the dimennoization of the noise board is now widespread Options

[tom from out of town]

time to go elsewhere while he jerks off over his own wit and fills up the first few pages

[dimenno]

Whenever you check off the items on your list of things to do, make sure The Captain is on board.

[EricDoberman]

Whenever you check off the items on your list of things to do, make sure The Captain is on board.

But Mahoney doesn't post here anymore.

[mhaverty]

Herpes flare up!

[dimenno]

But Mahoney doesn't post here anymore.

God is my rose. Lack of faith is my thorn.

[dimenno]

Herpes flare up!

A man is what he chooses and I chose to be a man.

[The Undude]

"dimennoization" - this word deserves a wikipedia entry. who knows how to do that?

[dimenno]

I could, but it wouldn't be modest.

[Mister Shhh]

On the Way


Story One

The days and nights of travel on the train from Phoenix, Arizona to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had been long and tiring ones for Ardath, who was five years old and her brother, Arthur who was four. You would have expected them to be slow and sleepy when they arrived at Berryville, in Bucks County, at nine o'clock in the morning, with their Father and Mother. But they were neither slow nor sleepy. They were wide awake as chirping birds on that sunny morning in June, in the year nineteen hundred and thirty.

At six o'clock that morning they had been awakened and taken from their curtained berths on the train. Arthur had gone with Rather, and Mother had taken Ardath to the wash rooms where they had hurriedly brushed their teeth and washed their hands and faces after going to the toilet.

When they had dressed they had all gone to the dining car for breakfast and had must finished eating when the train stopped at Philadelphia at thirty minutes past seven o'clock. The train they had been traveling on did not go to Berryville, so they had to get on another train for the extra hour of travel to the small country town near by where Grandfather lived.

On the train they had played games and looked at picture books. Sometimes they had looked out the train windows at the scenery, but it had been blurred because the train had always been moving. The children had been kept happy imagining what they would see and do in the days ahead when they would be staying with grandfather on his farm. Father and Mother had told them many interesting things about the farm.

The train Conductor, who is the man who takes the tickets from the people riding on the train and tells them where the train is stopping, called B-e-r-r-y-v-i-l-l-e several times in a special kind of voice which only train Conductors use. As the train came to a full stop Father reached to the racks over the seats and took down two traveling cases

"Will Grandfather meet us at the station?", Arthur wanted to know.

"Do you remember, I told you about Adam?" Father answered Arthur with another question. Arthur said he remembered that Adam was the man who helped Grandfather on the farm.

Father was glad Arthur remembered about Adam, then said, "Adam will meet us at the station."

Arthur wanted to ask why Grandfather wouldn't meet them, but there was no time. Father took the two traveling cases and told Arthur to follow him off the train. Ardath and Mother had small carrying cases with books and small items for travel as folding drinking cups and extra tooth brushes. Father got off the train so he could help Mother and the children onto the station platform. The Conductor had been the first one off the train after it had stopped and he helped everyone with their luggage and to step carefully onto the platform.

"Good-morning folks", A tall, thin red-haird and freckled faced man came toward them.

"Good-morning Adam", Father greeted the man and they shook hands. Mother extended her hand to him, then both the children shook hands with him.

"It couldn't be a finer morning," Adam said cheerily. "It certainly is good to see you folks again". He looked at the children admiringly. "I never expected the children would have grown so much. Why they were must babies when I last was them".

"Children do have a way of growing up", Father smiled at the children. They felt proud that they were bigger than Adam had expected them to be. It made them feel even bigger than they were.

As Adam was talking to them, their luggage was being removed from the baggage coach of the train. It was put on a small hand truck and wheeled along the station platform. Adam saw the station porter push the truck toward them.

"Well, here comes our luggage, " he announced. "We can be on our way". He picked up both traveling cases Father had carried off the train. Everyone followed Adam around the corner of the station. The porter pushed the luggage on the hand truck after them.


