TGIF - 22 June 2012


Greetings once again (although not every Friday) from your TGIF
editor, down here in my TGIF dungeon. I usually complain about being down here in the windowless basement; but NOT today. It’s 92 degrees outside (33 C) and about 77 degrees (25 C) inside (upstairs), while down here it must be only about 70 degrees (21 C). So, I’ve come down here earlier than usual in order to escape the heat and I hope to find some good material to share with you today from my tgifjeff@gmail.com inbox.

I’m not going to apologize for not publishing one last week as I was
just too busy doing all my summer activities (you know: sprucing up
the yard, biking, golfing, playing tennis, planting flowers and mowing
the lawn. I’m the only one in our neighborhood who doesn’t have a
sit-down mower and so it takes some time, which I used to think was okay as it was good exercise but now I’m realizing that it’s too time consuming. So, I may brake down and buy a sit-down mower this summer.

Summer began officially in the northern hemisphere on Wednesday the 20th and it was a scorcher here. It got up to low 90s and was humid. Today (Thursday here as I draft this) is less humid and a bit breezy but it still got up to 92 F (33 C) I realize that is no big deal for many of you WFPers who live in warm/hot climates as we did. Our family remembers using AC in our third floor room in Islamabad where we got the temperature down to a comfortable 80 degrees F (27 C).

In fact, our house here is not air conditioned and there are usually
only about 3 days during the summer where we really need it. This
house is very well insulated and when we open windows at night, it
retains the cooler temperatures from the night/early morning. When we close all windows and doors when the outdoor temperature goes above the indoor temperature (usually between 9 and 10 a.m.) – it remains relatively cool inside and it feels like it’s air conditioned when coming in from outside when it’s very hot like these last few days.

Over in Europe it’s the UEFA EURO 2012 championships (jointly hosted by Poland and Ukraine) and they’ve reached the knockout stage, with 8 teams remaining, which include: Portugal, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France, Spain, England and Italy. May the best team win!

From John Cleese - British writer, actor and tall person.
A thought..............

Greece is collapsing, the Iranians, formerly Persians, are getting
aggressive and Rome is in disarray.

Welcome back to 430 BC.

*       *       *       *       *

The Euro Zone Crisis

This guy really knows how to describe a crisis :

"The market is currently like a strapless bra . . .
half of us are wondering what is holding it up;
and the other half are waiting for it to drop,
so they can grab the opportunity with both hands."

*       *       *       *       *
A man went into a dentist and said "how much will it cost to have
teeth taken out"
"$90" said the dentist.
"That’s ridiculous" said the man.
“I could lower the amount of anaesthetic and it would cost $60"
responded the dentist.
"That’s still to expensive,” said the man.
"If I don't use any anaesthesia I could knock the price down to $20".
“Still too much” said the man.
“Well, one of my students can do it for $10” said the dentist.
"Perfect" said the man, "book my wife for next Tuesday".
*       *       *       *       *
And God promised men that good and obedient wives would be found in all corners of the world.

Then He made the earth round....and laughed and laughed and laughed...

*       *       *       *       *
It’s 11 p.m. – Do you know where your husband is?

He said to me: What do you call a woman who knows where her husband is every night?

I said to him:  A widow.

*       *       *       *       *

Her EX-HUSBAND

"I still miss my ex-husband.......but my aim's improving."

*       *       *       *       *
A wife went to the police station with her next-door neighbor to
report that her husband was missing. The policeman asked for a
description. She said, "He's 35 years old, 6 foot 4, has dark eyes,
dark wavy hair, an athletic build, weighs 185 pounds, is soft-spoken, and is good to the children." The next-door neighbor protested, "Your husband is 5 foot 4, chubby, bald, has a big mouth, and is mean to your children." The wife replied, "Yes, but who wants HIM back?"
*       *       *       *       *

Relationship With a Significant Other ...

If you want someone who will eat whatever you put in front of him and never say it's not quite as good as his mother's

… then get a dog.


If you want someone always willing to go out, at any hour, for as long and wherever you want ...


