I Love You, Dad

The world is diminished by the passing of a great man.

 Frank Masterson

May 9, 1925 - September 10, 2014

He taught me about honesty and integrity.

 He taught me about sacrifice and taking care of others.

He taught me about laughter and embracing life even when life was hard.

But mostly, he taught me about unconditional love.

He was my dad, my hero, and I'll miss him every day of my life.

 Thank you, blog friends, for your prayers and good wishes. I got to spend a lot of time with my dad these last few weeks and I was holding his hand when God called him home. 

I plan to resume my regular blogging and visiting next week. Hope to see you then.

Quote for Today:

To her the name of father was another name for love. ~ Fanny Fern

Just Stopping By...

Um, happy day-after-hump-day.

I'm just stopping by to thank everyone for your prayers and good wishes during these past couple of weeks. I want to give you an update, share a happening, and offer some slightly overdue hump day funnies.

Just after my last post, Hospice told us to gather the family to say goodbye to my dad. I guess Dad was enjoying everyone's visits because he rallied and is still with us. We're treating every day as a special gift from God and, naturally, I'm spending as much time as I can with him, so my online activities will be limited for a while yet.  Please continue to send prayers and good thoughts for Dad and all of us who love him.

My dad, my brother, and me.

In between visits to Dad's, I managed to attend the Killer Nashville mystery writers' conference last weekend. It was great. Kudos to everyone connected with the conference. While there, I had an opportunity to share a couple pages of my book at a roundtable session which resulted in a request from an agent for the full manuscript. I'll admit it, I'm excited. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Should I even mention that just before Dad got sick, my beloved spouse and I contracted for some renovation work in our home?  I'm also juggling not being here to answer questions when I'm at Dad's and dealing with a house full of workers when I'm home. Oh well...

Okay, as promised - your hump day funnies.

I did a post with "dog selfies" a while back. How about this one?

Oh come, that's funny.

Little old lady joke (you know why I get to tell these).

A Highway Patrolman pulled alongside a speeding car and was astounded to see that the little old lady behind the wheel was knitting. Realizing she was oblivious to his siren and flashing lights, he lowered his window and yelled, "PULL OVER!"

 

"No," she yelled back. "It's a scarf."

Here's a good one to follow all that yelling.

 

Very, very true.

I like this next one.

THE  LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

 A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible - Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter.

Little Rick was excited about the task - but he just couldn't memorize the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line.

On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Ricky was strangely calm. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, 

 

"The Lord is my Shepherd...and that's all I need to know."

 

Yup. That's about it.

 

And, of course, I wouldn't forget your "aw".

Check out these eyes.

I'm going to admit to a personal connection to this one. My Dad's dogs have always slept on the bed with him but he had to trade his regular bed for a hospital style one and the dogs don't understand. This is the expression I see on their faces. It's an "aw" every time.

Okay, that's it for today. A little late for hump day but hopefully you're racing toward a glorious weekend.

I'll do my best to answer comments here and try to visit when I can but if I don't make it to your place, I know you'll understand.

 

Take care.

 

 

Thought for Today: 

 

One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.

Hump Day Funnies and a Favor Needed

Happy Hump Day

First, thanks for all the poor-baby's last week for my dental crisis.  It took a couple (not fun) dentist visits and I really do miss that tooth, but all is well now.

Next, I want to ask a favor. My dad is seriously ill. He lives a few hours away so I'll be spending a lot of time on the road for a while. If I miss visiting you or if I don't answer your comments, or if my hump day post doesn't happen until Saturday or not at all, please bear with me. Also, for my friends of faith, please offer a prayer for my dad and for all of us who love him so much. Thanks.

Now, as promised...here are your hump day funnies.

This one's a little long but it gave me a good laugh.

I had everything planned and told my wife I would not be going to church with her on Sunday.

She reminded me that Sunday was the Sabbath Day and hunting a trophy buck should not be part of the Sabbath.

So I explained to her…
1. I scouted the area all summer.
2. I searched out the best location for my tree-stand.
3. I set it all up a month ahead of time.
4. I trailed the herd and picked out a trophy buck.
5. Two days before opening day I rechecked every aspect of the hunt.
6. Everything was in place. This was destined to be an epic hunt and I was going.

Sunday morning, I woke up at 2 a.m. I put on my camo, loaded my pack, and set out for my stand.

As I approached my deer stand, I saw...

I called my wife and told her I had decided not to hunt on the Sabbath and would meet her at church.

The Sunday sermon was entitled...  "The Lord Works In Mysterious Ways".

My husband isn't a hunter but I still thought that was funny. 

 

I found another headline I'd thought you'd like.



Good to know.

This isn't a newspaper but it calls for the same question...



Who edits these things?!?

I've got a bit of a problem this week. I can't decide on your "aw". And since my brain is too tired to make decisions, you get a special treat. Two "aw"s for the price of one. (Such a deal.)

These are both dogs so no dog/cat rivalry here. 

And I think there's a theme.

 This guy wants out...

 And this guy wants up.

What do you think? Both worth an "aw"?

 

That's it for today. Are you there? 

Over the midweek hump and headed for a great weekend?

