David Long

I have really been racking my feeble brain and am having trouble concentrating.  Too many thoughts, too much intrigue, but I am thinking "The One That Got Away".  And leave it to each participants interpretation.  A fish? A Boyfriend?  A good friend with whom you've lost touch?  The Perfect Photo and all you got was a blur?  A Girlfriend?  Where do you want to go with this?

Thoughts?  Old girlfriend or boyfriend assumes that current spouses have a sense of humor if they happen to read these posts.

David Long

SUZI,

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BIRTHDAY POSTS OVER THE YEARS!

PLEASE STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY!

David Long

Marv,

Happy to see some of the shots from Nam.  I almost got to see Bob Hope once in Da Nang but the chopper we were on took ground fire and we had to turn around.  Landed safely but they had to bring in a sky crane to haul the huey away.

What and entertainer!

David Long

Mel,

You really clean up GOOD!    Looking very dapper there my friend.  

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

Glad to hear some of you enjoy opera.   I do, too.  At one of my voice recitals, when I was in high school,  I sang One Fine Day, from Madam Butterfly.  I even wore a Japanses Kimono, that my voice teacher owned.  I sang the song in English.  After my 1st Son was born my voice went low and my voice teacher could never get it high again.  But I still listen to opera.   And even though I don't understand the words, I feel the music and it can bring me to tears.

I would like to thank Suzi for all the Happy Birthdays, also.  

Joan Pease (Clark)

Celebrity encounters:  My late husband Alton and I with President and Betty Ford. The Fords hosted holiday parties for staff of the Betty Ford Center for many years, and they were very approachable.

David Long

TOMORROW - SUNDAY - THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY!

WHATEVER THAT MEANS TO YOU.

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Joan, your photo and description are wonderful. Makes me hunger for more details. Please tell us more about yourself. Like filling in the blanks of your life's experience. And yes, I too loved the pumpkinburger.

OMG Dave, tomorrow's challenge feels like Truth or Dare. Everyone should listen to the Tom Waits song "The One That Got Away" before posting. Wendy, I'm sorry, but this is a long way from opera.

Sandy, as an artist, I have always believed that the human body is the ultimate subject of art and that the human voice is the ultimate instrument in music. That is why opera is my favorite form of music. So, I hope that will earn Wendy's forgiveness, because Tom Waits is a voice that says it all.

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

I like Tom Waits.  Have two of his albums.

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Wendy, I'm so relieved to hear that. Lest others think so, we are not one dimensional. Tom Waits is amazing.

Marv, thank you for telling Suzy Farlin Barber's story. I wanted to do it myself, but didn't know enough detail to do so. Everyone, even the ones we don't hear from, like Suzy, have a story to tell. Oh how wonderful it would be if they would.

And Sandy, AMEN to that. There is nothing to regret about tears. They are merely a response to the beauty of our deepest feelings. I'm very happy for you.

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Is Max up for choosing tomorrow's topic?

I know this isn't exactly what Dave had in mind, but I wasn't about to go into my history of lost loves. And judging by today's silence, I gather I'm not alone. So this is a different kind of story.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

In 1990, I was invited to curate two painting exhibitions for the Russian Ministry of Culture. Working closely with Rosa Timchenko, the chief art historian at Rosart Amorim in Moscow, I learned that her husband was a legendary painter and insisted that his work be included in our exhibit. When the crates carrying a 100 canvases arrived in Chicago, Rosa was one of two Russians sent to supervise their unpacking. Part of my contract allowed me to purchase a paInting of my choice at cost. After considerable deliberation, I decided on her husband Igor Timchenko's painting "The Lace Makers".

LIttle did I know at the time that I would be going back to Moscow and befriending dozens more artists. Within a few years, I managed to build a sizable collection, but "The Lace Makers" held a nostalgic meaning for me and was the central piece in the group. After years of therapy, my wife and I entered into a bitter divorce that consumed us for two more years, until the fall of 1996, when my attorney proposed a break in our domestic war: if I was willing to part with the Timchenko painting, we could reach a settlement in the divorce. That was it, the final sacrifice. She kept the painting, I kept the rest of the collection, and we were on our own.

Yet, there was another unknown on the distant horizon. A decade later, we buried the hatchet and managed to build a friendship that centered around our children and graddaughter. She still owns the Timchenko, but I now receive frequent dinner invitations and get to see it regularly. Even so, I still think of it as THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY.

"The Lace Makers" 1970 by Igor Timchenko

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

Well I am glad someone finally posted something.  That is a nice story, Mel.  
 

I have been to Australia nine times and two times ago never saw a live kangaroo.  But here is a sculpture of the one I never saw.

