Thursday Three: It's Baaaaack!!!

At least for this week according to Papa Possum:

What’s a Thursday without a Three?

Hmm? What’s that? You don’t understand what I’m saying?!

Well, first of all, that’s because I’m not saying anything, I’m writing it.

And second, actually, I’m not even doing that, since I don’t blog anymore.

But by way of backstory, here at Possumblog back when it was fully funct (and not defunct as it is now), we (the editorial we) and our (again, editorially) vast swarm of readers would take every Thursday and engage in a bit of alliterative memery, namely, the Thursday Three. Three (or more) probing, insightful questions would be proffered by the editorial staff writers, and readers would chime in with their very own answers to said questions. By doing so, we (collectively) could all learn what made each other tick (or how we got ticks) and revel in each others virtual companionship.

Believe it or not, at one time the Thursday Three was the most widely-read and participated-in, weekly day-of-the-week meaningless Internet meme in the entire world. (You shouldn’t believe that.)

Sadly, though, as occasionally happens with such things, the fun came to a screeching halt on August 1, 2007 when I was getting ready to take on my new job and pretty much lost the free time I once had to sit around and piddle and maunder. Since that time, I have completely never blogged ever again--not even a single post. With the exception (maybe) of the last Thursday Three on August 9, 2007.

So, why am I posting something now?

I’m not. Since I don’t blog anymore, this can’t be a blog post.

However, my good friend Jim Smith (his real name) mentioned he’d like to see something like the ol’ T-3 from Possumblog again. You know, it being that his 60th birthday is coming up this Saturday. Not that there’s any pressure.

Geez--nothing like a load of GUILT to make you heave a heavy sigh and grudgingly grab your keyboard and knock together a quick simulacrum of a quiz to give all both of my remaining readers something to do for several minutes. And celebrate Jimbo's SIXTIETH BIRTHDAY! ICE CREAM AND PONIES AND CAKE!

But how to do this, since I no longer do this?

How about the Non-Thursday Non-Three!

Sounds good to me.

SO, take a moment to peruse the following non-three non-questions and either leave your answers in the comment section below, or a link to your blog (although it’s been so long since I’ve done this, the idea of people having a blog is so early-21st Century that I should probably have some accommodation for you not-quite-as-early-21st Century Twitter people. Good thing I don’t care about you like that.)

ANYwho--since we’re coming up on Thanksgiving, answer me these nonqueries:

1. What one person are you most thankful for this year?
2. What one thing are you most thankful for this year?
3. What one event are you most thankful for this year?

AND, as a big fat bonus unquestion:

4. So, how’s it going? How’ve you been lately?

So here are my answers:

1) I am thankful for a lot of people. My husband for one, he supports my crazy ideas like purple hair. My very good friend Meryl who is always happy to talk about nothing several times a day and is brave enough to watch the hoard. But the person I am most thankful for is my mother. She just turned 80 (!) this year, but really her attitude is far, far younger. It is from her I have learned to be myself.

2) I am thankful that we all continue to be in good health and that Tamiflu is the bestest drug ever. Four of us got the dreaded piggy flu and it was no big deal. We were quick to spot it and thus we could get Tamiflu. Max in particular was the most worrisome and it never went beyond a slight cold.

3) I am thankful for my eldest son's Bar Mitzvah and what a fantastic job he did. It was such a treat watching him up on the Bema leading services while surrounded by friends and family.

4) On the whole things are quite well around here. I've got a full fridge and a full pantry in anticipation of Thanksgiving and I'm really looking forward to pulling it all together next Thursday.

Thursday Three: End of an Era

Summer,at least for the younger members of the possum clan who got to go back to school this week, is over and the great Axis of Weevil Thursday Three springs to life.

Well maybe not springs, lurches forward for one last dying gasp is a little closer to the truth, because... Terry has up an gone and gotten a job that will actually make him work while at work. So without further ado

It's....

"The Von Trapp Family Singing 'So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Good Night'" Version of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!

Except without the Nazis. Or singing. Or nuns. Okay, it's not at all like anything in the movie. SO SUE ME!! (Not really.)

Anyway, as you all know, The Axis of Weevil Thursday Three has been one of the more popular recurring features of Possumblog over the years, dating back to April 8, 2004. It has been on summer hiatus to allow it to be properly aired-out and disinfected, but when we sent it out, we had no idea that we'd be making our big exit before resuming production for the Exciting New Fall Season.

SO, in the spirit of the times, and to cap off the most drawn-out, insufferably melodramatic blogdeath sequences ever recorded, we herewith assault you one last time with The Completely Self-Centered Good-bye Edition of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three! Since the original idea was posited by none other than Jim Smith, PhD, he has graciously written out the final question set for us.

As has always been both rule and custom, anyone may play along by either leaving a comment below, or by leaving a link to the answers on your own blog. Answer us now these things:

1. What was your favorite Possumblog post over the years? (With archive link, please, if you can find it.)

2. What will you miss most about Possumblog?

3. Do you have any final words? (And it better not be "Rosebud"!)

And, the exciting bonus question!

4. What will you not miss at all about Possumblog?

Hey I got plenty of singing today and I even saw a Nun in her habit, but this isn't about me. Well only the bits here are, otherwise it's all about Terry.

1)Favorite post, gee I didn't expect a test. I'm all ready pushing midnight so I'll cop out and say the ones about meeting and courting Reba, the bizarro soon to be ex-co-workers and the always exciting weekend wrap ups.