To the Farm


Story Two

Ardath and Arthur had expected to be taken to the farm in a station wagon because their Father and Mother used a station wagon in Phoenix, to take them wherever they went. But they did not see a station wagon. They saw a white horse hitched to a carriage, Adam led them right to it. The horse was tied to an iron hitching post. The children cold not have been more surprised and delighted with anything they might have seen.

Father helped Adam and the porter put the luggage from the hand truck into a space in the back of the carriage. They piled the two traviling cases that Father had carried of the train on top of the other luggage and Adam put straps over the top of them so they would not slide off. The porter backed his hand truck away and father gave him some money and thanked him for being so helpful.

"Are we going to take a ride in the wagon?" Arthur asked very much excited at the idea.

Father gave Arthur a chance to say "no", by asking, "Would you like to ride in the wagon.

"Yes, I want to ride in the wagon", Arthur decided quickly. Then without asking, he decided for Ardath, too. "Ardath wants to ride in it, too." After he said, he thought he better ask her, so he said, "Don't you, Ardath?"

Father and Mother both laughed, "We are all going to ride to Grandfather's farm in it," Mother said, as Father lifted Ardath to the from seat of the carriage. Then Father helped Mother into the back seat of the carriage. Arthur got between the wheels of the carriage, found the iron step protruding from the floor of the carriage and climbed in besides Ardath without waiting to be helped.

"Take it easy, young fellow," Adam warned, "Never get between the wheels of a carriage unless the horse is tied and you trust your horse." Arthur didn't know much horses so he did not quite understand that the horse might push the cariage backwards and hurt him if he were between the wheels. He bounded up and down in the front seat of the carriage, a few times. Maybe he wanted to be sure he was safe there or maybe it was because it felt good to be able to move about more freely than he had been able to do on the train.

Father got into the back seat of the carriage besides Mother. Adam untied the horse from the hitching post, then took a giant step from the ground to the front of the carriage without using the iron step. The reins of the harness, the end which the driver holds, were wound around a ship holder which held a tasseled "buggy whip". Adam unwound the reins and pulled slightly on them. "Hoof-back", he said. The horse flicked one of his ears and pushed back on the shafts of the carriage to which he was hitched.

The carriage was backed away from the hitching post and the horse headed toward the street. Adam clicked his tongue and the horse flicked his other ear and started on a fast walk. He seemed to know exactly what he was supposed to do and where he was to go.

Ardath was busy looking at the strange country town. Arthur looked at the whip and wondered why Adam did not use it. When he could not keep still any longer, he asked, "When will you whip the horse?"

"This horse doesn't need to be whipped", Adam assured him.

"Then why do you have the whip, there? Arthur pointed to it.

Adam explained that all carriages had whip holders and that the whip was more for decoration than for use. Adam took the whip from the holder and swished it along side of the carriage. The horse twitched both ears, but seemed to know it wasn't meant mor him. Just then a dog came running out of a house-yard and ran along side of the carriage, barking. "See, the whip comes in handy, sometimes, to snap at annoying dogs". Adam swished the whip again and the dog ran back to the yard.

Arthur was glad the dog did not need to be switched because he like dogs. Most of all he was glad that Adam would no need to use the whip on the white horse.

They drove past several grocery stores, some houses and a Five and Ten Cent store. Berryville was a small town so theywere soon on country roads with trees growing on both sides of it. Father and Mother talked of the changes along the way since they had visited Grandfather three years earlier. Mother said, "Arthur was only a year old when we last came down this road. Eating, sleeping and learning to walk well and to climb were his main interests."

"How old was I?" Ardath asked.

" You were just a month past two years old. What you liked to do best, then, was pull the pretty heads off of Grandfather's flowers," Mother told her. "You wouldn't do that now, I'm sure", she added confidently.

"What is the horse's name?" Arthur turned to Adam.

"I call him ‘Will'" Adam said then explained "His name is really ‘Will Power' but no one calls him that but the Boss."

