tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.comments2018-05-02T17:44:55.279-04:00Running Hard out of Muskrat FlatsRunning Hard Out Of Muskrat Flatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06175079462074186790noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-49003196441509609822012-12-19T22:16:34.396-05:002012-12-19T22:16:34.396-05:00That was a great description of newspaper printing...That was a great description of newspaper printing. Glad I caught it, as it didn't come up in my blog feed.penrapturehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03747230314291575185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-6140070085272477332011-10-12T08:09:24.685-04:002011-10-12T08:09:24.685-04:00now that i think about it, i think it was ammonia,...now that i think about it, i think it was ammonia, not Drano in the second bottle...i tried looking up the 'recipe' online, but can't find anything (wonder why???)peterunderdoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00462111499342635392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-51473513188482222012011-10-11T15:25:22.318-04:002011-10-11T15:25:22.318-04:00Good stuff. My goal once was to make a chlorine bo...Good stuff. My goal once was to make a chlorine bomb with a bagful of pool chlorine pellets I took from someone's trash, but my father threw it away when it stunk up our garage.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-40697432918955025342011-09-19T17:11:04.634-04:002011-09-19T17:11:04.634-04:00You're a good man, Paulie Brown.
Thanks for w...You're a good man, Paulie Brown.<br /><br />Thanks for writing. I missed you.<br /><br />~Chef AlF. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14327354376066576605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-47956175742899673032009-03-11T15:16:00.000-04:002009-03-11T15:16:00.000-04:00Hi Paul,Thanks for the stories on Forest Park. I v...Hi Paul,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the stories on Forest Park. I volunteered at Trailside Museum with Bill TOmpkins for several years, about 1970. If I remember correctly it was either Hazel or Tuffy the Tiger whose cage was adjacent to Jiggs and Nancy. <BR/><BR/>There were four cages on that side of the Monkey House, When I was there Harry and Tillie were together, in the first, and had several litters of cubs, then Tuffy in the cage next to the lions, and the next housed Hazel, a young tigress. (I'm not sure when she arrived, but perhaps after the lions were paired up. <BR/><BR/>I spent a lot of time with little Jiggsy, and was allowed behind the chain link fence, so he and I would often hold hands. He was prone to trickery though, and one day he slipped a ring off a visitor's hand, and popped it into his mouth and climbed to the top of the cage. I went close to try to encourage him to return the ring to me; he climbed down but was teasing me with the ring in his hand, and when I reached through the bars to take the proffered ring HE BIT ME. He clamped down with his canine tooth on my right index finger, at the base of my nail, and he pressed just hard enough to turn my nail blue, but not enough to break the skin. He let go after a minute and gave me the ring, which I returned to the owner.<BR/><BR/>This was the least of his tricks, I often saw him fill his cheeks with water, climb to the top of the cage and wait for a crowd to gather by the fence. He would then spray his fans with a shower of water. Other times he urinated from up there when the visitors were standing unawares beneath him. He would grin and slap the concrete when everyone roared with indignation. <BR/><BR/>I also remember a blind Rhesus monkey named Susie in the cage directly across from Jiggsy and Nancy, the last cage on that aide. She was so gentle and would sit quietly and extend her hands through the bars when she heard footsteps. She knew my voice, and knew I would bring her treats from the bags of stale pastries we had at Trailside. She would stroke the back of my hand before she took the goodies. <BR/><BR/>Among the outdoor critters, my favorites were the sun bears who would delicately hold an ice cream cone and lick it clean before eating the cone. And Rex the timber wolf, located in a short concret run next to the red and grey foxes and the dingoes, near the shuffleboard courts and snack bar. My parents often allowed me to bring a big knucklebone for Rex, and the caretaker let me in to give it to him. Big dog, small cage.