2)I'll miss the wonderful active community in the comments. I'm so glad I decided to join in.

3)My final words would be to Possumblog are It has been great while it lasted, I hope that Terry doesn't entirely let it die and you can never go wrong with ponies and ice cream.

And for the exciting bonus question, the bits about American Idol. My family doesn't watch it and we have no interest in it.

I don't know what I'll do on Thursday's now or who I'll get to photoshop.

So in honor of of the end of an era I'll end with a final photoshop of Terry. It's not the Sound of Music, but the outfit comes close.

Thursday Three: Season Finale

As the school year draws to a close at the Axis of Weevil HQ, aka Possumblog, Terry sends out this missive:

Yes, it’s time once more for the cast, crew, and writers to take a well-deserved summer hiatus, but before everyone clears out, they’ve left you with a THRILLING, ACTION-PACKED edition of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!

Okay, it’s not thrilling.

Nor particularly action-packed.

In fact, there’s really not much of a theme. But that’s what you get when you assemble your program from stuff you find wadded up in the trash can.

But it’s the only thing we got, SO—

1) If you could hang out with a famous living person for a day, who would it be, and why?

2) What sort of plans do you have for summer vacation?

3) Blake or Jordin?

Okay, all of you get to work and let’s send out this year’s final episode with something resembling enjoyment! Leave your answers in the comments below or a link to your own blog.

Season Finale?! Where has the time gone? I didn’t get that memo.

Ah well, time for my final three answers until the Axis creaks back to life this fall.

1) Well I’m going to cheat and say the exciting duo from MythBusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman. They strike me as two very interesting people to hang out with and I might get to blow something up. Science can be fun. I might even let the kids tag along. Nate really likes the fact that Adam and he have the same t-shirt.

2) We are going on our biannual pilgrimage up North near the end of summer. We’ll see my in-laws in Connecticut and watch a Mets game at Shea, visit my cousins with the great big house on the beach in Massachusetts, stay at my Mom’s house in Vermont and then head back down to Virginia. As an added bonus the kids will be attending a soccer camp while we are at my Mom’s, it’s a half-day program and it will keep them busy.

3) Who? Judging by the other responses it’s an American Idol reference. I don’t watch and I really don’t care. I vote for the Cookie Monster.

So I guess that’s it for now. What am I’m going to do on Thursdays?

Thursday Three: Mom

This week is just for mom, as Terry writes:

Mommy Dearest

Time once again to take that thing out of your mouth because you don't know where it's been, come inside and get cleaned up, and get ready for our special Mother's Day Edition of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!

As you can tell, since Mother's Day is upon us, we've decided to dedicate this week's set of questions to dear ol' Mom. So sit up straight, at least run a brush through your hair, don't talk to me in that tone of voice, take off your cap at the table, and take a moment to answer the following questions about her by either leaving your answers in the comments below, or a link to your own blog.

1) What three things do you think are (or were) your mom's best characteristics?

2) And although we're trying to honor Mom, we still have to know--what is one thing she does (or used to do) that drives you absolutely insane?

3) If your mom is still in circulation, do you have any plans to do anything special for her this weekend?

There now--quit slouching and get to work on those answers!

Yes sir!

1)I think my mother’s three best characteristics are:

She’s completely unflappable.
She has an excellent sense of humor.
And most of all, she has a strong independent streak.

These three characteristics caused her to be the coolest mom in the area. If my brother and I got stuck somewhere (our ride fell through, or we realized we were in over our heads) we could always call mom. I could drag in all sorts of animals and she would let me keep them in the terrarium for the day. Then there was the time that she and I accidentally went to the wrong movie. We were late and we thought we were in the right theater, but after a few minutes we realized our error. I don’t remember what we wanted to see, but we ended up watching Cheech & Chong’s Next Movie. I think it was remarkable that she didn’t freak out and that we both thought it was a hoot.

2) She doesn’t mean too, but sometimes she can be a bit of a nag. But if you had my brother and me as your children it is completely understandable.

3) I would LOVE to do something with my mom this weekend, but she is a two days drive away and it really is not an option to just zip up there. If I was half a day’s drive or less I would definitely be with her.

My mom totally rocks.

Thursday Three: Pets!

Terry gets all cutesy this week and asks us all about our pets.

Awwwww! How CUUUUTE!!

Why, thank you! But enough about me--it’s Thursday, and that means it’s time once more for The World’s Greatest Waste of Resources, the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!

Today, we take a tip from Weevil Ambassador to Memphis Mike Hollihan, who suggested yesterday that it would be interesting to find out about the odd names people give their pets. A fine idea, indeed, given that until then I’d not figured out anything to ask.

SO, take a moment, grab your fluffy white Persian up into your lap and stroke her while pretending to be Blofeld, and answer the following three questions either by leaving your answers in the comments or a link to your bloghouse.

1) What is the most unusual name you ever gave one of your pets, and why?

2) Forget names--what’s the most unusual pet you’ve ever owned?

3) And last but not least, the age old question for all you dog and cat fanciers out there--which one is the better pet, a marmoset or a piranha?

Now scamper off and come up with your answers, and I’ll do the same.

Pets, now this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. It was predicted in high school that I would have a record number of pets.

1) I guess Rally had the most unusual name for our pets. Rally was short for Floralia, the annual spring fair at Larry’s and mine college. It was at Floralia during our sophomore year when Larry asked me out on our first date and we have been together ever since.

