Well, another year has passed and here it is again... the anniversary of the first FRLian thread back on 12/11/98, when the FRL was born!

So happy anniversabirthday, my fellow FRLians, and, as always, Long Live our Fruitcake Freedoms, and Long Live our FRL!!!!

-- Rob (sonofdust@weare.four), December 11, 2002

Answers

Wow four already?

-- helen (got@the.flu), December 11, 2002.

Actually, I'm 6 foot and kinda skinny, but that's cuz Tricia and Carol are more curvy measured metrically.

And Lon Frankenstein? (He's not sure...but he is willing to help support Helen.)

-- Robert Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 12, 2002.

Happy 4th Birthday FRLians. Now I really feel like a newbie.

Ah Robert, if only my metric curves were in the right places, unfortunately their not. That's life eh!

-- Carol (c@oz.com), December 13, 2002.

Ah, but every curve is ALWAYS in the right place.

'Course, some places are more curvy than others, but every place has nice curves.....

-- Robert A Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 13, 2002.

Amen Rob, and dittoes! Not a fruitcake in sight, except the rest of y'all!~ Curves you say Robert? Only the ones on my cookies!

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), December 13, 2002.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

Can a long time ago person pop in to say congrats for making it to four?

Have the very best Holiday Season Everyone!

Merry Christmas, and a safe and Happy New Year!

-- (Sheeple@Greener.Pastures), December 14, 2002.

We got a fruitcake from the mailman today from Veronica's sister!

(Dancing around the room ....)

(Finds out she-who-must-be-obeyed won't open fruitcake can until Christmas....)

Drat. Darn. Shucks. Shoot.

(Dancing stops until fruitcake can be in the male man.)

Updates and more later.

(Actually, less later later. After the fruitcake is opened.)

(Fewer dates later too.)

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 14, 2002.

Donna, is it you?! I seem to remember Sheeple being Donna (or vice versa). Anyway, Happy Anniversary to all you fruitcakes out there...you know who you are! May your holiday be warm and fuzzy.

-- LindaMc (jmcintyre1@cox.net), December 14, 2002.

Linda,

Yep, tis moi! How have you been?

-- (Sheeple@Greener.Pastures), December 14, 2002.

Greetings and salutations Oh Lady of the Sheets. Lettuce know if the Circus comes to town, ok? And speaking of that, I still ain't found that there ol' clown car we had so much fun in. Ya think Lon's still got the keys?. LOL.

-- Rob (sonofdust@hi.donna), December 14, 2002.

Helen; Yup, four already. Hard to believe isn't it? I guess it's just one of those coincidences of life that Marie's always sayin how I act around four ;-( Carol; You may not have been here the whole time but you're definitely an FRLian through and through! I noticed you mentioned the right curves, and just wanted you to know that here we also have left curves too! If our curves are not Down Under does that mean they are up above? Just curious...

Aunt Bee; Someone told me that they saw fruitcakes being thrown around on the Tube a few days ago. Too bad we missed that. Maybe our Chief Investigatress saw it... nothing gets by her! After all, she practically invented Fruitcake Weaponry all by herslef for the First FRLian War. JUst goes to show how we must all continue to be wigilant.

Good Sir; Remember that above all else, or below all else, or somewhere in the immediate vicinity of all else, that curves can be dangerous, especialy when the hitherto aforementioned curves are reputed to belong to an allegedly curvasiously endowed poster that shall remain nameless here to fore.

Never a Dummy; Great to see you here! And thanks for wishing us all a "warm and fuzzy" holiday. Uh, I've got lots of hardwood so 'warm' is covered, but what about fuzzy? Should I leave my red socks in the dryer an extra long time? What if only one sock comes out?

Now... where is our Sweet Princess? And how about Mr. Frankenstein's Better Half... anyone have a sighting?

-- Rob (sonofdust@i'm.baaaaack), December 14, 2002.

when i was one, i was just begun,

when i was two, i was barely new,

when i was three, i was hardly me,

when i was four, i was not much more,

when i was five, i was just alive...

but now i am six and clever as clever -

i think i'll be six forever and ever!!!

(apologies to Lewis Carroll for any errors ;)

.

At least i get to be 6 for ever, instead of 4, Rob! :-)

Donna Sheeple isn't Donna in sheets - she's younger and made her own wedding dress (very talented!). Sheeple so good to see you pop by! Hope all is well with you :-)

I think I'll just skip the curvaceous discussion - I'll be trying to straighten my curves in the new year. Or maybe just redefine them :-)

Robert, if I had known that you liked using fruitcake for something other than weaponry, I could have arranged to bring some with me when I flew south! Remind me, if the convention is in your neck of the woods next year :-)

Ahhh, the Circus! We need some more fun around here. Maybe we should go on ride with dIetER ;-)

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), December 14, 2002.

Hi Donna; I've been getting older and wiser (definitely older, hopefully wiser!) Last I remember you got married? Still living in OK?

Rob-Firewood is definitely not the warm fuzzy I was referring to. Warm and fuzzy reminds me of Aunt Ruth, Aunt Shorty, Aunt Beans, Aunt Juanita and Aunt Helen! Warm because they all love me, and fuzzy because they wear/wore soft clothing and are all 'fluffy'. Every one should have a fluffy relative that loves them and thinks the world of them. What a boost to see and hug all the aunts!

Unfortunately, none of these warm and fluffy ladies will be giving me a fruitcake; I dearly love a good, fruity, nutty, brandy-soaked fruitcake.

I'm taking three little friends Christmas shopping at the Dollar General store this afternoon so I've gotta scoot. Good to chat with all of my on-line friends.

