To counter any rumors about me being a fuddy-duddy, here is a flashback to our sailing days… My Lovely Bride and I were caught on film in the Abacos, Bahamas… she’s the one with the cigar and I’m the one with the ponytail… “What a cool dude! And the chick is cute, too!”
Corvette Chick is feeling her oats lately. I think it may be because of her fast car. Yesterday she took me on a 15 mile bike ride, which we normally ride at a moderately challenging 16.5 mph pace, but this time at an intense 18 mph pace. I was burned out at the end, and thought that today would be an easy, recovery day. Instead, we went out for a quick 4 mile run at race pace with me barely being able to keep up. “Hey, slow down so the old man can catch up, wouldyaplease!”
Here’s our Parking Disaster of the Week; while walking across from our local pizza place, I noted that some poor fellow (I was going to use another word like “dufuss”, but I couldn’t find it in the dictionary, so I decided to be generous) parked with the white line marking the end of the parking spot even with the middle of his front door, effectively taking up two prime parking spots in the center of town… now, really! This doesn’t even rate a D for parking; it’s definitely an F. (Nancy, I really hope this isn’t your car!)
The Phrase of the Day is one of my favorites, “weasel words”, n. pl., 1. an informal term for equivocating words and phrases aimed at creating am impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in fact only a vague and ambiguous claim, or even a refutation, has been communicated; 2. deliberately ambiguous or misleading words; 3. the use of weasel words to avoid making an outright assertion is a synonym to tergiversate. Example: after a disastrous decision by governmental officials, a press secretary will announce, “Mistakes were made.” Or, when a bill is about to fail a critical vote, good old Senator Harry Reid will pronounce that “If this legislation fails, there are great fears that most people will be worse off than before.”
My head is spinning… whatever happened to plain speaking? Although I like the term, I think that the poor weasel (Mustela nivalis, the European Least Weasel being our representative of the genus) is getting a bum rap on this one. While often considered vermin because they are known to raid chicken coops when local restaurants are closed, the weasel is actually not an unattractive little critter.
They have a reputation for speed, cleverness and guile. (A close relative, the ferret, is a popular pet, although why anyone would want a ferret rather than a dachshund has always baffled me.) The weasel is also closely related to the mink, which has been the subject of a few similes that we shall not discuss in this blog in the matter of time and good taste. In Greece, a weasel was thought to be an unhappy bride who was transformed into a weasel. (There is no way that I am making any editorial comments about that one.)
Geo-Quiz, Part 4: Your Italian island vacation was cut short when your distant cousin announced that he was getting married. You didn’t know he even had a girlfriend, but he sent you a cryptic invitation mentioning “a volcano goddess and a soccer player with the same name”. A. What two places are the soon-to-be-married couple from?
The note also had a coded location for the upcoming nuptials, but you’re having trouble deciphering it to make your flight reservations. He said that his fiance was a fossil collector, and that the wedding would be in a town whose name was “Skeet no s, man add s, bball ring”. B. What is the town and the country he is referring to?
(Okay, just one more part…. Hang in there for one more day! You have plenty of time; either (a) you’re retired and have no job to worry about, or (b) you’re off work until Jan 2nd).
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
1 Comment
Jennifer
HAPPY NEW YEAR!