2) As for pets themselves I have had the usual assortment of dogs, cats, assorted rodents, fish and the odd parakeet. At one point I had some retired lab mice, that’s a little unusual, but that is about it. At one point my family do duck sit a mallard. Her name was Tilly and she roosted in our rabbit hutch with my pet rabbit, Mrs. Peter.

Do tadpoles count? I’ve got a boat load of those in the house.

3) I’ve got to go with marmoset. Some of them are downright adorable and are high on the cuddly index, piranhas are sadly lacking in that aspect.

Now I have to check on the cricket we just dropped in the tadpole tank. Crickets are not pets, they’re food.

Thursday Three: Guilty Pleasures

Admit it; we all have a few things that we are reluctant to admit we have, much less treasure. Terry wants to know all about them in this week’s Thursday Three.

Oh, come on, now…

…the painting of Dogs Playing Poker that never fails to give you a chuckle, the stack of Slim Whitman LPs that you just can’t bear to part with, that pale turquoise polyester waffle-weave necktie with the square ends--YOU know you’ve got them.

That’s right…GUILTY PLEASURES!

This week, America’s Most Entertaining Blog Meme Thing, The Axis of Weevil Thursday Three, explores those nasty little secret proclivities that give us great pleasure in life, yet we still can’t quite admit it. The untoward, and awkward, and uncomely, and downright uncool things we all cling to, in spite of the snickers they evoke amongst the hip and trendy sorts who look down their noses (conveniently located beneath their high brows) at our favorite articles of unseemly pleasure.
S
O THEN, get out your keyboard--you know, the one with the WordPerfect 3.0 plastic template pasted over the keys so you can remember the shortcuts--and answer the following three questions.

1) Art! Name one (or more) pieces of highly unsophisticated artwork, literature, music, etc., that you have in your possession that you’re really sorta ashamed of, yet love too much to get rid off.

2) Science! What bit of embarrassingly faux high-tech machinery do you keep around your house simply out of some sort of geekly love affair you had with it in the past, even though there are better and more efficient alternatives around that you could replace it with?

3) Fashion! Okay, you know you’ve got something from a completely different fashion era that no one in good conscious would dare to wear today, except as some sort of postmodern mockingly ironic sort of way, yet it’s something you love and enjoy wearing, even though it causes small children and snotty po-mo pseudointellectuals (but I repeat myself) to laugh and point. So, what is it?

GO NOW AND ANSWER! Either leave a comment below, or a link to your very own “weblog” that are becoming so very popular amongst the youngsters these days!

Guilt pleasures, ahhh I love those bags of Halloween candy I have stashed in the closet just for me. However that is not the topic, instead I get to poke around my prized possessions (ie junk) and tell y’all about it.

1)Art was a bit tricky, we don’t have much in the way of embarrassing pieces of art work about the house. Well at least embarrassing to Larry and my self. In a few years the kids will be mortified by some of the stuff that they made and we treasure, but that is a parental prerogative. Then I remembered my albums. I have a big box of them out in the garage that we haven’t touched in years. After a few minutes of digging I realized that I have some pretty interesting stuff out there. Then I found it, my Haircut One Hundred album “Pelican West.” Here is a video of their big hit “Love Plus One.” It’s very odd, but lots of fun.

I love that album for all it poppy cheesy glory. At one point I dubbed a tape and it lived in my car’s stereo. It was hands down the best road trip album, all bouncy and happy. I’ll never give that album up, even if I pick up the cd.

2)Yay Science! We don’t have too many outmoded gagets around here. I generally use something until its irreparable, and then I replace it after I take it apart to check out the insides. One of the few exceptions is the old Gateway 486 we have up in the attic. I should toss it, but I view it as my spare parts machine. So far I have scrounged a bunch of itty bitty screws from it and the mouse. But really, I should just toss the whole thing.

3)I have never been a fashionista and the few things I would be embarrassed to have around now have long been tossed from the many, many moves we have made. I do have a good sized collection of t-shirts, but nothing really horrible. Maybe my ratty old jeans that I no longer wear in public would qualify, but they are not embarrassing in themselves, just the holes scattered about the seat and thighs. I’ve gotten to be pretty ruthless in purging my closet.

Most of my guilty pleasures are food oriented. I can make a good pasta sauce from scratch and I prefer my noodles al dente, but I love Chef Boyardee’s ravioli. It is far from authentic Italian and I just love it.

Thursday Three: Kid Stuff

This week Terry wants us to climb back into the way back machine and tell all about our childhoods.

Kid Stuff!

This week we again delve into the places of our childhood for the “Halcyon Days of Yore Edition” of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!

Take a moment and journey back to your childhood and answer the following three questions (ably supplied by an actual college professor) by either leaving you answer in the comments below or a link to your blog.

Tell us about how it was when you were growing up—what was your--

1) Favorite restaurant.

2) Place to spend time, but not money.

and

3) Place to go that DID cost to get into.

There you are--scoot along now and don’t play in traffic!

But street hockey is only fun when you have traffic. Car!

1) There was one place we went to, Young’s I think, when we were living in Connecticut. It’s gone now and I don’t remember the food, but it was a very nice family friendly place. But I think our all time favorite is Woodman’s in Essex, Massachusetts. It is a funny place where you order your drinks at the bar and your food at the counter. When it’s ready the call you up and hand you a try brimming with food. Then you have to navigate to your table through the low, long dining room that has been added onto countless times over the years. The fried scallops are heavenly and so are the onion rings. It’s dining in the rough, so you have to bus your own table. They have great food at great prices and the freshest seafood around. The restaurant is right on the water and you get to see the fishing boats dock right out front.

