What’s In A Name?
Ms. Publicist: Fifteenth of the month and therefore time for What’s In A Name. What’ll it be this month, Spence?
Spencer Quinn: How about “The Valley?” The Valley is the huge urban area surrounded by vast desert where Chet and Bernie live. The residents call it the Valley – the way the residents of Phoenix do – so that’s how Chet thinks of it.
Ms. P: So Chet and Bernie live in Phoenix?
SQ: Not exactly. They live in an imaginary southwestern city that resembles Phoenix although the vibe might be a little more Tucson-like. I wanted that combination for Chet, the contrast of the urban and the wild, and I think most readers thought: Arizona. But when I do signings in the L.A. area they all think it’s their valley.
Ms. P.: Chet finally does learn the facts.
SQ: Yes. In the Sound and the Furry, book six in the series, there’s this passage:
The wiry dude squinted down at Bernie. Then he laughed. “You’re not from around here.”
“True,” said Bernie.
“Where you from?”
“Arizona.”
Ha! We were from Arizona? I’d wondered about that.
Ms. P.: Thanks, Spence. See you next month!
Tags: Arizona, Phoenix, The Sound and the Furry, the Valley, Tucson, What's In A Name
This entry was posted on Friday, November 15th, 2013 at 7:52 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.
8:01 am on November 15th, 2013
SiberH knew all along!!!!
Good morning! We hope melanie and Zoe got a good night’s sleep. Nana told us she is asking Rio to organize a mission for the Big Breakout!
Good news continues on this here blog. Lookie lookie what Mom and Pop found early this morning while letting the chickies out.
8:28 am on November 15th, 2013
Good morning, everyone! OH: Congratulations, y’all have laid an egg! My, my, my, that will make egg day very special. OFA, who would have thought of having a name day for a place? Someone with a great imagination.
Have a fraughtless, frilly, fun-filled Friday.
8:49 am on November 15th, 2013
Greetings!
Hey Howlers! What a very nice egg!
HOH! Have a frisky Friday.
My Whitey-Lance mouse pad at my desk, but I do not have a desk anymore. No I do not.
8:57 am on November 15th, 2013
That egg is NOT sideways on our iPaw. Drat it.
Texas Plunderers: If youse see our egg, be and sure and tell the Egg Queen Barb about this eggstroadinary news !
8:59 am on November 15th, 2013
I’m wondering what the difference is between Phoenix and Tucson.
Very nice egg Howlers.
Good morning all.
9:23 am on November 15th, 2013
Wose: We will do our best to remain frisky through out the day.
OH: If the egg is sideways, does it roll out?
HRH B: Phoenix is megalopolis with older burbs swallowed up. Tucson is more artsy (though not like Sedona) and natural. (At least from what we have seen.)
9:56 am on November 15th, 2013
Thank you HOH.
10:09 am on November 15th, 2013
Howlers, That first egg is so exciting. Your little girls are growing up! Any idea who was the first? We know it was not the Americauna, since it is not green. Also not the Welsummer, since it is not dark brown. What is your best guess?
OK, Barb is turning off the computer and heading over to Kelly’s. Leaving for the airport at 11:00. Have a good Friday and a great weekend.
Excited about tomorrow!
10:17 am on November 15th, 2013
Well, we missed Barb. But we will answer anyway. We do not know who laid the first egg, altho it was the Welsummer that has been hanging in the coop and not coming out. She was also poking in the nestbox after we found the egg. The egg is not the right color for that breed, but maybe the first egg does not come out as dark.
The Plymouth Rock and the Black Australorp are also very likely since they have been exhibiting large wattles and going into “the crouch” all the time.
10:58 am on November 15th, 2013
Rio, use the “contact us” button to let us know what you want. I will get more info from “the man”.
We are super excited about tomorrow. I have been unwell all week, but I will be there come heck or high water!
Watch for new canine options at Rick’s Knife Shop. We have a new toy that is supposed to be good for the teeth. Belle has gotten into the box twice, but she hasn’t gotten her teeth into one yet.
11:07 am on November 15th, 2013
We are excited to hear bit of good news on yesterdays blog. We can’t wait to hear about the Plunderer gathering today.
Howlers: Happy egg day!
