An Old Friend
We went into the dressing room at Club Utopia, me, Bernie and the bouncer, who limped a bit on the stairs, but Bernie took his arm and gave him a little boost. I needed no boosting myself, never do, really – hey! was I more of a booster? That was an interesting thought. I turned it over in my mind a few times and then away it went.
The dressing room was small, with a counter along one side, mirrors above it, surrounded by little light bulbs. A young woman wearing not much sat before one of the mirrors, putting on makeup. Makeup is an interesting subject – worn mostly, but not always! by women which reminds me of a bar called No-No’s, where … but perhaps a story for another time.
The young woman saw us and turned. “Bernie?” she said. “Chet?”
“Tulip?” said Bernie. His gaze kind of left her face, wandered down. He forced it back up, big struggle. Poor Bernie.
But the point was this was Tulip. She was a pal. We knew her from Livia Moon’s place in Pottsdale -Livia’s Friendly Coffee and More. Tulip worked in the More part, at the back. That’s all in To Fetch A Thief. I went right over to her.
“How’s my big beautiful guy?” she said, and gave me a pat. Tulip was an excellent patter. So were all the young women who worked for Livia Moon, no idea why.
Tags: Astrid, Livia Moon, To Fetch A Thief, Tulip
This entry was posted on Saturday, July 24th, 2010 at 9:25 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
4:57 am on July 24th, 2010
Yes, Chet, you are a booster! I wonder if Tulip knows anything about Astrid.
Hope your yard sale goes well Rio.
5:08 am on July 24th, 2010
I enjoyed all of the speculation from last night.
Welcome home Staff!
5:09 am on July 24th, 2010
That was quite a discussion after I went off line. Pondering . .
Now must ponder more . . .
Tulip? Replacement of Astrid, Friend of Astrid, Knows about Astrid . . .
Fascinating (as my eyebrow goes up Mr. Spock style)
5:11 am on July 24th, 2010
Hey Riö, Bring back some donuts for us. Especially Staff and other Staff.
I'll take a gluten free one.
6:21 am on July 24th, 2010
Testing to see if my avatar is here
6:30 am on July 24th, 2010
I can see that you dogs are a chatty bunch. The Librarian keeps saying, "You don't want to get involved with this; it will take up way too much of your time." Harumph. I will be the judge of that.
I'm keeping her informed but some of the posts on this mystery blog are a mystery. For instance:
1. a theme quilt is being made (what theme?);
2. Rio the Evil Pug may be wearing a ruff (he never responded, was he insulted? I think it's rather "Henry the VIII" of him);
3. Melanie may be a Librarian (superior research skills a la "take the cake.")
I really don't want to dwell on Staff's poop, although I did write her a poem once, entitled "Ode to She Who Understands Cats
on the Occasion of Her 256th (in Cat years) Birthday,
with Apologies to Pablo Neruda." I think that will suffice as proof of my best wishes in her current endeavors.
6:53 am on July 24th, 2010
Rio: You weren't insulted when I asked if you were wearing a ruff in your avatar picture were you? You know that I love your dark whirlpool eyes and curly tail! Rio, the "ruff" and ready.
7:16 am on July 24th, 2010
This is a test to see if my avatar works. It was pretty straightforward until the end, but when I pressed the final confirm, it wasn't clear if anything happened. Wookie
7:17 am on July 24th, 2010
It worked. How about that. It's kind of tiny, but that is me in Vermont. Wookie
7:28 am on July 24th, 2010
Wookie: You look beautiful. So does Maggie in her avatar picture.
On Facebook Spence wrote that there will be about "400 pre-signed copies" of TFAT. I hope to find out what that means.
7:37 am on July 24th, 2010
Chet, some dogs wear a bit of eye makeup. I don't leave the house without mine.
Staff gets to go home today! Alice and Abbie will be so glad to see her.
Rio is eating donuts without me.
7:46 am on July 24th, 2010
I can answer one of of Fatty Kittys questions: The quilt will have quilt blocks from all of the dogs, cats, and humans on this blog. The theme of the quilt is the blog team itself…photos, signatures, ect. Rio came up with this idea. He is a creative little pug.
