Columbus Day

As Columbus never did discover America, it matters little which of these two days is the designated Columbus Day. If you live in Columbus, OH then each day would be a Columbus Day, however since we reside elsewhere ... oh, be quiet.

It was Book Discussion Day for our rapidly shrinking group at the Senior Center. Our friend, Kay, who joined us last time, was with us and another male, David, also made an appearance, but at least a half-dozen ladies were absent so next time we could meet in a phone booth. Oh, those are also no longer with us, either.

Methinks the book choice, Losing Nelson, may have been the cause. Neither Diane or I finished the read and those present were universal in agreement: a BAD novel. With so many other books from which to choose, this was a sad choice.

William Faulkner's "The Sound and The Fury" is our next choice. A strange novel particularly if one reads it without any backgrounding of the cast of jasminlive characters. Google supplied this Ozzy with such several choices so by the time I started reading I was aware of what lie ahead.

Because the two sports teams I wanted to prevail (Atlanta Braves and Green Bay Packers) did so poorly last evening, I quickly switched off my TV early and began reading this novel. Was this a better choice? Going off to bed was the best choice.

Our great Fall weather still is with us, however with the shortened days Ozzyzers miss the long twilight periods. It would be nice as well if Stan & Ollie's internal clocks matched suntime so when they are first out the sun is above the horizon.

Our Toons spoiled us.

Yesterday, the Great UU Rummage Sale ...

Someone needed to stay home and amuse and take care of Toons and pups. That someone was named Ozzy.

Last year was our first with the rummage sale - folks come from miles about to pick up bargains, much of it brand new items or samples donated by manufacturers or persons, transforming this into a temple of commerce. ALL of the proceeds from this annual sale are donated to a worthy local charity. Diane and I have donated items, worked the sale and have purchased items so we were looking forward to this year's.

Saturday was also our computer group's meeting so when we contracted for Stan and Ollie we had a problem, all of us would not be able to "do" the sale and I would e-mail regrets to the ACEers.

Diane did herself proud with a combo desk/dresser and a neat cedar chest w/o drawers (certainly filled up the business end of a Cherokee Jeep).

The Ozzy got his exercise walking and playing with the K9s.

His reward: Lunch at the nearby Friday's (undergoing remodeling and raising their prices) with enough in the doggie tray for two more meals.

Love that Jack Daniel's sauce - non-alcoholic, of course.

Shucks, the Ozzy missed out on the Peace Prize again ...

in fact, only because I'm slim could I win the no-belly peace prize.

Groan, gasp - too early for such bad puns. Not early for me as we were up long before dawn to do the care and feeding of animals routine, then off to the Senior Center so Diane could catch the Jones bus to Elgin where she and the others will enjoy the Chinese acrobats put on an adult cams performance.

This is also the day the personnel of the Chicago SunTimes move out of their old building - not that old - so that it can be demolished and in its place a new Trump Tower. Yesterday, before they left, ST employees broke into the sealed box (which was to remained sealed for 18.500 years) and pulled out the contents. No magnum of champagne, no aged Scotch, just the first issue of the Chicago Sun, newspaper, December 4, 1941, some reel to reel recordings of speeches made that day and dust.

I remember the first Chicago Sun issue. As a high school student some of us delivered papers and at least two of us had an intense interest in the editorial cartoons in the Chicago papers. No one could touch the Chicago Daily News' Vaughn Shoemaker, winner of two Pulitzer prizes, so who was this "Werner" guy who was anointed the edit cartoonist of the Chicago Sun?

He worked in a different style, crayons rather than pen & ink, but he wasn't a bad artist, nowhere in Shoemaker's range, of course. I'm partial to "Shoes" as I interviewed him in his Daily News office while a high school student (assignment was to interview a person in the field you planned to make your living), he gave me an original cartoon of his, autographed to me and I own copies of both of his books, one signed. He was, as far as I was concerned, the best of the best.

The Tribune had great editorial cartoonists as well - Cary Orr, Joseph Parrish, to name the top two. They had private offices near the top of the Tribune Tower guarded by security. During those high school days I managed to get into to see Cary Orr and talk with him. No cartoons or autographs from him, however.

This same day the SunTimes is publishing a book of black & white photos from the archives of their vault/morgue, which stirred up some memories. One noted photo is of Sewell Avery being carried out of the headquarters building of Montgomery Ward by two armed soldiers/guardsmen because Avery would not kowtow to the US government in a wartime labor dispute. Avery is smiling, arms folded and enjoying the ride. He was the guy who ran Montgomery Wards. Not sure if he did prison time.

At that time I worked for "Monkey Wards" in that same building, went in and out of that same entrance/exit, so was familar with this episode. My job was in the mail order mens shoe department up several floors and back away from the offices. I was a "short runner" a job that depended upon speed and shoe knowledge, nothing about how tall one was.

This is another story for another time.

This old Ozzy can't keep up with the pups

Both little Stan & Ollie are doing well, too well for this geezer. When taken outdoors they run, tumble, wrestle, get tangled in their leashes (the leash of my worries, perhaps) and at my age I'm not used to this activity. Their outdoor moves are segregated, the jasmine live boys go out separately from the Toons, otherwise the pups worry the Toons and end up getting snapped at for their devotion. Besides that we have only one pair of leashes, which we switch forth and back.

Ollie has recuperated from his problem, I hope.

Tomorrow we rise before dawn as Diane is going to see Chinese acrobats on one of our Senior Center bus tours. She needs to be at the Center @ 7:30 a.m. but before that the KayNines need to be out for their business. Rain is predicted. The pups have yet to experience this as it has been so dry hereabouts. Should be interesting.

Spent much of the day watching my Braves bumble thru their ball game until Furcal had a walk off homer in the 11th and won the game. These games aren't easy. The Braves are fortunate to tie their series.

Cards and Dodgers still locked at three in the fifth as I write. Most expected the Cards to put them away easily. Not so.

The Washington Post has a contest to select the best political blog. I looked at their website to see the choices, only 865,000 from which to select. Fellows, this isn't the election in a 'Stan country. I did read a few but will not vote.

Early to bed as rising early.

Who said the Hockey League was cancelled?

Hockey Lives! and in Detroit. Ron Artest wanted a month off to promote his rap, er, romance records business and now he has the entire season to do so. He's going to have to earn some money doing so as he has relinquished ALL of his NBA salary, some five point something million dollars.

This Ozzy would NEVER attend any professional sports games as they are over the top expensive for a geezer and dangerous to boot. Now I suppose the NBA has lost me as a TV viewer (altho I will watch SportsCenter and/or ESPN News) - I'll admit the TV version of the Colts-Bears game was on this afternoon. Was anyone watching?

Today's question: What are the Indy Pacers going to do with the 12-million dollar windfall that they won't have to pay to their suspended players?

Not quite as pressing question: Since Coors is the official beer of the NBA or is it the NFL or one of those other sports bars organizations do they lose this lofty tag? Or, does anyone care?

More important news: On the day after our election this Ozzy wrote in this blog that the good news was that George Bush is now a lame duck president. Well, guess what? After the "extremely conservative" duo in the House snubbed GWB plea to get the 9/11 reorganization bill passed this week, it failed to win passage. Who is this GWB to tell us how to vote? Who does he think he is - the president? Merely a lame ducker.

Late this evening we learn this bill is not dead, but on life-support. Looks to this Ozzy that its funeral is just postponed.