… then get a dog.

If you want someone who will never touch the remote, doesn't care
about football, and can sit next to you as you watch romantic movies

... then get a dog.

If you want someone who is content to get on your bed just to warm
your feet and whom you can push off if he snores

... then get a dog.

If you want someone who never criticizes what you do, doesn't care if you are pretty or ugly, fat or thin, young or old, who acts as if
every word you say is especially worthy of listening to, and loves you unconditionally, perpetually ..

... then get a dog.

BUT, on the other hand, if you want someone who will never come when you call, ignores you totally when you come home, leaves hair all over the place, walks all over you, runs around all night and only comes home to eat and sleep, and acts as if your entire existence is solely to ensure his happiness ....

...then get a cat!

*       *       *       *       *

ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE

I propose a tax on all individuals who destroy the English language.
We’ll call it a “syn tax”.

*       *       *       *       *

Another one on language that I saw on Facebook was the sign for what I imagine was to be advertising a place where kids exchange messages or maybe parents exchange their kids for better ones, I’m not sure. In any case, here is the sign:

KIDSEXCHANGE

Spaces - - - They’re more important than you might think.

*       *       *       *       *

On a farm out in the country lived a man and a woman and their three sons.

Early one morning, the woman awoke, and while looking out of the
window onto to the pasture, she saw that the family's only cow was
lying dead in the field. The situation looked hopeless to her. How
could she possibly continue to feed her family now? In a depressed
state of mind, she hung herself.

When the husband awoke to find his wife dead, as well as the cow, he too began to see the hopelessness of the situation, and he shot
himself in the head.

Now the oldest son woke up to discover his parents dead (and the cow), and he decided to go down to the river and drown himself. When he got to the river, he discovered a mermaid sitting on the bank. She said, "I've seen all and know the reason for your despair. But if you will have sex with me five times in a row, I will restore your parents and the cow to you." The son agreed to try, but after four times, he was simply unable to satisfy her again. So the mermaid drowned him in the river.

Next the second oldest son woke up. After discovering what had
happened, he too decided to throw himself into the river. The mermaid saw him and said to him, "If you will have sex with me ten times in a row, I will make everything right."

And while the second son tried his best (seven times), it was not
enough to satisfy the mermaid, so she drowned him in the river.

The youngest son woke up and saw his parents dead, the dead cow in the field, and his brothers gone. He decided that life was a hopeless prospect, and he went down to the river to throw himself in. And there he also met the mermaid. "I have seen all that has happened, and I can make everything right if you will only have sex with me fifteen times in a row."

The youngest son replied, "Is that all? Why not twenty times in a row?"

The mermaid was somewhat taken aback by this statement. Then he said,"Hell, why not twenty-five times in a row?" And even as she was reluctantly agreeing to his request, he said, "Why not THIRTY times in a row?"

Finally, she said, "Enough! Okay, if you will have sex with me thirty
times in a row, then I will bring everybody back to perfect health."

Then the young son asked, "Wait! How do I know that thirty times in a row won't kill you like it did the cow?"

*       *       *       *       *
A cannibal entered the meat market to buy something nice for dinner.
The owner greeted him and told him to look around. The cannibal began to inspect the meat case and noticed the market specialized in brain.
Upon further inspection he noticed a marked disparity between the
costs of brain meats. A carpenter's brain sells for $1.50 per pound. A plumber's brain sells for $2.25 per pound. He noticed with alarm that a politician's brain sells for $375.00 a pound.
With not a little curiosity he asked the owner why the huge difference in price between the similar meats.
The owner responded with a deadpan look on his face, "Do you realize how many politicians it takes to get a pound of brains?"
*       *       *       *       *
MOSES AND GOD