7:49 am on July 24th, 2010
Well, the official count is 11" of rain in last 2 days. Flooding everywhere, our road is washed away in places, stores are sold out of sump pumps, and on it goes. Thankfully it is supposed to stop for a while.
Welcome home Staff. Guess I will go back to last night and see what all the late night posting was about.
400 pre-signed copies of TFAT? Maybe we will hold off on pre-ordering from B & N. Any chance that the copies will be made available for purchase by your loyal bloggers? Maybe Admin or Spence could let us know.
7:55 am on July 24th, 2010
I can see Riö with a ruff. He's be excellent as Henry the VIII, but nicer. I don't think he's upset, he's out helping with the yard sale. I hope it's going well, Grandma got to go. Lord, it's weird with tenses on a blog.
Magpie! Beautiful Avatar! And Wöökie on a mission in Vermont! Looking good.
FattyKitty, Theme? Umm, if Riö gets his way, it's going to be a Riö quilt. It's every human, dog and kat for themselves to make a square for Chet.
I was not a Librarian, but have great respect for Librarians. I was a teacher and then with two guys with learning differences did a great deal of research on their differences. I say differences because though both have disabilities they sure have super abilities with other things.
Other than that, I have a lively sense of curiosity.
SQPA is going to have writer's cramp. How do we go about getting one? I've already pre-ordered the book. But would be willing to also get the autographed copy. I won't let the Newfs read that one.
8:17 am on July 24th, 2010
Are you guys saying that it won't be Chet's signature on the books? Well, even if it is only Spence's, mom said she would buy me one if they are going to be available to us LOYAL bloggers.
8:23 am on July 24th, 2010
Siber-H! I hadn't thought about it being Chet's signature. That would be totally cool. Let's see Spence could have Bernie take a cast of one of Chet's footprints (though in the valley mud might difficult to come by) and then pass it back to Spence and he could dip it into the ink!!!
Easy Peasy!
8:24 am on July 24th, 2010
I would guess that the 400 pre-signed copies are signed by Spence and have Chet's paw mark.
8:25 am on July 24th, 2010
That's what my copy of THAT has.
8:35 am on July 24th, 2010
Oh, I want one, I want one!!!!!! Where do we get in line?
Melanie, Barb was able to get a copy of the Newfie book we talked about. It is no longer in print, so B & N sent the order to one of their speciality book stores, and it came the other day. Barb was thrilled, because it's a signed copy. Her daughter will love it.
9:51 am on July 24th, 2010
Gasp!…We all forgot about Tulip!…snort!… I’ve got to go – we are getting donuts for the yard sale gang!…grunt!…What a morning so far…sneeze!
8:52 am on July 24th, 2010
MagPie, that's great! She'll love it!
Words and Phrases. I was talking to YSAS yesterday and said "Well, that's borrowing trouble." He had no idea where that came from. "WHAT?" "You know, borrowing trouble . ." Silence. . . "From what we were talking about, MOM, do you mean obsessing?" "Yes . . . You've never heard of that?" "Nope." Dating myself again, I thought.
Then another phrase I don't remember at all was used by Sir Howard Davies, the director of the London School of Economics when speaking of the European Bank Stress tests. "tickety-boo." Awesome. Never heard of it and it's being used by a Sir!
Looked it up and it's "going smoothly, doing all right." (Urban Dictionary) Thought to come in to use around the 1920's or so in the armed forces, used a lot in Canada, but it could be related to "tickee babu" Hindi for "everything's alright, sir".
I love words.
9:06 am on July 24th, 2010
Maggie, I think we should just keep dropping a lot of not so subtle hints that the books should be for sale to Chet's #1 Fan Club…the Blog Team!
11:15 am on July 24th, 2010
Siber H, good idea, dude. I'm sure Admin. can pull it off with a little thought. Just send your check or money order for $$$, which includes S & H, to wherever. Keep it simple, no credit cards. Sounds like a plan to me.
How far can we push it before it becomes harrassment?
We already have 3 sets of books 1 and 2, with a business card from Chet and Bernie. Barb has 1 set for herself and the others are for gifts for brother (lives with a Chesapeake Bay Retriever) and son-in-law (the Newfie guy).
11:16 am on July 24th, 2010
Wonder how the yard sale went. They call them garage sales here, even they on on the yard.
