Friday, March 21, 2025, Tracy Gray

  Theme:  Precision steering!

In today's puzzle, constructor Tracy Gray challenges us to turn on a dime -- a maneuver that requires precison and flexibility.  Each theme answer begins going Across or Down, and then TURNS on the D in DIME to head the other direction.  

Here are the theme clues and answers:

5 Across. Collection of matching cruets: COND.  With 8 Down. --: DIMENT SET.  Condiment set. The answer reads across and then down, turning on the D of DIME.

A matching cruet set.

1 Down. "Happy our paths crossed!": GLAD. With 19 Across. --: D I MET YOU.  Glad I met you.  The answer reads down and then across, turning on the D of DIME.

32 Across. Violinist recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986: YEHUD. With 33 Down. --: DI MENUHIN.  Yehudi Menuhin.  The answer reads across and then down, turning on the D of DIME.  Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1999), was an American-born violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in Britain. He is widely considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century.

Yehudi Menuhin

41 Down. With 69-Across, change quickly, and a hint to completing three other long answers in this puzzle: TURN ON A D.  With 69 Across. See 41-Down: DIME.  Turn on a dime.  This revealing clue spells out what's been going on with the other themers; they all turn on the D of DIME.

It's neat how the theme answers alternate starting Across or Down.

Let's see how these tight turns look in the grid: 

Okay, if we haven't TURNed you off yet, let's look at the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. Fare topped with tzatziki: GYRO.  A Greek sandwich of grilled meat, tomato, onion, and yogurt sauce (tzatziki) on pita bread.

Veggie gyros for me, please!

5. [Theme clue with 8 Down]

9. "__ we cool?": ARE.  Some of our solvers object to conversational prompts like this one.

12. Like some handwriting: LOOPY.

Apparently, the style of your loops says something about you.

14. Deer friend of Thumper: BAMBI.

Bambi and Thumper.
Thumper's wisdom is frequently cited in our Comments section.

15. WC: LAV.  In British English, "WC" (short for water closet), "lav" (short for lavatory) and "loo" are common terms, all referring to a room with a toilet. 

16. Striped stone: AGATE.

17. Silk region of India: ASSAM.

18. Word with breaker or maker: ICE.  An ice breaker is usually a ship designed for breaking a channel through ice, or something that relieves tensions between people or starts a conversation.  An ice maker is found in the freezer compartment of most modern refrigerators.

19. [Theme clue with 1 Down]

21. Lasting memory of an old flame?: EMBER.  Cute.  The remains of an actual flame, not a romantic attachment.

23. One of three in bunco: DIE.  Die is the singular form of dice.  The game of Bunco uses 3 of them.

24. Pharyngeal tissue: ADENOID.  Adenoids are masses of lymphatic tissue located at the back of the nasal cavity, behind the roof of the mouth.  The pharynx is a hollow, muscular tube inside the neck that starts behind the nose and opens into the larynx and esophagus. Pharyngeal means relating to, located in, or produced in the region of the pharynx.  Don't you feel better?

27. Vis-à-vis: AS TO.  French for "face-to-face," we use vis-à-vis to mean "with regard to."

30. Painter's board: PALETTE.  Typically, a wooden board on which an artist keeps paint handy while painting, and mixes paints to obtain desired hues.

32. [Theme clue with 33 Down]

34. Future JDs' exams: LSATS.  Someone who wants to obtain a Juris Doctor (law degree) has to take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test).

35. Aromatic tree: FIR.  Well known to anyone who has had a fir tree in the house for the holidays.

38. Expressing feeling: EMOTIVE.

40. Eventually, with "in": DUE TIME.

42. Honorific for 32-Across: SIR.  Indeed, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Yehudi Menuhin.

43. Simpson with a blue beehive: MARGE.

Marge Simpson

45. Turkey's national flower: TULIP.

46. London district that includes Shaftesbury Avenue: WEST END.  Fancy shops, restaurants, and theatre.

48. Home facelift, informally: RENO.  Short for renovation.

49. Heartfelt: EARNEST.

51. Legged it: RAN.

53. High-priced Japanese beef: WAGYU.  Wagyu is the collective name for the four principal Japanese breeds of beef cattle. All wagyu cattle originate from cross-breeding between native Japanese cattle and imported stock, mostly from Europe.

