Today’s oldie is from September, 2003. The road show continues. I’m somewhere in the Maine woods right now, but I’ll be in Burlington, Vermont, Saturday and Sunday for the Vermont Comic Con. The way it actually happened a few months back, I first signed up for the VCC. I read some nice things about it online, and Vermont in August sounded a lot more appealing than home in August. Then, I happened to discover that the Boston Comic Con would be two weeks earlier, so I figured I would do them both, as an experiment. As I’ve discussed briefly with you already, Boston was a qualified success. Vermont will be a different sort of venue, and I’ll give you a longer run down about it all after this weekend. Meanwhile, on with the show!
107 responses to “The Green Mountain State”
First.
And I’ve never been to Vermont, even though I went to an Army school at Ft. Devens and drove through New York and Connecticut and spent about 15 minutes in New Hampshire. I do have to get back to New England again.
One of the rare A&J’s I don’t get.
I got this one right away. Men tend to buy two types of shoes. Dress shoes and gym (or whatever sport) shoes. We might have a pair of slippers. The idea of buying a pair of shoes that goes with our outfit is foreign to us. Now because I was a runner, I might have 2-3 pairs of shoes that I rotated and maybe another pair to mow the lawn with, but that’s about it.
Enjoy New England Jimmy. I have been to most of the states in the union, but not to Maine, Vermont or New Hampshire. My brother has run a marathon in every state, so he has me beat.
Janis has had the shoes forever but not worn them. Arlo tries on new shoes and doesn’t take them off when he leaves the store, wearing them from moment one. Guys/girls/viva la difference 🙂
Re the current new strip: Wow! Must be difficult to draw the current Janis and the “old Janis” in the same strip, but it looks great!
Thanks, Steve. I see it now.
I’m with you on the shoes. I have four pair; dress brown, dress black, running shoes, and mowing shoes. And yes, the once the running shoes are near their end of life, they are demoted to mowing shoes. 🙂
In my experience, August may be pleasant somewhere around the Arctic circle, although Edmonton, Alberta might not be too bad.
I have the same categories, but more shoes because I buy my sports shoes in pairs — I rotate them daily to give them time to “air”.
Just a head’s up to you. The Louisiana ComicCon will be held in Shreveport next spring. The last time they had it here, it was a huge success. Hope you can make it.
Wow! Arlo’s shoe buying reminds me of mine and also my car buying! I have bought two cars, for me, in 20 years. Both times, I called my daughter-in-law’s daddy(car sales manager), he finds me something he thinks I would like(late model, low mileage), brings the car to my house and I sign the papers on the kitchen table! Real hassle-free car shopping!
Things here(BR,LA) are getting back to normal, except for the living arrangements. We are one big happy family and it’s a blessing in disguise to have all my grown kids and their kids here. I LOVE it! Tonite is both daughters’ 45th birthday(twins). Big pot of pasta and all the trimmings coming up. We’ll have enough for an army but we’re only 14! American-Italian families like to eat!
God bless us every one.
To Billinbossier: I spent a good part of my youth in Bossier/Shreveport, my mother’s birthplace and home of many relatives and my best friend. Great place. Maybe I’ll try to make the comic-con too. Keep me posted through the Village.
Lee: (in response to a question on the previous page) My cousin will be receiving proton therapy at Shands. Florida Hospital Orlando recently began a similar program. It’s supposed to be much better at targeting specific cancers with fewer side effects/collateral damage.
Question for Spellcheck – what is this Shanda you keep giving me?
Good morning all from Missouri. Yes, I have been in every state except Alaska, most many, many times. Maine woods are deep and dark and ferny with mosquitoes as I remember them but that is most anywhere. I love Maine but have never been there before summer or after fall.
I remember being shocked to find Maine had areas that resembled Deliverance but maybe they have changed and the trashy junk filled shacks have been cleaned up. Naturally I was lost out on narrow remote roads.
No one wants to know about my unworn shoe collection. I will check the kitty shoe size for you Debbe. They still have tags on them unworn.
Thinking of the number of shoes that I own reminds me of when I was in the 6th grade and I owned two pairs of pants (not including the suit that I wore to church). My Mom would just wash them (I think) and I would alternate them. I also wore jeans until about the second grade, but associated wearing them to being poor, so I did not start wearing jeans again until I took a job loading trucks to pay through college. Of course I wore the jeans to classes as well. Within a couple of years of graduation, the jeans wore out and I still do not own a pair of jeans. I will either wear running pants or shorts around the house. Occasionally I’ll wear some old dockers that are worn and I can’t wear to work.
Of course Jimmy addressed the “Business casual” revolution of the 1990’s. I wore a suit to work until about 1995. I still wear one to church when I sing, but I appreciate not having to pay for the suits and to clean them However what constitutes “causal” makes my head spin. I enjoyed the movie “The Intern” that addressed this well.
Jackie, I can see that being your driver would be like being in the service again…24-hour worldwide alert and “go bag” packed and ready at all times. 🙂
You picked a good week to visit Maine – you’ll get all the summer weather this week: cool mornings, crisp sunny days a then loads of humidity. We live in the middle of nowhere – 13 people per square mile – and we’d be happy to buy you a drink (coffee or some other adult beverage) if you are so inclined. The biggest town we are near is Skowhegan. Enjoy your stay!
And by the way, when I met my wife I had the three universal shoes: a brown pair, a black pair and sneakers . . . All put on and worn out of the store. Naturally . . .
Everyone knows one does not wear new leather shoes home from the store. One caries them home and gives them a careful polishing for scuff protection, since they usually have none as they come from the factory.
Thus endeth today’s display of pedanticism.
My footwear has gotten simpler with time. Pair of Merrell sandals for everyday. New Balance tennis shoes for travel and the gun range, separate pairs for each; think GSR. Finally, a pair of hand sewn mocs for dress and flying; easy slip off on long flights.
I have tried to eliminate the steamer trunks and the luggage trailer. That is one of reasons for the tonneau on Ford pickup. The rock climbing wall did not fit in.
I am a lot more fun than Miss Daisy and better built than she. And much more liberal. You can interpreted liberal as you like.
Ruth Anne, continuing prayers for her recovery.
sand, thanks for sharing the Kristofferson song. I hadn’t heard that.
Good luck with the trip, JJ, and have a blast!
Ghost, remember the scuffing of the soles ritual: essential for dress shoes.
Jackie, your words always move me.
Regarding “Fluffy”, were you even a little tempted to call her “Ludwig I”?
used to wear nothing but boots. From 9 years old to geezer hood, boots, usually cowboy boots. About 5 years ago switched to sandals, now I wear them everywhere but church up until the snow flies. Yet about 1.5 years ago due to diabetes the VA started giving me new orthopedic tennis shoes every six months with socks to go with them. I am going to have to start turning them down. They have given me one black pair and two white pairs and at this rate it will take me years to wear them out.
Ursen. “nothing but boots” You mean in regards to footwear. Right?
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/ct-donna-wold-peanuts-little-red-haired-girl-dead-20160823-story.html
Occasionally an idea for a cartoon pops into (in?) my head. Let me know what you think. Two stick figure people stand in front of a half-finished Mona Lisa. One of them is holding what we learn is a paint brush. The caption reads, “It’s no use. I can’t draw.”