"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

Yes, but don't try it too near where a special bus is parked. Thereby hangs a tale.

 

If you are lost and interested in getting attention I have found, "A full blown modified stationary panic" as describe by Patrick F. McManus in his superb manual entitled, "A Fine and Pleasant Misery" is your best bet. Basically one runs in a straight line until he or she bounces off a solid object ricocheting in a new direction and continuing on a dead run until careening off the next solid object and so on... I have found this behavior to draw more than enough attention including sometimes the occasional rescue by an ambulance.

 

Oh, I was talking about outdoor magazine/catalogue pics, but it wouldn't work for me there either! Zoolander may have 'Blue Steel', I only have 'Psycho' (not smiling) and 'Special Needs' (smiling)!

 

Jer @scrteened porch - After I had my surgery for a new jaw last February, they put me on the 13th floor in room 13 of the hospital for my recovery. I'm still alive and recovered nicely so, I just take whatever comes along now without worry of black cats, walking under a ladder, or spilled salt influencing what I do.

 

@Jack Black thanks for sharing those photos, I enjoyed them.

I scrolled through all the photos I’ve taken this year and quickly realized that I didn’t have many like yours that really captured how unusual the year has been. We’ve spent a lot of time at home, and most of the pictures I’ve taken (that aren’t knife pics ) have just been of the kids, stuff around the house, etc. If anything, what stands out when I look through my photos from this year is the absence of “interesting” photos. No travel, no taking the kids to fun places, no dining out or drinking at local breweries.

I did come across this photo from a few months back that feels very 2020.



(I had noticed the jar of pickled eggs on the shelf and jokingly asked Eleanor if we should buy them. That backfired when she became adamant that we actually get them. )

 

I'll have to find that.
[on its way]

 

Thanks Barrett, I took a lot more photos, but probably only because, during the first lockdown, I couldn't get out to the countryside

2020 was certainly a year when many of us were just 'busy doing nothing' That is a fantastic pic of Eleanor though my friend! Did she actually try the pickled eggs??!!

 

I was able to talk her out of the pickled eggs, but she definitely would have tried them. She’s a pretty adventurous eater. (Also, she loves pickles and eggs, so I guess the phrase “pickled eggs” sounded pretty good to her.)

 

That's good she's adventurous Barrett But I think I'd rather eat my own thumb! When I first saw the photo on my phone, I thought Eleanor was just nursing a can of beer! When I saw it was pickled eggs, I was horrified!

 

OK, now I'm thinking of pickled eggs!
When I was younger and single you might occasionally find me occupying a bar stool at the local tavern. They always had a huge glass jar of pickled eggs and another of pickled pigs feet. Pigs feet weren't my thing, but the pickled eggs!

 

- great pic..! Reminds me of the time when I was a kid and tried a jar of jellied eels. Not good.

Wow, in UK, they’d try fit another line of shelves with aisles that spacious........ that’s real estate over here

 

This post, and the whole discussion, rings some bells for me. I eventually outgrew my taste for pigs’ feet, but not pickled eggs. A step up on the bar delicacy scale would be the pickled tongue sandwiches you could find in country taverns in Tuscarawas County, in the Amish country of northwestern Ohio.

 

Hopefully in a few years we can look back on these pictures and think “I’m so glad we don’t have to wear masks just to go to the store anymore!” and not “Wow, crazy to think we could go out with just a cloth mask on back then! These gas masks are such a pain, and replacement cartridges are so expensive, if you can even find them. No Tyvec suit either I guess, and look at all the food on the shelves!”.

In the latter case, of course, we would be too busy running from zombies or something to spend time musing over old snapshots...

 

Over the last year I have a lot of pictures of our cats, of food I cooked, of home projects I've completed, lots of sunsets, lots of birds, pics of the landscaping / flower garden, etc. I think the best picture I have that sums up 2020 in general... it is this one

 

This picture I took of my TV was runner-up LoL

 

This is my best picture of the year

 

That reminds me of the time I brought home a can of smoked oysters and opened them while waiting for supper to be ready. My younger daughter (about 12 at the time) asked if she could have some. She proceeded to eat half the oysters. I asked her if she wanted me to buy her some more. She said “No”. I asked “Didn’t you like them?” “Not really.” “You ate half the can.” “I was hungry.”

 

Didn't take long to find. I think you will enjoy McManus's style, more than one of his short stories is sure to be true LOL reading. Let me know what you think.

 

And here was me thinking only the British had cuisine like that!

 

You certainly wouldn’t catch me eating one!

They do like an extra-wide aisle at Walmart. Maybe it’s a consideration for extra-wide customers.