Wagyu cow -- prized for the fatty streaks in her muscles.

54. Support neighborhood shops, say: BUY LOCAL.

59. Bungle: ERR.

60. Ask (for): HIT UP.  Youngest is getting married.  She is going to HIT us UP for wedding funds.

63. Novelist Shreve: ANITA.  Anita Hale Shreve (1946-2018) was an American novelist.  One of her first published stories, Past the Island, Drifting was awarded an O. Henry Prize in 1976.  In 1999, Oprah Winfrey selected Shreve's novel The Pilot's Wife for her book club.  Three of Shreve's novels were made into movies:  The Weight of Water, Resistance, and The Pilot's Wife.

64. The "A" of 61-Down: ALE.  IPA is India Pale Ale.

65. "That's not for me": I PASS.  Answer to "Wanna join us for karaoke?" and many other invitations.

66. Held back for now: SAT ON.  As in, officials SAT ON evidence that might have exonerated (or incriminated) a person.  Or, I sat on my response to the karaoke invitation.

67. Pastrami bread: RYE.  Pastrami and rye go together like hummus and crudités.

68. __ a one: NARY.  "Nary a one" means not a single one.

69. [Theme clue with 41 Down]

Down:

1. [Theme clue with 19 Across]

2. Hatha practitioner: YOGI.  Hatha yoga is a traditional form of yoga that focuses on physical postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama).  A yogi is a practitioner of yoga.

3. Incur cellphone charges, maybe: ROAM.

4. Unsubscribed: OPTED OUT.  We opt out of unwanted email blasts by unsubscribing.

5. Informal duds: CASUALS.  Do you refer to your casual wear as casuals?  I don't!

6. Mantra syllables: OMS.  Om is a sacred sound in Hinduism, representing the divine.  It can be used as a mantra, which is a sacred sound or a group of sounds or words, used as a tool in meditation.

7. Org. that includes nets and Nets: NBA.  The National Basketball Association has nets on hoops, and also the Brooklyn Nets as a team.

8. [Theme clue with 5 Across]

9. Story backed up by a witness, hopefully: ALIBI.

10. Zoomed: RACED.

11. "Best. Day. __!": EVER.  Woo hoo!

13. Igloo rival: YETI.  Igloo and Yeti make coolers to keep food cold when camping.

14. Bun cooked in a bamboo steamer: BAO.  Bao are a type of soft, steamed bun that originated in China and are widely enjoyed across East Asia. They're a popular street food due to their versatility and ease of preparation. Bao can be served either filled or unfilled, making them adaptable for various recipes.  Waseeley showed us some meaty ones yesterday.

20. "You got that right!": YEP.

22. Stooge with the shortest name: MOE.  A shout out to our Chairman Moe, who alternates Friday blog duties with the Malodorous Manatee.

Moe Howard of the Three Stooges

25. Muffle: DEADEN.

26. Caesarean delivery?: ET TU.  Perhaps the last words of Julius Caesar, as he was assassinated by Roman senators:  Et tu, Brute? (You too, Brutus?).  

Detail from The Death of Julius Caesar (1806) by Vincenzo Camuccini.

27. Yes votes: AYES.

28. Big rig: SEMI.  A semi-trailer truck is the combination of a tractor unit and one or more semi-trailers to carry freight.  They are known by various names, including "semis," "semitrailers," "tractor-trailers," "big rigs," "semi-trucks," "eighteen-wheelers," and "semi-tractor-trailers."

29. Brother of Balder: THOR.  In Norse mythology, Baldr is the brother of Thor, and in Marvel Comics, Balder the Brave is the half-brother of Thor.

Thor, I recognize.  Balder, not so much.

31. Tips off: ALERTS.

33. [Theme clue with 32 Across]

35. Mani-pedi tool: FILE.

36. "Wouldn't miss it for the world!": I'M IN.  Substituting one phrase for another is a pet peeve of some of our solvers.

37. Collector's item?: REPO.  If you default on payments for property, the debt may be referred to collections.  Part of that process may involve the REPO man (repossession agent) coming to get the unpaid for item, often a car, which itself may then be called a REPO.

39. Mantel piece: VASE.  A vase is a piece of decoration that you might display on a mantel.

41. [Theme clue with 69 Across]

44. "Stop dawdling!": GET BUSY.  Another substitution of one phrase for another.

