I have had a few problems with my computer and it froze up inside. I asked an IT person about it who helped me get it back online. I gave her a big hug. I know...I know!!! That's politically incorrect but I don't think she minded.
You gotta know I was wondering.
Where would you dig a hole from to pull me through?
What are all in a row?
When are ribbons of grey happy ways?
Who stayed all day?
Why would you build a castle so high?
208 comments:
1 – 200 of 208 Newer› Newest»Sorry, just in case Lou answers these questions, the actual lyrics are forty feet high.
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Happy Anniversary, Michele and Brian
As we raise our glasses in a toast to you, we hope this 2008 anniversary is even happier than the 2001 wedding day you are remembering.
We hear that you are in Saskatoon celebrating with Vic and Don who are just two days short of their own anniversary. That is bound to make this day special for all of you. Enjoy!
Cheers and lots of love,
Louise and David
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Ed ....
Thanks for the June posting.
I know that "ribbons of grey" are "happy ways when they lead the way to home".
Can it really be pretty maids that are "all in a row" or does that just date me?
LOL, Lucy
Hi Ed,
Thanks for the June posting.
And those ribbons of grey are highways that lead the way to home.
Love, BJ
Ed...
If I get to Heaven before you do I'll dig a hole and pull you through.
Love, BJ
...and I'll build a castle high enough to reach the moon.
My best friend stayed all day.
When they lead the way to home is right and Heaven is where you'd dig the hole to pull me through.
It's not to reach the moon and not my best friend.
Another stab at #16.
W hy R odents E at N uts (first letter of each word spells WREN, the word 'first' being the clue.
Absolutely, BJ, WREN it is. You did it, girl!
Love ya, Lucy
Ed ... that castle is high "so I can see her when she passes by".
Lucy
Lucy,
Have we solved them all, or are there still some that are iffy?
BJ
BJ, The only other one that we were leaving open to further thought is #15 BEAVER. You said you think it might be correct. For now, I have entered it in as our answer and we have all 30 answers on our entry form. I won't submit it until the end of June anyway.
Lucy
"wren" is genius - Auntie Louise, can you post the final answers one more time, all in one place, when you have the time. I am wondering if some of the other stretches might have simpler answers like "wren"...
Sure Holly, anything to get the right answers!
Here it is:
1. This supports a flower, we are told. WATERFOWL
2. A cold friend that is shaken. RATTLESNAKE
3. GOPHERS SPAR (anag). GRASSHOPPER
4. A sunburnt retarded mariner. SALAMANDER
5. Firm support. SEAL
6. It sounds as though a duo are able. TOUCAN
7. A hermit angle. MONKFISH
8. Sounds as though it may have strength. MUSSEL
9. Retreating in oceanS ACROss the world. ORCAS
10. This rare pint is curdled. TERRAPIN
11. Wordsworth's "blithe new-comer". CUCKOO
12. WAR TRAPS ROSE (anag). PARROT WRASSE
13. Bat and ball are required "on the hearth". CRICKET
14. A member is unwell in a party. ARMADILLO
15. Could this be George W's teacher. BEAVER
16. Why rodents eat nuts first. WREN
17. Flourine is found in seaweed. ELK
18. A border rock for this aviator. STONE PARTRIDGE
19. VALIANT SIDEMAN (anag). TASMANIAN DEVIL
20. We hear a repetition follows a note. GECKO
21. A flighty granny! GOOSE
22. Oddly, hear Dad's on coke. HADDOCK
23. PC, copper. PIG
24. Sometimes big numbers need dividing. LION
25. The point of Cornwall! LIZARD
26. Copratle. PECTORAL SANDPIPER
27. Darling around form of form for this acquatic. MACQUARIE PERCH
28. Timber, whiskey snake. SCORPION
29. A blessing engulfs a sailor. BABOON
30. Now back in lost Fen country. NEWFOUNDLAND
Love, Louise
David and I are just hours away from our departure for Dorset on the south coast of England. We will be away from our computer until Sunday, June 7.
We want to sent birthday and anniversary greetings to those who will celebrate while we are away.
Here goes......
June 4, 2008
Happy 42nd Anniversary, Vic and Don!
Congratulations on a long and happy partnership in business and in pleasure.
We toast your continued happiness with a wee dram of single-malt scotch. May its signature warmth and comfort be yours today and always!
Lots of love,
Louise and David
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June 4, 2008
Dear Davis and Jack,
Today is very special
Since the two of you are 2
And we're hoping that this birthday
Is a joyful time for you.
You will double up the pleasure
And the fun of others there
'Cause at 2 you are an active,
Bright and entertaining pair.
So wee Davis, we send wishes,
And dear Jack, we greet you, too.