Moses died and went to heaven. God greets him at the Pearly Gates.
'Are you hungry, Moses?' asks God.
'I could eat,' Moses replies.
So God opens a can of tuna and reaches for a chunk of rye bread and they share it. While partaking of this humble meal, Moses looks down into Hell and sees the inhabitants devouring huge steaks, briskets, pheasants, pastries and wines. Curious but deeply trusting, he remains quiet.
The next day God again invites Moses to join him for a meal. Again
it's tuna and rye bread. And, again, Moses can see those denizens of Hell enjoying salmon, champagne, lamb, truffles and chocolates. Still he says nothing.
The following day, mealtime arrives and another can of tuna is opened.
He can't contain himself any longer. Meekly he says “God, I am
grateful to be here in heaven with You as a reward for the pious,
obedient life I led. But here in heaven all I get to eat is tuna and a
piece of rye bread, and in that 'other place' they all eat like
emperors and kings! I just don't understand.
God sighs. 'Let's be honest,' God says. 'For just two people, does it
really pay to cook'?
*       *       *       *       *
YOU GOTTA LUV THE IRISH!
Paddy rings his new girlfriend's door bell, with a big bunch of
flowers. She opens the door, sees the flowers and drags him in. She lies on her back on the couch, pulls her skirt up, rips her knickers off and says 'This is for the flowers!'
'Don't be silly,' says Paddy, 'You must have a vase somewhere!'
*       *       *       *       *

It’s time for a TGIF GOLDEN CLASSIC

SISTER MARY ANN'S GASOLINE

Sister Mary Ann, who worked for a home health agency, was out making her rounds visiting homebound patients when she ran out of gas. As luck would have it, a Texaco Gasoline station was just a block away.

She walked to the station to borrow a gas can and buy some gas. The attendant told her that the only gas can he owned had been loaned out, but she could wait until it was returned. Since Sister Mary Ann was on the way to see a patient, she decided not to wait and walked back to her car.
She looked for something in her car that she could fill with gas and
spotted the bedpan she was taking to the patient. Always resourceful, Sister Mary Ann carried the bedpan to the station, filled it with gasoline, and carried the full bedpan back to her car.

As she was pouring the gas into her tank, two Baptists watched from across the street…..

One of them turned to the other and said, 'If it starts, I'm turning
Catholic.'!!!

*       *       *       *       *

Time to close and get this to the TGIF proofreader to spot all my misteaks.

It’s tennis weekend at Cape Cod and am looking forward to some good tennis, some good biking and some good seafood over the next several days – along with good friends.

Hope you all have a great weekend too! Stay cool!

TGI-Jeff

TGIF - 08 June 2012


Greetings to all of you after a few weeks away from Vermont, and this
TGIF dungeon. As I mentioned in my last issue, 3 weeks ago, Pam and I
flew out to San Diego to attend our son Philip’s graduation from USD
and spent a week in Mission Beach with older brother Nate (and his
wife Karen) and our son Jonathan (and his girl Mary) in an oceanside
condo which was just around the corner from Phil’s place (a nice
little place for 2 that had 5 guys sharing it!!!). Nearby in Rancho
Bernardo are/were my sister Noreen and her husband Steve. So, it was a
Dick family reunion in addition to being a celebration for Phil’s
graduation. A great time was had by all!

I stopped off in Grinnell, Iowa on my return trip to attend a college
reunion. The most alumni ever to attend a reunion were there. More
than 1300, which was about the enrollment of the college when I
attended long, long ago. In fact, it was so long ago that they didn’t
even offer a “history” course. Actually, that’s a joke - - - (duh!) as
I took several history courses and even saw one of my history profs
who was also my “adviser”. It was only my second reunion as it was
almost impossible to attend while being posted in Africa or Asia with
WFP. Although some of my Grinnell College year’s friends do attend,
many of my good friends of that era do not attend. So, I end up
meeting and spending time with other alumni whom I did not know well
back then – which was great. But the short 3-day reunion ends and you
wonder why you didn’t spend more time with so many of these fellow
alums. Just not enough time. Maybe next time.

As a result of this reunion, and a fellow Grinnell alumnus who
actively seeks out potential new TGIF members, I have added a few new
names and addresses to the master list. And despite what one alumna
thought, who I saw there, this TGIF thing is not only going to
Grinnellians, but also to family and friends and fellow WFP colleagues spread over the globe.

