Jolly and I hang our heads with shame as we admit that today’s Jolly Monday is one of the first … dating back to June 2017, almost three years.  It is before the time when Jolly joined us, and before the somewhat more extensive smorgasboard we offer these days, but … it’s filled with fun & humour, and even those of you who saw it way back when have likely forgotten most of it!

Wha … huh … OH!  If you’re here already, I must’ve overslept!  Hold on just a minute … somebody hand me my glasses, please?  So sorry about that, but I’ve been keeping some pretty late hours lately.  So … this must mean it’s Monday, right?  Okay … Monday, Monday … can’t trust that day … rainy days and Mondays … YAWWWWNNN.  I’m afraid I didn’t bake any cinnamon rolls this morning, but I’ll have the coffee up in two shakes of a lamb’s tail …

There we go … that’s better, isn’t it?  What, Hugh?  Oh yes … just a sec …

Now, are we all set and ready to get this week off to a start with a bit of humour?  Who said that my bedhead was humorous enough???  Might have known it would be you, Jack … alright … here we go … prepare to chuckle or at least give me a smile …

When you go to a restaurant what is your favourite thing to order?  For me, it depends on the restaurant, but generally it is some sort of fish … either batter-fried cod, or salmon, or sometimes shrimp-fried-rice.  So, say you order salmon with a side salad and perhaps some rice pilaf, but when the server returns with you food in 20 minutes or so, she brings you fried chicken tenders and fries.  What do you do?  Send it back, or keep it and be satisfied?  Well, at The Restaurant of Order Mistakes (yes, that is its real name), you should be prepared to get something other than what you ordered!  The restaurant is in Tokyo’s Toyosu district, and its mission is to hire servers with dementia.

The restaurant is what is called a ‘pop-up’ restaurant – one that is temporary for anywhere from a few days to a few months.  This particular one was located inside Maggie’s Tokyo, the Japanese version of the UK’s Maggie’s Centers, which are support centers for cancer patients and their families. The pop-up lasted for three days, and another is planned in September for World Alzheimer’s Day. I think it is a great and fun idea, and I would love to try it once … assuming, that is, that there are no utterly disgusting things on the menu that I might inadvertently get stuck with, like eel, snake eggs, or snails!  Yes, I have a non-adventurous palate.

I am not sure if this gal just really, really wanted a drink, or if she had already had a tad too much and was just another obnoxious customer, but she sure as heck busted up the liquor store!  She strutted into a Southern California liquor store Monday and refused to go quietly, leaving behind aisles of shattered bottles that were knocked from shelves in a spirited encounter with an enforcement officer.  The damage is estimated at about $500, mostly champagne … the dame has expensive tastes.

Oh, and did I happen to mention that the customer in question was a … peahen?  (In case you don’t know, that is the female version of a peacock.)  Store manager Rani Ghanem was unaware of the peahen until a customer said, “Hey, uh, you have a bird inside your store.”  Rani deals with birds on a daily basis, but usually his encounters are limited to Wild Turkey , Famous Grouse, and Grey Goose, so he was a bit unsure what to do, especially when the bird swooped right over his head!  So, he called the Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA, and an animal control officer arrived shortly.  What ensued was a 6 minute struggle between man and beast … er … bird … but eventually the man won.  The peahen was last heard singing, “♫ I fought the law ♪ and the law won ♫” as she was carried out the door.  Yep, I believe she had a bit too much of the bubbly! You can watch the struggle between man and bird here.

Ever hear of a police officer being fired for being too friendly?  Well, such was the fate of Gavel, a German Shephard who was attending the police academy in Queensland, Australia.  See, Gavel much preferred getting belly rubs and tickles to tackling hardened criminals.  Police in Australia felt he “did not display the necessary aptitude for a life on the front line”.