Before Arthur could ask another question, father told him "Adam calls Grandfather ‘Boss' because his activities about the farm are directed by Grandfather.

"Oh," was all he said then began looking toward the roof of the carriage. Pointing toward the edges of the roof he asked, "Why are all those strings hanging down from the top?"

"They really are not strings. We call them fringe. They make the carriage look nice. This is a surrey and all surreys have fringe," Adam explained carefully.

It could be that Ardath was getting tired of the surrey ride because she asked, "Why are the seats fo scratchy?" As she said it she rubbed the back of her legs.

Asam said the seats were made from strong woolen threads and that they were stuffed with horse hair. "That is what makes them scratchy."

Just then there was a sudden change of scenery. Without being told, Will turned left onto another road. This road was narrower and less traveled than the road they had been traveling on from town. The green trees and native shrubs stretched out over the roadway. Sparks flew from under the horse's hooves and stones were scattered by the surrey wheels. The big white horse switched his tail over the dash board of the surrey ever few minutes, almost touching the children's noses. He began to trot faster down a winding hill.

"Here we are, folks," Adam said as he drew back on the reins. "This is Beverly Farm, children. How do you like it?" He made as sweeping gesture with his arm. He didn't really expect them to answer, because he knew they could not know so soon how they liked it

Neither Ardath nor Arthur knew exactly what Grandfather looked like. They knew he was actually their Great Grandfather , but everyone called him, just Grandfather from Bucks County.

Father had told them that Grandfather was "camera shy". That meant he never allowed anyone to take his picture with a camera. That is why they did not know what he really looked like. They had been told that he was "very old and very, very wise." This made them think he may look like the old people they knew in Phoenix. They thought he may even walk with a cane as many old people needed to do so they could steady themselves.

Will trotted past an old brick school house o the left, where children no longer went to school. Then he turned right, into a driveway, through a garden. There were brownstone garden walls with hundreds of roses peeping over the edges of the wall.

A man was working in the garden with a long handled tool, but they could not see what he was doing. On his head was a pale straw hat. When he saw them coming, he carefully placed his tool on the garden wall and came toward the drive to meet them, as he waved his hand.

Father and Mother waved back and smiled. The children waved and smiled, too. They were too far away to see the man's face, but both Ardath and Arthur felt that he was smiling at them.

"That is Grandfather," Mother whispered. "He has been hoeing his roses while he was waiting for us." Mother's voice was hushed and happy. This made the children feel happy, too, because their Mother felt happy.

Will slowed his pace to a walk as he stopped at the exact spot where Father's and Great Grandfather's outstretched hand could meet. Arthur had a fleeting wonder of how Will knew to stop at the right place.

Father got out of the surrey. Grandfather placed a firm left hand on his shoulder. As the two men gripped right hands, they gazed for a moment into each other's eyes. The children knew they were glad to see each other even if they did not say so. Grandfather then turned to ardath and took both her hands to help her out of the surrey. She watched the iron step of the carriage so she would not miss it, then stepped onto the drive.

"What a lovely young lady," Grandfather admired.

Arthur didn't wait to be helped, but jumped to the ground alone.

"Well, well, what a brisk young man we have here." Grandfather said as he shook hands with Arthur and patted his head, approvingly.

As the children were meeting Grandfather, for the first time, they could remember of, Father helped Mother out of the surrey. Mother was the grand-daughter of great grandfather, they had been told. So, Grandfather was especially glad to see her. He put his arm around her, protectively and Mother kissed Grandfather, affectionately, on the cheek.

Everyone seemed to be talking at once as Grandfather led the way to the steps of the big stone house with deep woodland back of it. Questions were being asked of one another. Father said the trees had grown tall since he had seen them three years before and Mother said the gardens had never been more beautiful. Will, the big white horse, waited patiently in the drive while Adam took the luggage from the back of the surrey. He switched his tail and moved his head up and down every few minutes to chase off flies.
Welcome to Beverly Farm


Story Four

Grandfather opened the front door of the big stone house. "Welcome to Beverly Farm", he said, heartily. Even before he said "This is indeed a pleasure to see all of you looking so fine after your long trip on the train', the children knew he was pleased to have them visit him. There was something about Grandfather that made them feel warm and comfortable.

