Roger Collins, RIP

Well, it has been a long time away from the blog. During this lapse, my father-in-law, Roger W. Collins, passed away after a short bout with stomach cancer. The obituary in the Andover Townsman captured the highlights of his life well - decorated WW II service, Arizona State football team, resettling in Andover after graduation from ASU and service in town government (selectman) and business (real estate). He was also a warm and loyal friend and parent/husband/grandfather and father-in-law. His presence in the Collins clan will be sorely missed.

More pics from Mom's 90th...

Here are some more pictures from Mom's 90th birthday surprise party. Here is a nice pic of Mom (in unsurprised mode - for surprised see previous post).

Also, here is a picture of my nephew Derek and his girlfriend Lauren, with a youthful Mom peeking over their shoulders (from a slideshow my sister-in-law Lilly put together).

Thanks to Lilly for these pictures - as well as the cookies she made in honor of Mom's passion for all things Boston Terrier.

Mother turns 90!

Much to catch up on, but the highlight of the last 2 months was my mother Joyce Bowman Humphrey's 90th birthday party. Family, friends and fellow Red Hatters collected for a surprise party in the function hall of the Buckingham Congregational Church in Glastonbury, CT. Here's the birthday girl herself.....surprised!



Other usual suspects include me and Christi, who is excited about something...



Brother Donald Bowman Humphrey talking with Connie Sundquist, who came out from Minnesota with Mother more than 60 years ago to work at the Pratt and Whitney aircraft engine company in East Hartford, CT.



Sister Susan Jean Humphrey Amtrak'ed in from Madison, WI. Seated is my sister-in-law Lilly's niece Katina Fernandez; Lilly (in pink) is talking to old friends Alec and Charlotte Motyka (Alec has Mom beat by 5 years!)



Lilly cutting the birthday cake she made (lucky for us we have a professional cake maker in the family). Lilly tirelessly organized the party, made most of the food and invitations, and put together a 'life in pictures' video from Mother's old photographs - without her it could not have happened. Thanks Lilly!



Mother is a nature fan, especially interested in birds and Boston Terriers.



My nieces Chelsea and Carla Humphrey talk to their aunt Dora Fernandez.



My son Super Sam took these pictures and my nephew Derek and his girlfriend Lauren set up and worked the video showing. Thanks to them and many others for helping to make this party happen....and keeping it a secret for so long!

The 11th Commandment, as framed by users of public restrooms

A very cold journey, Hooters and Hall, Our Future Fat Fighting Force, and Mad, Murderous Cows

Well, I was away for two long weeks, a few days of which were spent watching the thermometer, cozily safe from the wind chill, lie to me and co-driver Jimmy V that it was 0 degrees outside. Fortunately, we got to go to Dallas and defrost. After driving by the downtown Hooters restaurant there (where a sign outside reads "The World's Largest Hooters," meaning it has the biggest dining room), we then went to pick up some items at the Women's Museum, which we retrieved from a storage room dominated by a portrait of a nursing Jerry Hall.

But enough about boobs, and on to cultural expectations. Jimmy V, a Bronx citizen on his first trip across the country, was amazed that Iowans will just leave their vehicles by the side of the highway and depart (as they are wont to do after a snowstorm crash). Weren't they afraid their cars would be stripped or stolen? No, they were afraid they personally would be crushed by one or more of the jackknifed semis we saw scattered about, and hightailed it out of there with the first cop or Good Samaritan who stopped by.

Speaking of New Yorkers, I always enjoy the way some New Yorker humorists can spin a funny story from a short, dry, news clipping. Here are two recent terrific examples.

The military's concerns about conscript fitness inspired George Saunders' tale of a platoon of porky privates. Perhaps we are soon to be defended by the National Lard....

Bovine-on-human attack statistics were the catalyst for this Woody Allen piece about a cow that plots to dispatch a whiny film director who has upset his rural Jersey Shangri-La. Recognize the artiste described thusly?:
A wormy little cipher, myopic behind black-framed glasses and groomed loutishly in his idea of rural chic: all tweedy and woodsy, with cap and muffler, ready for the leprechauns.

Enjoy!

DisastaCat astride her personal San Andreas fault

Ode to a recently purloined plasma TV

O, Panasonic 42-inch,
We hardly knew ye
Nor had time with you to share
The HD movies On-Demand we rented (so rare).
It is almost too much to bear,
To know you will never again present Scrubs, nor Simpsons, nor the Report Colbert.
And wherever you are now, we ask you please, feign poor health
And show nothing but the test pattern to those who gained you by nightly stealth.
And take good care of little IBook, and even littler Wii,
And know that we miss you most dreadfully.
How shall we ever forget thee three? What could ever replace the digital hearts of you?
We’ll read the latest gadget reports, and hear what’s hot from our friend Stew.