tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33960561154599348412024-03-04T22:58:35.422-07:00PARCA'S CHOSEN"Offer your smile to The Fates and you shall feel less their Slave."~ DSFDeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-29793256306978587972023-07-21T16:53:00.002-06:002023-07-22T13:45:47.086-06:00MORE THAN JUST THE WHITMORE<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">School.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Love it or hate it, most of us have 'been there, done that'.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In my hometown, the Whitmore School on 6th Ave SW felt like an extension of our home. With a shared toilet for 400.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It loomed large and foreboding across our narrow asphalt street my entire childhood, and I oft times felt it a portcullis to my Camelot-esque kingdom...but mostly it felt like a convenient extra room where we got to see our friends. It was approximately 6 car lengths from my front doorstep...or 2047 dill pickles laid end to end. This is a guess as we only had one car... and I hate pickles. 😉</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I saw it in from the dining room table as I ate breakfast, lunch and supper. It was in my peripheral vision as I watched the black and white visages of The Beverley Hillbillies, Hockey Night In Canada and Linus Westberg in our living room. It greeted me every time I stepped outside, and when not inside it I was often running around it, using it as a jungle gym.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It wasn't just the grandiose backdrop on the stage of my world, it was my Adventureland.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">*The Whitmore from the front...way before our street was built.</span></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM3feXr6S95IRhOq0cTjcuJnS_usX3icFP4PUi3KahU15-HEC-IE3WJm4dnAkDc00lGuazySfzMuNJcI5kMbnBavidAMpsnBW_4XJhG1W4Z93Qr6H-7FaOz47sxsc8SZ_d3yWoyX6wdGFwguDg8UTngGl_aRJBRHnifJnUGmud6_vjOoltdacqDDNRQYl/s1136/ws.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="1136" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM3feXr6S95IRhOq0cTjcuJnS_usX3icFP4PUi3KahU15-HEC-IE3WJm4dnAkDc00lGuazySfzMuNJcI5kMbnBavidAMpsnBW_4XJhG1W4Z93Qr6H-7FaOz47sxsc8SZ_d3yWoyX6wdGFwguDg8UTngGl_aRJBRHnifJnUGmud6_vjOoltdacqDDNRQYl/w400-h205/ws.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">*From the back; you can see its little sister a wee bit on the bottom behind it. If you jumped right over the small school, you'd land on my roof!</span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmAUmX0XHgWoBwaRDH3SiEeOFc2gtcXR_k7w-2I1uJT3Xc61LcLxVngM_SHLQtKaMWTz5ufjhxrDNjJa5s9nqA7EhH17g8nx64MoYKk4qVy9NzWSFa1jleP_SNkCHe_SNG-HtY5wNZpXebbi-Dv0VwTIU-QghiwhNsxtxMgn3Rhfssq5MTW-X4WuAx8IM/s1080/whitmore.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmAUmX0XHgWoBwaRDH3SiEeOFc2gtcXR_k7w-2I1uJT3Xc61LcLxVngM_SHLQtKaMWTz5ufjhxrDNjJa5s9nqA7EhH17g8nx64MoYKk4qVy9NzWSFa1jleP_SNkCHe_SNG-HtY5wNZpXebbi-Dv0VwTIU-QghiwhNsxtxMgn3Rhfssq5MTW-X4WuAx8IM/w400-h300/whitmore.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>*Me: age 2. My 1st photograph. Running from the kiddie pool, crying, having suffered some terrible injustice!</i>😆</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> Over our white picket fence of domestic bliss are both schools...the Small School in full view with The Big School peeking in on the right.</i></div></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></i></div><div><i style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyZa_fgb4ZLdOhJSA2aTyHtYgL_coFUKcMjopIrfob4xpEkmEvyf-yHT3dT6Qnu34E_SyKnpQEBkvsFvgroTod79jsdlZZXe9nVbU17kmq7gzvKxEkP0KP8o2NHWUeW8SPyoWLdDzd_EK9MJ0q_vozD7GOjNYXRuMUhohOCGdpapPO1fZamAhttrFcNh4/s699/dee%20last.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="699" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyZa_fgb4ZLdOhJSA2aTyHtYgL_coFUKcMjopIrfob4xpEkmEvyf-yHT3dT6Qnu34E_SyKnpQEBkvsFvgroTod79jsdlZZXe9nVbU17kmq7gzvKxEkP0KP8o2NHWUeW8SPyoWLdDzd_EK9MJ0q_vozD7GOjNYXRuMUhohOCGdpapPO1fZamAhttrFcNh4/w400-h283/dee%20last.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></i><div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Whitmore was actually adouble act. The beautiful old multi-story stone building was given a younger, modern sibling at one point, plunked down mere feet ahead of it, and it was a one level, plain-roofed building that looked like an elongated shoe box lined with windows, stretched to almost the full length of the block. The two structures could not have been more dissimilar. Stoic/Old Majestic Stone<i> vs</i> Geometric/New Modern Wood. My siblings and I lost so many tennis balls, baseballs, golf balls and frisbees on that damn flat roof that we could have easily opened a sports shop atop it and made a killing. Black's Cycle and Sporting Goods would have been nudged right out of business!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We had a ladder at the ready to clamber up to retrieve the latest football, birdie, boomerang or whatever...but after the older kids left home or started dating etc, it was up to me to play retriever. It was scary as hell going up, and dizzyingly impossible to get down. I did it exactly one time. That roof ate up a lot of my meager pocket money, replacing whatever got stranded.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Grades 1 to 3 were in the new school, and grades 4-6 were in the grand one that looked like a castle. I distinctly remember the butterfly-stomach thrill of knowing I was going to the Big School, as we'd dubbed her. How lucky was I to step up in the world like that! I must be a bit of alright! Even Princess-like should one's imagination drift...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But pride cometh before the fall.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One of my most distinct memories of going to school is the acquisition of my forehead scar. A hole-punch divot the size of an apple seed a inch or so above my left eye. (If only it had been lightning shaped, right? </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>🗲 </i>Dammit!)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">At recess, students had to play outside. In cowboy movies, herds of cattle frantically push their way through corral gates in a mad throng, smelling freedom in the air, and that was basically what happened after the recess bell sounded. I survived that just fine, but coming back in was another matter. At the sound of the bell, we all had to line up in orderly fashion at the front door steps. For whatever pre-teen reason, it was a BIG deal to be first in line. The quest for this coveted position saw students taking off from the playgrounds at breakneck speed, vying to be #1 in lineup. I was never fast enough. And I didn't have bribery money or a henchman to trip up any frontrunners.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But one day I devised an ingenious plan: I'd forgo any of the pleasures of recess and hover close to the front door steps, so at the first note of the bell, I'd be there to step smoothly into first place. And it worked! Dozens of kids had to stand behind ME! I peeked over my shoulder and basked in the blazing green heat of their jealousy as they strained to see who'd won. I was in my glory...until someone at the back of the line shoved someone in front of them and a domino effect rippled until it hit me and I went head first into the edge of the concrete steps.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Shocked and embarrassed, I quickly got up and told the teacher at the door I was just fine, but her face went pale and the look of horror on her face told me otherwise. I was sent upstairs to the principals office, thinking my short reign as Recess Queen, unscrupulously attained, had put my head in a guillotine. But a wet cloth was placed on my forehead instead, and as I held it in place, I found the cloth couldn't get near my face as it rested on a ridiculously long bump! It likely only protruded a couple of inches out, but it felt a banana was sticking out of my head. There wasn't much blood so I was sent home and sent to bed. In retrospect I should have been checked for a concussion and received stitches but I just slept... no doubt dreaming of how I'd one day regain my title and stand proud once more at the helm of the recess line. Wearing a football helmet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Other memories are are vivid and almost tangible:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">* pulling off your socks and shoes, climbing up the long steel tube that was the fire escape at the front of the school. The summer warm, metallic smell tingeing your nostrils as you climbed barefoot to the top; toes spread-eagled, fighting for purchase, fingertips grasping for the shallow riveted inner-seams that held it together. At the very top, sitting on the small wooden lip that protruded from the tiny locked door that fed from the building, I'd sit with a fist full of dirty, sweaty gravel and toss it down the tube, watching the rocks bounce madly about, rattling like a machine gun, deafening and brilliant! Then a quick slide down, only to turn around, shove more gravel in your pocket, and begin the slow crawl up again. Best to be alone, not having to suffer the pain of taking turns.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">* somehow having a mini-tin of aspirins and tricking my crush, the exotic sounding Andre Lemieux (no ski or chuck suffix! What?), that they were candies. Convincing him there was a tasty middle inside them, he ate a few and the rest is a blur. I think he either got sick and I was sent off to San Quentin, or I was found out and sent home with a note. Either way, I was a little shit for doing it. Not a malicious act...just empty-headed stupidity. With absolutely no concept of consequences. And I can't be sure, but that <i>may</i> be why he never returned my 9 year old Undying Love! And I also learned two valuable lessons: 1) the need and appreciation for Empathy 2) the power of Persuasiveness </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">* being so excited for the elective music class where, having chosen a smaller version of the violin my dad had, I sat in the front row of the Grade 3 assembly and waited breathlessly for instruction. I never told my father I was going to learn to play. It was to be a surprise, with me dazzling him with my virtuoso performance someday! The teacher called out our names, and upon reading mine, looked at me and said loudly "Your sister couldn't play...you won't be any better. " I felt my face grow tight and hot, and I froze on the spot. Then, ashamed, I got up and left. 50 years later, it still hurts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">* Grade 6 gave us a new young teacher, Miss Prokopchuk. Her not being a 'Mrs', it was hard to remember to call her Miss. And OH! was she not indeed Barbie pretty! Teachers thus far had been the standard older, married, thickening women with short, over-permed hair and black rimmed glasses, with hemlines below the (apparently) lust-inducing knee and necklines modestly covering anything that even remotely makes women female. But now we had a young, slim, casually dressed lady with a bright smile and knees we could see. She had a loose, stylish head of soft blonde, sunny hair and one just <i>knew</i> she must drive a baby blue convertible that matched her fashionable V-neck dresses! I adored her and debated failing that grade to do a repeat... but then thought better of it. I had a crush to stalk!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <i>The lovely Miss Prokopchuk</i></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkOnWgQRTiXO_IICSVjW2jpS8MniuDzuW8XxM1-oEbydOguaDE50bEeE_UCAPFicD4TU9rLCRwJxEIGcI13ZvUvvbimZ6xEioGj12JfkGCa4YwxQSIzFUWO814OIEBTevVhsJnAEK8NEUJH0ti3qAs58Y9YXqgUAwBltftfcDM_psS2bwK_vdPv-mh0PZ/s695/miss%20p.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="683" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkOnWgQRTiXO_IICSVjW2jpS8MniuDzuW8XxM1-oEbydOguaDE50bEeE_UCAPFicD4TU9rLCRwJxEIGcI13ZvUvvbimZ6xEioGj12JfkGCa4YwxQSIzFUWO814OIEBTevVhsJnAEK8NEUJH0ti3qAs58Y9YXqgUAwBltftfcDM_psS2bwK_vdPv-mh0PZ/s320/miss%20p.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">* Halloween was the best time of year at school because we got to wear our costumes to class and have a party. My go-to costume was being a hobo, complete with 5 o'clock shadow, and lunch packed in a hanky hanging from a stick that I carried over my shoulder. Once, instead of walking home, I decided to show off my great outfit and stand in front of the kids waiting in lines for the bus. I pretended to be looking for someone ...enjoying the attention, kids pointing at me and smiling in what I thought of as 'wonder and awe'. However, the smiling turned to outright laughing, and perplexed, I looked around to see what was SO funny. And looking down, I discovered the source of all the merriment: my hobo pants, miles too big for my skinny frame, had shed it's poorly knotted rope-belt and had fallen shamelessly down to my ankles. I was standing in front to busloads of kids with my faded, hand-me-down undies in full view. I hadn't felt the breeze on my legs, likely due to my being warmed by misguided hubris. I picked up the treacherous pants and Usain Bolt-ed it home, all the wiser to the hazards of ego.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All in all, the Old Whitmore was, more than anything, my Garden. My Greenhouse Nursery, if you will. The seeds for my love for writing were first planted there; the first sting of that thing called love were nettles grown there, and I began to learn that like a garden, a school was populated by strange, surprisingly different living things that were in themselves fascinating, but together made up a special place to grow. Being a common flower that is also a weed, I think it's safe to say I was the daisy of the Whitmore School!<span style="font-size: x-small;"> *shrug*</span> It's also safe to say that if Miss Prokopchuk was the beautiful rose in my garden, my malevolent elementary school music "teacher" was definitely Western Skunk Cabbage...😒</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I have very few, dull recollections of the demolition of the Big School, but no doubt life-altering things like watching Get Smart, parading up and down main street with Marianne Kereliuk or riding my bike down to Bum's Jungle took precedence over the murder of my mountain. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><i>*sigh*</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sadly, we tend to value many things in our lives much more once we leapfrog 50. Or if we've just been released from prison. Either way, George Bernard Shaw said it best: youth is wasted on the young.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Waves of nostalgia wash over me at the site of old photos of The Whitmore and I'm left to wonder... why <i>didn't</i> I have shorts underneath those hobo pants? <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>*smile*</i></span></span></p><p><br /><br /></p></div></div>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-79143475553133188532023-05-29T00:14:00.010-06:002023-05-31T00:03:34.695-06:00SWEATY SOCKS, GOLF BALLS AND FISH LIPS: My Formative Middle School Years<p><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD44Z4ZM5i_Q_b7taZU2oMRJ4LxRZp-z00zKhYo8BDafDNHpxk9iQolOSChdlvmX3HT-Slsd69VsVgCzYj8Y73G6RN6tVQrX_tD6r8okE_XrBLSp5gMdnr_jxNnAh24wxHkdSOnZ6ykVELtRP_gi0C6cFbgePWnqJ_ZKlzL1Ti-MzhJMXUWIf4yEvRHQ/s988/wc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="988" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD44Z4ZM5i_Q_b7taZU2oMRJ4LxRZp-z00zKhYo8BDafDNHpxk9iQolOSChdlvmX3HT-Slsd69VsVgCzYj8Y73G6RN6tVQrX_tD6r8okE_XrBLSp5gMdnr_jxNnAh24wxHkdSOnZ6ykVELtRP_gi0C6cFbgePWnqJ_ZKlzL1Ti-MzhJMXUWIf4yEvRHQ/s320/wc.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">Being a part of a hometown Facebook group can be an adventure.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">I've recently been seeing oldy mouldy yearbook pages from the 70's being posted on a FB group I'm in that's all about my small, Prairie hometown. Now I know <i>exactly</i> what the word bittersweet really means.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: arial;">Looking through those pages of students from my age group, I am overwhelmed with nostalgia, and a desire to never look in a mirror again. Those were 'one chin and a discernable waistline' days of happy, clueless innocence.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424;">Time has not only been cruel, it's been a jackass. I mean really...was it necessary to have me develop a keen interest in literature a decade AFTER graduation?</span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #242424;" /><span style="color: #242424;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ah well.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #242424;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424;">I see so many faces that have strong, almost visceral feelings attached to them, both good and bad. But I'll focus on the good, mainly because I assume some classmates did well enough over the years to be able to afford really good lawyers. Its been almost 50 years but despite not recalling their names completely, I know them instantly. Like a vague recurring dream you recognize, but not clearly.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #242424;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424;">Back in the day when you could discipline students with corporal punishment, Mr. Belinsky was The Ultimate Ruler. I have distinct memories of body-shaped cracks in the walls, like Wile E. Coyote used to make on The Road Runner Bugs Bunny Show, that were a direct result of boys getting punished for some serious mouthing off. I was in Grade 7, new to the Mackenzie Jr High and in awe of absolutely everything I saw. A true Bambi-esque, deer-caught-in-the-headlights kid. I was both mesmerized by the horrific strength and intensity of the man ruling our Social Studies Kingdom, and the strange admiration and ...bear with me...attraction to that kind of power. My first crush: a 50 year old man with anger management issues. Go figure. I truly liked and feared him in equal measures. I was so scared <i>and</i> impressed that I ended up a confused mass of cognitive jelly. I remained so up until about an hour ago.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #242424;">Later on, I dared try out for the cheerleading squad (in Grade 7 as well I believe. Maybe Grade 8?). I am not 100% sure, due mainly to that aforementioned cognitive jelly situation, but I DO recall feeling shock at having been chosen after tryouts. Cheerleaders are supposed to be popular and I was hardly that. Wrong side of the tracks and all. I did however have tight cutoff jean short-shorts, knee high white socks and a white turtleneck top so perhaps that was the ace card I held. I was very slim but had zero boobs...and I remember feeling so awkward about it. Like a stunted mutant. It looked like I was smuggling golf balls into school. One classmate zinged me once when he said he said, "You're a pirate's treasure". I blushed deeply, inwardly pleased at this weird compliment (a treasure sounds special!) until he grinned wickedly and added, 'You have a sunken chest'. Yes... I can hear you laughing. You can stop now.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424;">Body Image Angst is not a modern phenomenon for girls. I invented it. Probably. I have no patent. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;">I could see that I was Chairman of the Social Committee. </span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;">I have no recollection of such an honor but there are pictures so I can't say it's a lie</span><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;">. I can only assume my Vice Chairman did all the work and sent daily messages to me at the Kings Hotel restaurant where I was having a much needed smoke and coffee. I quit smoking almost 30 years ago...but I've quite romanticized it in my head, much like the Sock Hops we had at noon in the gym. In my mind they were breathy and wonderfully exciting but in reality, we were just nervous teens sweating through our clothes, falling madly in love for a whole week with someone who'd been brave enough to walk across the 'Boys Over Here/Girls Over There' room to ask us to dance to Seasons In The Sun or Crimson and Clover. Smelly socks be damned! </span></div><div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;">Social Economics class was hell (that's what it was called, right? Or Home Ec?). I wanted to take woodworking so badly but I was missing a penis so could not enroll. However, my lack of said organ allowed me a free pass into the culinary hell I called Burnt Muffinland. My memories of this class are an Andy Warhol melting visage of white ovens, white counters, striped green aprons and blackened mini-mounds of stiff, once proud batter. To this day, the kitchen is deemed forbidden territory and my husband is the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer. Being from Germany, where men cook as much as women do and just as good, I was banned over 27 years ago and have loved every minute of it, as has my so-said thickened waist and chinny chin chins.</span></div><div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;">There were so many wonderful teachers but there certainly were a few oddballs too: one who would 'discreetly' rub himself on the table corners while talking and sometimes the boys in class would chalk-up the corner so he'd walk around talking with a white powdered crotch. Then there was the teacher who'd put round-ended scissors in his mouth and open an close them...making his mouth stretch weirdly, as he taught. And I'll never forget the one who put pennies in his mouth, swished them around then took them out to calmly clean with a hanky. </span></div><div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;">Does anyone else remember them too or did I actually live on Planet Zurgon after being abducted by aliens like I'd dreamed?</span></div><div><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #242424;">I've written previously about Field Days and Sport Days so I wont repeat them, but man, were those days BRILLIANT!! I wasn't very sporty, much to the shame of my athletic family (see Bob Buchy </span><b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://parcaschosen.blogspot.com/2019/11/better-hands-on-snake-brother-broken-by.html">here</a></span></b><span style="color: #242424;">) but I loved trying and I loved the atmosphere and camaraderie. I also loved the view: yes, I mean boys. No heavy duty relationships yet...that came in Grades 10 and up...but I do recall one particular boy who's identity and grade shall remain unnamed, who I thought was James Dean reincarnated and almost <i>too</i> gorgeous. I was thrilled beyond reason. Why date someone prettier than you? Well, I was young. That's it. I blame Youth. I wanted to be seen with a hunk from the other side of the tracks. That was a catch! Oh...and that isn't just a catch phrase...there was literally a train that cut through town. One side 'rich' and the other side 'poor'. I was happy he was slumming it.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #242424;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #242424;">But as is the way of life, our first few dates were our only dates. His outrageous beauty won me over at first and he could do NO wrong...but soon, I had to say 'pass' and walk away. It may be shallow and judgmental, but simply said, he kissed like a fish and honey...I don't fish.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #242424;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #242424;">My loss for sure. But I am perfectly certain he found a nice carp to marry one day. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #242424;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #242424;">All in all though, seeing the fresh, cherubic faces that personify a life left swirling in the dusts of Time has been both lovely and sad. Lovely to see them and remember kinder, more simple times... sad to acknowledge the vast amount of time between then and now.</span></span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;">In closing let me say this: having so many wildly differing memories has been a trip, but there aren't all that many and the gaps have me concerned. Is aging the culprit or is there a nefarious, frightening medical reason why I cannot recall the most developmentally important days of my life? Health-wise, I am no better or worse off than the average Boomer so I must conclude that it is likely my memories are seared into place strictly and most decidedly by pure chance and the magnitude of their importance AT THE TIME. I emphasize 'at the time' because I assure you, my sunken-treasure flat-chestedness resolved itself admirably and I breastfed 5 children easily, and can now boast an ability to match, visually, any front-cover magazine photo of any bare-chested woman...in National Geographic.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;">And for certain, the photo of the bespectacled and semi-bald Mr. Belinsky in the staff section of the yearbook has absolutely no affect on the flutterings of my heart. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;">But I admit... my husband could pass as his brother.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #242424; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div></div>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-77157863983175378982022-10-25T09:13:00.028-06:002022-12-30T21:45:31.449-07:00THE CAT DIDN'T COME BACK<p>Some people cannot cry at funerals.</p><p>Rather than finding this abnormal or unfeeling, I understand perfectly. Not that this is my issue... every molecule of moisture from my entire body pours out of my eyes like the flood raising Noah's Ark, but this is precisely why I get it. Who in their right mind would want that? If it can be avoided, naturally or by design, more power to you. </p><p>My flood hit yesterday morning. </p><p>My Hero, my Defender and my big brother Bob Buchy, age 71, passed away October 22 2022, three days before my birthday. The diverse reactions of various members of my family inspired this post. </p><p>I wrote a small story about Bob in another section of my blog recently regarding, in part, his own journey which was both excitingly fortunate and painfully tragic; joyful yet sorrow-filled. He was a beautiful, amazing man who lived a warrior's life till the end, baffling doctors with his stamina and resilience, and breathtakingly defying the odds of those suffering his particular type of progressive, debilitating and wholly evil Multiple Sclerosis. There should be medical books written about him. He was a phenomenon. A bloody Legend. </p><p>You can click on this link for that story (and to understand the title of this post!):<span style="color: red;"> </span><a href="http://parcaschosen.blogspot.com/2019/11/better-hands-on-snake-brother-broken-by.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Better Hands on A Snake: A Brother Broken By Disease and The Sister Who Picked Up The Pieces</span></a></p><p>My sister Linda, the eldest child in our family, passed away on Valentines's Day, Feb 14 1964 at age 16 in a tragic car accident, but I still have three sisters and another brother. We live scattered about in all directions with myriad nieces and nephews now having myriad children of their own. I also have an aunt who will have been on this earth 96 years come December and theoretically, I could swing a dead cat in a circle anywhere in Canada and probably hit a cousin or two.</p><p>In other words, the reactions to the news of Bob's passing have run the gambit. </p><p>Bob was, as you'll read within the aforementioned link, a lucky son of a bitch from the get-go. Tall, smart, athletic, handsome as hell, a bit of a scoundrel and so damn funny! My God we laughed a lot! In his active younger years, he naturally generated in those around him a sense of awe, admiration, and most likely some justifiable jealousy. In his later years, his condition kept him steeped in a self-inflicted solitary existence with precious few allowed in. It was his way of dealing. So, it's been no surprise that there's been a mixed bag of reactions to his passing:</p><p><i>May he rest in peace.</i></p><p><i>It's for the best. That wasn't a life.</i></p><p><i>He hung on so long! But he isn't suffering anymore.</i></p><p><i>That's so sad.</i></p><p><i>That's too bad.</i></p><p><i>He's in a better place now.</i></p><p><i>It's God's Will.</i></p><p>I could go on and on, but it's that one remark that I want to address...and I think you know which one. Not the one that piqued the atheist in me, no...it's the<i> 'That wasn't a life'</i> comment. </p><p>It wasn't said harshly or in a mean-spirited way at all. In fact, I think it was intended as comfort, oddly enough. Nevertheless, I know in my heart many feel that way about people with Bob's level of MS, or any quadriplegic for that matter. Assuming they haven't a life worth living.</p><p>Let me tell you something. My brother, even in his most dire straits, was a better man than most. And thrilled to be alive. His will to live, his extraordinary passion for life, his ability to eke out some measure of pleasure from the simplest of actions is beyond commendable. His desire to fight his disease, to wrestle it in place and dare it to keep him down was limitless. I know I couldn't have done it, even though I'm cut from the very same cloth. His resolve knew no boundaries. My resolve tends to <i>dissolve </i>with the first drop of rain.</p><p>Instead of becoming a victim to his Fate, Bob made a choice to square off and meet MS head on. But not on <i>its</i> terms. He made it a promise: it could take his body by force, but it would never take his mind.</p><p>In the years before his voice was taken, we would chat on the phone and I'd hang up and think, <i>'you'd never know he was sick!'</i>. Ever sharp as a tack, ever playful, and perpetually busy planning his next project. The Charming Pirate seemed to have a lot of slaves at his beck and call, and he was never short of things for them to do, directing them from his wheelchair like a fabled Hollywood director, minus the slanted beret and megaphone. At various incremental points in time, he would be unable to move his legs... his torso...then his hands... his arms, and eventually his head, but on the phone, you would have never guessed it. </p><p>Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he cried himself to sleep every night and cursed the Gods, his mind's eye seeing his raised fist challenging the Heavens...but in the clear light of day, the face he showed the world was determined, intelligent and exceedingly curious. After he lost his voice, it must have been completely and utterly exhausting having his feelings and needs known, but he managed it as best as was humanly possible. He NEVER gave up.</p><p>Forever witty and engaged. Forever willful and stubborn. Till his final breath, he was always Bob. Multiple Sclerosis couldn't rob him of <i>that</i>.</p><p>I would argue a very few of us could have lived my brother's life and displayed even a modicum of his bravery, or a single minute of his patience and tolerance. Who among us could have maintained such a level of calm composure and soundness of mind while being wracked with the fear and mental anguish that might be for most, understandably, the daily norm. So please, when you see someone like my brother Bob, look through eyes of compassion, surely, but not of pity. He or she, without a doubt, is a much better and much stronger person than you or I will ever be.</p><p> *</p><p><span style="font-family: Josefin Sans; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><b>“Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest” </b>💔</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Josefin Sans; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Josefin Sans; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVMfb52wmK8OM8JDxT1H4RKFYNpGYhtgYMDJvhgFAEOFEoT83T9uA1QhSSaeotT-MiaHjFyCvgMRjNpuGVGNjUScznth1cY6kcdFMaW7kBcvTHoYz2GjxMyz2cV5qAI3UdOVqnxyp9WKWqRPmzHh_3ESu3PFzCBWDMZRlsFPRL3DKDpppApmo9uUJKg/s480/bob%20kings%20fixed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="480" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVMfb52wmK8OM8JDxT1H4RKFYNpGYhtgYMDJvhgFAEOFEoT83T9uA1QhSSaeotT-MiaHjFyCvgMRjNpuGVGNjUScznth1cY6kcdFMaW7kBcvTHoYz2GjxMyz2cV5qAI3UdOVqnxyp9WKWqRPmzHh_3ESu3PFzCBWDMZRlsFPRL3DKDpppApmo9uUJKg/w400-h313/bob%20kings%20fixed.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Josefin Sans; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZ2-sHhyogZIEQ_R6I3RjnbzFQNcSId_f0tQD-xU__2Xwp-yDiEIXEMr4SwDDsOPdRR1sv2jPq8OE9UFheUo9Y4QC69jCq348Pngl2lrWK0TOXq3Zp01grnhwyZ5DqP2ClIX28pHfPYFWahlY7xVcFhmGEwoP_WjMobS5g0c2AY4o-IwpP_V_l0lZ2A/s640/bob%20hockey2%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZ2-sHhyogZIEQ_R6I3RjnbzFQNcSId_f0tQD-xU__2Xwp-yDiEIXEMr4SwDDsOPdRR1sv2jPq8OE9UFheUo9Y4QC69jCq348Pngl2lrWK0TOXq3Zp01grnhwyZ5DqP2ClIX28pHfPYFWahlY7xVcFhmGEwoP_WjMobS5g0c2AY4o-IwpP_V_l0lZ2A/w281-h400/bob%20hockey2%20(2).jpg" width="281" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: Josefin Sans; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFWfQiEmkVu6ojEkx31PR64Zu8M9ikODvUnfefHegvpubAhxHf5DCDG0KxglLd4gnN0Ew4NZDF2mDN-5SZEAbRF0ibWMwHj6lSyxxKBPp7-9ty3O4WK6m5egVh5hcv7ihO-vjLzrG6MuKYVvUvt-51J40iGxMtwqGmhk1ys0cjp3Ahmok3RGDaCEBaQ/s206/hhh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="204" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFWfQiEmkVu6ojEkx31PR64Zu8M9ikODvUnfefHegvpubAhxHf5DCDG0KxglLd4gnN0Ew4NZDF2mDN-5SZEAbRF0ibWMwHj6lSyxxKBPp7-9ty3O4WK6m5egVh5hcv7ihO-vjLzrG6MuKYVvUvt-51J40iGxMtwqGmhk1ys0cjp3Ahmok3RGDaCEBaQ/w317-h320/hhh.jpg" width="317" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNAcEeHZVbrzytXbbxaDAJp6HjXPOavZCKr3SID-fpDWDiYGTahngkZGcIc-LaCWKSqMAaahl_ARYqPnI2Vgr8WVc-vEXGhjOUZb0bQVMTgj3bUIR-DqgJBwAQp2zxa1yfasLj-GnUpsAaIVJXrsvA93TzR3mPcU8wLawOJO1g3b3zvITeU4MInrNEQ/s399/bob%20bushman.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="398" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNAcEeHZVbrzytXbbxaDAJp6HjXPOavZCKr3SID-fpDWDiYGTahngkZGcIc-LaCWKSqMAaahl_ARYqPnI2Vgr8WVc-vEXGhjOUZb0bQVMTgj3bUIR-DqgJBwAQp2zxa1yfasLj-GnUpsAaIVJXrsvA93TzR3mPcU8wLawOJO1g3b3zvITeU4MInrNEQ/w399-h400/bob%20bushman.png" width="399" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA95drfucPn4V9Wi4hwcdDzWf3gSqI3WVYxkFRHGcCTHbdgXQG8cEhR7TJIz4qcnKi0ArXFCGFB5-WcUERIYvhzrMTZxaw4ksS6TH2Y5c8iKhJ2GlVOTta3RkbFsnnkK9JkUTuPpvT9ierIvGvyFQmDAQLR1-Jl4PkQw3sNSxSou0dPBveI_G5zh6PIg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="480" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA95drfucPn4V9Wi4hwcdDzWf3gSqI3WVYxkFRHGcCTHbdgXQG8cEhR7TJIz4qcnKi0ArXFCGFB5-WcUERIYvhzrMTZxaw4ksS6TH2Y5c8iKhJ2GlVOTta3RkbFsnnkK9JkUTuPpvT9ierIvGvyFQmDAQLR1-Jl4PkQw3sNSxSou0dPBveI_G5zh6PIg=w400-h211" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E4hCl5pnX90WxqTTXMt7gteclWZTd0CAeH2iMG0RjVmV8haaEWiaEQYZlMzCpWuucoRBrpHkMUBRYBHLgP-xAZYV2MzYzF_Z5A9ZBFWMSnoPXbW2c1g97cs_8ww-0R7x7kpTaOPMzFWFyry5iT7poOs2TZsXnKNurvxgIBOh03zzvQtL14oLQBOzXg/s480/~lwf0511%20copy%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="480" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E4hCl5pnX90WxqTTXMt7gteclWZTd0CAeH2iMG0RjVmV8haaEWiaEQYZlMzCpWuucoRBrpHkMUBRYBHLgP-xAZYV2MzYzF_Z5A9ZBFWMSnoPXbW2c1g97cs_8ww-0R7x7kpTaOPMzFWFyry5iT7poOs2TZsXnKNurvxgIBOh03zzvQtL14oLQBOzXg/w400-h201/~lwf0511%20copy%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVtPc6f6k58XhhCEOPgKX6ww7PkD8ek2uUQG_bttivdBIzRw2yrKOfRv_LuqJ19AZlCSW7oRAn2zdKbCAhZznMPiDhh-SII1csre3xH7hraFPQF3TexopmnZV9qqpf0NVU1vNYr8CLUPb7mTRTxatDBSeRoaypGaigpBLbDigpQ7fy1jy01EQ98BeQ_g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="347" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVtPc6f6k58XhhCEOPgKX6ww7PkD8ek2uUQG_bttivdBIzRw2yrKOfRv_LuqJ19AZlCSW7oRAn2zdKbCAhZznMPiDhh-SII1csre3xH7hraFPQF3TexopmnZV9qqpf0NVU1vNYr8CLUPb7mTRTxatDBSeRoaypGaigpBLbDigpQ7fy1jy01EQ98BeQ_g=w400-h274" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /></span></span><p></p>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-68640555637258028032021-05-10T11:36:00.011-06:002022-04-05T16:30:05.000-06:00Life Before Social Media (or: How I Spent My Youth in a Tiny Prairie Town)<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One would be correct in believing the FB page<b><span style="color: red;"><u> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/96010260499/permalink/10165952007615500/?comment_id=10165960171610500&notif_id=1620438320950734&ref=notif&notif_t=group_comment_follow" target="_blank">"The Good Old Days of Dauphin"</a> </u></span></b>has got my
sister Rhonda (Buchy) and I talking a lot. She still lives in Dauphin and I
have called BC home for almost 40 years. And we’ve always chatted a lot, but
these days, reminiscing about our shared Dauphin experiences has flourished.
Take our conversation today for example: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We lived in the South West end of town, so if you wanted to go to the
curling or skating rink, Grandstands, baseball diamond, outdoor rink or ‘pool’,
that’s where your feet had to take you. I believe you can see the path worn
into the ground from our family home to the South East end of town on any
aerial map of<u> <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.dauphin.ca/" target="_blank">Dauphin</a></span></b></u>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Life pretty well centered around us watching our brothers Ken
and Bob playing hockey with the Kings (read more about Bob by clicking the link
<span style="color: red;"><a href="http://parcaschosen.blogspot.com/2019/11/better-hands-on-snake-brother-broken-by.html"><b>HERE</b></a>
</span>), and playing baseball with the Redbirds (they played for Team Manitoba too).
*As a side note: our dad Steve Buchy played for the Redbirds as well, in the
50’s. He actually threw out the pitch in a Redbird’s reunion (?) many years ago
and was tickled pink with it all! So sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Then there was the old outdoor rink across form the Plesh’s
house that we either used or cheered on family and friends (or boyfriends!) day
and night, and the old pool that I have absolutely no memory of. Rhonda insists
there was one there, and still is, and in the old days it was uncovered and if
it thundered outside, you had better get the hell out of it quick! Perhaps I
didn’t get out fast enough one day and my memory got fried along with my melting
bathing cap….<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And before there was <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><a href="https://www.tourismdauphin.ca/heritage/selo-ukraina" target="_blank">Selo</a></u></span></b>,
there was the Great White Lady herself, The Grandstands!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That old wooden structure was the Go-To Place of its day and
I was so sad when I heard it burned down in 2009. So many memories there. Who
can forget the amazing fireworks displays that colored our youth, and the
carnivals on the fairgrounds (that saw one of my friends run away with the
circus! Truth!) From our house, you could sometimes smell the garlic and onions
cooking and hear the cheering crowds and booming voice of the MC. We fell asleep
licking our lips…our hearts beating in rhythm to the music pulsating over the
town.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And all the shows! It was always a thrill to climb the
stands and find the perfect spot for the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/musical-ride" target="_blank">RCMPMusical Rides</a></span></u></b>, horse races, and the Ukrainian
Festival! I even met <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdPrtL2MmNw" target="_blank">Al Cherney</a></u></span></b>
(of the old<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80hV17_mSYI" target="_blank"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u>Tommy Hunter</u></span></b> </a>Show) once
backstage by accident and we shared a cigarette. I was around 14 years old and
thought that was pretty cool. Not that Al was a looker…he was older than dirt
even back then, but he was my first ‘celebrity’ eyeball-to-eyeball meet and I
was excited! Kept that butt for years in a secret place (because my parents
didn’t know I smoked) and it’s probably still there because, well, apparently
I’m good at keeping secrets, even from myself. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Back then, the Festival brought so many people to town you
needed a cattle prod to forge a path to The Dairy Dip. Myriad Silver Airstreams
and campers filled Vermillion Park and every school playground in town. The
streets were closed to traffic and they burst to the seams with tourists, and
we couldn’t recall anyone get angry, fighting or causing trouble. I think it
was the camaraderie everyone felt but Rhonda thinks it was the endless flow of beer.
Perhaps the two don’t necessarily have to be mutually exclusive *smile*.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The old Grandstands were where Mackenzie Jr High (and other
schools?) had all day Field Day competitions as well (see pics). We’d dress up
in costumes and makeshift team uniforms, and the school would empty and we
would fiercely compete with each other’s classes to get the most awards and gold
badges. I personally never saw one up close but I hear they were nice. I
remember feeling the crippling weight of my athletic family’s honor on my
shoulders one race around the track, and being fairly wimpy, I barely made it
over the finish line at all. Red-faced, huffing and puffing, I flopped to the
ground and Mr. Nadolny, much to my embarrassment, had to quickly pick me up (I
think he needed a spatula), and made me walk around as to not get
debilitating leg cramps. I use that race to this day to get out of doing stuff,
like an old war vet with a missing limb: “Sorry, can’t help you carry those
plates to the table…old wound from back in ’74. 800 meter. Near did me in.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Of course, time was not kind to those old buildings and
Stands and they are all but gone, but they certainly had their time in the sun.