You deserve this happy birthday
Which we celebrate with you.
Lots of love,
Louise and David
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June 7, 2008
Dear Thomas....
T oday we wish you a
H appy Birthday!
O ur toast to you is this...
M ay your June 7th birthday be bright;
A nd may the year ahead of you be
S pecial in every way!
Best wishes and lots of love,
Louise and David
So long, Blogatives, see you Sunday!
Love, Lucy
Hey Ed.
The deacon stayed all day. He went down to the cellar to pray, but he found some wine so he stayed all day!!
Also, the little puffer billies are all in a row!!
From Marcia & ME
Hey Mary Ellen,
Well done. I had forgotten both of those. Of course, you are much younger than I!
BJ
Hey BJ,
I'd like to take the credit, but it was Marcia who got them both and she got them right away! Of course she is younger than both of us! She also remembered this verse:
You can't get to heaven in a Cadilac;
Cause the Lord, He drives a Pontiac.
WHAT A GIRL!
Ed,
It's been fun remembering these songs fron way back when we were kids. Thanks for the memories!
Lucy,
Enjoy your trip to Dorset.
Love,
ME xoxoxo
Hey, maybe we could start a modern version:
Oh, you can't get to heaven on the Internet,
Cause the Lord still has an old phone set.
...or something
Oh you can't get to Heaven...
with a new flat screen.
Cause the Lord don't like...
TVs too lean.
Love,
Marty
Good one, Marty. I wish I could think of another.
BJ
Oh you can't get to heaven
With an MP3
Cause the songs just aren't
That heavenly.
Oh, you can't get to heaven by driving you car;
With the cost of gas, you won't get that far.
you've sure got that right, Mary Ellen.
BJ
Oh you can't get to heaven with your cell phone,
'cause there's lousy coverage in that zone.
Oh, you'll get to heaven, layin floors,
Cause the lord likes to see you on all four
Happy Barfday, brutherr.
May you do stuff you enjoy more than stuff you don't today.
Oh, you can't get to heaven with a phishing scam
'Cause the Lord's email filters can detect ALL spam
(You know the Lord's gotta have some pretty good email filters).
Oh you can't get to heaven...
Bloggin' all day long.
Cause the lord don't have...
his laptop on.
Oh, you can't get to heaven..
by the Night Express
Cause the Lord...
He uses UPS
Well, It's Sunday and David and I are back from a terrific visit with family in Dorset. Four days of near-perfect weather was "the icing on the cake".
We used our digital camera for the first time while we were away. Now we just have to figure out how to transfer images to the computer and from there to emails and Facebook. (This could take a while.)
Just for today, we have enjoyed catching up on riddle solutions ( so obvious after the fact) and song lyrics, (however irreverent).
Here's a verse from us:
Oh, you can't get to heaven on economy fare
'Cause you cannot buy your way in there.
It's good to be home again.
LOL, Lucy
Welcome back David and Lucy. I knew we could depend on you for a verse, Lucy. And we are looking forward to seeing your digital pictures.
Love, BJ
Thanks, BJ
David and I had a very good time in Dorset and I used our new camera at every turn. Now that we are back, I realize that I got a little shutter happy. After I delete the silly stuff there may be a few images that are worth sharing. I'll see.
Love, Lucy
That's the beauty of a digital camera! Can't wait to see some photos once you are up and running!
Tomorrow morning David and I are taking a bus to Aberdeen for another eye appointment. We'll have our camera with us for sure. The number of pictures is building. I'll try to do something with the lot of them on Wednesday. I need plenty of time to figure out this confusing technology.
Love, Lucy
It is a dull morning in St. Andrews. We are hoping that things will brighten as we make our way north to Aberdeen.
Oh, you can't get to Heaven on a Fife bus pass
'Cause the Lord wants you to go First Class!
LOL, Lucy
Oh, you can't get to Heaven paying fare
Cause the Lord just wants a simple prayer
All of the action is over on Tricia's Tides these days; and rightly so. She is keeping us right in step with day-to-day happenings with regular posts. Tomorrow, June 12, is Day 0 - the day of her transplant.
This is Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and the Easter Vigil all rolled into one. Who's getting any sleep tonight?
Love, Lucy
June 12, 2008
Today we send warm greetings to Joseph who is 12 on the 12th!
Happy Birthday, JJ!
You turn a "golden" page
When the number of your birthdate
Matches perfectly your age.
Have a day of celebration
With your friends and family, too;
Just enjoy their special greetings
And the things they do for you.
May the love of those around you
Bring you joy you won't forget,
Making this, your GOLDEN birthday
Your very best one yet!
Lots of love,
Louise and David
Brandon... you're the "Prince of Tides". Tricia's Tides.