-- LindaMc (jmcintyre1@cox.net), December 16, 2002.

Hey Tricia, I've got great curves; they just need to shift to different places on my body and move up several inches higher! lol

-- LindaMc (jmcintyre1@cox.net), December 16, 2002.

Congratulations! Glad to see you guys still surviving here on greenspun. Need more info on Mike the Mule.

-- SteveOH (sroors@neo.rr.com), December 16, 2002.

Bounces around the room passing out cupcakes!

-- kritter (k@a.n), December 17, 2002.

Linda,

Yes I did get married. I'm still in Oklahoma and will be for quite a while. We ended up buying a little homestead last year. Only 5 acres, but it sure is better than one of the tiny city lots we used to live on. We're about as rural as we can be due to both our work demands.

-- Sheeple (Sheeple@Greener.Pastures), December 17, 2002.

Donna; Sorry for confusing you with another Donna... you who are Donna not in Sheets but in Greener Pastures, and married, and can make dresses in rural areas.

-- (sonofdust@not.comfusedanymore), December 17, 2002.

Rob,

*snif* *snif* you don't remember me.

Tis okay.

I was around the old greenspun version of TB2K right after it started, although at that time I didn't go by Sheeple. I changed to Sheeple somewhere along the way.

I remember kritter, taz, bardou, old git, and the rest. Oh yeah... HI AUNT BEE!!! Unc.

I posted here a few times in the beginning, but haven't been here in a really LONG time. I was just searching to see which of my old haunts were still around and thought I'd pop in and say HI.

-- (Sheeple@Greener.Pastures), December 17, 2002.

Well, Sheeple, if you want to stay, just pull up a chair by the fire here. Have some Aunt Bee's absolutely sinful fudge and prepare for a giggle or two. Sounds like Rob is sneaking back in here when Marie's not looking, and he and Robert haven't had a pun-off in ages :-) so we're about due...

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), December 18, 2002.

Tricia; I'm back here for a couple of months ('till my next assignment starts)! BTW, I threw some 'curves' towards our Good Sir of Cooke but he hasn't hit upon them yet...time will tell... Donna; So... you changed your name from one I used to know on the old TB2K? Oh! Now I think I remember!! (duh) Glad you're a good sport ;-)

-- (sonofdust@back.home), December 18, 2002.

Happy Anniversary (((((FRLians)))))

The stealth geese are in Oklahoma and you should SEE the mess they leave on the golf course. YUCK! I told them it's impossible to be stealth geese if they don't clean up after themselves. They just chortled and made a funny 'honk, honk, y'all, eh?' sound. We've also been inundated with Meadowlarks. They aren't as messy and their yellow tummies add beautiful color to the drab winter scenery.

Nice to 'see' you Sheeple. I remember the wedding/motorcycle pictures. They were neat. Donna-n-Sheets is still thought of and missed.

Fruitcakes are still nutty (and so is Robert.) ;-) They are being produced at an amazing rate in Corsicana, Texas. My mom actually eats those things, so I'm a true FRLian from birth I guess.

As to Curves, it's a great place for women to work out. We have one right here in my little town. It works, too. That's all I'll say on that subject. :-)

Thanks for the cupcakes, Kritter. I think I need to send Aunt Bee my snail mail address!!! Happy Holidays to all of you! (Even the one who owes me a hamburger!) ;-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), December 18, 2002.

HBD fellow FRLians!

And a Merry Christmas too!

Nice to see ya in these parts Sheep! Give yer fellas a hug for me willya? It's been a long time since a number of us used to go to Hilltop on IRC! (FYI, Sheeple was my very FIRST internet friend! She taught me a LOT!). You've missed a lot of good story writing here Sheep! You'll have to catch up on the poopie puffs-LOL! Oh yeah, and Mike Mule-heheheh!

I make cookies and fudge for the room, in between waiting for the next intallment!

Gayla, my cousin in N'awlins used to send my mother one of those Corsicana fruitcakes for Christmas every year, cuz my father loved them so! Seems like a lifetime ago, now that they are both gone.

And Gayla, send me that land addy! You coulda been on my Christmas card list! You too Sheep, I only have your old one! Now that I think of it, I believe the two of you are not very far apart, geographically! We just might have to have the FRLian gathering in your state-LOL! Wonder who could and would come? I'd be up for it, as long as it was during a warm month!

A very HBD, and Merry Christmas everyone! Even the fictional characters some of you have brought to life on these pages! It's been quite a year!

Hugs to each of you, and warm pecan fudge all around!

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), December 18, 2002.

Dang! I almost forgot! Thought I would share an old link, just for old times sake as well as the birthday party!

LOTSA laughs, including diETer's old song on some. Polka anyone?

http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=002ViS

Gayla, HELP! Hotlink please!

Open carefully...

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), December 18, 2002.

Dang AGAIN! Here's one teensy weensy part of the above link, just in case anyone wonder's what the FRLian OATH is:

repeat the FRL pledge after me:

As a FRLian

I pledge on my honor (or dishonor, as in the case of our steamed leader, Rob/Ron),

I will do my bestest

to do my duty (or ditty, if you can sing)

to my fellow FRLians (this means you must learn to achoo, er, haiku)

and to obey the FRL Law (see next entry);

to help other people at all times (share the beans and beano);

to keep myself physically strong (best accomplished by pressing fruitcakes, stealth duckies, or beavers-whichever is on hand),

mentally awake (if you can at least burp, that counts as awake),

and morally straight (this part is a little iffy).