More than one first kiss, first cigarette and first beer were had under those
Stands and we owe the South East a lot for making our community a great place
to grow up in. And maybe once covid worries are gone, I can come home for a
visit so Rhonda can prove to me that pool wasn’t just in her imagination…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> **</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Brother Bob playing for Manitoba:</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7wnjJ3yUJOsxnXbZ8c7p_iX9T69Gxw6x2FQ_2-k4FgQfZaExupS9GYzKKIpRkC5U5wBu_69GnRgbPuRtqj6yAuQxgDlqpeETNooV-mer4hv6sZGvKn_hbSUNPdWbNNf1-vGpiO6ZlChU/s687/41.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="679" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7wnjJ3yUJOsxnXbZ8c7p_iX9T69Gxw6x2FQ_2-k4FgQfZaExupS9GYzKKIpRkC5U5wBu_69GnRgbPuRtqj6yAuQxgDlqpeETNooV-mer4hv6sZGvKn_hbSUNPdWbNNf1-vGpiO6ZlChU/w395-h400/41.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Dad with a Redbird trophy:</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WPIQrv7LtqG0Kc3KWRObEgczvdXQ-s9TPhDddZ5mXcSpYaIkcXUMNIlUZ-PtbNqXeoPSNXn1q3rG7NmVxa3uXgO9QiGVFwJX5-ALH2eH7OLqPzxBulOPzQ9EnNqiE7PXQ0iOmElYmQPJ/s914/dad+redbird.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="712" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WPIQrv7LtqG0Kc3KWRObEgczvdXQ-s9TPhDddZ5mXcSpYaIkcXUMNIlUZ-PtbNqXeoPSNXn1q3rG7NmVxa3uXgO9QiGVFwJX5-ALH2eH7OLqPzxBulOPzQ9EnNqiE7PXQ0iOmElYmQPJ/w311-h400/dad+redbird.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">School Field Days at the Grandstands:</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMzBKX5jz4JuCL93aN7AF6ebZmqXJ2vXlZgVLcfMumsFk1lTcj5YzycdcXnFHfrwCh-LPiZYIlUqNsgkQIAZ6Pl-63SPrNxK7PzMg8e5Ytjm2IkxUJb9CZ9v_TiyZcQ1EjDsUhyphenhyphen3J98RL/s480/gs1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMzBKX5jz4JuCL93aN7AF6ebZmqXJ2vXlZgVLcfMumsFk1lTcj5YzycdcXnFHfrwCh-LPiZYIlUqNsgkQIAZ6Pl-63SPrNxK7PzMg8e5Ytjm2IkxUJb9CZ9v_TiyZcQ1EjDsUhyphenhyphen3J98RL/w400-h300/gs1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8lhQtX4waZMQOshkwO5FoUVM_mGu2Wq0DgnwJDeHN8U75vY_siqtoKAPGmXkSryQkA699S2_dWEmgWS6LsdsayRIcR1hjBMQsq17XAoXxMV0LEsTohHhRdOPLBks1JJSxLtKd3TM3wU_/s480/gs2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8lhQtX4waZMQOshkwO5FoUVM_mGu2Wq0DgnwJDeHN8U75vY_siqtoKAPGmXkSryQkA699S2_dWEmgWS6LsdsayRIcR1hjBMQsq17XAoXxMV0LEsTohHhRdOPLBks1JJSxLtKd3TM3wU_/w400-h300/gs2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Mr. Al Cherney in action:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tdPrtL2MmNw" width="320" youtube-src-id="tdPrtL2MmNw"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-10107528484183690652021-05-07T18:08:00.009-06:002021-05-10T22:17:49.146-06:00CELEBRITIES TURNING 60 THIS YEAR and why it's really fucking up my day<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Meg Ryan.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">George Clooney.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Ricky Gervais.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Heather Locklear.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Peter Jackson.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Obama.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Gretzky.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">FREAKIN' NADIA COMENICI !<i> (was I really her age when I watched her win 5 Gold Medals and earn the first 100% score in Olympic history?)</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So many accomplished, outstanding people are my age. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">MY age!</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <i>(Well, one year younger but whatever....)</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What, from the bottom of my heart, the hell?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I feel gut punched. My tongue is rolled out of my mouth as I slouch my way over to the fridge like a dejected Quasimodo to check if there's enough wine in the box <i>(yes I said box)</i> to numb the pain of the giant LOSER sign nailed to my forehead.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's times like these that make you question what the hell you've been doing your entire life. What have you created that is lasting and impressive?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Well, I have 5 beautiful children and they have given me (so far) 7 gorgeous grandkids...but that is, however lovely, not an especially headline worthy accomplishment. Sorry kids. The world doesn't share my feelings of your utter and complete uniqueness. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And it's true that the model of my hand I made at my first real job as a 19 year old dental assistant <i>(using a milk carton full of alginate...the pink stuff used to take teeth impressions)</i> is a classic 'rebellious youth' statue (also known in Canada as the <a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Trudeau%20Salute" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Trudeau Salute</span></b></a>) ... but one careless elbow can knock it off the shelf and ALAS! my legacy is lost.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PFGzGwmrdROtqevkEPdMRuliHL8DoFkQ4yQhPn_4TjgnPPgdGaAv5sPoB3pR6sSdDy6O6OfWmrp5voWpMH9UK2P3XK30tp3l720liphYJMjJUh2yuaGeMbFZKRKyUarIjPITpD_f6LqV/s1280/thumbnail_20210402_182453.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="929" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PFGzGwmrdROtqevkEPdMRuliHL8DoFkQ4yQhPn_4TjgnPPgdGaAv5sPoB3pR6sSdDy6O6OfWmrp5voWpMH9UK2P3XK30tp3l720liphYJMjJUh2yuaGeMbFZKRKyUarIjPITpD_f6LqV/w464-h640/thumbnail_20210402_182453.jpg" width="464" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>*sigh*</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I will have to do better these next 10 years so when the NEXT list is made, I will sit and take a peek through it and think<i><b> "Whatever. Losers."</b></i> and with my head held high I'll turn my scooter into the produce aisle and drive off to find an economy size bag of prunes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>(Below...the source of my angst!)</i></span></p><p><a href="https://bestlifeonline.com/celebrities-turning-60-2021/"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>60 Celebrities Who Are Turning 60 in 2021 | Best Life (bestlifeonline.com)</b></span></a></p><p><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></u></p><p><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></u></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-26277832853497930422021-04-28T20:45:00.003-06:002023-01-02T01:40:37.198-07:00A RADIO LOVE AFFAIR: the rekindling of an old, staticky flame<span><font face="helvetica">Radios.</font></span><div><font face="helvetica"><br />
<span>Back in youth...I'm talking the 60's and 70's...in small town rural Canada, the height of personal entertainment was the radio.</span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDpjczecgAeUaroSfU1GWil5_TTHG2Bs783dIuZarl_BF6Hc1VnEjTNShtn9vPGBalzI__g2pktaWZS3kqpMPPwmzpSVsUuepC7fkN11wrzvI-K9Ifu-uR_GxuCIQtdP8sWSR4tuyUM8T/s1353/radio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1353" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDpjczecgAeUaroSfU1GWil5_TTHG2Bs783dIuZarl_BF6Hc1VnEjTNShtn9vPGBalzI__g2pktaWZS3kqpMPPwmzpSVsUuepC7fkN11wrzvI-K9Ifu-uR_GxuCIQtdP8sWSR4tuyUM8T/w400-h244/radio.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>We would listen to our old radio in the kitchen a lot, but mostly it was turned on to 730 CKDM to listen to <i>Bernie Basaraba "The Voice of the Kings"</i> as he commentated the local hockey team who both of my brothers each Captained at one point or another. </span></font></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My social life centered on watching the games live when I was old enough to walk to the arena myself, but when I was younger (or older but babysitting my sister) listening to the game on the radio was pretty damn exciting! </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Games and the local radio station playlist was all we got, except on a cloudless night when we could tap into a Winnipeg station now and then. Scratchy, staticky signals weaker than a preacher's whiskey.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But those big radios were permanent fixtures in most homes, like ours in a nook in the kitchen above the counter, so privacy for listening alone was impossible. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, when I was given a small, hand held transistor radio, I was crazy happy! It made an indelible mark in my childhood. I listened to it pressed close to my ear so often, I'm sure you can still see its imprint some 50 years later.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUggQosAZ5Sr5z_XoORKpjJ0sMaGoMeBaWbEthDsDBkjFG8QqViARf6ejGV2ERx9xP29kPuQvMEHzjaNvG-XuxhvHuNEq-toL4dKK_4aOFA8bmghLWvsIrcdVLvMiW-IpInF_UO-Yx0BIv/s1000/radio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="685" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUggQosAZ5Sr5z_XoORKpjJ0sMaGoMeBaWbEthDsDBkjFG8QqViARf6ejGV2ERx9xP29kPuQvMEHzjaNvG-XuxhvHuNEq-toL4dKK_4aOFA8bmghLWvsIrcdVLvMiW-IpInF_UO-Yx0BIv/w274-h400/radio.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I went to bed every night with that transistor radio next to my head on the pillow, or if my sister complained (we slept two to a bed in our big family) I turned down the volume to a ghost's whisper and slept with it under my ear. I learned to contort my body so my full upper-weight was on my arms under the pillow and the hard plastic radio was less painful under my head. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That must be a mannequin's hand holding the radio pictured below because, trust me, 10 minutes in that position, your hand would we numb for life. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="helvetica"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7RtwgHjiKhyN9EBi4iELBmdvw6uP6Qcs8FtsbEJOsRH_5vxYlyBfes23a0YFSrF5rQPrrvTc-UF8LvqdBiH3kf34Kl7utEd6H08tSH8mrvO_1mWsQf04YkJqO1EOQ4W47x32OzQIPDSc/s400/rrr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="400" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7RtwgHjiKhyN9EBi4iELBmdvw6uP6Qcs8FtsbEJOsRH_5vxYlyBfes23a0YFSrF5rQPrrvTc-UF8LvqdBiH3kf34Kl7utEd6H08tSH8mrvO_1mWsQf04YkJqO1EOQ4W47x32OzQIPDSc/w400-h286/rrr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It wasn't until I was about 19 yrs old (1979) when the Sony Walkman came out that earphones/headphones were common. There may have been something similar for transistor radios before that, but not in our house. None of that fancy stuff for us.... <i>*eye roll*</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>When I happen to catch an old tune on the radio now, it immediately sends me back to my room at home. I can smell Mom's honey-dipped donuts cooling on the rack; I hear the boys arguing out back, fighting over who has to mow the lawn; and I see my posters of Donny Osmond plastered on my wall like love-sick, teeny-bop wallpaper.</span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>Some of those early tunes are:</span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>The Archies</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sugar Sugar:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h9nE2spOw_o" width="320" youtube-src-id="h9nE2spOw_o"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><b>Lay Down</b> </span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>by Melanie & The Edwin Hawkins Singers:</span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hlp3wmE4bbI" width="320" youtube-src-id="hlp3wmE4bbI"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>Three Dog Night</b></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>Mama Told Me Not To Come:</span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cGvW1zaBxMU" width="320" youtube-src-id="cGvW1zaBxMU"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Freda Payne</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Band of Gold: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/daxiMb0rITA" width="320" youtube-src-id="daxiMb0rITA"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><b>The Guess Who</b></div><div><font face="helvetica">American Woman: </font></div><span><br /></span></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3r_qd2yxIsM" width="320" youtube-src-id="3r_qd2yxIsM"></iframe></div><br /></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>I was so madly in love with Canadian singer Burton Cummings from <i>The Guess Who</i>, I told everyone my first baby was our Love Child. My husband at the time just smiled and let me have my fun. <i>*smile*</i></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>So...the point of this post, finally, is to share with you an app I found called <b>RADIO GARDEN</b>. It's a mobile<i> or</i> webb app actually and it's bloody amazing! And it's <b>FREE </b>whether it be on your phone or computer<b>! </b></span></font></div><div><br /></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><b> "</b></span></font><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>From the</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">(click link in blue letters)</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jonathanpuckey.radiogarden&hl=en_CA&gl=US" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0080ce; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Radio Garden app site on the Google Play Store</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">“</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-weight: 700;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Radio Garden allows you to listen to thousands of live radio stations world wide by rotating the globe. Every green dot represents a city or town. Tap on it to tune into the radio stations broadcasting from that city.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">“ </span></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica; font-weight: 700;">The app designers are adding stations constantly. You might be surprised what stations you will find just in your area you didn’t even know existed. As long as you have a phone signal you can tune into Radio Garden.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica; font-weight: 700;">Just select a green dot or city, there is drop down menu for all the stations in that area on the app. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">For your computer just go here to <a href="http://radio.garden/" style="font-weight: 700;" target="_blank">radio.garden</a><b>. </b>Or just Google it yourself. There is an app, of course.</span></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>I just LOVE it! </span></font><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sure, I have access to tons of music, but nothing beats listening to music (or programs of all sorts!) on<i> live</i> radio from ANYWHERE in the world, 27/7! You can be your own DJ!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And it looks SO cool. When you turn on the app, an animated planet Earth comes on your screen and it rotates and takes a few seconds for the bright green dots (the 'seeds' ) to get planted...which only means it's getting populated with the stations for you to use...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3VdqpP03_25y_GTUP4b5homEhps31M-en86QVuEYZHpz_uywkoWTzWq_Clw6Rj6okQDq-HXCbAeQIcPl6l1Oy4jvrHGyMuI7DV9nm56F1pk8moY7qovhFGT-NiESo0nbowaVGjZGc0Pm/s1920/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3VdqpP03_25y_GTUP4b5homEhps31M-en86QVuEYZHpz_uywkoWTzWq_Clw6Rj6okQDq-HXCbAeQIcPl6l1Oy4jvrHGyMuI7DV9nm56F1pk8moY7qovhFGT-NiESo0nbowaVGjZGc0Pm/w360-h640/1.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIpap8UcYgmOtBAMVQSoZCD1V3OIak3binF61Rcjvl9CkwGlyceI2-SNTdHrlRcxbUPXyvbhOaejT_Ew_UM5-Zyj4_5-pJUjJQNAdD7AustGVRIEr5Zq-DnmGT0Zck-uv1u-2Je86c5JG/s1920/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIpap8UcYgmOtBAMVQSoZCD1V3OIak3binF61Rcjvl9CkwGlyceI2-SNTdHrlRcxbUPXyvbhOaejT_Ew_UM5-Zyj4_5-pJUjJQNAdD7AustGVRIEr5Zq-DnmGT0Zck-uv1u-2Je86c5JG/w360-h640/2.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo0k2IZ7zfvXtO-d_kas2HLcBZtoqwd-8Md7iylS6NRshB3jxP33iq1Dypli7aW3FBNcStlyHoKe_tNEJe7Z7gtbMoDEWxH5ipHSJK0EKPoRkEUFNPwtKgYeBf8s_o28p_ChskfpJDRvZ/s1280/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo0k2IZ7zfvXtO-d_kas2HLcBZtoqwd-8Md7iylS6NRshB3jxP33iq1Dypli7aW3FBNcStlyHoKe_tNEJe7Z7gtbMoDEWxH5ipHSJK0EKPoRkEUFNPwtKgYeBf8s_o28p_ChskfpJDRvZ/w360-h640/4.jpg" width="360" /></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Then you can scroll around the world immediately</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"> listening to what looks like hundreds of thousands of radio stations playing LIVE in their towns and cities globally. You can type in the city or town etc...where you wish to listen, or look randomly, like I usually do, and listen to one of a gazillion stations in Brazil </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">...</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoD6A_ME8q3FqUDeSX4VanccKkdvHj2ln8a7RcArisQdHNh5ieC_UokRUKeOx7lTlJx7u40iT-omhBJa3ryh1hu4dzz_Cm1f7zqY3bmbSpDAk70rtuqKxJz_O0k4AMwh9urEgkuB2nPQc1/s1280/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoD6A_ME8q3FqUDeSX4VanccKkdvHj2ln8a7RcArisQdHNh5ieC_UokRUKeOx7lTlJx7u40iT-omhBJa3ryh1hu4dzz_Cm1f7zqY3bmbSpDAk70rtuqKxJz_O0k4AMwh9urEgkuB2nPQc1/w360-h640/4.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">...or the USA, or Germany, Iceland, Poland, Sicily...anywhere! I like to find a lone wee green dot in the middle of the ocean on an island somewhere remote and listen in on what some lonely Lighthouse Keeper in may be listening to...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzG4yuq1jtadtwmuRlcMJe-O06ZOxdayOZzkKTCp6huMqIs5BrQBA2Yw7eQGAXfirz0xhHt3CFAh9U-CN3WOElacqtjz_JVQBx3r7pQGHFUbS8XoXSsU_eiJaZziXjIBL1XLcj2NpbwEDg/s1280/c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzG4yuq1jtadtwmuRlcMJe-O06ZOxdayOZzkKTCp6huMqIs5BrQBA2Yw7eQGAXfirz0xhHt3CFAh9U-CN3WOElacqtjz_JVQBx3r7pQGHFUbS8XoXSsU_eiJaZziXjIBL1XLcj2NpbwEDg/w360-h640/c.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div>I can't tell you the thrill I got the first time I played with that radio app. To listen to CKDM again in my hometown...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUOwDDgUL1kw5NJV77exVcvOGYeJMr4Wcq6LYv3Um4cXU3ubCYoiocmVe6L0Ov01dfotMAtnKOE1McgiA3rYrbS4WNutEoOWxgsVQuDSNwsDjNmNNBLfWZ9l0d2hJ0HuaUbUuXD9ByhAh/s1280/b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUOwDDgUL1kw5NJV77exVcvOGYeJMr4Wcq6LYv3Um4cXU3ubCYoiocmVe6L0Ov01dfotMAtnKOE1McgiA3rYrbS4WNutEoOWxgsVQuDSNwsDjNmNNBLfWZ9l0d2hJ0HuaUbUuXD9ByhAh/w360-h640/b.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div>....or to the music my daughter may be listening to in Edmonton, or the news in German my sister-in-law listens to in her little village in Germany...or my grandchildren in Australia...it was mind-blowing!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxcjTU2U60BYFRDp9M4iJgaQfgbFS_8ACzvf4kqHm7MNAaPpMx_piWW0LVwNThNxEMlKAdo73ZDIZDvjFCansIIP6_DJDrV9Ka3zEf6RRx7aDVJLyw_9OmNC9N1d-iZmF5sWkl_exs9VV/s1280/aus.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxcjTU2U60BYFRDp9M4iJgaQfgbFS_8ACzvf4kqHm7MNAaPpMx_piWW0LVwNThNxEMlKAdo73ZDIZDvjFCansIIP6_DJDrV9Ka3zEf6RRx7aDVJLyw_9OmNC9N1d-iZmF5sWkl_exs9VV/w360-h640/aus.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I have travelled extensively in my life and it was just so beautiful to sit in my comfy chair outside in the sun last summer, close my eyes and listen to some tunes out of Jamaica, remembering the feel of warm sand at my feet and an ice cold Red Stripe beer at my fingertips. I could almost smell the unmistakeable mix of salt water and Caribbean blooms. Then, when I grew restless for maybe a talk-show in a language I knew nothing about, I'd spin over to Rome and find a channel that had some that passionate Italian spice I heard while visiting the Vatican in 2016... so many incredible memories!</span></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdb9EK-y9f7OJH2jGOJdrI2AyMiHbMlx5I2wGxVUwXBhZ3zEX9Z6vjFS4TDsulTM2wV5Nly04kd-BY0r0ckzbQXBDpF1k1NkklhyphenhyphenjCZG588wFkNAm4qPyPm5Xn0w0mqTvPRnWp-KvnpW9/s640/rome.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdb9EK-y9f7OJH2jGOJdrI2AyMiHbMlx5I2wGxVUwXBhZ3zEX9Z6vjFS4TDsulTM2wV5Nly04kd-BY0r0ckzbQXBDpF1k1NkklhyphenhyphenjCZG588wFkNAm4qPyPm5Xn0w0mqTvPRnWp-KvnpW9/w360-h640/rome.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>And finally, I often seek out a radio station in Ukraine and wonder if it's the music I'd be listening to today had my grandparents not taken a leap of faith and left the Motherland for Canada. </span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>That always gives me the shivers.</span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><span>I hope you find some pleasure in this new technology and awesome new means to 'travel' the world.</span></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><font face="helvetica"><br /></font></div><div><font face="helvetica"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-30560436178050388092020-09-16T21:43:00.003-06:002021-05-23T11:16:18.029-06:00IN TIMES OF GRIEF: How My Canadian Daughter Found Love and Support From Her Aussie Rugby Family <p> </p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I am Canadian and know nothing of rugby. </span></b></span></p><div data-block="true" data-editor="5hqla" data-offset-key="1hj8n-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1hj8n-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span data-offset-key="e1bq9-0-0">Neither did my daughter </span><span class="diy96o5h" data-offset-key="e1bq9-1-0" end="38" start="24" style="background-color: var(--text-highlight);">Chantal </span><span data-offset-key="e1bq9-2-0">until she married Duncan, an Aussie rugby fanatic. I knew she had grown to love the sport over the years (their boys played it, Duncan coached it, and their daughter cheered them all on) but I didnt know just how amazing the rugby community was until she lost her sweet husband to cancer a few months ago. </span></span></b></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="5hqla" data-offset-key="e1bq9-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e1bq9-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span data-offset-key="e1bq9-2-0"><br /></span></span></b></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e1bq9-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeH4d72kJUzAvnfGGF-jNAacIhPVTBSg8puYw5zcRaDJ3ZQ1AaCHWtSZbt982G2RXGPlDPXET550JRQq-BtX8LR-Z6HTMNF90qYuIiK4j72s3C-zWhIfho4K6NdgaMuyw1-6D8YAiWU_Vr/s446/dunc.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="446" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeH4d72kJUzAvnfGGF-jNAacIhPVTBSg8puYw5zcRaDJ3ZQ1AaCHWtSZbt982G2RXGPlDPXET550JRQq-BtX8LR-Z6HTMNF90qYuIiK4j72s3C-zWhIfho4K6NdgaMuyw1-6D8YAiWU_Vr/w400-h203/dunc.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="5hqla" data-offset-key="1qvbh-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1qvbh-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="1qvbh-0-0"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">She started writing a grief blog about single parenting to perhaps help ease the trauma that has invaded her life, and this piece in particular is one that I feel not only rugby lovers and fans will appreciate, but anyone who has lost a mate and fought to move forward. </span></b></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="5hqla" data-offset-key="8hogh-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8hogh-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="8hogh-0-0"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br data-text="true" /></span></b></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="5hqla" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="background-color: white;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Living so far away, one feels helpless when tragedy strikes...but how very lucky my daughter and grandchildren are to be a part of this rugby family in the Land Down Under. </span></b></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #050505;">Here is the link if you wish to read it. It is very well written and will tug at your heart: </span><a href="https://www.oneparentcamping.com/post/rugby" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">One Parent Camping: RUGBY</span></a></span></b></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkC1ySEWpAy7r-qqQ3pHCaBwklFwv56UOWIzupuvhZkUSv_yV_CSCs3iKVzxBpW1OybN4B-ACRkg7QyxmN6kDXTUOd2a9C4-vKzJ9FBDEp8B6qync1hq2qSC_jrkMK5dooT78qQC584zi/s446/dunc2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="446" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkC1ySEWpAy7r-qqQ3pHCaBwklFwv56UOWIzupuvhZkUSv_yV_CSCs3iKVzxBpW1OybN4B-ACRkg7QyxmN6kDXTUOd2a9C4-vKzJ9FBDEp8B6qync1hq2qSC_jrkMK5dooT78qQC584zi/w400-h266/dunc2.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Grandsons Max and Oscar</b></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFb-jg-j48f4_rbjYxFstzHjWU2VhzOFTlwWsQLeAbSvF0J0wCOy8HWfrGOSVT0bYouwlxpb9ve32q927vWcMZGK03C7XPToniK-ZudGSZEuqyU9kjS5Jb9ZJYgMsAEa4AYruCGcqBqTpL/s437/dunc4.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFb-jg-j48f4_rbjYxFstzHjWU2VhzOFTlwWsQLeAbSvF0J0wCOy8HWfrGOSVT0bYouwlxpb9ve32q927vWcMZGK03C7XPToniK-ZudGSZEuqyU9kjS5Jb9ZJYgMsAEa4AYruCGcqBqTpL/s320/dunc4.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWJby4EMrAbI6SegCEXUx3pHI1ZoT7Jdx3y_s6kOAD5aR7Lbhf-bdvy6pvflNooZ8VO27-X7BiJsVpkY497wGnvFkkf1MeRsnGmU4u_3Kn1sK6PEW_ERZ9-5BFRS-180yPjdwl6EVffrU/s344/dunc3.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWJby4EMrAbI6SegCEXUx3pHI1ZoT7Jdx3y_s6kOAD5aR7Lbhf-bdvy6pvflNooZ8VO27-X7BiJsVpkY497wGnvFkkf1MeRsnGmU4u_3Kn1sK6PEW_ERZ9-5BFRS-180yPjdwl6EVffrU/w359-h400/dunc3.webp" width="359" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Chantal, Oscar, Max and Duncan</span></b></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (missing from pic, </b><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>granddaughter</b></span></span><b style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Alex. Probably off playing soccer... or swimming!)</b></span></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0" style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="7a4hu-0-0"><b><br /></b></span></div></div>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-78281726132358570832020-06-23T03:20:00.003-06:002021-07-08T23:25:25.603-06:00OKAY UNIVERSE. I'M LISTENING (but enough with the brain tumours already)<div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-sa2NmQVXTq3EJY0_aWkKe3spxv1zvaG8EZZlQ0q2uegxAGD6QarDUP_jSpZqHFDKQpNe_C593qjfuo1RtdEil4vvuGV77EusmLTVwHTSUUe3XOV1Ix8f1IOr-r07z1jpoiJqk8rTb9n/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="512" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-sa2NmQVXTq3EJY0_aWkKe3spxv1zvaG8EZZlQ0q2uegxAGD6QarDUP_jSpZqHFDKQpNe_C593qjfuo1RtdEil4vvuGV77EusmLTVwHTSUUe3XOV1Ix8f1IOr-r07z1jpoiJqk8rTb9n/w400-h272/image.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></span></div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><div>I have always believed in Signs. Oddball or stranger-than-usual coincidences that grab your attention, even for a split second, and you just KNOW there is a message there somewhere. </div></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How one is to interpret or read those Signs is another thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What the hell use is there of a message one can't understand? Ah...well, I'm beginning to think only age and experience can reveal that answer. Not a satisfying revelation, I must say.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Take, for example, the events of the past month: we all get good news and bad news, that's life, but how often do they come in patterns that repeat. It may be a pattern that has visited me before but I was too young and racing at Indie 500 speed to notice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Youth doesn't pertain to me anymore. Speed isn't my friend.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, here's the thing. Twice now, I have gotten either fun/good news that is <i>immediately </i>followed by truly harsh and unimaginably sad news. I'm talking within <i>seconds </i>of each other!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just weeks ago, someone in my immediate family (cant say who cuz they would shred me) won a few coins in the lottery. $500,000.00. Quite a few coins actually. And within 3 seconds of hanging up the phone in wonder and awe of how many Creamsicles one could buy with half a million bucks, the phone rings to say our dear sister-in-law in Austria died of a brain tumour. Andrea was the beautiful wife of my husband's youngest brother Michael. She was diagnosed and hospitalized only 2 weeks before passing. It was a shock and sorrow double-punch to the gut. You reel back at the sudden tragedy and grasp for answers that nobody can answer. She was a kind and lovely soul.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And it feels somehow worse because Fate had made your heart extra happy first, lifting you up high so the fall is worse. Felt more keenly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Okay', I said. 'That's just bad timing. Such is life. Deal with it and carry on carrying on.' (like the posters say). Struggle with the happy thoughts of the good news battling the tears of the sad. All day long. All week long....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But then today, it happened again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Happy High wasn't a big lottery win (that would have made it a Proclamation, not a Sign) but a silly fun win. I had written the Chimes candy company weeks ago, whinging that my bag of Ginger Mango Chews ripped me off with an empty, air filled wrapper. It had been like the 4th time this happened and I was right pissed off! Trivial, perhaps, but it seemed unfair to not get what you paid for...so there ya go. Old People World Problems. Loads of Pandemic Time on my hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Imagine my surprise when I got a phone call from California (I am in Canada) from the Chimes company PR rep who apologized profusely for my deep suffering at the loss of my single ginger mango chew (with sincerity, not a trace of condescension) and explained to me that the weight of each bag is consistent, and the empty wrapper was common but irrelevant. Then he offered to send me some free chews for my trouble and sweetly said goodbye. Nice!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I clicked off my phone with a massive Cheshire grin, and<i> immediately </i>within <i>seconds </i>of hanging up, received the news that my son-in-law Duncan had died of a brain tumour. Duncan was the husband of my eldest daughter Chantal, and father to their three young children. My gorgeous grandchildren. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was another shock and sorrow double-punch to the gut.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> With the added shank to the back because, well... kids.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ummm...hello? Universe? Are you trying to tell me something?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Admittedly, the Happy High wasn't as lofty as the lottery win but I was floating on a cheeky win nevertheless and doing the happy dance, then, well, you know. Devastating sadness. Unspeakable heartbreak. For everyone. And the loss of a wonderful guy. So funny, so smart, so good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>'Okay', I said. 'That's just bad timing. Again. Such is life. Deal with it and carry on carrying on'. (like the posters say). </i> But now there is the added absurdity of that Californian sun-soaked voice repeatedly saying "I am SO sorry you had to go through that..." about a fucking piece of missing candy, while my mind sporadically spits out sparks of reality to my head about poor Duncan. All day long, making me fight tears that wont change a bloody thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So yea. This is a repeated Sign I have to figure out what the message is about. And soon. Or I just wont pick up the phone again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not worth the risk. 💔</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(💫Believe it or not, I just remembered this pattern happened before: In Year 2000, we took the kids to Europe for 6 weeks on a first ever family tour, and when we returned, all Happy High, I called a best buddy Lana to chat about our amazing trip, she told me her husband Bernie, the most adorable man ever created, was diagnosed with a brain tumour just after we left, and died a week after we returned. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Man...I need to process this...)</span><br />
<br />
<b>DONATE: If you wish, please donate what you can to the </b><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.curebraincancer.org.au/" target="_blank">CURE BRAIN CANCER FOUNDATION</a> </span><b>(click capitalized name for email link). In memory of Duncan Cutler, Australia, if you like. THANK YOU.💓</b><br />
<br />DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-49391832967555358302019-11-23T01:44:00.118-07:002022-11-13T23:53:54.783-07:00BETTER HANDS ON A SNAKE: A Brother Broken By Disease and The Sister Who Picked Up The Pieces<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Rhonda picked up Bob’s hand and placed it gently on the Stanley Cup.<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<br />Splaying his fingers so they could feel its cool steel patterns, she helped them travel down the side and up again, allowing a slow and thorough sweep over the decades of engraved names.<br />
<br />
She avoided looking at his tear-filled eyes, giving him a period of grace to enjoy a personal moment of wonderment and awe, and a sliver of the privacy that his disease had stolen. Bob knew he could never die a happy man, but he and Bobby Clarke had touched the same Cup. That was happy enough.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<br />
Millions of people go to see the Stanley Cup, but how many people can say the Stanley Cup came to see them?<br />
*<br />
<br />
Born in a small prairie town in Canada, my brother Bob and sister Rhonda could not have been further apart. In every sense. A fifteen year age gap leaves a lot of dead space between siblings. The rare shared experiences don’t really stick. There is just a thin shared branch of a family tree.<br />
<br />
Where Bob was a tall, fit, Hollywood-handsome jock with the kind of aloof self-assurance and blue eyes that melted chastity belts like chocolate bars on a June dashboard, Rhonda was a sharp-tongued girl with a pleasant face and the meaty Ukrainian thighs the women of our family were legally required to own. Where Bob walked under a perpetual spotlight of attentive admiration, Rhonda was, I admit, largely ignored by her shitty babysitters (read: the sisters, including myself). A household with seven children is bound to have issues, and we had our fair share, but we were always close-knit. We laughed a lot and went through myriad decks of playing cards. That’s my memory anyway. Until that awful summer. </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"> <br />
Most of us had grown up and left home...going off to university, finding jobs, getting married or, in Bob’s case, joining an NHL farm team in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Mom had a scrapbook full of Bob’s headline-news hockey career, and we were all mighty proud.<br />
<br />
He was 19 when St. Louis nabbed him. 6’0”, 185 lbs, playing Centre with a smooth, effective style. He played for the Billikens first, and then went onto play in Syracuse, New York, and a few other American teams. </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">Like all his teammates, he was waiting to get called up to the big leagues. He had always been a top-notch hockey player and much of my childhood was spent being a rink-rat watching him play with the local Junior A Hockey club, The Dauphin Kings.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">
Captain Bobby Buchy. Always the star of the show. At least in my eyes.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">Well, maybe not just<i> my</i> eyes.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">Scoring 5 goals a game was not unheard of for him, and when a team in Montreal tried to trade 4 of their players for him, it wasn't a surprise. They surreptitiously flew him out to Quebec to court him, but Coach Steve 'Boomer' Hawrysh wasn't having any of it. He called them back to block the steal and refused to let him go. </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">Bob was a joy to watch. And funny at times too: I can't count the number of times the games were stopped so the rink staff could shovel the ice to find Bob's lost contact lens, the jam packed crowd of 2000 fans cheering uproariously upon its recovery! </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">His dream, like most Canadian kids who slept with their blades on, was to play in the NHL and nothing was going to stop him. </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">However, Multiple Sclerosis had other plans. </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">I was 9 when Bob left home. He started his professional career with all the eagerness in the world, but all too soon, he just wasn't doing as well as he knew he should be. He wasn't feeling himself. Was it nerves? Not enough sleep? These things were never an issue before, so why now? There was nothing obvious to point to, so it must be that he just wasn't as good as he thought he was. His stats never grew and neither did his confidence. He blamed himself. Who else was there? </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">He then moved from team to team, his total points dropping while his penalty minutes rose. At home he'd been a lover, not a fighter! </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">Not anymore.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">
Now the only life he had ever wanted was slipping from his fingers.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
Desperately unhappy, with his self-assurance and dreams now shattered, Bob left hockey and entered dental school, trying to wrap his head around his unfathomable loss and stark new reality. But his naturally positive good nature and instinct for survival soon helped him refocus and his new path began to look brighter.<br />
<br />
And then we got the call.<br />
<br />
I was 14. My big brother was my hero, and now my hero was blind and couldn’t move. MS had drawn his name on Fight Night and it was Round 1.<br />
<br />
Sucker punched. A TKO.<br />
<br />
He was sick for months, and then unexpectedly he went into full remission. But at age 24, he was forever a changed man.<br />
<br />
He began the life of a Free Spirit. Quitting dental school, living in the bush up North, building log homes, grabbing at pleasure at every turn, doing whatever the hell he pleased and living in constant fear of a relapse. People who didn’t know him thought him an odd duck, a drifter...or a Charismatic Pirate who was quick to laugh and cheat you at cards. And steal your girlfriend. <br />
<br />
He wandered.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<br />
And that was Bob’s life until, 10 years later, MS rang the bell for Round 2. This time it wasn’t a TKO, but he was on the ropes. And he’s hung there ever since.<br />
<br />
A lifelong, slow and unrelenting attack.<br />
<br />
Playing cards at the kitchen table (a family tradition), Bob would sometimes stand up and his legs would wobble. Those long muscular legs that used to pump like an iron horse on the ice, thrilling us all with their solid elegance, now barely able to push back his chair. Struggling visibly, he would shun anyone stupid enough to offer assistance, and then leaning on the countertops and walls, he’d drag himself, tortured step by tortured step, to the bathroom. The usual 10 second walk became a 10 minute ordeal. One way.<br />
<br />
We would sit back and wait, feigning interest in small talk. An unspoken agreement to provide a half-assed background din so Bob wouldn’t be embarrassed by us overhearing his difficulty making it up and back down the hallway. Grunting. Shuffling. Heavy breathing. None of us making eye contact with each other, only half hearing each other speak, listening instead with perked ears for the dull thud of a fall. Or a call for help. Lost in our private anguish at the unseen evil that was attacking our brother. All of us helpless to fight back. Not allowed to help.<br />
<br />
He would make it back eventually, sweating and red-faced from the effort, and we’d start up again like nothing happened. Deal the cards.<br />
<br />
A true warrior, he fought. And he fought. And he fought.<br />
<br />
Much later, suicide notes were found tucked in-between book pages:<strong> I will NOT end up in a wheelchair. I’d rather die.</strong><br />
<br />
What does one do with old suicide notes?<br />
<br />
Rip them up.<br />
<br />
Cry.<br />
<br />
Don’t tell Mom.<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
Although my brother won his battle against Suicide, he lost his war with The Wheelchair.<br />
<br />
Rhonda had remained at home and soon, mom and dad couldn’t live without her selfless, invaluable help. It suited them all perfectly and they had their routine down pat.<br />
<br />
Then at age 35, health worsening, Bob had to move back home. Rhonda was now 21.<br />
<br />
Things slid downhill quickly after that.<br />
<br />
Defeated and dejected, Bob was learning to cope, but our family home wasn’t very big and definitely not wheelchair friendly. His legs were near useless now and his hands were starting to numb. Mom catered to him devotedly but inside, she was crushed. And scared. Dad just lived in some kind of blind denial. Accepting the truth would have broken him. The weight of all that fear and sadness became tangible and the symbiotic nature of their home drastically changed. Duties shifted and allowances were made, whether they were welcome or not. Rhonda fumed. Bob fumed. Frustration and anger mounted. Clashes of personality began to hit hard and daily petty spats between Rhonda and Bob eventually turned into shouting matches. </div><div style="line-height: 200%;">
<br />
I think it was Mom’s obvious distress that finally made them run up the white flags, and they simply recognized that they were just two people who were pissed off at what life had dealt them and they’d become each other’s convenient punching bag. The wall of contempt fell and the healing began.<br />
<br />
It started with civility. No more name-calling or rudeness. No arguments. They ignored each other for a while but spoke politely when circumstance necessitated. And then one night during a regular game of Rummy with Mom, Bob couldn’t hold his cards easily anymore. His fingers could barely move so they called it a night.<br />
<br />