I can barely contain myself.
I'll never complain about gas prices again.
We are praying for you Tricia.
Love,
Uncle Martin
I like that Marty...the "Prince of Tides"... indeed.
Blog greetings on Friday the 13th!
Those of you who suffer from
triskaidekaphobia
will have the added stress of
paraskevidekatriaphobia
today.
Curl up on the couch and watch the US Open and imagine how any superstitious pros might be feeling today! I understand that most golfers have their little rituals that make them feel lucky. They will be sure to cross all the "tee's" today!
LOL, Lucy
CRYPTOQUIZ CHALLENGE
Another word for fear of Friday the 13th is friggatriskaidekaphobia.
When you DECODE the following list of 13 words and read them in order, they will describe today's problem and a possible solution. (The letter substitution code is the same throughout the list.)
1. KHIDCV
2. OHVFC:
3. TVVJXTWKJB
4. GCJV
5. XVTRRCVF
6. TBBWRTOJB
7. VCFEWKFC -
8. JLCVFTWK,
9. STFOWIGWVX,
10. JKZTCXQ,
11. JLWTSJKOC,
12. EJKTO.
13. SCFCKFTXTNC!
Lots of luck, Lucy
oh wow, could this be???
Number Curse: Irrational fear triggers illogical response - aversion, discomfort, anxiety, avoidance, panic. Desensitize!
could i be right?
Oh, yes, Sonia! You ARE right. In Ed's words, "Good eye!" and, as Mary-Ellen would say, "DOE MANY OUR DOG!"
Laughs and love, Louise
When I was in town today, I dropped in at the Save the Children charity shop and found another 5op quiz on the counter.
The instructions read: "THE ANSWERS ARE ALL THINGS FOUND IN OUR SHOP". The example is:
sloven = novels.
From what I can tell, all of these are anagrams. The charity shop is filled with non-perishable, donated goods of all sorts. A few new things like cards and stationery are also available. Really anything goes.
1. Things Rest
2. Ripping Water
3. Sling Tot on Elbow
4. Strike Dials
5. Obey Rook Sock
6. Attic Poet
7. Rest or Us
8. Ski Matrix
9. We Stare
10. And Craig
11. I'm an OK
12. Real Rich New D's
13. Seen Ghosts
14. Were Jelly
15. For Idea Locate Chart
16. Rich Baddy Star
17. Vandals Vetos Charges
18. Do Fast Stingy
19. E Fractures Imp
20. Hades Soils E
21. Blog Falls
22. Cold Dusty Y
23. Send Sad Actress O
24. Still Love WI Gunner
25. Shoppers May Cut
The deadline is August 8. The prize is a £10 gift voucher.
Let's do it, blogatives!
Love, Lucy
Here's a start. Some are a little far out, but...
2. WRITING PAPER
3. WELLINGTON BOOTS
5. COOKERY BOOKS
6. PETTICOAT
7. TROUSERS
8. MAXI SKIRT
9. SWEATER
10. CARDIGAN
13. SONG SHEETS
15. FREE TRADE CHOCOLATE
16. BIRTHDAY CARDS
19. PICTURE FRAMES
20. LADIES SHOES
21. GOLF BALLS
22. CUDDLY TOYS
BJ
Oh my gosh, BJ! If that is a start, we will not be at this quiz for very long. I can confirm that all of the items you have listed so far can be found in Save the Children. We have just 10 more to name. I am filling in the blanks already.
Love, Lucy
12. CHILDREN'S WEAR
4. LADIES SKIRT
24. WILLING VOLUNTEERS
25. HAPPY CUSTOMERS
The last two may be trick answers.
14. JEWELLERY (British Spelling)
17. HAT GLOVES AND SCARVES
If this is correct, I think it's kind of sneaky.
BJ
11. KIMONA
(The web seems to believe this is a filipino blouse).
23. COATS AND DRESSES?
or maybe DRESSES AND TACOS? (Is it suppertime yet?)
Wow, BJ!
I knew you were good at anagrams but you have really done an excellent job here.
I make that 23 correct answers with a bit of Kenneth's humour thrown in. (No tacos sold here.) This has to be some kind of solving record. Just #1 and #18 remain to be unscrambled.
Love, Lucy
1. GENT'S SHIRT
18. GIFTS AND TOYS
I can't get anything else out of these two.
BJ
The last two items fit perfectly, BJ. Thanks to you, our latest quiz is ready for entry into the draw to be made on August 7. Wow, I'm impressed!
Love, Lucy
Lucy,
I have recently been working on 2 kinds of puzzles that require anagramming (is that a word?)magic anagram squares and word puzzle games, so I'm in the zone. I also do the jumble puzzle in the paper each day, though that is on a much smaller scale. Like everything else, practice improves the skill.