Congratulations! You are now a bonny fried member of the FRL!

As for the FRL Law aforementioned: A fruitflake is:

TRUSTWORTHY-doesn't covet another's 'cake,

LOYAL-hangs with the other fruitloops against all odds (or evens),

COURTEOUS-that means bow when Rob enters the room (or is that curtsey? I never can remember),

OBEDIENT-sends $5 to the person who adminsters the FRL oath ;^D,

CHEERFUL-just don't over do it, okay?,

BRAVE-must be prepared to engage the enema, er, enemy at the slightest provocation, and above all,

CLEAN-we do sock checks often. (Be smart and invest in red socks, they're Rob's fav.)

There ya go! Just mail my 5 bucks to the address below (a nice, dark, brandy soaked 'cake is an acceptable substitute!) Linda

Tricia-We'll miss you. As for my "typo"...

A 'politian'

has no volition

to tell the truth;

this offers proof

that I have perfect diction!

(Come back soon)

-- newbiebutnodummy (Linda@home.com), July 02, 1999.

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), December 18, 2002.

Mike Mule blows a thoughtful snot-bubble as he reads the list of old friends returning ...

-- helen (hamburger@do.I.owe.someone.a.hamburger??), December 18, 2002.

Here you are Aunt Bee: Memory Lane

Lon, Lon, Lon! Your story is in that thread. What a magnificent writer you are!

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), December 19, 2002.

Aunt Bee and Gayla; Wow, that thread really did bring back memories and smiles. And I think that Lon's now-famous story was an FRLian first... an inspiration for all of the stories to follow.

Sometimes I wonder what happened to some of the FRLians that used to post regularly. Reading this old thread reminded me of how things used to be. I was thinking 'those were the good old days', but then, even at that time (early '00), the FRl had begun to morph from what it was a year earlier. I guess nothing stays the same, and nothing ever lasts. Odds are in the future some of us will be reading this thread and thinking that these are the good ol' days. Who knows, maybe they are.

I miss so many of our FRLian friends and wish they would stop by to say hello.

-- (sonofdust@weare.four), December 19, 2002.

Hi everbody! This fall has been even more hectic than usual for me and Kit. In fact, I just got in last night, and we leave again tomorrow morning for assorted kin folks' houses. Won't be back 'till after Christmas. So, I got all revved up over all the Frlians showing up here all of a sudden, and I wrote a little story just now for youse guys. I'll post it on another thread, so you all will have plenty of room to ooh and aah, and say how terrible it is that the Nobel literature committee hung up on me.

Be safe, hug granny and the kids for me, and don't choke on the turkey pully-bone.

-- Lon (lgal@exp.net), December 19, 2002.

"I guess nothing stays the same, and nothing ever lasts."

(((((Rob))))) I know the feeling.

Glad you and Kit are safe, Lon. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), December 20, 2002.

Rob, it's always wonderful to have our cheerful leader for however long or short he can manage. Welcome back!

Aunt Bee, that was a wonderful trip down memory lane. There have been days when going back and revisiting old FRL threads were what made it possible to cope with the present. Humour lightens loads so :-)

Lon, I hope you have a, a, well I was going to say wonderful, but that's not superlative enough... anyway, the best Christmas ever for you and your assorted relatives, too.

For those of us who have lost a close family member or friend, Christmas is apt to be a bit bitter-sweet. Special hugs and kisses to you. Something to think about: remembering loved ones honours them. If you can, share with someone a trait that made your loved one especially dear, or a special time that illustrates well their importance in your life. I'm always happy to be the recipient of loving stories, if you want to write something rather than vocalize it; and my addy works.

I've had difficulty getting myself to write anything, but I will attempt to send out an invitation to those FRLians whose addresses I have. Maybe SOBob will try to count threads now, instead of answers :-) There may be a few more who will speak up for our Christmas season - adding flavour to our seasoning. (There, Robert, if Rob won't play, I'll give it my best.)

I wish all FRLians, outspoken and silent, present and away, their best Christmas so far and a New Year to match it!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), December 22, 2002.

I am beeing picked upun! (But 'tis easier to gather good friends with honey than with vigarish. Besides, with honey, they stick around longer.)

It's the principle of the thing: With vigarish, they tend to lose intrest after over the long term and that compounds the problem.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 22, 2002.

Thanks for the special hugs and kisses Tricia, they sure are needed this year in both our houses. (I'll try and be more cheerful ;-)

I think we need to lay in a good supply of honey for Sir Cooke, but if we can't get any honey do you think molassesessess will do?

-- (sonofdust@honey.molasses), December 22, 2002.

Rob, I'm pretty sure that the Cook likes any kind of lasses even better than honey, except possibly his own honey whom he holds in high esteem. If you steam the Honey, does she turn a cold shoulder?

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), December 22, 2002.

Yes, honey, I have a special one I should send Sir Robert in lieu of the missing Christmas cookies yet again this year (oh well, maybe they will be Valentine cookies-red and white ya know!). Wonderful unprocessed mesquite-catclaw honey from these parts-nothing sweeter, except for the kind words exchanged here. Merry Christmas everyone, you are in my thoughts and held dearly, each of you! FRLians are special indeed!

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), December 22, 2002.

Would that bee, er, moreleesesesesss or less morelassessessessesssseess?

(If there were more or less lasses, would there be less more lessasses?)

Inquiring minds wanton know!

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 22, 2002.

Ah hah!

Another consesuior (-? spelling) of the beehaviour of small flying critteressessesses! (That's cause tehre's a lot of them!)