I hope so.

Thanks again for your support.

Thought for Today:

If you want the rainbow, you have got to put up with the rain.

 

Hump Day Funnies - the Human Variety

Happy Hump Day

Here we go again. It's Wednesday and we all need a little something to get us over the mid-week hump.

Before we start, I'm tossing out a blatant bid for sympathy. The other day, I lost the crown off one of my molars and the tooth underneath sort of disintegrated...right down to the gum. So this morning I'll be spending some very unpleasant time in the dentist chair.

Can I get an "aw, poor baby"?

Thank you.

Today I'm giving our furry friends a break and I'm relying on human stupidity or intelligence to provide some laughs. (I'll let you decide which it is.)

Let's start with a couple newspaper headlines:

I think I see their problem.

How about this one?

Yeah, good luck with that.

See if you agree with these...

1.Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.

2.Law of Gravity - Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible place in the universe.

3.Law of Probability - The probability of your being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

4.Law of Close Encounters - The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with. 

5. The Law of Consumerism - As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.

The last one applies especially to bras. Am I right, ladies?

I'm not sure what to say about this one.

 But this one makes perfect sense.

Duh.

One last quick one.

At the wedding party someone yelled, "All the married men please stand next to the one person who has made your life worth living."

The bartender was almost crushed to death.

Oh, come on, that was funny.

Okay, I couldn't make it all the way through without at least one little fur baby.

Here's your "aw" for today.

 You know you said it. 

And that's it for today. Did I get you there? Over the hump and sailing down the slope toward the weekend?

Wonderful!

Did you have a favorite?

If you're reading this on Wednesday, have a kind thought for me in my dental misery.

And have a great week and weekend.

Quote for Today:

If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed. ~ Mark Twain

Without Rhyme or Reason

Happy Hump Day

Here they are - your hump days funnies. A little something to get you over the midweek hump and on the slippery slope to the weekend.

In case you're looking for the theme of this post...don't. The only connection is they made me laugh. And I hope they do the same for you.

Hah! That'll show 'em.

Wait a minute. I think that picture and this joke are vaguely connected.

Or maybe not. 

A burglar broke into a home one night.  He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables; when he heard, a strange voice echoing from the dark saying, "Jesus is watching you."

He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze.

After awhile when he heard nothing more, he shook his head and continued.

Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard, "Jesus is watching you."

Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice and finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot.

"Did you say that?" he whispered to the parrot.

"Yep," the parrot squawked, "I'm just trying to warn you."

The burglar relaxed. "Warn me, huh? Cute. And what's your name?"

"Moses," replied the bird.

"Moses?" the burglar laughed. "What kind of people would name a bird Moses?"

"The kind of people that would name a Rottweiler, Jesus."

Chomp Chomp.

I like this great marketing idea.

Well, it's true, isn't it?

How about this one?

Hope he makes bail.

Okay, one more joke.

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."

The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute." 

And, of course, we can't forget your weekly "aw".

I'd love this one even without the pacifier.

Did you say it?

That's all for today. Are you there? 

Over the hump and heading down slope toward the weekend? 

Perfect!

Did you have a favorite?

Have a great week/weekend.

Groaner for Today:

Two men walked into a bar.

You’d think the second one would have seen it.

Hump Day Funnies and a Cover Reveal from Crystal Collier

Happy Hump Day

Okay, this is a pitiful return to my Wednesday schedule. It's 11:45 pm and I'm scrambling to get the post up while it's still hump day. I have a good reason for being late (really) but it doesn't belong in a hump day funnies blog so I won't go into it.

Last week I gave you the "aw" picture of the poor basset hound trying to sleep on a couple flower pots. You seemed to like it, so today I'm going to share a few more pets trying to find or claim their special spots.

Like this poor guy...

 Sorry, buddy. I think you need something a bit larger.

This guy has the same problem.

I give this one points for adaptibility.

 

Any golfers in the crowd?

 Here's one for you.

One evening, after Jim and Jane had been married for a couple years and the honeymoon was waning, Jim was cleaning his golf shoes as Jane watched in silence. 

 

After a while Jane said, "Honey, I've been thinking…you spend an awful lot of time golfing and I think it hurting our marriage. Maybe you should quit." 

 

Jim looked at her with a stunned expression. “Wow. You just sounded exactly like my ex-wife." 

 

"Ex-wife! I didn't know you were married before!" 

 

"I wasn't."

End of discussion. 

This proud boy just wants a pat of approval.

I think he deserves it, don't you?

That last one almost qualified as this week's "aw", until I found this one.

It didn't get my "aw" at first but when I took in the surroundings...

See what I mean?  A slightly different "aw" but it counts.

And now I'm delighted to help my blog friend Crystal Collier reveal the cover of her upcoming release, SOULLESS.  Isn't this a great cover?

Have you met the Soulless and Passionate? In the world of 1770 where supernatural beings mix with humanity, Alexia is playing a deadly game.

SOULLESS, Book 2 in the Maiden of Time trilogy

Alexia manipulated time to save the man of her dreams, and lost her best friend to red-eyed wraiths. Still grieving, she struggles to reconcile her loss with what was gained: her impending marriage. But when her wedding is destroyed by the Soulless—who then steal the only protection her people have—she’s forced to unleash her true power.