BJ
I know what you mean about being "in the zone", BJ. That applies to so many things in life so I'm not surprised that it works with anagramming, too. Anyway, well done on our latest quiz. At least with anagrams we KNOW we have the right answers, eh?
Love, Lucy
Yes, and anagrams are really the simplest of the word puzzles.
This afternoon I was re-reading The Gospel According to Peanuts - a long-ago gift from Mary-Ellen and still one of my favorite books. I'm going to share this laugh with you:
In frame one of the comic strip, Lucy, Linus and Charlie Brown are lying on a hilltop, looking up at the clouds. Lucy says, "If you use your imagination, you can see lots of things in the cloud formations ... what do you think you see, Linus?"
Over the next three frames, Linus replies, "Well, those clouds up there look to me like the map of the British Honduras on the Caribbean..."
"That cloud up there looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, the famous painter and sculptor..."
"And that group of clouds over there gives me the impression of the stoning of Stephen ... I can see the apostle Paul standing there to one side..."
Lucy cuts in on the fifth frame with, "Uh, huh ... that's very good...what do you see in the clouds, Charlie Brown?"
Charlie replies, "Well, I was going to say I saw a ducky and a horsie, but I changed my mind!"
LOL, Lucy
HA!HA!HA!
Good stuff Lucy. You know a good laugh when you see one.
I remember BJ telling me she always wanted a kid like Calvin in the comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes".
My favorite C&H was when-
1. Calvin walks into the kitchen holding a weiner with a twig in the end of it and says to his mom:
Hand over the cookie jar or I'll blow up this kitchen!
2. Mom says: Calvin Did you ruin another weiner?...give me that...now GET OUT!
3. Calvin and Hobbes sitting on the front step-
Calvin: I gotta find a real stick of dynamite somehow.
Hobbes: Do you still have that weiner? Can I have it.
Love Marty
Marty said:
I remember BJ telling me she always wanted a kid like Calvin in the comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes".
Did she feel she needed to improve on the four she already had?
Now, how could she possibly improve on you guys?
Uncle Martums
Marty and Kenneth,
Actually, I wanted to be the writer of Calvin and Hobbes, not the mother! What a great comic strip. I loved his monster snowmen.
Marty:
Now, how could she possibly improve on you guys?
I hear the pound is adopting out mutts.
Sorry BJ
My mistake.
Yes, now I remember.
I guess I must have thought you may have wanted a little scoundrel in the clan to mix things up a bit.
your wee little bro
marty
Sunday June 15, 2008
Happy Father's Day to all the dads in our family. There are too many of you to name here ... you know who you are. We toast you on your special day.
Have a good one!
Len will not get the socks unless Rob gets the tie.
Len will not get the CD unless Mike gets the socks.
Len will not get the tie unless Rob gets the CD.
Mike will not get the socks unless Len gets the tie.
Rob will not get the CD unless Mike gets the tie.
Who will get what?
Lots of love and laughs, Lucy
I'm leaving this puzzle for Mary Ellen, she's the logic expert.
BJ
Hi, BJ
You're right about ME's logic. Marcia is another whiz at solving this kind of puzzle. Come to think of it, so is Edward. No doubt someone will get the answer to this one before too long. It's just a bit of fun for Father's Day.
Lucy
Hi All, I believe
Mike gets the CD
Len gets the socks
Rob gets the tie
Happy Fathers' Day to all the fathers out there.
Marcia
Good eye, Marcia!
I figured you would be first to solve the problem of the mixed-up Father's Day gifts. Whenever I work on a logic problem, with all my charts and graphs, I think of you ... seeing the picture in your head, and coming up with the right answer. Somehow, that's more like magic to me!
Love, Louise
Marcia,
Ditto to Lucy's comments. I love logic problems, but I have to work really hard for some of them.
Love, BJ
Well done, Marcia! You solved it before I even understood it. What a girl!
Thanks for the puzzle Lucy. I'm going to go and solve it now and confirm Marcia's logic.
Hey BJ, thanks for the vote of confidence. I do love Logic - I must be my Father's daughter.
Love to all the Fathers out there.
LOL,
ME xoxoxoxoxo
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DENNIS!
D o all you can to
E xperience a bright, warm and
N early perfect June birthday.
N ot often do we raise a toast
I n honour of
S omeone so special!
Cheers, best wishes and lots of love,
Louise and David
Happy Birthday, Dehlia,
We sing the birthday tune
Because you're celebrating
On this fine day in June.
So, share your joy with Piper;
Have cake and presents, too;
Blow out your birthday candles;
Make every wish come true!