I have been buying some local brands, but mesquite? Email me .... I'll, er, try it. But only a little! Nope, not a lot. Not me. Wouldn't try to take advantage of the hospital attitude (er, hospitaltotality.)

(Innocent look.)

Don't want (er, need) any more than just a tad. A smidge. A little bit. Only a taste - Maybe two-three gallons max.

(Another innocent look.....)

(Help me out here Rob! How am I doin' in the gravelin' department? More? Less? About right?

Lon F! Gimme some guidelines here! She stringin' along, or is she ready to bite yet?)!

Come on guys! I need feedback here!)

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 22, 2002.

Silly Robert~! I have a 48oz plastic bundle of local bee joy just waiting for the crowds at the post office to dwindle, and then headed your way! Do you know how many miles a bee has to travel to make one pound of honey? (She asked innocently, even though she just watched a PBS special on bees and already knows the answer!-LOL!!)

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), December 23, 2002.

Aw shucks Good Sir, you're doin' just fine and don't knead any help. Bee on the lookout for the 48ozs. She didn't say if she was gonna mail em one at a time or in small groups... imagine the postage on a "a 48oz plastic bundle of local bee joy."

Yep, you'll bee just fine, but I'm a bit worried about her. With all of these wacky political correct groups around, I'm sure there is some folks as would get a might upset over her exploiting the little bee beastees just sos she could get a few pounds of Joy. Why---If the Bee Police find out, they might come and confiscate the honey and send her to re-education sos's to pay her honeydues to society.

-- (sonofdust@bee.ingsilly), December 23, 2002.

I remember who Sheeple is, I remember who Donna in Sheets is (Barthuley) (sp?). I remember who Rob is, and Robert too! And Aunt Bee, and T the C. And Lon, and Gayla (ohh, sure I remember Gayla, heehee) and helen and everybody else. And about a thousand other people too, some of whom should perhaps be forgotten, snicker.

Y'all have been a real nice part of my life,

Merry Christmas,

Unk

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeeD@yahoo.com), December 23, 2002.

I'm sending moleasses to each of you for Christmas. The moles are firmly attached.

-- helen (God@bless.us.every.one), December 24, 2002.

The moles are still attached?

That's a shrew'd answer to the problem, I'm assured.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 24, 2002.

I'll pass on the mole's a**, thanks anyway Helen. ;-)

I'm back in the South. I could have had a white Christmas with over 6" of snow, but instead I got thunderstorms and tornadoes. Pout! Oh well, family is more important. Right? Right?????? ;-)

Merry Christmas, Unk! We had some laughs, didn't we? Even now I can hear strains of the Chicken Dance song. ;-) I hope you and Mrs. D have a wonderful holiday season. Aren't you 'fixin' to have a birthday soon? (evil grin)

Merry Christmas to all of my FRL friends. Don't forget the real reason we're celebrating tonight. Happy Birthday, Jesus! I wish you all love, joy and peace... nothing under the tree can compare.

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), December 24, 2002.

Hey Unk, good to see ya here! Since this is the season to say thanks, I wanted you to know that I’ll always remember how you patiently taught us all how to haiku properly ;-) I don’t recall exactly how it went, but that one haiku you wrote about the Rose with thorns was the best one I ever heard!

Helen; I’m with Gayla in passing on the mole’s uh, well, you know. Please send me and Dear Mrs. Michaels asslessmoles or moleslessasses. I shudder to think what she would do if you sent anything else. (Please remember that she is a very good shot!)

Gayla; We are about to get a white Christmas here, deep in the woods of Joisey. About 6 to 10 inches they say. The kids are all happy and are already planning for me to take them sledding!

Merry Christmas to all FRLians!

-- (sonofdust@white.christmas), December 24, 2002.

Merry Christmas Eve all!

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 24, 2002.

Do we have Christmas Adam too? Or just Eve?

-- (just@wonder.ing), December 24, 2002.

... she rouses from her fantasy of a Christmas Ken ..

We got snow. Lots of snow.

The kids got some kids ... I mean the human children got some baby goats that have to be bottle fed and kept under a heat lamp. They sleep in a big box of hay out in the barn with Mike Mule and Grace Goat and a host of other angels watching over them.

I went out into the snow to check on them after dark tonight. There were no sounds at all. No human sounds. No bird calls or coyote songs or lonely wolf howls. Total silence made me stop the noise of my feet just to polite.

I suppose I've made you all think this is a real farm with real buildings that look like real barns would look in a picture book of farms in ... oh, say Vermont. Actually things here are pretty humble in appearance. The 'barn' is really a low shed built out of rough oak planks and topped off with tin. It's older than I am. All of the animals have to share this shed.

We have chickens who roost on goats, and Kritter Goat often spends the night cuddled on Mike Mule's back with a hen on her back, and so on.

This night, this silent night, I saw light spilling out of our rough shed. The mule was gazing into the glow coming out of the box of hay where the babes lay.

I stayed there until my feet froze.

Merry Christmas!

-- helen (away@in.a.manger), December 24, 2002.

Thought about you Helen when news was saying your areas were getting the most snow in 30 years. If you can, post a picture of your stacked critters. And, warm those feet.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), December 25, 2002.

My answers keep disappearing :(

I've wished you all a wonderful Christmas, full of love, joy and peace already, but gremlins ate my post (twice!). SO I wish it again now - each and every FRLian, I hope you have a blessed Christmas!

Helen, I think your barn sounds a lot like the original Christmas stable! Christ would feel right at home :)

Gotta run now - turkey, stuffing, cranberry calling!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), December 25, 2002.