46. Like some humor: WRY.  Humor that is sarcastic, cynical, biting, or ironic.

47. Like some humor: DRY.  Humor delivered with a straight face and a serious tone.

49. In advance: EARLY.

50. Say yes: AGREE.

52. Sad sigh: ALAS.

53. Sport: WEAR.  As in, he showed up sporting CASUALS.

55. FedEx rival: UPS.  United Parcel Service.

56. Amex rival: CITI.  American Express and Citibank both offer credit cards.

57. Bohr model subject: ATOM.  Niels Bohr developed a model of the atom from 1911 to 1918.  It improved on earlier models, but was replaced by the quantum atomic model in the 1920s.

58. Assignment for a swimmer or a sprinter: LANE.  Our blog mistress, C.C., says she is assigned to lane one because she's not the faster swimmer in the pool.  She is, however, swimming faster than everyone who is *not* in the pool.

61. Brewpub brew: IPA.  India Pale Ale.  See 64 Across!

62. Road or roof goo: TAR.

I hope you enjoyed the twists and TURNs of Tracy's puzzle, and that my exposition was not too

NaomiZ

Sunday September 24, 2023 Tracy Gray

Theme: "Exchanging Words" - One word in each common phrase is replaced by X.

21. Big name in health insurance associations: BLUE X BLUE SHIELD. Blue Cross Blue Shield.

35. Quaint emporium: FIVE AND X CENT STORE. Five-and-ten-cent store.

47. Preschool activity with crayons: COLOR X NUMBER. Color by number.

67. Go it alone: X OUT ON ONE'S OWN. Strike out on one's own.

87. Hopeful expression after two failures: THIRD X A CHARM. Third time's a charm.

96. Tony Award-winning musical based on a Manuel Puig novel: X OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. Kiss of the Spider Woman.

116. Irving Stone novel about Michelangelo: THE AGONY AND THE X.  The Agony and the Ecstasy.

We've had a few puzzles in which X has different meanings. I don't recall such a replacement approach.

Hard to believe, but this is Tracy's first LAT Sunday. She's a veteran constructor known for her creative themes. 

Low-word count. Only 138 entries. Our average is between 142 and 144.

 

Across:

1. Beach community near Tourmaline Surfing Park: LA JOLLA.

8. Bear claw or beaver tail: PASTRY. Unfamiliar with beaver tail. 

14. Hunk of granite: SLAB.

18. Seething: AT A BOIL.

19. Former first lady, familiarly: JACKIE O. Often see musty Life & Look magazines at our local flea market. So many articles about her.

20. Room: SPACE.

23. Foam art medium: LATTE.

24. Lacking: SANS.

25. Like many Etsy shops: ARTSY.

26. "Don't change a thing!": I ADORE IT.

28. Mirror fogger: STEAM.

31. Old Pontiac muscle car: GTO.

32. Long time: EON.

34. Tabloid twosome: ITEM.

41. "The Voice" coach Gwen: STEFANI. No Doubt.

45. Measles symptom: RED DOT.

46. Pop star: IDOL.

51. Bogus: NOT REAL.

53. Big exporter of saffron: IRAN. Vidwan probably has this from time to time.

54. Tart-tasting fruit: SLOE.

55. Firewood protector: TARP.

58. Nintendo princess: ZELDA.

59. Sheet type: FITTED.

62. Mmes., in Mérida: SRAS.

64. Electronic control mechanisms, briefly: SERVOS. Learning moment for me.

66. Base for some sashimi: ICE.

 

70. Actress Vardalos: NIA.

73. Squanders: WASTES.

74. Entwined: WOVE.

75. Line that intersects a circle in two places: SECANT.

77. Three-dimensional: CUBIC.

80. 61-Down follower: TRES. 61. 80-Across preceder: DOS.

82. Belgian surrealist Magritte: RENE.

84. "Hold __ your hat!": ON TO.

85. Like pedi-showing shoes: OPEN TOE.

91. Lemon drinks: ADES.

92. European capital known as the "City of a Hundred Spires": PRAGUE.

95. Melodic passages: ARIOSOS.

101. Like the Atacama Desert: ARID.

102. __ port in a storm: ANY.

103. Mork's planet: ORK.

104. Software test versions: BETAS.

108. "__ Files": long-running true-crime series: FORENSIC.

