Thursday, May 19, 2011

What Happened to Spring?

Twas the night before Summer, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The swimsuits were hung on the clothesline with care,
In hopes that SpongeBob SquarePants soon would be there.

The OCHAs were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sweet taffy danced in their heads.
And ma in her ‘kini, and I in my speedo,
Had just settled our heads for a short afternoon nap.

When out on the beach there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the curtains and threw up the sash.

two spongebob squarepants beach towels and orange cones playing chicken
Orange Cones Playing Chicken - one wearing a belt life preserver


The Coppertone girl's full moon set the sand a'glow
Gave the harsh glare of mid-day to objects below.
When, what I had to share via my blog and phone,
Was a miniature keg, and drunk, loud orange cones.

With his very odd laughter, and his fry cook job,
I knew in a moment it must be SpongeBob.
More rapid than eagles his groupies they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Simmons! now, Misses all! New York and Texas!
On, Georgia! Illinois! on Louis-ey and Connie***!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now splash away! Splash away! Splash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the groupies they flew,
With the keg full of beer, and SpongeBob SquarePants too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and hawing of each little goof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney SpongeBob SquarePants came with a bound.

He was undressed all but pants, from his waist hung tinfoil,
And his skin was all glistened with sunscreen oil.
A six pack of beer he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

two spongebob squarepants beach towels and orange cones playing in the 'water'
Orange Cones Playing in the Water - Adults watching the wee ones


His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose peelin' like scary!
His droll little chin was drawn up like a bow,
And the teeth in his mouth was as white as the snow.

His prized spatula he held tight in his teeth,
And his breath it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a big square belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a fishes of jelly!

He was sunny and bright, a right jolly old soul,
And I laughed when I saw him, quite out of control!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

two spongebob squarepants beach towels and orange cones playing on the 'beach'
Orange Cones on the Beach - Hey! someone stole my swimsuit!


He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And refilled all the empties, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He drained the rest of the keg, while the cones whistled,
Then away they all went, chests puffed slick and chiseled!
And I heard Bob exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Summer to all, and to all a good-night!"

My apologies to whoever wrote "Twas the Night Before Christmas"...and my thanks to Queenie Jeannie for the Beauty Queens, Lady Styx for the left hand beach towel, ToriZ for the right hand beach towel and little clay cone, Alice Kay for Pooh and Party Cone, DeeDee for the big foam cone, Parsley for Prayer Cone and all of rest of you that put up with me.

:)

*** Gene Simmons, Miss Texas, Miss New York, Miss Illinois, Miss Georgia, Miss Louisiana, and Miss Confusion. I realize I'm a name short.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Kind of MIA

In response to my last entry, where you may recall, a rare Socky Head, possibly in the menancing presence of two Orange Traffic Safety Cones was "safely" standing on shore when we last saw him/her/it.

two orange cones and orange plastic pole
A Corgi in Southern California asked "How would we know if they were wearing life vests if the life vests were orange?" and that is a durn good question!

I thought about what I've seen in my many walks amongst the "orange folks" and could not distinctly recall a case where I ever saw an orange traffic safety cone actually swimming - wearing a lifevest or otherwise.

I recalled a case where I had seen some orange barrels "swimming with the fishes" (you can read about them here) but I did not know (and still do not know) if they were swimming, dead, or doing something else altogether.

And then, just as I was about to go outside and toss an orange cone into a large puddle (in the interest of furthering my knowledge and science in general, of course), I got this fabulous photograph in an e-mail from photojournalist Farside of Fifty who reports seeing this talented Socky Head taking a swim!

a long skinny cone floating in a small pond
P.s., I'm still tempted to toss a cone - stay tuned. :)

I've leave you with this - something I saw/heard by accident, a song from "How I Met Your Mother" (video) that has been stuck in my head - yes... I think the noise in my head has gone from bad to worse...