"Do we have Christmas Adam too? Or just Eve?

Hmmmmmn.

Welllllll, Adam made Eve Ably enough. 8<) ... (Cain't understand how we got the first teenage delinquent, though.)

So, I guess there was a Christmas Adam.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 25, 2002.

Leave it to Robert to somehow work in Cain and Able. ;-)

Thanks for sharing about your own silent night, Helen. That was neat.

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), December 25, 2002.

(Innocent look.)

Who, me?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 25, 2002.

Ah, there I was, moseying along and someone whispered (Party) in my ear. I wish they'd of whispered it into the ear I can HEAR with.
You guys and gals have had one WHALE of a birthday party....
GADS! FOUR YEARS !?!?!?!? DANGED UNREAL!! Who'da thunk in Dec 98 that we'd be where we are now????
This of course begs the question "Where the FAGAWI NOW???"
FRLiens All, I bid you a Merry, Peaceful, Profitable New Year.
LONG LIVE the FRL!!
ACCEPT NO FIAT FRUITCAKE!!!!
Chuck

-- Night Driver (wh@t.no.cookie), December 31, 2002.

Whoo Hooo!!!! I check in and what do i see? Chuck's come by to say hello!!! It's really great that you stopped in! And remember, you can come by here anytime and you don't even have to 'take out the trash' ;-) LOL LOL Don't be a stranger!

-- (sonofdust@hi.nightdriver), December 31, 2002.

Thanks Tricia! Vertigo deja vu. Been ducked under the covers again waiting for a New Year. So smitten with Canuckian geese around here that we're obsessed with kayaking and about to launch a new year-round wet hobby. All the better to give field reports from beaver dams ...

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), December 31, 2002.

Hi y'all.

Happy New Year! "Tis the time of year to remember old fruitcakes.

Love, peace and blessing of warm friendships to you all.

;-D

Diane

-- Diane (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 31, 2002.

Whattayamean, the Sir Nightdriver doesn't hafta take out the trash! (Jest 'cause the Browns "happen" to cream Atlanta the other day doesn't give him any special priviledges. Or does it?)

And just "who" is gonna clean up this place if he doesn't?

(Hi Diane. We, uhm, er, need a "volunteer" to tighten Lon Frankenstein's nuts and bolts and generally just sweep up around here. Ya gotta mop, broom, ... firehose, hand grenade, large bomb?)

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 31, 2002.

Well Robert,

My mopping daze ended when I left the old TBY2K forum. And it has been blissfully peacefilled! Big Grin.

Kritter will have to deal with Lon's nutty bolts. She's head sweep these days, eh?

Diane

-- Diane (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 31, 2002.

Do my eyes relieve me? Is it true that some of our most beloved long lost FRLians have returned for a visit to us here on this thread? Wow! A&L and the Great Seeress as well!! I am besides myself, or behind myself, or in the general vicinity of myself! I am speechless (which ain't so good since I am still required to make speeches now and then, or then and now, or sometimes...hmmmm that reminds me ;-)

Psssst. Hey Chuck...'member when you said I had to be CheifTin for Life? You were only kidding, right? I mean, now that you're back, and since you don't have any trash to take out, and you obviously have a bit more free time, wood you like to be the New FRLian Leader? How's 'bout it?

And our Great Seeress and A&L too ;-) Like I said to Chuck, don't be strangers (or at least if you can't help being strange still stop by once and a while ok?)

Well, evidently, thanks to Tricia, my wish has come true. I guess I owe ya one, Sweet Princess. You can have a wish granted from me (if it's FRLianly posible ;-) Juz let me know!

-- (sonofdust@thanks.Tricia), December 31, 2002.

Rob,

I was certainly relieved let me tell you! Maybe if you get under, or over, yourself instead of beside, you might find yourself in front. Got that?

Good 'cause I don't. Might be because I'm strange... or er... or something.

Diane

-- Diane (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 31, 2002.

No sweepin' help, eh? Not even explosives?

Shucks. Drat. Dogonnit. Durn.

(Looks innocent.)

(Hey Chuckie! She bitin' yet? Any guilt apparent?)

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 31, 2002.

Diane, it's so great to 'see' you again... to see all of youz guyz again! I think I'm gonna have to find that bottle of Jack Daniels that Dear Mrs. Michaels hid from me so I can party hardy. Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! Remember when we had the Circus in town and I sometimes posted after having a few jiggle juices that you or Lon (or Tricia or Gayla, or or or nevermind...)would give to me?

... uh, now where Marie hide it? ......

-- (sonofdust@weeeeee.weeeeee), December 31, 2002.

Ah the jiggle juice! How I remember it well. Though, I'm surprised you remember it at all. You got rather... hoppy... and fergitful.

Robert, sorry, you'll have to be the one to loosen Lon. Or lose him? Bolt him down? Donno.

Time to grab a meal and a glass of Gewurztraminer. Then jiggle.

Back later.

Diane

-- Diane (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 31, 2002.

Hey! I invited Chuck! (Great minds think alike, huh Tricia?) Glad we made Rob smile. :-) Nice to see you too Diane and A&L! I was reminding everyone of our great circus over on TB2000. Can you believe Ed never even knew we had one? LOL Here is the link: Board history

(((((((FRLians))))))))

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), December 31, 2002.