Today is extra-special;
Now you can say "I'M FOUR"!
May life bring fun and friendship,
Good health and so much more.
Lots of love and warm wishes,
Louise and David
June 17, 2008
70 years ago today, Mom and Dad were married. Dad was born 94 years ago. Often, in the past, this date was also Father's Day.
Mom's little Elf-help book, Grief Therapy, says ...
"Anniversaries and holidays - times that used to mean joy and celebration - can be among the toughest now. Observe them with care and simple ceremony to ease the pain."
Love, Louise
Thanks for continuing to post Louise. I always check this blog after checking Tricia's. We're reading.
Love, Ed
Me, too, Lucy!
I appreciate your postings and check every day. I join Ed in voicing his thanks.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone!
-G.B. Stern
Love,
ME xoxo
Well, thank you!
I sure like that G.B. Stern quotation, ME. That's not only a "keeper" but a "doer".
Mom wrote just one comment in her little Elf-help book. It was next to thought #32 which says:
"Remind yourself of your reasons for living. You have a future worth enduring for, and you deserve to find a renewed sense of purpose and pleasure in your life."
Below that, in Mom's distinctive handwriting: "My children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, my friends. to pray and for whatever I'm left to do."
Love, Lucy
Here's a mid-week poser for puzzle-lovers.
A set of alphabet blocks has a single letter of the alphabet on each of the six sides of each block.
With any luck, you can "roll the four dice" to spell these words:
CARD
FISH
FLIP
GNAT
JUNK
LORE
PAVE
PRIM
SWAB
TUBE
YOLK
ZINC
How are the letters on each block arranged?
LOL, Lucy
Hey Louise,
I think I've got it!!
Using PRIM as my base word, the blocks have the following letters:
#1 CJOPST
#2 BFNRVY
#3 DEGIKW
#4 AHLMUZ
Yeee-Haw!
LOL,
ME xoxoxo
Mary-Ellen!
MY ROD DUE NO AGO!
That sure didn't take you long.
Love, Lucy
Now, here's a little something for number buffs.
Using the hints below, correctly place the numbers 1 through 9 on a tic-tac-toe grid: (Note: rows run across, columns down)
1. The sum of the three numbers in the first row is 7.
2. The sum of the three numbers in the second row is 15.
3. The sum of the three numbers in the first column is 12.
4. The sum of the three numbers in the second column is 14.
LOL, Lucy
ooohhh a contest and no one has answered yet...
how about:
124
537
698
Holy cow, I go away for a morning and when I get back 2 contests are finished. Good thing--I don't think I could have done either. Do you have a set of blocks at home Mary Ellen? Or would that even help? Holy cow.
Love, BJ
Good eye, Sonia!
Your number grid is correct.
It's fun to put puzzles on the blog. You just know that someone will come back with the right answer in no time at all. ME and Sonia just proved that - all before lunch time, too.
LOL, Lucy
Now, try this one:
In the trio - Xenia, Yvette and Zelda - one woman always tells the truth, one always lies and the third alternates between telling the truth and lying.
After listening in on this conversation, can you tell what really happened to the strawberries, blueberries and melon balls?
Xenia said, "Yvette ate the strawberries."
Yvette said, "Xenia ate the blueberries."
Zelda said, "I ate the melon balls."
Yvette said, "No, I ate the melon balls."
Xenia interposed, "Zelda ate the melon balls."
Zelda said, "Xenia ate the strawberries."
LOL, Lucy
(I think I will settle for an apple.)
Xenia ate the blueberries
Zelda ate the melon
Yvette ate the Strawberries
Xenia ate the strawberries
Zelda ate the melon
Yvette ate the Blueberries
Pleases take my second answer as the right one as I was too hasty on the first one so I could get in before all these other aces got in.
Right, Marty,
As you already know, your second answer is the correct one.
In this family, you definitely have to be speedy and that's when mistakes can happen. I see that you had plenty of time to catch your own error and enter the correct response. Well done you!
Love, Lucy
Good puzzle Lucy. These games are fun. How about this one: If John is Lisa's brother, and Debra is Frank's daughter, then who is Gertrude's second cousin?...okay so I am officially starting the 2008 football contest hidden in this large paragraph. I will post it only once and you can tell people about it or not. Remember, it IS a Blog contest. (They're gonna find out about it when you post your submissions anyway).The deadline is July 20, 2008, 4 weeks after the season officially begins. Here's the format: Pick the 2 teams in the "Western Final" and the 2 teams in the "Eastern Final".
