The British Isles Experience

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

This weekend past was the British Isles Fest. You should have been there. And I don’t want to hear any of your lame excuses like how you had an appointment to get your bunions looked at or had to have your car painted or it was time to get your kidney rotated. The truth is, you weren’t there and you should have been. It was loads of fun. See, I was there. And that’s not all, I brought Soupo along. And we met up with Shibb and his familial unit. Plus Brynda and RickQ (hereafter know simply as Rick) showed up. And they came from Detroit (not like they were born there, but that’s where they live and they came down anyway) so you know it was worth it.

It was a fun group (or “knot”) and everyone had a great time. At least I had a great time and that’s what matters. It’s not like I was going to ask other people if they had fun. What if they said “no”? It could harsh my mellow, dude. No one wants that. Brynda and Rick are a real great couple. Actually, individually they are two pretty OK people. You get them together and they get all kissy. It’s so gross! Smooch, smooch, smooch that’s all they do. Even when people are trying to eat! Can you imagine? Really I think it’s Rick that’s a good guy. Brynda just rides his coattails.

See, here’s an Actual Event to show you what I mean. We were watching the Heavy Athletics and they were at the part were they were throwing around the big heavy metal block on a chain. They were doing pretty good too. Well, Brynda says we should sit right in front, right by the safety fence. Me, being Mr. Agreeable, said “OK” and we do. Only Brynda made sure I was closest to the action. It seemed nice of her at the time, but little did I know she had A Plan. See, they guys were getting better and better at throwing the heavy metal block on a chain and it kept getting closer and closer to the safety fence. Then this one guy threw on his turn and Brynda says “Hey Rue! Check these out!” and flashes me her boobs. (OK, there was no real boob flashing, but she kinda pushes them up and make a whole lotta cleavage.) While I was all distracted (boobs’ll do that to me) the big heavy metal weight on a chain goes whoosh! right by my head! It almost KILLED me! Then, then! Brynda snaps her fingers and says “Oh darn! So close! Uh… er… I mean my, my that was a close one. Are you OK.” I think she was trying to get me killed. But Rick’s real nice. If you ever have the chance to meet Rick, it’ll be worth it. If you are ever in the position where Brynda flashes you to distract you and you almost die, that’s nearly worth it.

Mrs. Oleth is a lovely lady. And Shibb’s kids (I assume they were his, but they are all cute so I’m not sure) are just great little kids. Mostly. For kids, they’re pretty good little people. But they are mean. These kids have a mean streak you wouldn’t believe. Here’s the deal, the kids (Shibb’s plus Soupo) were playing Simon Says and I thought it would be a little better if they were farther out in the field (for their safety of course) so I herd them out a little and that rotten girl of his (Ms. A) calls a huddle. Then the next thing Simon said was “Attack Soupo’s dad!” That was me! Can you believe it? Those rotten kids attacked me! Like saber-tooth tigers even! Sheesh!

Ms. A is also a big liar. “Oh, I know all about mazes” she claimed. This was right after they (all three of the kids) find out there’s a walk-through maze over on the other side of the field. Did she? Know all about mazes? No. No she did not. Let’s put it this way, she’s no Theseus. Somehow I got conned into chaperoning the rotten kids (plus my little cherub) through the maze. They were lunatics! Just running around, not paying any attention. When the “Maze Expert” Ms. A finally gets all turned around and winds up BACK AT THE BEGINNING, she’s all happy and hopping around like she did something good! Those kids, sheesh! Maniacs! Shibb had to cheat and get in to the watchtower and guide his car-aaaazy kids out of the maze. I, on the other hand, had to figure it out for myself. Luckily Soupo loves me and went back into the maze to guide me out. On the upside, there was a slide at the end.

Did you know, with enough coaxing and wheedling, you can get most people to eat haggis? Yeah, it’s true. Although some people (and I’m not going to name names) are big girls and won’t eat any. It was even some good haggis. Only the best sheep spare parts in that batch, let me tell you.

I really like to spend time with Dopers. I always have a good time. If only I could think up another good reason to get together. If only.
-Rue.

[sub](This one isn’t too long for you Shibb, is it?)[/sub]

2

Boy, what a name-dropper! :stuck_out_tongue: You don’t see me making a big deal about meeting ivylass, g8rguy, and KarlGrenze in Orlando this weekend.

Flashing, mazes, and haggis - what a life you lead! How long before Katcha gets to join in the fun? Poor lil guy always gets left behind. You know he’ll develop a complex, leading to expensive therapy. Cmon, Rue, cut the kid some slack!

:smiley:

3

I would just like to comment that I can’t remember the last time I actually heard someone use the phrase “harsh my mellow.”

4

All I’ll say is that Soupo is polite beyond words. His dad must have scared the heck out of him about strangers.