11:21 am on July 24th, 2010
I remember them as yard sales, but when we moved here they are tag sales.
11:32 am on July 24th, 2010
Good idea, Maggie. We would all, of course, be willing to pay S&H. I'd be willing for them to make a profit on the S&H just like they do on all the stuff they sell on tv.
They call them both garage and yard sales here, but I have never heard of tag sales.
I hope Rio hasn't overdosed on donuts.
11:35 am on July 24th, 2010
Siber-H and Everybody! I changed Siber-H's avatar to picture #3. What do you all think?
11:43 am on July 24th, 2010
Mollypop: I like number 3.
11:50 am on July 24th, 2010
I like #3, but we'll see what the others think. It just amazes me that the avatar can be linked to our email address like this.
12:11 pm on July 24th, 2010
I hope Rio is still supervising the yard sale (and eating donuts)instead of watching the baseball game. Jiminez is falling apart in the third inning.
12:14 pm on July 24th, 2010
I like them both, but I think #3 has a slight edge. MagPie
Barb's bro (the Chessie guy) is a Nefrologist doc at Duke. He doesn't do transplants – he is the guy the works with patients before and after the kidney surgery. Barb was telling him about Staff ("How did you say you know her?") and he said they have very, very high success rates with this surgery today. How are you doing, Staff/Nancy? Is the Fattykitty Librarian a sister?
12:28 pm on July 24th, 2010
OMG!….What a long day at the yard sale….snort!…. We had to get up really early but those bargain snatchers were already here before our friends had their crap unloaded and set up on my lawn!!…grunt!….What chaos! The first 5 customers who came all at once did not speak English, so it was hilarious watching her friend trying to bargain… snort!
Yawn!…Here I am at the very start of it all…sniff!…I was still sleeping when she let me outside…snore!
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1280006838-waking_up.jpg[/img]
12:33 pm on July 24th, 2010
SiberH!… I am so glad you get to watch the game today!… snort!… I was going to remind you yesterday that it is a Nationally Broadcasted game!…grunt!….So even Wookie or Spencer could watch…heh! (Spence heh)… wheeze!
12:38 pm on July 24th, 2010
Rio, You look sleepy but majestic, never the less.
12:39 pm on July 24th, 2010
Later!… After I woke up, her mom arrived with Grandma!… woooo!… I was so happy to see them both…grunt!… Here I am saying “Hi” and trying to give a wet sloppy Pug kiss to her mother…heh!
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1280007574-rio_mom.jpg[/img]
12:51 pm on July 24th, 2010
Rio, you look very regal. *bows*
12:56 pm on July 24th, 2010
Oh boy, tomorrow is Sundays with Ingrid. Can hardly wait!
Rio, did your friend make any money? Did you od on donuts?
12:58 pm on July 24th, 2010
Grandma!… I had to have a little chat with Grandma after I went and sniffed every thing and every body in my yard!….grunt!…I told her how unhappy I was about all the strangers!… whine!whine!… Grandma told me to “Grow Up”… snort!…. “And stop begging!”… crap!
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1280008673-talking_to_grandma.jpg[/img]
1:18 pm on July 24th, 2010
MagPie!… It was not really my friends sale…snort!… She lent them my yard, that’s all and she did a lot of work helping out, but it was other peoples crap they were trying to get rid of today… heh!… I did not get ANY donuts…grumble!… Even Grandma would not give me anything. She said I was too Fat already….grunt!…. and to “Get over it!”… damn!
Rockies! …What the hell is going on with my team today?….snort!… It’s 9-1 bottom of the 6th….grunt!… Anything can still happen and probably will!… gruff!…Don’t give up hope SiberH!… snuff!
1:26 pm on July 24th, 2010
Rio, we are enjoying the photos! The one of you asleep is priceless, and you are smiling with grandma. You have a nice smile.
You won't believe this, but, NO, I did not get to see the game on tv. There was a different game on my Fox channel…the Mets and the Dodgers. So, mom and I jumped in our truck and drove to Philly to see the game just like the MLB hopes we will do. Whew, long drive, but we hope the MLB is happy now. We are not happy with their tv issues.