2) I always loved to knock about in the woods and fields behind our various homes. In Connecticut my brother and I would chase the cows in the neighboring fields and poke about the old trash piles for interesting bottles. In Vermont we would play in the stream and make forts from young saplings we cut down and tried together with twine. I could spend hours doing stuff like that.

3) For places we spent money to go to, it would be the movies, the New England Aquarium and the Museum of Science, Boston. We would usually try to go either the museum or the aquarium once a year. It was almost always on a wet day in the summer, nice days were for the beach.

I am a child of New England, Yankee born and bred.

Thursday Three: Guilt Trip

This week Terry is laying down a guilt trip on the Thursday Three.

FAR BE IT FROM ME...

...to deny you all the intense joy presented by the unveiling of yet another Thursday diversion. I realize that I've not been very forthcoming in the past few days with entertainng matter for your reading pleasure, having instead to provide nutritious snacks (in the form of my furry haunches) to the variety of alligators that are firmly latched onto my buttocks.

BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME! It is about YOU and YOUR fun. So let me stop what I'm doing and do this. For you. Because I'm just here to serve you, like some kind of slave.

As you can guess, this is going to be the Guilt Trip Version of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!

SO, take a moment, if you can, and you're not too busy to participate, after I went to all the trouble to stop my work and come up with these questions, and answer these three questions:

1) Who is the best person in your family at inducing guilt in others?

2) What is the last thing you did or didn't do that you later felt guilty about?

3) Is there anyone in your family who is immune to shame and guilt?

There now--all done--JUST FOR YOU! Leave your answers in the comments below, or a link to your blog. If it's not too much trouble. Because Lord knows it was no trouble at ALL for me to do this, just because I'm covered up with paperwork. NOOOOoooo, I do this for you because I know at least a couple of you enjoy it. Not that I ever get to enjoy anything anymore, but at least SOMEone can. [Following maudlin 4,564 word statement redacted for lack of space. Ed.] OH SURE, the EDitor can come in here and just cut me right off. Figures. Just go answer the questions.

Guilt, guilt, guilt. It is possibly the sneakiest form of coercion.

1) In my family it’s hard to say. Guilt doesn’t get you too far with hard core Yankees; it can often backfire into the recipient telling you to stuff it. I’m from plain spoken stock and it shows. We are much better at self inflicted guilt.

2) The last thing I felt guilty about is tough, I have a sort of free floating guilt about house keeping. I hate doing it and I come up with all sorts of ways to procrastinate (Hello Blog!). For a specific example it would be the big pile of junk in my bedroom. It came about when I empty the desk in our room so as to move it to Jake’s room. It’s not really a big deal, but it bugs me.

3) No one is completely immune to shame and guilt in my family. Rebecca has the most appalling table manners and has resisted all attempts to civilize her, but she shuts down when called out on other things. But guilt isn’t a major motivator in our family. We do things because it is the right thing to do, not because we feel guilty.

Anyhoo, I bushed and that’s that.

Thursday Three: Can You Hear It

This week Terry wants us to all sit down and give it a listen.

A Re-Sounding Success!

That’s what EVERYone says about the game that’s sweeping the globe, the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three! This week’s set of three questions is brought to us via Mr. Spud himself, Tarheel Marc, who has been quite attentive to the auditory manifestations of springtime.

Let’s allow him to explain:

Every year at about this time, we get to open up the windows in the house/car and enjoy the sounds of spring coming out again (birds chirping, lawnmowers buzzing, car beatboxes booming). So please share with the rest of the gang:

1. What 3 sounds do you like to hear at your household?

2. What 3 sounds do you not like to hear at your household?

3. What 3 sounds will you always remember?

So, there you are. Quietly (or loudly) scamper off and think about those and leave your answers in the comments below, or a link over to your own blog. Marc did say he was concerned that some in the readership might have some deafness that defies providing an easy answer to these questions. If so, feel free to modify the questions or answers to best suit you. Also, Southern Hemispherical readers should modify the season as they feel appropriate, or pretend that it’s Spring down there, too.

Quietly? I think not! Nothing is ever done quietly around here. There is a reason that my blog is called what it is.

Anyway here is my take on the above 3 by 3 questions.

1) Well first off I do enjoy the sound of silence, particularly at night when everybody is tucked into bed. I also love the sound of my children’s laughter, each one is unique and I can’t pick out one in particular. Lastly I really enjoy the sound of a dachshund hot on the trail of a rabbit. Sadly my two dogs are closed mouthed on rabbit and will only open when they sight the bunny.

2) As any parent will tell you, sometimes silence is not a good thing. Silence is not good when it occurs after a noticeably loud crash. I also dislike the loud pointless squabbling that siblings are prone to do. The dogs too can be included in this category. I love to hear them bay while hunting, but I hate pointless barking. For example, Crunch now will sometimes stand by the dog sofa and bark at me. Occasionally it is to alert me to the fact that his way is blocked, but usually it is just to have me go up to him and tell him to haul his own butt up.