Next game, Rhonda unexpectedly joined them and helped Bob deal the cards. She then shifted them around in his hand with his instruction. Looking at his cards, he shook his head somberly and said, “I’ve seen better hands on a snake.”<br />
<br />
The laughter around the table was loud and cathartic. Like a giant chalkboard brush wiping the slate clean.<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
Bob, ever defiant and hungry for independence, soon decided he needed to be on his own and wanted to live in his old cabin by the lake. How’s that possible, one could ask? Great question. How can a man who cannot walk or move more than a finger look after himself?<br />
<br />
He can’t.<br />
<br />
And so the Charming Pirate re-emerged and with assistance from his new ally and astonishingly resourceful sister, arrangements were secured to have help come up twice a day to the lake to 1) get Bob out of bed and 2) get Bob back in bed.<br />
<br />
In-between those times, save for the odd visitor, he was all alone.<br />
<br />
It wasn’t ideal. We worried. A lot.<br />
<br />
“What if a hungry bear comes by, or your cat curls up on your face and smothers you one night? ”<br />
<br />
“Then I die. <i>My</i> choice.”<br />
<br />Freedom to choose saved him from despair. Complete autonomy became his standard, and his life became bearable. </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">
Then years later, at age 58, his condition worsening, Bob finally threw in the gloves and moved back home. Our aged parents were a handful for Rhonda to manage, and Bob, now a quadriplegic, became a full-time job in his own right. Drastically lessening the hours (and income) from her job as a Teacher's Aid, she became nurse, secretary, chauffeur, concierge, personal shopper, cook, maid and most importantly, lottery ticket and bingo card buyer to them all.<br />
<br />Bob was in and out of hospital with so many near-death bouts of pneumonia, we lost count. We’d visit him in hospital and he’d whisper-sing the Fred Penner kid's tune, <i>‘The cat came back, the very next day…’ </i>and we'd laugh through our tears.<br />
<br />
A cat with nine lives, indeed! But then the whispering stopped.<br />
<br />
MS took his voice.<br />
<br />
So Rhonda and Bob developed an exasperating and painfully tedious way to communicate that we dubbed 'AlphaBlinking'. When lip-reading fails, Rhonda starts with ‘A’ and works her way down, all the while looking to see if he is blinking once for ‘yes’, or twice for ‘no’.... slowly spelling out his words.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;">
<br />
YOU try it. Good luck.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">Once, I flew home cross-country to see Bob in the ICU at the hospital, thinking his time had finally come. I tried to AlphaBlink his final words to me and failed miserably. I was devastated. Rhonda stepped in to help and we eventually realized that he was asking about his old battered goalie stick from his childhood that had been recently unearthed from the deepest dregs of the basement. He had been spelling it G-O-L-I-E and it had been throwing us off for 20 minutes! We laughed so hard... until he was airlifted to Winnipeg and I knew that damn stick might be the last thing we ever talked about.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">But, the cat came back.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
Predictably, set routines drastically changed after he needed a tracheotomy: feeding tubes; perpetual throat suctioning; nightly distress-checks every 2 hours. Very much like a newborn babe needing regular feeding and changing. </div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">If anyone asks Rhonda if she has kids, she doesn't know how to answer. Her life <i>was</i> like motherhood!</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
My brother and sister carved out a life for themselves with the tools they were given. Neither are prone to verbally expressing affection (NOT a family trait...the rest of us are embarrassingly mushy), but they give each other the gifts of kindness, laughter, and a love that is never spoken, but always shown. Every single day.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;">
<br />
I love getting pictures of Bob's bright, colorful birthday parties. His brilliant, hilarious Halloween costumes. Their lovely Christmas celebrations. Scenic day-drives to the parks and lakes.<br />
<br />
What could top that?<br />
<br />
Well...there might be ONE thing.<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
It happened on August 22 2018, when Rhonda gave Bob the most treasured gift of his life.<br />
<br />
Any true fan would kill to touch the Stanley Cup, and one day, to Bob’s utter amazement, news hit that it was coming to the house.<br />
<br />To THEIR house!<br />
<br />
Dauphin Kings Alumni and Head Coach of the Washington Capitals <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Trotz" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Barry Trotz</span></a> brought The Cup to town to raise money for charity. Hearing that Bob couldn’t possibly come to the fundraiser to see it, he brought Lord Stanley to see Bob.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 200%;">Why would he do such an amazing thing? <br />
<br />
<strong>Barry once said, in a SPORTNET article: " [my] favourite player was a centre named Bob Buchy. He reminded me of Jean Beliveau — tall, graceful, skilled. Everyone has a favourite player growing up and I guess a lot of them are [NHL] stars these days. Mine was a player from our hometown.” (link to article <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/barry-trotz-stanley-cup-dauphin-manitoba/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> </strong><strong>)</strong><br />
<br />
Carrying the large, iconic trophy carefully in his arms like a big shiny baby, Barry walked up the wheelchair ramp and into our hearts. My brother’s eyes were as wide as any Knight newly gazing upon the Holy Grail.<br />
<br />
Rhonda’s face split into such a wide grin, she found teeth she didn’t know she had.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
A chat.<br />
Pictures.<br />
Pure magic.</div><div style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
They say that our experiences in life are like Deposits that we save in the Banks of our Minds. The more we experience, the more we save, and then in our solitary Golden Years when its hard to get up from our rocking chairs, we can make Memory Withdrawals, enjoying them over and over again. My brother had led an interesting life for a while, but MS robbed him from filling that memory bank. That special day did much in way of enriching that vault.<br />
<br />
There must be a special place in Heaven for people like my sister Rhonda and Barry Trotz…but Bob? Well, I’m not sure where pirates go…<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
<div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.5pt; border: none; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">
<div style="border: none; line-height: 200%; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</div><div style="border: none; line-height: 200%; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></div><div style="border: none; line-height: 200%; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> **UPDATE**</span></span></b></div><div style="border: none; line-height: 200%; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My beautiful brother Bob quietly passed away in his sleep on Oct 22 2022. My tribute to him can be read here: </span><a href="https://parcaschosen.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-cat-didnt-come-back.html" style="font-size: large;" target="_blank">THE CAT DIDN'T COME BACK</a></span></b></div><div style="border: none; line-height: 200%; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><br /></div>
<div style="border: none; line-height: 200%; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> PHOTO ALBUM:</span></b></i></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><b>AGE 19: CAPTAIN BOBBY BUCHY of the Dauphin Kings:</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTMRlthN7Z1auKe3Y4KCWppmMCeZKqBwnWwbUXLeYJDc7By4Oq-Gfo4a_fWj7DT0DRp8dvhYATTXhQsnXdRUBdEvZwicJy44nO50I25mHUmQ-7gnGIzc1-oY9QBRwAwuIjUYW0kN8Upyu/s1600/bob+hockey2+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="917" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTMRlthN7Z1auKe3Y4KCWppmMCeZKqBwnWwbUXLeYJDc7By4Oq-Gfo4a_fWj7DT0DRp8dvhYATTXhQsnXdRUBdEvZwicJy44nO50I25mHUmQ-7gnGIzc1-oY9QBRwAwuIjUYW0kN8Upyu/s640/bob+hockey2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1bh06rUOg-NiBkqYS7tEgNOomFFJLKHZutsy8Sa11cvkR_D4DK-u1kEHk3b9_QRd1zBhSQalJn8p3nYaHC7fkEPmArauVp7H21K7ajCRJ92Cl3ixUHv3mpPYCl0lWfc3gS2wRq5_OD63/s1600/bob+hockey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="480" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1bh06rUOg-NiBkqYS7tEgNOomFFJLKHZutsy8Sa11cvkR_D4DK-u1kEHk3b9_QRd1zBhSQalJn8p3nYaHC7fkEPmArauVp7H21K7ajCRJ92Cl3ixUHv3mpPYCl0lWfc3gS2wRq5_OD63/w640-h568/bob+hockey.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhA6pH2S2VhOaNqdojMwY1At6NRC1E2OPD8e0epR1ahM7BLZiPQLhNgAM8_FPU5QOlyvpcvLqr_0KaetVXhPDA25AxUo2hrqF0Z4qAJiEF0v9xrNkc_qlFYQwhFUdszhpgxhoeiiqqcp9/s1600/bob+newspaper.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="975" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhA6pH2S2VhOaNqdojMwY1At6NRC1E2OPD8e0epR1ahM7BLZiPQLhNgAM8_FPU5QOlyvpcvLqr_0KaetVXhPDA25AxUo2hrqF0Z4qAJiEF0v9xrNkc_qlFYQwhFUdszhpgxhoeiiqqcp9/s640/bob+newspaper.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqww0KAXogVSBdFqungN_P76wIDXjyDGGVKqHpG5lX_WcRlsK0PFjElrY4psV87rD238akxq11v58CqbrvJCcaseSQG4_pvx8FcNPLRKtlDtfsyd7z-UIi_Nb-XwJgEc6Bp-_wjiqfLYEV/s1600/bob+kings.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="426" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqww0KAXogVSBdFqungN_P76wIDXjyDGGVKqHpG5lX_WcRlsK0PFjElrY4psV87rD238akxq11v58CqbrvJCcaseSQG4_pvx8FcNPLRKtlDtfsyd7z-UIi_Nb-XwJgEc6Bp-_wjiqfLYEV/s640/bob+kings.jpg" width="568" /></a></div>
<br /><b><br />
</b><div><b>Off to play in St. Louis: (Rhonda is in this pic too!)</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipy974eZqi5N8tvho-vCNU2Ldn1PJWVz2AmtNS8ZjlnkffNaIYaOEuwpVcxgImGx99YTOww7UYMGx2sOOizXRUDwJNIDdgToq6I45egciwgl9so98obrCX91pExtrIh6HOuNPdEryYBXtf/s1600/bob+and+ron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="219" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipy974eZqi5N8tvho-vCNU2Ldn1PJWVz2AmtNS8ZjlnkffNaIYaOEuwpVcxgImGx99YTOww7UYMGx2sOOizXRUDwJNIDdgToq6I45egciwgl9so98obrCX91pExtrIh6HOuNPdEryYBXtf/w233-h400/bob+and+ron.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyBCFX3gEGuzWQEWrZgyPn2uMyngGFBAMgs4q4THDjNbx69PisuHXkwWao7eDvImeZeKkFXiokeG8Gtzc1rhYwkICI7MdoXPQvQGIsWn_lGbVVplNqPmm5b2oyceXlbR9j0iNZRzEmyKR/s1600/bob+hockry.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="633" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyBCFX3gEGuzWQEWrZgyPn2uMyngGFBAMgs4q4THDjNbx69PisuHXkwWao7eDvImeZeKkFXiokeG8Gtzc1rhYwkICI7MdoXPQvQGIsWn_lGbVVplNqPmm5b2oyceXlbR9j0iNZRzEmyKR/s640/bob+hockry.png" width="412" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoWj54-4H_9BBfiNkgm0aURZNAYzml_7jCdchkHYCmWohJ4iA6vctgONQJlT-3ZLXJMBvVWLA0vcjsNH1rrxH8MKBK_zx0o4Gwo9wATs-6cMXR5QdiGdaYEOUrxCzeGcjcd3vxz-aA8Wt/s1600/bob+st+louey+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="975" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoWj54-4H_9BBfiNkgm0aURZNAYzml_7jCdchkHYCmWohJ4iA6vctgONQJlT-3ZLXJMBvVWLA0vcjsNH1rrxH8MKBK_zx0o4Gwo9wATs-6cMXR5QdiGdaYEOUrxCzeGcjcd3vxz-aA8Wt/s640/bob+st+louey+2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b> Number 19:</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSkddpA0v-JEpXcNwUGPAFHLQlf1wDbSa14sGW0HNsoGUEAecZ-zDNpYT1wTQ0Ecp9TNXyHMnNUjQBI5F6kxBXgvPmFDl_B1VYZwZTl__kUJwbgynaXZIUcwtDpNTpW8nQdICiRlLGTny/s1600/bob+newsp2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="975" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSkddpA0v-JEpXcNwUGPAFHLQlf1wDbSa14sGW0HNsoGUEAecZ-zDNpYT1wTQ0Ecp9TNXyHMnNUjQBI5F6kxBXgvPmFDl_B1VYZwZTl__kUJwbgynaXZIUcwtDpNTpW8nQdICiRlLGTny/w640-h320/bob+newsp2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>
Handsome bugger!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsndsWtY7YlmYPNJ_bRyr-OnkKg-d_Cy-U-Q3-b80t2fFu6oJwMvprJy34pCNlAuzhauDuMDKDyCxVJbCbl-v3N734zv-tpYB0dOl4RRbpIYA_DP-djDxGhIpk-q027z9Q77VirGp20Ty6/s1600/bob+handsome.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="480" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsndsWtY7YlmYPNJ_bRyr-OnkKg-d_Cy-U-Q3-b80t2fFu6oJwMvprJy34pCNlAuzhauDuMDKDyCxVJbCbl-v3N734zv-tpYB0dOl4RRbpIYA_DP-djDxGhIpk-q027z9Q77VirGp20Ty6/s400/bob+handsome.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Me and my Hero:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhL47LfKAkKoMr5d4tc0AaLGOcVfbgmxtKIczZDwzjbFMLF03ijQ5q7DKB1mQKA6U0KVMTHYAK2jdeqLV1MMJZR-S0UxX93TabrRJTbbhgBPn0alGtEWc_NO8i2rNuHWdTRK3E1Oh2RK8/s512/bob+and+me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhL47LfKAkKoMr5d4tc0AaLGOcVfbgmxtKIczZDwzjbFMLF03ijQ5q7DKB1mQKA6U0KVMTHYAK2jdeqLV1MMJZR-S0UxX93TabrRJTbbhgBPn0alGtEWc_NO8i2rNuHWdTRK3E1Oh2RK8/w313-h400/bob+and+me.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>
In remission:</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mpHWrdZEvvH6gW9udp-znxOnglduDVgwwv4ehQQCTb0hnmCC0GSy3xzMl-bl095g_E8jqgH8wPGv54nTwRvsVglHGcSgThtDOTtExja2B1YIQLtJojuZSWlqjvbTUltRGipWJxiHjNKI/s1600/bob+bushman.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="625" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mpHWrdZEvvH6gW9udp-znxOnglduDVgwwv4ehQQCTb0hnmCC0GSy3xzMl-bl095g_E8jqgH8wPGv54nTwRvsVglHGcSgThtDOTtExja2B1YIQLtJojuZSWlqjvbTUltRGipWJxiHjNKI/w398-h400/bob+bushman.png" width="398" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2yoi8K7GikF3X9-JOSDeTG6QYEdwSHLFNmAqQPtI65x6qvcwofsqT9cLHX7ffqt5Z9amxXRsBUMuXjTHIg0-Gn0YhD0xw1pjccY-0KPdJMAZFU10kZ9rdu85KPPgFe01WmHqQtAt-gc-/s1600/bob+logs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="480" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2yoi8K7GikF3X9-JOSDeTG6QYEdwSHLFNmAqQPtI65x6qvcwofsqT9cLHX7ffqt5Z9amxXRsBUMuXjTHIg0-Gn0YhD0xw1pjccY-0KPdJMAZFU10kZ9rdu85KPPgFe01WmHqQtAt-gc-/w400-h252/bob+logs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><b><br />
</b></div><div><b>Many years later, already in his wheelchair:<br />
<br />
Bob and my twins Scott and Chaelan circa 1992</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4O7GtJ2IAGgOvBzmP-U9WAlr2mlSGH2drUmVq09tiFYgwM2h7FbcJOWkJRrh8PgjdhllvxOl-Zal6BlLZGhiRH47cDp0D-JV1yUK4khfxMEN_RNo6oR8My83Sxmlm_6aYr9-XFHpRDhQ/s1600/bob+and+kids.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="329" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4O7GtJ2IAGgOvBzmP-U9WAlr2mlSGH2drUmVq09tiFYgwM2h7FbcJOWkJRrh8PgjdhllvxOl-Zal6BlLZGhiRH47cDp0D-JV1yUK4khfxMEN_RNo6oR8My83Sxmlm_6aYr9-XFHpRDhQ/s400/bob+and+kids.png" width="365" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>
Bob with Mom and Dad:</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_m2pp2kydXEGHXsByaipvssxZJECdikGdDqZXru_6bRLoNwpXKhB8Ra47Jb_BfSh4_aBG_kKMf0-yF00CJKr3TPBVEtsmZdp4zamq21m_I5tjbRRHp-qGqkC-VYX0ozkieLfxXcqS0SPI/s1600/bob+md.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="470" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_m2pp2kydXEGHXsByaipvssxZJECdikGdDqZXru_6bRLoNwpXKhB8Ra47Jb_BfSh4_aBG_kKMf0-yF00CJKr3TPBVEtsmZdp4zamq21m_I5tjbRRHp-qGqkC-VYX0ozkieLfxXcqS0SPI/s400/bob+md.jpg" width="391" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div>
Happy holidays and celebrations with Rhonda: here in Christmas 2019</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0maE3odKlKTbwvJTiz7moXpONfQRRg4gX_R9JgXu4TPsfe3JTy_qtbDfKPfYpfwY5XHeW5H5f3BvYUBZhQV-5MAcAvC54h6xVEAlbmtHToXN6ew9P-NmuTCDU968PTWrBwLGb8lBxNrB/s1600/bob+ron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0maE3odKlKTbwvJTiz7moXpONfQRRg4gX_R9JgXu4TPsfe3JTy_qtbDfKPfYpfwY5XHeW5H5f3BvYUBZhQV-5MAcAvC54h6xVEAlbmtHToXN6ew9P-NmuTCDU968PTWrBwLGb8lBxNrB/s400/bob+ron.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u><span style="color: #000120;"></span></u><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQ4XrvDO269gMcGDmuAlt3NdQbkAzyRYxqZTgNAMGVMagPIhnbdpp2UAD52AKllKDMuDuq_4WB1mSJgzwgYTK2Lj1BC52obmNE98MihQa-at6aBGgmPPAxLzk4kv0xHixSGFWwbF3lsuI/s1600/bob+hw1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQ4XrvDO269gMcGDmuAlt3NdQbkAzyRYxqZTgNAMGVMagPIhnbdpp2UAD52AKllKDMuDuq_4WB1mSJgzwgYTK2Lj1BC52obmNE98MihQa-at6aBGgmPPAxLzk4kv0xHixSGFWwbF3lsuI/s400/bob+hw1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JP9bDYX9v_rMVvau7n85iyvciYr_zvMoXAqquFveIsamytbWiXqyrv8hCffh7PzUKOd2Sg5Ch_tnV98XtmPHYQDd-owXy7n8Ead-50unSY87GmPxOqY6pmJoGk_9RSt7L-fcRhbJBfpo/s1600/bob+hw2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JP9bDYX9v_rMVvau7n85iyvciYr_zvMoXAqquFveIsamytbWiXqyrv8hCffh7PzUKOd2Sg5Ch_tnV98XtmPHYQDd-owXy7n8Ead-50unSY87GmPxOqY6pmJoGk_9RSt7L-fcRhbJBfpo/s400/bob+hw2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-pphAwY2pzH6p4D6YcFXN0L2UCNX6TgaKFLWsMaBd_GYdyL7d8CoMBkTz8BUJB5NTJ1OEy1E_yWTnF4mZr-5_9Bnj3VL1Xg7GDoIVLu-6vyjkUleDSOS_jqFIXeg2oFBbqSr1wUF4PUu/s1600/bob+hw3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-pphAwY2pzH6p4D6YcFXN0L2UCNX6TgaKFLWsMaBd_GYdyL7d8CoMBkTz8BUJB5NTJ1OEy1E_yWTnF4mZr-5_9Bnj3VL1Xg7GDoIVLu-6vyjkUleDSOS_jqFIXeg2oFBbqSr1wUF4PUu/s400/bob+hw3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1G71bQjXefSkaNaM23HXk1OkyuRekGYumR16Q7W3MNXOoXiwYe4bhDdNtLn4l6yV6xxHQYjtIyqrACx_o-eeAG3asUT2jQlcgWY3M539RsSQCagnu25L0q629fmWW9jA4vbkmKN0cYvO/s1600/bob+hw4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="975" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1G71bQjXefSkaNaM23HXk1OkyuRekGYumR16Q7W3MNXOoXiwYe4bhDdNtLn4l6yV6xxHQYjtIyqrACx_o-eeAG3asUT2jQlcgWY3M539RsSQCagnu25L0q629fmWW9jA4vbkmKN0cYvO/s400/bob+hw4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbPMLL2Y9y3ekb3TmbDT08blVJO3JiAKWAjpkAbdmnpmzPWvb6LhE8fAdJLmugsxx555yYeMoHIq0X1x6H9Anwc1ihJKpzRC_C4xMbGQy48Yq1yGl3_axr02hah26Ejf19DdLjV21rtOm/s1600/bob+hw+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbPMLL2Y9y3ekb3TmbDT08blVJO3JiAKWAjpkAbdmnpmzPWvb6LhE8fAdJLmugsxx555yYeMoHIq0X1x6H9Anwc1ihJKpzRC_C4xMbGQy48Yq1yGl3_axr02hah26Ejf19DdLjV21rtOm/s400/bob+hw+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><b><br />
</b></div><div><b>And my personal favorite:</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIsB-m8VvWGwBaAgYN0gEbNywU8ds3xQUX2WrHEgCdbbJ1jtpl-SJVNJlWXgVH3q7kGOBGwK2sd6ccJLLQQJNREJyhO2Hp_nnrbWs-FsjeoyyRtlFmArBqu8s3ENcM5qbwYmc-6sldABl/s1600/bob+hw+6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIsB-m8VvWGwBaAgYN0gEbNywU8ds3xQUX2WrHEgCdbbJ1jtpl-SJVNJlWXgVH3q7kGOBGwK2sd6ccJLLQQJNREJyhO2Hp_nnrbWs-FsjeoyyRtlFmArBqu8s3ENcM5qbwYmc-6sldABl/s400/bob+hw+6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /><b><br />
</b></div><div><b>Bob, Barry and Lord Stanley:</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4epKsWKITHoDMZ3JgxWuz5hzyczswYO5JaDlWrvUkoVa3-MSv_q4bXzLqC7z4a0uhOaoWyVbuS5mhrEVHso79ZnYbmZB5WC5n8HPk3Hw1vkYAF2NSf5GTP2eGFVy9bsAxTKsFbFT1SxBq/s1600/bob+barry.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="951" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4epKsWKITHoDMZ3JgxWuz5hzyczswYO5JaDlWrvUkoVa3-MSv_q4bXzLqC7z4a0uhOaoWyVbuS5mhrEVHso79ZnYbmZB5WC5n8HPk3Hw1vkYAF2NSf5GTP2eGFVy9bsAxTKsFbFT1SxBq/s640/bob+barry.png" width="450" /></a></div>
<br /><b><br />
</b></div><div><b><i>And finally...</i><br /> </b></div><div><b>Bob and Rhonda: </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b> THEN AND NOW</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpk6O3NcLIV-mVgLWm4v5l9fwsED1jK2aoR0AqlBCrCW5mD9lmLPAeKDBcfb6hJ3zidEXnptxuhQFzhljUBTWBtAVBlJ1KTLwRhJZc-hpnL8NzMquml72_pWiCLnnvA7BIenLDwqlx-tGE/s1440/bob+and+ron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1440" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpk6O3NcLIV-mVgLWm4v5l9fwsED1jK2aoR0AqlBCrCW5mD9lmLPAeKDBcfb6hJ3zidEXnptxuhQFzhljUBTWBtAVBlJ1KTLwRhJZc-hpnL8NzMquml72_pWiCLnnvA7BIenLDwqlx-tGE/w400-h314/bob+and+ron.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Here in 2010:</b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhah2ZM94PJDAstoU29w201LfJri-s70x6BzOEtLM8I2O-LFJl_vxeMSCj4AWIGnvGVOuO1Zxs9OwqdHb5z4GZ9C_3VmjKi2c9yEDgMWSAHWsi_O4vZzUR4H5Bi8Z6PxJO_b0sUl1OT_kUz/s1600/bob+hw8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhah2ZM94PJDAstoU29w201LfJri-s70x6BzOEtLM8I2O-LFJl_vxeMSCj4AWIGnvGVOuO1Zxs9OwqdHb5z4GZ9C_3VmjKi2c9yEDgMWSAHWsi_O4vZzUR4H5Bi8Z6PxJO_b0sUl1OT_kUz/s640/bob+hw8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>THE END? Nope, not by a long shot...</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>***</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>NOTE ADDED:</b></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>I was delightfully surprised at the overwhelming reaction this blog piece received on the hometown Facebook page I posted it on (as a last minute link in another story actually) but my most cherished comment(s) of all, was from retired </i>Senior Associate Chief Justice of The Supreme Court of Manitoba, The Honourable Jeffrey Oliphant<i>, who was born and went to school in Dauphin. Here is his post, which is followed by a dozen other back and forths (not shown)... mostly me gushing all over the poor man for his encouragement. *facepalm*</i></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb12GcGTR9eNRAtALbv6Xg-NBrFZ6M864W9ftpp-kY-66lgU-vYHNGILjWyMVTXcGwhjHLg_SLk8YSz5LYVs7T8bkiUeqDpVWmD1O0w5r45KJGhbQk3-D4YOeqGIC9SDpzwHIo3CIXvKfa/s462/mr+oliphant+ss.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="462" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb12GcGTR9eNRAtALbv6Xg-NBrFZ6M864W9ftpp-kY-66lgU-vYHNGILjWyMVTXcGwhjHLg_SLk8YSz5LYVs7T8bkiUeqDpVWmD1O0w5r45KJGhbQk3-D4YOeqGIC9SDpzwHIo3CIXvKfa/w400-h374/mr+oliphant+ss.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i></div>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-11322468124541229622019-10-28T15:09:00.002-06:002020-01-12T00:44:33.082-07:00ATTACKING UGLY ROOMS: DIY Small Space renovating <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After a years' sabbatical on Vancouver Island, we returned to our old job managing a small, family friendly motel in the Fraser Valley in Southern British Columbia (yes, we are rated #1 thank you 😊). Mainland grandbabies popping up left and right, with little hope of seeing them very often due to the expensive and time-sucking ferry over the Georgia Strait between us, made our decision to return easy. Orca, cruise ships and Island Life is amazing, but are NOTHING to soft and/or sticky grandkiddie kisses! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Back in the saddle again, we assessed our old Manager's Suite: the renos we did in the former years stood up well, even though the temporary manager was neglectful and, well, a lazy dick. We had to scrub off a layer of dust and set things right again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />I was able to load a section of ready-made shelves that were ' good enough for now' with a few of my favorite books and book series...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXGZp0Zw8QTMiQQYu4uWkce4ys2k5lcTuAPD16NBISc2wDndrxuTURBghyphenhyphenZFRBEJH1knqSrcqK1t7EWe63PYOgAGC3ZLso9Jz3DHwETezQxj6eBs-suUxV0fj6GCQSi9tcrl5Ry8ShmJk/s1600/books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXGZp0Zw8QTMiQQYu4uWkce4ys2k5lcTuAPD16NBISc2wDndrxuTURBghyphenhyphenZFRBEJH1knqSrcqK1t7EWe63PYOgAGC3ZLso9Jz3DHwETezQxj6eBs-suUxV0fj6GCQSi9tcrl5Ry8ShmJk/s640/books.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">...b</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ut it was smack dab next to a room we had never before gotten around to tackling before...and it begged book shelves. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lots of them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The old storage room off to the left of the living room was always cold and uninviting, with a boarded up window that protected us, and the glass, from the riff raff that sometimes trafficked the alley that bordered our left flank. The room was inhospitable, and therefore ignored and all but left alone save for housing the usual junk one accumulates.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, upon our return, and promise to remain until retirement in a few years, I decided, much to the chagrin of my Long Suffering husband Peter, that I needed a mini-office to inspire me to continue my writing, and it had to have it's own wee fireplace to warm my perpetually cold feet (Peter loves a cold house; I prefer a Dante's Inferno-like temprature...or warmer). It's the only thing we ever argue about in our 23 years together. 😈</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, if I can dig up old pics, I will show you more thoroughly the transformation...but for now, imagine a small ugly room that you appreciate having a door to close on it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All the useless junk was thrown away, semi-useable junk was sold or stored in the basement for future considerations. The grotesque carpet was removed (I swear I hear it growl), new paint was applied, etc...and a home for the balance of our books was created! The boarded window presented a problem...but we would deal with it when need be...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let the games begin: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mapping out the sized and shape of the room:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZFMNMlZ6Hlpv3VVV7OU3r1mNWJ9IJc5THZSm4jeOHOQfdWHNGUfKtgx3sAJnjb92MOrjkgbvKhVfMsPL1oIuyP_6BPkOaT8KAgtMCAGqKYEq7PJ6z87yRkDmEWBphBpxE5tMCv9qLx0N/s1600/20190502_163126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1600" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZFMNMlZ6Hlpv3VVV7OU3r1mNWJ9IJc5THZSm4jeOHOQfdWHNGUfKtgx3sAJnjb92MOrjkgbvKhVfMsPL1oIuyP_6BPkOaT8KAgtMCAGqKYEq7PJ6z87yRkDmEWBphBpxE5tMCv9qLx0N/s320/20190502_163126.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Painting was quick and easy, flooring more time consuming but no problem for the Pro (a.k.a.: my hubby). Then, the bookshelves were up next:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tmZPi1xl1Yqe4BYT9B-AcHAWfutHpdOF_ZKkeBa_jHgO67L46TU97Gj8bgYxQb-rE8FzZCXRPw19KxMr-0x5mQUbJWUaLmVzkJn2du7Qq_kz1v2KS-35oR-yD6kCY0c3YE3yVzEP55X-/s1600/20190503_100020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tmZPi1xl1Yqe4BYT9B-AcHAWfutHpdOF_ZKkeBa_jHgO67L46TU97Gj8bgYxQb-rE8FzZCXRPw19KxMr-0x5mQUbJWUaLmVzkJn2du7Qq_kz1v2KS-35oR-yD6kCY0c3YE3yVzEP55X-/s640/20190503_100020.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*BELOW: <i>Please excuse the 'desk art' It's actually MY hand, preserved in stone for eternity, showing the world what I thought of it at age 19!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><i></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQsXbRvof_kUvoDXmV9RLPSNsJn-3-Xk-wNvL9IrIkoYbxKEjbLZQYEe13l9xSq-maC27pUKM0aBcgABJNIHHNted3N-ikzsXO088TAZyCLMk-FPpYf-DuKH-aY_wQHcJMYVonrqn-eVW/s1600/20190505_205637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQsXbRvof_kUvoDXmV9RLPSNsJn-3-Xk-wNvL9IrIkoYbxKEjbLZQYEe13l9xSq-maC27pUKM0aBcgABJNIHHNted3N-ikzsXO088TAZyCLMk-FPpYf-DuKH-aY_wQHcJMYVonrqn-eVW/s640/20190505_205637.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQtRYrFUStTchawM0sKyv7IORen264e4ylthBMi-WaU7kic4taPB-5nG6w60WVPWqx_iFFAkvZiVMLvTwXD7XSstzuLwGBlY6NhlAi6xbLc_-DqudvQsdztz65WJBIcEbYRFob81g_5D6/s1600/20190505_205631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQtRYrFUStTchawM0sKyv7IORen264e4ylthBMi-WaU7kic4taPB-5nG6w60WVPWqx_iFFAkvZiVMLvTwXD7XSstzuLwGBlY6NhlAi6xbLc_-DqudvQsdztz65WJBIcEbYRFob81g_5D6/s400/20190505_205631.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Opening the boxes and boxes and BOXES of books was better than Christmas! Missed them so much...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5AYGv-ImMJM3HpC4ydATAj3WA41u1_T90_iyLhvgaw-O6xR1VODTNLggg-CchAmGS0OJHqaxqjWtNp_eEFfY0pfUf_IYHvamiem6g6W8_f7sCnLLQ_koL8esR7Zu9eGqZnyHIcJlAoMZ/s1600/20190508_210822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5AYGv-ImMJM3HpC4ydATAj3WA41u1_T90_iyLhvgaw-O6xR1VODTNLggg-CchAmGS0OJHqaxqjWtNp_eEFfY0pfUf_IYHvamiem6g6W8_f7sCnLLQ_koL8esR7Zu9eGqZnyHIcJlAoMZ/s640/20190508_210822.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBYDOzN8Sug6rM4nLrpxRmUQpAO-lNyBoo-NecBXJPDVeYYSTFjE3PpFTLRss4VHEMlkc1dMpK8MBC7seULXd5Iz3FlRnHcRQmQYe5QIffFFnyeyh7y6QlFcrWxvOsFdM_nNT6IUc9Ute/s1600/20190508_210815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBYDOzN8Sug6rM4nLrpxRmUQpAO-lNyBoo-NecBXJPDVeYYSTFjE3PpFTLRss4VHEMlkc1dMpK8MBC7seULXd5Iz3FlRnHcRQmQYe5QIffFFnyeyh7y6QlFcrWxvOsFdM_nNT6IUc9Ute/s640/20190508_210815.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SLUGHORN, our comfy blue fireplace chair, was recommissioned to be the visiting chair for those (foolishly) wishing to interrupt my writing:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXU2P90zemTBdwnDFfQvwPlFq5gi0IaEFdv8fk2E53daWDwZtKZ7XAZQmXQcExBzg4ZJ3TklYPP8tXyhLjYiByt488llbXlGZ4e9B2EqL4q6PbhXEwLRIKxb-FA_IMafXM6zm2T3yJJgbl/s1600/20190511_213028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXU2P90zemTBdwnDFfQvwPlFq5gi0IaEFdv8fk2E53daWDwZtKZ7XAZQmXQcExBzg4ZJ3TklYPP8tXyhLjYiByt488llbXlGZ4e9B2EqL4q6PbhXEwLRIKxb-FA_IMafXM6zm2T3yJJgbl/s400/20190511_213028.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ugly window solution: make it a centrepiece! We boarded it up from the INSIDE, making it a<i> feature</i> of a feature wall....</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nXW8JVpCE0b481VZCtVUI6kuDGIqaEoBfRMnt0JnagTSJCjHCSkI1aVfShVpDJlfEtpYgCziO0T5S8jHhph3h5TYINiEF97AERI9bVd0Ee525Lt_Sk_z-Pwj6Sv_JyvRAisOAUufuOuL/s1600/books3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nXW8JVpCE0b481VZCtVUI6kuDGIqaEoBfRMnt0JnagTSJCjHCSkI1aVfShVpDJlfEtpYgCziO0T5S8jHhph3h5TYINiEF97AERI9bVd0Ee525Lt_Sk_z-Pwj6Sv_JyvRAisOAUufuOuL/s640/books3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">…<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">and added 2 of my oldest and favorite paintings, 2 Victorian Original Oils from 1835. Bought them at a yard sale for 20$ and had them appraised at 250.00$ EACH. Great find!</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjl5ES2pOSkPd95JzRzJ-2XpjVPoRMIjWad6DhoeZiftXjpx8uT2tUXqFBQ6oIke7n_bEHXAFWvREybILB2jQktERE6SViTN5KnOtOnWe6fID932ZElpOEyI9L_epTevuV9m-DEBTVHtk/s1600/books4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjl5ES2pOSkPd95JzRzJ-2XpjVPoRMIjWad6DhoeZiftXjpx8uT2tUXqFBQ6oIke7n_bEHXAFWvREybILB2jQktERE6SViTN5KnOtOnWe6fID932ZElpOEyI9L_epTevuV9m-DEBTVHtk/s640/books4.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlO-q1tbnVcRphKBy9VERst9ylxjIoU3IDVD4K6mPYNKXaYI7S_CHe1StuFLG7aYc9SGWYtIq_KMgHHV5TVbkk1zPof5-U8b7A9tSPIrsg1t5bOc8Hi2hUuFYMBSEy8r5pOKFSmWSwIcZ/s1600/books2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlO-q1tbnVcRphKBy9VERst9ylxjIoU3IDVD4K6mPYNKXaYI7S_CHe1StuFLG7aYc9SGWYtIq_KMgHHV5TVbkk1zPof5-U8b7A9tSPIrsg1t5bOc8Hi2hUuFYMBSEy8r5pOKFSmWSwIcZ/s640/books2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So... we now enjoy our little library as one our most favorite spots in the apartment! This my lovely wrap around desk....(found it for sale for $1.00 on a local Buy&Save site! It is brand new! GAWD I love a bargain... 😍)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY78J1CU50HoYvVPBrcfSUj0LLXdHyBkj46EA-CP2kizPtXyO9lGjJU7fptiy7PGj08aJBXf38S57he38KPUvaklWKiAS-LNqAm3rYAnwU9b-EVfVc_dw4_e5hshs1qEdmTe6csGd_ijt_/s1600/books6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY78J1CU50HoYvVPBrcfSUj0LLXdHyBkj46EA-CP2kizPtXyO9lGjJU7fptiy7PGj08aJBXf38S57he38KPUvaklWKiAS-LNqAm3rYAnwU9b-EVfVc_dw4_e5hshs1qEdmTe6csGd_ijt_/s640/books6.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">OH! And this a cool book holder I found for my new desk. A pair of wooden hands:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHj62UKtg56vZd_XdiUiH0Nj0GdcxJ9wohTMT7ezWLCE3zVVqBSp44FAgBbwzLLdKzhCJrIr-tQRp-G8EkQBtHerri8LpeRKhpTsqM092-AeXoN68bb3wuSEFodtvrvvkGcVUhEjQo3O9/s1600/book2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHj62UKtg56vZd_XdiUiH0Nj0GdcxJ9wohTMT7ezWLCE3zVVqBSp44FAgBbwzLLdKzhCJrIr-tQRp-G8EkQBtHerri8LpeRKhpTsqM092-AeXoN68bb3wuSEFodtvrvvkGcVUhEjQo3O9/s400/book2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvqR0M8gfwoOZ_vBqkv3Cz7Tow4mIRvHMJSKzCwxlFP1Ci3zL8HkeA81jAy9aVlIOtjj0FWaCaLnjpvXB8bo68o4m75K7_UV1IR82_ZiptEsdXfVsDH38r6zqWaP86bX6AhzOMOBeX2Mt/s1600/book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvqR0M8gfwoOZ_vBqkv3Cz7Tow4mIRvHMJSKzCwxlFP1Ci3zL8HkeA81jAy9aVlIOtjj0FWaCaLnjpvXB8bo68o4m75K7_UV1IR82_ZiptEsdXfVsDH38r6zqWaP86bX6AhzOMOBeX2Mt/s400/book.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">...and this is my new favorite view:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD1rn-JixZS-yxGbXWjTO05wm-ON7MDTpqqPeiK_Up6hyphenhyphenOx918o24QfyZPMMBi3Chv8RdV6IXdQzgy_Crk-5dKcHO1HpzIUJNtt3qvNm7PaRycm6ettxRqrGw8ng0fP9mjcOyjW4YXEsg/s1600/books5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD1rn-JixZS-yxGbXWjTO05wm-ON7MDTpqqPeiK_Up6hyphenhyphenOx918o24QfyZPMMBi3Chv8RdV6IXdQzgy_Crk-5dKcHO1HpzIUJNtt3qvNm7PaRycm6ettxRqrGw8ng0fP9mjcOyjW4YXEsg/s400/books5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some people like stark and minimalist décor, and some like it busy and thriving like a living thing. Like me. I love my years of collectible art around me, and the pictures of my kids and life. Its inspiring. But whatever your style, a small room can be your new sanctuary!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I hope you enjoyed this DIY adventure and wish you all the luck in your own! <i>*raises glass of Cape Ruby*</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i></i><br /></span>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-76892915375669442652018-05-01T01:10:00.004-06:002021-10-24T14:12:45.921-06:00RENOVATION MADNESS 2: MY WC (a.k.a. bathroom) MOSAIC <div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: black;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBep7n1XbOP5ppfP_j1TZpupxvw-F08wXtwiO-VEqwbsTc4b2Grvy7v31lrownSsDqLM-KVUrx45kmfD4m1d5H119-2YQNnS8EKC4WbaB-bmXeGg3aOyUueBwzdVZeVgiIGQPzjVQJHwoY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBep7n1XbOP5ppfP_j1TZpupxvw-F08wXtwiO-VEqwbsTc4b2Grvy7v31lrownSsDqLM-KVUrx45kmfD4m1d5H119-2YQNnS8EKC4WbaB-bmXeGg3aOyUueBwzdVZeVgiIGQPzjVQJHwoY/w256-h320/image.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: black;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div><div>Apparently I am a sucker for punishment.</div></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">No sooner had </span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">t</span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: black;">he cuts and blood-blisters healed from my first mosaic project <i>(see here:</i> </span><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://parcaschosen.blogspot.ca/2017/12/renovation-madness-my-rather-ambitious.html" target="_blank"><b>Renovation Madness: My Rather Ambitious Mosaic Hearth Project </b></a><span style="color: black;"><b> ) </b></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: black;">then my mind began imagining a mosaic for the upstairs Master Bedroom bathroom. </span></span><span style="color: red;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: black;">It is an older style bathroom where the shower/tub and sink, counters, etc...are in one large area, and you open a door to a smaller adjacent room where there is a toilet and sink.</span></span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">My DH <i>(dear husband) </i>Peter was nearing completion of said bathroom and I had a feeling the big bare wall in the toilet room needed a splash of fun. <i>Yes...mentioning splash and toilet in the same line does not inspire pleasant imagery but I had to go there. *grin*</i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i></i><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">The first thing I needed to do was to think of a design. I used our living room view as inspiration for the last mosaic, so I wanted something more fantasy-like for the bathroom. I hear many artists and writers get their best ideas whilst sitting on the Porcelain Throne, so why not make the room conducive to creating big things! <i>(*Oooops...that didn't sound right, did it. *giggle*)</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I sketched a few pics out...mermaids, gallant ships...trying to get a feel for what moved me. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;"><i>(*okay...I am saying right here and now that if you see toilet humour in everything I say, its on you. I am NOT going there again...)</i></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9pWUPza86h3b90XH8JDap1NUw1qqCVn79g2uOgUxaSUkiFHsWtx8n9fMCLLx9-S_6sziEcwkkd70RMasruc37Q6kwxQOGkSRjr-b4zBOzDDaZw052fBEVPXtKj80rDlQqR4RXJW2WlJg/s1600/20180328_134111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1210" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9pWUPza86h3b90XH8JDap1NUw1qqCVn79g2uOgUxaSUkiFHsWtx8n9fMCLLx9-S_6sziEcwkkd70RMasruc37Q6kwxQOGkSRjr-b4zBOzDDaZw052fBEVPXtKj80rDlQqR4RXJW2WlJg/s400/20180328_134111.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HF-Ykp7i2nrLNOtl6FGrjkrZ00RXwo9_ZvkxCe-S71TSded_SzqsukZgc8oGevovIEMyB3pnlxm_6piSY_-GT86pNVCwX6mAlYcdPCT5T3jBvPXSAFxmEbtAiXsqqL9uuRlCR-BcYLKl/s1600/20180409_225917.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HF-Ykp7i2nrLNOtl6FGrjkrZ00RXwo9_ZvkxCe-S71TSded_SzqsukZgc8oGevovIEMyB3pnlxm_6piSY_-GT86pNVCwX6mAlYcdPCT5T3jBvPXSAFxmEbtAiXsqqL9uuRlCR-BcYLKl/s400/20180409_225917.jpg" width="300" /></a><i><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;"></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<i><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"> *kinda looks Gustav Klimt-ish?</span> </i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgA-_5GFNkkoqBpQpsNUtlX_TKVw8a-DkpIfE_Rio2xI02OnjmlJOcvOJRSCq7PQY8aZq72JfGi8Clwfus8gvTM0dL_2Kdc3ldUq-_PM4vTI78XNkA55TVNfCGysvNvInn-us2sWAREiC/s1600/20180328_134102.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgA-_5GFNkkoqBpQpsNUtlX_TKVw8a-DkpIfE_Rio2xI02OnjmlJOcvOJRSCq7PQY8aZq72JfGi8Clwfus8gvTM0dL_2Kdc3ldUq-_PM4vTI78XNkA55TVNfCGysvNvInn-us2sWAREiC/s400/20180328_134102.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: small;"> *kinda looks like Mae West-ish?</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UWB_72mAR1yVIJ_VlslRdg_Lip1Lm-PjOX7SoOLzwX4V1NQs1xCuKEEyj2rFwZuw3CHh0eTUE49CI0kGLuLKgvy18aPNNxQX_FOhXwKff4wtvlPeVginbT2ww2ztQT0uiSg2hAytbvc2/s1600/20180502_121847.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UWB_72mAR1yVIJ_VlslRdg_Lip1Lm-PjOX7SoOLzwX4V1NQs1xCuKEEyj2rFwZuw3CHh0eTUE49CI0kGLuLKgvy18aPNNxQX_FOhXwKff4wtvlPeVginbT2ww2ztQT0uiSg2hAytbvc2/s400/20180502_121847.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEpe2iF70hDrz1dLzocMLTPrflpcAVh1Gpul2t2BL98MPegICjRdvN1Aju0j09FD34W7AIozOtByZDFohODghMWdsdr683koYWVX21Y6zm9dB7LfG98S586ukQkdHCVI01cWlw6DRs5Jr/s1600/20180331_150706.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEpe2iF70hDrz1dLzocMLTPrflpcAVh1Gpul2t2BL98MPegICjRdvN1Aju0j09FD34W7AIozOtByZDFohODghMWdsdr683koYWVX21Y6zm9dB7LfG98S586ukQkdHCVI01cWlw6DRs5Jr/s400/20180331_150706.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i> *Ahoy Matee!</i></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I was thrilled to find a box of black tile at the thrift store <i>(<b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.habitatnorthisland.com/" target="_blank">ReStore, Habitat For Humanity</a></span></b>)</i> so I tossed around the idea of a silhouette mermaid or ship...and then I found some peachy/orange tiles and decided on this combo... </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjyBMx5iQmEuGJJ1ts26MKPvOcaJRe6B2D2GXlKHnzF7eAkOHT8RkGxSUmpVQhfq82bLBMc63LSl4Y150CXEF4OUAdM76sW-6emjTzByK7YWLWTcAr42tyARjavJ0jEbFoHSVBMUkK2U6/s1600/20180409_151812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjyBMx5iQmEuGJJ1ts26MKPvOcaJRe6B2D2GXlKHnzF7eAkOHT8RkGxSUmpVQhfq82bLBMc63LSl4Y150CXEF4OUAdM76sW-6emjTzByK7YWLWTcAr42tyARjavJ0jEbFoHSVBMUkK2U6/s400/20180409_151812.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">... until it hit me how too Halloween-like it felt so I sat back and tried to come up with another idea. Like I have said before, the color and availability of tiles guides your choice of design sometimes. Professionals probably have all they need on hand for their creations, but week-end artisans like me work with what scraps come our way!</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">And then...the</span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"> Gods of Tortured Mosaic Makers smiled on me that afternoon when a pod of Killer Whales swam playfully past my balcony and I got this shot, and my best idea for the potential mosaic:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpslAK7F71NCzrEO3LMAZTcNNVGgIEkK5h838pW9U0sryCEFoGhLjfVfViCvJ8zRQrvTnIvl2U5CYLifBaVDv5OK4CU_ZtqJqpbWVhxQBSrtoc0mIkI-5bgaAxXW_xJvuKmrW932RX9Bdk/s1600/IMG_9011+%25284.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpslAK7F71NCzrEO3LMAZTcNNVGgIEkK5h838pW9U0sryCEFoGhLjfVfViCvJ8zRQrvTnIvl2U5CYLifBaVDv5OK4CU_ZtqJqpbWVhxQBSrtoc0mIkI-5bgaAxXW_xJvuKmrW932RX9Bdk/s400/IMG_9011+%25284.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6cRZXIgI-beYYHmO2qp2fXzN2v5ppY0Y4vx34tkbgyPJU_ub-Ymta28FGExCz8BlqH_bTURSKFg6cyCNSpzTgvLtGapn8c7R9DbO3VesQSjmEfkYSABSs9DtU4gehTBFbgTtZCV8Y2Y-/s1600/20180410_153046.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6cRZXIgI-beYYHmO2qp2fXzN2v5ppY0Y4vx34tkbgyPJU_ub-Ymta28FGExCz8BlqH_bTURSKFg6cyCNSpzTgvLtGapn8c7R9DbO3VesQSjmEfkYSABSs9DtU4gehTBFbgTtZCV8Y2Y-/s400/20180410_153046.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I skimmed over the net and found some Orca pics and, as they say...Eureka! I sketched one I liked:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNksfFNc8AVv06IFGNOQX6yQlo68hYpYX87mtB-F9pRLJOGKXWzIFX9kygZsLUn0svN7-K6xkGyOqjy2BPZ44lSfFrl6uC6CbU0nzWyV1kU83YKsLZatyxy6z-El-HrtR3lYYcTyEhyphenhyphenhC/s1600/20180502_121906.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNksfFNc8AVv06IFGNOQX6yQlo68hYpYX87mtB-F9pRLJOGKXWzIFX9kygZsLUn0svN7-K6xkGyOqjy2BPZ44lSfFrl6uC6CbU0nzWyV1kU83YKsLZatyxy6z-El-HrtR3lYYcTyEhyphenhyphenhC/s400/20180502_121906.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Satisfied that I was going to regret committing to another creative adventure that would cause me anguish and sore fingers (read the aforementioned virgin mosaic project to understand this fully) I began busting up and hammering tiles and setting up the work space. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">*Here is a before pic of the smaller bathroom <i>(the place was badly outdated and disgustingly neglected...a renovators dream! I will post an 'entire house' reno blog when we are 100% done)) </i>and then my initial sketching on the almost finished wall:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mIloXTIZ4Q_wq7KErMjRI_1WPnbpoMt1XmqDWdz5yn5-HiE1NsqXQI8vMqNqRQdtn2kkjoJXpygaauoPdBIeI7qfQ-VxPSzEcEvr26w-DvvhbN7ErWX-fTXhcHiKY5GajL0AVH1W7cyl/s1600/20170914_181744+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mIloXTIZ4Q_wq7KErMjRI_1WPnbpoMt1XmqDWdz5yn5-HiE1NsqXQI8vMqNqRQdtn2kkjoJXpygaauoPdBIeI7qfQ-VxPSzEcEvr26w-DvvhbN7ErWX-fTXhcHiKY5GajL0AVH1W7cyl/s400/20170914_181744+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MTJ5uyAayYuOSNmiDzTpwSkq7GMvKU4lRmsY-dFf1H7BK_4IOmz5VFw5ipkiTFi7fUt_ij0KT1wwSqUqzbGou3yR9so1qH1vuTrhJ-41Lsh6an6wmkjQ0CLsRV4gkUPFl5D_kmN_6bo4/s1600/20170914_181753.