<BR/><BR/>Oh yeah, and Snowball, she almost grabbed me, too. I had a large chunk of frozen fish from Trailside and I went over to her cage to give it to her. I pushed it against the chain link she was enclosed by, and she started to pull it through but it caught, so as I reached to grab it and give it a push again she suddenly ROARED and she tore into the chunk, chainlink fence and all, and yanked it through. Then she calmly went off to eat it. Yikes, I counted my fingers and was glad to find ten.<BR/><BR/>I am glad that the monkey house is gone, the concrete and iron bars saddened me then, and still do. Yet, I can't help but be thankful that I had the opportunity to shares thousands of hours with the animals housed there. <BR/><BR/>I went on to get my biology degree and became the aquarist at the Springfield Science Museum, another place I spent thousands of hours in when I was a kid. <BR/><BR/>Animals and kids, a good combination if you want to raise kids with true humanity.<BR/><BR/>Sue Clark<BR/>West SpringfieldAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-72321093202619940722009-01-16T10:07:00.000-05:002009-01-16T10:07:00.000-05:00Wow. Power-packed stuff. Congrats on 6 months! ...Wow. Power-packed stuff. Congrats on 6 months! I look forward to keeping up with your journey. One more bit of GHarrison for ya:<BR/><BR/>"Give me love<BR/>Give me love<BR/>Give me peace on earth<BR/>Give me light<BR/>Give me life<BR/>Keep me free from birth<BR/>Give me hope<BR/>Help me cope, with this heavy load<BR/>Trying to, touch and reach you with, heart and soul"<BR/><BR/>~Andrew (friend of Sarisob)Sarisobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16832562116468596372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-13433795621917320252008-12-30T00:33:00.000-05:002008-12-30T00:33:00.000-05:00Holy crap! Good stuff- need cold shower! LOL!Holy crap! Good stuff- need cold shower! LOL!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-31093505848872889282008-11-27T13:34:00.000-05:002008-11-27T13:34:00.000-05:00Nice post Paulie... lots of love to you. Peace, mj...Nice post Paulie... lots of love to you. Peace, mjMarc Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14642469599819724721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-37282136108125790582008-10-16T12:20:00.000-04:002008-10-16T12:20:00.000-04:00great post, Paul...i just read it again...Sonia &a...great post, Paul...i just read it again...Sonia & I read it together last night after the debate...<BR/><BR/>yes, we can! <BR/><BR/>(hope the Falcons can, too :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-46707136237726697592008-09-24T10:47:00.000-04:002008-09-24T10:47:00.000-04:00Hurrah!Now that's some good backstory.... um ... t...Hurrah!<BR/><BR/>Now that's some good backstory.<BR/><BR/>... um ... that's what he said?<BR/><BR/>Nice work Pablo.<BR/><BR/>F.A.J.F. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379826763682437312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-87211260871925774842008-09-23T09:32:00.000-04:002008-09-23T09:32:00.000-04:00I've heard about those "plowing demos" circulating...I've heard about those "plowing demos" circulating on the internet. Perhaps it's worth a Google.<BR/><BR/>Nice one, Pablo.<BR/><BR/>F.A.J.F. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379826763682437312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-4978994641038977902008-08-28T00:10:00.000-04:002008-08-28T00:10:00.000-04:00Good stuff, Pablo.Just remember, even imaginary gi...Good stuff, Pablo.<BR/><BR/>Just remember, even imaginary girls give you cooties if you get too close.<BR/><BR/>Nobody wants cooties.<BR/><BR/>Just remember that.<BR/><BR/>F.A.J.F. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379826763682437312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-11122543412610500802008-08-03T23:40:00.000-04:002008-08-03T23:40:00.000-04:00Nice one, Pablo.And for the record, I wasn't passe...Nice one, Pablo.<BR/><BR/>And for the record, I wasn't passed out ... I was *sleeping.*<BR/><BR/>Those rides take a lot out of you.<BR/><BR/>F. A. J.<BR/><BR/>Now, keep me out of it.F. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379826763682437312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-89015572334577355792008-07-13T15:50:00.000-04:002008-07-13T15:50:00.000-04:00I remember Jiggs well. Back in 1973 we use to play...I remember Jiggs well. Back in 1973 we use to play a little game of slap hand through the bars. It saddens me to think he met such a untimely and harsh death. The only consolation is that he was free of his cage. I was going to go to to forest park when I visit from the west coast (transplanted in 81) But it seems kind of pointless now. I may go by the science museum and say bye.