Foreign Object

Honestly ..... Rupe believes there's not much he can do about this situation.

Instead, looking the other way, swallowing hard and keeping the peace .....

...................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

..... add 12 ..... carry the 3 .....

A true conversation:

We pulled up to school early this morning. I stopped and glanced toward the back to see if Reed was still doing whatever homework she was doing when we first got in the car back home.

“Are you done?”

“No. I still have to add up the minutes for my reading log … then I’m done.”

“I can do that. Just tell me what they are.”

“Okay. Ready? Here goes. 30 … 30 … 43 … Do you have it?”

“Yes. Keep going …”

“… 39 … 44 … 28 … 53 …”

“Hold on … wait … okay …”

“… 43 … 53 …”

“Wait! Hold on a minute. Seriously? How many are there?”

“There’s the rest of the month, every day I did reading.”

“For October? Thirty-one days .. ?!? I’m going to need a calculator!”

“Nevermind. I can do it later.”

“I can do it. Leave it here, I’ll do it up real quick and leave it for you while you’re in rehearsal. ‘Kay?”

“Okay. See you later! Thank, Dad!”

I pulled out my cellphone and notched it over to the calculator function.

Ruprecht: Not the human calculator he thought he was.

*sigh*

....................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Can I Borrow A $200.00 Bill?

My daughter routinely carries around $200.00 bills.

It's what she uses to pay for things.

So, when new fish were needed - and throw in a few ghost shrimp to boot - she paid with a $200.00 bill. And a penny. Easy peasy, Japanesey.

Okay .... so maybe she didn't. But the lady working the register just insisted my daughter paid $200.00 for $5.71 worth of water-dwelling creatures.

The fact of the matter was it was nothing of the sort. It was a mere $10.00 that was given to the register lady. Seriously ... how in the world do you mistake $10.00 for $200.00 ... ?!?!?

A verbal volley ensued. $194.40 was due back as change and she wasn't going to take no for an answer. My wife countered. The register lady tossed it back. My wife re-countered. Back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. The register lady was very insistent we were due what we were due.

In the end, we were the winner. And in hindsight - and without probably knowing it because she was still steamed she couldn't give away free money - so was the register lady.

Because she would have had a load of fun trying to explain why her register was $190.00 light that night .....

....................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

No Scalp Too Big

Years and years ago, Rupe dressed as a crazed, rumple-suited, gaunt figure with loads of powder in his hair, tons of make-up on his face and carried a (ceramic but realistic looking) life-sized skull around everywhere he went.

(The skull's name was - and still is - Bill. And Bill continues to make Halloween appearances each and every year. He's happy that way .....)

Rupe had the cards below printed up especially for the occasion. They were handed out to any- and everyone Rupe happened upon. And then, Rupe would simply walk off.

That was a fun Halloween .....

.................... Oom-Belli ( STOP )

Honoring An Agreement

I lost a bet.

It was loads of fun to do. I recommend it highly.

Patty liked the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series. I liked (and always have) The Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a match made in heaven to get us together and bet on the game.

The bet? Whoever loses wears the opposing team's colors, et al and posts pictures of same. It's a simple bet. And that's what makes it all the sweeter.

I must admit: It's usually a chore for me to lose a bet. But I had no qualms about losing this one.

Oh ... I grumbled and grouched and anguished mentally when my beloved Dodgers bit the dust with barely a whimper. They practically laid down their arms and gave up the fight, it seemed. Hard to swallow.

So ... under these circumstances, wouldn't it be equally difficult to come to terms with the ground rules of the wager? One would think so.

A bit surprisingly, however, at the final out and with the realization I had lost the bet ... no sinking feeling ... it wasn't a problem. I was actually looking forward to honoring my end of the bargain.

And so ... here it is. In glorious color, for your dining and dancing pleasure. Without a whimper, without a (genuine) tear shed.

Congratulations, Patty, to your Phillies. May they do well in the World Series.

I will be rooting for them ..... over those dastardly, pinstriped New York Yankees .....
























Oh. And, just to make things a bit more fun and take the wager a bit further, I wore said shirt out in public, too. I did so while picking up my youngest daughter from school.

The look on her face says it all:

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww, Dad! How could you be dressed so in a Phillies' shirt ... ?!?!?"

..................... Ruprecht ( STOP )

NLDS, Game 2 .....

I was fortunate enough (courtesy of a friend from New Jersey - thanks loads, Matt!) to head to the second game of the National League Division Series October 8th to see the Los Angeles Dodgers commit a grand and glorious come-from-behind win over the St. Louis Cardinals and take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

The Dodgers would go on to sweep the Cards and move onward to the National League Championship Series.

This game, however, was a kicker. The opposing pitcher flung a gem of a game, giving up a mere homerun and a three hit performance before leaving the game undecided.

A few pictures of my buddy Ken and I and 50,000+ of our closest friends .....

Yeah ... it's a bit packed tonight .....

Really ... ??? A line to get into the men's restroom ... ?!?!?

This guy is one of my best friends
when I'm watching the game from the comfort of my living room .....

Yup. That's Slash of Guns 'N' Roses, doing the National Anthem .....

Hey! McCourt! Lasorda! Down in front!
I'm a paying customer and I can't see, already!

I have no explanation for this guy .....

Manny at the plate .....

The eventual win and final score .....

Grins and hugs and backslaps all around .....

Car to guess which ones are the bankers?
We had these knuckleheads in stitches the entire afternoon.

Half an hour after the final winning hit, they're headed for the exits .....

Ken didn't want evidence he had, indeed, lost his car .....

I just had to get a picture
with the lone Cardinals fan in the stadium .....

You betcha .....

.................. Ruprecht ( STOP )

The Gonk

Complete ... with bad quality and extra cheese .....

..................... Ruprecht ( STOP )