 

And risk losing everything.

What people are saying about this series:
"With a completely unique plot that keeps you guessing and interested, it brings you close to the characters, sympathizing with them and understanding their trials and tribulations." --SC, Amazon reviewer 

"It's clean, classy and supernaturally packed with suspense, longing, intrigue and magic." --Jill Jennings, TX   

"SWOON." --Sherlyn, Mermaid with a Book Reviewer

Crystal Collier is a young adult author who pens dark fantasy, historical, and romance hybrids. She can be found practicing her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, three littles, and “friend" (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. You can find her on her blog and Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

COMING October 13, 2014

Crystal also asked me to let you know Book 1 in this series, MOONLESS, will be on sale all this week. Check it out here.

Congratulations, Crystal.

 

 

Well, I didn't make it. It's after midnight so your hump day post this week is hump day plus one. I'll try to be on time next week.

Hope these belated funnies still help you make it to the weekend.

Did you have a favorite?

Thought for Today:

 

I'm Back! With Funnies for You and Apologies for Carol Kilgore.

Happy Hump Day.

Hi. What's everyone been up to while I was gone? No, wait. Don't tell me. I'll be around to visit everyone as soon as I can.

I know you've been missing your hump day funnies (you have missed them, right?) so let's dive right in.

You'd think for my first post, I'd have come up with a theme but the only connection between today's pictures and jokes is they made me laugh.

Starting with...

I know this feeling. How about you?

A friend of mine shared this with me...

I had to make a quick stop at the grocery the other day so I parked my car in the lot and rolled down the windows to make sure my Labrador Retriever pup had enough fresh air.

She was stretched full-out on the back seat and I wanted to impress upon her that she must remain there.  I walked to the curb backward, pointing my finger at the car and saying emphatically, "Now you stay. Do you hear me? Stay! Stay!"

As I was walking, I passed a pretty young thing who was watching me with a strange look.

"Why," she asked me, "don't you just put it in park?" 

 

We won't discuss hair color on that one.


Now hair color on this one is a whole different matter.

 

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that cracked me up, but it did.


This is my new favorite joke.

In a dark and hazy room, peering into a crystal ball, the fortune teller delivered grave news: “There’s no easy way to tell you this, so I’ll just be blunt. Prepare yourself to be a widow. Your husband will die a violent and horrible death this year.”

Visibly shaken, Laura stared at the woman’s lined face, then at the single flickering candle, then down at her hands. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself and to stop her mind racing. She simply had to know…

She met the fortune teller’s gaze, steadied her voice and asked, “Will I be acquitted?”

I love it!

This picture was a toss up for me as a funny or an "aw".  But when I thought of my teenage grandson, that tipped it to a funny.

I love the dog's expression.


Which brings us to your hump day "aw". This one was also both a funny and an "aw" but the sight of this poor fellow trying to make a bed for himself was an "aw" for me.

How about you?

Before I close, I have to offer my deepest apologies to my blog friend, author Carol Kilgore.  I promised Carol I'd be part of the June cover reveal for her new book, Secrets of Honor. Then I promptly took a blog break for the entire month. So, with apologies for my tardiness, I offer the beautiful cover for Secrets of Honor.

About Secrets of Honor...

By the end of a long evening working as a special set of eyes for the presidential security detail, all Kat Marengo wants is to kick off her shoes and stash two not-really-stolen rings in a secure spot. Plus, maybe sleep with Dave Krizak. No, make that definitely sleep with Dave Krizak. The next morning, she wishes her new top priorities were so simple.

As an operative for a covert agency buried in the depths of the Department of Homeland Security, Kat is asked to participate in a matter of life or death—locate a kidnapped girl believed to be held in Corpus Christi, Texas. Since the person doing the asking is the wife of the president and the girl is the daughter of the first lady’s dearest friend, it’s hard to say no.

Kat and Dave quickly learn the real stakes are higher than they or the first lady believed and will require more than any of them bargained for.

The kicker? They have twenty-four hours to find the girl—or the matter of life or death will become more than a possibility.

About Carol...

Carol writes grocery lists, texts to her family, new lyrics to old songs for her dogs, love notes to her husband, and novels for herself. And for you. In between, she blogs weekly at Under the Tiki Hut and is active on Facebook and Twitter.

She sees mystery and subterfuge everywhere. And she’s a sucker for a good love story—especially ones with humor and mystery. Crime Fiction with a Kiss gives her the latitude to mix and match throughout the broad mystery and romance genres. Having flexibility makes her heart happy.

 

Website with Monthly Contest: http://www.carolkilgore.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carol.kilgore1

Twitter: http://twitter.com/carol_kilgore

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094110.Carol_Kilgore

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Carol-Kilgore/e/B008FRCXQY

Okay, that's it for today.  Did the funnies do it for you? Are you over the midweek hump? 

Great! Did you have a favorite?

Have a wonderful weekend. I'll see you next Wednesday.

Thought for Today:

Bad decisions make good stories.  (REALLY, THEY DO...)