Tag: Twiggy

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

~ John W. Howell ~ 87 Comments
Twiggy and Lucy
“Lucy look at this sun.”
“I know. Just goes to show you.”
“What?”
“What a difference a day makes.”

 

Hey Friday. Come on in. You sure are looking good today. We all could use a couple of days of rest. So here, have a margarita and take a load off.

This week has been a challenge for sure.

COVID cases are causing the cancellation of several events across the country. Garth Brooks and Stevie Nicks canceled five performances where COVID cases were the highest. The Texas governor tested positive but has no symptoms. He is a good example of the benefit of being fully vaccinated. I think there is going to be more news on cancellations. The President announced that Medicare funds to nursing homes that don’t have all providers vaccinated will be affected. Who boy can you imagine the forms that will need to be filled out on this one? The President is also going after those states that forbid local mandates on masking. It looks like the Supreme Court won’t have to worry about a lack of cases this year.

The Taliban took over the capital city of Kabal. Seems like the administration could have done a better job in executing the withdrawal from Afganistan. Funny how both sides of the political aisle blame the other for the mess. Cut the blame game, Mr. President, and get on with protecting our allies and those Americans still caught in-country. What’s done is done.

The CDC surprised us all by recommending a booster shot for those fully vaccinated. It was an original recommendation for those with compromised immune systems and those 65 and over. Now, bam, another mass rush for boosters. I have to wonder if anyone in Washington takes the time to plan anything ahead of the action. I, for one, have no idea of the guidelines for getting a booster. This announcement should have been held after some semblance of the process had been worked out.

The stock market is struggling due to uncertainty about what the Fed will do with its COVID stimulus program. The recovery from the original COVID business impact is again threatened by the Delta variant. Wall Street is afraid the Fed will cut back on the bond-buying stimulus, which is running at $120 Billion a month. Analysts believe the recovery is running into COVID and inflation bumps that were not predicted. Notes from the Fed meeting in July seem to point to a slowdown in bond-buying by the end of the year. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Today’s JohnKu talks about our nerves. I hope you have a great weekend and will try to forget all the bullshit flying around. Certainly, try not to be hit by any.

Nerves by John W. Howell © 2021

There’s the variant,

Prices going through the roof . . .

What will calm our nerves?

Thursday – A Little Personal – Lucy and Twiggy Look for the Sun

~ John W. Howell ~ 94 Comments

 

“So what do you want to do today, Little one?”

“I’m thinking about a big bunch of sun worship.”

“I don’t know about that. looks like the sun has the day off.”

“That can’t happen. When it is time for a sun bath it should be there.”

Lucy and Twiggy

“I hate to bring this to your attention but the sun doesn’t work for you.”

“Well, maybe if I go to the patio it will follow me.”

“Here we are and no sun. Did you send a memo?”

“No I didn’t send a memo. I just expect it to be here.”

“How long are we going to wait for the sun to show up?”

“It can’t be too long. Look I think there is a spot of light over there.”

“I think you are wishing for a spot of light. I don’t see any anywhere.”

“What the heck is the matter with the sun today? This is real annoying.”

“Are you coming. I’m going to try and find something to chase.”

“I’m going to lay out just as if the sun is here.”

“Well suit yourself. You look kind of funny on that cement slab with no sun.”

“They laughed at Gallio. Look over there a glimmer.”

“It’s a bird, Twiggy. I think you are out of luck today.”

“Darn. I guess I should have done this yesterday.”

“As  recall you did do it yesterday. Just write this one off.”

“A few more minutes and I will.”

“Hold up Lucy. I changed my mind.”

“Not fickle at all I see. What made you change your mind?”

“The day is still beautiful. The flowers still smell as sweet. So I’m going to do a little carpe to my diem.”

“Now you’re talking. You want to help me find something to chase?”

“Start running water buffalo . There’s a puma stalking you.”

Thursday – A Little Personal – Lucy and Twiggy at Leisure

~ John W. Howell ~ 70 Comments

“So you think you heard something over there?”

“Yeah, it was like a snarl of a puma.”

“You stay here. I’ll go investigate.”

“Sound like a plan.”

“I looked everywhere. There is no puma.”

“I know what I heard. Maybe it moved.”

“You continue with your nap. I’ll risk life and limb and look around the corner.”

“You’re starting to sound like a drama queen writer. Wait up, I’ll come with you.”

“You sure you want to risk it?”

“Oh, come on. How bad could it be. There are two of us.”

“Make that one and a half. Oh, oh. That’s not good.”

“Not good? What is over there?”

“Leaves and more leaves, Little one.”

