Things to smile about

[John1955]

With so many bad things going on in this world, we all need to focus on small things sometimes, things to smile about. There used to be something that truly irritated me but now it's okay. My daily newspaper kept ending up halfway down the steps and sidewalk even though I did ask the paper to please make sure it was tossed up on my porch. I'm disabled now and have a difficult time walking plus that early in the morning, I'm only wearing my bath robe so I don't want to walk out there like that. 

Well, it turns out that my dog had a solution. Without me even training her to, one day she went out there and got the paper and brought it to me. My smile and several dog treats told her she'd done right, now she looks forward to it and so do I. Tail wagging and paper in her mouth, it brings a smile to my face every time. What seemingly small thing makes you smile? 
 

[stavanzer]

What a Good Dog!

Worth many smiles, and thanks for sharing, John.

[John1955]

Thank you, I was hoping people wouldn't think my post was silly, because we really do need things to cheer us up a bit in today's world. Her name is Pip and she lives up to her name. She is quite old for her breed and is slower than she used to be, she can no longer jump up into my bed at night so I carry her upstairs when I go to bed. (If I forget to, she whines and whines). She also makes me laugh when she barks at the TV screen when a dog appears on the screen. 

She doesn't like other dogs much but she loves all cats. Go figure, LOL. 
 

[cobraman]

What makes me smile ? The photos that my daughter sends me of our grandson. With any luck i will be able to see them both next month !

[TonyK]

Don't think I smiled but you telling us about your dog definitely made me happy. And I assume your avatar is Shemp and he always makes me smile.

[espo]

11 hours ago, John1955 said:

With so many bad things going on in this world, we all need to focus on small things sometimes, things to smile about. There used to be something that truly irritated me but now it's okay. My daily newspaper kept ending up halfway down the steps and sidewalk even though I did ask the paper to please make sure it was tossed up on my porch. I'm disabled now and have a difficult time walking plus that early in the morning, I'm only wearing my bath robe so I don't want to walk out there like that. 

Well, it turns out that my dog had a solution. Without me even training her to, one day she went out there and got the paper and brought it to me. My smile and several dog treats told her she'd done right, now she looks forward to it and so do I. Tail wagging and paper in her mouth, it brings a smile to my face every time. What seemingly small thing makes you smile? 
 

This is why Dogs are often called man's best friend. All they ever want to do is please. 

[Rodent]

We haven't received a newspaper for many years. Finally figured out that we were paying ~$700/year to read news that had been available on the internet days before, comics we could read online for free, and a ton of ads.

That said, my mom's youngest brother tried to train his dog to bring in the newspaper, but there was a problem. He lived in So Cal at the time and his dog was a miniature shorthaired Dachshund. Most days, the newspaper outweighed her by two or three times. It was funny to see. The daily ritual was going outside with a pocket full of rubber bands. Newspaper was broken down into sections and each was rolled up with a rubber band. Front door was left open. Bianca would grab each section and take it inside. Each section was worth a treat. She rolled over on her back and got a belly rub when the entire paper was inside. She was very tired and full of treats by the time her work was done on Sundays. Made my smile to think of her, my departed uncle, and the two months I spent there when I was 13.

[John1955]

On 5/16/2021 at 2:51 AM, Rodent said:

We haven't received a newspaper for many years. Finally figured out that we were paying ~$700/year to read news that had been available on the internet days before, comics we could read online for free, and a ton of ads.

That said, my mom's youngest brother tried to train his dog to bring in the newspaper, but there was a problem. He lived in So Cal at the time and his dog was a miniature shorthaired Dachshund. Most days, the newspaper outweighed her by two or three times. It was funny to see. The daily ritual was going outside with a pocket full of rubber bands. Newspaper was broken down into sections and each was rolled up with a rubber band. Front door was left open. Bianca would grab each section and take it inside. Each section was worth a treat. She rolled over on her back and got a belly rub when the entire paper was inside. She was very tired and full of treats by the time her work was done on Sundays. Made my smile to think of her, my departed uncle, and the two months I spent there when I was 13.

Aw, Bianca sounds like a very good dog! About printed newspapers, I can't make any sense out of what you said, sorry. $700 a year? OMG, I've never heard of such a price for a newspaper! My local hometown paper costs me $132 a year and it's well worth it. I'd been doing the internet 'news' thing for years and got tired of the slanted fake news there and all the ads, so I went back to the local printed paper. At least in a printed paper, one can ignore ads easily, but mine contains valuable coupons and alerts me to sales at local stores. 