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MTJ5uyAayYuOSNmiDzTpwSkq7GMvKU4lRmsY-dFf1H7BK_4IOmz5VFw5ipkiTFi7fUt_ij0KT1wwSqUqzbGou3yR9so1qH1vuTrhJ-41Lsh6an6wmkjQ0CLsRV4gkUPFl5D_kmN_6bo4/s400/20170914_181753.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF19cC1T_jcmK29iASLPWcfxcgXE7QfhlssNciKEqz2qX3uhfuBek_c2JZGPmHDjJgk4BheIvfnw5oamYw3MrvrAU755ZagoPmaeISviKgQD6zL8jYwJNomrr-mg1V4rzrPtghdE9isq7_/s1600/20170915_092203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF19cC1T_jcmK29iASLPWcfxcgXE7QfhlssNciKEqz2qX3uhfuBek_c2JZGPmHDjJgk4BheIvfnw5oamYw3MrvrAU755ZagoPmaeISviKgQD6zL8jYwJNomrr-mg1V4rzrPtghdE9isq7_/s400/20170915_092203.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I won't rewrite the entire list of supplies and tools you would need to do this or another mosaic project but it IS in my first project (link above and highlighted).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Here is the space I was dealing with, and the mosaic area was about 3.5 feet by 3 feet:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2K3a-TjEIH-sx7wmiP0Q0gTzrnnXzgblDmIR16p3wHYQW4Gk-x3e9Xwobc94cUl43fmnsExwzl2yTxepRyDDG0lnGVvo6bhPLLmuvWFZKpo6_fV3_AOKWCud3WH_qVDFm6wCvyDh26QBs/s1600/20180406_003947.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2K3a-TjEIH-sx7wmiP0Q0gTzrnnXzgblDmIR16p3wHYQW4Gk-x3e9Xwobc94cUl43fmnsExwzl2yTxepRyDDG0lnGVvo6bhPLLmuvWFZKpo6_fV3_AOKWCud3WH_qVDFm6wCvyDh26QBs/s400/20180406_003947.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGwS41p2GTXKqZNjxgtt_QsaDtyLXpnscSQhHJ-6VRQIFELPZYmCPMVei4-buaNtV5TQ2k4WRRIPFYj-2BPIV2DqY2JWfWtQFJWyMs_lBCpTo1I5AuE21eooa7jCZo9CMrLSjHMQSlYpc/s1600/20180408_124505.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGwS41p2GTXKqZNjxgtt_QsaDtyLXpnscSQhHJ-6VRQIFELPZYmCPMVei4-buaNtV5TQ2k4WRRIPFYj-2BPIV2DqY2JWfWtQFJWyMs_lBCpTo1I5AuE21eooa7jCZo9CMrLSjHMQSlYpc/s400/20180408_124505.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Some material and tools on the ready:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6Jz433wOoc4ECfH4MSBhskDjPW1wzVQbGO10Aj1qD98pKblpqyYCPxuEFdE7WcZrF4JZhs_3EqNMZ_atE9KeHBuq_pWOAwhoidnEwuas7A_vt3PvWBN3MWcVSQKQ7qBD-m7SUUDH6AVf/s1600/20180424_131548+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6Jz433wOoc4ECfH4MSBhskDjPW1wzVQbGO10Aj1qD98pKblpqyYCPxuEFdE7WcZrF4JZhs_3EqNMZ_atE9KeHBuq_pWOAwhoidnEwuas7A_vt3PvWBN3MWcVSQKQ7qBD-m7SUUDH6AVf/s400/20180424_131548+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkab9yBuP2rEIrzXOKdjsQc-IWnGv57uXbAn1_5OGP_l2V94nEloRWjH2ZVchvjdJScLj3PV0zjxHZifRvE9EE_L85zHVZF_L6ZG9nCE_9SQ5pAjl-o70h4b0jif2_QMxj1pFYRTCypVFC/s1600/20180424_131558.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkab9yBuP2rEIrzXOKdjsQc-IWnGv57uXbAn1_5OGP_l2V94nEloRWjH2ZVchvjdJScLj3PV0zjxHZifRvE9EE_L85zHVZF_L6ZG9nCE_9SQ5pAjl-o70h4b0jif2_QMxj1pFYRTCypVFC/s400/20180424_131558.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">*believe it or not, I used the thin bottom end of this tube of Blistex to scoop out glue in the tiny, thin spaces on the mosaic...go figure!</span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Q4OyEVjVglYQf8g7JgW9RwwKbAzksspqYezCZRnlXn8og9HhQIPJVrl90ryfFaTNSjetjb8sJJnnNwZGccknfbUYrqIhqUX_h7GFFXKfQKICZ6SUNku-ez5veqsqkHuFj6dAj1mMOs_L/s1600/20180424_131617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Q4OyEVjVglYQf8g7JgW9RwwKbAzksspqYezCZRnlXn8og9HhQIPJVrl90ryfFaTNSjetjb8sJJnnNwZGccknfbUYrqIhqUX_h7GFFXKfQKICZ6SUNku-ez5veqsqkHuFj6dAj1mMOs_L/s400/20180424_131617.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><i> *glue and any handy old bowl...or cat dish, in this case</i></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tcubIk5hrXfNUIrGTzOKGgIDPRoArxyyBRHzfAjMNf1UDgI7rYOu5igpEdSpwjNevNZc_PvhecrkcnF6WdQWZOubUfaFdGHNmtNa4f8lg-wRGzgubR1gyqhBlBMhMe_Z4zfEmq669kkW/s1600/20180424_131622.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tcubIk5hrXfNUIrGTzOKGgIDPRoArxyyBRHzfAjMNf1UDgI7rYOu5igpEdSpwjNevNZc_PvhecrkcnF6WdQWZOubUfaFdGHNmtNa4f8lg-wRGzgubR1gyqhBlBMhMe_Z4zfEmq669kkW/s400/20180424_131622.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">*notice how pretty this corner turned out...complete with 2 ceramic Orca! I found the vintage mirror in the thrift store I always go to. My DH is a Master Tiler and does amazing work on renos... *hearty applause* I just dabble in mosaics now...use his glue and tile cutter... and harass him to grout for me. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">*smile*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">More pics as I draw on the base picture and start gluing:</span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCQobw-rqEwIAgQTA3lYNfuXSCsL8oyTIAl9umNXzZPgxBzj3x2wdzOBvaOn9EU0h79kEWywGPI8KQIMChNCi1-st2i8MBQmbYhdzNao0FlhV3PCy7FzCpCmllTqO5cFGvfb-C4GibVKn/s1600/20180413_165200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCQobw-rqEwIAgQTA3lYNfuXSCsL8oyTIAl9umNXzZPgxBzj3x2wdzOBvaOn9EU0h79kEWywGPI8KQIMChNCi1-st2i8MBQmbYhdzNao0FlhV3PCy7FzCpCmllTqO5cFGvfb-C4GibVKn/s400/20180413_165200.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><i>*notice how I altered the original drawing. Don't be scared to make a mess...it will be covered after all!</i></span><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ai44H2XcigXBmTeXAHh6pfCv035mXTXK1IJgk9EmB9GCpnxqvIcit4OGFZ1ucnksD4xkGRvLA2SQprIvwcwLZa1BRt9YDEmMlOz4juPMJqgm5U0vGX1oIJlysNPqnpmh8DC0NUfj69lf/s1600/20180413_161905.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ai44H2XcigXBmTeXAHh6pfCv035mXTXK1IJgk9EmB9GCpnxqvIcit4OGFZ1ucnksD4xkGRvLA2SQprIvwcwLZa1BRt9YDEmMlOz4juPMJqgm5U0vGX1oIJlysNPqnpmh8DC0NUfj69lf/s400/20180413_161905.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Uw5XjAFJWUkpYYvDnuKI_r1ViQYLqT-pOLXVvHVlgRFpDNADu_aivRUzWcroqONsYZdt_gYAo2N377Za-yBmpLUpYrNEqhDFxE7g2MAG3-uxAJbzNOdwq7JO-fGA2asVRKVFF4bMOPmp/s1600/20180414_154312.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Uw5XjAFJWUkpYYvDnuKI_r1ViQYLqT-pOLXVvHVlgRFpDNADu_aivRUzWcroqONsYZdt_gYAo2N377Za-yBmpLUpYrNEqhDFxE7g2MAG3-uxAJbzNOdwq7JO-fGA2asVRKVFF4bMOPmp/s400/20180414_154312.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI54hAZyFlH9cXIIhDfKtP91yNI6MMi58ldy90EdjTUSmCRlxlqNLE8vw_dsp-Gjbg3eo3bchU4Qf5J_NAiNdxcVk5CovT6jutblvyw3f86S-W8sQVGonD00sTjhZG4VGxayFxtsbDh9f4/s1600/20180414_154057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI54hAZyFlH9cXIIhDfKtP91yNI6MMi58ldy90EdjTUSmCRlxlqNLE8vw_dsp-Gjbg3eo3bchU4Qf5J_NAiNdxcVk5CovT6jutblvyw3f86S-W8sQVGonD00sTjhZG4VGxayFxtsbDh9f4/s400/20180414_154057.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">*I found a sheet of this glass mini decorative tile at the ReStore and stripped it for a cute border</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDY6fO2PQyxFLyZC8bt1PUS0gbMnqYLNo9v_DHqzrcCoOgBVEQdDRJ5OYV-c0phwYEHhArA0at7hVxLRP4VqXGzGwMiJNuhDTeLXR1Aa0yPwlljZXIOQFHjnrN1kazAujPuqf5Dix0tcyb/s1600/20180413_180625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDY6fO2PQyxFLyZC8bt1PUS0gbMnqYLNo9v_DHqzrcCoOgBVEQdDRJ5OYV-c0phwYEHhArA0at7hVxLRP4VqXGzGwMiJNuhDTeLXR1Aa0yPwlljZXIOQFHjnrN1kazAujPuqf5Dix0tcyb/s400/20180413_180625.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><i>*I like to use as many large pieces as I can first and then work my way down to smaller, then smallest pieces. Not always...I do find 'perfect pieces' and use them right away too... but large chunks make one feel things are getting done! Its psychological...I am not very patient. *smile*</i></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZB_srnj6jAvQOrU9-z6kahw3rNh368cAedgQtIBbIEgge2wPYwfm9no7s-WDvYp5gnRBuWeo_sEeO7HdHoAUTSQ83eX2hicLAnTcYf4R9fT6MeSUr_8ArVGOWyyHQIgabw6vRsp7w4JX/s1600/20180414_154024+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZB_srnj6jAvQOrU9-z6kahw3rNh368cAedgQtIBbIEgge2wPYwfm9no7s-WDvYp5gnRBuWeo_sEeO7HdHoAUTSQ83eX2hicLAnTcYf4R9fT6MeSUr_8ArVGOWyyHQIgabw6vRsp7w4JX/s400/20180414_154024+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihS1OVCWt7AaWNsrWZ4aqrE3mV-g88RRuepRddb0H9Fw59LCEr-TzUCK1aYOxFu9Fq-S_anOyS83VIZcrKCgWIkAfh_hBb75U1w4kfGhk2euDncebahhxycITix9mvEbkBE0KldvCI2qhy/s1600/20180414_154106.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihS1OVCWt7AaWNsrWZ4aqrE3mV-g88RRuepRddb0H9Fw59LCEr-TzUCK1aYOxFu9Fq-S_anOyS83VIZcrKCgWIkAfh_hBb75U1w4kfGhk2euDncebahhxycITix9mvEbkBE0KldvCI2qhy/s400/20180414_154106.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I use pieces that don't need shaping first, as using the tile clippers/cutters hurts my weak, old hands...and I usually end up bleeding. And I don't really 'shape' much...just trim and break to try and fit in as best as possible. If I had professional equipment I could round pieces and cut easier, and fill in space better, but it is how it is and I just leave spaces that are too small or difficult to manage. I have decided to find this charming. *smirk*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7o14DfnZia-5iAXwPqdkUBMPQe-iaAe-C-6j-HLetUC07u_l2C1lNjf1HkNtJa5AEUNdXIJWiKnpwJoT4MlSJcNdDUcYHeIQ9wLn66g0_2HUNXnLIlEJzOL1o9UXEkt3osvBHDlTytHoj/s1600/20180415_152950.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7o14DfnZia-5iAXwPqdkUBMPQe-iaAe-C-6j-HLetUC07u_l2C1lNjf1HkNtJa5AEUNdXIJWiKnpwJoT4MlSJcNdDUcYHeIQ9wLn66g0_2HUNXnLIlEJzOL1o9UXEkt3osvBHDlTytHoj/s400/20180415_152950.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDPTbe_sd6v7bqDGeV1aKi-z78Ycqs2G1oG4S3UZGDkgpH8HLhcA-ikeHy-SP_69RQnAbO5OTn5aLHUiMtikXiHB6yZnB29yQL-lQ5iNr2zoKnzpjglcHE-1O_7IxUzDDu7uAlZi-SZzq/s1600/20180415_152955+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDPTbe_sd6v7bqDGeV1aKi-z78Ycqs2G1oG4S3UZGDkgpH8HLhcA-ikeHy-SP_69RQnAbO5OTn5aLHUiMtikXiHB6yZnB29yQL-lQ5iNr2zoKnzpjglcHE-1O_7IxUzDDu7uAlZi-SZzq/s400/20180415_152955+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQwjibCMyTDQDT_T8DPnOB8JMH9kP_CtRfnRub1G52dMq36awDCiHVM5_8rEUvSM_gc7Wv5mZVs-N5Fr0Pdx5uoUYmwcywEQ1RYovgBaKaDuL7cyDckmQCMb3AX4yWSK4w7K6NL-0AXpj/s1600/20180425_013414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQwjibCMyTDQDT_T8DPnOB8JMH9kP_CtRfnRub1G52dMq36awDCiHVM5_8rEUvSM_gc7Wv5mZVs-N5Fr0Pdx5uoUYmwcywEQ1RYovgBaKaDuL7cyDckmQCMb3AX4yWSK4w7K6NL-0AXpj/s400/20180425_013414.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVBGFIF_smuL93Xdjn5w_BEjaelArfsVt3m5AexL4LjquKbLD7WLhzXIS9h9UtS5Y3WOtYTh-qgvthRUrIMGd4tSV4BAZhGFqp5_W7i_eoONENaRqalj4yVej4rmeRmKJFaOnMUYZCD9qd/s1600/20180425_013417.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVBGFIF_smuL93Xdjn5w_BEjaelArfsVt3m5AexL4LjquKbLD7WLhzXIS9h9UtS5Y3WOtYTh-qgvthRUrIMGd4tSV4BAZhGFqp5_W7i_eoONENaRqalj4yVej4rmeRmKJFaOnMUYZCD9qd/s400/20180425_013417.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">And the grouting begins, with my long suffering DH doing the honors! It isn't easy to do well and crazy messy, with a fast drying issue that kills me, so I happily allow my darling man to help me out and be a part of the magic...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtukSvVp9S8Mo6SIDZ5Uo7F6-O_gRpC4DO1RgUjlbS8sA2hKqEzmcFKR4QZYIdXzRFAfQ1j3wW5OCm3H5wcVUKoh3VIZx5ICLf0aDVBMwHEq4S-dKajoZq0NsHOAaONFNy6-Ku8kTugsmD/s1600/20180429_093503.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtukSvVp9S8Mo6SIDZ5Uo7F6-O_gRpC4DO1RgUjlbS8sA2hKqEzmcFKR4QZYIdXzRFAfQ1j3wW5OCm3H5wcVUKoh3VIZx5ICLf0aDVBMwHEq4S-dKajoZq0NsHOAaONFNy6-Ku8kTugsmD/s400/20180429_093503.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyPA6j8hYyNMXxw3oT3UQ0WKOhpEHTkdDqIoTW-sxMdcZIplPp33aHWP9tOGN4Yb-pgzhdVnjGR6hkZnD8KG8H19uzBwz-RtY1EIhGvduRCoFKLcu5ixv3s1NYqt-xZjmJw77HY_qj2Bb/s1600/20180429_100332.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyPA6j8hYyNMXxw3oT3UQ0WKOhpEHTkdDqIoTW-sxMdcZIplPp33aHWP9tOGN4Yb-pgzhdVnjGR6hkZnD8KG8H19uzBwz-RtY1EIhGvduRCoFKLcu5ixv3s1NYqt-xZjmJw77HY_qj2Bb/s400/20180429_100332.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJtHJ8-Q4BekMyNAJmjZoONJ6oRAv2gdahRpvgNbJvaOThZpz7CaCQ0bFBuAc7_Ow7py5b80op9AfA6c1O2g71I3vi2fh2WSUZiUaO3HX-mu87Ou628V5VKn2RBJSKg78IUAKljp_cYI4/s1600/20180429_100358.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJtHJ8-Q4BekMyNAJmjZoONJ6oRAv2gdahRpvgNbJvaOThZpz7CaCQ0bFBuAc7_Ow7py5b80op9AfA6c1O2g71I3vi2fh2WSUZiUaO3HX-mu87Ou628V5VKn2RBJSKg78IUAKljp_cYI4/s400/20180429_100358.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">One has to dig out smaller or sunken pieces sometimes...</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GO3sUuBlxfbRfeyWM3w0b4yEXxCVK7hexAaWJ4Pw0-ASi6SK2Q5bIZuIOKrxXT9fQDol2S7s3BI4_38w-1P3QwbTy_ORkOo7brqqW45OOREPyy0FR6txR8LsFdH1KN0OS9aFtygwMkt3/s1600/20180429_171450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GO3sUuBlxfbRfeyWM3w0b4yEXxCVK7hexAaWJ4Pw0-ASi6SK2Q5bIZuIOKrxXT9fQDol2S7s3BI4_38w-1P3QwbTy_ORkOo7brqqW45OOREPyy0FR6txR8LsFdH1KN0OS9aFtygwMkt3/s400/20180429_171450.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">And then...all of the sudden, it's done!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-vvTyE3I2k4-Iq6Z6BykYY1iP_xyWk3-4XUGU8DYallreK7VEEvNvhjKGG6FgObojLs3_kMG1oIP_nkua2JgP2-Uv-kVhX2Zbx2ua6IiMaIG269cT00vQaDAMKF7h79GAOCc0zwiHBBL/s1600/20180430_082646.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1283" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-vvTyE3I2k4-Iq6Z6BykYY1iP_xyWk3-4XUGU8DYallreK7VEEvNvhjKGG6FgObojLs3_kMG1oIP_nkua2JgP2-Uv-kVhX2Zbx2ua6IiMaIG269cT00vQaDAMKF7h79GAOCc0zwiHBBL/s400/20180430_082646.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStCnUvAvEuJCifKLqyF3SMZuwRGede5FMUInAKs6Npz3zGIWZU_XQcmSVFC489fMjRfCFpFaqTxbACqtgz3dxNika59LCHECn-Wb4Wt5-KW6gFOANHifY9_0UxQ2VizMMq6NDYKvs9A94/s1600/20180425_122914.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStCnUvAvEuJCifKLqyF3SMZuwRGede5FMUInAKs6Npz3zGIWZU_XQcmSVFC489fMjRfCFpFaqTxbACqtgz3dxNika59LCHECn-Wb4Wt5-KW6gFOANHifY9_0UxQ2VizMMq6NDYKvs9A94/s400/20180425_122914.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><i>*Still not done 100% with this small room...looking for accents and maybe a large red fake lobster or crab...or green starfish or cool pirate ship. I need a large color burst to offset the mass of grey...</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">In any case, I hope you enjoyed this journey with me...please pop back in a while and see if I have posted the entire house reno blog. It may take time as I work, but it will get done! It is been an amazing transformation and nearly done! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-57681543431683417452017-12-06T20:04:00.002-07:002021-05-10T22:23:39.088-06:00RENOVATION MADNESS: MY RATHER AMBITIOUS MOSAIC HEARTH PROJECT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">If you, like me, want to help out with the renovations in your new home but can't hammer a nail without flattening a thumb (yours or anyone's within 3 feet), and you decide to tile your old hearth with a mosaic picture, having NEVER tiled anything before, here is my advise to you: pack up your belongings and kids (or pets, or both), sell the house and buy one with a nice hearth already in place. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">If you ignore my advise, I wash my hands of you. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">But I am an old softy by nature, so I will give you easy directions and numbered list of what you need to undertake the project that is destined to both excite you </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">and ruin at least 2 fingers and your piece of mind for an undetermined amount of time.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">You will need:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">tiles of varying colors, depending on your color scheme and choice of picture. I wanted blues and browns to match my furniture, and my living room view. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">any materials you will be using in the mosaic (I bought small and larger rocks from the Dollar Store)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">a hammer and a cloth bag or large cloth (to hold the tiles while breaking them)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">goggles or protective eyewear that I forgot to wear but you should get because you may not have the Lucky Horse Shoe up your butt like I did and may lose an eye! Retrospect is 20/20, as the apt saying goes....</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">tile cutters (both hand held and floor unit if you need strips cut and not just randomly broken pieces)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">wine, scotch or beverage of choice (coffee or tea inadvisable as they may cause you to wake up and come to your senses)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Ceramic Tile Adhesive (glue for tiling; I had a tub already from my hubby's renovations so I am unsure how small a container you can buy...sorry)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">pencil or pen</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">small knife for mesh lifting</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">small cup or bowl to hold small amounts of glue as you tile (and an old knife to scoop it out of the main tub)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">measuring tape</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">black felt pen</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">drop cloth</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">broom/dust pan</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> notepad or sketchpad</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">colored crayons or pencil crayons</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">sponge</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">trowel</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">long flat knife</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">knee pads (optional)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">did I mention wine? (not really optional)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">a few rags to muck up</span></div>
</li>
<li></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>OPTIONAL IF NEEDED LIKE I DID:</b></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">staple gun and wire mesh and wire cutters</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">cement board or some base for mosaic to be made on if you are not building the mosaic right on the floor itself</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">saw horses or a table for off-floor creating</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">bandages</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">toothbrush (old)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">cell phone with 911 on speed dial</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">OKAY! Time to attack the beast! </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: red;"><b>Click on the photos to enlarge them....</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial";"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>BEFORE PICTURE:</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEo_us4lb6bGdxJpH3W_99ieZ6Ru9kLqHjtwkwvme8qIXisVYw8tnvBrwTq-dtEHsqzmWkApHpDLNrMKT6uwuAJqGOaPVE8ocNKVV1LC_fReBuXefjAEwAFRhkqsrjxk05Ae6SuVnPv0cU/s1600/24883062_10156093310610530_1487983923_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEo_us4lb6bGdxJpH3W_99ieZ6Ru9kLqHjtwkwvme8qIXisVYw8tnvBrwTq-dtEHsqzmWkApHpDLNrMKT6uwuAJqGOaPVE8ocNKVV1LC_fReBuXefjAEwAFRhkqsrjxk05Ae6SuVnPv0cU/s400/24883062_10156093310610530_1487983923_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Clean the hearth area of all old tile, glue and debris and make sure it is a level as possible. Measure the space you need to tile. Mine measured 31 inches by 50 inches.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I can't kneel well (bad knees...old Midnight Crab Apple Raid injury...but that`s another story) so while you may be able to draw your design right on the floor hearth area, I couldn`t, and needed my darling, long suffering husband to make me a table/sawhorse-like base to work on. He found an old thin metal bulletin board and it was flat and clean enough for me to draw my pattern directly onto the papery back of it. If you don't have something like this, use a large piece of paper, or multiple papers taped together on a board to use a pattern sheet.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNxGhWCgh7qvyEvWkrQDpLuAGKt5kKuNIotMKO7t1NSU8U2mNhbi4IuixKyKB0QMqkF7LLz1kSmA-e7AKSChtc2Rv12BqHDedwtZkwRP3us6EX4Dmr_eN4l6rGysKB1PgvXrAAInbcm7f/s1600/IMG_7466.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNxGhWCgh7qvyEvWkrQDpLuAGKt5kKuNIotMKO7t1NSU8U2mNhbi4IuixKyKB0QMqkF7LLz1kSmA-e7AKSChtc2Rv12BqHDedwtZkwRP3us6EX4Dmr_eN4l6rGysKB1PgvXrAAInbcm7f/s400/IMG_7466.JPG" width="400" /></a><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strike><br /></strike></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Now, because the hearth area I had to work with wasn't very deep, I couldn`t use a cement board or a wooden board to create the mosaic on because once lowered into place, it would be far too high above the wood flooring we have in the living room. It CAN be higher if you like, but I wanted it as level as the floor as possible because I knew I had some tiles and rocks in my picture that WOULD be higher already (like a relief map) and that was bumpy enough. Too high is unattractive IMHO, and well, I would probably trip over it twice a day and once I'm down honey...mama ain't gettin' up anytime soon. <i>*sigh*</i> </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">So I choose to use wire mesh. Its super thin and glue would hopefully stick to it. If not, I could always glue a Disney placemat I had in the drawer to the hearth space and go re-watch the entire Downton Abbey series again with the aforementioned prerequisite wine.</span></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Peter cut the mesh for me and fit it to the hearth perfectly. I tried to do this on my own but cut my finger...hence the bandages in the list. I needed a lot of them. Perhaps gloves should be on that list? </span></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmDYGXYMZiIyT-_44ST0M6cc0-sEGZPjfm3LzAWG3KWtNnhgti6pvoFV4OqB2lMk4eZA-8h-6MtkMgHlt861OrHCI488dT03STqNq4Wp6rHEfw2oQ-tbYSGM7cdt8k5ONpghJ53rnv5Qw/s1600/IMG_7465.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmDYGXYMZiIyT-_44ST0M6cc0-sEGZPjfm3LzAWG3KWtNnhgti6pvoFV4OqB2lMk4eZA-8h-6MtkMgHlt861OrHCI488dT03STqNq4Wp6rHEfw2oQ-tbYSGM7cdt8k5ONpghJ53rnv5Qw/s400/IMG_7465.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Next, find inspiration for your pattern. Mine was our view of the Discovery Passage right outside our living room window. We live on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Lil` piece o`heaven.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZRk5nsV31lf1Sj6RVWm8wuOPzULDbg5yrtRFm_-Mgm7VZHzOMTJDZb-ZWzpcjQyuxOeCwD5yn9q7bG7HfSZDydxY0IBuQqMG_VqnF3Lyccr8gbs7qE4xGtqqCNcofJQs-Hfi_jg2sPsBv/s1600/20180217_150138+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZRk5nsV31lf1Sj6RVWm8wuOPzULDbg5yrtRFm_-Mgm7VZHzOMTJDZb-ZWzpcjQyuxOeCwD5yn9q7bG7HfSZDydxY0IBuQqMG_VqnF3Lyccr8gbs7qE4xGtqqCNcofJQs-Hfi_jg2sPsBv/s400/20180217_150138+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzU0fLWWaVotusmi3GM10X9kq5eSb8Cjg7cEOdcrQtendHSpooQ8ku6A02B9TwnzRpWscSGAG7uwRceCoFn2ehyphenhyphenr9j9STydXKfptIONSTbBc6sAFVzVf1xqhHzGYQ73Kpg0rSa5SLOPut/s1600/IMG_6851.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzU0fLWWaVotusmi3GM10X9kq5eSb8Cjg7cEOdcrQtendHSpooQ8ku6A02B9TwnzRpWscSGAG7uwRceCoFn2ehyphenhyphenr9j9STydXKfptIONSTbBc6sAFVzVf1xqhHzGYQ73Kpg0rSa5SLOPut/s400/IMG_6851.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WHR4Mr09M_5l0wJWTx5A7-KRIZ4TqGIeYUe9vroFLDPc1wEfHJr-lye29otbqEhep44dnV8UhOK4Wf9liz6DTMLl3maT_W3qnrXKzo9WNSrmi0wmh5zXufFrh6j19VuSOPi6U5CdTsya/s1600/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WHR4Mr09M_5l0wJWTx5A7-KRIZ4TqGIeYUe9vroFLDPc1wEfHJr-lye29otbqEhep44dnV8UhOK4Wf9liz6DTMLl3maT_W3qnrXKzo9WNSrmi0wmh5zXufFrh6j19VuSOPi6U5CdTsya/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmP1PQ1E6jMpcvdZLqUv-WOSoplD6DgecOnPDSudABpRjwkLsDDhurzpLpjN_aNlcNTgswGtxVwHFIU7b0oygfnr9hyphenhyphenni_g_tEhND5r_KbLzvuBlX0k77PcPUrAi5AdVNspEseQjJvdyje/s1600/IMG_7676.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmP1PQ1E6jMpcvdZLqUv-WOSoplD6DgecOnPDSudABpRjwkLsDDhurzpLpjN_aNlcNTgswGtxVwHFIU7b0oygfnr9hyphenhyphenni_g_tEhND5r_KbLzvuBlX0k77PcPUrAi5AdVNspEseQjJvdyje/s400/IMG_7676.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSqCICYSiZJV7Jf1ZjNhyphenhyphenrzF7ZB8YBGoXjIj8HxVPc_Su4P0U0liALe1n2uhCUqEI9kkWPO4ydlYFbLxgcwCXoLOQoA9-DPpzIJSitEjG24pAmn7Xy2ipDl8itoTW6K5h6zWY_OXcYNAP/s1600/IMG_7693.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSqCICYSiZJV7Jf1ZjNhyphenhyphenrzF7ZB8YBGoXjIj8HxVPc_Su4P0U0liALe1n2uhCUqEI9kkWPO4ydlYFbLxgcwCXoLOQoA9-DPpzIJSitEjG24pAmn7Xy2ipDl8itoTW6K5h6zWY_OXcYNAP/s400/IMG_7693.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Sit down with you favorite beverage and/or snacks 'n munchies, and get creative! I drew quiet a few sketches and ended up incorporating a couple to make the final one in the end.</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsVTQzXuzoomWXPz3hVVbSYgnlg4U_NXa3stfFLupsRd8L2ZAYTSaRMQhqBwTwoGBXZH3gfKJeflL2W58h7v70zHM28ImLp-EkgIvEMfxpAZonoVYU-E4VbolRD4kIV8MZ8wNX9P5eBkH/s1600/IMG_7469.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsVTQzXuzoomWXPz3hVVbSYgnlg4U_NXa3stfFLupsRd8L2ZAYTSaRMQhqBwTwoGBXZH3gfKJeflL2W58h7v70zHM28ImLp-EkgIvEMfxpAZonoVYU-E4VbolRD4kIV8MZ8wNX9P5eBkH/s400/IMG_7469.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ILfGwDHfTvA2TeXih7pSSYJL-rDcrMKxzDVMjXe_sxe9GPhy_d8G3V9BDhyphenhyphenxEixiPX59mtwdLPFkuE2S339G6nRs6nsZ4aWXc3bcq2U823KwWhtGDczlPEdbRquTFkKz0TqUqYpudllF/s1600/IMG_7470.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ILfGwDHfTvA2TeXih7pSSYJL-rDcrMKxzDVMjXe_sxe9GPhy_d8G3V9BDhyphenhyphenxEixiPX59mtwdLPFkuE2S339G6nRs6nsZ4aWXc3bcq2U823KwWhtGDczlPEdbRquTFkKz0TqUqYpudllF/s400/IMG_7470.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85eQrOD8o_12jtUMQyHUS6O1s_vBY_oR-cnngxeVYy-jbxiwtsONJcXZUrMC4Fuof5FJB97Ha5xSQkG88sL25tSgMlK4VW5KHK4jdTfbc1ZgzW9_yHqosmMTXfp8TH0P_P_GAIWP-mkq1/s1600/IMG_7471.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85eQrOD8o_12jtUMQyHUS6O1s_vBY_oR-cnngxeVYy-jbxiwtsONJcXZUrMC4Fuof5FJB97Ha5xSQkG88sL25tSgMlK4VW5KHK4jdTfbc1ZgzW9_yHqosmMTXfp8TH0P_P_GAIWP-mkq1/s400/IMG_7471.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGhvyuX0phlPnecr0ZKS245ywe4GFuVJks-8Rg7boKVUY0WiJlGqeuo_jSA0KdL_V6ZhAL6kyoqSIE7aD0d0t5SL9p8HI03za6P39qzT2LX5H290fa1HJQG1MA4-7jRzdhDDZiGWGVYa1/s1600/IMG_7473.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGhvyuX0phlPnecr0ZKS245ywe4GFuVJks-8Rg7boKVUY0WiJlGqeuo_jSA0KdL_V6ZhAL6kyoqSIE7aD0d0t5SL9p8HI03za6P39qzT2LX5H290fa1HJQG1MA4-7jRzdhDDZiGWGVYa1/s400/IMG_7473.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavIv2WHv5kZeAJQFOobUbFnCj2dXEqdJqaAIGFa646MGMn-GjbwzlCUm4Oi3fwFpTjSbNmU2vjLatsdd9E21hN_RDHiyTOQD2qNDIGUQnpDnIOxS9VOCBNGRm3JMPrikDVUvAUOCwvp9M/s1600/IMG_7474.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavIv2WHv5kZeAJQFOobUbFnCj2dXEqdJqaAIGFa646MGMn-GjbwzlCUm4Oi3fwFpTjSbNmU2vjLatsdd9E21hN_RDHiyTOQD2qNDIGUQnpDnIOxS9VOCBNGRm3JMPrikDVUvAUOCwvp9M/s400/IMG_7474.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPs3AE5qihO0PZmkNBppFJdi4DWO3wyzkEC4OB6f3i-uEG5ZRzIVo9ILaLrf8W0INz0hFhODdhjWhqibhNM0PnmHw-NC69S6Coll6GGjGyZ2KfAFIAQECindvuHV-kq3m_i3fa3eZFRx-n/s1600/IMG_7475.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPs3AE5qihO0PZmkNBppFJdi4DWO3wyzkEC4OB6f3i-uEG5ZRzIVo9ILaLrf8W0INz0hFhODdhjWhqibhNM0PnmHw-NC69S6Coll6GGjGyZ2KfAFIAQECindvuHV-kq3m_i3fa3eZFRx-n/s400/IMG_7475.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">While I was sipping...I mean sketching, Peter tucked in a `drop cloth` under my work area since he knows me so well after 20 yrs together. He just used a pair of my white panties, *seen below...and yes, I have gained a few pounds being married to a German who cooks Schnitzel and bakes Black Forest cakes daily for 20 yrs. Ah well...) <i>*smile*</i></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><i></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9FRKAtlHPvkEcTCdWdoHpHENQLPkVxm5nspkeOuhUeN3eDobx3vEnvWVrUf9JGf8Nm3D39vVFTLWENNxXDCCvjZ7d_dhNmgd-BG2WgWEnngoNdGU9-wDe4uK0gMcwrNzGffd-67aGZY-/s1600/IMG_7476.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9FRKAtlHPvkEcTCdWdoHpHENQLPkVxm5nspkeOuhUeN3eDobx3vEnvWVrUf9JGf8Nm3D39vVFTLWENNxXDCCvjZ7d_dhNmgd-BG2WgWEnngoNdGU9-wDe4uK0gMcwrNzGffd-67aGZY-/s400/IMG_7476.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Crack open your colored pencils and see how your designs work in color. It DOES make a difference in your choices. </span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">*PLEASE NOTE though that once you start looking for tiles, that whole design may change...mine sure did. Colored tiles are very hard to find in a small city or town....so I went to Thrift Stores every day, especially <b><i><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.habitatnorthisland.com/" target="_blank">ReStore: Habitat for Humanity, Vancouver Island North </a></span></i></b> to see if they had new ones in...even in singles. Unless you are stinking rich, buying full boxes of tiles is NOT the way to go when making ONE mosaic!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAuqJCVvzbNdDXuF2wXX0NwZvZWhvhOqkQtO5K7zIln3p_pZzYmQ0B_x16HnyV75UJiIVJO9cXQRIvf58NMJD5sz6ZnQ7FS_Y-oviVxNBADrcKUxB4dRkQxVRu89TpTUohS-rMYSyhFQO/s1600/IMG_7764.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAuqJCVvzbNdDXuF2wXX0NwZvZWhvhOqkQtO5K7zIln3p_pZzYmQ0B_x16HnyV75UJiIVJO9cXQRIvf58NMJD5sz6ZnQ7FS_Y-oviVxNBADrcKUxB4dRkQxVRu89TpTUohS-rMYSyhFQO/s400/IMG_7764.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Draw your pattern/picture on the board or paper with the felt pen and don't worry if you mess up....its only the pattern and can be corrected with a few messy strokes or while tiling.</span> <span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">NOTE: any circles will be hard to tile unless you have round tiles pieces or the hand strength of Hercules to snip and round off broken pieces! My round bushes disappeared....</span></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwwQdy-VZ8rGOcQhBzM-Dgi59oQVhgEa0NRA9pU8zQCz9e5Lh-MoVDwGZjmyoxgiQbuGu3l6Z0y8RRIZTM3-s2gcx6HmzoQzhPSl14jj-ClskIUiFZVhC6nIpFgU9_efr2M_DbjTqxq2K/s1600/IMG_7486.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwwQdy-VZ8rGOcQhBzM-Dgi59oQVhgEa0NRA9pU8zQCz9e5Lh-MoVDwGZjmyoxgiQbuGu3l6Z0y8RRIZTM3-s2gcx6HmzoQzhPSl14jj-ClskIUiFZVhC6nIpFgU9_efr2M_DbjTqxq2K/s400/IMG_7486.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Secure the mesh over the pattern and staple it down, but sparingly, as you will need to be able to slip a long flat knife under the mesh now and then to lift it off the board to stop the glue from setting on the board beneath it. </span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">*I actually used a fork now and then for lifting the centre mesh up as the knife wasn't long enough....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPO5MaqbgTtiqRkHgm0oH17UMNNxvwzxGXbdI7uhzI7XsbgBJFLVMAIiZZ42YUHm5FI-PRY5ckym9MfbbGTIBsGMHte9UKlwkxe9Qu2dwB-Hso6wNWvCwv2VjvINT-R9Fo0bVp5wvAuBG/s1600/IMG_7490.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPO5MaqbgTtiqRkHgm0oH17UMNNxvwzxGXbdI7uhzI7XsbgBJFLVMAIiZZ42YUHm5FI-PRY5ckym9MfbbGTIBsGMHte9UKlwkxe9Qu2dwB-Hso6wNWvCwv2VjvINT-R9Fo0bVp5wvAuBG/s400/IMG_7490.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqanwfFAOd5jGeLEKPZJlefNPztgvHLP18oQcJ4xdbj1QuCvngYWHT1cK9Q3TUtZDCk7C4GVa4AApkEQTp8n8pnQnqeTsCcbxTiXiBCIGzVAFdlAz927O7O4uYwLFo1eJ29oyNh8MusYQ/s1600/IMG_7491.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqanwfFAOd5jGeLEKPZJlefNPztgvHLP18oQcJ4xdbj1QuCvngYWHT1cK9Q3TUtZDCk7C4GVa4AApkEQTp8n8pnQnqeTsCcbxTiXiBCIGzVAFdlAz927O7O4uYwLFo1eJ29oyNh8MusYQ/s400/IMG_7491.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoh0h1lqIpAy_FrZX4thkR15WWWyVi9JN1AVD6zBP7Yma0Xu0x7tp9oP7ZXTg55iJxxHw2YHdppXbn8vNHBJnaboPgKoNTrAjxZg0TUEW6-pk9pDKS9tTg5tOw1NLZh8Ls_B4CNegIkV9/s1600/IMG_7492.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoh0h1lqIpAy_FrZX4thkR15WWWyVi9JN1AVD6zBP7Yma0Xu0x7tp9oP7ZXTg55iJxxHw2YHdppXbn8vNHBJnaboPgKoNTrAjxZg0TUEW6-pk9pDKS9tTg5tOw1NLZh8Ls_B4CNegIkV9/s400/IMG_7492.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Take your tiles and put them in a cloth bag or towel/rag and beat the living daylight of them. You should get some interesting shaped and pieces. Use the biggest ones first and the ones that suit your pattern best. I busted up all my colors separately and put them in different boxes to make it easy to organize and look for pieces. *NOTE: try not to damage the table you use to abuse the tiles on. I unwittingly punched a couple of holes in the arbitrate top...which I quickly covered strategically with a cloth so Peter doesn't see them until I figure out how to get into the Witness Protection Program with the FBI.</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVPcDMzYGXtzVQMtsPAiVBAYdRwYIRi809cxF-tQ9jP0rR69yUSGWej_cZeA9uquHwbowLY5ehpancRfGsHVM-kEtSVY4ZpmznhVWFPGYSwZo8_xIdGB1PPDGpO-pjCzL6h662JqHIJPs/s1600/IMG_7786.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVPcDMzYGXtzVQMtsPAiVBAYdRwYIRi809cxF-tQ9jP0rR69yUSGWej_cZeA9uquHwbowLY5ehpancRfGsHVM-kEtSVY4ZpmznhVWFPGYSwZo8_xIdGB1PPDGpO-pjCzL6h662JqHIJPs/s400/IMG_7786.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhQSsH9haLlbyoyyRJvMa8L0ZCZFFocXhybX612mFetvt06DjwrLdw1OVMCy-e-Omo_eyhFVmAPNAyBqDFHanHGjMSWbjCqPZ-_fP0ZLkShOUegPw-EArGvQrn0IcQKNWdm8BOValU-gx/s1600/24740651_10156091870475530_1529177483_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhQSsH9haLlbyoyyRJvMa8L0ZCZFFocXhybX612mFetvt06DjwrLdw1OVMCy-e-Omo_eyhFVmAPNAyBqDFHanHGjMSWbjCqPZ-_fP0ZLkShOUegPw-EArGvQrn0IcQKNWdm8BOValU-gx/s400/24740651_10156091870475530_1529177483_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Glue the pieces as you go if you like...I did. I found that I lost track of which were glued and it was a pain to lift each to check over and over. Some may wish to place all pieces first, as it is like a giant puzzle, but there would be hell to pay if someone bumps into it and shift them or knock them down. I would have gone flippyapeshit and earned some heavy jail time. Good thing is, the glue sets slowly and one can remove and change pieces within 4-5 hours and even pop them off when set if need be. Mesh allowed this...I am not sure how a more solid base would react.</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj3jJwe-YjJa959EKC9292wVYmEy4ns-5vVf7GJ05N6CfesVDCojs8uEn6wim2s3UeuqT9FkAAALVocCajepPsGw8xIB7Cq4_ZZVkdMDJJjF9XxMtDK-3yZxwfVzEWJgTJzVnaEsCS2-8/s1600/IMG_7494.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj3jJwe-YjJa959EKC9292wVYmEy4ns-5vVf7GJ05N6CfesVDCojs8uEn6wim2s3UeuqT9FkAAALVocCajepPsGw8xIB7Cq4_ZZVkdMDJJjF9XxMtDK-3yZxwfVzEWJgTJzVnaEsCS2-8/s400/IMG_7494.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">None of these pieces below were cut with the hand held cutters....they were all naturally broken. I used the cutter for the smaller pieces and those needed to fill in spaces when the big ones, and naturally shaped ones, were utilized in full first. The floor cutter was used by Peter as he was a tiling contractor and he could cut me the very few straight pieces I need (for the lighthouse only...as you will see).</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHlrXCST-nB3dATDSn0cxFy1ES9MInvmDm95gAGuX8LGg6rPhZhOe9cUPjjc9YY0W57v-wmpPJSIPKLFnZssLR8dX2A9b59XHTaI_XLHXJsHQYmPTG9VIKiScVnL5_esGZFwNggnJxhGR/s1600/IMG_7495.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHlrXCST-nB3dATDSn0cxFy1ES9MInvmDm95gAGuX8LGg6rPhZhOe9cUPjjc9YY0W57v-wmpPJSIPKLFnZssLR8dX2A9b59XHTaI_XLHXJsHQYmPTG9VIKiScVnL5_esGZFwNggnJxhGR/s400/IMG_7495.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOw0-Oq_4ViamsfdtBlD8yfczZ7qhZwmzMMhQ-i_WfA-rdIDYQmnvAcNkyKh38JpWWI1f4l7dzcs5MIgXRyDuhA0G5yIDwTyaNpvAs4angb3_rMDEl-kzYFeCh8D8ZkejnavRFLVZhHO7O/s1600/IMG_7496.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOw0-Oq_4ViamsfdtBlD8yfczZ7qhZwmzMMhQ-i_WfA-rdIDYQmnvAcNkyKh38JpWWI1f4l7dzcs5MIgXRyDuhA0G5yIDwTyaNpvAs4angb3_rMDEl-kzYFeCh8D8ZkejnavRFLVZhHO7O/s400/IMG_7496.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nsFB-kJxSdKoYOK3pwSgnlGJPeJDKKyosnZP9_2cENJzSbjlSHnEIt5pcfSo5WTZGz6ihpyAwXf5pCRDs63fsNjsVPVaP4XNBKUWXL4GWdVZhmhyAknOXvgye6znZy2Uan_Xf782EnWP/s1600/IMG_7497.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nsFB-kJxSdKoYOK3pwSgnlGJPeJDKKyosnZP9_2cENJzSbjlSHnEIt5pcfSo5WTZGz6ihpyAwXf5pCRDs63fsNjsVPVaP4XNBKUWXL4GWdVZhmhyAknOXvgye6znZy2Uan_Xf782EnWP/s400/IMG_7497.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnY0yD46xQsaTiZYgm10H9YqHjmS8kRuRlHbZSVInzY65_rXbZKtT1k2LhlTgBhMfOj7BSGDxtArxVMFMhoLTKrghw-_v1T2GIXeZ68QlwgMRN-4F7JZWdsvLPAr_HXXkc-IEYogn5jx8/s1600/IMG_7500.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnY0yD46xQsaTiZYgm10H9YqHjmS8kRuRlHbZSVInzY65_rXbZKtT1k2LhlTgBhMfOj7BSGDxtArxVMFMhoLTKrghw-_v1T2GIXeZ68QlwgMRN-4F7JZWdsvLPAr_HXXkc-IEYogn5jx8/s400/IMG_7500.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwU5WIDPsQyPjviPEVJUgRFpAUyWnOZjB8aF_C3tEpiQG6RFBDuPt9xwAK22HTX3K63yuIwlRGfSKd4vcOH6cd2YcGpNKY_ez2rLGgVYQ12iz9w1WDSxrwJ5PaKQxTXdhDVKsIRxAEGmX/s1600/IMG_7501.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwU5WIDPsQyPjviPEVJUgRFpAUyWnOZjB8aF_C3tEpiQG6RFBDuPt9xwAK22HTX3K63yuIwlRGfSKd4vcOH6cd2YcGpNKY_ez2rLGgVYQ12iz9w1WDSxrwJ5PaKQxTXdhDVKsIRxAEGmX/s400/IMG_7501.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzyzItFOOKKFtcI9ZZVQvFLtAJ1TlUs9etewEOgEeB2PynMnyseZwm0YGHc4lWlwey2oR4fzYUbaGBNc53RsJ_TbzWJkvWK1U7NyKTHo_r0-Qe3fcA3_iGf1FXCzyOb-E1Qv-0-ODT4OI/s1600/IMG_7517.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzyzItFOOKKFtcI9ZZVQvFLtAJ1TlUs9etewEOgEeB2PynMnyseZwm0YGHc4lWlwey2oR4fzYUbaGBNc53RsJ_TbzWJkvWK1U7NyKTHo_r0-Qe3fcA3_iGf1FXCzyOb-E1Qv-0-ODT4OI/s400/IMG_7517.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufX5KMQygswo0xpMkSq1KIgusNEWegLwWbJEOAKcEH3635A_8Q8YysFs8hW4fz0kv4Wq_qQ2NHrFNRUD3hm9-ELbvZevN3XWIwD3WsE3sfw_pZ23ync5SfcrccNCBObnKVz0SATgdrxnT/s1600/IMG_7521.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufX5KMQygswo0xpMkSq1KIgusNEWegLwWbJEOAKcEH3635A_8Q8YysFs8hW4fz0kv4Wq_qQ2NHrFNRUD3hm9-ELbvZevN3XWIwD3WsE3sfw_pZ23ync5SfcrccNCBObnKVz0SATgdrxnT/s400/IMG_7521.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I LOVE Moby Dick and just HAD to have him there!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigj9_lu7yOh1FzYDS59-LqGe8PrI3rb-fKLuqjaPDqEQTpFhsd5HJk6gw4MmW-Dr4ob6kNxdAgmzRsCboiNQduX_zBBuVqM4jx8cvVKpuFFohlWIKR3jBug2EsSWXdZ_CAxZquAqbBybpv/s1600/IMG_7524.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigj9_lu7yOh1FzYDS59-LqGe8PrI3rb-fKLuqjaPDqEQTpFhsd5HJk6gw4MmW-Dr4ob6kNxdAgmzRsCboiNQduX_zBBuVqM4jx8cvVKpuFFohlWIKR3jBug2EsSWXdZ_CAxZquAqbBybpv/s400/IMG_7524.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">As you can see, I often worked late into the night...once or twice until 2:00 a.m. Creative Juices do not respect clocks!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfoE-Ux71LIi1GfnFEji0FgzSz2W0ozsc-2NT1tslFwVtqusCnRcFUk4y8nQErwPcXpXp2Ps_5cHWL05YUeZY8N7_-HGlUl-DEI1sxwi90Ti02tMq-yEgApu9R3vsOWCRc9wTDpbRXdxu/s1600/IMG_7526.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfoE-Ux71LIi1GfnFEji0FgzSz2W0ozsc-2NT1tslFwVtqusCnRcFUk4y8nQErwPcXpXp2Ps_5cHWL05YUeZY8N7_-HGlUl-DEI1sxwi90Ti02tMq-yEgApu9R3vsOWCRc9wTDpbRXdxu/s400/IMG_7526.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUdXvlzExWzcURaf470HRVPitQTWgpXCHeXovXQZIgJH-DwpHUBPUx2KrjSvZDV4-h5bCmqi4eM4LY26gG9D-oUxXhiQKyuZEp7qaFU7xzYZ7uY7GPUyHvTeuQM-0Ro7N3_HskhCW2OUv/s1600/IMG_7529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUdXvlzExWzcURaf470HRVPitQTWgpXCHeXovXQZIgJH-DwpHUBPUx2KrjSvZDV4-h5bCmqi4eM4LY26gG9D-oUxXhiQKyuZEp7qaFU7xzYZ7uY7GPUyHvTeuQM-0Ro7N3_HskhCW2OUv/s400/IMG_7529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTs4iF8eUrWLwOwN02-0ADERVMvSeEQ0dUqKk-31lnGdUlPdHlxcDSpivR9nVzV8V6gKCtzLFqY20risPsq99I-3cpvBeLihRo3BopqFIEgMiIkxAhFfGRsECK0JvRBt5Xv0daWjW4ZDNP/s1600/IMG_7530.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTs4iF8eUrWLwOwN02-0ADERVMvSeEQ0dUqKk-31lnGdUlPdHlxcDSpivR9nVzV8V6gKCtzLFqY20risPsq99I-3cpvBeLihRo3BopqFIEgMiIkxAhFfGRsECK0JvRBt5Xv0daWjW4ZDNP/s400/IMG_7530.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZbB6uxdNgXFhH2GMtdPLmxM3nFhp-Wd18jPgBy7fRl9cXjjT1oG8nVMroe2CCM2-tgrHOToTgDmVQ9qhzUOIr02UCGfX3pru957eLiLoz2Zb76ur4jr4Ih1oVKmdusruEcWeMdcurwMZ/s1600/IMG_7531.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZbB6uxdNgXFhH2GMtdPLmxM3nFhp-Wd18jPgBy7fRl9cXjjT1oG8nVMroe2CCM2-tgrHOToTgDmVQ9qhzUOIr02UCGfX3pru957eLiLoz2Zb76ur4jr4Ih1oVKmdusruEcWeMdcurwMZ/s400/IMG_7531.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSmTd_te8fP7lz2ggZcAFgXka_DgdA_fTOY4hNpM5JSCrJ85pb6vRs67CUD4YQew_K4_ou5jf61K1wAIywzwZdmi_G68-BV1TwS1LKgwKY9u4wpmnCv9uQKhpSuI7m0rTYGDwUONeaEvL/s1600/IMG_7537.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSmTd_te8fP7lz2ggZcAFgXka_DgdA_fTOY4hNpM5JSCrJ85pb6vRs67CUD4YQew_K4_ou5jf61K1wAIywzwZdmi_G68-BV1TwS1LKgwKY9u4wpmnCv9uQKhpSuI7m0rTYGDwUONeaEvL/s400/IMG_7537.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The green tile was hard to find and I got lucky at the aforementioned <span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="https://www.habitatnorthisland.com/" target="_blank">ReStore</a> </b></span><span style="color: black;">and even though it was much too thick, I decided then and there that my mosaic would be like a relief map and bumpy as all get out and go! Why fight it? I had already bought the rocks....so be it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9pC7Dn0paSPMm8lQ_8-0ciG7Bl2u3QojRT6fy4mmFAapiA72MCni4OP7WfO0GlsfaikDbvp68WDTzEjrvTC5fYBJsTA6L5D0Ca_ByXIoHv5rDW198cKZvHdWBfOViRsWli-wvmR9hd80/s1600/IMG_7538.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9pC7Dn0paSPMm8lQ_8-0ciG7Bl2u3QojRT6fy4mmFAapiA72MCni4OP7WfO0GlsfaikDbvp68WDTzEjrvTC5fYBJsTA6L5D0Ca_ByXIoHv5rDW198cKZvHdWBfOViRsWli-wvmR9hd80/s400/IMG_7538.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">IMPOSSIBLE to find a red tile anywhere, so I bought a red Restore coffee mug, smashed it and got a funky piece that looked flaggy to me. The mug was red and black so I got 2 colors that were hard to find.</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5q7pZwLf8YzktTt8PdW_kqYGDP13ISzVvjEPn2MMhJhkIhAFMXR_P0Eon_JNtVrLqH_yLtTn9Q7y9HYz502rcCDyN95IY6wd0efIF9dj0y9p_jayqdnTk-bgxLYCnL3UKfu96004ordif/s1600/IMG_7539.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5q7pZwLf8YzktTt8PdW_kqYGDP13ISzVvjEPn2MMhJhkIhAFMXR_P0Eon_JNtVrLqH_yLtTn9Q7y9HYz502rcCDyN95IY6wd0efIF9dj0y9p_jayqdnTk-bgxLYCnL3UKfu96004ordif/s400/IMG_7539.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvC10tdmMnNOSVipujf69xVDwtj89_pIV-Ihemij1tO8LEm57Dez-eg9gBPHa7fC0TPny4eZofCtWlKUdAGiEUgBvVnap6xlMdgF2bUwYjHv0oyl0QpwGDuHDOKpaXamrL6ZrgGbzW7aO/s1600/IMG_7540.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvC10tdmMnNOSVipujf69xVDwtj89_pIV-Ihemij1tO8LEm57Dez-eg9gBPHa7fC0TPny4eZofCtWlKUdAGiEUgBvVnap6xlMdgF2bUwYjHv0oyl0QpwGDuHDOKpaXamrL6ZrgGbzW7aO/s400/IMG_7540.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Time to bring in the hand held tile cutter....that cut more flesh than tile, I admit. TIP OF THE DAY: Do <i><b>NOT</b></i> hold a piece of tile in your palm when cutting it to shape. Trust me.