Terry (Max) Maxwell

I think we have had rivers, though not sure about that.  Don't think we've had lakes though.  So I propose that we do LAKES for Monday.  If someone wants to suggest something else, I'm all for it.  Anyone?

I have nothing for "the one that got away."  Reason being, if I had a picture of the fish to show you, it wouldn't have gotten away!  

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Hey Max, so be it, LAKES for Monday. I think we did Rivers and Streams, but this is a first. Tuesday is my turn. Going with  CLOUDS. Wendy gets Wednesday. Anyone who wants to jump in line, JUST DO IT. Whoever goes first gets the victory. Hope all whose voices are silent are enjoying this. Even if you don't post a photo, tell us a story.

Wendy, how could you go to Australia that many times without seeing a kangaroo? Come to Chicago. Brookfield Zoo has dozens of them and they are hysterical.

Joan, every once in a while there is a photo that needs help and your's was so special I decided to try. This is the result, so just ignore it if you don't like it. From Post # 8027.

Which reminds me, anyone who wants help with their photos, send them to my email at theobaldart@gmail.com and I'll help restore them if I can. NO CHARGE!!! This is what I do to stay out of trouble.

For Joan.

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

How about IN COSTUME for Wednesday.  Could be you, could be someone else...

David Long

My glasses broke and Dorothy's reading glasses don't work for me  tomorrow  my arms aren't long enough to type and see the screen 

Melvin (Mel) Theobald

Dave, so sorry to hear about your glasses. Do you have some duct tape? Maybe you could improvise a monocle. If you do, please do a selfie and post it. Maybe Jack would award it Best of Show for the week. OK, I know this is not a competition, but that would be awesome. Love you man.

Marvin Theobald

One morning at breakfast I heard a gnawing sound outside the patio door. It was a woodchuck chewing on the door trim. Not knowing how to stop him I hired a trapper to catch the critter. After about two weeks the trapper had caught six woodchucks and supposedly "disposed' of them at a sum total cost of about $700. Once he stopped catching any more he pulled the traps. A couple of days I was having breakfast and again heard the same gnawing noise coming from the exact same place. What are the odds after catching and disposing of the first six that the only one still there was the original culprit? He WAS THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY!!! I ultimately resolved the situation myself but it was not as professionally done as if the trapper had done his job.

Jack Keefe

This past weekend, the whole fishing trip got away. Every year a few of us gather in Ohio for a camp-out we call the Fishing Derby. Long story, but this year the derby had to be called off because of the virus. By the way, the main focus is to keep alcohol away from minors, 12 ounces at a time. We don't bother to fish. 

Sandra Jeakins (Singletary Sizemore)

This is Clay Lake Vermillion Bay Ontario Canada.  Where we stayed for a summer and had hoped to buy the camp.  Things didn't work out and we came back.  We had rented our house out so we had our home to go back to.      This is Hammel Lake.  This cove was a place where you could catch a fish on a bare hook.  You could be there at 9:25PM and the fish wouldn't be there, but at 9:30 they would come in.  We would do this several nights in a row.   We didn't know fish could tell time, but they sure did know when it was 9:30.   I've already posted a picture before of the cabin we stayed in and the float plane that took us to this lake.  We were the only 2 people at this cabin for a week.

David Brock

I know that this has nothing to do with the topic of the day, but this was of interest.  We saw our first Hummingbirds of the spring over the weekend.--about 3 weeks later than usual.

Wendy Stephens (Cullen)

This isn't a lake or a river, it is the Erie Canal in Rochester NY where my sister lives.  The first time I saw it I exclaimed "is THAT the Erie Canal".  Very excited.  My sister was scoffing at that when my other sister reminded her that she was excited when she saw a field of cotton growing.  
 

This is the little beach near us on Lake Washington, on a winter day.  
this is a small lake at  lack Butte Ranch in central Oregon.  We spent many summer vacations there.

Marv, hope you can turn that right side up. (Done!!! Until I saw your note I thought it was a reflection shot - MGT)

Finally, this is a lake in Reykjavik Iceland.  Lots of swans .  We spent eight days there, and drove their ring road around the main body of that amazing place.  

David Long

I will complete the "one that got away" story later, but for today's LAKES posting, here are a few:

The Sea of Galilea - which is a big lake

Lake Lemon - 15 miles north of Durango, CO

Lake Michigan as seen from Saugatuk, MI

Lake formed by glacier melt - Alaska

The Columbus Ave Bridge taken from the Lake Michigan side.

Terri Baxter (Whirrett)

The above pic is of the same bridge my husband was in charge of when he was with U.S. Steel.

Terri Baxter (Whirrett)

Mel, love your story of The Lace Makers! The painting is beautiful!