You get 5 points for any team you get correct. (all 4 teams correct = 20 points). Pick the 2 teams that will play in The Grey Cup. 10 points for each team correct. (Both correct = 20 points). All 6 teams correct = 40 points. All entrants must post a final score for The Grey Cup Game in the event that there is a tie. (ie: East 17 West 24). The prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd (MSA paintings) will be posted after July 20, 2008. Only 3 prizes will be awarded. In the event there is a tie for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place, the contestants must participate in a battle of wits which will be conducted and officiated by the President of the 2008 CFL Football Contest ...Gentlepeople... start you engines.
MSA- President, CEO, VIP and BSer of the 2008 CFL Football Contest.
Marty,
Ralph is Gertrude's second cousin (twice removed).
Clarification requested on contest's rules:
Does Saskatchewan have to be one of the final teams?
Is there a prize for whining?
Love, BJ
BJ YOU ARE BRILLIANT!
No one has ever figured that one out...until now. You are the Queen Babe.
The final team does not have to be Saskatchewan, although if you don't pick Sask, and they win, you may be disallowed to ever enter this contest again...and...not only is whining not allowed, if anyone(except Lui and family)asks for the contest rules again or claims they missed the deadline, I will consider that WHINING!
MSA Pres, CEO...etc...
Happy Anniversary, Penny and Michael!
As numbers go, 9 is perfect. It's fun, magical and harmonious. You were married on June 19, 1999 and today is your 9th anniversary. Just look at all those 9's!
So, we raise a toast to you on this special day, Penny and Mike! Congratulations on your 9th wedding anniversary. Like the number itself, may your celebrations be fun, magical and harmonious!
Cheers, best wishes and lots of love,
Louise and David
More "Dicey Words"
What set of 4 alphabet blocks will spell out all of these words?
BAWL
CYAN
DIVA
EXAM
FOXY
JOIN
MYTH
NUMB
PROW
RANK
SHED
TOGA
LOL, Lucy
Another Logic Puzzle!!!
Using RANK as my starting word, the letters on the blocks are as follows:
#1 BEGIRY
#2 AFHJPU
#3 ENTVWX
#4 CDKLMO
Lots of fun!
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Logic is logic. That's all I say.
- Oliver Wendell Holmes
Nice work, Auntie ME.
Is that second 'E' on die 3 supposed to be 'S'?
(I cheated on this puzzle and used my computer).
Good Eye Ken! Yes, it is supposed to be an "S". I was in a hurry to post it before anyone else so slipped up. Thanks! By the way, how on earth do you use a computer to solve this? That to me is amazing!
Love,
Auntie ME xoxoxo
Yep, ME, with Kenneth's typo correction, your set of four alphabet blocks works perfectly.
Kenneth, I would also like to know how you can use a computer to solve this dicey problem. Sometimes, knowing how to make technology work for you is as much a skill as doing it yourself, the hard way. Amazing!
Lucy
Marty,
We have printed off your football contest rules and schedule. You won't be getting any whining from these quarters. We also won't be making any predictions until closer to your entry deadline on July 20.
BTW ... are you sure about BJ's calculation that Ralph is Gertrude's second cousin, twice removed? I believe Phil is her second cousin with no removals at all. Is it possible that Gertrude has two cousins? Is this a trick question?
LOL, Lucy
@ Mary Ellen and Louise...
Short answer: I wrote a short program to solve "dicey problems".
Long answer:
There is a computer language called Prolog for solving problems in logic. Programs consist of facts and rules, instead of detailed computer instructions.
For the dicey program I give the twelve words as facts and write a few rules for what a makes a combination of six letters legal or illegal. Prolog then figures out how to combine letters in legal combinations.
Hey Lucy
Let me 'splain:
You would be right about Phil being gertrude's second cousin'
IF... they hadn't changed the law.
I don't know how BJ knew this but-
Way down where these folks come from, if you marry your sister, brother or cousin and then you get divorced, you are no longer related, so BJ is right (so far).
Good observation though, sis
Love ya,
Marty
Oh .... I get the picture now! Thanks for setting me straight on that one, Marty.
Lucy
Thanks, Kenneth
Your instructions are simple enough. I am going to try your strategy with one of the dicey problems I posted here. Practice makes perfect.
Lucy
Thanks for the explanation, Ken. It seems a little complicated to me, so I guess I'll stick to the old-fashioned way. Computer-wise, I'm pretty much technically challenged, so once again I say: I think it's amazing that YOU wrote your own program for solving dicey problems. What a guy! AMAZING!
LOVE,
ME xoxoxoxox
Marty and Lucy,
Of course, I am right. I am married to BOB THE (Family Tree) BUILDER.
Love, BJ
Kenneth,
...what Mary Ellen said!
