Liveblogging from the Secret Lair

Another Internet mystery revealed.

Does Phydeaux, in fact, live in a Secret Lair (aka '73 Winnebago) in Teh Mountainz of North Carolina?



Yes. Yes he does.



And so does Puff. Callie, alas, was unavailable for comment.

Nice, uneventful day

...lotsa puzzling.

Best wishes to the Cunning Runt. Hope it went well.

When the kids are away, the grownups play

Okay.

I can't say I'm at all surprised, but let it be known from this day forward...


Martinis are a bad, bad thing.

Why? Why would anybody do that to perfectly decent alcohol? Mix it with vegetables and stuff? For real, people. Be nice to the alcohol.

You see that smile? That's a "haven't tried it yet" smile. That's what that is.

Okay. Moving on.

We had a lovely day today. A North Carolina day with some of Lisa's friends. We had lunch at a diner, visited a pottery (including a fascinating behind the scenes tour), a cemetery, a covered bridge and some beautiful scenic roads between the stops.






Also? Look! If I ever write a book I have an author photo all ready to go.

Send 'em if you got 'em

You've seen The Cunning Runt comment here occasionally. You may or may not have stopped by his place, Little Bang Theory, but it's worth a visit for the photography alone.

CR is facing shoulder surgery tomorrow, followed by a daunting recovery period and discouraging long-term prognosis. If you've got a moment, his pre-op post is a great introduction not only to his blog, but to his contagiously positive attitude.

Either way, please send some thoughts/prayers/best wishes his way over the next few days.

See, this is a person who pays attention.

Robin of Ponderings and Pawprints is a real-life friend of Lisa and Scott's. She and her husband came over for dinner this evening and she brought me two presents: A 2000-piece puzzle of famous world sights, and these:


They also gave Scott a bottle of gin, which means I may well get to try my very first martini at some point during Grown-Up Week.

Thanks Robin & James! It was good to see you again!

Look out, Disney, here they come

Safe travels to Mom & Dad, Robin & Julia as they take the train to the Magic Kingdom this evening. They'll be back on Friday.

Safe travels to me as I drive back to REDACTED to spend some quality (read: grownup) time with Lisa and Scott. There will be puzzles. Oh, yes. There will be puzzles.

It's official

Phy has way too much influence over me.

Apparently, posting every day for a single month is sooooo last year.

Brace yourselves.

You're Welcome

Wow.

Nothing like a little blog-authorly incorrectitude to unite the masses, eh?

Well, glad to give my faithful public a little excuse to bond at my expense ;)

I'm sure that Lisa told me the correct pronunciation when I asked her, but that, being a thoroughly unfamiliar collection of syllables, it got a little convoluted in my own mind before being irrevocably committed to...well, ether.

My apologies, and you're welcome.

I am traumatised.

I got the third Harry Potter book out of the library to read while I'm here.

Lisa has a 40-minute commute to work, so she has gone through most of the series in the form of books on tape (gotta love a library). She's also seen several of the movies.

So, as I prepared to open the hefty Volume Three, I asked her a question that has been bugging me ever since I read the first one.

I was most displeased with the response.

Hermione Granger.

Not HER-me-own.

No, no.

her-ME-oh-knee.

I'll be over here in the fetal position if anyone needs me.

Double take of the day

Television commercial:

Silence.

We are in a car, looking through a broken windshield. The camera pans slowly down, showing more damage. Cracked dashboard. Personal effects in disarray.

Voice 1:

Mr. Davis? This is Janine from Onstar. Our systems indicate that your vehicle was involved in a head-on collision. Do you need assistance?

Voice 2 [weakly]:

Ye-ess.

Voice 1:

Help is on the way, Mr. Davis, and I'll be right here with you until it arrives.

Julia:

That's a good commercial.