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andrew
06-08-2008, 05:31 AM
Three Aussies were working on a high-rise building project - Steve, Bruce and Bluey.

Steve falls off and is killed instantly.

As the ambulance takes the body away, Bruce says, "Someone should go and tell his wife."

Bluey says, "OK, I'm pretty good at that sensitive stuff, I'll do it."

Two hours later, he comes back carrying a carton of beer.

Bruce says, "Where did you get that, Bluey?"

"Steve's wife gave it to me," Bluey replies.

"That's unbelievable, you told the lady her husband was dead and she gave you the beer?"

"Well not exactly," Bluey says. "When she answered the door, I said to her,'You must be Steve's widow'.

She said, 'No, I'm not a widow.'

And I said, 'I'll bet you a carton of beer you are'."

Doug
03-17-2009, 03:23 AM
Dear Andrew-

In the USA, this same joke substitutes Minnesotans (Ole, Sven and someone else of Norwegian descent....) for Aussies. I guess in this day of the Internet, the provenance of any given thing becomes problematic. Regardless, it's funny using Aussies, too, though in a different way. I mean, Sven, Ole, and what's-his-name are Lutherans on top of all things, and.... Well, explaining the joke doesn't make it funny!

andrew
03-17-2009, 07:13 AM
Haha, yes, I see several versions of the same jokes pass through my inbox. Perhaps I should have kept an archive. I could have launched a joke encyclopedia by now.

Doug
03-19-2009, 03:22 AM
Google "Carhenge" and you'll find a joke (or is it art?) that's about 4.2km up the road from where I type.

andrew
03-22-2009, 06:02 PM
Haha, definitely art. Love it!:D

I saw Stonehenge in England many, many years ago. It was in the middle of winter and no one was there. Not a soul. I got to walk through it all by myself. Really really cool and a tad creepy since it was almost dark. Brilliant.

Carhenge though may be a tad different!

Doug
03-22-2009, 08:40 PM
Carhenge attracts a different sort of tourist. Summer Solstice usually is celebrated there, but who doesn't take off all his/her clothes, stick a flower in his/her hair, and dance in wild abandon on that day any way?
(Uh oh. You mean I'm the only one?) Haw!

Luce
03-22-2009, 09:42 PM
I live quite close to Stonehenge, only a 45 minute drive away.

Lovely place but I don't go in for the pagan celebrations :o)

Doug
03-22-2009, 10:32 PM
Dear Luce-

Quite what I'd expect from a- duh, duh duuuh!- "bunny lover"! Sorry about that! I agree with you on the paganism or New Age razzmatazz surrounding the site. I think it tends to trivialize the significance of the people who put it there and the limited knowledge we have of that time. As I understand it, the whole druid thing is some Victorian construct, Though there were druids who may have been shamans. Lucky you though, living so close! "There's one in Nebraska like it, you know". Jim Reinders, the fellow whose family put it up, lived for a time in UK and was very impressed with the genuine article. You live in what I think must be among the loveliest parts of England. (Not far from Strattford-on-Avon, either!) Maybe I better not go to Google Earth right now, though, or I'll miss church!

Luce
03-22-2009, 10:46 PM
Well it's actually a lot smaller than you might expect and unfortunately the National Trust have now erected a fence around the circumference so you can't touch the stones any more.
What is probably more impressive on Google Earth is Sailsbury Plains, the huge mass of land surrounding Stonehenge that the army like to drive their tanks over.
As for Stratford-Upon-Avon that's a few hours drive away but in Nebraska terms it's practically next door!

PS: The avatar is my wonky eared bunny, Barley.

Doug
03-22-2009, 11:25 PM
=True. We are used to thinking in terms of "hours to". "Oh, it's only four hours to Denver." Or, "If you take I80, you can make it to Lincoln in 7-1/2 hours....if you drive the speed limit!" By a curious twist of history, I'm closer to the capitals of three states (South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado) than I am to the capital of Nebraska, Lincoln. I am going to Google Earth as soon as I finish this! You have me intrigued.

(p.s. Barley looks like a lovely rabbit! No pathogens or evil eye beams in that sweetie!)

jola57
03-23-2009, 05:19 PM
Hi Luce, I visited Stonehenge with my boys a few years back, before the fence, and was disapointed. When entering churches, inca temples or old historic places I tend a "feeling", yet nada, zip, nothing, zero at Stonehenge. I will be in London sometime in May, my eldest is looking to do a masters there and we'll be looking at universities and I will go back to Bath where I trully enjoyed our stay last time.