Mary, the housekeeper, came from the kitchen smiling and wiping her hands on her apron. The house was filled with the odor of baking bread .Mary was so friendly that she too made Ardath and Arthur feel she was glad that they were going to be staying at the farm for a short time. Her thoughtfulness in suggesting that everyone may want to take a tub bath before lunch since trains do not have tubs was appreciated by each of them. They all agreed it was a good idea.

Grandfather said, "You go right on upstairs and make yourselves comfortable", as he motioned to the broad, open staircase leading from the front hall of the house. "I'll see you at lunch."

Adam helped Father carry the luggage and traveling cases upstairs to a spacious bedroom with a big white canopied bed in the middle of it. On either side of the bed, along opposite walls, were two small beds, but ardath did not notice them.

"Is this going to be my bed?" she asked Mary, who had come upstairs with them. Ardath stroked the ruffled white spread on the big bed and looked at Mary for an answer.

Mary said she thought Father and Mother would sleep in that bed, at least tonight and that Ardath would sleep in one of the smaller beds. She walked to the small bed with blue pillows and asked, "Wouldn't you like to sleep here, tonight?"

Ardath looked at the small bed with the blue pillows and decided, "Yes, I'd like to sleep there if Father and Mother are going to sleep in the big bed."

Arthur ran to the other small bed with the red and white striped pillows and threw himself backward on it, with his feet in the air. He kicked several times then brought his feet back to the floor. All the time he had been on the train, he had not had a chance to kick, at least not whenever he wanted to.

When everyone had changed to fresh clean clothing after bathing, they felt even better than when they had arrived, although that had been good. Mary called to say lunch was ready anytime everyone was ready to eat it. Breakfast had been so early on the train that everyone was hungry and lost no time in getting downstairs.

Grandfather was waiting for them in the dining room and told each one where to sit. They all joined hands around the table and said a prayer, aloud. It was the same prayer the children said with their parents at home and they were surprised that Grandfather knew it, too. They might have been more surprised to know that Grandfather had taught it to their Mother when she was a little girl.

"In harmony with our best thoughts and desires, may this food be blessed by God and His silent workers, so it may become part of us, helping us to be obedient to the laws of life and love, and to be servants of God.

There was a big loaf of brown bread besides Grandfather's plate, on a board, with a knife beside it. Grandather cut a slice of bread and gave one to each of the children, then hi asked Father and Mother if they would like a thick slice of warm, newly baked bread. There was a small glass tub of yellow butter, with a leaf design on the top. Mother said Mary had made both the bread and the butter.

The children had been told they could go to the garden after lunch to discover some of the wonders of nature to be found there. There must have been something very special about the hot buttered sugar peas in their soft green pods, the cool lettuce salad with yellow and white egg dressing, the cottage and cup cheeses and the hot herb tea with honey that made them forget about going to the garden When it was suggested by mother that they may want to rest awhile, first, they readily agreed.

They really had awakened very early in the morning to change trains at Philadelphia. It was so nice not to be moving and to hear soft music playing somewhere in the house, rather than the clanking wheels of the train rumbling over the iron rails, that it did not take long for the children to be sleeping peacefully.
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[Danny Vermin]

I could, but it wouldn't be modest.

neither is telling everyone they are stupid because they think you're an obnoxious asshole, like you always do.

[dimenno]

http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/476/

This post has been edited by dimenno: Dec 11 2008, 05:55 PM

[dimenno]

called B-e-r-r-y-v-i-l-l-e several times in a special kind of voice which only train Conductors use.

http://www.denverspiritualcommunity.org/Wi...ghtStories1.htm

[dimenno]