111. Structural girder: I BEAM. And 115. WWII sub: U BOAT.

113. __ snuff: UP TO.

121. Where Ducks and Penguins play?: RINKS. Great clue.

122. Diehards: ZEALOTS.

123. Same old same old: ROUTINE.

124. Garlands of okika or pikake: LEIS. Did you know that the plural of lei is still lei in Hawaiian language?

125. Star-shaped bloomers: ASTERS.

126. Prodded: EGGED ON.

Down:

1. Culture centers?: LABS. Nice clue also.

2. Book replaced by GPS: ATLAS.

3. Short excursion: JAUNT.

4. Like Nero Wolfe: OBESE.

5. Cured salmon: LOX. Also 76. Silver salmon: COHO. 

6. Ad follower: LIB.

7. Penne __ vodka: ALLA.

8. Turn down: PASS ON.

9. Heading for the whirlpool, say: ACHY.

10. Enjoy Stowe: SKI.

11. Knotted accessory: TIE.

12. Repaired, as car brakes: RE-LINED.

13. Jedi who said, "Always in motion is the future": YODA.

14. Extras in trunks: SPARE TIRES. And 15. Newer, as an automobile: LATE MODEL. 19. Passat alternative: JETTA. 65. 19-Down and others, briefly: VWS.

16. When Alexander meets Eliza, in "Hamilton": ACT I.

17. Borscht base: BEET.

20. Roulette wheel components: SLOTS.

22. Craving: URGE.

27. "Same for me!": DITTO.

29. Many miles off: AFAR.

30. Cable series about an erotic magazine for women: MINX. Unknown to me.

32. Put forth, as energy: EXERT.

33. Med. condition portrayed on "Monk": OCD.

36. French wines: VINS.

37. Beats by __: DRE.

38. Amateur: NON-PRO.

39. Map line: ROAD.

40. Spanish "she": ELLA.

41. Hugo Award genre: SCI-FI.

42. Cheerio-shaped: TORIC.

43. Make happy: ELATE.

44. Arial, for one: FONT.

48. Belfast's province: ULSTER.

49. Despondent: MOROSE.

50. "Ivy and __": kid-lit series by Annie Barrows: BEAN.

52. Breakout area, to dermatologists: T ZONE. Real thing, guys.

56. "Yours" alternative: AS EVER.

57. Deal with an email error message, maybe: RESEND.

60. On the money: EXACT.

63. Farm noun or verb: SOW.

68. Speaks: UTTERS.

69. Onigiri wrapper: NORI. Cute.

70. Grannies: NANAS.

71. Prologue: INTRO.

72. Bohr model subjects: ATOMS.

73. Series of successes: WIN STREAKS. And 79. Chef Boyardee concoction: BEEFARONI. Nice stack here.

77. Cable cable, familiarly: COAX.

78. Off-the-neck hairstyle: UP DO.

81. Prepare for an 83-Down, say: STUDY. 83. Apt rhyme for "cram": EXAM.

86. Slanted columns: OP-EDS.

88. Laugh half: HEE.

89. Many a Saudi native: ARAB.

90. French film: CINE.

93. Southwestern people: APACHES.

94. Negroni need: GIN.

97. Help for those at sea: HINTS.

98. Many "Westworld" characters: ROBOTS.

99. Builders of dome-shaped nests: WRENS.

100. "Works for me!": OKAY.

105. Mozart's "Così fan __": TUTTE.

106. Peony pest: APHID.

107. __ pad: STENO.

108. Roll up: FURL.

109. Stage honor: OBIE.

110. Chichén __: pyramid site: ITZA.

111. Grammy-winning album for Tyler, the Creator: IGOR.

112. Female horse: MARE. And 114. Yoked bovines: OXEN.

117. Scarf down: EAT. Plenty of food and drinks in this grid.

118. Hoppy quaff: ALE. And 119. Eggy quaff: NOG.

120. Sought buried treasure, perhaps: DUG.

C.C.