So, you all have had 3 weeks to submit some new material. I’ve just
reviewed the inbox for those 3 weeks and I barely found enough for
this edition. So, you’d better work hard to pay your dues. In fact, I
just may have to “occupy” some of your offices until you send me some
good ones as only 1% of you are contributing, while the other 99% are
“free-loading”.

Okay, let’s dive in!

Is this an Irish joke or a blonde joke?

Two Irishmen were standing at the base of a flagpole, looking baffled.
A blonde walked by and asked them what they were doing.

Paddy replied, “We're supposed to be finding the height of this
flagpole, but we don't have a ladder.”

The blonde promptly took an adjustable spanner from her bag, undid a
few bolts and laid the flagpole down on the ground. She produced a
tape measure, ran it from one end of the flagpole to the other,
announced that the length of the pole was 6.5 metres, and then calmly
walked off.

Mick shook his head in disbelief. “Isn't that just like a blonde,' he
complained to Paddy. 'We need the height, and she gives us the
length!”
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

Permanent Parking

As the coffin was being lowered into the ground at a Traffic Wardens
funeral, a voice from inside screams

“I’m not dead, I’m not dead. Let me out!”

The Minister smiles, leans forward sucking air through his teeth and mutters

“Too late pal, I’ve already done the paperwork”

*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
Tetanus Shot

The old man in his mid-eighties struggles to get up from the couch
then starts putting his coat on.
His wife, seeing his unexpected behaviour, asks, "And where do you
think you are going?"
He replies, "I'm off to the doctor."
She says, "Why, are you sick?"
He says, "Nope, I'm going to get me some of that Viagra stuff."
Hearing this, the wife starts struggling to get out of her rocker, she
then slowly goes to the closet and starts to put on her coat.
The husband now looks mystified and starts to yell at his wife. He
says, "And where on earth do you think you are going?
“Oh” she answers, "I'm off to the doctor, too."
He says, "Why, what do you need a doctor for?"
She says, "Well if you're going to start using that rusty old thing
again, I'm getting a tetanus shot!"
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

TWO AUSSIE FISHERMEN

Two Aussies, Ferret & Knackers, were adrift in a life boat.

While rummaging through the boat's provisions, Ferret stumbled across
an old lamp.

He rubbed it vigorously and sure enough out popped a genie .

This genie, however was a little different. He stated he could only
deliver one wish, not the standard three.

Without giving much thought, Ferret blurted out, "Turn the entire
ocean into beer. Make that Victoria Bitter!"

The genie clapped his hands with a deafening crash, and immediately
the sea turned
into that hard-earned thirst quencher. The genie vanished.

Only the gentle lapping of beer on the hull broke the stillness as the
two men considered their circumstances.

Knackers looked disgustedly at Ferret whose wish it was had been granted.

After a long, tension-filled moment Knackers said, "Nice going
Dickhead! Now we're going to have to piss in the boat"

*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

A man calls home to his wife and says, "Honey I have been asked to go
fishing at a big lake up in Vermont with my boss and several of his
friends. We'll be gone for a week. This is a good opportunity for me
to get that promotion I've been wanting, so would you please pack me
enough clothes for a week and set out my rod and tackle box. We're
leaving from the office and I will swing by the house to pick my
things up. Oh! And please pack my new blue silk pajamas."

The wife thinks this sounds a little fishy (so to speak!), but being a
good wife she does exactly what her husband asked. The following
weekend he comes home a little tired but otherwise looking good.

The wife welcomes him home and asks if he caught many fish. He says,
"Yes! Lots of walleye, some northern trout and a few pike. But why
didn't you pack my new blue silk pajamas like I asked you to do?"

The wife replies; "I did, they were in your tackle box."

*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

WHY CONDOMS COME IN BOXES OF 3, 6, AND 12

A man walks into a drug store with his 8-year old son. They happen to
walk by the condom display, and the boy asks, "What are these, Dad?"