Gewurztraminer latte? ;-)

Gayla, thanks for that link. It looks like I'll have to grant you a wish too! And now for a question; I was wondering if you knew if Ed ever did any FRL lurking. I don't recall him ever posting to one of our FRL threads, but sometimes I would wonder if he would at least lurk... especially since things were so serious at times and everyone needed a break, including him. Back then the FRL tended to be a wee bit silly sometimes ...only once in a while mind you ... not at all serious lke we all are today...if you know what I mean ;-)

I still remember that the Circus was going full blast at the same time that the first Y2K Failures List was posted and Scary Gary linked to the forum. Imagine all of these newbies coming to the forum and seeing the Circus instead as one of there first impressions!!

Well, that's it for me tonight. Thanks for making me smile, all.

-- (sonofdust@happy.newyear), December 31, 2002.

How good to see all these names!

Sweetie and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary (tempus do fugit, donit?) and, as family custom dictates, went outside at midnight to listen to the usual gunfire blasting in the New Year. We were not disappointed.

Barefoot Mailman visited here not long ago and is now Keeper of the Fruitcake sent to me in 1999 by, um, oh hell, was it Linda? Lisa? From Texas, remember? I've been through several computers since then and don't have instant access to all that data any more.

Similarly, I've been through several glasses of champagne and don't have access to a lot of other data at the moment! Better sign off before I go through another computer!

Happy New Year to all and to all a good night!

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.ugh), January 01, 2003.

hi guys! i've been lurking around, too

heh.....i've even got a hot link to here on my start-up page

just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year
and to say THANK YOU--THANK YOU--THANK YOU, to the most wonderous storytellers on the web!!!!!!!!

: )

-- (mebs@4th.party), January 01, 2003.

Old Git and mebs !!! Wow! This is really something! What a great surprise! Like I said to the others, please don't be strangers. Remember; Once an FRLian, always an FRLian!

Glad you like the stories mebs. Are you anything like the fictional Helen Bee Mebs character? ;-)

-- (sonofdust@happily.surprised), January 01, 2003.

No fair!

Mebs gets a FOURTH PARTY and we only had one over here last night.

I protest! (As opposed to amatour-testing, that is....)

Hmmmph! (Stamps foot.) Grumble. Grumble.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 01, 2003.

On a brief sub-orbital flight into cyberspace, my Fruitcake Communicator started flashing and spat out this thread. . .

Let me take the opportunity to wish all of the FRLians a Happy Birthday and a Happy New Year!

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), January 01, 2003.

Well, it took me a couple of weeks, but I found my addresses, composed an invitation and I'm thrilled with the response :-)

Welcome to the party,all! Happy New Year to each one of you - hope you'll have your best year ever!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), January 01, 2003.

Hardliner! It's great to see my drinkin' buddy and FRLian limerick master here with us again. Thanks for stopping by, and don't be a stranger!

This thread has been a dream come true! (or should I say a wish come true, Tricia? Now if you have a wish that I could grant, don't be shy And if you don't, then remember that Gayla has a wish coming too, so maybe you two can get together on something to wish for ;-)

-- What will Tricia wish for? (sonofdust@happy.newyear), January 01, 2003.

Gayla faints from the shock of it all... ;-)

(((((Old Git, Mebs, Hardliner))))) It is SO wonderful to hear from you all again and know you're OK. Diane, too! I keep up with Chuck and the Caskies over at TB for the most part. We're still missing a few, but this was awesome!

Tricia, I bow to your superiority. :-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), January 01, 2003.

So, will their wish be granite?

Are the results going rock the world?

We wait, Alping that the ends will withsandstone the means.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 01, 2003.

This has been inedible, er, incredible. Someone get the smelling peppers or smelling chiles, or smelling salts or something smelly to wake up Gayla. Quick!

In the meantime, yes, Good Sir, we wait for the wish that I will granite, even if it's not a hard wish...

-- (sonofdust@smelly.salts), January 01, 2003.

A bayou clown's smelly feet would do the trick. Where IS he anyway?

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), January 02, 2003.

Dunno, hopefully he'll be here soon to ketchup on the party... and where is Her Princessness?

Any ideas on if Ed ever lurked on FRL Gayla?

-- (sonofdust@wishes.areus), January 02, 2003.

Hey all!

Wishing everyone a most Blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year. :-)

Ahhhh, it's good to be home!

-- Deb Mc. (not@this.time.pls), January 02, 2003.

I noticed that nobody missed me at this party!

-- Lon Frankenstien (evil@the.bayou), January 02, 2003.

An elderly gent slowly shuffles into the quiet ballroom. The ragged cuffs of work-stained coveralls hide his lime green and slightly oversize shoes. Tufts of thinning, orange tinted hair stick out from under a grimy baseball cap which bears a heat transfer of a red crustacean, and the flowing yellow script,”Crawdaddy’s Booze and Bait”. His large and dully glowing nose, is testament to countless days spent in open boats upon a sun-blasted and winter-windy bayou, sustained only by a fruit jar of home-made liquid refreshment.

Stopping abruptly in the center of the room, he leans a scrawny elbow on his large industrial style pushbroom, then slowly turns and squints at the remains of a what must have been a most memorable celebration of the now just-past milestone of time. An intoxication of human emotion, a thankfulness of past fortune, or forgetfulness of pain, New Year’s Eve is none the less, a celebration of imagination; an annual rite of passage, from the rigors of existence into the promise of future. The old man blew his nose on a drink-stained paper napkin, printed in faux green and gold embroidery, and contemplated the scattered rubbish of his particular future.

(to be continued.........)

-- Lon (lgal@exp.net), January 02, 2003.

