And still at the beach! Obviously, these strips were drawn as Gene was about to leave the scene for college. That was nine years ago. Now, he has graduated, married and is struggling to establish himself and his young family. I’d say the strip is moving along in close to real time.
Not surprisingly, there are those among you who know much more about Kickstarter projects than I. I wish I could have sat down and talked to you beforehand! Pursuant to comments yesterday, I do want to say that I will be assisting a non-profit organization in the raising of funds. None of the money will darken my bank account. In fact, the last piece of the puzzle involves waiting for the non-profit’s new credit card to arrive. This being 2016, a Kickstarter account must be associated with a credit card, and this 169-year-old organization does not have one. It should arrive next week; as soon as it does, the project will go live.
I am using the extra time to tweak the rewards and the fun. Thanks for yesterday’s suggestions; I will consider them—except for the one about coming to your place to take you to dinner. No offense. Some of the rewards already in place won’t surprise you. Some of them might. I’m getting excited!
118 responses to “Bums on the Beach”
It always was optional for me. Or minimal. I was won’t to rip my clothes off with little provocation. Now my late husband was another ball of sealing wax or inhibitions. He slept in to the wrist and ankle pajamas.
Remember how Hefner lived in those pajamas and robes and slippers while lolling around the manse?
Many of you might be saying to yourselves. “Really, Evan, a sweatshirt?” Actually, this is the most appropriate thing I could wear this evening. First, some remarks. You have in front of you some of Elaine’s accomplishments, and have seen and heard some aspects of her life. I won’t add to that. I must say, however, concerning nurses, that Elaine was not unique. There are more Elaines out there than there are “Nurse Ratcheds”.
I have many friends who are not persons of faith, but whose salvation I don’t worry about on that account. One of them emailed me: “I’m delighted to hear about Elaine’s recognition. The only sad thing, of course, is that she won’t be able to accept it in person and hear the nice things people will say about her.”
That first regret is testable: Elaine is not here in person. The second regret is not. Elaine may well be here, literally, in spirit. Elaine and I, though somewhat unorthodox, were both persons of faith; I still am, and she may be also. Let me quote our favorite passage from the Letter of James, “But some will say, You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without works, and I, by my works, will show you my faith.”
You’ve heard that Elaine was an A student. She was brilliant, and wrote some of the best answers to essay questions that her profs had ever seen. A faculty wife once said to her, at a Kaffeeklatsche, that she knew all Elaine had to do to get an A in one of Evan’s courses. Mistake!
“I got an A from your husband, too.”
You now know a bit about Elaine’s service to various communities. That leaves nothing for me, except to describe our wonderful marriage. That would take hours, and some of it is none of your business. Let me sum it up by quoting myself. On August 25th, I attended a mostly family gathering at Diamond Point celebrating the marriage of Gary Dunbar to Leigh Shindelar, whom Elaine and I have known since she was five. Standing in a circle, we each said a word about the match. I said, “May your marriage last a lifetime, and may it be as rewarding as ours was.” Leigh knew I could wish them nothing better.
About the sweatshirt. It celebrates a Bemidji Community Theatre production of “The Music Man”. I don’t know when Elaine first saw “The Music Man”, but I was not with her. Whatever, her longtime ambition became to play the role of the mayor’s wife in that show.
In late winter 1995, at announcements time at church, I got up and had Elaine get up. Then I said to the congregation, “Let me introduce Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn”, and urged people to attend the show. Therefore, I am grateful to accept this award on behalf of Elaine Hazard, a.k.a. Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn.
Thank you.
Elaine was the first recipient of a new annual alumni award for community service. Guess who had hounded the Alumni Office/Foundation to establish such an award? [Hint: a generous donor, who with his late wife, had established three scholarships [two in our name and one / a deceased (38 yr. old, misdiagnosed cancer) alumna, JHS science teacher, my former lab asst.] Peace
For not the first time, emb, I consider you a very fortunate man.
Whose your friend Ghost? Do I know him?
Forgot to say my late husband thought nudity was for a purpose. Who do we know like that? He put on pajamas to read a book while I lay around optionally unclothed. I consider that rather puritanical in truth.
Jackie, outside of marriage and time spent in Navy accommodations of various kinds, I have always been in a mixed household. For that reason and at those times, I have slept in something so I could get up and go to the bathroom without offending anyone. Outside of the one house we lived in while this one was being built, I never lucked out with a private bath in my own room.
GR6 your recipe is now on my to do list.
Jackie
Mike was just being health and safety conscious – no air wafting on bare skin
to create chills- dust falling out of the air (No mater how clean your house there is dust)
Germs breathed out from flying insects. No? Well it could be a theory? Nah!
Being able to be au natural is a welcome treat when the house is empty and the temp is 112.
Had a little excitement yesterday
Truck caught fire where they are building road for new development.
