"Perhaps ye knows too much... ye've seen the cursed treasure,

you know where it be hidd'n."

My son took this picture - circa 2003.

~ Disneyland, California ~

Must be making a cigarette and cough drop run

before heading out to one of the casinos.

~ Thanksgiving 2013  ~
(I realize that it's not very dignified, but I had fun making it.)

My Barbie's pose just screams for a punchline.

I always like it when a picture I take does this. It makes me feel like

the photo's subject is blessed from "on high" or something. But I
know it's not because it's just a check cashing place.

I saw this sign at the store and when I could finally make out what

it said, I totally passed on buying it because.. well...
because it's pretty stupid and ugly.

 You gotta heart nature.

 

"Imagine 200 million years ago..."

I can't quite get my head around 200 million years ago.

That's all I got.

Oink oink oink. Oink oink oink.

 

I love these names. I wonder what it must be like when

the good folks over at HOSPECO gather in a room to

brainstorm a new name for their toilet seat covers.

It must be fun. Oh, and I bet this gets said at least once

during every meeting: "Okay, we're all adults here...."

And I bet their bill says, "Please make check payable to:

Global Laser Cosmetic and Laser Vision Medical Centers."

It's that one you dread writing every month because you just
KNOW you're gonna mess it up and waste a check.

 

A note to guys out there in the world:

If you are ever in a parking lot, especially at night, and

you need something, be it a quarter, a ride, something to

eat, to make a cell phone call, whatever it is, if you see a woman

in her car, do not under any circumstances approach her.

You have no reason at all to come close to her. In this day and

age if a woman opens her window or her door to you, she is

taking a huge risk. If you are a decent guy, you would never

put a woman in this position.

Unfortunately with the way things are now, if you need something

and the only person around is woman in her car or otherwise, you

are going to have to find another solution to your problem.

 

It looks like our raccoon "friends" took a little shortcut

through this tub of water. Just keeeeeep movin'

Mr. Raccoon. Nothing for you here.

Those guys are a pain.

Forgive me another popcorn post (or as I always type it the first

time, popcron), but my son bought for me not only a ton of

popcorn salt, but he then surprised me with this Movie Theater

Style Buttery Popcron Topping. It looks a little gross in the container,

but when you put a bit in a little pot and heat it up while stirring, it

soon becomes clear and buttery gold.

 

This stuff is just awesome. It can't be that good for you, but it

is good. It can be found on Amazon. I believe this is what

those pesky youngins would refer to as, the shiz.

I had some tonight while watching Pulp Fiction. Yummy.

 

Not too long ago I went to a pretty cool miniature golf
course in Vista, California. It has great water features.

This course has two themes. The theme side we chose
was "pirates". That choice was a given for me. I think this

mini course goes above and beyond on the motif.

And back on  October 28th I had posted this picture as a
"Mystery Spot" writing that "Anybody may visit this place
year round." And they/you can, at this mini golf course.

And I know thar be plunder 'round that corner, aye?
Just beyond me bloody reach. ...bugger.

This place is a lot of fun and looks fantastic. I took a few
other pictures that I am going to post from time to time. They

have a pirate ship sitting in a body of water that is awesome.

 

Here is something you don't see anymore. Well, to be honest

you can't see it here too well either, but you get the idea.

Hollywood Video. Closed all stores in 2010 I believe. Some of us

really miss going to video stores to rent movies, buy snacks and

sometimes even buy a piece of movie memorabilia or two.

 

A few years ago I bought this framed Back to the Future photo

and film cell from the movie. It's kind of cheesy and the film

cell is the same in every single one.  But it was fun to buy

at the time, it is fun to have, I got it when it went clearance,

and there ya go. I did get this at Blockbuster Video though,

not Hollywood Video.

 

Astromech happiness.

If you've spent any time at my "website" at all, you have to know that

 R2D2 is my all time favorite Star Wars character. So, I will assume

you do not know. Did you know that R2D2 is my all time favorite Star

Wars character? Indeed. I have more than a couple Artoo figures.

So when this "Black Label" wave was released (I think about six

months ago), I wanted him. But not for $19.99.

Enter Toys "R" Us $10 coupon.

He is now all mine. He is slightly larger than other figures and although

collector reviews have been a bit on the disappointed side, most

including me are happy to have him.

DOGZILLA!

Why "Dogzilla"? No idea. But I do know that this cute little guy

is a dog toy and is destined for a violent end. I think it is sad. But I just cannot

bring home every one of these guys I feel for. I did that for a time and

it is not good.

Today I was supposed to make my annual trip to

the Autry Museum of Western Heritage.

But I am still feeling too under the weather to take full

advantage of a visit. I would just make a coughing

spectacle of myself.