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zdpx2ttV4rUzPHj4yam4ubdikft4a4Fv_ze_ZZ2bai8g0J3jR-GZ3XRL9Cuo6vtAx5MMdjogF5KXUIfw8Gxi7U5pXUjp-UvDDs6J5Ht_FvteTp80eRgCzlRxa7tDW4NOyJF1dOMu_fqa/s1600/24740811_10156091869460530_106493727_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="373" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zdpx2ttV4rUzPHj4yam4ubdikft4a4Fv_ze_ZZ2bai8g0J3jR-GZ3XRL9Cuo6vtAx5MMdjogF5KXUIfw8Gxi7U5pXUjp-UvDDs6J5Ht_FvteTp80eRgCzlRxa7tDW4NOyJF1dOMu_fqa/s400/24740811_10156091869460530_106493727_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVaybsF5OGkRmJc-Z18v-0Vu5s8UhV2E0ZabxiN9NLbb6Sg9SmgyImPIgGpHOFKsmQz7vhU7rELM9YoWwsqrTjU5Ab17dSVCcUyrdR5bADHqFSqsLICa6RkIhagVGsehYAPdVNkgFpS9R/s1600/IMG_7541.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVaybsF5OGkRmJc-Z18v-0Vu5s8UhV2E0ZabxiN9NLbb6Sg9SmgyImPIgGpHOFKsmQz7vhU7rELM9YoWwsqrTjU5Ab17dSVCcUyrdR5bADHqFSqsLICa6RkIhagVGsehYAPdVNkgFpS9R/s400/IMG_7541.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k0KeoD1FNvv6Udc0CG-q8gVnQ7eUpZOCv_bP0jicwSfnLaCUOTQ7oTmYCzOL77HbXNhknSB0EQroewgp3hCd2lAzumdC5y2rZgu-Gw3WY40FjFCfiWWyeiDR5nJuMBiPWEC6J6zmhraV/s1600/IMG_7542.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k0KeoD1FNvv6Udc0CG-q8gVnQ7eUpZOCv_bP0jicwSfnLaCUOTQ7oTmYCzOL77HbXNhknSB0EQroewgp3hCd2lAzumdC5y2rZgu-Gw3WY40FjFCfiWWyeiDR5nJuMBiPWEC6J6zmhraV/s400/IMG_7542.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I tried to make red stripes as that is the typical Canadian lighthouse color...and the red mug gave me some pieces...but I sure didn't like the look much. Too thick and too much in-between space. One WANTS some (either consistently even, or sporadically uneven) space between most pieces for a cool 'outlined' effect when grouted, but not THAT much or that wide. Not to my eye anyway....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioajvwtBc2vkGtkhd9cs_ohsRUfZ1tFLOcanlaiY6jnAnjn6eSh00WaBQh-B7q-I3i9J_vJ-KzokE483YjyfMC6tDFSzXtArmNjkrU9gsnZP8SBDqUdjgQTvY_ccctMCifh-cMCMkj0Yfn/s1600/IMG_7543.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioajvwtBc2vkGtkhd9cs_ohsRUfZ1tFLOcanlaiY6jnAnjn6eSh00WaBQh-B7q-I3i9J_vJ-KzokE483YjyfMC6tDFSzXtArmNjkrU9gsnZP8SBDqUdjgQTvY_ccctMCifh-cMCMkj0Yfn/s400/IMG_7543.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-t_o3L8z4WkT0lHksNEzb5GflpVfcuo_-Or66g-oz_IFBo-7fpw2dcOdYfF_V1HlDCg5K-KtS0H9b9RE_KaixW9RIYUEC-xHtYPQ8uIMIIUS4koFcGD9BOL2gH-Hf-6UiOR0L0VzZ7ir/s1600/IMG_7544.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-t_o3L8z4WkT0lHksNEzb5GflpVfcuo_-Or66g-oz_IFBo-7fpw2dcOdYfF_V1HlDCg5K-KtS0H9b9RE_KaixW9RIYUEC-xHtYPQ8uIMIIUS4koFcGD9BOL2gH-Hf-6UiOR0L0VzZ7ir/s400/IMG_7544.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGUVeSur7bUBWEfSlgmWhMEx6RhwKxYG__CZZ0_aHManRmY-E1gwsXDlUQam4yZHRqVA6PCjU0K_N7S9-O4ugLL-pAtxMH-udjY2VhOnW3WUxonpaN3O6_R4xlyAXn74cDg27cwRV3v8B/s1600/IMG_7548.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGUVeSur7bUBWEfSlgmWhMEx6RhwKxYG__CZZ0_aHManRmY-E1gwsXDlUQam4yZHRqVA6PCjU0K_N7S9-O4ugLL-pAtxMH-udjY2VhOnW3WUxonpaN3O6_R4xlyAXn74cDg27cwRV3v8B/s400/IMG_7548.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dpqeanWQCzVoEepWoj1tgmelnPSp4icODAplnUvlzxEqo3-kWC5-a3pZXr4GAoh_H_95S1gbXvQVDVjylJPs10XYzTrt0X6lpRR4mEEtLpWiKZls8ubpE1haJi9PHRelKYjyG6lcuN0Q/s1600/IMG_7550.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dpqeanWQCzVoEepWoj1tgmelnPSp4icODAplnUvlzxEqo3-kWC5-a3pZXr4GAoh_H_95S1gbXvQVDVjylJPs10XYzTrt0X6lpRR4mEEtLpWiKZls8ubpE1haJi9PHRelKYjyG6lcuN0Q/s400/IMG_7550.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5CYyzihmbLE2J6M_ox92PyJiCIcaySSBB81eIPyRZzrvMQoSHD4ZVhm__N5Xo8k1tGYfhyWFy7SBfNWgwuIX4W6etTgUn-iOppbEezOiqfoQrNzJLFY4mva9f1j-s-N422cC-nG9TEwC/s1600/IMG_7551.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5CYyzihmbLE2J6M_ox92PyJiCIcaySSBB81eIPyRZzrvMQoSHD4ZVhm__N5Xo8k1tGYfhyWFy7SBfNWgwuIX4W6etTgUn-iOppbEezOiqfoQrNzJLFY4mva9f1j-s-N422cC-nG9TEwC/s400/IMG_7551.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The mountain tiles were hard to find too and I got lucky at the ReStore and found a box of singles that had patterns on them...and I utilized that for the look I wanted....even though I hadn't known I wanted it before. Like I said, color and availability of materials can alter things quite drastically!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWqIEIvyc-WKm6hyVsj8j90qMQmTWtJpgsRps9aLb7oeI-XDl3qLTaV4Ku11gSOBy2Ns39Be9i6jLNqKEKEqUIh2Jfn8KhwfZVV5DzAQNQ0CJCbwJHjwWZ-t47-1u3VTqPDKmAKa7zJAW/s1600/IMG_7553.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWqIEIvyc-WKm6hyVsj8j90qMQmTWtJpgsRps9aLb7oeI-XDl3qLTaV4Ku11gSOBy2Ns39Be9i6jLNqKEKEqUIh2Jfn8KhwfZVV5DzAQNQ0CJCbwJHjwWZ-t47-1u3VTqPDKmAKa7zJAW/s400/IMG_7553.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pnmUuhU14Oq2kkh_VnHFP5duTzmsMwUeeLDM3WaDq1xPZK_EDtCOV-xFWmN6D38VLfDsBTyWQQzftKHQA06ie7QEEuFVY6Bl9BlJPN3adE5UcL0tCfSHRiPjlSat81pPAbK-HcrNYQW0/s1600/IMG_7620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pnmUuhU14Oq2kkh_VnHFP5duTzmsMwUeeLDM3WaDq1xPZK_EDtCOV-xFWmN6D38VLfDsBTyWQQzftKHQA06ie7QEEuFVY6Bl9BlJPN3adE5UcL0tCfSHRiPjlSat81pPAbK-HcrNYQW0/s400/IMG_7620.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowkzJ3n_Co9hUqBKEfQcV1onRCE2W1MPrbmHTdprLvLmBR42kRcDs3YEueV4u8vwqU2VP9dLniRygbx6TeiQHZ_3TiIVfhXnsmk69isZqfiDSEQyvlidLBc7ck8DFiTWMoVx4niZ8KAS-/s1600/IMG_7621.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowkzJ3n_Co9hUqBKEfQcV1onRCE2W1MPrbmHTdprLvLmBR42kRcDs3YEueV4u8vwqU2VP9dLniRygbx6TeiQHZ_3TiIVfhXnsmk69isZqfiDSEQyvlidLBc7ck8DFiTWMoVx4niZ8KAS-/s400/IMG_7621.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">As you see, I popped out the ugly red tiles and decided blue was neater and forgivable. I found a yellow wall tile and cut it to make the 'light'. The staff at ReStore now address me by name...I am there daily! SO many treasures...</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2trI3A9204IAvCO0MW4eakbDv5X3A9Nebm3EU8E1sJ47wY0slh9e89vPxYwshao4ZPjiciA-0SFQKFMWLXznsQNB77whrS1fiZsM8IAh3uRCtLrEveYRQ1MTU-X5UQ80_IvAGgoJprIx/s1600/IMG_7623.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2trI3A9204IAvCO0MW4eakbDv5X3A9Nebm3EU8E1sJ47wY0slh9e89vPxYwshao4ZPjiciA-0SFQKFMWLXznsQNB77whrS1fiZsM8IAh3uRCtLrEveYRQ1MTU-X5UQ80_IvAGgoJprIx/s400/IMG_7623.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">HUGE bloody mess. Lived with it quite happily.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNECvuagJVq6u9nmzCvxipm3YpPmFkwO8t5I66gLFDIArEYsYMFZvXgr6SwVLxie27e_vyIoDfmJPFcmAnlrGX0Vknj8F50xLzk4jO-RMpTH5Xv1nTu4J04d2y-lhoznKNzMnNrhY7I8b/s1600/IMG_7624.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNECvuagJVq6u9nmzCvxipm3YpPmFkwO8t5I66gLFDIArEYsYMFZvXgr6SwVLxie27e_vyIoDfmJPFcmAnlrGX0Vknj8F50xLzk4jO-RMpTH5Xv1nTu4J04d2y-lhoznKNzMnNrhY7I8b/s400/IMG_7624.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">A last minute find by Peter of some red and black ceramic tile-like items allowed me to get rid of the inadequate and heartbreaking blue lighthouse and glue down a patriotic and symbolic red one. Not perfect but best outcome yet.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCeD0g2nA5zE_Fw8yeDo3CwnnNSgAKdUkeYCfIqSwkul72UeS0BYOdMyqWihLrWtDxqgCyrwWkKkp2itxNZUpK4SkI8Kwna5wjUy9iBcsQMNnvEfDIZGo6mFQKNemwpczhQH9su77_OXT/s1600/24824518_10156091853710530_467548811_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCeD0g2nA5zE_Fw8yeDo3CwnnNSgAKdUkeYCfIqSwkul72UeS0BYOdMyqWihLrWtDxqgCyrwWkKkp2itxNZUpK4SkI8Kwna5wjUy9iBcsQMNnvEfDIZGo6mFQKNemwpczhQH9su77_OXT/s400/24824518_10156091853710530_467548811_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">With the help of my darling, patient and supportive hubby, it was time to lift the mosaic up and transfer it to the floor.</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjVmhX5-lAKkzRn5iOvhE5Q-OV1-K8HtRrgHJACzq5O3F2SDdAa3kW6d2nLvtE7r8DP19nXU_6CFdgBGxT5KmIA2enfUkTGNVw7um-SGFntBmF5CwqVCLiecEmu9FJ_AvuXnw4rEfnx7e/s1600/IMG_7633.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjVmhX5-lAKkzRn5iOvhE5Q-OV1-K8HtRrgHJACzq5O3F2SDdAa3kW6d2nLvtE7r8DP19nXU_6CFdgBGxT5KmIA2enfUkTGNVw7um-SGFntBmF5CwqVCLiecEmu9FJ_AvuXnw4rEfnx7e/s400/IMG_7633.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">But first...glue to the hearth . A healthy dollop or two...or ten...<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span>so all the pieces would be secure by tomorrow: grout day.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlr4CG2FqtoElkAkyNvQmcTUrWIdZZw5SLAcyXjGEPrWNRIyDiNoMiiyYm3h4eX2ry7bfEKrVOSfP6a74lZUgeEgwKgYXMvSsuPr1IBA5t0TSQvXqbS3fIFzl_X1Zv7iTD_3JZMV0CxEG/s1600/IMG_7636.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlr4CG2FqtoElkAkyNvQmcTUrWIdZZw5SLAcyXjGEPrWNRIyDiNoMiiyYm3h4eX2ry7bfEKrVOSfP6a74lZUgeEgwKgYXMvSsuPr1IBA5t0TSQvXqbS3fIFzl_X1Zv7iTD_3JZMV0CxEG/s400/IMG_7636.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGydMQM5kLIN6wRuuBkgg3LQ3aqYFh9IWpIM_i8RDlpkOO2FKHpYeKrvcv37jFWtya79VdIkER8b3u3S7XbT1ErSrscm0lGcqcLyUN0MI3BelK3qiOcUF1lpLiawNOH4x2tT2VgJIu_LD_/s1600/IMG_7639.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGydMQM5kLIN6wRuuBkgg3LQ3aqYFh9IWpIM_i8RDlpkOO2FKHpYeKrvcv37jFWtya79VdIkER8b3u3S7XbT1ErSrscm0lGcqcLyUN0MI3BelK3qiOcUF1lpLiawNOH4x2tT2VgJIu_LD_/s400/IMG_7639.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">A few pieces popped off as we lifted the mosaic up and then down to the floor...damn heavy! but easily fixed. The poor leftover board was quickly trashed.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLPzpHwj2lUR7r1FebODMldRtSPQxpRchxKADug2yGdc4nrq1qiLpV3XpNqt7fKYnW03gYcUucJRYrTZY-Adwk3ASs3VKt25kJF9q32AUKOYHjz3eUujoOxe1spS7FBorB7LwZx3-ooxA/s1600/IMG_7641.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLPzpHwj2lUR7r1FebODMldRtSPQxpRchxKADug2yGdc4nrq1qiLpV3XpNqt7fKYnW03gYcUucJRYrTZY-Adwk3ASs3VKt25kJF9q32AUKOYHjz3eUujoOxe1spS7FBorB7LwZx3-ooxA/s400/IMG_7641.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Perfect fit! Felt odd to look DOWN on it so low after it being waist level the entire time. Glad to see it looked okay from that view too. *WHEW!*</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXF8j8YssFxije92C_1vOE_2YRn7i-j04GnwZ_AoR8g1LLB4lJsNuofOtqT4HkXo8GyBnBtMci5s605idabDdrlO-TgmEcx-o03HHnKg5x-uukx9hvjmc2DlngCDLFlXQnvZLX4ZZi1QJL/s1600/IMG_7643.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXF8j8YssFxije92C_1vOE_2YRn7i-j04GnwZ_AoR8g1LLB4lJsNuofOtqT4HkXo8GyBnBtMci5s605idabDdrlO-TgmEcx-o03HHnKg5x-uukx9hvjmc2DlngCDLFlXQnvZLX4ZZi1QJL/s400/IMG_7643.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Left to dry 24 hours and cleaned up the living room....finally some semblance of order!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuRyaysovc8BNRtQNeY8Fro8NDapEJDM9jVHYAvnop464IAdCsXP2s3jZF45NRJsPHRAZ2V8F1aCmPSiAgRzX0zpN9xANVo4-2B98UdDh1V2xojPQBCZS55OCTEBHKwRKeXXU4vR-Wxdu/s1600/IMG_7646.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuRyaysovc8BNRtQNeY8Fro8NDapEJDM9jVHYAvnop464IAdCsXP2s3jZF45NRJsPHRAZ2V8F1aCmPSiAgRzX0zpN9xANVo4-2B98UdDh1V2xojPQBCZS55OCTEBHKwRKeXXU4vR-Wxdu/s400/IMG_7646.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The hours pass.... (view that night form the bedroom balcony)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6O319EzDO4XWmiqKUqGJeyjK-z7BGy967eePQEywsbzZIEejoZpJf_gf0VqB-ymAt1aVfAHq0ekczm9uXqy8ZLRPiqG_F8RMyO09YfWZXmJ3OKO6J1Y6jOrZSd0_uFVVytaKhY89HkOm/s1600/IMG_7667.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6O319EzDO4XWmiqKUqGJeyjK-z7BGy967eePQEywsbzZIEejoZpJf_gf0VqB-ymAt1aVfAHq0ekczm9uXqy8ZLRPiqG_F8RMyO09YfWZXmJ3OKO6J1Y6jOrZSd0_uFVVytaKhY89HkOm/s640/IMG_7667.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">New day! New challenge! Peter grouted for me as I have...as you may recall...no working knees. </span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMq3ku-tMHqJYicHrk46SR-N8OXpPeB5GrqvK_Knek30xpBFZdrS77KNVvfJnPJzJeSCB0uZX6GrhtmhDCnRGf_zRyU05vB5rPtV0ijWuxigJqbyeMyeR4Le3nfRYgba7JQ90bUJs8PXJG/s400/IMG_7678.JPG" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTSgviYS7cFtI9g0PVqSL-Ophu5sar68d0tzyDzKHD7E-wfs_Qn8L9K1U-PEZw9cdfsyOM63w73IWDHYV_70nzE8tyGfrMJEJeg78mFB6b1hCATFUKFDv9Fk1W-Pn3SeEm1tcLSX_4C6K/s1600/IMG_7706.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTSgviYS7cFtI9g0PVqSL-Ophu5sar68d0tzyDzKHD7E-wfs_Qn8L9K1U-PEZw9cdfsyOM63w73IWDHYV_70nzE8tyGfrMJEJeg78mFB6b1hCATFUKFDv9Fk1W-Pn3SeEm1tcLSX_4C6K/s400/IMG_7706.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OOufw_KruTrdYDvDR0dqkhvkfRX3W_cbNflyql6VkGYcgBx8PZs17YyJf_VfU_H1F7Ks-TmD9Y9Bokz3FY2Tk3vdqhxfXT3QbfflTP9eakcrsLAwG5ktvWi4QiEl9TplJ4gLK8Qevqth/s1600/IMG_7709.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OOufw_KruTrdYDvDR0dqkhvkfRX3W_cbNflyql6VkGYcgBx8PZs17YyJf_VfU_H1F7Ks-TmD9Y9Bokz3FY2Tk3vdqhxfXT3QbfflTP9eakcrsLAwG5ktvWi4QiEl9TplJ4gLK8Qevqth/s400/IMG_7709.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDQUHle0-6XUTkHTc8WsQknChccZnGrfI6C8V-Tfnlvc4iQHXlKs9RZkU1mtYAWE90kBp7TWydJo1QDfIfo6FpuK7uxwFBtcyiODEPVv-qExC-RubB-W5qQnpQ-xcddsPb6Gqg8MwpN9b/s1600/IMG_7710.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDQUHle0-6XUTkHTc8WsQknChccZnGrfI6C8V-Tfnlvc4iQHXlKs9RZkU1mtYAWE90kBp7TWydJo1QDfIfo6FpuK7uxwFBtcyiODEPVv-qExC-RubB-W5qQnpQ-xcddsPb6Gqg8MwpN9b/s400/IMG_7710.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I made a wee YouTube clip to show you how sweet it is to see the colors revealed after grouting:</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_KF5d35NScI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_KF5d35NScI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Even I was delightfully surprised to see how it turned out with the dark grout. I had been terribly indecisive for days trying to see it finished with different colored grouts in my minds eye. I settled on a dark grey btw:</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Q5ZUKUHo0_965KuTykerhQjaoJaWC-9whHSiUo9Y-q4ZSCv0DXOin2-1AgQo1_QBMH8KANOKNuQzy-jhGIrBBEtsrih5Wga7KssrUhcMDgAZ9fz8YXXyHFdSaKxeUzWSptPs9twTLkek/s1600/24899068_10156095928110530_1689357589_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Q5ZUKUHo0_965KuTykerhQjaoJaWC-9whHSiUo9Y-q4ZSCv0DXOin2-1AgQo1_QBMH8KANOKNuQzy-jhGIrBBEtsrih5Wga7KssrUhcMDgAZ9fz8YXXyHFdSaKxeUzWSptPs9twTLkek/s400/24899068_10156095928110530_1689357589_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMN4hnWza2WhQ6fqAelu7VAo0_HgmacLL9cGZzeXGbPPolzO95x2HXbO0yCXAzCOWEjW-6cXzw3hPwGrOVZNXeBcW3nMLY51WQYEcO79IiwdZ0NNJeHSD8wWTPshDhDcBmtI62WD2wJJaa/s1600/IMG_7713.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMN4hnWza2WhQ6fqAelu7VAo0_HgmacLL9cGZzeXGbPPolzO95x2HXbO0yCXAzCOWEjW-6cXzw3hPwGrOVZNXeBcW3nMLY51WQYEcO79IiwdZ0NNJeHSD8wWTPshDhDcBmtI62WD2wJJaa/s400/IMG_7713.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">While the grout was still damp, I found that a lot of it clogged up around the bumper pieces and stones and some color and shape was lost, so I (stupidly) scraped here and there with my fingernail to reveal hidden tiny tiles and defined treelines etc. After wering my nail to a nub, I clued in and used the butter knife and an old toothbrush to define things better.</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADvuJDmFHR5R9zNkDKT5TLXxd3DO1ijP-ncn5tao_CgwDJVEmacutq73LKOX0lKrIbS2wz1U_6lJyOXwrQ1nJ_TwFfjXt34HznpWN3f5y2lFC6SU9_NBtEWQbZcWeHH7Ubcm8uKkP2v0w/s1600/IMG_7714.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADvuJDmFHR5R9zNkDKT5TLXxd3DO1ijP-ncn5tao_CgwDJVEmacutq73LKOX0lKrIbS2wz1U_6lJyOXwrQ1nJ_TwFfjXt34HznpWN3f5y2lFC6SU9_NBtEWQbZcWeHH7Ubcm8uKkP2v0w/s400/IMG_7714.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzAE4_s89h16Y4R-B3s2BGv2XwL5uZfTVbc8YQKPI1XmrwjUcVH3_Wi40UkFxIUJix8eSQB7-NWJAvKBq6RjP5OTv4CkIfaOuQDB69M5hQTU6TwDzCpPJCVazXQpwQSmJY16PRXrWZC6s/s1600/IMG_7718.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzAE4_s89h16Y4R-B3s2BGv2XwL5uZfTVbc8YQKPI1XmrwjUcVH3_Wi40UkFxIUJix8eSQB7-NWJAvKBq6RjP5OTv4CkIfaOuQDB69M5hQTU6TwDzCpPJCVazXQpwQSmJY16PRXrWZC6s/s400/IMG_7718.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">*this angle shows you the 'relief map' quality of the mosaic...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggflled4_UOwRseMivgoxOENxZ6bA1vFBfVIwenIXGe3ZFi1uO66a0dgUZkWVwVYOQ415MEL8ibSTgVkuUm4rv1YmeJi751XA-orcRgiz-m2tAql1beyvMNWnUF5Vuv-Y7FFmkG6h12PdK/s1600/IMG_7720.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggflled4_UOwRseMivgoxOENxZ6bA1vFBfVIwenIXGe3ZFi1uO66a0dgUZkWVwVYOQ415MEL8ibSTgVkuUm4rv1YmeJi751XA-orcRgiz-m2tAql1beyvMNWnUF5Vuv-Y7FFmkG6h12PdK/s400/IMG_7720.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">It was then time to put together a frame-like border. I chose some thin wood trim and Peter cut and nailed it into place.</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYHVcL0u5WNsJLs_ZBzFVhYPs4WVdJTU3w7OAKBTJNJTMRMz72TCURLSeqRziS05aqI45OhTZLntfxlRHIxeCp-d8m7q3gHelC8TG5JVAynBtKk7PRJHUjHkWZYjtEEYDLIKXbMCavmMS/s1600/24824485_10156091620590530_2057791762_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="373" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYHVcL0u5WNsJLs_ZBzFVhYPs4WVdJTU3w7OAKBTJNJTMRMz72TCURLSeqRziS05aqI45OhTZLntfxlRHIxeCp-d8m7q3gHelC8TG5JVAynBtKk7PRJHUjHkWZYjtEEYDLIKXbMCavmMS/s400/24824485_10156091620590530_2057791762_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span id="goog_1823775419"></span><span id="goog_1823775420"><br /></span></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">*I think it's time to add a fave pic of the moon I took from our balcony around Nov 9th. It wasn't this big, but darn close...so amazing. Maybe inspiration for another mosaic? (*slaps self on the head and looks again at ruined nails and blood blistered palms)</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUc-a_BaLxAlxwgyh0NEdenYimCMsMagJADrwH6TddYGAcBKOcTndZreBaKgyLHZjKlZQSlcUGbEnptH-OxLXutsOegR-T8v4yiPmZgnL-AoOrX3PG1vqIF5PeH1hE37A7KERZYCAoeIod/s1600/IMG_7738.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUc-a_BaLxAlxwgyh0NEdenYimCMsMagJADrwH6TddYGAcBKOcTndZreBaKgyLHZjKlZQSlcUGbEnptH-OxLXutsOegR-T8v4yiPmZgnL-AoOrX3PG1vqIF5PeH1hE37A7KERZYCAoeIod/s400/IMG_7738.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">After a final inspection by our resident Princess, Jasmine of House Kitty Paws, who was awfully keen on sniffing out Moby Dick....</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6kii1itSUICFOPccsJYujYe_p59AkakYvO5U_lTS9xhaFNJyLMsXSG9IzspDPqW3kttxTsERt2Mv0WA5GhB3-WyQ8LIQwYVaTWXqF4yK105wu4b-baz9glPB-AjFiWiT2NwBADbLkU9d/s1600/IMG_7810.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6kii1itSUICFOPccsJYujYe_p59AkakYvO5U_lTS9xhaFNJyLMsXSG9IzspDPqW3kttxTsERt2Mv0WA5GhB3-WyQ8LIQwYVaTWXqF4yK105wu4b-baz9glPB-AjFiWiT2NwBADbLkU9d/s400/IMG_7810.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">...it was time to stand back and view the hearth with <i>'Thank God that is done with then!'</i> eyes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><b>AFTER PICTURE 1:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTCrzheh3S63KW6Uj478_VsGLrxaA6egk6wo1xHlem7CvIuX8xge0g9n_KsVf2_0E2hPu25e3Q6nlI3Blg2xos0Zhe4_2FS3FQC3NynGn5L5Xsanes501RuhFX25vPtkfSKWNohU69Tk5/s1600/IMG_7809.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTCrzheh3S63KW6Uj478_VsGLrxaA6egk6wo1xHlem7CvIuX8xge0g9n_KsVf2_0E2hPu25e3Q6nlI3Blg2xos0Zhe4_2FS3FQC3NynGn5L5Xsanes501RuhFX25vPtkfSKWNohU69Tk5/s400/IMG_7809.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div><br /></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">We may or may not continue the trim around the base of the fireplace and we may or may not varnish the trim darker....but if I do I will add it later. I will probably add a sealant and perhaps a varnish or clear polish...we shall see. But as it stands now, I am done and done in! It was a cool experience...but like childbirth, it is always a LOT better in retrospect. (after 5 kids, I would say that is my expert opinion) and again, like childbirth, you swear you'll never do it again...until you do it again. From day one to now, I would say it took about a month and a half to complete, but that includes me working at my job as a motel manager (wiping my gluey fingers quickly to answer the front desk) and taking the odd break to lick my wounds. *smile*</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Hope you enjoyed my project...and I hope you never curse my name when you inevitably start using up the bandages with your project, and f</span><span style="font-family: "arial";">eel free to ask me any questions in the comment section. I will probably lie and make this seem like a lot of fun so I have others suffering with me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">CHEERS!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Sprayed a sealant on the mosaic and signed it as my hubby said it was a 'work of art'. How sweet! *smile* </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi930qbWsGBFkYaKkiCR9x0AgG_6WxobWF46QonFpRX27Ps_oO2j82GOi8L7_acaD2CO1GJQUwECIYqbkpn9flJSYCtrMqiiLL5WbIxDeO-UQoBdQ-iRCr0MQbe_7XBoodt_hZ3kpyWC8yd/s1600/IMG_7892.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1022" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi930qbWsGBFkYaKkiCR9x0AgG_6WxobWF46QonFpRX27Ps_oO2j82GOi8L7_acaD2CO1GJQUwECIYqbkpn9flJSYCtrMqiiLL5WbIxDeO-UQoBdQ-iRCr0MQbe_7XBoodt_hZ3kpyWC8yd/s400/IMG_7892.JPG" width="255" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3qqGWnPUGt9GHhZnYVhxAhap2BefgH7T4LaEI8EL-sdsn7exKHTlHB4jWvQC59DKS4VwcaPyqYnqQueXv-PFI97I7kXrJ38Gc2sqEbbTmHrb0q4AI_tZCP8VFB5LYv-l04VIxY6t43cx/s1600/IMG_7894.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3qqGWnPUGt9GHhZnYVhxAhap2BefgH7T4LaEI8EL-sdsn7exKHTlHB4jWvQC59DKS4VwcaPyqYnqQueXv-PFI97I7kXrJ38Gc2sqEbbTmHrb0q4AI_tZCP8VFB5LYv-l04VIxY6t43cx/s400/IMG_7894.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrjWMNSipiCo5tNQLzNv0T8eNLEHZ-6_P4dToDhjGXFFFEAgWTTDRQzTJ6I-5WDDmqG1sw0gYa2DyrEdy2NJS7Lzs_Iw8OwFRg6sYtPvCAJGiGF68vIkz_i9YFLJ_Jy1suTPCjEQz7mPE/s1600/IMG_7895.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrjWMNSipiCo5tNQLzNv0T8eNLEHZ-6_P4dToDhjGXFFFEAgWTTDRQzTJ6I-5WDDmqG1sw0gYa2DyrEdy2NJS7Lzs_Iw8OwFRg6sYtPvCAJGiGF68vIkz_i9YFLJ_Jy1suTPCjEQz7mPE/s400/IMG_7895.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmvUhKQvMaLYTynBUt8rCxaUtEq4_feS_e9lh5N1cPh_srHjh5UN0jg23KTgmywVIBcFqA_2qg8qjO8K6ggk5vSGffrY43DdJ3DK6ynWXXTgzLPrYp4rphdYi-1jT2KuNfpoNht01QBRa/s1600/IMG_7897.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmvUhKQvMaLYTynBUt8rCxaUtEq4_feS_e9lh5N1cPh_srHjh5UN0jg23KTgmywVIBcFqA_2qg8qjO8K6ggk5vSGffrY43DdJ3DK6ynWXXTgzLPrYp4rphdYi-1jT2KuNfpoNht01QBRa/s400/IMG_7897.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Nice and shiny...and I am pleased. Merry Christmas to you all and good luck in your future projects!</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AFTER PICTURE 2</b><span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>:</b></span></span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xFZsvGmSjy0msq1SApOppxcpWAnFZ5zX0J66fE1sWnFMRccTMBskRjwupkf9dx01_I37uEbVK5H3L1x4Y5xjM5ixSNee_b3dIFUBZlAfP_ygbRTBOv_XX1Ki9v-udU2NyOYVVQ-yGPwS/s1600/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xFZsvGmSjy0msq1SApOppxcpWAnFZ5zX0J66fE1sWnFMRccTMBskRjwupkf9dx01_I37uEbVK5H3L1x4Y5xjM5ixSNee_b3dIFUBZlAfP_ygbRTBOv_XX1Ki9v-udU2NyOYVVQ-yGPwS/s400/Untitled.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3RTsCYjMY9AJyY9NbOY_a7FbZ3UxopRHwfFY-9S7XtTV1LVazezSbO-KXg4ZKfPrXOb3z5IZIKw2ZPBFahV-TBxY2sFAJhyphenhyphen5NVV0oeU1UqQJxBQJmoiap8bTft6Cx5mJLWBgYh391uYW/s1600/28459003_10156352484495530_530402948_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3RTsCYjMY9AJyY9NbOY_a7FbZ3UxopRHwfFY-9S7XtTV1LVazezSbO-KXg4ZKfPrXOb3z5IZIKw2ZPBFahV-TBxY2sFAJhyphenhyphen5NVV0oeU1UqQJxBQJmoiap8bTft6Cx5mJLWBgYh391uYW/s400/28459003_10156352484495530_530402948_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">February 2018</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSd5hyWg2cHyHT6ufrcQrUXupDvycAy0DrcPy_YfjSwDNIQrUk7y9tKMA_w6aw8ayeM0Iprn7NmyfbYGhyphenhyphenMvMd-a_w9VCnfElC2PdJvCXL_gzjihavHVaFSLV_BYNfBCHxJ3h6cTWLXt4Q/s1600/20180217_150104+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSd5hyWg2cHyHT6ufrcQrUXupDvycAy0DrcPy_YfjSwDNIQrUk7y9tKMA_w6aw8ayeM0Iprn7NmyfbYGhyphenhyphenMvMd-a_w9VCnfElC2PdJvCXL_gzjihavHVaFSLV_BYNfBCHxJ3h6cTWLXt4Q/s400/20180217_150104+%25282%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdz5P7Zv_Syk1CZTBtespRtey0lR1BsDvC8UMIDbpT7HO-zbnAbJ-6WuIahtnfkh2K5K3YedFO4-VcuUuVAeBEiXyHS1dmpPTsquX31mjcXM0x8I5kmIyoFZNQ4SrWe8x-A6AZXq4bernA/s1600/28459125_10156352538735530_1603945281_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdz5P7Zv_Syk1CZTBtespRtey0lR1BsDvC8UMIDbpT7HO-zbnAbJ-6WuIahtnfkh2K5K3YedFO4-VcuUuVAeBEiXyHS1dmpPTsquX31mjcXM0x8I5kmIyoFZNQ4SrWe8x-A6AZXq4bernA/s400/28459125_10156352538735530_1603945281_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
</div>
DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-37919301945623010852017-10-14T18:46:00.000-06:002019-08-09T09:50:50.211-06:00OUTLANDER: *SHOCKING PROOF* FRANK RANDALL WAS A TT* ! (*Time Traveller)<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hold onto your pantyhose ladies...Fraaaaaak! was a Time Traveller, just like Claire!</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Undisputed evidence leaves NO doubt that our favorite British hubbypoo, Professor of History, MI6 Agent, Tabletop TongueTango Grand Master and Fedora-rockin' trench coat hottie, was able to skip through Time and share his craggy good looks and ovary melting baritone across the centuries.</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whether or not you are #TeamFrank, one cannot argue with Fact.</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Years of research has uncovered the following previously unknown ORIGINAL artwork etc...which...well... explains a LOT:</span></b> <span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">*click on pic to enlarge</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuz9Yf8e7OS2u6cFY0cxSdykCnG8UEc6Su5AAwIeTw3ZFCaXx52vzhn9TsCADi46qVOAU8uzp3FNxuUR0QvTG17ncLARwq8N9RhXWMHK4Utsi47PmwAGdvlfRLRc6Ik6Arhyphenhyphenvd3m10U0k/s1600/mona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="256" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuz9Yf8e7OS2u6cFY0cxSdykCnG8UEc6Su5AAwIeTw3ZFCaXx52vzhn9TsCADi46qVOAU8uzp3FNxuUR0QvTG17ncLARwq8N9RhXWMHK4Utsi47PmwAGdvlfRLRc6Ik6Arhyphenhyphenvd3m10U0k/s400/mona.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVCV97djfEheGNZG-45rgdAWIr1ZupvIJ3yZGsBJF9Rz3iv3UCzaQMCcpL7vdlaiAVLdYcEmQXfAPahyT5RU-BKRKfZ62CsrT4f-BJ-98x1aYHikhCk2qq2BSO9Pf7AnT2uOrB_ZT0vUb/s1600/frank+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="438" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVCV97djfEheGNZG-45rgdAWIr1ZupvIJ3yZGsBJF9Rz3iv3UCzaQMCcpL7vdlaiAVLdYcEmQXfAPahyT5RU-BKRKfZ62CsrT4f-BJ-98x1aYHikhCk2qq2BSO9Pf7AnT2uOrB_ZT0vUb/s400/frank+5.jpg" width="328" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>*ceased cover; one copy in existence:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFDBd4HbbyNoEhj_CcIe608Poq42lRtnfoEf3WEblnZbndJjptGXr3DIBDFbo-5d3-b4zXKgCuXD1SIIhvu4BgqBf3fUutmM4XRt9q_4ocGsAkfE1w5cZrCxh5LWP2QpD1LSPIt7uCAmp/s1600/frank+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="421" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFDBd4HbbyNoEhj_CcIe608Poq42lRtnfoEf3WEblnZbndJjptGXr3DIBDFbo-5d3-b4zXKgCuXD1SIIhvu4BgqBf3fUutmM4XRt9q_4ocGsAkfE1w5cZrCxh5LWP2QpD1LSPIt7uCAmp/s400/frank+18.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6OG3AjvkGKinfCltqf63gbEsuujN4_08K6r6IjAJ5qtUal3fSHpXyqyuGQijFq60GDZAzuwUQh4MxCT7958FK_HpKAfQztRcVVJraN1Ps3Eoo7jWdmz9hGzrwIWuBtfBloUtDhR-wV5k/s1600/frank+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6OG3AjvkGKinfCltqf63gbEsuujN4_08K6r6IjAJ5qtUal3fSHpXyqyuGQijFq60GDZAzuwUQh4MxCT7958FK_HpKAfQztRcVVJraN1Ps3Eoo7jWdmz9hGzrwIWuBtfBloUtDhR-wV5k/s400/frank+2.jpg" width="341" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQX37VfraQoJ5FnRnQRFcMiq3O324NUjAUlrI4oB-gCMqFY08KkacW7nkO06TbnneWOidkmB6llrDLr12EVjuIaHr-U7RjENGVmV7l9e6MZZskO5T_QYiaOWzVba4AF9kBJrhL3kGJyH7/s1600/FRANK+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="533" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQX37VfraQoJ5FnRnQRFcMiq3O324NUjAUlrI4oB-gCMqFY08KkacW7nkO06TbnneWOidkmB6llrDLr12EVjuIaHr-U7RjENGVmV7l9e6MZZskO5T_QYiaOWzVba4AF9kBJrhL3kGJyH7/s400/FRANK+9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ajm2CqiajfXwmcZdN-QCOy1WYETLQq3sl5GSOGSg_PnT7JoPwPvDxNV_XX6Z-5vGlxKDUZscx69btCWCj3LtnJmYGiDYZJRi8IAA4dFE5xzmUn7T_sCCMjssNr9wlBAixVagZiVBnl7a/s1600/frank+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ajm2CqiajfXwmcZdN-QCOy1WYETLQq3sl5GSOGSg_PnT7JoPwPvDxNV_XX6Z-5vGlxKDUZscx69btCWCj3LtnJmYGiDYZJRi8IAA4dFE5xzmUn7T_sCCMjssNr9wlBAixVagZiVBnl7a/s400/frank+6.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX08uk7yg4YtCmjXR_6Oon_AlcPS3XDQ-q_nlWE7D0LgBGEWgiiBPPWSfVizP6fKtkpkhJhUNxGXoFW27RNkE00DQ_dY6kPMbOOrRhJX6gjXNNcxdS4oPpMzHg3Gf3PPGYkI443Q4uHmdN/s1600/FRANK+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX08uk7yg4YtCmjXR_6Oon_AlcPS3XDQ-q_nlWE7D0LgBGEWgiiBPPWSfVizP6fKtkpkhJhUNxGXoFW27RNkE00DQ_dY6kPMbOOrRhJX6gjXNNcxdS4oPpMzHg3Gf3PPGYkI443Q4uHmdN/s400/FRANK+15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OqIp5g-81qPFtL8bnZOmPTKxWKsDBofSSymOTj2vtCn6of9jaxn3KoN6oYbedClxpgZ2X1aF67I80a2KaH_-t88yIZ55_0UNsHYW5EHxg33Qf14vSpTnB_Zo4MhsfkJiAAdp6m8_gZRu/s1600/frank+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="519" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OqIp5g-81qPFtL8bnZOmPTKxWKsDBofSSymOTj2vtCn6of9jaxn3KoN6oYbedClxpgZ2X1aF67I80a2KaH_-t88yIZ55_0UNsHYW5EHxg33Qf14vSpTnB_Zo4MhsfkJiAAdp6m8_gZRu/s400/frank+3.jpg" width="391" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EGlYRH5_ID4l4H4B1tH2Tna-pYENkBlUo6dvLr88rvaq1KoDJyFqDshe4zbLSnEOS-JtZuUF9Mnm-KgqHJET8BPrtUdDt-s30FCyPcBtm6jIPvZzs5ocPiGNmsDPLPI01R3tfNTC-LtR/s1600/FRANK+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1100" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EGlYRH5_ID4l4H4B1tH2Tna-pYENkBlUo6dvLr88rvaq1KoDJyFqDshe4zbLSnEOS-JtZuUF9Mnm-KgqHJET8BPrtUdDt-s30FCyPcBtm6jIPvZzs5ocPiGNmsDPLPI01R3tfNTC-LtR/s400/FRANK+12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdpITUvRHExyjNypmDMpfrVc89naMRj9pZtJbRGerrc6GsYU4AaHgcIoFcYn0zyET3p_A1Bq38gaaORmVD2cyuZ2IWjzwJvpabGTHTmYjbc-MDtje-O9wdfmWxshssE-VHuiIM1D3-HaX/s1600/frank+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="497" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdpITUvRHExyjNypmDMpfrVc89naMRj9pZtJbRGerrc6GsYU4AaHgcIoFcYn0zyET3p_A1Bq38gaaORmVD2cyuZ2IWjzwJvpabGTHTmYjbc-MDtje-O9wdfmWxshssE-VHuiIM1D3-HaX/s400/frank+19.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9o3aD3aDWuHbGyxHNM3jdB9XGSGxCEVFgbjR9F9RzPF3hbS4aGvsblF3QkiFaGFAQoiy45uH1HwvmaPWxz7tmtU3Zlgo3a5iKYyRCCFW1eV98w3Eh4tr1Qra6JhkuwFbXcMmSQRta0RNA/s1600/FRANK+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1589" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9o3aD3aDWuHbGyxHNM3jdB9XGSGxCEVFgbjR9F9RzPF3hbS4aGvsblF3QkiFaGFAQoiy45uH1HwvmaPWxz7tmtU3Zlgo3a5iKYyRCCFW1eV98w3Eh4tr1Qra6JhkuwFbXcMmSQRta0RNA/s640/FRANK+7.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpzXQqnpsFqIohAiEaSJzkpOpMGYJ4xS3sdS4Eb5I95Lj9eRyvVRujbTerhhyMWV4UAVkAz2GqAPd08-fiNukAKSFZGjICmqFLuhZgdOnUqHnLPm8M0q-9KGXTxpYdSew4Nq6AnNz-616/s1600/FRANK+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="696" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpzXQqnpsFqIohAiEaSJzkpOpMGYJ4xS3sdS4Eb5I95Lj9eRyvVRujbTerhhyMWV4UAVkAz2GqAPd08-fiNukAKSFZGjICmqFLuhZgdOnUqHnLPm8M0q-9KGXTxpYdSew4Nq6AnNz-616/s400/FRANK+8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6_ahRWGf1yaHtkINZ3FFw_bb_EA6OYufyaEMJT3bk_odDITQTJT9_ZCC6uSw_Vs7FJ-Nh1AhzkqlH4CZp0-mNlvDDwQRrW_Q1xbqJg6iqvtIpuOFbEP2klCY6X3XTOdxAQxEKiIrigl3/s1600/FRANK+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="407" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6_ahRWGf1yaHtkINZ3FFw_bb_EA6OYufyaEMJT3bk_odDITQTJT9_ZCC6uSw_Vs7FJ-Nh1AhzkqlH4CZp0-mNlvDDwQRrW_Q1xbqJg6iqvtIpuOFbEP2klCY6X3XTOdxAQxEKiIrigl3/s400/FRANK+10.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6z-dARUH2yFjrXuV6G50rSDTUa41YGMDt06aKlF1O4B-4gMIbr0nAHJVeBPQ0toRepBrI3WjOzptbx0tHl7ygkPLF0a_DIhh6LtzhNwfx1mKODwJONhSOXbRY9SmE0Lv3IPkdSD-ArM8/s1600/FRANK+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1200" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6z-dARUH2yFjrXuV6G50rSDTUa41YGMDt06aKlF1O4B-4gMIbr0nAHJVeBPQ0toRepBrI3WjOzptbx0tHl7ygkPLF0a_DIhh6LtzhNwfx1mKODwJONhSOXbRY9SmE0Lv3IPkdSD-ArM8/s400/FRANK+11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnf8w4PwtRl1Hem867ddmprC2bVwuiS9S8UtiLp386Tk2WMPaECJZomusCQIgXfFJlTc0-kcI7fgv4liYBLvX9NgTscJm03XZ_JTQ_3Iv2IUo5ZQNQ32Mtgjfb7c4EGJjAtilmMyN9qPJ/s1600/FRANK+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1123" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnf8w4PwtRl1Hem867ddmprC2bVwuiS9S8UtiLp386Tk2WMPaECJZomusCQIgXfFJlTc0-kcI7fgv4liYBLvX9NgTscJm03XZ_JTQ_3Iv2IUo5ZQNQ32Mtgjfb7c4EGJjAtilmMyN9qPJ/s400/FRANK+13.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9fLzOg5KR7xn4l3yyOGWEmcdwsM5IrdiIaNWkE9Pntx1xkRUgZsuW3uHI0gjO6uzZT7AvuNZw84GZ8vuYKLmh3Rp7ugZOz5R943q7WfPddSiMCB6maQj9U5qWTvITnBz7d_Sf1R_si9I/s1600/FRANK+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9fLzOg5KR7xn4l3yyOGWEmcdwsM5IrdiIaNWkE9Pntx1xkRUgZsuW3uHI0gjO6uzZT7AvuNZw84GZ8vuYKLmh3Rp7ugZOz5R943q7WfPddSiMCB6maQj9U5qWTvITnBz7d_Sf1R_si9I/s400/FRANK+14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wAmP7sZQ2Fq5SX2ym-Yr1CNOFPNFF51GC0qkN0bGi9fEVDcUuxbuV-9L7y_jKqS6bqYjojv2LFJsBfzgGc6jIaZnBnHIxp5JIt1klvbes3sXLRrodv308AnkBJ0jb1LqKo8AgBfc58Xc/s1600/frank+jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1500" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wAmP7sZQ2Fq5SX2ym-Yr1CNOFPNFF51GC0qkN0bGi9fEVDcUuxbuV-9L7y_jKqS6bqYjojv2LFJsBfzgGc6jIaZnBnHIxp5JIt1klvbes3sXLRrodv308AnkBJ0jb1LqKo8AgBfc58Xc/s400/frank+jesus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">...and finally, something SO obvious that it needs no explanation:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7s45nrlnj83ILRuLI3fJXq_Buh4XTpMIWAkEvNU1o3kBDl8NGF69CuZatzLDQ3uVnrB4X5vRdBIN8vF4pcBP6XstHXfzBQ45_Q2uTSs-vq5ubkZRonNOVlzGNGSjpc2iQrsEO58NippW/s1600/frank+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="600" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7s45nrlnj83ILRuLI3fJXq_Buh4XTpMIWAkEvNU1o3kBDl8NGF69CuZatzLDQ3uVnrB4X5vRdBIN8vF4pcBP6XstHXfzBQ45_Q2uTSs-vq5ubkZRonNOVlzGNGSjpc2iQrsEO58NippW/s400/frank+17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Nuff said.</span> </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*drops mike and walks off stage*</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: large;"></span><u></u><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><b></b><span style="color: red;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><b></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-56329784387904201222017-08-13T02:27:00.001-06:002020-01-22T16:36:03.011-07:00OUTLANDER FRIENDSHIP TEST: be aware of who you befriend!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>OUTLANDER FRIENDSHIP TEST</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">LINK THIS 3-PART TEST TO ANY POTENTIAL 'FRIEND' AND IF THEY CAN PASS IT, PROOF OF THEIR BEING OUTLANDERNATED WILL BE CONFIRMED.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">*if they fail, you may want to reconsider spending your time with them. I mean really, what would you talk about?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 1</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">3 BASIC MUST-KNOW QUESTIONS</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">1) WHO IS JAMIE?</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">a) a stable boy</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">b) a warrior Scotsman</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">c) a whorehouse bouncer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">2) WHO IS CLAIRE?</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">a) a dockside harlot</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">b) a beautician</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">c) a Time Traveling doctor<b> </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">3) WHAT IS A LEGHAIR?</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">a) a stubbly leg infestation</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">b) a spoiled brat</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">c) the reason Claire almost got burned as a witch.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>_____________</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 2</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>FINISH THIS SENTENCE:</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>DIANA GABALDON IS A....</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">a) wife </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
b) writer</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
c) mother</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
d) doctor</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
e) creative genius</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
f) gravelly voiced sex goddess</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
g) all of the above</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>_______________</b></div>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">PART 3</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">VISUAL RESPONSES</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS AND CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE ANSWER:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">1) a) Ah! True love!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) I may vomit.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_WkdYgIhYqGOT4KXAMO56Lv_lnZpKIDqiC0C2Z_rGGOT77KH9WZ65qCo6J3Pzd7hLychXoZrXH16cmU_mM4N7NJZm6kNkayGk8ochjiWvLMC9RrbE762poaUd8It8NGG4OcCPRMn4-02/s1600/TEST+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="500" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_WkdYgIhYqGOT4KXAMO56Lv_lnZpKIDqiC0C2Z_rGGOT77KH9WZ65qCo6J3Pzd7hLychXoZrXH16cmU_mM4N7NJZm6kNkayGk8ochjiWvLMC9RrbE762poaUd8It8NGG4OcCPRMn4-02/s400/TEST+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
________________________________________________</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">2) a) Family ties bind are sacred and their devotion is inspiring.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) Dougal should invest in armour.</span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFBs-Xmx0ZPNWogD33a4cfuFblh3BLDC2m13VNETVg5eFh-vM6CNWy4RMZ6t_jbXpca48jkUY5TuGwC3ajll7pbu8svLB682j9OEgLlmngNVjuE-9kkIj5Z76KQyQlK_IAkAwVEK-Y86C/s1600/test2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1296" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFBs-Xmx0ZPNWogD33a4cfuFblh3BLDC2m13VNETVg5eFh-vM6CNWy4RMZ6t_jbXpca48jkUY5TuGwC3ajll7pbu8svLB682j9OEgLlmngNVjuE-9kkIj5Z76KQyQlK_IAkAwVEK-Y86C/s400/test2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
____________________________________________________</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">3) a) That necklace stole the scene!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) Murtagh sure loved her lovely swans!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHioUkR-UyX8DeQ0XXLBeDqFJIe11O1LYzXdqvSYSpvkYbLkvPxLtX1VYBWE8zXLByAJ9zv0a63Kw7lQt7ospKIIWMj2JZQS-1cElqoVtxqjO1kn7G7hrWfiPabACdrALUbWdYqZe6cWV/s1600/test3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHioUkR-UyX8DeQ0XXLBeDqFJIe11O1LYzXdqvSYSpvkYbLkvPxLtX1VYBWE8zXLByAJ9zv0a63Kw7lQt7ospKIIWMj2JZQS-1cElqoVtxqjO1kn7G7hrWfiPabACdrALUbWdYqZe6cWV/s400/test3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
___________________________________________________</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">4) a) There was no better wig maker in all of France or the world!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) He was heads above the rest!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLJhjDB5ukoYoCMbCZZpV4XOIjBiPkdCbdDsBjUN9-VntfFHhO-a6K7E5RV9mqIJrUrTcN9ffyR_rR0eZdmpITFj_PS4bxsRJB61cAgfwdzPhYwad_07tdffTZQLQpuxvGy1IV2k98Lui/s1600/test7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="193" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLJhjDB5ukoYoCMbCZZpV4XOIjBiPkdCbdDsBjUN9-VntfFHhO-a6K7E5RV9mqIJrUrTcN9ffyR_rR0eZdmpITFj_PS4bxsRJB61cAgfwdzPhYwad_07tdffTZQLQpuxvGy1IV2k98Lui/s400/test7.png" width="295" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">5) a) This scene after Jaime's cousin's wedding was sweet.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) His boots were made for more than walking. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbISH-BQLBKVj3SZkINP6DbD439mAeIro5uerb8qUnS-MbxGoqyj5Zs_CfCmfAlUjPg7MHXc-zAmWhZidlI2Mwaf7EUyVnMAxW4OgfGpXJTHM7p0VGEywgZrEoo5laru7CUoVRCvlzqJvm/s1600/test4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbISH-BQLBKVj3SZkINP6DbD439mAeIro5uerb8qUnS-MbxGoqyj5Zs_CfCmfAlUjPg7MHXc-zAmWhZidlI2Mwaf7EUyVnMAxW4OgfGpXJTHM7p0VGEywgZrEoo5laru7CUoVRCvlzqJvm/s400/test4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<u></u> ___________________________________________________<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">6) a) The ladies traditionally gather every weekend to wash the church curtains.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) The ladies sure know how to pound the piss out of their laundry!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBvGx3Tr9fiHCqwK_F-Z9t8WAeYHTfNAMyh7iU1UNIHeKdabsncKCtC7oYs__gOIoHfUx1JBd8uIIKD6QM35n1TOpUkaTF8Guilpump5xWQgP8kQ6lZhc8tqN5bj-HXMxEk2H-aGpn02w/s1600/test7b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBvGx3Tr9fiHCqwK_F-Z9t8WAeYHTfNAMyh7iU1UNIHeKdabsncKCtC7oYs__gOIoHfUx1JBd8uIIKD6QM35n1TOpUkaTF8Guilpump5xWQgP8kQ6lZhc8tqN5bj-HXMxEk2H-aGpn02w/s400/test7b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">7) a) Look how green that foliage is! Lovely!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) <i>*begin singing*</i> "He's got the whole world, in his hands, he's got the whole wide world, in his hands..." <i>*begin spontaneous multiple orgasms*</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4N9rUQbfRqqBFV9FyjNQDRmn2z_d_Iy6hm7AlRbLw3w2D47bf0nJz5HgOKzvjYQiNKpDhsPaKdA-kBXKzw6aq3ksBTAbYPZ3iY_Glqqjkfcitb_u0EfMZGTVam1Q7n9uw9XNd1AE4B1s/s1600/test5.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="500" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4N9rUQbfRqqBFV9FyjNQDRmn2z_d_Iy6hm7AlRbLw3w2D47bf0nJz5HgOKzvjYQiNKpDhsPaKdA-kBXKzw6aq3ksBTAbYPZ3iY_Glqqjkfcitb_u0EfMZGTVam1Q7n9uw9XNd1AE4B1s/s400/test5.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike> ____________________________________________________</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">8) a) Being a wife and mother was all she ever wanted.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) She should have a sign tattooed above her vagina that says <i>'Enter At Your Own Risk".</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgS-IMp6Z6azyat_-HMuKBDBwM_HcndZFot-YMTAMCzVuf7__KOoy8UPGRU9YXBCZD4swttS9B6MvbMy_AVuGqXmUAgd4nT6CY6U7f9MGgE17Hm2kqHXW6mO277ClSKVnyTpQ6RlQpRWiH/s1600/test6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgS-IMp6Z6azyat_-HMuKBDBwM_HcndZFot-YMTAMCzVuf7__KOoy8UPGRU9YXBCZD4swttS9B6MvbMy_AVuGqXmUAgd4nT6CY6U7f9MGgE17Hm2kqHXW6mO277ClSKVnyTpQ6RlQpRWiH/s400/test6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
________________________________________________________</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">9) a) They could not believe the size of King Louis's penis on his braggadocios statue atop the Palace staircase!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) 'Seeing red' does not always mean one is angry...</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkQQ74DAjp7UuaoUfmE2PRZE6QWfm18YWEUTr2wEFDk1DjG9wEXuAZvDIW4rrncIx04XSSoSbSwkbE5Is7txVI8HeqQmZ9LHDZaMCA6QtHgS65TgHHgV26_GksA3bdza5bpzQ944uZA6r/s1600/test10a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkQQ74DAjp7UuaoUfmE2PRZE6QWfm18YWEUTr2wEFDk1DjG9wEXuAZvDIW4rrncIx04XSSoSbSwkbE5Is7txVI8HeqQmZ9LHDZaMCA6QtHgS65TgHHgV26_GksA3bdza5bpzQ944uZA6r/s400/test10a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
____________________________________________________</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">10) a) The scene where Black Jack travels to 1948 and lands in a Macey's.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) His wife gets 'stoned' and HE ends up in the police station!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNn8Ow_7VDDC_4p6ppDtmNr9G-3apILST0qIrANm5q-bQ2IkhKbCOeeH-WD13mS5P6UoRppiascBcbqpCqc-UE-JBs6yX2M6Wa0TfICYQYB1s_1DtdHlAQjhelU5QQfdX2J_asIqwc208h/s1600/test12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1000" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNn8Ow_7VDDC_4p6ppDtmNr9G-3apILST0qIrANm5q-bQ2IkhKbCOeeH-WD13mS5P6UoRppiascBcbqpCqc-UE-JBs6yX2M6Wa0TfICYQYB1s_1DtdHlAQjhelU5QQfdX2J_asIqwc208h/s400/test12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
_________________________________________________________</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">11) a) Waking up after dreaming she had been ridden harder than a rodeo bull on steroids by a redheaded virginal Scotsman.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) Waking up STILL wearing her belt and watch.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlcudieFCOU8WV-OUGvvqGPwdyQ_C8rv9KNCIYwdzqpcWFPvD5l4nIddUPshKAFVmQp_ymxdzWNn4XicswhhZRzWGuAjNPuzj0dpzsSLi2xniVxCBUBtL2nciNW7-QokRqcSRr_Y0qZHg/s1600/test8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlcudieFCOU8WV-OUGvvqGPwdyQ_C8rv9KNCIYwdzqpcWFPvD5l4nIddUPshKAFVmQp_ymxdzWNn4XicswhhZRzWGuAjNPuzj0dpzsSLi2xniVxCBUBtL2nciNW7-QokRqcSRr_Y0qZHg/s400/test8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
_________________________________________________________</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">12) a) A local nun trying out for The Von Trapp Family Singers.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) A healer who has a special friend with a nose for trouble.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRxIcgtxCkzyQTWrKHCWe9iskg57MN2S5IVVijuLIJZaqPATdL39meeFX7IaJriNiCBwIP_3LJhwLsQ8OkLY7kc9_p2aFX_Z24pT5T_jl7AfTWhFDF6uofcPi-hVHXHB1qZ7YQ73kOLJV/s1600/test10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRxIcgtxCkzyQTWrKHCWe9iskg57MN2S5IVVijuLIJZaqPATdL39meeFX7IaJriNiCBwIP_3LJhwLsQ8OkLY7kc9_p2aFX_Z24pT5T_jl7AfTWhFDF6uofcPi-hVHXHB1qZ7YQ73kOLJV/s400/test10.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u>____________________________________________________________</u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u><br /></u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">13) a) Claire finds a mole shaped like Australia, if Australia wore combat boots.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) Claire discovers that she likes kilts. And the steaming hot hunks of manflesh that wear them.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViDYWuz90QY91SFV1VzxgVMlrfIutSoKUCESPb512a13p7btfXX2DWyCOfPQbvGPdMmOK_cWgA87sOm-JvLlYa6r-yhWvYSgF8KOOmzDeF4CWQks4xnPzSIEqoBSjDNUpmSRk0JAA_qv1/s1600/test9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViDYWuz90QY91SFV1VzxgVMlrfIutSoKUCESPb512a13p7btfXX2DWyCOfPQbvGPdMmOK_cWgA87sOm-JvLlYa6r-yhWvYSgF8KOOmzDeF4CWQks4xnPzSIEqoBSjDNUpmSRk0JAA_qv1/s400/test9.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u>_________________________________________________________</u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">14) a) Claire's necklace was made from the bone of a white whale.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) This trinket is so beautiful...its to DIE for!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLvrV94vHqyc3r_PgZ8-lIRIZQoV-oeuNHogZiiitabltfVAhrrOwKA_GKp6WeFa5CPCNEMDB1eFR4ba2i2bNdJMNWxXfwUP9SngOzq3GynJ92yIFWntG-QsLHfZdExeKSDThzKN_VQxB/s1600/test11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="570" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLvrV94vHqyc3r_PgZ8-lIRIZQoV-oeuNHogZiiitabltfVAhrrOwKA_GKp6WeFa5CPCNEMDB1eFR4ba2i2bNdJMNWxXfwUP9SngOzq3GynJ92yIFWntG-QsLHfZdExeKSDThzKN_VQxB/s400/test11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
_______________________________________________________</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">15) a) Sam and Cait get together with Cait's parents for a fun evening.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> b) A crazy but happy Outlander family.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a class="irc_mil i3597 i46qlF4SaKpA-zixyDjKkw5M" data-ctbtn="2" data-cthref="/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj6_J-339PVAhXGtRQKHcmiCfgQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Few.com%2Fgallery%2Fcomic-con-2015-celebrity-gifs-day-2&psig=AFQjCNHHo93p7SyzFhnxFFfvMRvkhiBdnw&ust=1502694243016636" data-noload="" data-ved="0ahUKEwj6_J-339PVAhXGtRQKHcmiCfgQjRwIBw" href="https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj6_J-339PVAhXGtRQKHcmiCfgQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Few.com%2Fgallery%2Fcomic-con-2015-celebrity-gifs-day-2&psig=AFQjCNHHo93p7SyzFhnxFFfvMRvkhiBdnw&ust=1502694243016636" jsaction="mousedown:irc.rl;keydown:irc.rlk" rel="noopener" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image result for outlander gifs" class="irc_mi" height="522" src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/outlander-0071-ut45bz.gif?w=600" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="522" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>SCORE:</b></span> </div>
<div>