The local news is in my paper the same day it happens, ditto for national and world news. Your local paper must have been lousy, you were wise to cancel it. I prefer to relax and rest my eyes while reading the news and comics, not staring at a bright screen. 
 

[NOBLNG]

On 5/15/2021 at 10:45 AM, John1955 said:

What seemingly small thing makes you smile? 
 

Your picture and story about Pip made me smile!

On 5/15/2021 at 5:29 PM, TonyK said:

And I assume your avatar is Shemp and he always makes me smile.

Funny, that movie with them in the phone booth was on tv the other day on a channel I never watch, and I tuned in just because there was no info at all about the movie in the guide. That’s when I realized it’s not a picture of John.😳

[Rodent]

I am kind of an xxx sometimes, and enjoy seeing stupid people suffer.

I have lived in one of the most amazing spaces I have ever been exposed to for 28 years now. A beautiful river parkway with lots of wildlife,salmon runs every fall, wild turkeys, coyotes, herons, raccoons, and bald eagle nests just a few miles upstream, etc.

Lots of folks from the area that aren't lucky enough to be able to walk over drive there every day to enjoy it. Especially the river rafters. Cool.

A one day pass costs $5 for a regular vehicle. A little more for a vehicle with a trailered boat or a kayak, raft, etc. There are small launching fees that amount to much less than the beer in the cooler.

A basic 1 year park pass for all of the county parks is $50. Hang it on the mirror, no issues. If you are a disabled veteran, low income, blah blah it's much less.

We went for a walk this afternoon and I was pleased to see four vehicles in the big parking lot that purchased the $57 1 day parking plan. Let me explain what that is. That is what is costs to park when you ignore the $5/day plan and decide that you don't need to pay at all. When the county folks or the rangers see y'all doing that, you get a $57 parking ticket. And you can't register your car again until you pay your parking tickets.

[slusher]

Great story John. Sometimes it’s best to live in our own world. It sure keeps me happier!  Enjoy your buddy..

[Oldcarfan27]

That's a sweet dog! She sure does take care of you.

That reminds me of my family's cat, named Curious. She is a very contented and loyal pet. She never leaves the house (her own choice, but she always likes looking out the open door). She goes crazy over olives - they're like catnip to her. And she catches and eats bugs around the house - we haven't had to deal with indoor pests for years!

But the most curious thing about Curious, is that she is a lap cat with a special talent. When one of us is tired, achy or not feeling good, she will sit by or on us and knead at the very spot that is hurting. It's like she knows where we hurt and massages that painful area! We don't have to put her there she just comes over on her own and tries to make it "better".

Don't tell me that cat's don't like people!

[John1955]

On 5/17/2021 at 8:54 AM, NOBLNG said:

Your picture and story about Pip made me smile!

Funny, that movie with them in the phone booth was on tv the other day on a channel I never watch, and I tuned in just because there was no info at all about the movie in the guide. That’s when I realized it’s not a picture of John.😳

LOL, yes, that is Shemp from the "Brideless Groom" episode, I love the Three Stooges. It's truly amazing that the first episodes were made back in 1934 and that every generation since then continues to enjoy them. 

[John1955]

12 hours ago, Rodent said:

 

I have lived in one of the most amazing spaces I have ever been exposed to for 28 years now. A beautiful river parkway with lots of wildlife,salmon runs every fall, wild turkeys, coyotes, herons, raccoons, and bald eagle nests just a few miles upstream, etc.

Such things also make me smile as well. Although I grew up in a rural setting, I now live in a city, two blocks from downtown. But I am delighted to see that this small city has so many wild animals roaming around in it, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, possums and raccoons are often in my yard. The county courthouse is about two and a half blocks from me, and it's now common to see eagles flying to and from it. 

[John1955]

8 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

That's a sweet dog! She sure does take care of you.

That reminds me of my family's cat, named Curious. She is a very contented and loyal pet. She never leaves the house (her own choice, but she always likes looking out the open door). She goes crazy over olives - they're like catnip to her. And she catches and eats bugs around the house - we haven't had to deal with indoor pests for years!