Piles of empty bottles and chipped plates with hardened crumbs of walnut infested fudge seem now the morning-after revenge of gaiety. Ragged streamers of green and orange crepe twirl silently in the air conditioned breeze, and paths of trampled confetti give the illusion in the huge and dimly lit room, of fallen leaves upon an autumn glade. A discarded party hat, fashioned as a paper golden crown, sits upon an empty and upturned champagne bottle like a forgotten memorial rising from the mists of history upon an ancient battleground.

The old man pauses in mid-push of his broom, his attention suddenly gathered upon a peculiar bit of flotsam in this backwater of hedonism. Lifting his broom handle as if he were indeed saluting the heavens as the sole survivor of some bloody medieval crusade, he retrieves from a chandelier the satin evidence of exhilaration, the eloquent and irrefutable statement of abandon.

The skin of his work-roughened hands tingle slightly as he holds the twin cups of the garment in his palms. Just a slight gathering of red satin and lace, it causes his mind to tingle slightly as well, as youthful memories emerge like the great stalking birds of foggy bayou mornings. His fingers trace the delicate stitching, follow the curve of the underwires, explore the empty hollows of the soft embracements. He squints at a laundry tag, sewed near the maker’s label, and instantly recognizes the name of the previous owner.

He folds the item carefully, stuffs it in a breast pocket, and starting once again to push his broom, mumbles quietly to himself.

“Whoowee. That musta been some shin-dig. Surely musta been!”

-- Lon (lgal@exp.net), January 02, 2003.

Okay, Lon - so who was it that was swinging from the chandeliers this year? A woman, I can tell. It wouldn't have been me, 'cause I did that before, as I recall, and I have always been a good learner. I don't repeat mistakes (especially one like that!)

As for my wish, dear Leader, I'm still hoping against hope that we'll some day manage a FRLian reunion on the physical plane. I've gotten to meet Gayla and Robert and they're every bit as nice in person as on line, so now I have ambitions to meet you and Lon and Linda Mc and even Carol (well, I can dream, can't I?) and a few of these other oldies... ah that's definitely my wish. Oh, and I want it somewhere Warm!!!! (Here I am, sick of winter already :-)

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), January 02, 2003.

Deb, glad you could make it! Wasn't this little ditty on the thread referenced above yours? :-)

"Ok, it's a little rough, but I only had 15 minutes to work on it... ;-) An ode to a cake made of fruit.

That's heavy to hold and difficult to mold,

but plentiful to boot!

When received, no longer shove it under your bed,

but perhaps paint it gold, sell it for ten-fold

directly unto the Feds. :-)

FRL rules!"

Tricia, it had to be Helen! :-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), January 02, 2003.

"An intoxication of human emotion, a thankfulness of past fortune, or forgetfulness of pain, New Year’s Eve is none the less, a celebration of imagination; an annual rite of passage, from the rigors of existence into the promise of future."

Beautiful, Lon! You have such a way with words!

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), January 02, 2003.

Dang! Story of my life, day late, dollar short and always showing up just as the party's ending. But since there was no fruitcake given anywhere in our family this holiday season, it is indeed wonderful to be able to find my way here and partake of a few leftover pieces.

Fruitcake, traveling circuses, stealth geese, attack beavers, a King of Squirrels, the King of Spain in a mudwrestling pit, and a character named DiETeR sure make up some strange but poignient memories.

To quote someone here; *Sigh*.

Four years of the FRL and now three years after Y2K, the members of the old band of all clowns circus is still hanging together. Who'da thunk it?

Is there an emoticon for smiling with a tear in one's eye? Sure could use one now to show my current state.

Check six; the ghost of memories is standing at our shoulders with a pleasant gift in times surely as strange as any we could have foreseen in those days gone by.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), January 02, 2003.

Glad you made it WW!

Rob, before I forget again: I don't understand how anyone could have missed our threads. They were always a zillion answers long. ;-)

However, someone over at TB mentioned that they weren't aware of the 'new answers' page, so once the posts scrolled off the first page, they lost track.

As to Ed reading... I have NO idea, but he seems to have a pretty good sense of humor. Maybe he just didn't post on them since he had a reputation to uphold or behold or something. ;-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), January 02, 2003.

Deb; Hi and welcome home!

Tricia; That’s some wish, I hope it can come true for us.

Lon; ‘bout time you got back here, and I see the creative juices are still jigglin’.

Gayla; Thanks for the answer. I thought that if anyone ever knew, it would be you ;-)

WW: 'Check six' indeed! Great to see ya here WW, and how right you are about the times.

-- Rob Michaels (thesonofdust@yahoo.com), January 02, 2003.

Isn't there a doomer law or something that states that not all doomers shall be gathered at one place at any given time? One smart bomb and bam...we're all gone with no one left to carry on :)

My mom received a fruitcake this year for Christmas. The joke truly was that the person who gave it to her is more a fruitcake than the gift itself.

Check six...lest ye be bopped in the head with a flying brick of bread and fruit.

Happy New Year!

Mike

-- Mike T (mt4design@mac.com), January 03, 2003.

Tricia I truly hope you get at least part of your wish. Can you imagine the gathering? Lots of laughing, eating, drinking and more laughing. I can just picture it. For now I am content with my own mental images of you all (probably nothing like the real thing). However I would love to try some of Aunt Bee's fudge sometime. Thank you for thinking of me.

Lon. You really are an artist. Many thanks.

-- Carol (c@oz.com), January 03, 2003.

hmmmmm,

Am I the only one who noticed that Trish is the only one interested in who the bra belongs to? Perhaps she doth protest too much? Could there be a story here; maybe something Skippy the reporter would be interested in?

-- Lon (lgal@exp.net), January 03, 2003.