Mom
Well, Kenneth, I found prolog but I do not understand it never mind how use it for solving problems. I'm back to my trusty graphs, diagrams and trial-and-error strategies. Whew!
Lucy
Hey Kenneth
Ask that thing how you can make a million dollars in a week.
Uncle Martanski
Marty, if you want to have a million dollars by the end of the week:
1. start with two million dollars
2. get into the music business
Hey Kenneth
Well done. That computer of yours is smarter than I thought.
Mart
Happy Anniversary, Barbara and David
Today we celebrate your 10th anniversary with Emmanuel, Grace-Anne and Hannah-Lynn. In them is proof of your love and promise for the future.
May your special day be joyful - bringing back good memories of the past, filling the present with fun and getting another year of your marriage off to a good start.
Cheers to you!
With best wishes and lots of love,
Louise and David
Thank you for the beautiful Anniversary wishes, auntie Louise! 10 years today! We are joyful to begin another year.
Love to all,
Barb and family
You're welcome, Barbara!
Now, I have one more list of "dicey words". With the correct letters placed on the six faces of each of four blocks, you will be able to spell all 12 words:
BOWL
DEAL
FUSE
GORE
INCH
JUMP
LYNX
MICA
NECK
RUNT
WHEY
ZIPS
LOL, Lucy
No human solvers yet for Lucy's dice problem?
Hi Louise & Ken,
Here's the answer done with a human computer!
Using WHEY as my base, the letters are arranged on the dice as follows:
#1 - AFGNPW
#2 - HKLMSR
#3 - BEIJTX
#4 - CDOUYZ
Love this logic!
Thinking & praying in red & white,
ME xoxoxo
I have absolutely no idea what you guys are talking about with all these dicey problems. My brain just doesn't think like that! I finally solved my first sudoku puzzle - it was an "easy" one, and I had to make mistakes on 5 other easy puzzles (and of course violently draw a big X through the puzzle when I discovered an error) before I actually solved this one! I am just enjoying seeing how smart my family is! Carry on!
Good eye, ME!
And that's a nice compliment, Holly. Our minds definitely do work differently and that's the awesome truth!
Love, Louise
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MICHAEL!
A summer solstice birthday has to be extra-special when it falls on a Saturday. Zachary, Noah, Jacob and Ann-Marie can be there to share the entire day with you from the sun's early rising to its late night setting.
On this first day of summer 2008, we wish you a happy weekend with lots of birthday surprises and family fun.
Love and best wishes,
Louise and David
HAPPY FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY,
LORRAINE AND THOMAS!
The first day of summer
Makes everything right
As we welcome a season of
Promise and light;
The first year of marriage
Is summer, year 'round
As two people bask
In the love they have found.
So Thom and Lorraine
We congratulate you
On this first day of summer,
At the start of year two!
May the "firsts" you remember
And cherish this day
Form the base of your love
As you travel life's way.
Cheers to you with lots of love,
Louise and David
Okay, summer's first day in St. Andrews started well but became cloudy and dark by late afternoon. This morning, rain is falling lightly and the air is cool and damp. That's how our spring began, too, and we all but missed that whole season.
The garden looks good, though!
The first day of summer in Ottawa was that perfect day in June. Warm, sunny and 15 hours and 45 minutes of day light. Actually that was the time between sunrise and sunset, but there was much more light than that since there is lots of light both before sunrise and after sunset. Here's hoping for the same kind of day for all of you on this second day of summer.
Love, BJ
Monday's sunshine lasted a little longer than Sunday's but we are getting rain again tonight. Tomorrow is David's big day on the new Castle Course which is due to open to the public in September. We are hoping that the weather will be fair.
Dave tees off at 10:30am in an inaugural round with members of Clubs from all around Fife. This new course is being advertised as "The Seventh Course at the Home of Golf" and "the most eagerly awaited new course in the world". Have a look at this beauty at www.thecastlecourse.com and imagine Dave out there on those links.
Tomorrow will tell the tale and I will let you know David's impressions.
Love, Lucy
Lucy again,
I'm still reading Mom's Elf-help book on Grief Therapy. Today, two thoughts seemed right for me to post at this time ...
"Stay connected to others. You need their presence, their support, their concern, their listening, their hugs."
and ...
Cry. Your tears testify to your love. And tears that spring from love help bring healing and renewal."
Auntie Louise,
I checked out the website for the course that uncle David is going to be on tomorrow and WOW! It is an absolutely beautiful course! I can already imagine him out there enjoying his day. I hope that you have lovely weather and I can't wait to hear your report after his game tomorrow.
Hugs.
Barb
I'll be thinking about David out there in such beautiful surroundings while I'm chained to the computer in my over-air-conditioned office.