Me: Soupo, do you want a cookie?
Soupo: No thanks!
Me: Soupo, do you want to go on the swing ride?
Soupo: No thanks!
Me: Soupo, do you want anything to eat?
Soupo: No thanks!
Me: Soupo, would you like some cherries?
Soupo: No thanks!
Me: Soupo, do you want some beer?
Soupo: No thanks!
Me: Soupo, would you like some water?
Soupo: No thanks!

But later, after politely decline everything all day (no wonder Rue brings him and not the little brother, think of the money he saves!), we’re looking at the swords and shields. That’s when his eyes get big and he says, “I want one of THESE!”

Now I’m not sure if he was being cagey and setting me up for the big fall (he must have been thinking, “Geez, this guy’s asked me about everything else”), or if he just has a real purpose for a two-handed battle sword. I’m thinking maybe the latter.

Of course he did have the coolest boots, and most appropriate for the day. And, according to Mr. C he is really strong.

5

so what british alcohol was available in the end?!

i was promised an answer dammit! :slight_smile:

6

There is absolutely nothing I like better than hearing about how much fun somebody else had. Really.

Of course, my lawn finally dried out enough for me to mow it, so that was good.

7

Here’s what I saw/remember:

Newcastle, Guiness, McEwan’s, John Courage, Harp, Bass (and a couple of ciders)

There’s one more stout that was there that I’m drawing a blank on. I should’ve taken notes, dammit!

8

Was this the festival with the burly sweaty men in kilts (drool), Rue? Oh, wait that’s the Scottish festival thing, right? Anyway, it had big men hurling big stuff, so I woulda had fun. :smiley:

Apparently Shibb didn’t buy Soupo the sword. Hmph! The first thing the kid desires all day and he didn’t get it. Of course, the fact that he turned down beer leaves me shocked beyond words!

I was a good son this weekend. I went to see my father for Father’s Day. Well, I saw my mother too, but the big reason was to see my father, it being Father’s Day and all. I went up Saturday morning and my family had a cookout Saturday afternoon. That’s what we do. We cook out on the Saturday before. Dad likes cookouts and Saturday is easier for everybody to get together and spend a whole afternoon carrying on. Afterwards, we took Dad to the cemetary to visit my brother’s grave (Dad likes that, too) and then I went to my sister’s house (she lives next to my parents’, actually, her house is on their property but it looks like it’s next door) and we sat around on her deck (well, we sat in chairs that were on her deck, not actually on the deck) and drank beer and looked at a bunch of old pictures she found in my parents’ attic, which my sister took to go through and put in photo albums. That was fun. My niece (sister’s kid) who is 12, got all interested in the pictures and asked lots of questions about who was who in the pictures(people and animals). There were pictures of all the dogs, cats, parakeets, gerbils, etc. all my sibs and me had as kids along with pictures of people. Then she asked her father (my bil) if he had any old pictures, which he did, so he got those out and we had fun looking through those. So, it was a beer drinking, picture looking, while sitting in chairs on the deck sorta evening. I left my sister’s house and went back to my parents’ where I spent the night. The next morning we all (parents, sister, niece, bil and me) had breakfast together and sat around talking a while. Then I left and came back home, cause I had to be back by three o’ clock yesterday because I had choir practice for a big ol’ patriotic musical extravaganza the choir is putting on the Sunday afternoon of June 27th.

So, that was my weekend.

-swampbear
Good son

9

Apparently, no rain for the British Isles Fest? Well we got buckets here. It’s rained so much I’ve got algae growing on my front porch. Actual Algae. Green is not the color I’d chosen from my front-porch cement. Icky poo.

Hurray for Dopefests! Brynda you get a gold star for startling Rue! Totally cool. Harshing his mellow. Hee!

Swampy you are such a good son! I got in a relaxed, deck-chair, picture-lookin’ kinda mood just reading your post! My father died in 1988, so I don’t have a daddy to go home to any more :frowning: I spent the day mopping and taking a nap.

Saturday was The Big Day, though. My 8-year-old going on 16 daughter longed for pierced ears (“I’m the only one in my class who doesn’t have her ears peeeeeeeeerced.”) So we did it. No blood. No blood-curdling screams, either. It was nice and sanitary and over in .666 seconds. My Little Mr. Almost 6 declined my offer to have one ear pierced.

-Ellen. (progressive mom leading an exciting life)

10

Hum. I lead the most boring life. I didn’t do anything this weekend besides rearrange my bedroom a little. All that heavy lifting and I’m not sure I like it.

Every year in Bethlehem, they have a big Scots Festival. I like to go to that and watch them throw the tabor and listen to the skirrrrl of the pipes. (Like how I rrrolled my R’s there?) But I’ve never tried haggis. My maternal grandfather is probably spinning in his grave.

FairyChatMom, did you ever get your cake?

11

Nope, no cake, but I did have some yummy ivylass-made brownies, so that made up for it. Interestingly, the urge passed enough that when I went grocery shopping on Saturday, I didn’t buy any cake-making ingredients. But I did get some ice cream, and that works too.

