The Humour Club discussion

Tell us! Please!
Those of us who have no lives need to live vicariously through your adventures.

I'm going to the AAUW used book sale tomorrow. It's "Bag Day" - a whole bag o' books for five bucks. Sadly, it's the last day of the sale which means there's nothing left but a table full of Dan Brown rejects and only the most unhelpful self-help books.

Just another typical weekend: Guns, guitars & dames. Maybe a little writing in-between.

Seriously? Let's see . . .

Tonight, I'm heading to the historic town of Haddonfield where I have to attend a small fundraising event because the proceeds of it will be part of a donation for a gala I'm organizing for next Friday.

Tomorrow morning, I'm heading to the Jersey shore where my son is competing in an 8-state drum-line tournament. I'll be home late in the afternoon, just in time to take my daughter to a cafe where she is singing with a small group Saturday evening.

Sunday morning, I go back to the shore for the end of the tournament. I hope to return home early enough in the afternoon to pull the weeds out of my front flower beds, because I'm hosting a massive bar-be-que next Saturday and would like my yard to look like someone lives here. Sunday evening I plan to do laundry. Exciting, eh?

Next weekend, is a boatload of work and parties. That one should be fun. Ask me next week!

Jeez Lisa! Are you on roller skates?

OK, weekend. We start with a cup of the RosieLee and a read, then we'll finish weeding and trimming our backyard. WeedWhacker, guitar & dame. Read. Draw. Scratch.

Do it all over again on Sunday, leaving out the yard work.

Not sure about exciting, but I'm about to go to the parent/teacher briefing at our son's school. That's a weird mixture of queuing, speed dating, glowing in reflected glory and taking notes about the "could try harder"s and "talks too much in class".

The best boy in the world is a bit of a swot, so we're not expecting to hear too much bad news. But I can't help thinking back to my own schooldays. Ye gods, but I hated the parent-teacher evenings!

Lisa wrote: "Seriously? Let's see . . .

Tonight, I'm heading to the historic town of Haddonfield where I have to attend a small fundraising event because the proceeds of it will be part of a donation for a ga..."

Lisa, you make my plans of "just sitting around" sound like both an exercise in sloth and a dream come true.

Joel wrote: "Just another typical weekend: Guns, guitars & dames. Maybe a little writing in-between."

And then there's Joel whose life is apparently written by Raymond Chandler.

I'm spending my weekend selling books for the library.

Rebecca wrote: "I'm spending my weekend selling books for the library."

Does the library know you are selling their books? Just checking.

LOL! Actually, we are selling some of the library's books. But they discarded them first, and we have their blessing. Sell the old ones cheap and make a little money to buy new ones.

I made out like a bandit at the book sale. It was amazing how much great stuff was left. And yes, there was a Dan Brown table. And no, I didn't buy any of his stuff.

While browsing the completely untouched Philosophy section, my oldest son ran into someone he knew from high school. There were a few grunts of "Hey, how ya doin'?" though my kid didn't really need to ask that question as the other guy was wearing an orange jumpsuit.
(The ladies that run the sale "borrow" prisoners to help carry customers' purchases to their cars.)

Interesting day . . .

Rebecca wrote: "LOL! Actually, we are selling some of the library's books. But they discarded them first, and we have their blessing. Sell the old ones cheap and make a little money to buy new ones."


We donate our purchased books to our local branch regularly. I search the catalog for duplicates beforehand. Nice to fill in any series' gaps, but most get sold through their book stores. We're lucky to live within a 15 minute drive to any of 4 well stocked libraries and an abundant county-wide system.
Have you had to tackle or drop kick anyone lately?

So, Melki, you most be in 7th heaven glossing over those first dozen bagfuls! Hope you enjoy every one!

I came out of the sale with a giant bagful. Not all are for me, but still...

Best parts of the event:
--We held a "What my library means to me" poster contest for the kids. The winners showed up for our little ceremony dressed to the hilt and totally excited to fill their bags with books.
--A young man, looked like still in high school or very recently out of it, who filled an entire box with books, many classics. I took a look, too many books to count, many very old. "$20." "Really?" "Well, $30 if you prefer." He handed me two 20s. "I love books." And off he goes with his loot.

Rebecca wrote: "I came out of the sale with a giant bagful. Not all are for me, but still...

Best parts of the event:
--We held a "What my library means to me" poster contest for the kids. The winners showed up f..."

"I love books." That's a great story. It's good to know that the appeal of books over digital media will carry on for generations of young people to come, and that many still appreciate their libraries and the resources therein.

I'm a huge fan of library book sales. The best were always at the Cleveland Heights main library. I've gotten some incredible treasures from those.

We packed up the leftovers today. I came home with another bagful :p

The past weekend was noteworthy only in the fact that while the men of the house were all away Friday night, I ate half a bag of frozen sweet potato fries.
(Yes, I did bother to heat them!)