 

I will (with reluctant patience) await my next

window of opportunity.

(The above photos are from 2010.)

Yes, I did not win the...... whatever it is that was second from the left.

- Veterans Day 2013 -

 

This is not a good picture as I took it while I was driving, but this is a ranch

I have been driving by from time to time for the last 25 years. It is just outside

of Norco California, "The Horse Capital of the World". What is sad to me is

that I have watched this ranch go from a property that was covered with hundreds

of cattle and horses to what you see in this photo: zero livestock. And although

you cannot see it in the photo, there are now major business parks just a stone's

throw away. I do not know, maybe these folks made a lot of money on a deal.

Perhaps that is why it has dwindled so.

I am reminded of this ranch as yesterday I watched the Lonesome Dove mini-series.

This ranch always reminds me of Clara Allen's ranch in Nebraska, about twenty

miles from Ogallala. Clara was Texas Ranger Augustus McCrae's one true love and

when he went to visit her at this location after not seeing her for many years, it was

a very touching scene, to put it mildly. It never fails to pluck my heart strings.

...anyway.

 

If there is anything I have learned in this life, it is that nothing, and I mean nothing

ever stays the same. If you love something, love it now, because it is just not forever.

Sometime back we received a jar of extra fine popcorn salt as

a gift. I ran out of it recently and wanted el mucho to get more.

As I cannot find it in stores, and it is pretty expensive online, and

the different brands are many, I just kept putting it off. But hoo-rah!

My son bought all of this extra fine popcorn salt for me. I haven't

tried it yet as I've been on the sick side, but I will soon. If you love

popcorn like I do, you know that the salt you use on it can make

all the difference in the world.

Hip hip HOORAY for cool kids.

As I've mentioned once or twice, I've been sick with this stupid

cold or whatever it is for about 12 days now. The latest feature

of this particular illness is the loss of my voice. No talking today.

Anyway, throughout this bout I have watched several mini-series

on DVD. During my last days off I watched Dead Man's Walk,

Streets of Laredo and Return to Lonesome Dove.

 

Today's feature playing at the Tex Cinema was Comanche Moon.

After the original, Lonesome Dove, I enjoyed this one the most.

On the screen above is Steve Zahn as Augustus '"Gus" McCrae

and Karl Urban as Woodrow F. Call. This was the only one

other than the original that caused me to shed a tear.

This is one of those family owned BBQ restaurants that you walk

into and can just smell the taste. These restaurants are not about

the atmosphere, they are about the food. To get to the restroom

you pass by a big oven with stacks of wood that go practically

to the ceiling. They are constantly being loaded into the fire to

do what they do to the meats they are preparing.

My mouth is watering just thinking about this place.

This is where the food would be if I had taken a picture of it.

So what did we learn from today's post? I am sick. I watched

a movie that you still know nothing about and I go to a BBQ

restaurant sometimes. Wow, that's pretty weak. Sorry.

 

And I could only find none that I like.

You know how much I am all over skull and crossbones

items of all kinds. But not in a hundred years would this

atrocity cross my threshold.

My mom kept asking me, "Are you sure you don't want

it?" as she knows I am a skull and crossbones diehard.

I had many opportunities to reconsider. I did not.

I made my annual trip to Bath and Body Works today to

pick up their once a year offering, Vanilla Bean Noel. I've

said it before, and by golly, I'll say it again: This body lotion

makes me feel like I'm a pancake sitting in a big ol' plate

of maple syrup. I had a coupon for a free slice of pizza too,

so I was all over that.

I also picked up the remake of the 1980 movie called "Maniac".

The original is not a pretty movie. I will not recommend it. I like

it, but if you watch it, it's on you. I am hoping this one is just as

good as the original, and I have heard it is, if not better. Nobody

could imagine that Elijah Wood could be near as freaky as Joe

Spinell was in the original. Apparently, he is.

 I love pigs in a blanket, but I wouldn't go so far as to

call them "healthy appetizers". It's amazing what people

will fall for when a fancy piece of kitchen electrics is

put before them for the low price of $9.98.

I'm not a litigious person by any stretch of the imagination,

but if I were Kermit, I would sue.

I took this picture today. It is the pumpkin that I had shown on 10/23

writing that I was going to carve a face into it. Truth be told, I have

been SO sick since last Saturday that Halloween week was pretty much

a bust and I never did make this jack into an o'-lantern. I am still coughing

my lungs out hoping (along with my roomies) that it will all end soon.

Whenever anybody mentions 21st Century Snack Foods (and believe me,

they do), my mind immediately goes to Neon Worms. I'm not alone with that.

Am I right?