1/4 mile across field – tire blew and rattled windows in the house.
Debbe – Present, and tired. Waving hello and off to bed. Ugh.
It is mighty nice to cuddle up in bed, both with lovely bare skin, even if you don’t have anything else in mind. I feel sorry for anyone who doesn’t care for it. Keep a robe near the bedside in case of trips to bathroom, or crying children.
Dear emb, you and Elaine were a shining example of a fine couple, and all around good people. Your acceptance speech was wonderful.
How nice that the singer you wrote of is a member of Cantus. I hear them now and then on the FM radio and also on Internet radio. They are great performers, with a pleasing repertoire.
Jackie: “He put on pajamas to read a book while I lay around optionally unclothed.” Early in our marriage my shy young bride exited the bathroom unclothed while I lay on the bed in my PJs totally engrossed in a book. It was only when I heard her crying that I realized my great error and did what I could to soothe her feelings.
I have no idea what the book was, but I’ll never forget how ashamed I was to have ignored her at a moment when she had struck up her courage to do something bold and loving.
I finally made it back to P&PHS for a long-overdue haircut this afternoon. (She was looking particularly P&P today, showing off her summer tan in a sleeveless, low-cut black mini dress, for those of you who are interested…as well as for those you who are not.) My hair was longer than she had ever seen it, but she managed to make me look like me again…although I think those were sheep shears she started out working on it with.
I paid P&PHS in one dollar bills* and told her I hoped that didn’t make her feel like a pole dancer. She laughed and said, “Well, at least you didn’t try to stuff them into the waistband of my panties.”
She went on to say that she gets so many ones in payment that her bank probably thinks she’s a stripper**. I started to say, “If you ever get tired of the hair business, that could definitely be a fallback.”
*I’ve had my mom at the hospital several times lately, and I learned back in my flying days to carry ones and small change anytime your next meal may have to come from a vending machine. Back in the day, there were many small airports where you could starve to death with a pocket full of twenty dollar bills.
**If I ever have time, and someone reminds me, perhaps I’ll tell The Ghostly Tale of what happened to a friend the time she went to Amateur Night at a strip, ah, gentleman’s club.
Good night all. It has been a long day and tomorrow will be longer. I have to go to Ford dealer, back to bank and on to AT&T again. By 11 when I usually get up. In afternoon I need an international health certificate for Dickens and find a boat slip for return.
And they are delivering six more yards of crushed rock and I accepted invitation to garden club with wine and cheese at 7. Wonder where my wine stash is? Dig out cheese and a tray for crackers and cheeses.
What happened to spur of the moment decisions and just doing stuff? I try.
I sleep with a very hirsute male. I have learned to appreciate hairy beasts. Bare skin and all.
Debbe 😉 Danke Schoen. You’re welcome.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru-wvqo1SFY
BTW, I really liked that movie.
Ghost and Charlotte: Thanks and Peace,
Jackie: Believe you meant to write, “I was wont to rip my clothes off.” “Hal” put an apostrophe in, won’t. Who is this “Hal.” Nobody, except me, messes with what I write. Not quite true; once in a while this site corrects my spelling, but rarely, and it’s usually right. It also redlines when I fail to space btw. words. Peace,
GM Debbe
A friend is someone who thinks you’re a good egg
even though you’re slightly cracked!
B’ugs
emb Hal was the computer in 2001 A Space Odyssey who controlled ship and became megalithic and infallible, killing humans.
Ghost you are a good man and a good son. Your mother is blessed to have you. Take care of yourself. Even loving care givers burn out. And as hard as this is to think of, your life goes on and must.
You are too good a friend to lose. Stay strong but love yourself as well.
Today’s strip rea, time is hilarious JJ. CHICKEN DANCE NOT RECOMMENDED.
Debbe? EMB, as usual, your comments are thoughtful, well spoken and interesting. I’m sure that I’m not the only one in the Village who wishes that they had a friend like you, but then, I hope that we do. Warning, I woke up with a headache and decided to use the time to use Car Fax. Waste of time! They will try to obligate you for monthly payments without telling you and I suggest that you do not give them your credit card number. Peas.
I used to go to a Family Doctor who was also an allergist. He told me years ago that I had perpetual sinus infection and that for the most part, I did not get colds, but it was just my allergies acting up. Well I’m not sure what I am fighting, but the end result is the same. Stuffy nose, eyes watering, scratchy throat and not a lot of energy. No fever, but I did have a slight headache. Keeping hydrated and if I really feel miserable, I’ll go home…except I plan to take next week off to get a new furnace installed and we have not been running the air. So I might feel better at work!
The only thing that bothers me is that I plan to sing on Sunday at church and with it being Independence Day Weekend, we will be singing a few patriotic songs. Hopefully this will be done or manageable by then.