1:29 pm on July 24th, 2010
I'm not giving up hope for the Rockies! I'm with them all the way! (on the internet)
1:31 pm on July 24th, 2010
SiberH!…Turn to Fox!…. It is a Nationally Broadcast game!…grunt!…You should be able to watch it on TV… snort!
1:32 pm on July 24th, 2010
Not on my Fox channel, Rio.
1:43 pm on July 24th, 2010
What!?….Are you sure?….. grunt!… Is New Mexico banned from baseball?…snicker!…Except for those Isotopes… ugh!….I’m sorry you can’t see the game, but it might be a blessing after all…growl!… 10 – 1 Phillies, bottom of the 7th…Hope Abounds Yet!….heh!
1:48 pm on July 24th, 2010
Riö, you DO look like Henry VIII.
You should just make your subjects (friend and Grandma) to give you donuts.
YSAS's performance was called 1/2 of the way through because of storms. He said there were dark clouds tinged with green, lightning all around them. The director came out and said "Called off because of storm." The crowd demanded that they finish the scene. They did and the downpour came right after that.
YSAS had to go on a metal fence, hang on to a metal parking sign, during the storm, to get something off of something. I've told him I'm going to call him Ben Franklin.
Tonight's (last performance) weather looks good. Hot, but no storms.
1:50 pm on July 24th, 2010
New Mexico is sure banned from Rockies games. Today, it might be for the best because Jimenez really LOST it in the third inning. I hope you didn't see that.
1:55 pm on July 24th, 2010
Grrrrrr!… Another guy tried to get into my yard today!… growl!yeep!… When I saw him I started growling….grrrr!…someone started grabbing me… dammit!
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1280012084-spotting_another.jpg[/img]
2:02 pm on July 24th, 2010
Ow!….The “Head Clamp” maneuver!! …tricky!… I could have taken that chihuahau down big-time….grumble!… What the hell?….snort!
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1280012496-taken_him_down.jpg[/img]
2:21 pm on July 24th, 2010
Rio, Your friend took a lot of real cool pictures of you today. You are the star!
2:28 pm on July 24th, 2010
There's been a Doctor Who marathon on and tonight is the season finale.
2:38 pm on July 24th, 2010
Oh no! I think I'm the only one on the blog without a picture! I think maybe I'll make Mom take some pictures of me tomorrow and get my boy to help her put them on her computer. She's one of those who takes photos and just leaves them on that little chip thing in her camera. (Or else she just uses her old camera that has the old film stuff in it!)
MOM! GET MY PICTURE ON CHET'S BLOG!! PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE! And while you're at it, maybe you can take some pictures of Buford, too, so everybody can see him!
2:48 pm on July 24th, 2010
Stover!… Either I did not “get” your ruff comment or I missed it somehow… snort!…No worries whatever!…gruff!… I am just happy to be back in the house and watching TV again….grunt!…All those strangers are finally gone …sniff!sniff! …What a tiring day…sigh!… I probably won’t wake someone up at 3 am to let me out tonight… heh!
2:51 pm on July 24th, 2010
Rio: Do you still have a yard, or did it get sold at the yard sale? 'Cuz if you do need to go out at 3 a.m., I hope you still have someplace to go!
2:52 pm on July 24th, 2010
T. – Your boy should be able to do all of this. If not, of course, I will help. Your picture just has to be out here.
If your Mom keeps pictures only on that little chip thing, there's a danger the pictures might be lost. Putting them on the computer is backup, so this is all a good thing.
2:56 pm on July 24th, 2010
Kirby, my mom is another one who leaves the pictures on the little chip thing in the camera. She had to get help, a lot of help, to get my photos on this blog.
Tee hee, speaking of moms and photos…that photo of Rio asleep…my mom looks like that some mornings at the dog park. I hope she doesn't read this post.
3:03 pm on July 24th, 2010
Mollypop: I mentioned to my boy what I wanted to do, and he said he'd help Mom. The best thing is that Mom even found the cord thing that you have to use. It's still in the plastic bag!
I'm probably not being fair to Mom. When she worked at the newspapers, she did a lot of photography, and even ran the darkroom at one place. But this was back when everything was chemical and not digital. She's a good photographer, just a little behind the times!