“Whew, you had me for a minute.”

“I do think I have the scent of puma in my nose.”

“You’re just playing with me, right?”

“Now, when do I ever mess with you?”

“Yeah, okay. Like never. I’m telling you there is something over there.”

I’ve already looked, and there’s nothing. So I’m going to see if I can beg a treat.”

“Aw, come on. Help me on this one.”

“Mom seems a little slow. Okay, what do you want to do?”

“I say we both charge into those plants and scare the puma up.”

I think you have your terms mixed up. You scare up birds, not a puma.”

“I guess you are right. They don’t fly. What if he turns on us? Maybe begging a treat is the better part of valor.”

“That’s right, Little One. The puma will be there tomorrow. Let’s go.”

Thursday – A Little Personal – Lucy and Twiggy Playtime

~ John W. Howell ~ 81 Comments

Lucy and Twiggy

“Lucy. You want to play ball?”

“Gee, I was just getting ready for a sunbath.”

“But that little stip of the sun will be bigger later. The ball’s behind you.”

“Still nice and warm out here.”

“Take a turn with the ball.”

“Okay, I’ll toss it.”

“Did you toss it? I don’t see it.”

“It went maybe half an inch. It’s hard to toss with my mouth.”

“For heaven’s sake. I guess we need Dad for a game of ball.”

“I would say so. Go inside and see if he can come out. Meanwhile, I’ll wait here.”

“Hey, do you hear that?”

“I heard his hoof noises. Did you see that spider?”

“Not from over there. Let me look closer.”

“He was right here.”

“Yeah, sure, Twiggy. I think you were seeing and hearing things.”

“I can still smell him.”

“I think he took off over the fence.”

“Okay, so we don’t have a spider to play with. What’s next?”

“Let’s try another ball.”

“That one is much like the first.”

“You’re telling me? Let’s go find Dad.”

“What are you going to say?”

“We need to play ball, and we need someone with an opposable thumb to throw it.”

“Will he know what opposable means?”

“He’s a writer. He can always look it up if he’s stumped.”

“Good deal.”

Thursday – A Little Personal – Lucy and Twiggy in Their Backyard

~ John W. Howell ~ 144 Comments

Lucy and Twiggy

“What’s Mom doing?”

“Watering the roses.”

“Why do they need to be watered?”

“Everything needs water to grow, Little One.”

“Is that why Dad puts water on the new tree?”

“Yup. The very reason.”

“It looks like the tree has been watered.”

“I’m so glad you keep your eye on these things.”

“Hey, Lucy. Check out these leaves. I thought with the new turf, we wouldn’t have leaves.”

“The leaves still fall. It doesn’t matter what kind of grass they fall upon.”

“I’m going to go tell Dad he needs to get these things picked up.”

“Good thing you don’t have an opposable thumb.”

“Huh? What is good about that?”

“Dad might hand you a rake and tell you to do it.”

“Okay then. The sun’s out, and maybe I’ll just relax.”

“Better choice, Little One.”

 

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy and Lucy Say Goodbye to the Grass

~ John W. Howell ~ 104 Comments

 

“Well, Little One, the time has finally arrived.”

“Time? What time?”

“Time to say your farewells to this grass.”

“Where’s the grass going?”

“The workers are coming to take it away and install artificial turf.”

“Artificial Turf? Why’s that?”

“Cause the Boss is tired of trying to grow real grass.  Shade and you and I have proved to be too much for the man.”

“Will we like it?”

“It was made especially for dogs, so I think we will.”

“Well then, let’s play while we can.”

“A perfect idea, Twiggy. Notice I’m ahead by a neck.”

“Hey, no fair. You also have several inches of reach on me.”

“No one said you had to be a shrimp bulldog.”

Twiggy and Lucy

“I like being a Bulldog. I think I hear the roar of the kibble bowl.”

“Can’t be. We just had breakfast. Going in might be a good idea, though.”

“When are these workmen coming?”

“Pretty soon, Little One. I would get your St Louis bark tuned up.”

 

Thursday – A Little Personal – The Birthday Tree Arrives

~ John W. Howell ~ 141 Comments

Twiggy and Lucy barking

“Lucy. Do you see what I see?”

“I do, Little One. Looks like a monster truck to me.”

“You are right. What the heck is it doing here?”

“Looks like they are going to plant the Boss’s  birthday tree.”

Tree crew at work

“It is about time. Do they know what they are doing?”

“Yup. Mom went out there and gave them their instructions.”

“Why are they digging so much. The hole was already done.”