Now, in government jobs, as we are all well aware, it isn’t so much what you know as who you know.  Turns out that Gavel knew people in high places, for he had been fostered at the official residence of the Queensland governor since he was six weeks old. So when the governor heard that poor Gavel was facing a lifetime of unemployment, he gave him a job … a much cushier job than chasing criminals, as it happens.  Gavel is now the official greeter and public relations canine at the Queensland’s Government House.  He welcomes guests, helps guide tours, and participates in ceremonial occasions.  Plus … he gets a really cool uniform to wear with the state emblems of Queensland.  And fringe benefits?  All the snuggles, belly rubs and tickles he can handle!  Way to go, Gavel!!!

Gavel with the Governor … Gov & Gav

In April, one of my ‘Jolly Monday’ posts included two stories about strange museums, an Ice Cream Museum and the Museum of Failures. Today I bring you another oddish museum, the Museum of Moist Towelettes.

Housed in the planetarium of the University of Michigan, the display features moist towelettes from all over the globe, all but one unopened.  The one that has been opened has historic value … it was used by Tom and Ray … you know, the car guys? Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the hosts of the radio program Car Talk. I used to read their column faithfully.  Other ‘interesting’ specimens include one called “Finger Pinkies,” which is advertised as “the secretary’s hand cleaner,” a few from the Hard Rock Cafés in Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, and a series with Star Trek-themed packaging from the show’s original run.

The display is said to be the least visited on campus … um gee, I wonder why?

Joke of the week:

A husband and wife were driving through Louisiana. As they approached Natchitoches, they started arguing about the pronunciation of the town. They argued back and forth, then they stopped for lunch. At the counter, the husband asked the blonde waitress, “Before we order, could you please settle an argument for us? Would you please pronounce where we are very slowly?” She leaned over the counter and said, “Burrr-gerrr Kiiing.”

Sigh.  Is it over already?  Do you have to go?  Couldn’t you just stay for an hour or so?  Sigh … okay, go if you must.  I’ve so enjoyed having you, and next Monday I promise to be awake, perky and have hot cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven!  I hope your week is good, that you don’t face any major crises, and that nobody switches the buttons on your telephone!  Keep safe, my dear friends, and remember to share that beautiful smile!!!

Somebody actually carved this avocado.  Pretty, but …. why???

And speaking of Simon & Garfunkel …

Wha … huh … OH!  If you’re here already, I must’ve overslept!  Hold on just a minute … somebody hand me my glasses, please?  So sorry about that, but I’ve been keeping some pretty late hours lately.  So … this must mean it’s Monday, right?  Okay … Monday, Monday … can’t trust that day … rainy days and Mondays … YAWWWWNNN.  I’m afraid I didn’t bake any cinnamon rolls this morning, but I’ll have the coffee up in two shakes of a lamb’s tail …

There we go … that’s better, isn’t it?  What, Hugh?  Oh yes … just a sec …

Now, are we all set and ready to get this week off to a start with a bit of humour?  Who said that my bedhead was humorous enough???  Might have known it would be you, Jack … alright … here we go … prepare to chuckle or at least give me a smile …

When you go to a restaurant what is your favourite thing to order?  For me, it depends on the restaurant, but generally it is some sort of fish … either batter-fried cod, or salmon, or sometimes shrimp-fried-rice.  So, say you order salmon with a side salad and perhaps some rice pilaf, but when the server returns with you food in 20 minutes or so, she brings you fried chicken tenders and fries.  What do you do?  Send it back, or keep it and be satisfied?  Well, at The Restaurant of Order Mistakes (yes, that is its real name), you should be prepared to get something other than what you ordered!  The restaurant is in Tokyo’s Toyosu district, and its mission is to hire servers with dementia.

The restaurant is what is called a ‘pop-up’ restaurant – one that is temporary for anywhere from a few days to a few months.  This particular one was located inside Maggie’s Tokyo, the Japanese version of the UK’s Maggie’s Centers, which are support centers for cancer patients and their families. The pop-up lasted for three days, and another is planned in September for World Alzheimer’s Day. I think it is a great and fun idea, and I would love to try it once … assuming, that is, that there are no utterly disgusting things on the menu that I might inadvertently get stuck with, like eel, snake eggs, or snails!  Yes, I have a non-adventurous palate.