Luce
03-24-2009, 04:06 AM
I feel that Stonehenge is immensely overrated and although there is obviously a lot of historical value in the stones, I don't think they're anything special.
Maybe I'm just bitter about the hundreds of tourists who clog up the roads in the Summer!
Bath on the other hand is a glorious place with wonderful architecture and is about a 2 hour drive from where I am, I can see why you would enjoy a trip to the West Country.

Doug - thank you for the kind words regarding my bunny, as you seem to like her would you like to clean out her hutch?!

Jolanta - where is your son looking to study? London is certainly an experience but is very expensive for a student to live there.

jola57
03-29-2009, 02:17 AM
Rob's looking at Univercity of London, or Essex. He studies cognitive systems and England seems to be a forerunner in the field. We will also vet out rental places and on campus sites.

Doug
03-29-2009, 02:47 AM
...if it means a trip to England from time to time! Sure!

BARON
11-05-2009, 06:39 AM
Hi Andrew now found off topic area sorry seeing jack header though i was there

coffeelover
11-05-2009, 01:06 PM
[QUOTE=Luce;1449]I feel that Stonehenge is immensely overrated and although there is obviously a lot of historical value in the stones, I don't think they're anything special.
Maybe I'm just bitter about the hundreds of tourists who clog up the roads in the Summer!

Well Doug lives close to CARHENGE and lets just say, it's easy to get around. (speaking for Doug) He would love the pleasure of your company?

Lisa

Doug
11-06-2009, 06:13 AM
When you have a replica of the original, only about 80,000 come around a year, so each and everyone is cherished, and no one's disappointed because they know it's a fake before they get here. I guess! (Speaking for Lisa Coffeelover and her magical husband Dennis!):)

katwoman
11-06-2009, 06:31 PM
Hey Guys, just dropped in on the topic, two things:

1. The joke - only an aussie would do such a thing ... loved it!

2. Luce, the bunny is very cute, had a big white rabbit myself for 8 glorious years but he was indoors and totally toilet trained (ah yes like a cat had a litter box and never had a problem). Charlie was a great house mate but sadly passed away from Cancer last year :( and now I am converted to cat's after rescuing a rabbit from the rspca and having it rip up my loungeroom carpet (after being assured he was a house rabbit)....needless to say I lovingly sent it back to the rspca otherwise it was going in a pot...:D

Luce
11-06-2009, 11:14 PM
Hi Katwoman

My current avatar is actually of my new addition, Boris.
Barley is a big ginger bunny with wonky ears who is a couple of years old now and was rescued from the RSPCA. Boris will eventually join her outside but he is only 12 weeks old and needs neutering before he meets his new girlfriend (I think arranged marriages are acceptable in the Rabbit world).

Sorry to hear you lost Charlie, I would love to have my bunnies (and guinea pigs Dilbert and Dexter) as indoor animals but unfortunately I only have a one bedroom flat and my landlady won't allow cats and dogs. We also have a pet rat, there were two but due to age and a tumour unfortunately one passed away a few months ago.

I'm fairly sure I'd have an entire zoo if space and money allowed.
There are an awful lot of animal lovers on the forum, mostly dogs and quite a few cats now too. (Doug, I'm very disappointed that Lucy is a neutered boy!)

Luce

Doug
11-07-2009, 05:35 AM
I was a bit disappointed too. It was a mixed blessing: not a female (thus nicer) but neutered (therefore cheaper in the short term because anything that needed to be done had already been done).

Posted elsewhere, I tell of a tragedy. Little Freckles died at the vet's last night. She was a sweet little cat. I think the stress of being back in a cage may have done her in. She had just a week out of the pound when she was spayed, and they kept her in a cage, of course, after surgery. Though they weren't barking, the cages around her had dogs in them. The day she had surgery, I went in. She wasn't completely out of the anesthesia, but when she saw me, she wobbled over and started purring when I pet her head. I'm about to bawl now, so better stop.:(:(:(:(

Jack
11-07-2009, 05:47 AM
So sorry to hear that Doug. I know how you feel and the damn pred. is making me empathise with you even more. :(

Luce
11-07-2009, 06:53 AM
Sorry for your loss Doug, it's amazing how quickly you become attached to the furry friends we all seem to surround ourselves with. I hope you have some happy memories of Freckles.
My parents' cat is also not doing well at the moment, they think she is suffering from kidney failure. I love the little madam, she's 16 now and we found her pregnant and abandoned near my old school about 14 years ago.
A friendly animal will always put a huge smile on my face - I can certainly see why they are used as therapy for the sick and elderly.