IF THE SCORE HIGHER THAN 100%, THEN YOU CAN SAFELY ACCEPT YOUR NEW OUTLANDER FRIEND. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
IF THE SCORE IS ANY LOWER, YOU CAN ADVISE THIS PERSON TO READ/WATCH OUTLANDER AND COME BACK TO TRY AGAIN. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
AND TO BRING WHISKEY.</div>
<div>
_________________________________________________________</div>
DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-46328453500202608882017-05-22T23:10:00.000-06:002019-04-03T17:06:25.927-06:00OUTLANDER'S FRANK RANDALL: RACIST OR REALIST? *BONUS: Diana Weighs In With The Facts<div data-block="true" data-editor="cro5p" data-offset-key="2n8di-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2n8di-0-0" style="text-align: center;">
<span data-offset-key="2n8di-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">LIGHTBULB MOMENT!</span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxSw9TOK5gGDDii3Xjha2NVMny_QAtXP7v8rAtjSpeLmcVQqzeivLT4wfq2dmnVccYyGO8OUqH7naNrJ7Y8yPDmHwLpmoxtxZhtrmJGVYzK0ibl-ebArBbeIySqPYSE8tC9e6QPpIec-F/s1600/sloth.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxSw9TOK5gGDDii3Xjha2NVMny_QAtXP7v8rAtjSpeLmcVQqzeivLT4wfq2dmnVccYyGO8OUqH7naNrJ7Y8yPDmHwLpmoxtxZhtrmJGVYzK0ibl-ebArBbeIySqPYSE8tC9e6QPpIec-F/s320/sloth.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yes...this looks JUST like me. Scarily so.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;"></span><span data-offset-key="2n8di-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div data-block="true" data-editor="cro5p" data-offset-key="4fs9p-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4fs9p-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9g8ue-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Many of the fans that Diana Gabaldon calls the anti-Frank crowd, site the phone calls from women that Claire receives, who tell her to leave Frank and their marriage, as proof of his infidelities. As I do NOT believe that Frank was a cheater, it just occurred to me why they may have called her: we know that <i>'everyone thinks she is having an affair with Joe Abernathy</i> <i>as they spend so much time together'</i> <i>(as Franks says in Voyager Chapter 19).</i> This is why I believe these curious phone calls are either from:</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div data-block="true" data-editor="cro5p" data-offset-key="9g8ue-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9g8ue-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9g8ue-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div data-block="true" data-editor="cro5p" data-offset-key="142bg-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="142bg-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="142bg-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1) women/students who are smitten by him and want her to leave with her lover and open the path to his heart/bedroom or a combination of both OR</span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="142bg-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="142bg-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div data-block="true" data-editor="cro5p" data-offset-key="52ar4-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="52ar4-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="52ar4-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2) women who simply admire him greatly and want her to leave with her scandalous black lover and stop shaming him and ruining his reputation...and making fool out of him. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="52ar4-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="52ar4-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></span><span data-offset-key="43fuc-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div data-block="true" data-editor="cro5p" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This could also explain what he meant when he said being with, or having an affair with a black man was 'dangerous'. His saying that 'being overprotective of Bree was better than having her <i>'</i><i>fucking a black' man</i> sounds more like bitter jealousy, deep anger and real fear...and not racism. After all, he didn't say the 'N' word and racists certainly do and did, especially in those days. Nevertheless, many do say that this is the point they lose all respect for Frank. If they had any to begin with, that is. </span></span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I don't believe it is in Frank's honorable and decent character to be racist, even though racism was utterly commonplace in those days. In <b><a href="http://parcaschosen.blogspot.ca/2017/01/outlander-novella-hallowsfrank.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">'Leaf'</span></a></b> we see Frank as a man of great character, intelligence and sympathy who can speak other languages (even if just a bit) and feels for the Jews and the soldiers of any ethnicity keenly. This hardly seems the type of man to harbour racist or prejudiced values.</span></span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Black and white couples could be and WERE beaten, jailed and murdered in those days and marriage was ABSOLUTELY out of the question. For example, In 1958, an interracial couple were torn from their beds at night in their own home and slammed into jail when the police discovered they had married. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true">*See this link:<b><i><u><span style="color: red;"> </span></u></i></b></span></span><span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><a href="http://www.pbs.org/black-culture/explore/interracial-marriage-relationships/#.WSOydLpFzmI" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT CHANGED HISTORY</span></a></i></b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By 1966, things has improved but not by much <i>(it wasn't until 1967 that all the States in America made interracial marriage legal)...</i>as we can sadly attest to even today.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><i><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true">If Claire was thrown in jail because of her love affair with Joe, what would happen to Bree? Both of their reputations? Bree's future? What if things escalated and they were attacked or abused? A</span></span><span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true">nd could it be that THAT was the reason he needed to go to England and take Bree with him...and even dare to hope Claire would follow? </span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Indeed it could. In fact, if we do find out later that Frank is not in fear for Bree's <i>(AND Claire's?)</i> safety because of his <span style="color: red;"><b><a href="http://parcaschosen.blogspot.ca/2017/02/outlander-was-frank-randall-murdered.html" target="_blank">MI6 Secret Agent</a></b></span> involvements concerning Time Travel and other nefarious reasons, it may be simply that he felt he had to save his daughter's reputation and shield her from the stain of her mother's shame and reckless love affair...again...just like he did in 1948.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cm945-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, in closing, let me reiterate, I do very much believe that Frank was/is not the racist he is thought to be <i>(another <span style="color: red;"><b><a href="http://parcaschosen.blogspot.ca/2016/04/outlander-red-herrings-occams-razor.html" target="_blank">red herring Diana</a></b></span>? GAWD WOMAN...I am getting full! Can't eat herring again if I tried... *wink* )</i> and was really just worried for the safety and reputation of Brianna...and even of Claire, who we know he loved until his dying breath. He spent his life keeping them safe.</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And this then begs the question, what does it say about<i> us</i> for jumping so quickly to the conclusion that someone saying 'a black man' in any kind of angry sentence is racist, without thinking about what else they could mean. Am I racist if I say <i>'I don't like Eskimo Pies'</i>? Or, <i>'Hey Officer! That Ukrainian Canadian guy just stole my purse!'</i>. Sometimes it is just a description for a specific purpose.</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>*and yes, I am Ukrainian Canadian and that guy who stole your purse was probably my brother. Sorry. He doesn't get out much.</i></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Joking aside, it is terribly easy to fall into an opinion skewed by one's preconception of a character...but you can now see, I hope, that</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">maybe the problem is with us, not Frank.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana";"><b>ADDED:</b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> Many thanks to Beth Trogdon Allen for this copy of Diana's opinion of Frank's perceived prejudice and racism, and why he is NOT either: </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i>click to enlarge</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XVSnZRKFYnTC5tFXZTm0ZhzIXwfzwU-lz7fofIfneKGiis59aCRs1XlMPcRrZHUWFCkgZTGCuaPsNhz5D_voSsnoHoe-TsAnBMxMNGMFm1GcqPFhi24Es7OJ7eAr5Z61paniKf-yvCiw/s1600/frank+racist+not+by+dg+words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XVSnZRKFYnTC5tFXZTm0ZhzIXwfzwU-lz7fofIfneKGiis59aCRs1XlMPcRrZHUWFCkgZTGCuaPsNhz5D_voSsnoHoe-TsAnBMxMNGMFm1GcqPFhi24Es7OJ7eAr5Z61paniKf-yvCiw/s640/frank+racist+not+by+dg+words.jpg" width="359" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4Jt3iyzLHZ7r4qJD6wLdvSZZdmt9qwK3JC7OMwHO4Co_GZXEl_woVBud6r_4-e8TMhnKqMZpG8o4glo-PDC_vcaIK-um_24lLdTjzaGS0I5IKCikilhR_HKhjMu7oB7WBhebz6ZI5fSZ/s1600/frank+truth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4Jt3iyzLHZ7r4qJD6wLdvSZZdmt9qwK3JC7OMwHO4Co_GZXEl_woVBud6r_4-e8TMhnKqMZpG8o4glo-PDC_vcaIK-um_24lLdTjzaGS0I5IKCikilhR_HKhjMu7oB7WBhebz6ZI5fSZ/s400/frank+truth.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">**</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cm945-0-0">
<br /></div>
</div>
DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-82127852203274956962017-05-22T00:34:00.002-06:002017-07-03T14:22:29.467-06:00OUTLANDER SEASON 3 (& 4,5...etc...): 3 Major Missing Facts & 3 Additions That Will Cause A Fandom Meltdown<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The upcoming season(s) will be bittersweet. Something like lemon rind coated with chocolate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Starz molds and shapes Outlander like PlayDoh, so it is no surprise that among the various adaptation changes <i>(plot/event removals and additions)</i> there will be things missing or added to Season 3 and the upcoming Seasons. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So...these are the Top 3 things that are/will-be missing, and the Top 3 most radical additions...that I, to be frank, love. <i>*wink*</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>SADLY MISSING</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>1) BRIANNA WILL NEVER KNOW HER NAME WAS ALWAYS PRONOUNCED WRONG</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYOiPubWYGoJNITX0NOyuQ4ldJLeaCa7jmehNLlPXUri290gCSUfAN-xQjJtHHs6PuNg_4-F-_rwomyugK_rbeZgpPnjrabjXue4zOCD9MLBEspq-P476oSIkzBGgKMWJNt7agwhysup_/s1600/BREE+NAME.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYOiPubWYGoJNITX0NOyuQ4ldJLeaCa7jmehNLlPXUri290gCSUfAN-xQjJtHHs6PuNg_4-F-_rwomyugK_rbeZgpPnjrabjXue4zOCD9MLBEspq-P476oSIkzBGgKMWJNt7agwhysup_/s400/BREE+NAME.jpg" width="355" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When Jamie sees Brianna's picture for the first time when Claire returns, he is told her name and says <i>'What a terrible name for a lass!'</i> or something even worse, and Claire is obviously indignant and angry and reminds him that HE asked for the baby to have his father's name...and since she couldn't call the child Brian, she morphed it into Brianna with the same 'pronunciation'! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jamie then realizes the problem and says <i>"</i><i>Oh... I see, then it's supposed to be pronounced 'Bree-ana. Not so bad then." </i>in a conversation a little better written than that in the book.....and we then realize that from the minute we meet Bree, should have been called <i>Brian-ah</i>. That would have been fun to see.</span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>*sadly grabs a scoop of pink 'LGBT Yum' ice-cream to make a Consolation Cone to feel better*</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="color: magenta;"></span><br /></b></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>2) JAMIE CANNOT BE SHOCKED BY BREE'S HEIGHT</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I know that casting can rarely, if ever, find perfect replicas of book characters as actors and we must use our imaginations to make up for the shortfall <i>(pardon the pun)</i> BUT, in this case, I am going to miss how Brianna initially thinks Jamie <i>'isn't as big as she thought he'd be'</i>, and then Jamie's first REAL words to Brianna after she introduced herself <i>"You're huge!"</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ensuing hug that makes her feel like a wee lass in her father's massive arms would have been a <i>10 Boxer</i>. (<i>Rating from 1 box of Kleenex to 10</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Oh...and also, now Jamie can't give this to Bree as <i>'Nice Ta Meecha'</i> gift he made by hand:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjfhVBb99ji5w69ECtAzytMCH2-IHJ79BOpTuDPzorPvgW9GbC9cLg9PfDbLXISaJt4tnvMban8dmdtuYHFoBZFPHYI-uRVVNKO13Ei9DMdjWq0gomwHn8ycGUXnX4HzA1Yj8MJiZvv7_/s1600/giraffe3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjfhVBb99ji5w69ECtAzytMCH2-IHJ79BOpTuDPzorPvgW9GbC9cLg9PfDbLXISaJt4tnvMban8dmdtuYHFoBZFPHYI-uRVVNKO13Ei9DMdjWq0gomwHn8ycGUXnX4HzA1Yj8MJiZvv7_/s640/giraffe3.png" width="552" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>*sadly adds a vanilla scoop of 'White Ice Matters' ice-cream to the Consolation Cone*</b></i></span></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #005500; font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: black;"></span><b></b><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"></span><b></b><b></b><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></i></div>
<u><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></u>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>3) NO MORE SCARS FOR JAMIE</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Claire comes back as a Plastic Surgeon and in an Episode titled <i>'Out(lander) Patient Procedure'</i>, Claire removes the scarring on Jamie back and makes it all masculine and ripped like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Here is a leaked photo of the new back:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEwgGsKN9Fc40Ahe_2dF0llM893wuMiY1sfcRzRQgWNb5jC9slI-8nj9Gxj_JuDDcEqo2JXQ-5aJyapJIefuSoRSUOxpJNYSFt_CMPSBNWkOkh0c8QG0v4nImw29QK1hSii3yE5fLBoEe/s1600/jamie+bck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEwgGsKN9Fc40Ahe_2dF0llM893wuMiY1sfcRzRQgWNb5jC9slI-8nj9Gxj_JuDDcEqo2JXQ-5aJyapJIefuSoRSUOxpJNYSFt_CMPSBNWkOkh0c8QG0v4nImw29QK1hSii3yE5fLBoEe/s400/jamie+bck.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The decision to do this drastic change was dual-purposed:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1) the prosthetics used to make Jamie's war-torn back was time-consuming and expensive so it was a financial consideration and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2) who doesn't like a manly-man back? A few more buckets of drool won't hurt anyone...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Personally, I liked the scars...they were so Jackson Pollack.<span style="color: #274e13;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>*sadly adds a green scoop of `The Full Minty' ice cream to the Consolation Cone*</b></span><b><span style="color: #b02500; font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: "verdana";"></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="color: lime; font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: lime; font-family: "verdana";">
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">INTERESTINGLY ADDED<span style="color: #274e13;"></span></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1) BREE WILL GRADUATE BEFORE FRANK DIES</span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the books, Frank dies in a icy road accident in his pyjamas after fighting with Claire in which she tears his heart to shreds <i>(a most undignified way to die for someone like Frank...a warrior of a man who survived untold </i>(literally, untold)<i> adversity for years, </i><i>just weeks away from Brianna graduating high school at age 17).</i><i> </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i> *cries into a lace hanky engraved with the initials 'FWR"*</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><i></i><i></i></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Happily, for TeamFrank <i>(and my fellow Frankettes),</i> pre-season 3 clips and still shots show Frank and Claire sweetly together, applauding Brianna as she graduates! SO...one can safely assume <i>Starz MagicDust</i> has been sprinkled and Frank gets to be happy for another full 30 seconds of the entire series! Yay!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
I`ll take it...a<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nd</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> smile through my tears. I hope more MagicDust is available to allow Frank a more dignified and deservingly heroic death on the screen. Diana DOES call him the Tragic Hero of the story...so... <i>*crosses fingers*</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i></i><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mfUq4EAAG1VdQDazB51hDo68P-NQTEv_xqvoWt83ICKnhVDRBun1PVJOKxOw0bAbpK4DElP9Sn5OqYG8Gl3CdIMyFffb6oF1BvPXAUUleawsLM295TAh8Y6SvhcHYWcpKSU8-7KEBATY/s1600/frank+claire+and+bree+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mfUq4EAAG1VdQDazB51hDo68P-NQTEv_xqvoWt83ICKnhVDRBun1PVJOKxOw0bAbpK4DElP9Sn5OqYG8Gl3CdIMyFffb6oF1BvPXAUUleawsLM295TAh8Y6SvhcHYWcpKSU8-7KEBATY/s400/frank+claire+and+bree+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>2) THE REASON THE BOOKS FRANK WROTE HAVE NEVER BEEN READ</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Diana has dropped hints lately that we should be wondering why the books Frank wrote were never discussed anywhere, or seemed to have not been read at all! Good question....so what is hidden in his writings that tell us <b>'WHAT DID FRANK KNOW?`</b>, the spontaneous title DG gave a potential Frank Book should there ever be one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I, however, already noticed why his books were never perused. See if you can find it too in the photo below. Take your time and pack a lunch...you'll be <i>Where's Waldo?-ing</i> it for hours...</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">*click to enlarge</span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaFcTuc4j5EoWzTHFfJZsG-Lxhyt5-FDSMr3-FFVXAS-vYjmW_KuvIx8P0tEj9PaLm9hrDPPc2nAjZ_RmOj2-pxQBgUq6dIjvwtFTq27HPAIyxZVMET81ivbrDNGiivrsDDdBlGP9pgfI/s1600/franks+books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaFcTuc4j5EoWzTHFfJZsG-Lxhyt5-FDSMr3-FFVXAS-vYjmW_KuvIx8P0tEj9PaLm9hrDPPc2nAjZ_RmOj2-pxQBgUq6dIjvwtFTq27HPAIyxZVMET81ivbrDNGiivrsDDdBlGP9pgfI/s400/franks+books.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>3) A MIND BLOWING TWIST OF A CLIFF HANGER</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the end of the last season, it has been leaked to the media that Diana and Ron Moore have been so impressed and amazed by the superb acting skills of Tobias Menzies, that a complete re-write of the entire ending of the series is due to be completed in 2020 and it will be revealed that FRANK is really Brianna's father and NOT Jamie!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It will be explained that Frank was given the wrong Sterility Report <i>(he got a rich grocery chain owner's report who had just married his 6th and much younger wife who wanted a Trust Fund Baby to ensure her future income)</i> and didn't know he could father a child. Claire, with fresh sperm in her fallopian tubes, tumbled through the Stones 'magically' and whilst doing so, Frank's Little Soldiers were `frozen` in time but thawed and did their duty just before Jamie's Squiggly Lads could get to the somewhat dizzy and bewildered egg that simply didn`t travel well at all! Time Travel can be tricky...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This Ultimate Shocker will stun everyone except die hard Franks Fans like me, who always questioned why Claire and Jamie have blue eyes but Brianna and Frank...well...see for yourself:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3Un8Qpd8RdZXixOhrWRKrl0zfv4M9QI4RilpAvaEfUTxHKKssftPuqECJvVErzmmN0CQObhK2QnMlmhOU1Xsrx1M4AoxItrWl0eb4CBFRs9WqUvVV5XockGfJHZwDUXipHtD_QKJERUt/s1600/tobis+and+sophie+eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3Un8Qpd8RdZXixOhrWRKrl0zfv4M9QI4RilpAvaEfUTxHKKssftPuqECJvVErzmmN0CQObhK2QnMlmhOU1Xsrx1M4AoxItrWl0eb4CBFRs9WqUvVV5XockGfJHZwDUXipHtD_QKJERUt/s640/tobis+and+sophie+eyes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'd say the 'eyes' have it. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><b><i>*winks and slaps a scoop of </i>'Chocolate Orgasm' <i>ice cream atop her <u>Celebration </u>Cone*</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #783f04;"></span><b></b><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedDyn94Jyhx2OtCIpMnB-xTNYMFw5lGL55cQtFdnsV3O0ssEUt5EvXJgtTGYm03SH8_z4kFNRQSQiJdxtR9RxLIDbQHy4d8KgcwCLFrxSLHhQeP233G1xHHgtLcZDAXQGoVENq3WHZQnv/s1600/ice+cream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="872" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedDyn94Jyhx2OtCIpMnB-xTNYMFw5lGL55cQtFdnsV3O0ssEUt5EvXJgtTGYm03SH8_z4kFNRQSQiJdxtR9RxLIDbQHy4d8KgcwCLFrxSLHhQeP233G1xHHgtLcZDAXQGoVENq3WHZQnv/s400/ice+cream.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
**</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">UMMMM...j</span><span style="font-size: large;">ust so you know, only 3 of the 6 above are true. See if you know which ones they are... </span></i></span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><i>*lick...grin*</i></b></span></span></div>
DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-19477901105225109272017-05-15T02:25:00.001-06:002021-07-08T23:34:53.138-06:00THINGS THAT MAKE ME GO WTF?: The Unbearable Oddness of Being 'Part 6'<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Just when you think that you can't find anything weirder to write about, along come some doozies.</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">#1 is an interesting WTF? moment but I am embarrassed to have #2 come from Canada, but it really earned a giant WTF? from me when I read it. The Queen on our Loonies blushed and the Beaver on our nickels just shook its head and dove under the water.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">You'll see why soon enough...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><b>1) BRA SIZES ARE BULLSHIT</b></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuI8foqE6cBps_ZsuE90hivMVhiBrxsg14_DGo7F1VFmm_C7rO4TCN6a6kRMneJDpPXgyC9MRFjnW6arLcH3WRdD3D0KYvZtgNFKwiyHTTpk8Sih8zngPidDAJZ8tIFz0wAfBvpP434ly/s1600/bra+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuI8foqE6cBps_ZsuE90hivMVhiBrxsg14_DGo7F1VFmm_C7rO4TCN6a6kRMneJDpPXgyC9MRFjnW6arLcH3WRdD3D0KYvZtgNFKwiyHTTpk8Sih8zngPidDAJZ8tIFz0wAfBvpP434ly/s400/bra+.jpg" width="376" /></a></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Thank God for this article <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-show-how-bra-sizes-can-be-wrong-2017-3" target="_blank">(LINK)</a></span></b> ! I feel relieved and NOT the crazyassboobfreak I thought I was for so long. I have had bra issues for over 40 years and bra shopping was always a WTF? kinda outing. Sizing never was consistent and finding the right one that fit well AND was comfortable was a fucking nightmare. I usually ended up buying the one that made me look the least like I was smuggling oranges in my shirt. Underwire bras seemed to look the best but...surprise...unyielding metal and soft breast tissue don't mix well for long and unhitching The Beast at night gave me an overwhelming feeling that this was what torture chamber victims felt like when released: pure heaven.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Read up...and it even has a clip on 3 surprising bra tricks that are pretty solid.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>2) WORKER SMUGGLES GOLD UP HIS ASS</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"></span></b></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">
</span></b></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">We have a saying here in Canada that describes someone who is rich: we say 'He's shittin' gold'. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">
</span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcnuGq9TfKH6DFYZ5LQxCHJ3cdsrLUjabTVOmGeqtsXR-Oe7EVMZyDsIyCR-YP_dUYYYZD7NrZ7o0yP6822m4dshqaA1VFD12anrIwA4VYlMY8CskLarh4Up1dLgNlXScqTzt9w8myO7R/s1600/gold+shit.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcnuGq9TfKH6DFYZ5LQxCHJ3cdsrLUjabTVOmGeqtsXR-Oe7EVMZyDsIyCR-YP_dUYYYZD7NrZ7o0yP6822m4dshqaA1VFD12anrIwA4VYlMY8CskLarh4Up1dLgNlXScqTzt9w8myO7R/s320/gold+shit.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Truer words have never been spoken.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Recently, a Royal Canadian Mint employee really DID shit gold, but it wasn't his to defecate. Well, 'insert then defecate' to be precise. It was stolen 'goods'. The courts found him to be a smuggler of 22 gold 'pucks' (coin-like ingots) valued at over $165,000.00 CND, over his 7 years on the job. They also found latex gloves and Vaseline in his locker... and I am pretty sure there must have been a copies of <i>Spelunking Monthly (lots of articles on caves and cavernous spaces) </i>and <i>Digging For Gold Quarterly</i>. WTF is wrong with people? Seriously. What an ass. Pun intended. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>FULL ARTICLE HERE: </b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="color: black;">SING TO THE TUNE OF 'GOLD FINGER!':</span> <b><a href="http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2017/02/02/mint-employee-who-hid-stolen-gold-in-his-rectum-to-be-sentenced-today.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">GOLD SPHINCTER!</span></a></b></i></span></span></div>
<div>
<b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">3) MOM IS LUNCH-SHAMED BY KINDY SCHOOL</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><div>
You may or may not agree with me on this one but Hey!...I was this mom once, minus the note. My daughter was called the CandyMan because she had so many treats shoving her PBJ sandwich to the cramped lunchbox corner. But I believe kids should not be made to feel bad about their parents choices.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A mother of 8 healthy kids got this note from kid #7's kindergarten teacher after finding a piece of chocolate cake in the 3 yr old's lunchbox:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6DNQ99qlwWXi6dX0ck6JWDo3QEztV_AJ6xnAwEPRdKxTsH1p1zfrSHba_RheyaoWsC7LAn0m9VKGdRAzsQIpdo2idpEsbu-TgLnd6L8qOBoG654cZlsbd0AEs72I93pPy_qSSK36WbSl/s1600/kid+lunch.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6DNQ99qlwWXi6dX0ck6JWDo3QEztV_AJ6xnAwEPRdKxTsH1p1zfrSHba_RheyaoWsC7LAn0m9VKGdRAzsQIpdo2idpEsbu-TgLnd6L8qOBoG654cZlsbd0AEs72I93pPy_qSSK36WbSl/s400/kid+lunch.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/familyandrelationships/mum-receives-note-from-nursery-questioning-her-lunchbox-choices-for-kids/ar-AAmF3uG?ocid=mailsignout" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">LINK</span></a> to article</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know for a fact I would have sent a note back that looked something like this:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Dear Miss Jones,</div>
<div>
Thank you for your concern about Katharina, but regarding your views on how I should pack her lunch... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruFEdqMRrSBSPrO6F_DSPvld7osXrBRUuFEjQchR7U7QAykbEqa8YT2ze1ryFWFpOCdcywNukuBGzEbuaUXNT8lzcAl7tfZKYA1Nuwi01lWoM6simg942HZL2t0jTDfSZeAw8YDzDo1gr/s1600/no+fucks.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruFEdqMRrSBSPrO6F_DSPvld7osXrBRUuFEjQchR7U7QAykbEqa8YT2ze1ryFWFpOCdcywNukuBGzEbuaUXNT8lzcAl7tfZKYA1Nuwi01lWoM6simg942HZL2t0jTDfSZeAw8YDzDo1gr/s320/no+fucks.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sincerely,</div>
<div>
Denise, <i>First of Her Name, Ruler of The Kitchen, Mother of the Five, Buyer of The Chocolate, Breeder of the Heathen Candy Mongers and Giver of No Fucks</i>."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Having said this, had Katharina a mouth full of rotten teeth and the body of a large and somewhat sweaty Sumo Wrestler, the note would STILL be offensive, as I believe teachers <i>(who I am a big fan of actually, my daughter being one)</i> and parents should talk, not write notes like...well...kindergarteners.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">4) RENT-A-FRIEND</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yes, you read that right. In Japan, there is a company who rents out 'agents' for about $35.00 an hour to be your friend and accompany you to weddings, or parties or just be props for selfies on Instagram or FB. They are there to be photo'd with you at your pleasure. Not in a sexy or kinky way (I don't think) but just a convenience and tool for people with no time to make friends. WTF is wrong with this picture? *metaphorically speaking...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And btw, WTF is up with this company's name <i>'Family Romance'</i>? Eeewwww...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKp5rv1VxSHlI9TqofwFZDYDq-RSxS-HWwpuX3Wi7toT13i0x4c5AV6FZEYFii7VtLmSK3C2GyloMKzJEHv2D4OndHgqZa5ztQuyp9rjDGhkIp9evm9Nm7zkPXXqlpVHDJ6Z906h32LAo/s1600/buy+a+friend.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKp5rv1VxSHlI9TqofwFZDYDq-RSxS-HWwpuX3Wi7toT13i0x4c5AV6FZEYFii7VtLmSK3C2GyloMKzJEHv2D4OndHgqZa5ztQuyp9rjDGhkIp9evm9Nm7zkPXXqlpVHDJ6Z906h32LAo/s400/buy+a+friend.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://www.msn.com/en-ca/video/viral/company-offers-friends-for-hire-for-your-selfies/vi-AAolN28?ocid=mailsignout" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">LINK</span></a></b> to your new Discount Friend(s)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</span></div>
<br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>5)</b> <b>PRO PITCHER WANTS TO MAKE HIS RIB INTO JEWELRY</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnMEOZn3jxmMPlYieNM5xrEKfzhIJfzixYybDFA9AbubwxyWonRQy8VgLXOZQd5cnmVks_bm1LbiieQkmIZFyy04LGF9vyVXWuXdvZKCfhEZdqkG63TbdSaC2VtwghJ-clGKGZbl_u96x/s1600/bone+necklace.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnMEOZn3jxmMPlYieNM5xrEKfzhIJfzixYybDFA9AbubwxyWonRQy8VgLXOZQd5cnmVks_bm1LbiieQkmIZFyy04LGF9vyVXWuXdvZKCfhEZdqkG63TbdSaC2VtwghJ-clGKGZbl_u96x/s320/bone+necklace.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">That was so stupid I could barely write it. But you can read it here: </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana";"><b><a href="http://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mlb/phil-hughes-considering-turning-his-removed-rib-into-jewelry/ar-AAmZV5k?li=AA54y7&ocid=spartanntp" target="_blank">link</a></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Minnesota Twins pitcher Phil Hughes had to have a rib removed for ...blah...blah...blah and he wants to make the bone some type of jewelry by plating it with some precious metal. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">1) Whothefuckis Phil Hughes and</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">2) </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">what traumatic event happened to him as a child that he cannot bear to give up a piece of his body that he has a) never seen before and b) cannot use...even as a hoe or shovel...or a toothpick. Or a bat. c) is organic and will rot/waste away eventually.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">3) WTF is up with rich celebs wearing massive gold/silver bling anyway? Looks goofy enough without adding body pieces to it. *smh*</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">What next? Gold plated foreskin? Oy Vey!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">But hey...who am I to tell anyone what to do with their bones. "HEY PHIL!! Can you snap off a couple of fingers? Bet the missus would like some earrings..." </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6yGfZ0A-D-ACDL7-WByD3kxIyJW2xVmt9BrC2Rubh1J0cyDdHJEqbyVILCdJJ0NRMN2zhcB0tmYEQqEwc_UHCgEVqOq_RCHKIkqVWHT3y3xAaG_n_TL2ettcBniRWVZaJBrdywHR_VEl/s1600/bone+necklace2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6yGfZ0A-D-ACDL7-WByD3kxIyJW2xVmt9BrC2Rubh1J0cyDdHJEqbyVILCdJJ0NRMN2zhcB0tmYEQqEwc_UHCgEVqOq_RCHKIkqVWHT3y3xAaG_n_TL2ettcBniRWVZaJBrdywHR_VEl/s200/bone+necklace2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><b>6) HITLER HAD A RED PHONE</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQDHsJoRFlODHxtbLQJLzJhee36tcmP3oJErPgB-99DNf4XdYJbib3kUFbTxrZynfom3v3ioYOA1Z0FyKNz257CulYC8msSykl3zqloozed_Tgs81kokFXeGIEHi0UWWDO4Dw5JuICo3_/s1600/phone2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQDHsJoRFlODHxtbLQJLzJhee36tcmP3oJErPgB-99DNf4XdYJbib3kUFbTxrZynfom3v3ioYOA1Z0FyKNz257CulYC8msSykl3zqloozed_Tgs81kokFXeGIEHi0UWWDO4Dw5JuICo3_/s400/phone2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">And this is it. One might say 'who cares?' but someone DID care enough to buy it at auction for over $240,000.00. A cool quarter mil. An anonymous bidder.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">That is the interesting part. Who would want to buy such an evil tool of destruction? Apparently he used it to relay many of his most destructive orders...so, again, WTF? Who bought it? And also, why was it not melted into the shape of a toilet lid for some prison so it can bask in the fumes of nasty shitjuice for eternity?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">There can only be 2 possibilities"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">1) There is a jerkoff collector who wants to cuddle Everything Hitler or</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">2) Some mad scientist wants to collect the epithelials left behind in the recesses of the number holes from Hitler's fingers to create an 'Adolf Clone' the same crazyass way they did in Jurassic Park with the dinosaurs. Maybe even do a high tech, hybrid crossover experiment to create a Master Dino Race that eats only dissidents, Jews and gay gypsies...a Tyrant-asaurus Rex? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">My money is on #2.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Here's the <b><a href="http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/hitlers-phone-sells-for-more-than-dollar240000/ar-AAn7igw?li=AAggFp5&ocid=mailsignoutmd" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">link</span></a></b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><b>7) RESTAURANT LEMONS ARE SHITNUGGETS</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtBKvJ8CR_FWi0KBwMkYK_w48keZBTIhR2x9D9MGn6woUJA3VU9w3cRHap3B9pFIlaUguPCRH4N0ga5R-qix3I0m70ulyqmEyKOxMS_BYTpNIlSu0x2uKJt7hEDn47dWaGSknWZ9ZIv40/s1600/lemon.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtBKvJ8CR_FWi0KBwMkYK_w48keZBTIhR2x9D9MGn6woUJA3VU9w3cRHap3B9pFIlaUguPCRH4N0ga5R-qix3I0m70ulyqmEyKOxMS_BYTpNIlSu0x2uKJt7hEDn47dWaGSknWZ9ZIv40/s320/lemon.png" width="272" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">To wrap up what has turned out to be an unintentional shit themed blog piece this time around, let's talk about restaurant lemons. This study (<span style="color: red;"><b><a href="http://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/weightloss/why-you-should-never-add-a-lemon-wedge-to-your-water/vi-BBAMpcm?ocid=spartanntp" target="_blank">link</a></b></span>) of restaurant lemon wedges tested, found that 'a whopping 70% had microbial growths' and half of them had traces of feces on them. Feces, also known as: kaka, poop...or crap. As in "CRAP! I just ate the lemon in my club soda at Boston Pizza...nooooo!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So, best to forget the lemon wedges when you eat out, or you may be chewing on this...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczcPe-jYHNdivKnhKLEZeFlvS74mn2u1CBT7OP84VquIaReH2HVMYopa1qSCTPgqs_90erLxmj0Rikz9jF4IfSJ_uj2L1wLrlcJTqKDtCBJzbORdZ0VPJzP8-edq9n3eMQ2mh7xQTEdIP/s1600/shit+lemon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczcPe-jYHNdivKnhKLEZeFlvS74mn2u1CBT7OP84VquIaReH2HVMYopa1qSCTPgqs_90erLxmj0Rikz9jF4IfSJ_uj2L1wLrlcJTqKDtCBJzbORdZ0VPJzP8-edq9n3eMQ2mh7xQTEdIP/s400/shit+lemon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">*<b>NOTE TO SELF</b>: Never Google images for microbial growths again. EVER.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I have learned a lot today. Hope you did too. Sorry for ruining your lemony desires, but hey you STILL can eat them...just make sure to scrub them with bleach and a blowtorch beforehand. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I certainly will.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"></span>**</span></div>