All youse under the Quilt, may notice a Giant sized shape there this morning. The Giant cracked a rib yesterday. He says he is fine, but we took it into our paws and tucked him under the Quilt anyway. Tenzing immediately took up his role as pillow and we stayed the night just to keep an eye on him. Plus, there were snacks.
11:57 am on November 15th, 2013
Spence: Interesting.
O’Howler’s: Nice egg.
Barb, Macy’sMom & BooBear’sMom: Enjoy the Plunderer meet.
AJ: Ouch! The only ribs you need to be cracking are at the Memphis Rib restaurant.
Melanie: Thinking of you.
Wolfie: You too.
Nana: Stand up, sit down, fight, fight, fight! (from a high school cheer but it works for rehab too) That’s my partner!
12:07 pm on November 15th, 2013
Giant! Cracked Rib !!! What will this do to the A-Team’s training schedule? AJ should NOT be mushing with a cracked rib!
12:09 pm on November 15th, 2013
We love that part in the Sound and the Furry where Chet learns where he is from.
Mom much prefers Tucson to Phoenix.
I’ve always known where I am from…West Texas and NM. The land of little snow but the nice trade off is there is little rain.
Siberia is just a dim memory of mine.
I think the Howlers’ egg should go to Dima.
12:12 pm on November 15th, 2013
Dawson said all the things we were thinking. So count this as a double Dawson!
We have been outside supervising the painter. He thought the colors we picked were nice, but he still had some reservations about how it would all look. Now he is jumping up and down in approval – the colors are gorgeous and rich. He asked today if he could “showcase” our house to show potential clients.
heh heh heh – take THAT the rest of you white and beige neighborhood houses!
12:15 pm on November 15th, 2013
Can’t wait to hear about the Texas Meet and Greet!
Sending loving hugs to Melanie and Zoe.
Pancho and Lefty: That must have been a giant rib the Giant broke. Ouch, indeed. Is your Lady traveling? Who is nursing OFM back to health? What in dog’s name led to the Giant breaking a rib?
12:15 pm on November 15th, 2013
We can’t wait to see T&G’s painted house!
Mom will probably not let anyone eat that precious egg. heh heh!
12:16 pm on November 15th, 2013
I agree with MY Fellow Sibers. AJ cannot mush with a cracked rib. I hurt just thinking about it.
Pancho and Lefty, Mom says be good and don’t cause AJ any trouble.
Macy? I think Rio asked you if he could send a check. My question for you is can I use Mom’s credit card on your dad’s website as I do not have a paypal account?
12:17 pm on November 15th, 2013
T&G: Don’t forget pictures for this here blog.
12:17 pm on November 15th, 2013
Oh, and Bee – Phoenix is now the 3rd largest city in the country. New York, Las Angeles, and Phoenix.
We find that fact kinda scary since Mama remembers when is was still just a little podunck town in the desert. The building, the highways going every which was and the climate changing “improvements” have turned it into a place we would rather not live.
We still like Tucson.
12:18 pm on November 15th, 2013
We will post before and after pictures one the shutters and doors are done, and it is all put together.
twirling, twirling, happy Corgi dance!
12:20 pm on November 15th, 2013
There should be no mushing! When the Prof fractured his wrist, he wore a cast for 6 weeks. But the Prof is a man of a certain age. AJ is just a pup.
Giant, get thee to a doctor!
12:25 pm on November 15th, 2013
Siber, Yes, paypal OR credit card, no problem.
Check, no problem, just a little more work.
12:29 pm on November 15th, 2013
Miss Macy, Thank You.
12:36 pm on November 15th, 2013
I just got back from the vampire’s. While I was there, they weighed me. I lost a little more weight. What does this mean? It probably means that I will be even more spoiled with food and treats. 🙂
12:40 pm on November 15th, 2013
Dima – we happen to know there is a special egg with your name on it. of course, if you ate the “container”, it would probably fill you up even faster.
just sayin’
1:40 pm on November 15th, 2013
Herbs, I said the same thing! Mama Meash is still saying “Patience Grasshopper”.
sheesh!