But the most curious thing about Curious, is that she is a lap cat with a special talent. When one of us is tired, achy or not feeling good, she will sit by or on us and knead at the very spot that is hurting. It's like she knows where we hurt and massages that painful area! We don't have to put her there she just comes over on her own and tries to make it "better".

Don't tell me that cat's don't like people!

I so much enjoyed reading about Curious as I love cats! My neighborhood has many semi-feral cats, a local group captures them, has them spayed or neutered, then releases them back into the neighborhood. A local veterinarian performs this service at no cost. No one on my street has seen a mouse or rat in years, as I type this, three cats are sitting on my front porch. Like several others in this neighborhood, I buy cat food and feed them. 

I once had house cats, and you are right, cats do love people. When a dog or cat is loved, they return that love ten fold. A few times, when I let Pip outside to do her business, she will share the feed containers with the cats. They don't hiss at her and she doesn't growl at them. 

[Venom]

 

[Classicgas]

When I get home from work sometimes our 2 cats will jump up on me one in each arm and cuddle. 

[espo]

16 hours ago, Venom said:

 

Wow !!! No matter what types of music we listen to in our day to day lives, This is what stirs the soul.  

[cobraman]

That turned into quite a concert.

[Tom Geiger]

About newspapers.. we don’t get any, get our news on Internet and TV these days. A funny side effect.. I needed some newspaper to wrap some stuff for storage.. didn’t have any!

[Mark]

On 5/18/2021 at 10:56 AM, John1955 said:

LOL, yes, that is Shemp from the "Brideless Groom" episode, I love the Three Stooges. It's truly amazing that the first episodes were made back in 1934 and that every generation since then continues to enjoy them. 

The Stooges existed before they signed with Columbia in 1934, and Shemp (Sam) was a Stooge prior to Curly (Jerome) in the pre-Columbia, Ted Healy days.  The early stuff isn't as well crafted though, and hasn't worn as well. 

Shemp did a bunch of work in other films before returning to the Stooges in 1946 when Curly suffered a stroke.

[Tom Geiger]

What made me smile..I was at my daughter’s house and decided to weed their front garden.  I suddenly hear, “Papa!”  I look up and there are my 2 year old twin granddaughters. One says, “Papa has a hat!” And they both disappear, only to return minute later both wearing hats, smiling and waving!  Enough to melt your soul.  ❤️ 

[John1955]

8 hours ago, Mark said:

The Stooges existed before they signed with Columbia in 1934, and Shemp (Sam) was a Stooge prior to Curly (Jerome) in the pre-Columbia, Ted Healy days.  The early stuff isn't as well crafted though, and hasn't worn as well. 

Shemp did a bunch of work in other films before returning to the Stooges in 1946 when Curly suffered a stroke.

Totally correct, they were in vaudeville first in 1922, Samuel Horwitz (Shemp) was a stooge before younger brother Jerome (Curly) was. Curly's "woo woo woo"'s were because he couldn't always remember his lines, Moses (Moe) liked it though and they stayed in the final cut. I have several old movies in my collection with Shemp in them, he plays a Muslim merchant who is a fake, not Muslim at all and is arrested. He's hysterically funny in that part. He also played in several westerns in dramatic roles, but when Moe asked him to come back after Curly's stroke, he returned immediately. 

Curly did want to return, and did once on one episode, but not as one of the three stooges. He simply wasn't well enough, sadly he never recovered from that stroke. 
 

[stitchdup]

9 hours ago, John1955 said:

Totally correct, they were in vaudeville first in 1922, Samuel Horwitz (Shemp) was a stooge before younger brother Jerome (Curly) was. Curly's "woo woo woo"'s were because he couldn't always remember his lines, Moses (Moe) liked it though and they stayed in the final cut. I have several old movies in my collection with Shemp in them, he plays a Muslim merchant who is a fake, not Muslim at all and is arrested. He's hysterically funny in that part. He also played in several westerns in dramatic roles, but when Moe asked him to come back after Curly's stroke, he returned immediately. 

Curly did want to return, and did once on one episode, but not as one of the three stooges. He simply wasn't well enough, sadly he never recovered from that stroke. 
 

Didn't one of the stooges design medical equipment too? I seem to remember reading about a pacemaker or something similar

[TarheelRick]

Tomorrow is the last day of school and I will not see a bus until sometime in August.  Hopefully, by then, face masks will also be a thing of the past.