Check out: <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3396056115459934841/4693673445709697848?hl=en" target="_blank">Things that Make Me Go WTF? The Unbearable Oddness of Being Part 7</a></span></b> by clicking the blue line! DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-36371881104029629552017-05-13T20:41:00.003-06:002021-07-07T19:55:43.196-06:00THINGS THAT MAKE ME GO WTF?: The Unbearable Oddness of Being Part 5<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;">Humans.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;">Ya gotta love'm. Here are some reasons why we are so interesting (or not):</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>1) CANADA'S CRAZY FROZEN HAIR COMPETITION</b></span><br />
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: medium;">As a fellow Canadian, there really isn't all that much to say except, WTF, eh?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDderq5M2BBNOtRcR750pfWMGV5OO2KIAvlPk7UDqF8MTPT-zW3U0WRGSajlnYfEzwORMtysYxopjDXpFJQPZ2Xey5wgGvLSE9GuP2a-SwrMA6iKlNOOb6S1l9ILlo6fFZGQziPZSLsDK1/s1600/frozen+hair.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDderq5M2BBNOtRcR750pfWMGV5OO2KIAvlPk7UDqF8MTPT-zW3U0WRGSajlnYfEzwORMtysYxopjDXpFJQPZ2Xey5wgGvLSE9GuP2a-SwrMA6iKlNOOb6S1l9ILlo6fFZGQziPZSLsDK1/s400/frozen+hair.jpg" width="362" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: red;">CLIP</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SaNLUkK9p9I" width="320" youtube-src-id="SaNLUkK9p9I"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">2) INTERNET ENABLED DOLLS: PERV PLAYGROUND</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPZ6h5UcX9Y8oYMMmj6tAWzvEIgdIQ_61hvIw1wBWB3xZnsSynXR6gm-SW1fV35hH0MV2wmPoj3DiAzY4v4ELJRhogmRcKd6ZdMqGPtga7-ag1NYRZzI1BtAcsTQI1uP4-5-XeQ7gXrrO/s1600/DOLLS+HACKED.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPZ6h5UcX9Y8oYMMmj6tAWzvEIgdIQ_61hvIw1wBWB3xZnsSynXR6gm-SW1fV35hH0MV2wmPoj3DiAzY4v4ELJRhogmRcKd6ZdMqGPtga7-ag1NYRZzI1BtAcsTQI1uP4-5-XeQ7gXrrO/s400/DOLLS+HACKED.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: medium;">The opening lines of this article are all you need to know before you say WTF? and whack the shit out of that doll with a sharp axe and torch it with your Bic: </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: medium;"> <i>"There's a toy in your daughter's bed that is taking in your nighttime stories, transmitting her every giggle, listening to her every breath.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: medium;"><i>And possibly talking back to her."</i><br />
<br />
Modern technology...yes, the dark side just got a whole lot darker.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: medium;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><b></b></span><b><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">*see the whole article here</span></b>:<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><a href="http://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/lifestylefamilyrelationships/if-your-child-has-this-doll-you-should-get-rid-of-it-now/ar-AAnaC9e?li=AAggNb9&ocid=mailsignoutmd" target="_blank"><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">If your child has this doll....</span></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><b>3) DOUBLE BUBBLE TROUBLE</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Thirty-five years (yes, 35) after a man killed the mother of his two children, DNA taken from the wad of gum he chewed to secure the lock in the room he used to dump the body proved he was the murder.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Wtf? Are you telling me that old dried spit can convict a man after 3 decades? Well holyshitballsMcGuyver! Gotta love modern technology! <i>*high fives science*</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMviVsRUwlOYwFttXi9AYfVDHOZNXNsBsjmSjp9LIVnJcaavdyhggklqSZmuqKgMU6Vz7-PrS4B7qh6IKIQ4doeh78KbF6rnNT4UnzSj7vB1wf1ZLGpQa2V1KseOJwJkmNOGWd94pTW-96/s1600/gum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMviVsRUwlOYwFttXi9AYfVDHOZNXNsBsjmSjp9LIVnJcaavdyhggklqSZmuqKgMU6Vz7-PrS4B7qh6IKIQ4doeh78KbF6rnNT4UnzSj7vB1wf1ZLGpQa2V1KseOJwJkmNOGWd94pTW-96/s400/gum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><b>CHEWING GUM CAPER: <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-birmingham-39355244/chewing-gum-killer-caught-through-dna" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">CLICK HERE TO SEE SLIDESHOW</span></a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>4) KYRIE IRVING BELIEVES THE EARTH IS FLAT</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Basketball dude thinks only balls are round and the earth is flat... and it makes headline news? WTF? Don't know who he is or what he's smoking (or in this case, what paint he's sniffing) but </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">a) who the fuck cares and </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">b) who the fuck cares. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Maybe he will jump off the edge someday. THAT would be news.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-7OQJJ3NcUMKfhNvO7ZQVqJyEESjgX-_cZsob-fs9j-HacHP0lWx1OvYoFiGhAOZISAqVi5-25rJUdjmzkvwuc5EJQOuRg1ac-xE9aHQmsHUhOh_H5NT1Q5nrUFvhzpFxEuDqphSnvNm/s1600/FLAT+EARTH.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-7OQJJ3NcUMKfhNvO7ZQVqJyEESjgX-_cZsob-fs9j-HacHP0lWx1OvYoFiGhAOZISAqVi5-25rJUdjmzkvwuc5EJQOuRg1ac-xE9aHQmsHUhOh_H5NT1Q5nrUFvhzpFxEuDqphSnvNm/s400/FLAT+EARTH.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">slideshow and story<b>: <a href="http://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/nba/kyrie-irving-does-not-believe-that-the-earth-is-round/ar-AAn4d9I?li=AAggFp5" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">5) SNUGGIES TAKEN TO COURT</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Are Snuggies clothes or a blanket? Apparently it is question so important it had to be settled in court. Leave the crime and social injustices on the back burner and get to the bottom of REAL issues! WTF are Snuggies? Gotta be some company trying to dodge taxes, I guess. Too disgusted to finish the piece...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sXmOWLUb3UqWCUBiSMu9no37El2omUlAwRtdN0HLeFZstcLbTVxtfwe3kEpGRQQ3DKDa-AAw1qenITRgo8v5zgMSv2HYf5EFSHruViHxc7KU-InIixXpT2KT3OL4op0fk1RnQrM5i3GC/s1600/snuggies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sXmOWLUb3UqWCUBiSMu9no37El2omUlAwRtdN0HLeFZstcLbTVxtfwe3kEpGRQQ3DKDa-AAw1qenITRgo8v5zgMSv2HYf5EFSHruViHxc7KU-InIixXpT2KT3OL4op0fk1RnQrM5i3GC/s400/snuggies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>6)</b> <b>WOMAN GETS DIVA-COOK NOTE ON PIZZA</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">This is reported as a light piece but all I could think of was that poor woman in stunned disbelief: <i>"WTF? I ordered supper and was looking forward to eating and watching my favorite show in 10 minutes and BANG! some snobby fucktard Chef-wannabe ruins my night." *breaks down sobbing*</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAIOQOgrhTRURHN-nOgT6AIursWkHUetegqoKjwYNmd9bS6khs3bwKyU4QUBO51TyijJ74O_Dr_iTrzCPnqyQ5HSji_mdGA3BqvYW8DEuWVN1Eoe4FQqj7q7FNsZBgkaKmxeY6BaRCYiv/s1600/pizza.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAIOQOgrhTRURHN-nOgT6AIursWkHUetegqoKjwYNmd9bS6khs3bwKyU4QUBO51TyijJ74O_Dr_iTrzCPnqyQ5HSji_mdGA3BqvYW8DEuWVN1Eoe4FQqj7q7FNsZBgkaKmxeY6BaRCYiv/s400/pizza.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Over-reaction? Perhaps. But WTF is up with this Sauce Jockey pretending to be such a connoisseur of fine foods that he can't lower himself to such a level as to destroy his work of edible art with ...GASP!...pineapples! I would be beyond pissed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>*facepalm*</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>7) HUGH GRANT'S DOPPLEGANGER</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">I happened upon an moldie oldie song from my youth on YouTube and thought <i>'Man, I LOVE this song but who sang it again?</i>' Like a lot of kids in my day, radios were the thing and who had a color TV or pictures of our favorite groups? Apparently not I.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">SO...seeing <i>Tommy James & The Shondells</i> for the first time singing 'Crimson and Clover' blew me away, but not because of the great memories, but because Tommy must be Hugh Grant's grandpa. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">Enjoy the clip and my '<i>WTF? Dat you Hugh?'</i> moment!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: red;"><b>You see it?↓</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHGShzE5bV7guxvwC36bMrU7oQNajM0S39TcYkPhzvtCk-Yprxoqyt6hqGCW1ufOZRMxUKnyh8T7XJcrkenXwL3CWPMj0o7KV3FQq0hR-cVTgyDdR4XkJtAJLYj4e4pV-jIZSRHUnM4xU/s1600/hugh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHGShzE5bV7guxvwC36bMrU7oQNajM0S39TcYkPhzvtCk-Yprxoqyt6hqGCW1ufOZRMxUKnyh8T7XJcrkenXwL3CWPMj0o7KV3FQq0hR-cVTgyDdR4XkJtAJLYj4e4pV-jIZSRHUnM4xU/s400/hugh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><b>CLIP</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7tkXtMnSi64/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7tkXtMnSi64?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">That's it for now...back soon with more of my more interesting WTF? moments. Lord knows they are easy to find. In fact, they find ME.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;">**</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></div>
<br />DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-68944898748388877352017-05-09T20:37:00.002-06:002018-12-24T18:11:10.231-07:00OUTLANDER FANDOMS: TOP 5 WEBSITES TO VISIT FOR THE ADDICTED<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whether you are a green behind the ears newbie in the ranks of the amazing fandom that is Outlander, or a Weathered & Salty Old-Timer who can recite every romantic word Jamie has ever uttered...verbatim, you'll love this collection of links! They are my favorite GO-TO places for Everything Outlander: click on the numbered headings...they are the links. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And...come join us on Outlander Series (OS), the biggest and best Outlander FaceBook fan group on the net! *</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/473400262697246/" target="_blank"><b>click here</b></a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>1)</b> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.dianagabaldon.com/" target="_blank"><b>DIANA'S WEBSITE</b></a><b></b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">All the latest poop straight from the horse's mouth. Updated news and loads of places to click onto for interesting facts like: Diana's personal story; her list of appearances to come; her Blog; Fan Art; Outlander Based Tours in Scotland etc... and of course, the books and show info. #1 place for the Obsessed or nearly-obsessed to visit. Bring a snack... or two. You'll be here a while.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8cmZ5n8Kyiy-UYJrikC_QgyWhevk1B2NReuiy-aJB5TuRWA5Huz_xpto3_woGDbj_d7GCHw1g8MrueaZI7S1l2VWFQmR-ar1myadgBTaiUrbAcDusGztByStQHwdmzv0va3iQH67HvGM/s1600/site+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8cmZ5n8Kyiy-UYJrikC_QgyWhevk1B2NReuiy-aJB5TuRWA5Huz_xpto3_woGDbj_d7GCHw1g8MrueaZI7S1l2VWFQmR-ar1myadgBTaiUrbAcDusGztByStQHwdmzv0va3iQH67HvGM/s400/site+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>2)</b> </span><b><span style="color: lime; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://outlanderlists.weebly.com/" target="_blank">OUTLANDER LISTS & TIMELINES</a><span style="color: black;">:</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">OMG. The only thing this site doesn't have is popcorn. Seriously...there is so much info here it's scary. For 2 quick examples, under the heading PEOPLE, it has a sub-category titled GROUPINGS that has the book characters grouped in things like 'green eyes', missing body parts, homosexual, red hair, religious figures, Time Travelers... etc... Under the heading ARTS&MUSIC there is a sub-heading titled PAINTINGS, it lists and explains every single picture your read about in the books. I was gobsmacked when I discovered this site and my gob rarely smacks! Bloody awesome!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Tons to read and it even has a synopsis for every book. Must see. Bring a snack and bottle of wine. And a tent. You aren't going anywhere else.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-gH0fwSqiBIQUS3PdndC4IWPfZTqercX1aghtk-TJyghH0aijQaNBRyZanZMQvWo9WUKscRVddckBoRfhmLfgUQDZtTWLSo_Y_38SSLcfDWcyu_jON6hxvrCGykMwGxHQRhxNkyiwpxi/s1600/SITE+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-gH0fwSqiBIQUS3PdndC4IWPfZTqercX1aghtk-TJyghH0aijQaNBRyZanZMQvWo9WUKscRVddckBoRfhmLfgUQDZtTWLSo_Y_38SSLcfDWcyu_jON6hxvrCGykMwGxHQRhxNkyiwpxi/s400/SITE+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>3) <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.outlanderpod.com/" target="_blank">THE OUTLANDER PODCAST</a></span></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">These ladies have fun talking about Outlander and its fun to hear others views and reviews in an audio form. Not fond of the ads at first but they are a necessary evil so just plug your ears if you want *smirk*. I like the two ladies who host the show, Summer and Ginger and despite that sounding like a stripper act, these gals are relaxed and informative and obviously are having fun. It feels like your sitting back in a comfy couch in a book club living room and listening to your buddies go on and on...but in a good way.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Wear your sweat pants and have cheese, crackers and something liquidy on the ready.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyer61Px9SYRlUvOAJ6fLZ5gHJTEVB2T_d_7IO3_yuzuX7GIEL0eEesfSl-znDjmsZ61wAMnyU2pxOb_bX_LxzfaMPZxLg4rvHbl6ievjVjwUtFM2J2QgLSRenF7TzBmTZ-JsI6phhQP6r/s1600/site+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyer61Px9SYRlUvOAJ6fLZ5gHJTEVB2T_d_7IO3_yuzuX7GIEL0eEesfSl-znDjmsZ61wAMnyU2pxOb_bX_LxzfaMPZxLg4rvHbl6ievjVjwUtFM2J2QgLSRenF7TzBmTZ-JsI6phhQP6r/s400/site+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4)</span></b> <b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.starz.com/series/outlander/episodes" target="_blank">STARZ OUTLANDER</a></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">Obviously, this is the home of the Outlander tv show, but it is a great place for many things like cast info and episode info...but I go there for the photos. Professional stills...lovem'! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWirbr5aYwhwcnUjEFWJyhun_RLaYcvdvY62Suf9umXskM6_9to_rbfY_AUOUkYTqBoeCkvB_34vjZ3BIhpoa-bSSEjVB62TqCwseJhpm5lUiD6ZZ6g3M2jwyyC3tNHBueYBS6yOAeAR_i/s1600/site4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWirbr5aYwhwcnUjEFWJyhun_RLaYcvdvY62Suf9umXskM6_9to_rbfY_AUOUkYTqBoeCkvB_34vjZ3BIhpoa-bSSEjVB62TqCwseJhpm5lUiD6ZZ6g3M2jwyyC3tNHBueYBS6yOAeAR_i/s400/site4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5)</span></b> <b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=outlander+fan+videos" target="_blank">OUTLANDER FAN VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">These are the peanuts of Outlander Fandom...hard to stop at only one, and I suggest you only attempt to make a dent in them if you are off work and alone at home, because the world will cease to exist when you start checking them out. Some damn fine videography here and there that is a pleasure to watch. And some are not so professional, but still fun to watch. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Bring coffee and Bailey's... yummy time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClpVvzOJUArsr3yjihzNk5Y7lZjt-b0KWIWdhv9dyREjMXAv-37guALwzuYs6eTXV1ZNFmz0YmqE5_ySmr_84wFdTWNfriBilTj2hMqRuEEOvIt_QNFvMNnMNd7L6tLjNpf1HA_qJED2g/s1600/site5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClpVvzOJUArsr3yjihzNk5Y7lZjt-b0KWIWdhv9dyREjMXAv-37guALwzuYs6eTXV1ZNFmz0YmqE5_ySmr_84wFdTWNfriBilTj2hMqRuEEOvIt_QNFvMNnMNd7L6tLjNpf1HA_qJED2g/s400/site5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Again, these are just my personal favorites and you can certainly find a LOT more...but I wanted to share nonetheless. <i>AND, I would have to make a #6 to complete the list actually...this blog...it has a lot of fun and controversial Outlander pieces, 3 of which have been re-posted by Diana on her site...and my popular Outlanderized Cartoons, and Outlander memes..take a look around. Write Outlander in the search bar or look at the word cloud. *smile*</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Cheers!</span></i>DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-73847535991350494422017-05-07T00:42:00.000-06:002017-05-07T00:42:21.686-06:00'GHOSTLANDER': OUTLANDER'S TOP 20 AUDITIONS FOR 'JAMIE'S GHOST'! *true and not at all fake<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>There has been a massive, worldwide search by Starz Outlander producer Ron Moore for an actor to play the role of '<i>Jamie's Ghost', </i>and he was literally swamped with applications. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>By request from Ron personally, I, as admin on the largest Outlander Facebook group 'OUTLANDER SERIES (</b></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/473400262697246/" target="_blank">OS</a></b></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> click to come and join the fun!) will post the <span style="color: black;">TOP 20</span> auditions sent in by hopeful ghosts looking for their big break. </b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>To vote for YOUR favorite Jamie's Ghost on Twitter got to #JAMMFGhost or phone 1-800-GHOSTLANDER, extension 1743 and ask for Mimi. </b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*regular readers will understand why Mimi is so important</span></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></i>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">THE AUDITIONS:</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Kim Kardashian</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOr0FrZcMKCC7sitxTcd1oVUk4akuqVeSWf4GxvxGHEwtqDeb7w5r84fbU6p75rS_Qz21i2QkM1ZcPdM7hdeYk_awFriBTC5S30PlIIKhCF5y5kAYalXNLWgyY5TFeCyZBO3ViLB325XH/s1600/GHOST1A.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOr0FrZcMKCC7sitxTcd1oVUk4akuqVeSWf4GxvxGHEwtqDeb7w5r84fbU6p75rS_Qz21i2QkM1ZcPdM7hdeYk_awFriBTC5S30PlIIKhCF5y5kAYalXNLWgyY5TFeCyZBO3ViLB325XH/s400/GHOST1A.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jim Carrey</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkytljSPlMjUsns8UnSdVYBSbBLH9suWAhxymxbpPMxyToU8lvwY5TdOxNSbnrUL4Lz38ldNSYayB9q679O09K-HX7A0rBLH6l2eOjU_TscmMukCtO4ARaUGCcQxvylxmrBtMu_2kHr31/s1600/GHOST2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkytljSPlMjUsns8UnSdVYBSbBLH9suWAhxymxbpPMxyToU8lvwY5TdOxNSbnrUL4Lz38ldNSYayB9q679O09K-HX7A0rBLH6l2eOjU_TscmMukCtO4ARaUGCcQxvylxmrBtMu_2kHr31/s400/GHOST2.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sir Alec Guiness</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlcRHVMvqsAFVPH0leXMRANbXZodSDCW5dmYtCWpALGsEw5vjspPkYPWa_nBPfR32jmgDY0cXO1ijL5utXOqhC2mdNwC6SsOlAkvirSBOkF5f7QrqKg6WoBkxZZPo1lfy2B4g77ix-7G2/s1600/ghost12.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlcRHVMvqsAFVPH0leXMRANbXZodSDCW5dmYtCWpALGsEw5vjspPkYPWa_nBPfR32jmgDY0cXO1ijL5utXOqhC2mdNwC6SsOlAkvirSBOkF5f7QrqKg6WoBkxZZPo1lfy2B4g77ix-7G2/s400/ghost12.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Betty White</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7bZ4gp9ADG3sDXUTO8OTAzF1c4qaMfdTDsfX-LpfVsWXv6ClufQg2_iKlvGJr_fpiXlRfNeccoJWVnseedonoTuhMj4rNMIQduQoIxF8Xuh1AhRK4Xv3KnxFHEpQNCJxWhyphenhyphenHDsDF8ekB/s1600/GHOST2A.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7bZ4gp9ADG3sDXUTO8OTAzF1c4qaMfdTDsfX-LpfVsWXv6ClufQg2_iKlvGJr_fpiXlRfNeccoJWVnseedonoTuhMj4rNMIQduQoIxF8Xuh1AhRK4Xv3KnxFHEpQNCJxWhyphenhyphenHDsDF8ekB/s320/GHOST2A.gif" width="268" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ghost of Christmas Past</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LWtsqfMKBoqAyTIz6lf03TVvOjPVbtCSkUWrW4GMuOrupqDSxydtSrGOlaenwjPy7zmO4Isd7biWPp86WoKqLsphuhiZTl23ApLsn1aseoBYp0BNOFj82bMdMfO0ftJX6gt5FArymF1I/s1600/ghost21.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LWtsqfMKBoqAyTIz6lf03TVvOjPVbtCSkUWrW4GMuOrupqDSxydtSrGOlaenwjPy7zmO4Isd7biWPp86WoKqLsphuhiZTl23ApLsn1aseoBYp0BNOFj82bMdMfO0ftJX6gt5FArymF1I/s400/ghost21.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chris Rock</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC11d_RuhhANuqETGgu1znrBwDeCVF2HzlzMY98NhM0e2HfIvGyjO_ZI1vsXkG76iXgOJgimqEuPRYMp5uGxbKV9powk3gHdtNvHtI0KFsIaIxL7S-tt5ocPhRjhPYGpuvxgMBznns_0Y9/s1600/GHOST4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC11d_RuhhANuqETGgu1znrBwDeCVF2HzlzMY98NhM0e2HfIvGyjO_ZI1vsXkG76iXgOJgimqEuPRYMp5uGxbKV9powk3gHdtNvHtI0KFsIaIxL7S-tt5ocPhRjhPYGpuvxgMBznns_0Y9/s400/GHOST4.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="center">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Rex Harrison</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziONXSkvlZfAJaV4YJkl1ouKj9_gRTcVgoDQC3cW_6IjzrOQLJ2vChCcBJ1QDr2MpAlcobDK4jMF0SL4O7SaRJsNB-SBLNinP1DXkcpOF7c0r3yyTVwWPdJDWhwdXlmez5LY7DWIov-uk/s1600/ghost19.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziONXSkvlZfAJaV4YJkl1ouKj9_gRTcVgoDQC3cW_6IjzrOQLJ2vChCcBJ1QDr2MpAlcobDK4jMF0SL4O7SaRJsNB-SBLNinP1DXkcpOF7c0r3yyTVwWPdJDWhwdXlmez5LY7DWIov-uk/s400/ghost19.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Neil Patrick Harris</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCmgoM3KudO_7Bf11BSLiixcaQRduNmrFZgVEXchkWv5gyABPoUWpd4331gY4PnpZtHQno5b9R8YW9hmrhbqIEZRq5NTg8pXmw_ste06k64TlDjwxk5CHAnnyqrYU4WTpco6DuWue6WNd/s1600/GHOST5.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCmgoM3KudO_7Bf11BSLiixcaQRduNmrFZgVEXchkWv5gyABPoUWpd4331gY4PnpZtHQno5b9R8YW9hmrhbqIEZRq5NTg8pXmw_ste06k64TlDjwxk5CHAnnyqrYU4WTpco6DuWue6WNd/s400/GHOST5.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Julian Assange</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZoE5In5f8846C_XpsID-fvl5T2xULaFgg3rOd5KRnEo-9j_uKgTjFzQREaCnleLP9eJ1H9Ko94_xLqbSFlI-E2muS4RV_G8ck3BOUqsfuIq_Jyb8uy_dljeCLporbd0DEfbKBCiI24CBe/s1600/ghost6.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZoE5In5f8846C_XpsID-fvl5T2xULaFgg3rOd5KRnEo-9j_uKgTjFzQREaCnleLP9eJ1H9Ko94_xLqbSFlI-E2muS4RV_G8ck3BOUqsfuIq_Jyb8uy_dljeCLporbd0DEfbKBCiI24CBe/s400/ghost6.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conan O'</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brien</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOEaDbaRNScToz2eVwCTlU6t2t1UhlAeZAnRyLB4uZ-evctG9TiZeqwOyxr5ul8a3B5fDjUJ1Lrs7oqstqEnCjgU_3uHf78Kh81Au4_oy0pBLZTDmRHEyimV9EZHTPc-Nc7hzhP_4s_yF/s1600/ghost7.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOEaDbaRNScToz2eVwCTlU6t2t1UhlAeZAnRyLB4uZ-evctG9TiZeqwOyxr5ul8a3B5fDjUJ1Lrs7oqstqEnCjgU_3uHf78Kh81Au4_oy0pBLZTDmRHEyimV9EZHTPc-Nc7hzhP_4s_yF/s400/ghost7.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Tom Hanks</b></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T17DBBJnvaT8wi4_yWVKvYOqq2KGjThv_XjsbRuOA7lnRhjKqRemTcMsKQXLOYwO9Wtx0XgpkrvY2zPf9bRnDxiSjnHp4ZqdWoRAZgCI1loskJf8Ssk0MwQwALhe_yg-foSIPbpAvb1T/s1600/ghost8a.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T17DBBJnvaT8wi4_yWVKvYOqq2KGjThv_XjsbRuOA7lnRhjKqRemTcMsKQXLOYwO9Wtx0XgpkrvY2zPf9bRnDxiSjnHp4ZqdWoRAZgCI1loskJf8Ssk0MwQwALhe_yg-foSIPbpAvb1T/s400/ghost8a.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Tom Hanks Call-Back (he is SO versatile!)</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsfmytKxGXjMzRWVOM661ERR0LN3e5XAxx29SXspJrENkcXVIRAVTUjlPIFv0SvEXhKm3aqOhbecpuDa6DNJUfrAfWBf-3mycoqgl3eeLN_P0ygugG5N1A6lKqh2uFG8xBVmVJaZr6Fko/s1600/ghost8b.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsfmytKxGXjMzRWVOM661ERR0LN3e5XAxx29SXspJrENkcXVIRAVTUjlPIFv0SvEXhKm3aqOhbecpuDa6DNJUfrAfWBf-3mycoqgl3eeLN_P0ygugG5N1A6lKqh2uFG8xBVmVJaZr6Fko/s400/ghost8b.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Danny DeVito</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVd7UweqRolLT8poQ7wuMjkROg8aaAacq21BPnB5CVk1pUuutS-4jsuTU9PUD7MOVKc-lSOf3ifgowfUiyzgqwVFq4eO042Jl0ugeXcs9QRKPpLto9YSr8EOgyiPDTnv6hOVfz4PlTIc55/s1600/ghost9.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVd7UweqRolLT8poQ7wuMjkROg8aaAacq21BPnB5CVk1pUuutS-4jsuTU9PUD7MOVKc-lSOf3ifgowfUiyzgqwVFq4eO042Jl0ugeXcs9QRKPpLto9YSr8EOgyiPDTnv6hOVfz4PlTIc55/s400/ghost9.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Arnold Schwarzenegger</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNN0rRroM29wD3LZzfQIChJdARNgXJAhmzGEoeNgEsAEExJS3Y6P-nKoZkT6MgMTryqVocT3mhW5Rw80MgmdLl31NylI52z2PeNFRtkjeSVyA79hUNLOoNZuhvdaBM_VpHCbh5EnzAc91V/s1600/ghost10.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNN0rRroM29wD3LZzfQIChJdARNgXJAhmzGEoeNgEsAEExJS3Y6P-nKoZkT6MgMTryqVocT3mhW5Rw80MgmdLl31NylI52z2PeNFRtkjeSVyA79hUNLOoNZuhvdaBM_VpHCbh5EnzAc91V/s400/ghost10.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ellen</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaFX8llaPK53cz3S3GO5OWNJeeZvD39TvJTRh0s7QaOb5TpV2C6-oxVkMx6lojLXeHLypBytTVQPySsYyuSNWK5X2VJ9T3aN3zo-TSfNVE5K49HMsxBBuCCT4uOa256qJoHeFgCRul-BU/s1600/ghost11.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaFX8llaPK53cz3S3GO5OWNJeeZvD39TvJTRh0s7QaOb5TpV2C6-oxVkMx6lojLXeHLypBytTVQPySsYyuSNWK5X2VJ9T3aN3zo-TSfNVE5K49HMsxBBuCCT4uOa256qJoHeFgCRul-BU/s400/ghost11.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Yoda (Vader and Kenobi there for support)</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7i31_hhpyCemsOFx2i7aNgfjVcS8OK4lxIoBU0UVq09DaPMMi5PKDRBGxlq2x44T8IhhGNTbeIgt4TWhaDrXfOiSyf6q07GEzgMuE6IRqxetGqPWBEMPcwMmPfg1lsLKtavPIXZIJIuV/s1600/ghost13.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7i31_hhpyCemsOFx2i7aNgfjVcS8OK4lxIoBU0UVq09DaPMMi5PKDRBGxlq2x44T8IhhGNTbeIgt4TWhaDrXfOiSyf6q07GEzgMuE6IRqxetGqPWBEMPcwMmPfg1lsLKtavPIXZIJIuV/s400/ghost13.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>John Cleese</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8O-G6W38_n8UUxjMsngLoXwwEAMFqwQ0NnrBGSOwUF0KMSCn7aHOqJJkKMc9boW7VFl6_IMcF5j2PBFugOwZOqylnFZo3MKEnnsQpPQb1gWBPA_0LYxww8gIEB_sqxFq5H_BP1FuaADu/s1600/ghost14.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8O-G6W38_n8UUxjMsngLoXwwEAMFqwQ0NnrBGSOwUF0KMSCn7aHOqJJkKMc9boW7VFl6_IMcF5j2PBFugOwZOqylnFZo3MKEnnsQpPQb1gWBPA_0LYxww8gIEB_sqxFq5H_BP1FuaADu/s400/ghost14.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Viggo Mortensen</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7HVXAUZlDQMtCfZEy0YnXxYU69EThPzjq8gbobXr9VIhsez0QUKXhiRhAWqyvL_VsXXX2-F4YkjTaRs5Kqr6shZHaG_UDbwOUPt2mVGScHwWNOWtfUpZBO15wZ9tEh940Mo_ks__2hmK/s1600/ghost16.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7HVXAUZlDQMtCfZEy0YnXxYU69EThPzjq8gbobXr9VIhsez0QUKXhiRhAWqyvL_VsXXX2-F4YkjTaRs5Kqr6shZHaG_UDbwOUPt2mVGScHwWNOWtfUpZBO15wZ9tEh940Mo_ks__2hmK/s400/ghost16.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Duggar Kids</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WR-b7DYJ_FDuonEa23XECiGrWEwJ0m8dcpuov6l6yb5VdZYtSjMWHzMvsQHYLZxH_P6T9YtbR0rvl6kPWeTWponwo2W5tO9qTckJ0_IAXPB-sH4vZ1U48oJ2HvfcIhlbq8iy_y6-UZH8/s1600/ghost17.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WR-b7DYJ_FDuonEa23XECiGrWEwJ0m8dcpuov6l6yb5VdZYtSjMWHzMvsQHYLZxH_P6T9YtbR0rvl6kPWeTWponwo2W5tO9qTckJ0_IAXPB-sH4vZ1U48oJ2HvfcIhlbq8iy_y6-UZH8/s400/ghost17.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jack Nicholson</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKZ7L4HMX_rW7nemVUrm2j-dQCkDj_9hYPXW855fIjWAvH4xq2kkuol6gaWeME6zB-nAxaSJVQYi9IFUCTv2NBp6SCmLdFvI6VEQNJ7jBTKzOeWLWvz9b3llYjMXfk4ffWlYJMex61yTc/s1600/GHOST+1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKZ7L4HMX_rW7nemVUrm2j-dQCkDj_9hYPXW855fIjWAvH4xq2kkuol6gaWeME6zB-nAxaSJVQYi9IFUCTv2NBp6SCmLdFvI6VEQNJ7jBTKzOeWLWvz9b3llYjMXfk4ffWlYJMex61yTc/s400/GHOST+1.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>AND MY PERSONAL CHOICE: Patrick Swayze 💗</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DHQtjFfVYWW2WrnCwxjOKGXql2ll9TwXjbip3lzpSI6RT8Un6kC3nSZ-wU7vxuLEAz-g7KXq4Lbno-21gB3fNTxiz6h10bX-ClCZBUhyJddwo3yb43OAP89opW0mATL27xmgiKyu9oOb/s1600/ghost15.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DHQtjFfVYWW2WrnCwxjOKGXql2ll9TwXjbip3lzpSI6RT8Un6kC3nSZ-wU7vxuLEAz-g7KXq4Lbno-21gB3fNTxiz6h10bX-ClCZBUhyJddwo3yb43OAP89opW0mATL27xmgiKyu9oOb/s400/ghost15.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Auditions are now closed and the lucky chosen ghost will be announced soon! Ghosts can be feisty, depending how they died, so, t</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">o ensure cooperation and the safety of all the main actors, Starz has hired a team of Paranormal Experts to deal with anything 'situations'...</span></b></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Whoyagonnacall? </b></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>GHOSTLANDER McBUSTERS</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhA7nLpHoFKiQdA0nRG_w3YrYShAvt3zDGIufxu_89YdR2GWxGzzokMHRL6vYA6jhvxk0gFTqg8tpISizFLS4sKO5MiWED3MgIE2HPgClzXkSMjzUM-lrTUBNWGaph2CqmuFZ85enzfzk/s1600/GHOST3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhA7nLpHoFKiQdA0nRG_w3YrYShAvt3zDGIufxu_89YdR2GWxGzzokMHRL6vYA6jhvxk0gFTqg8tpISizFLS4sKO5MiWED3MgIE2HPgClzXkSMjzUM-lrTUBNWGaph2CqmuFZ85enzfzk/s400/GHOST3.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Stay tuned...</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>***</b></div>
DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-29657714561391519252017-05-03T15:21:00.000-06:002017-07-12T12:35:07.429-06:00OUTLANDER: SHOULD JAMIE BE ALLOWED TO GO BALD? Why the Hell not?<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Things are thinning over at Outlander STARZ, and it isn't the plot or Diana's patience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jamie is going bald!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well, to be clear, it's Sam Heughan that is balding, not his character. Jamie seems to be having a record harvest of luscious locks. See the 2 pictures below for comparison:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEios3Xc6O_TpjH6w2KOMS66jPpfrxIkxdOKlKK44B6hX-OFwqAvdYOHhTR_rOqAOqcrLF-3-vHxBRzGeXWVn_jEyESL50CorL5IuKb8RMKWcNBY_QrrdVvUGbHdjIhgC1Iild0xJcvjVnvd/s1600/sam+bald+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEios3Xc6O_TpjH6w2KOMS66jPpfrxIkxdOKlKK44B6hX-OFwqAvdYOHhTR_rOqAOqcrLF-3-vHxBRzGeXWVn_jEyESL50CorL5IuKb8RMKWcNBY_QrrdVvUGbHdjIhgC1Iild0xJcvjVnvd/s400/sam+bald+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"So what?" you may ask.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So what indeed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I guess my issue is...why not let him go au-natural and BE bald, if that is what he is? Why the cover-up? Is it because the books have Jamie thick-haired, with waves of red testosterone flowing in the wind as he rides to save someone or something off in the distance? Is that it? They don't want to deviate from the books?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Excuse me for a minute. My best friend Ewan McGregor is over for tea and poppy seed crumpets. Let me ask him what he thinks about that...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlZ-rMWxg5UyIVDzTD3VRJECur1zu2s86VVz0QabEC5UDyrU23NNE33m6S-_PhMEe-9fbM-lhx-z1_jnaXNNiGEFeFUie2LTrJH4UaA9E5tIJvXSw21P0-BokEgRM4FEXOdd0O9SHG_lH/s1600/ewan+laughing.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlZ-rMWxg5UyIVDzTD3VRJECur1zu2s86VVz0QabEC5UDyrU23NNE33m6S-_PhMEe-9fbM-lhx-z1_jnaXNNiGEFeFUie2LTrJH4UaA9E5tIJvXSw21P0-BokEgRM4FEXOdd0O9SHG_lH/s1600/ewan+laughing.gif" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Exactly my reaction as well.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So...if Starz are fine with deviations, and if Claire Randall Fraser can be 6 feet tall with blue eyes, a 16 yr olds ass and a few grey streaks, why can't Jamie age like many men do...and go bald? Sam has had to endure some fairly ugly wigs thus far and I would bet he'd love to burn them all. I know I would.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is it that bald isn't sexy? Says who? This is 2017 people.... bald is badass! Let's see a few examples of some virile, sexy and manly men that don't need a melon-rug...</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Sean Connery</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGxb-ibvGdMN5KuCIiMuKCTE9S1h9rcIBpBXMtAmR1ENNfgrDBYePT1CMf-o__OgahmDz1SBh789tfZX_-uEFopz8lNyFqFokWOsyJlT3FfmCA3CSIBdiWcBPJ5HJSQGPU-Cpw_CZzQW2/s1600/bald5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGxb-ibvGdMN5KuCIiMuKCTE9S1h9rcIBpBXMtAmR1ENNfgrDBYePT1CMf-o__OgahmDz1SBh789tfZX_-uEFopz8lNyFqFokWOsyJlT3FfmCA3CSIBdiWcBPJ5HJSQGPU-Cpw_CZzQW2/s400/bald5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuuY2EA4fSN25rexEVmJYIgHHtnTvYBvD1wtXTol2uHfuIvH6EmNenOYT0h_091GpXX50nHH25J8IwzAlaiVRK3GENRqVibYIy5aaLsNlXilqn_3j_4YkBgL1WzCqqM3rujqgJJz1RTn1/s1600/bald+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuuY2EA4fSN25rexEVmJYIgHHtnTvYBvD1wtXTol2uHfuIvH6EmNenOYT0h_091GpXX50nHH25J8IwzAlaiVRK3GENRqVibYIy5aaLsNlXilqn_3j_4YkBgL1WzCqqM3rujqgJJz1RTn1/s400/bald+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Patrick Stewart</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ACKpt0TRW6DqbXmW-iP-omcPUALFCN4brLk7tD4VYROekM7aFE1eTA1b0yF4cKsIQKymVA25NmS-mr1awbbYBUVm1eP3B9KHcpIU1KgM7qjjSXdq6P2preGmpm1PHRfdqYnsQLIwUPi5/s1600/bald+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ACKpt0TRW6DqbXmW-iP-omcPUALFCN4brLk7tD4VYROekM7aFE1eTA1b0yF4cKsIQKymVA25NmS-mr1awbbYBUVm1eP3B9KHcpIU1KgM7qjjSXdq6P2preGmpm1PHRfdqYnsQLIwUPi5/s400/bald+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Billy Zane</b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5GXhAnwE5_9UDtv7SavMyb1hP1xa-wbDonrG0xbtm_nV_WWU76fM_xMTmJgxXQmmpAvFw4ZmjcR28m1TUgPouIR1op7OTQpx32N1PqWn8tJcwsGpmWipTu3NQ05wC8yS-BWkuS5yT3QV/s1600/bald+3+zane.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5GXhAnwE5_9UDtv7SavMyb1hP1xa-wbDonrG0xbtm_nV_WWU76fM_xMTmJgxXQmmpAvFw4ZmjcR28m1TUgPouIR1op7OTQpx32N1PqWn8tJcwsGpmWipTu3NQ05wC8yS-BWkuS5yT3QV/s400/bald+3+zane.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Graham McTavish</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNiIL5YabTthKI6Nup41yl5RImzofBqDSg-tjXu2zARTRZ_og8N8VmcwYwZcTHNaPjSRyuRy3e9ivIORSkLWsIC4wof35jmb0u9sg0CilNWVd_ArL3CT3HfR0Vl1rBIw9mDsfQz-riYwq/s1600/bald+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNiIL5YabTthKI6Nup41yl5RImzofBqDSg-tjXu2zARTRZ_og8N8VmcwYwZcTHNaPjSRyuRy3e9ivIORSkLWsIC4wof35jmb0u9sg0CilNWVd_ArL3CT3HfR0Vl1rBIw9mDsfQz-riYwq/s400/bald+6.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b> Andre Agassi</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdtCP9BUEAjd5xHxZ8VKe4ck6cKTl_1qJbIDrRtshzY0F405_XgY3izm2BwmPF1TDt7MZdTSeKUl3MANNRuhePtRzOJkh5WaRWIgH0MNWhXeBUK49xmjkm_90tzLrh45GZ550JTlu9gFb/s1600/bald+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdtCP9BUEAjd5xHxZ8VKe4ck6cKTl_1qJbIDrRtshzY0F405_XgY3izm2BwmPF1TDt7MZdTSeKUl3MANNRuhePtRzOJkh5WaRWIgH0MNWhXeBUK49xmjkm_90tzLrh45GZ550JTlu9gFb/s400/bald+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Yul Brynner</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNfpEa4KW4uZAhEdE-IOKbDSeGO2PTh3XPe6K14hXx7PfK0pf6caCQ168e7hKE9Ykb3Pp6qN_Dr8IXLGn5AV9buk5yk7HC80wiGgz9mtMsE-ox0Zcu4iOFCTeMUvs0fRs6nTO5VlRU89K/s1600/yul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="634" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNfpEa4KW4uZAhEdE-IOKbDSeGO2PTh3XPe6K14hXx7PfK0pf6caCQ168e7hKE9Ykb3Pp6qN_Dr8IXLGn5AV9buk5yk7HC80wiGgz9mtMsE-ox0Zcu4iOFCTeMUvs0fRs6nTO5VlRU89K/s400/yul.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>and the sexiest of all...my husband:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvbSqnq8leffd9Y1xG4cxHyLk7yo4y6ljR-LwD3P4oh3pWqNZYUCBbVkjmnq0N1QBJcbe055nt27N_iXfhxSZfNVFqHTH1PR-CHOgzK6mZL8_-gP9mwGCnsFZ7_Ad0GWxHt1wqDwXcCY1/s1600/peter+fave+pic+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvbSqnq8leffd9Y1xG4cxHyLk7yo4y6ljR-LwD3P4oh3pWqNZYUCBbVkjmnq0N1QBJcbe055nt27N_iXfhxSZfNVFqHTH1PR-CHOgzK6mZL8_-gP9mwGCnsFZ7_Ad0GWxHt1wqDwXcCY1/s400/peter+fave+pic+%25282%2529.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Don't you think then, that this is an opportunity?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Maybe this would be a good time to help make balding more accepted...as we still see stupid commercials that make it seems like an embarrassing and shameful thing that men should go through expensive and probably painful transplants to 'fix', or 'hide' like this dumbass commercial suggests:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2GeF7A05zQ8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2GeF7A05zQ8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Come on Sam! You have a Cause already, fighting weight and exercise issues...why not take on <span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001177.htm" target="_blank">male pattern baldness</a></b></span>? </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have a feeling a LOT of women, and men, would be affected and educated and swayed... and what a wonderful way to embrace an issue not often talked about!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Be brave! Be Jamie!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">And if you can't be Jamie, be <i>Willy The Groundskeeper</i>! He is a bald Scotsman ya gotta love!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6DIv0_WvXNY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6DIv0_WvXNY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And that's all I have to say about that.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">**</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i><u>ADDED:</u></i></b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There seems to be a backlash from fans who balk at the thought of a bald older Jamie. I find that an amazing Double Standard! The cry of <i>'Jamie isn't bald in the books so NO WAY!'</i> and <i>'God nooooooo! He has a lot of hair in the books...!'</i> ring loud and clear, but Caitriona (who, as I said before, is very tall, very slim, blue-eyed and has the ass of a 16 yr old) looks nothing like BookClaire (who is short, golden-yellow eyed, buxom with a fine fat arse) but fans just say <i>'She looks fine...she makes a great Claire! Her looks don't matter because she portrays her perfectly!'. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Can we all say <i>'hypocrite'</i>? </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Why can Cait play an '*imperfect' Claire but Sam not play an 'imperfect' Jamie?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">*imperfect for book-look-a-likes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Although I agree that Cait should be given leeway to be herself and just ACT like Claire...I believe Sam should be given the same consideration. No glued on, uncomfortable, hot'n'sweaty wigs that look like electrocuted foxes for him....but good-looking natural Sam ACTING like Jamie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now, THAT is all I have to say about that.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-38411165211926921382017-05-02T16:22:00.001-06:002017-05-03T16:30:18.471-06:00OUTLANDER: The Great 'Jamie's Ghost says "MINE" ' Debate! THE TRUTH REVEALED!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A leaked file from STARZ has given answer to an old Outlander mystery!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">THE DOGGED QUESTION AT HAND: Does Jamie's ghost say 'Mine' just before Frank eagerly explores the, apparently, irresistible tongue-magnet that is Claire's nether regions? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>*Men have been known to name their penises...names like Dick or Rod, so let's name Claire's lady bits too, for the sake of convenience. How about 'Mimi'? Apologies to all humanoid Mimi's, but it just fits somehow. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*shrug*</span></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;">