3) I will never forget the sound of the ocean, the slap of the waves on the beach and the retreating hiss as the water slides back to the sea. Then there is the sound of a small baby snuffling on its mother’s breast. It is such a small, but contented sound that warmed my heart every time my babies made it. The third most memorable sound is also the oddest. Rally had the peculiar habit of digging in the water bowl when it was empty. It was such a distinctive sound of her nails scrapping against the bottom of the bowl and it was very effective. Every time she did it we would immediately refill the bowl. The stainless steel bowl had a better tone, but the digging worked on plastic just as well. Now that she is gone the red dogs have to figure out a way to alert us to a lack of water. At first they just stand around by the bowl hoping we notice. When that doesn’t work we might get a few exasperated barks.

Thursday Three: My Home Town

This week it is all about our home towns. What can you tell the axis of weevil about your roots, or lack of.

“Whhhhhhy, back in MY day…”

Good morning all, it’s time for you to clamber into the Wayback Machine and participate in this week’s “The More Things Change” Edition of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!


Our inquiries this week were supplied by our favorite college professor and small-engine repairman, who claims he was inspired by my recent jaunt through the freshly-constructed suburbs south of town--suburbs that in my youth were full of free-roaming wooly mammoths and cave-dwellers. At least in the perception of my youngest child.

Anyway, as is the usual case, all of you are free to play along by either leaving your answers in the comments below or a link to your very own blog.

And away we go--

1. Do you still live in the town where you grew up? If not, what do you miss the most? If so, what has changed the most?

2. Does your family still own the house you grew up in? Either way, what was it like the last time you saw it?

3. What is the biggest change in the last 5 years where you live now?

Okay, now that Sherman has closed us in and set the dial, my answers look like this—

Hey! Mr. Peabody is a favorite of mine and, ironically Peabody is a family name and I’ll touch upon that in a moment.

1)No, I do not live in either of the towns I grew up in. I was born in a small town in Litchfield Connecticut. There we lived on a dirt road surrounded by cow fields. Then, sadly, my father passed away in the summer of ’76 and we moved to Norwich, Vt. I consider Norwich to be more of my home town simply because I have more memories of growing up in Vermont than of Connecticut.

What I miss the most of my home town is winter and my mother. Norwich really hasn’t changed much. The elementary school has been renovated and expanded, but the overall flavor remains same. Dan & Whits is remains the hub of town and you can still make local calls for free from the store’s phone. As for New Milford, it has changed, but not a whole lot. Several years ago I took Larry back there and I was shocked that I could still find my way around. It had been 20 years and I had never driven there (I was only 10 and half when we moved), but it all came back. The town looked pretty much the same except my elementary school was gone.

BigHouse
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar.

2) My family does not own any of the houses that I grew up in, but... two of the houses my mother grew up in are still in the family. One is called the Big House or Burnside and here is a picture of it with my family. The people are from left to right: Daphne, Aunt Liz, Babette, Peter, Eliza, My Mother, My brother, Me with Max, Larry with Rebecca and Jake and Nate in front of Larry and me. Aunt Liz is my mother’s sister-in-law and she is the mother of Peter. Peter and Babette live in the house now and have three children: Peter (not pictured), Daphne and Eliza. We used to go there every summer and play on the beach. The house itself has remained pretty much the same, only having some minor remodeling and modernization. Oh and some Peabodys have lived in this house.

As for the houses I grew up in, it is a mixed story. The house in Connecticut is very different. Housing developments had sprung up in some of the surrounding cow fields and most of the plantings around the house had been replaced. I was particularly saddened by the removal of the gigantic forsythia that had flanked the entrance to the driveway. They were so large that my brother and I could actually climb about inside them. They made excellent forts. The house looked nice, but it was not the same.

The Vermont house, it has changed a little bit, but it is still recognizable. The biggest change is the new driveway running by it to the back field. The people who bought the house from my mother divided the land and a house was built in the back field, but the overall character of the house remains the same.

3) I now live in one of the fastest growing counties in Virginia. A new subdivision has been put in on the road leading to my subdivision. A Food Lion along with a couple of strip malls has been built nearby. And, finally, an extension was added to the local highway that makes it possible to go to the far west side of Richmond in no time flat. As a result of all this growth the schools are bursting at the seams and the local school board is in denial.

So yes, there has been a lot of change in my life.

Thursday Three: STAT

Today Terry wants answers and he wants them NOW!

Down and Dirty Thursday Three

Okay, no time for long-windedness and literary flourishes--answer these questions, NOW!:

1. What are you supposed to be doing RIGHT NOW? (Aside from answering these questions, of course.)

2. How long is it going to take you?

3. What do you have to do after that?

GO! RUN! Get your keyboard and leave a comment or a link to your blog.

Run? Why should I run when I’m already here?

1) Right now I should be calling up various dachshund club members and remind them that they should all play nicely together. That is, stop spreading rumors and innuendo. This is just one of the many fun jobs I got when I was elected president, because I have the best social skills of the lot, which frightens me to no end.

2) The two calls shouldn’t take very long. The chattier of the two should take about 20 minutes and the other about 10. The trick is getting a hold of everybody. Hopefully I’ll get it done before the boys come home from school.

3) At 1:00 pm I have to pick up Max and Rebecca from preschool and at some point I need to talk to the middle school guidance consular about Jake’s elective next year. Jake was a bit fuzzy on which one to choose so I offered to make a call and get more details. He is deciding between band, which lasts for the whole year and Explorations 6, which changes every 9 weeks. He couldn’t remember all of the different offerings that E6 rotated between.