Sangye
11-07-2009, 09:53 AM
Doug, I'm so sorry to hear about Freckles. How awful to lose her so quickly! Big hugs to you from a few thousand miles away. :(

katwoman
11-07-2009, 10:38 AM
:( Doug that is so sad.....I know how hard it is you get so attached to the little blighters! When I lost Charlie it was like aweful, I even drove him 4 hours to bury him on my parents property - my father being of old country school thought it abit odd and his comforting words were 'god didn't make animals to live forever you know'.....thanks dad!

Hey Luce, like you I love all creatures and its probably a good thing I live in a apartment if I was on a property think I would be the crazy animal rescuer with a property full of animals....lol:D

Today its rain rain rain so Mr Darcy and I plan to snuggle on the couch - although being 8 months old he tends to prefer to run-a-muck while I am home....

Doug
11-07-2009, 11:49 AM
Thank you all. She was a tiny package of love. I'd hoped to use her services as a companion cat over at the care center. She would have tolerated elderly hands that loved her but no longer could stroke her as tenderly as the resident intended. My crazy orange cat Louie has been nicer today than usual. I think he's picking up on my mood.

Sangye
11-07-2009, 11:53 AM
Maybe Louie is happier being an "only" cat, too. Time will tell. Glad you have him to help you feel better.

Doug
11-07-2009, 11:59 AM
Indications are Louie will be happier as an only cat. He did hiss at Freckles every time they saw each other the first day. His response to dogs suggests he was around them as housemates, but that he was the sole cat. I found an orange cat website today, one of many it seems that people with orange cats can...well, you can only guess.:rolleyes:

RCOSSIO
11-08-2009, 03:25 AM
:( To Freckles

coffeelover
11-09-2009, 05:35 AM
Ahhh doug! So Sorry about Freckles. You know what my dogs mean to mean and how important I think animals are in our lives. I was so proud of you for taking these cats in your loving home.

Lisa

Doug
11-09-2009, 07:26 AM
Thank you, too, Richard and Lisa. Lisa- my cat can take your dogs....! No. This is serious. I do intend to adopt one more pound cat as soon as we- Louie the orange cat and I- work our relationship out. So far, it seems to be: Doug, I'm the cat; you are not! Any cat I bring into the apartment will have to be able to stand on her-his own with Louie, I'm afraid, I find a special niche, like Freckles did.:)

coffeelover
11-10-2009, 01:53 PM
Does your cat know my dog was a visitor on your couch?
I am sure Brinley will run and hide when the cat looks cross eyed at him
:eek:

elephant
11-11-2009, 12:00 AM
Sorry for your loss. They bring so much comfort in our lives! I'm sure you will find another cat to go with your family. :)

Doug
11-11-2009, 02:27 AM
Brinley needn't fear. Louie apparently lived with a dog or two in his career as a cat because he doesn't react to them, even when stressed (such as at the vets). I imagine a dog that reacted to cats would get a return reaction, but that's unlikely to happen: Louie gets stressed out if you try to carry him through the door to go outside. I hope to desensitize him on that, because it'd give me a chance to introduce him to cat neighbors, but I doubt it will happen soon. Louie doesn't get on any furniture but beds (of course....!) and my computer desk, since it has a shelf that allows him access to a window. Like me, he likes to watch birds!:) Thanks, too, elephant. I think Louie needs a companion to keep him occupied in cat activities (only the nice ones!), so it's just a matter of finding the right cat. I'm looking. Freckles was perfect. Now I have to find one that's perfect enough or I'll never replace her. Louie's a well-behaved cat, mostly, and doesn't protest if you clap your hands to remind him sofas aren't scratching posts! (Even then, that was one time, and he used his scratching board immediately when I put him on it. The sofa mix-up was just a cat being lazy or the sofa being convenient.)

p.s. Brinley and Louie are about the same size, so maybe there wouldn't be any problem.

coffeelover
11-11-2009, 02:42 PM
They are the same color too! And cute...just like their owners!

Doug
11-12-2009, 02:53 AM
They both have been on YouTube, too! :)