Wednesday June 29, 2022 Tracy Gray

 Theme: "Spa Menu" 

Tracy Gray is no stranger to the crosswording world. Her puzzles have appeared frequently in "that other newspaper." But, as near as I can tell, this is only her second LAT entry. The first was a 2021 collaboration with Jeff Chen. For those of you who've been asking for fewer proper names, fewer pop culture references, and fewer "cute" clue/answers, today is your day. The majority of this puzzle consists of straight-forward clue definitions/synonyms. Enjoy. I finished this puzzle and had no idea what the theme might be. Wednesday themeless? Probably not. It finally dawned on me that perhaps there was a reveal clue that I'd somehow failed to read. Yup. Tucked in at 63d was SPA. -- "Place to enjoy the kinds of pampering found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues." Hmmmm, so there were starred clues as well. Hadn't noticed that. 

18a. *Operating room assistants. SCRUB NURSES. A spa SCRUB could be an exfoliating, exhilarating, moisturizing experience. In any case, it usually involves being rubbed with an abrasive product like coffee, salt, or nutshell husks. Sounds like fun. [Not!]

28a. *Employ flowery language. WAX POETIC, à la Chairman Moe or OwenKL. According to Merriam-Webster, one definition of "WAX" is "to assume a (specified) characteristic, quality, or state : BECOME." At the spa it's more likely to involve a bikini wax -- liquid wax applied, allowed to dry, and then ripped off like a band-aid. Sounds like fun. [Not!]

36. *Indulgent request made by Mae West in "I'm No Angel": PEEL ME A GRAPE. A facial PEEL involves having caustic goop smeared on your face...allowing it to "set a spell"...and then wiping it off. This kills off the top layer of skin which you can rip off in a day or two, like a sunburn. Sounds like fun. [Not!]

52a. #Cast celebration. WRAP PARTY. The WRAP party is held after major movie shooting has been completed. At the spa, a WRAP is often liquid mud which is applied, allowed to dry, and then ripped off like a band-aid. Sounds like fun. [Not!] Have you noticed that the spa is beginning to sound like a rip-off joint?

61a. *Retail event with deep discounts. BLOW OUT SALE. When it comes to the spa...hmmmm...don't think I want to go there.

Across:

1. Boarding area: GATE. At the airport.

5. Sugar substitute: STEVIA.

11. Liberal group?: ARTS. Where I fearlessly sifted and winnowed, that part of the university was the College of Letters and Science.

15. Strait-laced: PRIM. And proper.

16. How stir-fry is often served: ON RICE. Rice is that fine Houston institution where Uncle Ben was converted.

17. Vichyssoise need: LEEK. Learning moment. Did not know that LEEKs were an essential ingredient. On the other hand, I've never had vichyssoise, so how would I know? I tend to avoid foods I can't spell.

20. Hathaway of "Ocean's 8": ANNE.

21. "__ as directed": USE.

22. "Dig in!": EAT. Grace ender.

23. __ Pueblo, New Mexico: TAOS. When we visited, dw was taken with some pottery with a silvery-charcoal appearance. We were told that horse manure was involved. Maybe Waseeley can elaborate.

25. Aardvark snack: ANT.

26. Dog in RCA Victor ads: NIPPER. Here he is atop the old RCA Building in Albany, just for Irish Miss.

30. Native peoples of the Arctic: INUIT. Will it be ALEUT, INUIT, or YUPIK? Only the perps know for certain.

31. React to yeast: RISE.

32. Lightning burst: FLASH.

 33. Number in a 10-day forecast, for short: TEMP. Around here the TEMPs have been scary-high all month, and it's only June. I dread the next electric bill. 

34. Connecticut WNBA team: SUN.

35. "Argo" org.: CIA. In this 2012 movie a CIA operative attempts to rescue six Americans detained in Tehran during the '79 hostage crisis. Received 96% on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes.

41. Utter: SAY.

42. Route: WAY. As seen on your 1d.

43. Hissy fit: SNIT. 

 

46. Come to pass: OCCUR.

49. For you and me: OURS.

51. Brief tussle: SET-TO. Without the hyphen it just means "to begin."

54. Early '90s pres., familiarly: BUSH SR. When I ventured into the awl patch in the early '80s, I joined a company that he'd started. Never met him; he was no longer affiliated with it.

55. Hasty escape: LAM. Have you everr heard anybody say it...except Mary, of course?

56. Education acronym: STEM. I've also seen it as STEAM -- the A is for Arts.

57. Plot device?: HOE. Har-de-har-har. A little attempt at humor...very little.

58. Grammy category since 1989: RAP. Have never been a fan.

59. Black-__ Susan: EYED. Hahtoolah is a Susan, but she's not black-eyed.

 64. "To Venus and Back" singer Amos: TORI. This was TORI's fifth album, a two-disc affair. It has no title track.