To which the man matter-of-factly replies, "Those are called condoms
son. Men use them to have safe sex."

"Oh I see," replied the boy pensively. Yes, I've heard of that in
health class at school."

He looks over the display and picks up a package of 3 and asks, "Why
are there 3 in this package?"

The dad replies, "Those are for high school boys, one for Friday, one
for Saturday, and one for Sunday."

"Cool" says the boy. He notices a 6 pack and asks, "Then who are these for?"

"Those are for college men," the dad answers, TWO for Friday, TWO for
Saturday, and TWO for Sunday."

"WOW!" exclaimed the boy, "then who uses THESE?" he asks, picking up a 12 pack.

With a sigh and a tear in his eye, the dad replied, "Those are for
married men. One for January, one for February, one for March......."

*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

MOTHER SUPERIOR

Mother Superior was on her way to late morning prayers, when she
passed two novices just leaving early morning prayers on their way to
classes. As she passed the young ladies, Mother
Superior said, "Good morning, ladies."

The novices replied, "Good morning, Mother Superior, may God be with you."

But after they had passed, Mother Superior heard one say to the other,
"I think she got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning."

This startled Mother Superior but she chose not to pursue the issue. A
little further down the hall, Mother Superior passed two of the
Sisters who had been teaching at the convent for several years.
She greeted them with, "Good morning, Sister Martha, Sister Jessica,
may God give you wisdom for our students today."

“Good morning, Mother Superior. Thank you and may God be with you."

But again, after passing, Mother Superior overheard, "She got out of
the wrong side of bed today."

Baffled, she started to wonder if she had spoken harshly or with an
irritated look on her face.
She vowed to be more pleasant. Looking down the hall, Mother Superior
saw retired Sister Mary approaching, step by step, with her walker.

As Sister Mary was rather deaf, Mother Superior had plenty of time to
arrange a pleasant smile on her face, before greeting Sister Mary.

"Good morning, Sister Mary. I'm so happy to see you up and about. I
pray God watches over you today, and grant you a wonderful day."

"Ah, Good morning Mother Superior and thank you. I see you got up on
the wrong side of the bed this morning."

Mother Superior was floored!

"Sister Mary, what have I done wrong? I have tried to be pleasant but
three times already today people have said that about me."

Sister Mary stopped her walker, and looked Mother Superior in the
face. "Oh, don't take it personally, Mother Superior. It's just that
you're wearing Father Murphy's slippers.


*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

It’s time for the TGIF Golden Classic.

The Nun in Hooters

A nun, badly needing to use the restroom, walked into a local Hooters.
It was hopping with loud music and conversation, and occasionally the
lights went out.
Whenever they went out, the place erupted in cheers.
However, when the revelers saw the nun, the room went dead silent.

She walked up to the bartender and asked, 'May I please use the restroom?'
The bartender replied, 'OK, but I should warn you that inside, there
is a statue of a man wearing only a fig leaf.'

'Well, in that case, I'll just look the other way,' said the nun.
So the bartender showed the nun to the back of the restaurant.

After a few minutes she came out, and the whole place erupted in loud applause.

She went to the bartender and said, 'Sir, I don't understand.
Why did they applaud just because I went to the restroom?'

'Well, now they know you're one of us,' said the bartender. 'Would you
like a drink?'
'No thank you, but I still don't understand,' replied the puzzled nun.

'You see,' laughed the bartender, 'every time someone lifts the fig
leaf on that statue, the lights go out. Now, how about that drink?'
*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
Yes. It’s Thursday evening here and I’m ready for a drink as the
Celtics (vs. Heat in Game 6) is about ready to start and I must get up
there and cheer on Rondo and those old guys (!!!)

Then tomorrow it’s off to another reunion down near Philly. It’s a
Taft family reunion and we are looking forward to it. The only
downside is the 6-hour drive down (Friday) and back (on Sunday).

Hope you all have a great weekend too!

Until next Friday, all the best!

TGI-Jeff