2:20 pm on November 15th, 2013
AJ should not be mushing with a cracked rib. Hopefully he can find someone that will give the dogs some running time. There is nothing to be done with cracked ribs except rest. Even with 5 broken ribs the man who lives here just had to grin and bear it. No laughing, coughing or sneezing is recommended. I think it will be hard for AJ to just rest as he is a go-getter, but he must. Maybe he will become a regular on the blog.
Carpola!
How did I get in front of the computer? I am supposed to be studying. The subject is water and aquifers.
It is snowing again.
2:24 pm on November 15th, 2013
Philip can mush those doggies! He has been mushing the B-Team anyway.
Carpola! Those chickens just got out of their not-secure flexible fencing. I was lying close by. What did I do? I was asleep ! 🙁 🙁 🙁
2:24 pm on November 15th, 2013
Dawson? When you get back to the computer….How long did it take the man of the house to completely recover from the broken ribs?
2:50 pm on November 15th, 2013
Yeeks! Catch those chickees.
SiberH: It took months but they were broken, not cracked. There are different degrees of cracked and hopefully it is a hairline or slight crack. The smaller the crack and the less you exacerbate the crack by moving and twisting, the faster the healing. They all hurt when you breathe though.
2:55 pm on November 15th, 2013
Kat, What am I going to do with you, gah
Dawson, We will hope for a hairline crack for AJ.
AJ You will have to be very still so it will heal.
3:08 pm on November 15th, 2013
Dawson: Why are you studying water and aquifers?
3:15 pm on November 15th, 2013
Yes, Dawson, inquiring minds want to know.
4:10 pm on November 15th, 2013
Today is the last day for commenting on the new “Water Sustainability Act” for British Columbia. The government says they take all the citizens comments under advisement before making the new law. Personally I think they will still give away the water to the oil & gas companies (frack them!) and to Nestle (who takes millions of gallons of ground water per day! for free! bottles it and sells it for mega profits). Me and Bernie are on the same page when it comes to water.
4:14 pm on November 15th, 2013
Dawson! Mom is right there with you. A water company named Wissahickon tried to come into Oley and take away our water. We all banned together and stopped them.
5:41 pm on November 15th, 2013
Mama Meash came home to eat, and now she is whining that she wants to go back out. My other Momma thinks Meashka is becoming wild. She was off at the far reaches of the farm today, as she was yesterday and last evening. Nobody knows what she’s been up to, and nobody (especially me) dares find out.
The ‘rents are going out to eat, so I guess it will just be Dima and me to guard the place. Meashka will be off doing her “thing”.
7:52 pm on November 15th, 2013
Meashka!….I bet Meashka is trying to find a way into that chicken coop…snort!…I wonder how much that one egg cost…heh!heh!
7:59 pm on November 15th, 2013
Barb!…So does anyone know if Barb made it to Texas safe and sound?…sniff!…Speaking of Texans – Macy once my friend is sure about what she will order she will use that Contact link on the webpage…snort!…That Huge Giant Nephew loves to fish, so she is toying with the idea of buying some special fishing gear for him as a Christmas present….sniff!
8:02 pm on November 15th, 2013
I bet Meashka is tunneling into the chicken coop…just like they did in the movie, The Great Escape, except she is doing it in reverse.
8:07 pm on November 15th, 2013
SiberH!….The Great Escape, was that the film where Steve McQueen had to eat tons of hard boiled eggs?….snort!
8:16 pm on November 15th, 2013
Cool Paw Luke! Maybe Meashka is doing one called The Egg Escape. Heh, heh, heh.
8:18 pm on November 15th, 2013
HoHo!…snort!
8:21 pm on November 15th, 2013
Rio, I don’t remember the eggs, but I remember Steve McQueen being the star of the movie.
8:31 pm on November 15th, 2013
Eggs are with Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke (“What we have here is a failure to communicate”).
8:32 pm on November 15th, 2013
McQueen!…I don’t know if it was the Great Eggscape or not, but I do remember the end of one movie where Steve McQueen rode off on a motorcycle…snort!….He was one cool dude back in the day…heh!heh!
8:35 pm on November 15th, 2013
Yes, McQueen jumped the barbed wire fence to freedom. Liked the was he took on the hills in San Francisco in Bullet, too
8:37 pm on November 15th, 2013
Bullet!…I don’t think I have ever seen that movie, “Bullet”…grunt!…Must put it on my Netflix list…snort!