I was going to eat the entire bag but noticed that that counted as six servings. Sometimes even I know where to draw the line.

LOL! I enjoyed having my guys all trying to figure out how to prepare frozen foods for our dinner last night. There was a lot of discussion about how to get it all done at the same time.

I'm exhausted from exciting weekends and franly, would like one where I get to sit home alone eating (heated) frozen foods. Though, I came close this weekend.

I had a gala in Philly on Friday evening. The theme was "Vintage Hollywood." I wore a flapper dress (black with gold beaded fringe) and a matching black and gold feathered headband (a la "The Great Gatsby"). The food was atrocious. I was starving when I left at midnight. I was so hungry that on the way home, I did something sacrilegious: I stopped at a fast food place. Any idea how surreal it is to eat a burger and fries at 1:00 a.m. in a Wednesday's?

Lisa wrote: "Any idea how surreal it is to eat a burger and fries at 1:00 a.m. in a Wednesday's? "

Not since my younger, wilder days when that would have been considered breakfast.

Yes, but Melki were you in flapper garb? That's what made it a little weird for me.

It was my first weekend at home doing nothing (or at least, nothing scheduled) in quite a while. I need those times, or I go postal.

I've just about recovered from a weekend performing my own material at a festival.

I almost went hungry as no one threw anything edible.

How'd it go?

Joel wrote: "How'd it go?"

He said no one threw anything edible. That means the tomatoes were too rotten to eat. Poor man.

The highlight of my weekend was when a clerk at Lowe's called me "Miss" instead of "Ma'am." Yesssssssssss!!!

Last night we noticed water seeping in under carpeting. This Memorial Day weekend will definitely be memorable.

Is there a hidden spring under your floorboards? Perhaps the water stains will take the form of a Biblical deity (or his mother) and you can sell tickets.

Joel wrote: "Last night we noticed water seeping in under carpeting. This Memorial Day weekend will definitely be memorable."

Especially when Chthulu emerges from your toilet...

I've been to the world famous Hay Literary Festival, where I spent too much money...

I went to a different literary festival where they tried to get me to spend even more money. My response, of course, was, "This isn't exactly Hay."

I saw Kazuro Isiguro talk. Interesting bloke.

We polished off the weekend with what would have been a nice hike if I'd been a little more prepared. After biking all winter, 9 miles at top speed was hard on my carcass.

And in a second hand bookshop I found a first edition hardback Roger Zelazny. I went a little faint, and rescued it.

Will wrote: "And in a second hand bookshop I found a first edition hardback Roger Zelazny. I went a little faint, and rescued it."

Between that and the literary festival thing, I think you win the "Best Weekend" award. (There's no actual prize; the award is that you had a great weekend.)

The award is that I came home with both the Zelazny and a signed Isiguro...

Yes sir, that's a top ten weekend, Will. Many more to come!

And for this weekend... it's car hunting.

(With a bank card rather than a spear, obviously)

Helpful hint: Avoid watching Top Gear just before setting out. Trust me on this.

Top Gear is no worry! After all, I'm happy to follow their approved car list!

(I'm hunting for an Alfa....)

Good luck with the cars, Will!

I'm going camping. With a catered dinner and a lot of geologists.

Rebecca wrote: "I'm going camping. With a catered dinner and a lot of geologists."

Add a hotel and a swimming pool and that sounds like my kind of camping!

Melki wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "I'm going camping. With a catered dinner and a lot of geologists."

Add a hotel and a swimming pool and that sounds like my kind of camping!"

Especially with a Michelin-starred in-house restaurant and unlimited pay-per-view!

Geology is the most musical science.

(It's all about heavy rock...)

No swimming pool provided or desired. We were at Pt. Reyes National Seashore, where the fog mostly sat on us and temps were largely in the 50s and 60s. Not swimming weather!

No hotel needed for this kid. A good hike with the geologists, paella for dinner and some wine and I was down for the count.

Will wrote: "Geology is the most musical science.

(It's all about heavy rock...)"

Oy.

Though several of the geologists were sitting around the campfire with guitars until all hours. Happily, no electricity, so only acoustic guitars.

Several hours of 'Kumbaya'and I'd want to bury them under a rock... for future geologists...

Will wrote: "And for this weekend... it's car hunting.

(With a bank card rather than a spear, obviously)"

So, what did you get, Will? And is it Clarkson approved?

Will wrote: "Several hours of 'Kumbaya'and I'd want to bury them under a rock... for future geologists..."

Happily, no Kumbaya. And they only knew a couple of verses to "American Pie." Otherwise I might have had to kill them.

Rebecca wrote: "Happily, no Kumbaya. And they only knew a couple of verses to "American Pie." Otherwise I..."

I like the part where the players try to take the field, but the marching band refuses to yield. Such great imagery!