 

 65. Categorize: ASSORT. Assorted chocolates does sound more appetizing than categorized chocolates, but "chocolates" never sounds bad.

66. Walk heavily: PLOD.

67. Hidden obstacle: SNAG.

68. Jackson Hole backdrop: TETONS. Visited there in the mid '60s on a summer college road trip with a buddy. We also stayed one night at the Broadmoor and took in a Smothers Brothers show on that trip.

69. Sax type: ALTO. Invented by Belgian Adolphe Sax back in the mid-1800s. There are at least 14 different types. You can check 'em out HERE.

Down:

1. Garmin device: GPS UNIT. No Garmin for me, mine is a TomTom, naturally.

2. Inverse trig function: ARCSINE. Arcsine(theta) is the angle whose sine is theta. This c/a is a tad arcane for the non-math-oriented. See what I did there?

3. Cyclist's accessory: TIRE PUMP. Won't do you much good, unless you also carry a tube patching kit.

4. Ostrich kin: EMU.

5. Underwater detector: SONAR. Evokes memories of a sonar lesson for Seaman Beaumont in The Hunt For Red October. Lucky for you, I couldn't find a clip.

6. Bolt holder: T-NUT.

7. Throw wide of the cutoff man, say: ERR. Sports clue, I'm guessin'.

8. Panoramic views: VISTAS. Like this one. 

9. Mountaineering tool: ICE AXE. Six letters, four vowels, what's not to like if you're a crossword constructor?

10. Greek fabulist: AESOP. There's some question whether he actually existed.

11. Taking after: À LA. In the fashion of, or somesuch.

12. First name of Italian sopranos Tebaldi and Scotto: RENATA. Some might consider this an obscure proper name.

13. Wimbledon sport: TENNIS.

14. Quick drawing: SKETCH.

19. Vegetable that may stain a cutting board: BEET. You either love 'em or hate 'em.

24. Bulgaria's capital: SOFIA.

27. Joins the conversation: PIPES UP.

28. Viognier or Vouvray: WINE. I've never had either. Have I mentioned that I tend to avoid foods (and drinks) that I can't spell?

29. Ticks by: ELAPSES.

31. Mojito liquor: RUM. Brunchy. GIN or RYE could also fit...but would be wrong.

34. Shifty: SLY.

35. Shed tears: CRY.

37. O.K. Corral brothers: EARPS. Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan all made an appearance that day. We visited Tombstone and watched the re-enactment.

38. Askew: AWRY.

39. Neon or freon: GAS.

40. Captivate: ENTHRALL. Tried ENTRANCE first. Wite-Out, please.

44. "This is all more than I can handle": IT'S A LOT.

45. Ruin, as plans: TORPEDO. In my ute these frozen summer treats were called "Torpedoes."

46. Nocturnal nestlings: OWLETS. "Nocturnal" gives it away.

47. Medium for most refrigerator art: CRAYON.

48. Shape outlined in Instagram's logo: CAMERA.

49. Vague threat: OR ELSE.

50. Absolute: UTMOST.

51. Haggis ingredient: SUET. Never had it. Have I mentioned that I also tend to avoid some foods that I can spell?

53. Baseball stat: AT BAT.

54. Matches: BOUTS.

57. Rhinoceros feature: HORN. The horn is made of keratin, the same material as fingernails. Some folks mistakenly believe the horn has magical/medicinal properties. Rhinos are endangered, due to poaching and habitat loss. 

 

60. Use a spade: DIG.

62. Court: WOO.

63. Place to enjoy the kinds of pampering found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues: SPA. This is a perfectly good "reveal" clue. If only folks would take the time to read them. D'oh.

Here's the grid courtesy of C.C. Desper-otto out. 

 

Notes from C.C.:

1) Thank you so much for filling in the two Wednesdays in June, D-Otto! Thanks for always coming to my rescue.

2) Happy 56th birthday to Barry G, a regular in our blog in the earlier days. Barry, the other day Janice, a long-time reader who never commented on our blog, mentioned you in her letter to Boomer. It made me smile. You're still remembered and missed by many.