8:44 pm on November 15th, 2013
Original with McQueen and Jacqueline Bissett.
8:47 pm on November 15th, 2013
Subject!…What was the original? The movie “Bullet”?…grunt!….Weren’t you or someone in your family an English teacher?…wheeze!
8:54 pm on November 15th, 2013
Subject: Convoluted plot with Rbt.Vaughn as a corrupt politician and McQueen as a San Fran police lieutenant assigned to protect him. Rio, yes taught theatre, English, Spanish and literacy (reading for mouth breathing knuckle draggers.)
8:58 pm on November 15th, 2013
English!…I’m just wondering why you don’t post in complete sentences…sniff! …But thanks for the Bullet plotline anyways….heh!heh!
8:58 pm on November 15th, 2013
Another classic McQueen is The Thomas Crown Affair, Original with Faye Dunaway. Remake in the 90’s with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. This is one where I think the remake is better.
9:00 pm on November 15th, 2013
Rio, if I posted in complete sentences 1) you might understand me , and 2) my posts would be longer than Buddy’s.
9:01 pm on November 15th, 2013
Quote!…As you said earlier, “What we have here is a failure to communicate.”…grunt!
9:03 pm on November 15th, 2013
No real pun intended (ha, ha) but it is a freaky Friday with just Rio and HOH. Know some are working, some are visiting and some are lurking. Hope our lurkers are fine as frog’s hair or approaching tip top.
9:03 pm on November 15th, 2013
Rio, that is a line from Cool Hand Luke.
9:20 pm on November 15th, 2013
HoHo!…I know it is a line from Cool Hand Luke…snort!…It seems appropriate for our conversation…grunt!…Hey, I understood your last post!…snort!
Lewis!…We are watching a documentary on the life and times of Jerry Lewis…chuffle!…That man is a genius.
9:21 pm on November 15th, 2013
Oh for crying out loud, I will interrupt my hockey game to jump in here.
9:24 pm on November 15th, 2013
Tomorrow. Big day! Feel crummy. Don’t care, going anyway. 10:30?
9:28 pm on November 15th, 2013
Princess, Thank you so much for dragging yourself away from the Ice Capades.We need another voice tonight. Wow, how strange will it be during the Iditarod and during the Northeast Spring Thing!
9:30 pm on November 15th, 2013
Sammie!…She jumped but she did not say anything…grunt!…What the heck….sniff!
9:31 pm on November 15th, 2013
Macy’s Mom, do what ever you need to feel better for the Texas Treat. Rest, chicken noodle soup, hot pad, ice packs, aspirin…anything
9:32 pm on November 15th, 2013
Macy!….Get an Airborne down her gullet tonight….grunt!
9:33 pm on November 15th, 2013
Found out at the last minute that a local auction house was selling some Native American stuff tonight. We made a mad dash for the auction house, but t’was all for naught. It was all modern stuff that was WAAAAYYYY overpriced. There was a Mexican woven poncho identified as being Native. It wasn’t. We tried to tell some folks who asked about it, but they wouldn’t believe us. Guess they thought we were trying to psych them out, so they started the bidding at $200 – which is about $190. more than they were worth.
Oh well. We tried.
9:39 pm on November 15th, 2013
Rio, we were in an exciting spot. The Maple Leafs pulled their goalie and we scored! A new hockey era has come to Buffalo. We are last in the league and heads rolled. The coach and general manager gone! Ted Nolan and Pat Lafontaine back in town and off we go! Woo hoo!
9:40 pm on November 15th, 2013
Hey, Rio, are you a hockey fan? Know you love your beisbol.
9:41 pm on November 15th, 2013
A- if karma is right, they will try to sell them, only to find out the truth.
Airborne will not help my problem, sadly. I learned a valuable lesson, though. Do not wait until the last minute to look for a stamp for a particular passport. I have several, just not the one I would prefer. OWELL.
9:49 pm on November 15th, 2013
Sorry but the HOH is winding down. Daddy Dawg wants to go the flea market in the morning which means early and chilly 🙁 Why wants to buy fleas? Nighty night.