Ah, the excitement of the stay at home mom with four kids that is also involved in the not so high stakes world of pure bred dogs. Some days both groups could use a long time out.

Thursday Three: Where Do You Go?

This week the Thursday Three hits the road.

TEE-THREE!

Once more the calendar grinds around to Thursday, and once more we slather upon the viewing public yet another Axis of Weevil Thursday Three! Today we’re going to talk about hometown landmarks, so all of you get your pencils ready and answer the following three questions:

1) If you only had one hour to show a visitor something interesting in your hometown, where would you go?

2) If you then had to find that friend a great place for a quick bite to eat, where would you go?

3) Now that you’ve entertained and fed your friend, it’s time to send him on his way. You’re not sure which way he’s going, but he’s got a fast red convertible, and you want him to see something nice as he drives. What route from your home to someplace else, either to the north, south, east, or west would you recommend to him as the most scenic drive?

Man, I wish I was the friend in this story! ANYway, go and answer those and either leave a link to your blog in the comments below, or the actual answer itself.

Well we do have friends coming to visit in May, but they’ll be able to stay a bit longer than the above friend.

1) I’m torn on what to show a visitor to the area. On one hand we could go to Maymont, which has glorious views of the James River and something for everyone. For families there is a Nature Center, Children’s Farm and Wildlife Exhibits. For the horticulturally minded there are some exquisite gardens around the mansion. Then there is the house itself which according to the website “Among historic house museums, Maymont House is rare in that no intervening families or adaptive conversions separate us from the original owner’s 32-year occupancy.” I haven’t been inside the house yet, but it is on my list of things to do.

Then there is Hollywood Cemetery. It too is located along the James River and is a one of the most unique tourist attractions I have ever been too. It is the final resting place to two U.S. presidents (Monroe and Tyler), the only President of the Confederacy (Jefferson Davis) and... well the list goes on and on. It is also home to a ninety foot dry stone pyramid that was erected in honor of the Confederate dead. It is a beutiful place to visit and is open to the public and free of charge.

2)I’m going to have to go with Brock’s BBQ since I just went there with Meryl for IEATAPETA. The buffet is a good value at $6.95 and the wait staff is terrific. They have terrific fried chicken, pulled BBQ and we love the hush puppies. Dessert, of course, will be at my house.

3)For scenic drives I’d send my friend done Virginia route 5 to Williamsburg. It is a lovely winding road that features five plantations and is a far nicer drive than Interstate 64. This past fall I drove on it to go to a dog show and I got to see a fox hunt just before they let loose the hounds. It was a beautiful sight on a crisp autumn day.

So come on over to the Richmond area and you’ll have a good time.

Thursday Three: Australlian Version

Terry is very busy, or at least he *claims* he's busy and asks for help with this week's Thursday Three.

Deep South Version of the Thursday Three!

Many thanks to someone even MORE Southern than I am for stepping in today with a set of questions for the Thursday Three, the Favorite International Blog Question Thing! Many thanks this morning to Kitchen Hand (not his real name) who kindly volunteered to help out with the following questions. Remember, anyone is free to play along either by leaving your comments below or a link back to your own blog.

SO, here we go:

Thursday Three Questions:

1) Here, it is the first day of autumn - Wednesday 1st of March. However, in some parts of the world, the new seasons do not arrive until the 19th of the month, or later; due to large cattle breeds called solstices and equinoxes that issue huge amounts of methane, which increases global warming and makes the seasons run late. Question: what is your favourite season, and why?

2) When you started your weblog, did you deliberate over whether to choose a nom-de-blog or use your real identity? What swayed you either way?

3) Discussing religion, politics or sex has always been impolite at cocktail parties, because of the risk of embarrassing face-to-face arguments. However, this is not a cocktail party, but a blog. And since the whole point of a blog is to have robust discussions, make a comment on the first thing that comes to your mind about religion, politics or sex. Pour yourself a martini first, if it helps. Don't forget the olive.

I rather have a mudslide, but a good gin and tonic will do.

1) Well I love winter, but it is usually not up to snuff down here in ol' Virginny and especially this year. I want snow and lots of with beautiful bright clear days. So I have three to choose from. Summer is too hot, I love going to the beach, but I melt when the temperatures are greater than the mid-eighties. Spring is lovely with the mild temps, spring breezes and all the pretty flowers, but with the flowers comes pollen. Blech. This leaves autumn, clear days with a crispness to the air, the brilliant fall foliage and all the wonderful foods associated with that time of year. So hands down, fall wins.

2) I'm sort of the opposite of Terry. I try not to bandy my full name about and where I live, but my family all knows about and reads my blog. I have found it is a great way for friends and family to keep up on our doings. I know my mother (Hi Mom!) feels much more connected than before the blog. I try to be low key about my name because there are some real nuts out there.

3) I have the same view point on all three, you can believe, practice or do whatever you want as long as every one is a consenting adult. Just don't expect me or require me to do as exactly as you. It's all about respect.

So give me some pumpkin pie with a tall glass of cider and we'll all wave to my family as I hide behind my dark glasses, just don't bug me about what I am and what I do.

Thursday Three: Comedy Gold

Everyone is a comic today for this week's Thursday Three.

Surely you jest!

No I don’t, and don’t call me Shirley!

Another week, another kavalcade of komedy here on the Knee-slapping HI-larity Edition of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!