<BR/>Thank you for your post.spundoctorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16221559540583654083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-65406430881865400282008-04-08T11:01:00.000-04:002008-04-08T11:01:00.000-04:00great yarn, Paul...it certainly brings back memori...great yarn, Paul...it certainly brings back memories...i bet most visitors to the museum have no idea what the story is behind that stuffed chimp in the African exhibit...too bad Jiggs has been stuck anonymously into that exhibit instead of occupying his place of honor at the entrance to the museumpeterunderdoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00462111499342635392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-49934389491884239442008-02-28T08:58:00.000-05:002008-02-28T08:58:00.000-05:00Nice Muskie. Another great one. "From parts unknow...Nice Muskie. Another great one. "From parts unknown" would be apropos as a description of the giant bones in that creepy picture. I was never a huge wrestling fan, but George was definitely one of the freaks that I followed.F. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379826763682437312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-48750090826040008062008-01-30T09:10:00.000-05:002008-01-30T09:10:00.000-05:00hi Paul, that 'Cherry Garsha' line cracked me up! ...hi Paul, that 'Cherry Garsha' line cracked me up! great stuff...keep on running/posting...l8r, PB>>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-8437788033652287632008-01-18T13:01:00.000-05:002008-01-18T13:01:00.000-05:00Organized enough? Organized enough?I'm organized e...Organized enough? Organized enough?<BR/>I'm organized enough to kick your ASS.<BR/><BR/>But seriously Pablo. Very well put. Everything happens for a reason and in its own good time. I firmly believe this trite and true phrase. We are here. We are friends. In another set of circumstances this may not have been the case. I could have never predicted this present day scenario 10 years ago. And so it is. And how wonderful is that.<BR/><BR/>As for falling on your sword. If you had fallen on your sword, I know someone who would have told you that you didn't sharpen it properly. HUUH!!!!<BR/><BR/>Thanks Pablo, that gave me chills.<BR/><BR/>The good kind.<BR/><BR/>~SAJF. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379826763682437312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-65047231818617435582008-01-13T22:51:00.000-05:002008-01-13T22:51:00.000-05:00I wish I could have been there to see you play Pab...I wish I could have been there to see you play Pablo. When you called me directly afterwards I could tell from the tone in your voice how happy you were. I know so many people who may never understand how that feels. To put yourself out there, to perform, and wait for the applause. Because when it comes, it feels like an avalanche. And no, you don't have to look over your shoulder because it's staring you straight in the face. Bravo Paul. Bravo.F. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379826763682437312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-30463097556967091602008-01-10T22:48:00.000-05:002008-01-10T22:48:00.000-05:00Hi I love the post and was wondering if you would ...Hi I love the post and was wondering if you would let me repost it on my site. I would of course credit you as author and include a link back to your blog.<BR/><BR/>Check out my own little take on the joys of retail life at...<BR/><BR/>http://www.retailhell.info<BR/><BR/>feel free to contact me through the site and keep up the good work! ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-72452744480573134342008-01-09T16:46:00.000-05:002008-01-09T16:46:00.000-05:00Bravo! my friend. I am so very proud of you. This ...Bravo! my friend. I am so very proud of you. This I'm sure you know. As much of a selfish way we are advised to adopt in these early periods in recovery, it is together that we shall find ourselves. I love you.<BR/><BR/>Your friend always,<BR/><BR/>AlF. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379826763682437312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876116775636509424.post-89028494103240677982008-01-04T10:50:00.000-05:002008-01-04T10:50:00.000-05:00I know, I know, you didn't ask for my opinion but ...I know, I know, you didn't ask for my opinion but I am a guitar player. Hey, I could be a drummer. You wouldn't want that. Nice Job Muskrat. "How do you do it?" Me thinks Morbid Morty may have a brother who goes by the name of "Good Ole Tom." After you shake down the corpse shake it on down to "Good Ole Tom's" and trade in those gold chains for cold, hard cash. <BR/><BR/>Keep up the good work Mr. Flats.F. Alex Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379826763682437312noreply@blogger.com