“The tree needed to have the best side out. That means making a diagonal hole out of a square.”

Lucy and Twiggy

“Come see this, Lucy.”

“Coming.”

“It looks great, doesn’t it?”

“It sure does.”

“I have to wonder where those guys went.”

“Why? You think they’ll come back, Lucy?”

“You never know. Sometimes they do.”

“Why would they come back?”

“What if they dropped off the wrong tree.”

“You think Mom would allow that?”

“I suppose you are right. Looks like this may be here a while.”

“So we can relax and enjoy the tree?”

“I would say that is the perfect thing to do. After all, it marks the Boss’s eightieth birthday.”

“How much is that in dog years?”

“About eleven.”

“Woo wee. He’s got some mileage.”

“Keep that on the down-low, Little One.”

Thursday – A Little Personal – Another Hole.

~ John W. Howell ~ 98 Comments

Twiggy and Lucy

“Every time I turn around, somebody’s doing something.”

“What’s wrong, Twiggy?”

“There’s a big old hole here in the yard. I knew this would happen.”

“What do you mean, ‘I knew this would happen?'”

Twiggy

“I tried to bark those guys to St Louis, and Mom put me inside.”

“What guys?”

“The guys with shovels and a jackhammer. Those guys.”

“You better be careful and not fall in that hole.”

“Twiggy? Where are you? Did you fall in?”

“No, I’m over here.”

“I don’t see you. Where is over here?”

“You have to be kidding. I’m on the porch.”

“Why does your voice sound like it’s coming from that hole?”

“Okay, I’m coming over there, so the old lady doesn’t have a stroke.”

“Here’s Dad. He can explain the hole.”

“I can, Twiggy. That is for my Birthday present.”

“Why the hole Boss?”

“Because, Lucy, my present is a Magnolia tree, and it needs a hole to live in.”

“Well, that explains that. Come on, Twiggy. Let’s play.”

“A tree lives in a hole?”

“You can see how it works next week.”

“Story of my life, Dad.”

 

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy and Lucy in a Construction Zone

~ John W. Howell ~ 99 Comments

Lucy and Twiggy

“What the heck is all this mess?”

“I don’t know, Little One, but I suspect the Boss has been watching a do-it-yourself video.”

“This trench is all filled with water. That can’t be right.”

“I would agree. Where is the Boss anyway?”

“I don’t know, but it looks like a lot of dirt that needs putting back.”

“I suspect the Boss dug that out of the trench.”

“Hey, Dad. What’s up with the skinny swimming hole?”

“That is a trench for the downspout extension, Twiggy. That black hose will be connected to carry the water away.”

“Why the extensions?”

“We are getting ready for some new turf, Twiggy. Artificial turf, so the nightmare of the lawn will be over.”

“OOOOkay, but I suspect something went awry here.”

“You are brilliant. After I dug the trench and before I could connect the hose, a downpour came and filled the trench with water.”

“Can we play in it? Hey, I think I see something.”

“No, it is muddy water, and you don’t want to get dirty. What you see is probably your reflection.”

“I know my reflection, and I also know I don’t have a dorsal fin.”

“Wait, a minute, Little One. Let me see that.”

“There. Right there. Did you see it move?”

“I hate to say this, Twiggy, but I hear the themes music from Jaws in my head.”

“Lucy, wait for me. Why’d you run off?”

“I figured whatever was in there would like an appetizer before the main course.”

“That’s pretty funny.”

Thursday – A Little Personal – Olive Concerns

~ John W. Howell ~ 103 Comments

Twiggy and Lucy photos.

“I can see you have some concerns, Little One.”

“I have been thinking of that olive tree that got frozen this winter.”

“What about it?”

“Sometimes these things come back.”

“But the boss already got a new magnolia to go in that spot.”

“Look. Just as I figured. Little green shoots.”

“You sure you aren’t seeing things?”

“No. Over there I’m seeing things but not on the tree.”

“I’ll be darned. You are right. The tree is alive.”

“What do we do about it?”

“I guess we should let the boss know that the olive still lives.”

“Good idea. Of course, what do you think he will do?”

“The man won’t even kill an ant, so I think he will want to do something.”

“I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.”

“Here he comes. Let me handle this.”

“You are way better at breaking news, Lucy.”

“Hey, Dad. This olive tree is still alive. What are you going to do about it?”

“Cheese, Twiggy.”

“Thank you, Twiggy. I know that and we are trying to figure out a place for it.”

“What happened to me handling it?”

“You know me. Impulsive to a fault.”

“I guess he already has the situation under advisement.”

“Yeah, and he knew about the olive too.”