Hey, Beaver come on
When you feel alone
Just pick up that phone
And I’ll be there to share my ice cream cone
We’ll lick it side by side
And deep inside you’ll know
Before the day is done

Two beavers are better than one
Da da da da da da da da da da da da
Two beavers are better than one
They’re twice the fun
Ask anyone
A second beaver can be
Second to none
Two beavers are better than one!

Da da da da da (You’re my favorite beaver)
Da da da da da (Space Teens are forever)
Da da da da da (Don’t forget to do your homework)
‘Cuz math’s cool!

We’ll share a root beer float
And learn aboot how friendship weighs
A metric ton

Two beavers are better than one
Da da da da da da da da da da da da
Two beavers are better than one
They’re twice the fun
Ask anyone
A second beaver can be
Second to none
Two beavers are better than one!

Two beavers are better than one!
Two beavers are better than one!
Two beavers are better than one! (Beautiful, beautiful beavers!)

Friday, May 6, 2011

Jerry Lewis or Pete Seeger?

I'm still a zombie.

I got this photograph from new photojournalist Farside of Fifty who reports seeing these two plain orange cones and a Socky Head (last seen in Fargo, North Dakota) getting ready for a swim.

two orange cones and orange plastic pole
The only thing in my empty head is this (over and over again):

One hen
Two ducks
Three squawking geese
Four Limerick oysters
Five corpulent porpoises
Six pairs of Don Alverso's tweezers
Seven thousand Macedonians in full dress battle array
Eight brass monkeys from the ancient sacred crypts of Egypt
Nine sympathetic apathetic diabetic old men, each with a marked propensity for procrastination and sloth.
Ten lyrical, spherical, diabolical denizens of the deep who swim to and fro about the quo and the quay and the queasy at the very same time
Ten tipsy tailors timidly torturing a terrified tit-mouse.

or is it?

Ten lyrical, spherical, diabolical denizens of the deep who haul, stall, crawl around the about the quai of the quay of the quivvy at the very same time?

...anyhooo...

Eleven corinthian columns careening cautiously, closely contiguous to the covered catacombs of a catholic convent.
Twelve turbulent tom-tits, twittering tumultuously in the top of a tall tamarac tree.
Thirteen thirsty thespians thriftily thumbing through thirty-thousand theological theses.

I've been wondering all morning if I heard Jerry Lewis saying this or Pete Seeger singing it...or heard it from somewhere else...and how to make it stop!

P.s., I like "verse 9" the best - what is your favorite?

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Last Weekend in Maryland

It has been a slow week - but for some reason I'm having trouble writing anything. I think left my head in Maryland last Saturday. I took the train from Norristown to Philadelphia, met my Dad and we both headed to Roplh's Wharf to do some minor repairs on the houseboat. While we were there, we spotted our boating friends and said "Happy New Years!" (which it is - its a new boating year just getting underway now).
Barley looks as precious and cute as ever. His Dad was trying to control the "squirmy wormies" long enough for me to get a couple pictures. Barley's Mom, the one-legged marvel, was having a hard time this winter and looks like she will be stuck in the wheelchair this summer. Someone said, "Getting old isn't for sissies..." Boy, was he ever right.

After fixing up a torn decal and some broken plastic vent covers, my Dad and headed to the "main event." The annual Chilifest Fly-in at the Massey Air Museum. There were over 75 planes and perhaps 400 people at the Fly-in. I think they consumed about 25 large crockpots of chili and 300 hotdogs.

I think this plane sported my favorite paint job.

While we ate chili-dogs in the pleasantly warm sunshine, a couple of the aviators put on an impromptu airshow! Zoooooooooooooooooom!

I took a bunch of pictures and a video. I always get a kick out of watching what my camera does to spinning propellers!

As I wandered about the rows of parked planes - I felt someone's eye's on me. This white plane with a yellow strip is not quite what one would imagine a famous WWI flying ace to be flying - but then...

...one really doesn't expect to see a flying doghouse either!