9:55 pm on November 15th, 2013
Our Lady is at the airport hoping the flight home isn’t delayed longer. Until then, we are now officially Giant Smoochers. Our self-appointed title allows us access to Quilt snacks. We are sitting on him. Partly to keep him still like Dawson recommended and partly because we don’t want him to be jealous if Melanie who has Savannah sitting on her. Dawson said that laughing will hurt his cracked rib. This isn’t a problem. We may have mentioned before, our Lady isn’t funny.
Macy: Bring your mom to the Quilt. There is plent of room and snacks.
10:04 pm on November 15th, 2013
Rib!…I can’t believe the Giant cracked a big ole rib…snort!…I wonder what happened to cause such a thing. Did the team crash and burn during a training run? Is Junior okay?…wheeze!…There is no way in hell the Giant is going to lay around and wait for that rib to heal….sniff!…This worries me very much.
10:06 pm on November 15th, 2013
Macy – guess the value of things is what YOU perceive them to be. There was a chair at the auction – it just looked like a chair to us, but it sold for almost $3000. And an old milk jug went for $800. We wouldn’t have paid $50 for either one of them.
So the people who bought that weaving may be happy for a long time thinking that they have a valuable thing, thereby making it valuable to them.
Us – we would rather have a carton of SlimJims.
10:09 pm on November 15th, 2013
Rio: No team members were involved in the cracking of the rib. We are all safe.
T&G: you had us at a carton full of slim…
10:14 pm on November 15th, 2013
CinderFella!…That is one of our most favorite Jerry Lewis movies…snort!…Now I have to put that on my Netflix list along with The Artist…chuffle!
10:16 pm on November 15th, 2013
Team!…OH, I am so relieved to hear that the team is A-Okay!…snort!…Just wondering what happened to AJ The Giant and his big ole rib…grunt!
10:16 pm on November 15th, 2013
We will be happy to crawl under the blanket, but PLEASE, no snacks. Turning in now to be fresh-ish in the a.m.
No members of the nation will be at this get together, bummer.
10:35 pm on November 15th, 2013
We are saying good night too. Macy – tell your Mom that we sure hope her “systems” are all better tomorrow.
And have a WONDERFUL time at the Plunder Party. Wish we were there.
11:15 pm on November 15th, 2013
Yankees!….My friend was fortunate enough to see Jerry perform live in “Damn Yankees” way before I was born ….snort!…Unbelievable. I cannot believe she got to see Jerry in person…heh!heh!
11:30 pm on November 15th, 2013
Videos!…sniff!…My friend has a whole big plastic container of old video tapes that she cannot even play now…grump!…Video tape is out of date apparently. So now her whole collection of Jerry Lewis, Martin and Lewis, etc. is useless…grump!…This is maddening. But she says it is time to re-watch the genius of Lewis again. So we will be adding those films to our DVD list…gruffle….This reminds me of her whole collection of Records stored under the stairway along with her Pioneer turntable…..wheeze!
12:02 am on November 16th, 2013
Pioneer is a good turntable. Mr.Staff still has his VCR player.
Sending soothing quiet thoughts to AJ. He will probably need to be reminded occasionally to be careful with his rib. sniff. Men! Mr.Staff is doing fine with his cracked fibula though. I guess I can’t complain too much.
Peaceful thoughts to Melanie and Zoe, Macy and Tenzing.
I felt so good after my long sleep last night that I am staying up late tonight. Sheesh. You would think I would learn.
Mr.Staff is all excited. When we get back to the big cities he will be able to go see Pokey in PERSON! He is playing it really loud in the living room right now. It is not sleepy music.
Here is a picture my neighbor took this afternoon. It is a definite advantage to live in a flat place when you want to photograph a rainbow.
12:09 am on November 16th, 2013
Here is some Pokey for you all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVfVwkVN4V8
Good night till tomorrow
12:32 am on November 16th, 2013
Gah!…I finally got the computer back…sniff!…Someone had to compose an email to her renters – talk about walking a fine line…grunt!…She says she does not want to be a landlord anymore, but she knows they need an affordable place to live. …grunt!…Hard boiled-egg place to be…sniff!
12:33 am on November 16th, 2013
Goodnight!…wheeze!
7:37 pm on December 8th, 2013
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