I am not sure if this gal just really, really wanted a drink, or if she had already had a tad too much and was just another obnoxious customer, but she sure as heck busted up the liquor store!  She strutted into a Southern California liquor store Monday and refused to go quietly, leaving behind aisles of shattered bottles that were knocked from shelves in a spirited encounter with an enforcement officer.  The damage is estimated at about $500, mostly champagne … the dame has expensive tastes.

Oh, and did I happen to mention that the customer in question was a … peahen?  (In case you don’t know, that is the female version of a peacock.)  Store manager Rani Ghanem was unaware of the peahen until a customer said, “Hey, uh, you have a bird inside your store.”  Rani deals with birds on a daily basis, but usually his encounters are limited to Wild Turkey and Grey Goose, so he was a bit unsure what to do, especially when the bird swooped right over his head!  So, he called the Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA, and an animal control officer arrived shortly.  What ensued was a 6 minute struggle between man and beast … er … bird … but eventually the man won.  The peahen was last heard singing, “♫ I fought the law ♪ and the law won ♫” as she was carried out the door.  Yep, I believe she had a bit too much of the bubbly! You can watch the struggle between man and bird here.

Ever hear of a police officer being fired for being too friendly?  Well, such was the fate of Gavel, a German Shephard who was attending the police academy in Queensland, Australia.  See, Gavel much preferred getting belly rubs and tickles to tackling hardened criminals.  Police in Australia felt he “did not display the necessary aptitude for a life on the front line”.

Now, in government jobs, as we are all well aware, it isn’t so much what you know as who you know.  Turns out that Gavel knew people in high places, for he had been fostered at the official residence of the Queensland governor since he was six weeks old. So when the governor heard that poor Gavel was facing a lifetime of unemployment, he gave him a job … a much cushier job than chasing criminals, as it happens.  Gavel is now the official greeter and public relations canine at the Queensland’s Government House.  He welcomes guests, helps guide tours, and participates in ceremonial occasions.  Plus … he gets a really cool uniform to wear with the state emblems of Queensland.  And fringe benefits?  All the snuggles, belly rubs and tickles he can handle!  Way to go, Gavel!!!

Gavel with the Governor … Gov & Gav

In April, one of my ‘Jolly Monday’ posts included two stories about strange museums, an Ice Cream Museum and the Museum of Failures. Today I bring you another oddish museum, the Museum of Moist Towelettes.

Housed in the planetarium of the University of Michigan, the display features moist towelettes from all over the globe, all but one unopened.  The one that has been opened has historic value … it was used by Tom and Ray … you know, the car guys? Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the hosts of the radio program Car Talk. I used to read their column faithfully.  Other ‘interesting’ specimens include one called “Finger Pinkies,” which is advertised as “the secretary’s hand cleaner,” a few from the Hard Rock Cafés in Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, and a series with Star Trek-themed packaging from the show’s original run.

The display is said to be the least visited on campus … um gee, I wonder why?

Joke of the week:

A husband and wife were driving through Louisiana. As they approached Natchitoches, they started arguing about the pronunciation of the town. They argued back and forth, then they stopped for lunch. At the counter, the husband asked the blonde waitress, “Before we order, could you please settle an argument for us? Would you please pronounce where we are very slowly?” She leaned over the counter and said, “Burrr-gerrr Kiiing.”

Sigh.  Is it over already?  Do you have to go?  Couldn’t you just stay for an hour or so?  Sigh … okay, go if you must.  I’ve so enjoyed having you, and next Monday I promise to be awake, perky and have hot cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven!  I hope your week is good, that you don’t face any major crises, and that nobody switches the buttons on your telephone!  Keep safe, my dear friends, and remember to share that beautiful smile!!!

Somebody actually carved this avocado.  Pretty, but …. why???

And speaking of Simon & Garfunkel …