As we do every week, we’ll ask you three questions, and it’ll be up to you to answer them, either by leaving a comment below, or a link to your blog. You might have guessed that this week’s topic is about funny things, in which case you’re right. Which isn’t really funny at all. BUT THAT’S OKAY! Think up something funny to go with these, please:

1) Who is the funniest person you know personally in real life?

2) Who is your favorite comedian (living, dead, or both)?

3) Which type of comedy do you find most humorous?

Alrighty then--slip on out on a banana peel and answer those as best you can.

It's time to strap on my clown shoes and get cracking before the clock switches over.

1)The funniest person I knew in real life was my Uncle Gus. He was a very sharp man and you really had to keep on your toes when you were around him. Sadly he passed before Larry could have met him.

2)I really don't have a favorite comedian. I like Harold Lloyd, the Marx brothers, the crew from Monty Python and Triumph the insult comic dog. However, I do have specific dislikes. I don't like Jerry Lewis, for some reason he just grates on me.

3)I like really well thought out stuff with rapid fire delivery that veers off into the absurd, of course that really doesn't explain why I like Triumph.

"Th-th-th-th-th-that's all, folks!"

Thursday Three: Feel the Love

This week Terry gives us a loved filled Thursday Three.

Although it is slightly too late for Valentine’s Day…

…today is the Love Connection Edition of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three, America’s Best Loved Time Wasting Diversion!

As we usually do, we ask you to answer the following three questions either by leaving a comment below or a link back to your blog. And as you can guess, the inquiries today have to do with that warm feeling you have deep inside.

No, not the one caused by your breakfast.

Here we go:

1) Who was the first person for whom you had romantic feelings?

2) Do you believe it’s possible to fall truly in love with more than one person in a lifetime?

3) What is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done out of love?

Okay, flit away and begin thinking syrupy thoughts and come up with some answers!

I don’t do syrupy thoughts, chocolaty ones yes, but not syrupy (unless the syrupy thoughts involve pancakes and then it has to be real Vermont, though NH will do in a pinch, maple syrup).

Anyway, here are my answers:

1) I guess the first person I had romantic feelings for was Chip something-or-other in third grade. He had red hair and freckles sprinkled across his face. I remember being asked if I liked him and when I said yes, the other girls informed me that I wasn’t supposed to admit it.

2) I think it is possible to fall truly in love with more than one person over the course of your life, but only one at a time.

3) I haven’t done any really stupid things out of love, just a whole lot of extreme PDA in very public places with my now husband when we were dating. Admittedly I did quit my job and follow him out to Wisconsin, but it was a good opportunity to try new things and be in new places. Most of the stupid things I have done were when I over estimated my abilities and underestimated the challenge. Oh and run of the mill pregnancy induced stupidity. I live in a fog during the first trimester.

Now I will go get a bit of cake.

Thursday Three: Food, Glorious Food

Once again Terry is serving up a buffet of food based questions.

HUNGRY!?

Well, if you’re not, then you will be soon, as we cook up a sizzling plate of Axis of Weevil Thursday Three, the Internets’ Most Delicious Junk Food! For those unfamiliar with our menu, we ladle up a steaming portion of three questions, delicately breaded and heated to 94 degrees Fahrenheit under a lamp, and then ask only that you reward us with answers to those questions!

This week’s helping of gastronomic guesstimation will have to do with, of all things, food. Answer the following questions by either leaving your tip in the comments section below or a link to your very own establishment.

You might be asking yourself, “Hmm, it seems as though we recently did a food-related set of questions.” Well, obviously that’s just the hunger talking, and you can’t be expected to be entirely lucid on an empty stomach. So just forget about what you think you remember.

NOW THEN, on with the specially prepared gourmet selection of questions!

1) Of your local hamburger joints, which is your favorite and why? And by “local,” we mean REALLY local--no national chains! Only your local mom-and-pop establishments or regional chains, please.

2) What is the most adventurous meal you’ve ever personally prepared?

3) What dish did your Mom used to fix that you steadfastly refused to eat?

Now then, put your napkin in your lap and dig in!

Mmm, food. I’ll tuck into my chicken pot pie and give this a whirl.

1) This will be a multi part answer, because I have lived in numerous locals and each area has its own best burger joint.

Growing up in Connecticut we would go to a little roadside place that was only open in the summer. Seating was outside under battered metal umbrellas and the food was served on old circular tin trays that advertised Coke (or was it Pepsi, I don’t remember). I always had birch beer with my burger.

Up in Vermont we found The White Cottage, another great roadside burger joint. It is a bit far afield, but it is worth the occasional trip.

Then I moved out and lived in New Haven for a few years. There I learned to love Louis’ Lunch, the home of the original hamburger. It is a stripped down little joint that closes down every August for spoon inventory(no really). The cheese on the burgers is cheese whiz, the burger is served on toasted bread and you can’t get ketchup. A bit different and it is an interesting slice of Americana.

Then I moved to Madison Wisconsin, home of Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry. Great burgers and, as opposed to Louis’, they will serve it up any way you want. I liked the original location more, but the new digs still serves up a fine burger.

Right now I really don’t have a favorite burger joint. There is an excellent place up around Richmond, Carytown Burger and Fries, but it is a bit of a haul and usually crowded. Another good place is the Star-Lite located in the Fan up in Richmond. Great burgers, fabulous onion rings. Meryl and I have gone there a few times and I have always been pleased with whatever I’ve gotten.