She stirred restlessly. Her mouth was dry. It was time to get up, if she could just raise her aching head. She tentatively gripped her ears. No extra pain there, thank heavens.

She sat up slowly, carefully supporting her neck. Her eyes felt like they were full of crusty stuff from the bottom of a clown's shoe. It took her a long time to peel her eyelids open.

The first thing she saw was her bosom. Her bare bosom. Her shirt and bra were gone ...

-- I ain't telling (in@the.mule.barn), January 03, 2003.

Glad you made it, Mike! :-)

Lon, you must have missed my comment above:

"Tricia, it had to be Helen! :-) "

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), January 03, 2003.

Great to see ya back here Mike, don't be a stranger!

Bras? LOL! Looks like the shirt is gone too ;-) This could get interesting...

-- (sonofdust@no.bras), January 03, 2003.

LOL, Gayla and Rob, which Mike were you welcoming back? MT, it's really good to see you! And I think you were right, Gayla - if Mike Mule saw the culprit, it had to be Helen :-)

-- Tricia teh Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.ent), January 03, 2003.

Nah.

Can't be helen - 'Cause weren't it Aunt Bee (Wait a minute. Hmmmmmn. Plural. Yeah, plural. Gotta be plural.) (Need to start over.)

'Cause weren't they Aunt's Bee's that Lon was supportin' a little ...

(Wait a minute. Hmmmmn. Little is too small. Gotta be great, starts over.)

.... Tweren't it a GREAT time that was had by all (or at least two of them) when Lon needed some mushy lovin' from Aunt Bee - And after all (or in front of all) wasn't the beautifall Bee the one being admired by Hollywooded types two?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 04, 2003.

"who was it that was swinging from the chandeliers this year?"

i'll confess...it was probably me
after all, don't forget that fifth i had at the party
or was that a 4th?

i'll take the fifth....

or did i do that already?
gee i'm confused

but it was NOT my bra!!
doesn't even come close to fitting the description
(skimpy little thing { < - note...no plural } )
so if you'll check that tag....i think we'll find that someone else wishes the chandeliers were lower, too

-- (mebs@swinging.butnotthatway), January 04, 2003.

Ya know, I think I figgured out how to figgure out who dunned it.

We should look more closely at the chandelier.

If, as I suspect, it is rotating backwards the other way in the wrong direction facing the opposite hand, then clearly it is our fine new fellow Australian member that was ridin' it.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 04, 2003.

QUOTE: "Tweren't it a GREAT time that was had by all (or at least two of them) when Lon needed some mushy lovin' from Aunt Bee - And after all (or in front of all) wasn't the beautifall Bee the one being admired by Hollywooded types two?"

The Hollywooded types that admired me were many years ago Robert! But I'm always up for some mushy lovin'!

As for the aforesaid undergarment, the description did say underwires and lacy stitchin...but the fella could fit it in his pocket, so um, methinks it ain't mine, unless his pocket is generous...and dang, I don't remember a thing from the party, except the joyous feeling the morning after...

Must go check my underwire inventory....

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), January 04, 2003.

I would think many nice young fellas might find themselves with a generous pocket, given the substantial rewards in question.

You, don't, then, also tend rotate your fans backwards, eh?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 04, 2003.

LOL Aunt Bee! :-D

I wasn't wearing red and I ALWAYS match. ;-)

Tricia, I was saying hi to Mike T. I didn't realize the mule was using the computer. :-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), January 04, 2003.

Oh no, definitely not my garment. I can't stand underwire and a ceiling fan is way too high for me. Besides there isn't enough alcohol in the world to make me that bold. You guys really know how to throw a party though.

-- Carol (c@oz.com), January 05, 2003.

Ok, I admit it. I was wearing red ;-)

But i'm not tellin ya my name.

So there!

-- (ialwayswear@red.socks), January 05, 2003.

Carol.....

Do we hafta 'spain everything to youse guys down there under?

Gee whiz.....

It weren't "YOU" that was (potentially) thrown up and was ridin' the fan backwards goin' rouny-roundy. (You are, no doubt, obviously innocent of ridin' the fan that News Year's night....)

But. (Raymond-Burrish dramatic pause.....)

It WERE the multi-colored red-hot-wired undergarments that WERE found thrown upside down and were ridin' the fan (suspicious revolving backwards and metrically at 10 rpm ?????) that were found upside down and inside out that morning.

-- Robert A. Cook (cook.r@suspicious.inquisition.net), January 05, 2003.

Sorry Robert, you are very patient indeed, but the garment in question still cannot be mine because it had underwires (yuk). Either one of the other ladies is keeping very quiet or perhaps it didn't belong to a lady at all. Just to deflect suspicion, maybe it was a secret storage place for spare red socks (sorry Rob).

-- Carol (c@oz.com), January 07, 2003.

No wires?

-- Rpbert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@unhooked.garments.geewhiz), January 07, 2003.

Wireless!!!

-- Carol (c@oz.com), January 08, 2003.

(Idly nodding head while watching Carol ozing about, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down, up & down,

Confirms there aren't any wires......

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@nodding.headupanddown), January 08, 2003.

For shame! Bad Robert!

-- helen (shame@on.robert!), January 08, 2003.

(Distracted look.)

Huh? What? Did you say something?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@nodding.head), January 09, 2003.

Robert (aka Noddy), I am much too old to be ozing about the place like that. It must have been somebody else.

-- Carol (old@unfit.com), January 10, 2003.

No ozzing, eh?

But were you evens on the evening in question?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (cook.r@counting.the.odds), January 11, 2003.