
An update for those concerned.
I took VunderWife to the ER for an EKG and other tests after her Rheumatologist heard a rub in her heart at an appointment today. She’s been having symptoms for the past couple of days consistent with a lupus flare involving her pericardium.
EKG and other stuff was normal or not bad enough to indicate an actual pericardial flare, so her heart is ruled out at the moment. The doctor’s working diagnosis is that maybe the membrane that lines the inside of her ribcage is inflamed. So far, they’re keeping her overnight and filling her full of anti-inflammants.
In other news, I’m a bachelor tonight…
Not only do I get to bump this thread off the second page, but I get to do it with
My 2000th post!
I’m a geezer all over again!
Even the best laid of bachelor plans, VB! This was still the first page when I looked. Maybe mine will start the next page! How exciting!!!
Lissla, I got a version of Brideshead Revisited on tape for my commute from the library, I think it was read by Jeremy Irons. It was one of those rare books on tape where the reader actually adds to your understanding of the work.
Unless you are English, in which case maybe it was already crystal clear to you. The way it was read, I felt I really understood more of the nuances of the dialog, especially the wry understated humor.
merrily, what VunderBob did was bump the MMP off of the second page of MPSIMS, where it lay in anguish due to slackers. I’m always glad to be helpful ‘splainin’ stuff.
I went Christmas shopping last night. I found some toys that make noise for my four great nephews. Their parents will be thrilled, I’m sure. I had already bought my great nieces some bracelets and necklaces since they’re both real girly girls and like all that junk. I also bought a choo-choo set for a seven year old boy whose, well, not name, but wish for a Christmas toy (said choo-choo) was on the Angel Tree at church. Now all I gotta do is buy for my Mom (she wants a gift card from JC Penney, cause she can find “cute” petite clothes t here) and my sister (whose name I drew in the family name drawing thing), who wants a gift card from Wally World of all places! ACBG is getting some presents, too, but we won’t discuss some of them here. He will be getting three lovely shirts, that much I can tell you without oogin’ y’all know who out.
VunderBob glad stuff is looking good for the VunderWife. Prayers, good thoughts and vibes continuing up her way from south Jawja.
FCM I’m impressed! If my dryer quit, I’d either have to call repair guy or walk around with wet clothes cause I ain’t got no clothesline.
Glad you got back all safe and sound Kalley. Without you, there weren’t any puns at all in the MMP. We look to you for guidance. (And “Yay!” for your drug-addled Mom. Get betterer Kalley’s Mom!
It’s nice to see Competitive Marbles still captures the imagination of today’s youth. Or is it the Mumblypeg Championship?
Deflame VunderWife, deflame. And there’s no way i’m believing her heart is merely “normal”. The “EKG and other stuff” might be normal, but her heart is extra special simce she (apparently) loves Our VunderBob.
Help me out here, other MMPers, since I’ve not done the holidays with rue before. Seems to me he’s gettin’ all mooshy and sentimental like. Not that that’s a bad thing, mind ya. I think it’s really cute. Mr. Anachi doesn’t get all mooshy. In fact, he does a fair imitation of Ebeneezer. Maybe it’s cause I make him get up on the roof every Thanksgiving and string icicle lights all over.
This coming Saturday my development is doing a luminary night. It’s tons of fun with all kinds of rides and people put tables out in front of their houses with goodies and Santa rides all around the streets on his Harley. (Hey, whaddya want?? This here’s Flawduh…we don’t DO sleds!)
Tupug
Santa on a Harley, in leather chaps… wha?.. where was I? Oh Yeah!
Tuppy, see, Rue is being extra special nice and all cause he wants to make Santa think he’s been a good boy all year so he’ll get good loot for Christmas. I, on the other hand, keep on acting my naughty self cause Santa spanks all the naughty boys and still gives us good loot for Christmas.
I feel like bustin’ loose in a chorus or two of “Santa, Baby.” I just loooooves hearing Eartha Kitt sing that!
Rue is always full of love and mushy stuff. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.
Good thoughts all around to those with health woes. Seems like there’s far too many of ya. GET WELL, DANGIT!
I’m sorry, Swampy, but lusting over Santa is just wrong.