2) I always feel like meal time is an adventure around here. I guess my most adventuresome meal I’ve ever made was the second time I made curry. It was when I was in England and I made it for a few fellow students. It was a big hit and I was very pleased since one of my guests was from India (she was a last minute addition to the guest list). Then there was my brother’s wedding cake. It involved three different kitchens and a whole lot of obsessive planning.

3) To this day I still refuse to eat baked beans. My mom is an excellent cook, but I can’t stand baked beans. Oh and mushrooms, I don’t eat those either.

That’s it for me, I’m still feeling a bit peckish. I think I’ll go check out the fridge for a little something to nosh on.

Thursday Three: On the Fly

Terry is feeling a wee bit stressed and much put upon, so here is this week’s less-thoughtful-than-usual Thursday Three.

It's an "On the Fly" edition this morning--no time yesterday or this morning to do any sort of deep thought or induce any cleverness into the process, so here's you a slapdash, thrown-together-at-the-last-moment set of questions, guaranteed to be neither entertaining nor insightful!

Everyone is free to play along, of course, although you might not want to. But go ahead anyway just to stay in practice.

ANYWAY-

1) What is the last product you recommended to a friend?

2) What is your favorite section of the grocery store?

3) Joe Biden--lunatic, or idiot?

There! Quick, run and answer those by either dropping a comment below, or a link to your blog!

Zoom!

Huh, what, oh the questions. Well here is my off the cuff answers to this week’s set.

1) The last product I recommended to a friend was Costco’s croissants. Just this morning I was at Costco and chatting with Meryl on the phone when I mentioned that I was getting just the necessities and croissants. The croissants are for me and since they are good, tasty and very cheap into the cart they go.

2) My favorite section of the grocery store is hands down the ice cream section. I love ice cream and it is a staple in our household. We are always trying to stuff extra calories into Max and as a result he gets ice cream three times a day. The runners up are the meat department and then the bakery.

3) Joe Biden is an idiot. Enough said.

Amazing, I was down right pithy this week.

Thursday Three: Odd Duck

It’s Thursday and this week Terry wants to know about our individual idiosyncrasies that make us all unique and oh so entertaining.

How peculiar!

After my previous inquiry regarding any readers who might have a crumbling-crackers-in-soup habit, it seemed that there was sufficient interest in other sorts of bizarre behaviors to merit their inclusion in this week’s “My, Aren’t YOU Odd!” Edition of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!

As always, we ask a series of three questions and expect you to answer them in as forthright and expeditious a manner as possible, although I do want to remind readers in other time zones or hemispheres that the questions do not necessarily have to be answered on Thursday. BUT, do please either leave your answers below, or a linky-link to your very own blog as you ponder the following:

1) Do you have any peculiar rules about the foods you eat? Not stuff like religious dietary restrictions, but stuff like having to have the crusts cut off your PB&J sandwiches, not having the peas touching the carrots, having to eat foods in a particular order--stuff like that.

2) What about your personal grooming? Do you have a particular way of brushing your teeth? Do you have to always put on your left sock and shoe, then the right? Tell us please!

3) Have you ever embarrassed yourself with the public display of any of your peculiar habits? Details appreciated, of course!

Now then, go off and get your lucky keyboard, turn around once, tap your head, and answer the questions and let’s see just how odd you are.

1) I don’t really have much in the way of food rules. Generally it has to look appetizing (I have a pretty broad definition for that) and smell good, though I do like kimchi and that pretty much fails on both counts. I had a co-worker whose mother had a separate fridge for kimchi so it wouldn’t stink up all the other food stuffs.

However, there are foods I won’t eat. I don’t eat cilantro, because I’m part of that small percentage of people to whom cilantro tastes soapy. I try to avoid mushrooms for textural reasons, but I will cook with them because they impart a nice flavor. I just try not to chop them too fine and I fish out the bits on my plate. I will eat them to be polite. I don’t like nuts in baked goods and chocolate, though in a good chocolate turtle, the pecan is acceptable. I used to not eat raw tomatoes, again because of the texture, but I got over it.

Coffee is where my idiosyncrasies really shine. I can’t stand the drink. Even if I drown it with milk, it still is a challenge to choke it down. But as a flavoring for ice cream, cheesecake or chocolate truffles, I say bring it on. My mother claims that my dislike of coffee means I can not be her daughter.

Oh and I like crackers in my soup, potato chips in my sandwich and I wipe the bowl with my bread if the contents were particularly good albeit soup or pasta sauce. In Italy the last part was called “wiping the shoe.”

2) I’m not aware of any particular habits in regards to personal grooming. I like to shower everyday, but that’s because it’s my coffee and it gets me going in the morning. I have a very stripped down routine and I can shower, dress and dry my hair in well under 15 minutes. My children however... it takes them ten minutes to put on shoes and socks in the morning. Mind you the shoes are lined up and most of the time the socks are nearby. My husband didn’t believe me until he had to get them out the door one morning. Since I shower just before shoving the boys onto the bus I guess I do have the odd habit of bellowing out “Shoes and Socks!” when I get out of the shower.

3) I remember at work when I horrified a co-worker by putting potato chips in my tuna fish sandwich. I wasn’t even aware of it until she pointed it out. I didn’t really care, I just like the crunch and added flavor since my chip of choice is salt and vinegar.

Overall I really don’t think I’m that odd. I’m just a bit nutty.