12

I seem to live in the wrong place as all you doper people seem to have exciting social engagements and much fun!

I spent the weekend sorting baby clothes. Everything pink goes to goodwill this week!

Oh and we transferred the munchkin to a toddler bed. She’s not excited about this and snorts like a bull when we put her to bed at night now (this is how she says she’s angry) After much “no no no -ing” she finally falls asleep and is good for the night. Mostly.

Yummm brownies… and I have brownie making ingredients in the cupboards… and brownies are healthy right… there are eggs in brownies and that’s protein. Babies need protein! And there’s wheat in the flour too… babies need grains! And nuts… nuts are a great source of protein!

13

Haggis tastes a bit like liverwurst (leberwurst). A bit too much for my taste, thanks. And they did have big burly guys in kilts, swampbear, so maybe next year you can make it. Actually both Rue and RickQ are of the burly variety. Although not that bearish (okay, Rick is a little bearish, but Brynda has dibs).

I should also not that Brynda did not at all frighten Mrs. ShibbOleth. Quite the opposite, in fact. Very charming lady. Between this and ChiDope she seems to be warming up to Dopers. Well, thinksnow and Zappo were the first Dopers that she met, so you can understand if she’s still a bit skittish.

14

Katcha’s not allowed to do anything fun until he’s completely 100% housebroken, Snickers. Those are the rules. I don’t make 'em, I just enforce 'em.

OK, actually he didn’t get to go because the Little Woman didn’t want to come along. I wasn’t going to be out-numbered by my own progeny. That’s just craziness, that is.

Don’t forget THE MAZE! (That;s how you have to say it; “THE MAZE!” And throw your arms up in the air when you say it. It was just that good.) He was all keen on THE MAZE! But I think he was just trying to be polite since Ms. A wanted to do it. (You know, that one kid who wasn’t the boy.)

I think the one stout Shibb’s forgetting was Beamish garius. It’s what I had, so that’s how I remember. And the cider, I think was Woodchuck whish comes from Vermont instead of, say, Woodpecker which I believe actually originated in England somewhere.

Wow. Lawn mowing Ex? How do you stand the excitement?

You are a good son Swampy. You should be proud. Speaking of “patriotic”, they were playing some patriotic music on the bagpipes. Patriotic for over here in the United States. They also played patriotic music from over there in Scotland, but no one knew the words.

So when your kid turns 9 are you going to take her to get tattooed Ellen? Maybe a unicorn on her… arm. Yeah, just on her arm. (Since she’s only 8 now and she’d be getting this tattoo when she’s only 9.) Or does she get other stuff pierced und you work up to a tattoo when she’s 18 or so? How does that “progressive” parent stuff work? I don’t want to be left out of the loop.

Funny you should mention the caber Wintermute. (I’m assuming that’s what you mentioned.) The caber they had to toss wasn’t up to Shibb’s satisfaction. It was all bent. I gave him a tip on how to straighten it out, but he didn’t go for it. Don’t know why.

Cake making ingredients? Huh? I thought there was just one ingredient, whatever that powder is in the box. Instant cake. A miracle of modern technology.
-Rue. (technological)

15

I went to a really great party this weekend, at the house of my Best Friend in the Whole Wide World.
It was lots of fun, because I rarely get to spend time with my Best Friend in the Whole Wide World. So that was nice. :slight_smile:
But she’s moving away. :frowning:
But I still got to go to a fun party, and it was fun :slight_smile:

So the smiles win the day.
The British Isles thing sounds really neat, Rue. I’m glad you folks had a good time!

16

OK, I can buy that. The housebroken part, I mean. As for the out numbering - until they actually outweigh you, it shouldn’t count.

We’re talking my super-special cake here. It takes the cake mix and pudding (those are the ingredients I don’t keep around the house) and frosting (ditto) - I do generally have milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla on hand.

17

FairyChatMom… do you make this amazing cake in flavors other than chocolate? I realize that non chocolate cake is a type of sacriledge for many but I like to experiment :slight_smile:

Is it still possible to get the recipe? I meant to ask in that other thread but I’m a bit scatterbrained as of late!

18

tanookie, check your email.

19

Yeah, good thing you sent it to her in e-mail. Wouldn’t want to hijack a thread for a cake recipe. Now, would we?
-Rue. (terse)

20

Cabor, right, that’s what I meant. Tabor is a kind of drum, I think. I always mess them up, but cabor is what I meant. I get distracted by the sweaty, burly men in kilts. Mmmm…

I wonder how Welby looks in a kilt.
(Meanwhile, in Forest Lawn Cemetary, Los Angeles, Wintermute’s Scottish grandfather stirs in his grave. What blasphemy disturbs his slumber? What blythe utterance will ultimately cause him to rise from his grave in mute protest, to hunt down his own decendant and rain havoc upon her for her ignorance?)