</span></i>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Both Frank and Jamie cannot seem to get enough of Claire's Mimi whether it's offered for breakfast OR lunch </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(which leads me to believe that Time Travel somehow magically transforms this usually malodorous area into a fragrant and decidedly popular lollipop-like treat).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Believers swear that Jamie says 'MINE' at the 10 second mark <i>(see clip below)</i> ...BUT if one looks and listens VERY closely, one will see that the very second Frank pushes in for a kiss, it is <i>Mimi</i> who whispers breathlessly for the legs to spread 'WIDE'. That girl is giving the orders!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The word we hear...is WIDE, not MINE! Listen closely:</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gf3CwAlBjuI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gf3CwAlBjuI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes, the voice is husky and full of lusty need, but, so is Diana's. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nuff said'.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Others are positive that the ethereal word being sighed in the wind really IS 'MINE', but from the kid's movie 'Nemo', edited and being played at an extremely slow RPM. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here is the original:</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eNiR5ZTb_MA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eNiR5ZTb_MA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I think not. But that is my personal opinion.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yet others say the voice is Claire's subconscious crying out for,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">you got it...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">WINE!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a class="irc_mil i3597 ifn5izbCI4J4-zixyDjKkw5M" data-ctbtn="2" data-cthref="/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjFirDYjtLTAhVOVWMKHUA7A84QjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com.au%2Fconnie-britton-on-amy-schumers-friday-night-lights-impression-2015-8&psig=AFQjCNEaNRrwjO9uPsnv8Vu8Scvj1bJ9ZA&ust=1493845466164686" data-noload="" data-ved="0ahUKEwjFirDYjtLTAhVOVWMKHUA7A84QjRwIBw" href="https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjFirDYjtLTAhVOVWMKHUA7A84QjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com.au%2Fconnie-britton-on-amy-schumers-friday-night-lights-impression-2015-8&psig=AFQjCNEaNRrwjO9uPsnv8Vu8Scvj1bJ9ZA&ust=1493845466164686" jsaction="mousedown:irc.rl;keydown:irc.rlk" rel="noopener" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Related image" class="irc_mi" height="195" src="https://static.businessinsider.com/image/55ccc8062acae7c7018bfe14/image.gif" style="margin-top: 39px;" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But whatever YOU believe is fine with me. Let's just all agree that Mimi's </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">well-being is the ONLY important issue in this Table Top Tongue Tennis scene, okay?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Alright. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Good stuff.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kRgtolsiS5x7j3yMCfgfne7d5PrwZiUHEo5svRCdV1krGoWaDIo2t0XkChx9GH2YO6Z5N8tPm2FKzkspeU9Xt4px09HGwMy17BRY9jHPPlpZ1OmgP5i4FkTQnu4EHIwMXqag_eXOmClZ/s1600/FRANK+AND+JAMIE+GHOST.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kRgtolsiS5x7j3yMCfgfne7d5PrwZiUHEo5svRCdV1krGoWaDIo2t0XkChx9GH2YO6Z5N8tPm2FKzkspeU9Xt4px09HGwMy17BRY9jHPPlpZ1OmgP5i4FkTQnu4EHIwMXqag_eXOmClZ/s400/FRANK+AND+JAMIE+GHOST.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-2002151032058773012017-04-21T02:08:00.000-06:002017-04-21T02:41:51.356-06:00THE 10 LEAKED OUTLANDER S3 VIDEO TAPES (DELETED SCENES): The Not-so-subtle Aging of Jamie & Claire!<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The newly leaked 'THE MAKING OF S3: GEEZERLANDER' tapes are going viral and we have a copy! THESE ARE THE DELETED SCENES FROM VARIOUS EPISODES THAT RON WAS OBVIOULSY EXPERIMENTING WITH...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">*NOTE: Starz has countered this massive leak by posting them willy nilly all over YouTube<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, </span>labeling them nonsense things like 'Elderly Couple Do Magic Tricks' or whatever just to throw people off, and they say it isn't Outlander at all...but WE know BETTER!</span> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You'll see Sam and Caitriona undergo amazing make-up applications that took hours to perfect, and body-shaping prosthetics were brilliantly manipulated to make them look natural and OH SO REAL! You will see them look quite different f<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ro</span>m tape to tape but this is only due to their experimenting with different looks/ages etc...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">And even though it will be hard to believe, I swear on the grave of my uncle's brother's sister's chiropractor's first cousin that these are authentic. But to be certain, I asked Diana to meet me for lunch and while we ate our quesadillas in a yellow submarine underwater in the West Edmonton Mall with her husband, their 6 dogs and their lawyer Bernie, she verified the following as THE true leaked tapes...and she was glad her fans will see how Off-Book the scripts were with Jamie and Claire traveling through The Stones, etc..., and why she worked so hard with Bernie to have these scenes deleted!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Let's see what crazyass ideas Ron had...and how Jamie and Claire have wrestled Father Time in Season 3: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>1)</b> In their 60's, Jamie and Claire try something new after a dare from their grandkids. Yes, they wore Attends adult diapers: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E4hDVReJ5xw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E4hDVReJ5xw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>2)</b> Jamie and Claire are 'discovered' and do a commercial. Jamie is still nervous around the 'magic of technology 'and fumbles his lines ...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DIrQ9ilL8aw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DIrQ9ilL8aw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>3)</b> They keep their great sense of humour with the WOOGIE BOOGIE MAGIC PENNY TRICK:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sOQG9LMMTsI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sOQG9LMMTsI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>4)</b> Jamie & Claire do the BOOGIE WOOGIE! They go through The Stones and Live in The Netherlands in this episode...or it could be Belgium. Or The Bronx.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ft99FKKsqqE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ft99FKKsqqE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>5)</b> Here we see Jamie and Claire entertaining the folks at a 'New Age Cèilidh' after years of making beautiful music together...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RI-l0tK8Ok0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RI-l0tK8Ok0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
</div>
<i><br /></i>
<b>6) </b>Bree and Roger give Jamie and Claire a computer for a gift; this is them trying to figure out how to use it: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FcN08Tg3PWw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FcN08Tg3PWw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>7)</b> Jamie driving:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SR-qBaSZgT8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SR-qBaSZgT8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>8)</b> Claire enters 'Britain's Got Talent' with her grandson Ian 'Nico' Murray VI <i>(who is 6'9' tall, and that is why Claire looks short)</i>: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i>*NOTE: Jamie pops back stage after the show and boots Simon Cowell in the nutsack for condescendingly insulting his wife at the start of the show</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hjHnWz3EyHs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hjHnWz3EyHs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>*Note: Attends were called for here as well...but for the judges and audiences, not Claire</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>9) </b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Similar to#5, this is Claire and Jamie trying to send their great-grand son <b>Avigdor Spartacus MacKenzie</b> (their parents are huge fans of <i>'The Bird Cage'</i>) a birthday picture online:</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cRBcP6MmE8g/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cRBcP6MmE8g?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>10) </b>And finally, Starz pretended to up make a commercial out of <u>this </u>Geezerlander scene...but like I said before...WE know better:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6y1e0skfJts/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6y1e0skfJts?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SO? Whadyathink?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I thought they overdid the lipstick now and then but otherwise, my favorite look was this last one at the end... so J&C. How about you? </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hope you enjoyed this contraband collection of tapes and please...keep it quiet! I don't want to get into trouble for showing you these. Thanks.</span></div>
<br />DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-37178354017254867782017-04-16T01:02:00.002-06:002017-04-16T01:32:37.273-06:00OUTLANDER SEASON 3: 5 SURPRISE FACTS THAT DIANA DOES NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW!<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Diana Gabaldon is not only a brilliant author, popular speaker and lover of kilts, she is also a sharp-minded businesswoman. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She KNOWS what sells, what doesn't, what hurts a business and what shoots it to the Starz. The following 5, never seen before pictures and revelations, are proof of her business savvy, how she protects her franchise and why she needs wine. Lots of wine. I'm talking a CLAIRE-LIKE need for the happy juice! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What you will read next will boggle your mind, shock you to the core and make you question your religion ... but I swear it is as real as any report of Elvis being seen riding a mongoose in a WalMart. Cross my heart.</span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";">1) STARZ DEMANDED THAT THE CAST AID IN THE MAKE-UP DEPARTMENT'S JOB OF AGING THEM FOR SEASON 3 (AND ONWARD), BY FORCING THEM TO GAIN WEIGHT, AS ONE TENDS TO DO WHILST AGING<i>....(like I sure in the hell did *sigh*)</i></span></b><br />
<div align="center">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4T_dYihcftsqPmOVicsC808nhUC5UFy5bbePhVY-HxPoNSF7kEVgPXRwiFdEm74h1_KA27S4XAixPY5c5MRijCKOKR11c0OG1wcAlSXqz1LRDdTRMdNUotYuNOO1o48VDXxCCSt1FAtA8/s1600/FAT+SAM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4T_dYihcftsqPmOVicsC808nhUC5UFy5bbePhVY-HxPoNSF7kEVgPXRwiFdEm74h1_KA27S4XAixPY5c5MRijCKOKR11c0OG1wcAlSXqz1LRDdTRMdNUotYuNOO1o48VDXxCCSt1FAtA8/s320/FAT+SAM.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLZnnQyR0aWWvdwzmxTraWNGw0q3plT80wIDROcaE4zY5mVz6EHeNMWJMwhGBvlwmKiL87EEjVxByWxAA-1NOEiT_T_k1B4cVKM55QkI5Bk0AUDiFfj2hsiR4gX6rqNz0BOt3dbAYuejF/s1600/FAT+CLAIRE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLZnnQyR0aWWvdwzmxTraWNGw0q3plT80wIDROcaE4zY5mVz6EHeNMWJMwhGBvlwmKiL87EEjVxByWxAA-1NOEiT_T_k1B4cVKM55QkI5Bk0AUDiFfj2hsiR4gX6rqNz0BOt3dbAYuejF/s400/FAT+CLAIRE.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_pmqtZEUuzZrddDYAbA7I-OjW-bjN0QRiFw5wndJDMZPkVBVns_hGQHqbJGTC864XQ2jCj4QQ70plaJUsXP2Gc4FU12iuaKfV6yxeWJ3sgQP5eoD6Be86RE9Gf6hIOpmFJcHLeu3iXZd/s1600/FAT+FRANK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_pmqtZEUuzZrddDYAbA7I-OjW-bjN0QRiFw5wndJDMZPkVBVns_hGQHqbJGTC864XQ2jCj4QQ70plaJUsXP2Gc4FU12iuaKfV6yxeWJ3sgQP5eoD6Be86RE9Gf6hIOpmFJcHLeu3iXZd/s320/FAT+FRANK.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIHGFzjYsDue7j_E-DfM1Gd4e-O0llg90qJtYm9ECsTUQIB-V88y4LgJ4NRPwE4yETpMvHSwyP5t5-HlwwNgoY0GO_2U2c5fX5BdTL2RI2mKaiIaN3eR7NH-hAaQiCRIc3_pk6J5C3d6s/s1600/FAT+JENNY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIHGFzjYsDue7j_E-DfM1Gd4e-O0llg90qJtYm9ECsTUQIB-V88y4LgJ4NRPwE4yETpMvHSwyP5t5-HlwwNgoY0GO_2U2c5fX5BdTL2RI2mKaiIaN3eR7NH-hAaQiCRIc3_pk6J5C3d6s/s320/FAT+JENNY.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOhdMW_Y0wI9V3cZPsgitxDxaTXFrXCkxM4phg78ZSlOt2z2WFlGCXY9EWlc_UwttYezJxS90L2dcU1CIeAb8S8UqlljKYKkdCDUNAegZec7tLXpRwJTLtMW94v0OtlkQsh19qK_u8V7v/s1600/FAT+DAVE+BERRY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOhdMW_Y0wI9V3cZPsgitxDxaTXFrXCkxM4phg78ZSlOt2z2WFlGCXY9EWlc_UwttYezJxS90L2dcU1CIeAb8S8UqlljKYKkdCDUNAegZec7tLXpRwJTLtMW94v0OtlkQsh19qK_u8V7v/s320/FAT+DAVE+BERRY.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Diana, however, upon returning from Brazil <i>(click</i><span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://parcaschosen.blogspot.ca/2017/02/delaylander-outrageous-reasons-s3-wont.html" target="_blank"><i> <b>here</b></i></a></span><i> to read about THAT scandal!)</i> make a spot-on assessment of the situation and convinced Ron that although they were all still handsome/beautiful people and that Jamie's chubby knees were still porn-able, the physiques didn't quite match their book counterparts, and everyone should return to the Pre-McDonalds era shape a.s.a.p.... and just give them some wrinkles and grey streaks. I think it was a good call. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: xx-small;"><i>(sorry for any offense given, but I figure as long as my ass doesn't fit into a dental chair and it needs an extra engine brought in to go up, I can joke and tease all I want. *grin*)</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i>*You will then see the main characters remain youthfully slim with Crypt Keeper faces further down the road...</i></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxdSR-sEjAAWfCNk8DEmcNr_NAwgILlW8RzFQp1SDY4Rj5m2rdc11ud7Vom-zTVaf9AWCnxQIoX7GpUj1abB7KUmjoETUFa856JZyaaeEf0BGyi0J-63ComtTMHi8UlgoJYMVGrC0LvPi/s1600/crypt+keep+gif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxdSR-sEjAAWfCNk8DEmcNr_NAwgILlW8RzFQp1SDY4Rj5m2rdc11ud7Vom-zTVaf9AWCnxQIoX7GpUj1abB7KUmjoETUFa856JZyaaeEf0BGyi0J-63ComtTMHi8UlgoJYMVGrC0LvPi/s320/crypt+keep+gif.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>2) DIANA BOUGHT MAJORITY STOCKS IN 2 COMPANIES PRE-SEASON 3</b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><u><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><u><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A) </b><u><b>WHITE GLOVES</b></u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>:</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">It is expected that white gloves sales will skyrocket after this episode, which we see here in a picture taken on set during a break in filming, where we see Caitriona and Tobias applaud Diana's unveiling her new online shop <b>'GLOVELANDER'</b>. To order, call <b>1-800-CLAIRE-PAIR</b>.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOV1S3kAZM7zm1JXKtXx-C1gVCX5R1pKKrRHbOno_eNMiSWCg2T73Ie7hpH1_3i_A1REES96uWFoo6omT22kWGPoSmbFc8xA4f6JtDMyiIkNS1d-ufvVLmODIJ4M7aMq9Qrzfq31rJlyhT/s1600/caits+gloves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOV1S3kAZM7zm1JXKtXx-C1gVCX5R1pKKrRHbOno_eNMiSWCg2T73Ie7hpH1_3i_A1REES96uWFoo6omT22kWGPoSmbFc8xA4f6JtDMyiIkNS1d-ufvVLmODIJ4M7aMq9Qrzfq31rJlyhT/s320/caits+gloves.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24jtZiSI0sViMZgzj3EqXv-FW7N0E0qktUEqBuGx03rV_0uKHcyjy8-zD-PKdkcF_53hUmSUhoYMRRTAy68LUmo8-h4XZQpY2I_QJXJkpsT9fCFJ5aLDM_9ZRjO8LPWGv2bFkzskZNGFl/s1600/frank+and+claire+clapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24jtZiSI0sViMZgzj3EqXv-FW7N0E0qktUEqBuGx03rV_0uKHcyjy8-zD-PKdkcF_53hUmSUhoYMRRTAy68LUmo8-h4XZQpY2I_QJXJkpsT9fCFJ5aLDM_9ZRjO8LPWGv2bFkzskZNGFl/s400/frank+and+claire+clapping.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b></b><br /></span>
<br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>B) <u>BLACK </u></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>HALF-RIM VINTAGE GLASSES</u></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>:</u></b></span></span><br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></u></b></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Jamie may have exploded ovaries worldwide, but Frank will make them weep with wanting when the female Outlander Fandom sees him in FULL ON HOT PROFESSOR MODE! Move over sexy-secretary-stripper-in-pencil-skirts-and-black-rimmed-glasses...the sexy-bespectacled-historian-who-is-calm-on-the-outside-but-a-wild-coitus-machine-on-the-inside 'look' has taken the spotlight! The picture above shows Frank and Claire in a moment of blissful happiness...and it is easy to see why. This is what Claire had to be thinking...</span></div>
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAVA7Xfgp8p6SujqGIVuhNmloB5yivYJI2FteuZFjOwbgKS8rJsKDstMq544hzA9dkCX4QrJGJMW6yWHQ8SeqJZPtDyW0fWBMMBVKPVURg-wpW-Cu-H7H7-iWfokVEGYNx-X5MtwpmUfu/s1600/frank+and+claire+clapping2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAVA7Xfgp8p6SujqGIVuhNmloB5yivYJI2FteuZFjOwbgKS8rJsKDstMq544hzA9dkCX4QrJGJMW6yWHQ8SeqJZPtDyW0fWBMMBVKPVURg-wpW-Cu-H7H7-iWfokVEGYNx-X5MtwpmUfu/s400/frank+and+claire+clapping2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoKFfG7OB0Zs3nf8nUpJqHaltCPwml1p6gnaWAX0i943xPRQDhRFel-32VPiSCc-1qPPIaogCNGM3PDWXXHTb738z7tdBpY72XKtNWY0u3Q7uCAeZKKFbsc0LyM-438YaM5lW_HYLxKob/s1600/frank+glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoKFfG7OB0Zs3nf8nUpJqHaltCPwml1p6gnaWAX0i943xPRQDhRFel-32VPiSCc-1qPPIaogCNGM3PDWXXHTb738z7tdBpY72XKtNWY0u3Q7uCAeZKKFbsc0LyM-438YaM5lW_HYLxKob/s1600/frank+glasses.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Diana was quick to seize the opportunity to make a smart business move and she bought up all these special types of men's glasses in the USA, Canada and the UK and opened an online shop called <b>'LENSLANDER'</b>. To order your pair(s), call: <b>1-800-HOT-PROF-XXX</b></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";">3)</span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> DIANA HANDCRAFTED A </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">NEWBORN BABY DOLL WITH RED HAIR</span></b></div>
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXHpbFuNjodz1Zy60GnuqQ9DQrnnhPGkP_0k2w_e_3GKV_noMJgXK8ZcaaiEef4Mfjqw5JkpjgHMIJbtwGqYq9qUByIV8iJilqU5DPyBcfhAFqLwv5EW9qjQJDbCSZKcJJzhWKKKk6hRp/s1600/bree+and+frnak+and+claire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXHpbFuNjodz1Zy60GnuqQ9DQrnnhPGkP_0k2w_e_3GKV_noMJgXK8ZcaaiEef4Mfjqw5JkpjgHMIJbtwGqYq9qUByIV8iJilqU5DPyBcfhAFqLwv5EW9qjQJDbCSZKcJJzhWKKKk6hRp/s400/bree+and+frnak+and+claire.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Knowing that this womb-crunching, heart-melting scene where Brianna is born, might drive women to either hug their husbands to the point of breaking their ribs, or see them grabbing their teenagers out of their beds and squeezing them to their breast while wailing mournfully into the night, <b>"NEVER LEAVE YOUR MAMA!"...</b> Diana built a doll factory in Yuma, Michigan that she has dubbed 'DOLLANDER INC.' to manufacture the doll she created by hand over a glass of Merlot one breakfast, and the first baby doll out will be <b>'BabyBree'</b> that is small enough to carry in your pocket for convenience, ready to snuggle at a moment's notice, but strong enough to handle the most crushing <b>'I Want Frank's Baby!</b>' hug.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPkhjwxPoSizTfjkwNYSL8JgxwoZNIUEmtXuqJT0pl2mkTWCYkp5kn6mDwh3kvOIHuFfYql0q0f2ZFPeY73wsBRNlN-mG0Djm7RARkkqf2sunHfylKSL1xewzpTFXIY-sgXVQ0cnj6Eh1/s1600/baby+red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPkhjwxPoSizTfjkwNYSL8JgxwoZNIUEmtXuqJT0pl2mkTWCYkp5kn6mDwh3kvOIHuFfYql0q0f2ZFPeY73wsBRNlN-mG0Djm7RARkkqf2sunHfylKSL1xewzpTFXIY-sgXVQ0cnj6Eh1/s400/baby+red.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4) DIANA OWNS EVERY PUB THAT HOSTS OUTLANDER CHARITY NIGHTS</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";">LONDON: JAN-FEB</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fTCNS4x2cp40hWSMKDS906_7b135Vrz9MJWDWnCcjVT7c-fuXpLDdww9y8n1nJZCSb1Csi_fwt7pbl7cmRLB93OrlTYXTd5rfF8zHjW9ckH8LkEhO0LHpLLRJdykZ5icLT-n3au1isKS/s1600/FRANK+SHOTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fTCNS4x2cp40hWSMKDS906_7b135Vrz9MJWDWnCcjVT7c-fuXpLDdww9y8n1nJZCSb1Csi_fwt7pbl7cmRLB93OrlTYXTd5rfF8zHjW9ckH8LkEhO0LHpLLRJdykZ5icLT-n3au1isKS/s400/FRANK+SHOTS.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">PARIS: MARCH-APRIL</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2SKWj9cOkL8wGV7DzM70aRag-_IYhvOCftMU0D5fqqYG_wrKA9r3n-voW5_IO0__fP6ZvinXB2gWTfSZ87C1WzpBGRlUV0E8BwACisNtMKF4Y2yP2J1nNwLeserstuHVg_d5ppd05m7d/s1600/contest+1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2SKWj9cOkL8wGV7DzM70aRag-_IYhvOCftMU0D5fqqYG_wrKA9r3n-voW5_IO0__fP6ZvinXB2gWTfSZ87C1WzpBGRlUV0E8BwACisNtMKF4Y2yP2J1nNwLeserstuHVg_d5ppd05m7d/s400/contest+1b.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">USA: MAY-JUNE</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJi7u4CTTYha7ecKJoybcwnFiZcKDpvmTNF0HGgPvqRcg787lJ_NGkKsLE4cPxVxvCGo9rETjxQfhEaYbyFWdaCWVCfoKSl_VPxxmxb8Vrf96cH3poVdZQ39aVNBJ1qCl8Yr1jDDnuMov/s1600/contest+1C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJi7u4CTTYha7ecKJoybcwnFiZcKDpvmTNF0HGgPvqRcg787lJ_NGkKsLE4cPxVxvCGo9rETjxQfhEaYbyFWdaCWVCfoKSl_VPxxmxb8Vrf96cH3poVdZQ39aVNBJ1qCl8Yr1jDDnuMov/s400/contest+1C.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">GLASGOW: JULY-AUG</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8QV010ke0cjWcWqDfW-s12MD66cir9BBfM0X1bfZBOXvvOvfu0t0uX-OKdSYN-VF4INB7P1zEjhCGq6OyWOArzqg7FkWOOmlDA5GLM43Pd9uO6JCa2u22AGXp67t7j8VVpRgL-UJYrX3/s1600/contest+1d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8QV010ke0cjWcWqDfW-s12MD66cir9BBfM0X1bfZBOXvvOvfu0t0uX-OKdSYN-VF4INB7P1zEjhCGq6OyWOArzqg7FkWOOmlDA5GLM43Pd9uO6JCa2u22AGXp67t7j8VVpRgL-UJYrX3/s400/contest+1d.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">GERMANY:SEPT-OCT</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r8uVL5UjoKJAsg9YfKOyL23Bil9okbbT2jmIFc-kQu8FS7uBs6Hlc5gFABFQvzL1KE2V5jFLMya3GSeK-cwWXsB46UwJCGRxJp94oXGdo2XLahgzY31yn0vpdK0sUj2PZ6hG_I15i38m/s1600/contest+1E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r8uVL5UjoKJAsg9YfKOyL23Bil9okbbT2jmIFc-kQu8FS7uBs6Hlc5gFABFQvzL1KE2V5jFLMya3GSeK-cwWXsB46UwJCGRxJp94oXGdo2XLahgzY31yn0vpdK0sUj2PZ6hG_I15i38m/s400/contest+1E.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">CANADA: NOV-DEC</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQJPB1z8vDgb3BfZWX9oc1J220ILXbHJBdewVzLfU8mgLbYAtFeBCeaVPcNWVVvq-8XDyLfacGy1r5m-0MBdQiYeENyBr3eVLAksxsjI9YndpdVIAPE5i1EvnKQyrpTai17PDTAlnDGJ0/s1600/contest+1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQJPB1z8vDgb3BfZWX9oc1J220ILXbHJBdewVzLfU8mgLbYAtFeBCeaVPcNWVVvq-8XDyLfacGy1r5m-0MBdQiYeENyBr3eVLAksxsjI9YndpdVIAPE5i1EvnKQyrpTai17PDTAlnDGJ0/s400/contest+1a.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">If you looked in the dictionary under the phrase 'Charitable Soul', you would find Diana's picture <i>(and one of a Salvation Army shoe repair shop in Uganda...but just ignore that)</i> and the Chalk Billboards (<i>above)</i>, found in streets in cities around the world are proof of it. 10's of millions of dollars are raised yearly, which Diana gives 100% to her charity <b>MARK-ME-LANDERS ANONYMOUS</b>, which provides free medicine and free psychiatric care (as well as funding self-help group events) to the myriad fans who suffered tragically from hearing 'Mark me' uttered every 3 seconds from Bonnie Prince Charlie in Season 2. It is headed by close confidant of Diana's named ...believe it or not... Marcus Mee of Groundstock, New Hampshire. Truth is stranger than fiction! </span></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">*The actors are under contract to attend these charity drives but do so willingly and happily.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";">5) DIANA STYMIED ALL OF RON MOORES EFFORTS TO HAVE THE CAST INVADED BY 'BODY SNATCHERS' AND FLOWN TO MARS, EVEN AFTER HE SHOT THE FIRST SEGMENT SCENES. THESE PICTURES WERE LEAKED FROM THE FAUCETS AT THE STARZ STUDIOS:</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SzaAoKXsOjDUyHOMx7CdFLdtN5k2D7hRa3GJAdGuCcfib3_A9CrQhsq157D9yg5ztuWYpLoFkcs8wl9iCZ-XaK3QQsfvBD-DthWZt4Su1LNmLU7L2evxTvMcbpgHgiExI_AU7L8D2XQ_/s1600/JAMIE+ALIEN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SzaAoKXsOjDUyHOMx7CdFLdtN5k2D7hRa3GJAdGuCcfib3_A9CrQhsq157D9yg5ztuWYpLoFkcs8wl9iCZ-XaK3QQsfvBD-DthWZt4Su1LNmLU7L2evxTvMcbpgHgiExI_AU7L8D2XQ_/s320/JAMIE+ALIEN.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6FEFQUkb9f_k70xEuSXC6DQ_pakPEbSaI0Yh3TTEDBVpIIu3WoyW7q3-vLuiRY8sg8IUrY3OCUHDqqJKfGbMhtpjOM8wY7nDMuEaNMa-JpN0k5lc85JrVqGvpYFQSR8jj9IPWmJAcQ6f/s1600/TOBIAS+ALIEN2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6FEFQUkb9f_k70xEuSXC6DQ_pakPEbSaI0Yh3TTEDBVpIIu3WoyW7q3-vLuiRY8sg8IUrY3OCUHDqqJKfGbMhtpjOM8wY7nDMuEaNMa-JpN0k5lc85JrVqGvpYFQSR8jj9IPWmJAcQ6f/s320/TOBIAS+ALIEN2.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqViKporM9TjH26JeXwgyNfShPHDyCZSf4SZG-GiJ_ljk2ElsRInTdtbe2qzAQuOynw-72SWdlJ9CSYVODbkZTLq2svpFd5nPRA-O4A0yvo66QyaAn_m5Sk6_3jTsdA04oKKL01b7KkRZz/s1600/MRS+FITZ+ALIEN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqViKporM9TjH26JeXwgyNfShPHDyCZSf4SZG-GiJ_ljk2ElsRInTdtbe2qzAQuOynw-72SWdlJ9CSYVODbkZTLq2svpFd5nPRA-O4A0yvo66QyaAn_m5Sk6_3jTsdA04oKKL01b7KkRZz/s320/MRS+FITZ+ALIEN.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7umIGs0yROGUiVfCV__SWXquzNY_iKdYMKFU0P0oEsv8LQrb92r2oLUggBA3NRymrvB8U7AtBykiTMe2hcbI32gOssnTFX6r0pzj6FI_2y3yuh-5RvnKSsKIG6mAr7mfqt3TgyId1hTu/s1600/JENNY+ALIEN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7umIGs0yROGUiVfCV__SWXquzNY_iKdYMKFU0P0oEsv8LQrb92r2oLUggBA3NRymrvB8U7AtBykiTMe2hcbI32gOssnTFX6r0pzj6FI_2y3yuh-5RvnKSsKIG6mAr7mfqt3TgyId1hTu/s320/JENNY+ALIEN.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3ThmZNczUUbYpRCOR_yEDDf9lR5FtIaFDjLP41AxlWxsLbPNsrJXq_Fd9pdE9akoiB58lG-kHh_7rDV8tWs7sH8sAbxQQKhUA-s0kg01ufh6qkRSr9sZaOyIjLs53myO8y6e_rY6XhZB/s1600/CLAIRE+ALIEN+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3ThmZNczUUbYpRCOR_yEDDf9lR5FtIaFDjLP41AxlWxsLbPNsrJXq_Fd9pdE9akoiB58lG-kHh_7rDV8tWs7sH8sAbxQQKhUA-s0kg01ufh6qkRSr9sZaOyIjLs53myO8y6e_rY6XhZB/s320/CLAIRE+ALIEN+.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Let us pray:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Thank you Lord for being Kind</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">To Fans of this great Tale</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">You knew that this would Blow our Mind</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">This Dumb Ass Alien Fail.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Amen.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: xx-small;">*oh...and thanks for Diana too.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3396056115459934841.post-64720184528968178992017-04-12T17:45:00.001-06:002017-04-12T18:05:28.552-06:00DIANA GABALDON'S 2005 LETTER 'IN DEFENSE OF FRANK RANDALL': Frank's Mom Dishes It Out <span style="color: #990000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>This is a letter and reply that was posted on Compu-serve in November of 2005. The reply is by Diana Gabaldon and I am posting it here in FULL, without edits, for those who would like to read it, as it is hard to find on that site. Diana is often asked about Frank's 'cheating' and I think she wanted to put things into perspective and like me, she is baffled on why there is so much Frank hate. As a die-hard/full-blown/bitten n' smitten member of #TeamFrank, I was terribly happy to read this! Those who dislike or hate the character and do NOT wish to hear any Truths and Facts by the person who created him, then maybe it's time to go walk the dog or go shopping.... or wash your hair. *wink*</b></span><span style="color: maroon;"> </span><br />
<div class="irc_mutc">
</div>
<br />
<a class="irc_mil i3597 ikVx3sXRCvho-zixyDjKkw5M" data-ctbtn="2" data-cthref="/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiRsI2qkKDTAhVK4GMKHTBvAPQQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkissatmidnight.wordpress.com%2F2016%2F11%2F05%2Fquiz-which-outlander-man-is-your-perfect-match%2F&psig=AFQjCNGxmixymEKKxvOdW6Dka39jB-Mwvg&ust=1492127785151542" data-noload="" data-ved="0ahUKEwiRsI2qkKDTAhVK4GMKHTBvAPQQjRwIBw" href="https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiRsI2qkKDTAhVK4GMKHTBvAPQQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkissatmidnight.wordpress.com%2F2016%2F11%2F05%2Fquiz-which-outlander-man-is-your-perfect-match%2F&psig=AFQjCNGxmixymEKKxvOdW6Dka39jB-Mwvg&ust=1492127785151542" jsaction="mousedown:irc.rl;keydown:irc.rlk" rel="noopener" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Related image" class="irc_mi" height="320" src="https://kissatmidnight.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/outlander-season-2-premiere-frank.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Nov. 12, 2005:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br />“Dear Diana,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br />I’m writing because I was asked by ——(nameless individual)——to<br /> intervene in a Huge Argument being debated. (We are trying to avoid<br /> Internet bloodshed and hurt feelings!) Oddly enough, it has nothing to<br /> do with ABOSAA or rather, very little.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>The very “heated” discussion is surrounding Frank’s role in his<br /> relationship with Claire upon her return from the eighteenth century.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br />Specifically:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1) WHY did Frank stay with Claire if he wasn’t getting the love he<br /> desired/needed? (evidenced by the affairs that he thought Claire knew<br /> nothing about) Why didn’t he just leave?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>2) Was Claire “cheating” on Frank during this period because her heart<br /> still belonged to Jamie, even though she believed him dead?<br /> (Your/Claire’s perspective)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>3) IS Frank the “pathetic slime-ball” a couple of people have labeled<br /> him? (Not my opinion or my words, by the way–just relating the<br /> questions). <G>” — Thanks, Susan.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Nov. 13, 2005 Diana’s reply:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>“As to L’Affaire Frank…<g><br /> Geez Louise. You guys. <rolling eye></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Of course Frank isn’t “a pathetic slimeball.” Where do they come up<br /> with these ideas? (My personal guess would be that the people holding<br /> this particular opinion are possibly not that fond of their own SO,<br /> and would trade him in for Jamie in a heartbeat. Ergo, they project<br /> things onto Frank. But that’s only a guess.)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Look. In the books, we see Claire and Frank’s relationship only from<br /> Claire’s point of view. Which is understandably a trifle biased,<br /> following her return through the stones.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>What we see prior to her disappearance is an awkward but affectionate<br /> relationship between two people who are married, but who are<br /> effectively strangers-they’ve barely seen each other in six years, and<br /> have been back together for only a few days. They’re feeling each<br /> other out, trying to reestablish the connection they once had, and<br /> struggling to overcome the fact that they are now quite different<br /> people than who they once were.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Frank asks her diffidently at one point whether she had ever been<br /> tempted to stray during the war-assuring her that he would understand<br /> if she had. Claire-and the reader-think that his reason for doing this<br /> may well be that he had strayed, and would feel better about<br /> confessing his own transgression if she had suffered similar temptations.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Well, maybe he did, and maybe he didn’t. It’s actually not an abnormal<br /> question to ask a mate you haven’t seen in six years, and one whom you<br /> know has been working closely with hundreds of wounded (and thus<br /> possibly emotionally appealing) men, in conditions that you know are<br /> stressful, dangerous, and highly conducive to passionate, if<br /> short-lived, physical attractions.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>He’s trying to ask it tactfully, but-they’re strangers. She takes<br /> offense, and he hastily drops the question. He doesn’t bring it up<br /> again, in the time they’re together-which is fairly short. So you have<br /> to draw your own conclusion there:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1) he hasn’t been having affairs himself, but can’t help a certain<br /> male feeling of curiosity/jealousy about what Claire might have been<br /> doing,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>2) perhaps he had a brief fling, which he regrets, and wants to<br /> confess this to Claire, so their marriage can resume without his<br /> feeling constant guilt, or</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>3) he’s been screwing every woman who crossed his path, but would like<br /> to find out that Claire’s had her own affairs, so he can throw it back<br /> at her in case she ever finds out.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>OK. There is NO evidence favoring any one of these three alternatives.<br /> None. Any one of them is as likely as another. The reader’s<br /> conclusions depend on the reader-and each reader brings his or her own<br /> experiences and background to the act of reading.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Now, Claire disappears. No warning, no trace, no nothing. What do you<br /> reckon happened, when she didn’t come back? A police search, no<br /> leads-and probably deep suspicion of the husband, who is the Most<br /> Likely Suspect. So Frank’s left panicked, then grief-stricken, while<br /> probably being interrogated and threatened about his wife’s<br /> disappearance. But this must obviously have all died down in the next<br /> three years, and Frank begins to rebuild his life.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Does the rebuilding involve any kind of relationship with women, or a<br /> woman? Quite possibly; he’s a handsome, personable man, with friends<br /> who would think it their duty to introduce him to women.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>BUT.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Claire comes back. Filthy, malnourished, and hysterical, if not<br /> outright demented. And, of course, pregnant. She tells him an<br /> unbelievable story, presumably the product of a disordered mind, the<br /> result of whatever horrible abduction/captivity/rape has resulted in<br /> her present condition. She tells him to leave her.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Does he leave her? No. Does he produce another woman and explain that<br /> actually, dear, while you were gone, Mary and I. No. He replies<br /> shortly that no one but a cad would leave a woman in her condition.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>So, OK. HE doesn’t think he’s a cad. Why on earth should anybody else?<br /> He does stay with Claire, not only while she’s recovering, but<br /> thereafter. There’s no hint that he’s pursuing a love affair started<br /> while she was gone; in fact, he takes her to Boston, so that no hint<br /> of scandal will attend Bree’s birth. If he did have some relationship<br /> while she was gone, plainly he’s broken it off (and perhaps the<br /> removal to Boston is to make such a break more definite-we don’t know,<br /> because we don’t know what he was doing during those three years).</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>All right. From this point on, Claire’s view of Frank is definitely<br /> suspect, because her own state of mind makes it impossible for her to<br /> connect fully with him, save for brief interludes of tenderness, when<br /> they’re able to reach one another physically (like the night he makes<br /> love to her on the floor of the nursery). Yes, their relationship is<br /> strained-we know that, because we see it. But the relationship of any<br /> new parents is strained (believe me on this <g>), even if the two<br /> parties aren’t on difficult terms to start with. And these two parties<br /> definitely are.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Claire thinks he may be having affairs, but she doesn’t ever have<br /> evidence of it. Either the guy is very dang good at hiding this stuff<br /> (and unfaithful spouses almost always give themselves away)-or he<br /> isn’t having affairs. He may well be seeking companionship, sympathy,<br /> and ego-reinforcement from other women (he ain’t gettin’ a lot of<br /> those things at home-but note that he isn’t leaving, either), but it’s<br /> at least possible that he isn’t crossing the line into actual physical<br /> infidelity. Note that Claire says that now and then she forces her<br /> sexual attentions on him, trying to prove that he’s been with someone<br /> else (and thus unable to respond to her)-but that every time, he does<br /> respond to her, even if with mutual rage.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>On the other hand, Frank knows beyond the shadow of a doubt that<br /> Claire’s been unfaithful to him. At first, he most likely thinks she’s<br /> been raped, but she goes on insisting on her absurd story. If it’s<br /> true in any way-then she did it on purpose. This can’t do his feelings<br /> any good. But he stays, because only a cad would abandon a pregnant<br /> woman with no resources-and he isn’t a cad.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>See, all these red-eyed readers are identifying with Claire (for the<br /> excellent reason that she’s telling the story)-but they’d do better to<br /> watch Frank. He clearly has a code of honor, and by God, he’s sticking<br /> to it, dearly though it may cost him. Would a man with this kind of<br /> code then proceed to have promiscuous affairs?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Maybe-but maybe not. His own image of himself as an honorable man is<br /> probably as valuable to him as Claire is, at this point; if he won’t<br /> abandon her, he won’t abandon that image, either.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Now, their relationship is definitely a difficult one. On Claire’s<br /> side, there’s grief, resentment (over being parted from Jamie), the<br /> fractured feelings of giving birth to Jamie’s baby, and the struggle<br /> to build a career (which is probably not something Frank ever expected<br /> her to want to do, and wasn’t prepared for). You note that she<br /> apologizes to Frank only once, in their initial conversation after her<br /> return-at which point, she’s completely hysterical. She makes it clear<br /> that she loves Jamie more than him, even if Jamie is dead-this is Not<br /> All That Good for a marriage.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Mind, divorce was simply Not Done at this time, in either the UK or<br /> the US. A divorced woman was stigmatized, as was the child of divorced<br /> parents.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Frank-honorable man that he sees himself as-isn’t going to expose<br /> either Claire or Bree to that stigma. Besides, he’s in love with<br /> Brianna, and doesn’t want to be parted from her. To not only divorce<br /> Claire but also get custody of Bree would mean a huge, ugly, public<br /> court-case, in which he would have to accuse Claire of moral<br /> depravity, alcoholism, and anything else he could think of-and prove<br /> it. No-fault divorce hadn’t been invented; a divorce had to be<br /> approved by a judge, on the basis of strong evidence. (For the same<br /> reasons, Claire wouldn’t seek to divorce Frank.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>A) She wouldn’t deprive Brianna of a father who plainly loved her,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>B) she wouldn’t expose Bree to the trauma of an ugly divorce case, and</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>C) she’d have to prove that Frank was guilty of various horrible things.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>And we do see evidence that he still does love Claire. He’s angry at<br /> her, confused by what’s happened, and obviously having a hard time<br /> with everything-but he does love her. Enough to help her with her<br /> medical career, even though he doesn’t like her having it and<br /> objective enough to admire the sense of destiny that drives her to it,<br /> even though he’s somewhat jealous that he doesn’t possess that drive<br /> himself.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Frank a pathetic slimeball? Good grief. He’s the major tragic figure<br /> of the books, unsung though he is. He is-on the evidence to hand-a<br /> stand-up guy, who’s taken a horrible set of circumstances (which he<br /> didn’t cause and had nothing to do with) and done the best he could to<br /> build a family, do right by his daughter, and treasure what strands of<br /> occasional tenderness form between himself and his guilt-ridden,<br /> emotionally-distant wife.”</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>That help?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>–Diana</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>On Nov. 14, 2005:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u></u><br />Diana wrote:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b> “P.S. Forgot to note in the above that Frank, Claire, and Brianna are<br /> all Catholics. Catholics _really_ didn’t get divorced in the<br /> ’50’s–they still don’t do it all that often, since it means<br /> excommunication.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>I don’t at all understand why the anti-Frank contingent thinks Claire<br /> should have left the marriage, though. Why? Frank wasn’t beating<br /> her, or mentally torturing her, or otherwise behaving badly (with, of<br /> course, the _possible_ exception that he was being unfaithful. And<br /> that, we don’t know). The only overwhelming reason she might have had<br /> would be to go back to Jamie–which is something that Frank obviously<br /> knows, which is why he doesn’t tell her when he finds evidence that<br /> Jamie didn’t die at Culloden. (And while I’m sure that the anti-Frank<br /> people view this as more evidence that he’s a Bad Person, consider<br /> what he himself says in his letter to the Reverend. True, he _didn’t_<br /> want to lose her (i.e., he loved her), but he also didn’t want to<br /> cause her and/or Brianna additional grief and suffering by giving her<br /> an impossible choice. She was by that time reconciled to her live in<br /> the present, doing well as a doctor, and if their marriage wasn’t<br /> great, it mostly wasn’t bad.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>If she knew Jamie was alive, though…either she’d choose to try to<br /> return to him, leaving her young daughter (more horrible guilt), or<br /> she’d stay for Bree’s sake, but be constantly torn by yearning for<br /> Jamie. So Frank didn’t tell her. He clearly had mixed motives for<br /> that, but they weren’t necessarily evil ones, at all.”</b></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>**-**</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Now...I am NOT saying Diana gives Frank Haters a spanking here....I am just saying...ummm...never mind. </span><i><span style="color: #990000;">*grin* And yes, I know DG</span></i><span style="color: #990000;"> doesn't exactly exonerate him...but she sure in the Hell makes it clear that Frank shouldn't be vilified! THAT much is clear. </span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Here...to make the anti-Frank squad feel better, I will buy them ice-cream, ok? That always helps...</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><a class="irc_mil i3597 iWkJNO6itTi4-zixyDjKkw5M" data-ctbtn="2" data-cthref="/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjep8i3h6DTAhVM12MKHQ-kC9cQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpopkey.co%2Fm%2FrbGY7-crying-devastated-ice%2Bcream-cry-sad&psig=AFQjCNF72Kv7Ort0D6_j34sAdNVak0s8bg&ust=1492125580681483" data-noload="" data-ved="0ahUKEwjep8i3h6DTAhVM12MKHQ-kC9cQjRwIBw" href="https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjep8i3h6DTAhVM12MKHQ-kC9cQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpopkey.co%2Fm%2FrbGY7-crying-devastated-ice%2Bcream-cry-sad&psig=AFQjCNF72Kv7Ort0D6_j34sAdNVak0s8bg&ust=1492125580681483" jsaction="mousedown:irc.rl;keydown:irc.rlk" rel="noopener" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image result for ice cream gif" class="irc_mi" height="393" src="https://m.popkey.co/8d4819/rbGY7.gif" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="463" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">...ummm...again...never mind.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled" id="jp-post-flair">
<div class="sharedaddy sd-block sd-like jetpack-likes-widget-wrapper jetpack-likes-widget-loaded" data-name="like-post-frame-55471964-3569-58ee61949c9db" data-src="//widgets.wp.com/likes/#blog_id=55471964&post_id=3569&origin=timeslipsblog.wordpress.com&obj_id=55471964-3569-58ee61949c9db" id="like-post-wrapper-55471964-3569-58ee61949c9db">
<div class="likes-widget-placeholder post-likes-widget-placeholder" style="display: none; height: 55px;">
<span class="button">Like</span> <span class="loading">Loading...</span></div>
<iframe class="post-likes-widget jetpack-likes-widget" frameborder="0" height="55px" name="like-post-frame-55471964-3569-58ee61949c9db" src="https://widgets.wp.com/likes/#blog_id=55471964&post_id=3569&origin=timeslipsblog.wordpress.com&obj_id=55471964-3569-58ee61949c9db" width="100%"></iframe><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
</div>
DeniseSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10493792372940243204noreply@blogger.com9