3:12 pm on July 24th, 2010
I hate to say it, but we have around 2,000 pictures from the last 10 years on our computer. Thank goodness for iPhoto.
What's really cool? We have the computer on screen saver for 3 hours and the pictures never repeat. We can get hypnotized by the pictures.
3:19 pm on July 24th, 2010
T. – Your Mom's pictures are probably very good. My Mom's aren't and that's why she has Photoshop.
Hey, I have Mets and Dodgers on Fox too. 13th inning!
3:33 pm on July 24th, 2010
Learning!…. You guys who are computer challenged need to take all this Avatar stuff as a great opportunity to learn something new about digital photography!… snort!… I think my friend can now even take and upload videos to You Tube!… grunt!… I am sure she DID NOT take any videos of me today though!….heh!… I had my eye on her at all times! … wheeze!… Except when that damned Chihuahua showed up….grrrrr!… and then there was the time when …sniff!….well never mind.
5:47 pm on July 24th, 2010
Humphf!… Unless our computer (whom we have fought with for the past hour or more! Is not reflecting any updates to the Blog since 10:33 EST (and that was my post!!!))… snort!… I am incredibly mad at everyone right now….grunt! I am thinking about just leaving you all to yourselves and going to bed and what ever for when-ever-forever!!!!… grump! … I’m sure the Kats will show up the minute I leave…grunt!…This will piss me off to no end…grunt!snuff!grrrr!
5:57 pm on July 24th, 2010
correction! …. 10:33?..No!…8:33 EST pm..drat it all!…bugger.
6:51 pm on July 24th, 2010
Rio. Did anyone try to put a price tag on you ass during the yard sale — like grandma! Just kidding, but you are looking mighty good out there. Wookie
7:11 pm on July 24th, 2010
Wookie!… Grandma would never sell me for a ‘song’… snort!… but she would trade me for her freedom from the nursing home I’m sure… slobber!… I hate your Avatar, by the way. I cannot see what the hell it is?… grump! …Do some cropping or something – get your fuzzy face in the photo…sniff! …Or are you being mysterious as a blog of orange on purpose???.. snicker!
7:35 pm on July 24th, 2010
Staff Update!… This was sent early Central time 6:55 am (figure it out)… snort!… sorry we did not get it to you all earlier, but we’ve been sort of busy too ….sniff!…and now feeling very bad about it…sob!
Staff’s early update:
I have been talking to some of the nurses here and they seemed surprised that I would be going home with a JP drain still in place so I am lobbying to be in for another day. It sounds like I am in charge here about that anyway so unless you hear differently I am not planning on coming home until Sunday.
I feel very comfortable with that decision as I am worried about getting in and out of bed and, well, you know, all sorts of things that are now being done for me here.
Although I know Jim will be happy cooking for me. He mostly has been these last few months anyway.
Love,
Nancy
2:06 am on July 25th, 2010
Hi guys,
Yes I stayed in the hospital again last night, and I am glad I did because I got sick to my stomach. (I ate spicy food which I always used to do, but not any more!) I had trouble taking my meds and couldn't sleep laying down without tossing my cookies and even Rio wouldn't have liked those cookies.
So I sort of sat up in the hospital bed and feel better now. I have had some water and am waiting for the resident doctor to come around on his/her rounds. They usually come around 5:30 but maybe since it is 6 a.m. here now they come later on Sundays.
Yes, Fatty Kitty was the kat that lived with my sister the Librarian. He is posting from beyond the Rainbow Bridge. If we suck the fatty kitty into the blog there will be three of us sisters here.
TeeHee.
And Rio thinks he is king of the blog. He'd better watch out!
Staff
2:47 am on July 25th, 2010
Rio, your grandma looks a lot like our Mom. Our Mom gets to live at home with our Dad. Staffs and Kats stay there in the winter too. So far so good.
AbbietheKitty loves our Mom cause she gives her treats all the time. And not one or two but 7 or 8 at a time. Kitty Heaven!
Staff
2:48 am on July 25th, 2010
Alice gets her treats from our Dad. He goes up to the upstairs bathroom and says "Hello Alice" and she jumps up on the counter and gets a treat. We don't know how many he gives her. She is rather secretive.