And my tears will be grief over Tiger's lost season. 198 days until the Mercedes. :-(
Barb ... David was very impressed that you took time to visit the Castle Course web site. He has already left for his introductory round. The day is cool, overcast, and very windy but dry (so far).
Ken ... we laughed at the description of your work place in contrast to Dave's play area. A par or two will brighten this grey day, for him I'm sure. Like you, we are sorry to think of an entire year of pro golf without Tiger. Let's hope your tears bring him back in fine form!
Love, Lucy
Dave has run out of superlatives in talking about his round on the Castle Course. He is eager to share his golfing experience with all future visitors to our area. What a wonderful day he has had, and he tells me that our home on East Sands is just 2 three woods away from the seventh green. Imagine!
Lucy
Last Saturday's cryptic crossword had an abundance of clues calling for four-letter word answers. Try these ones:
1. Get warmed up for the minor event.
2. Bag the role for a comeback.
3. Are durable, is the conclusion.
4. Wind up with a lot of money.
5. Norm is tight-fisted.
6. The number first on the roster.
7. Split AND let the Rain through, confound it!
8. Leave, cross, when there's a drawback about.
9. Gather it's the majority.
10. Pinch the boy.
11. Has he applied for a stack?
12. Shower too hard for the skin.
LOL, Lucy
Here's one for you logic lovers too. It's called, For Whom the Bell Tolls.
There were just two bells in the church belfy at Little Snogging; the first can best be described as a 'ding' - the second as a 'dong'. Now an ancient by-law in the district proclaimed that no 'ding' could be rung exactly two chimes after another 'ding', and no 'dong' could be rung exactly three chimes after another 'dong'. So what was the longest sequence of chimes that the poor sexton was permitted to ring?
LOL, Lucy
And one more for good measure...
Three boys weigh a total of 350 pounds, of which Bill weighs 105 pounds. The barefoot boy weighs exactly 15 pounds less than the heaviest boy. Chuck weighs more than the boy with sneakers on. Art weighs less than the boy with loafers on.
Which boy is barefoot?
LOL, Lucy
Cryptic answers:
1. heat
2. grab
3. last
5. mean
7. darn
9. mass
11. pile
12. hail
BJ
Shoe saga:
Chuck looking suave in loafers, weighed 130 pounds.
Art, comfortable in bare feet, carried 115 pounds.
Bill on the run in sneakers was a trim 105 pounds.
You's guys is smart. Meanwhile I have attempted to solve 15 "easy" sudokus, and have succeeded at only 3 of them (the others all have mistakes...). How does everyone solve their sudokus? At first I was going square by square and trying to figure out what COULD fit. Then I changed strategies and went number by number trying to figure out WHERE could this fit. Now I am at a loss - neither strategy is working for me... Suggestions? (NB: I am also one of those pathetic people who writes every possible number in the square and then crosses them out as they are eliminated... sad.)
BJ ... That's odd, #1,3,5,7 and 9 are correct. The others are not but I do like your creative answer to #2.
On the other hand, you have identified Chuck, Art and Bill from head to foot. Well done!
Lucy
Holly,
I don't know what to suggest for solving Sudoku puzzles. I start by looking at any three blocks of three lines and look for a number that already appears in two of the three blocks. That often allows me to insert the missing number into the third block. I try to see larger sections of the puzzle instead of the individual squares.
You should definitely start with easy puzzles until you establish a pattern for solving them.
Good luck! Love, Louise
It seems to me there are two solutions to the dingdong puzzle. Auntie Louise, are these right:
ding-ding-dong-dong-dong-ding-ding
dong-ding-dong-dong-dong-ding-ding
Oops. That second solution is obviously wrong. Brain broke today.
Holly,
We have a decided advantage over you in that some of us have been doing sudoku puzzles for years, even back before the sudoku rage, when an occasional puzzle could be found in the obscure pages of a variety puzzle book.
Here's a suggestion for you: Google 'how to solve sudoku puzzles' and you may find some helpful tips. I use several different methods that I have worked out over the years and if you keep working at them, you will eventually discover some ways on your own as well.
But do try Google first.
Love, BJ
Try again!
2. trap
6. host
11. heap
12. sink
BJ
Kenneth,
Your first solution is the correct sequence of the seven rings that the sexton is allowed. Good ear!
BJ ... #2 and 11 are right. Please try again on #6 and 12.
By way of review, answers are still needed for #4,6,8,10 and 12.
Love, Lucy
Here are crossword letter clues for the last five questions:
2. T _ _ _
6. _ I _ _
8. _ _ _ T
10. _ _ _ K
12. P _ _ _
Love, Lucy
8. EXIT?
12. PELT?
Yes, Kenneth, #8 and 12 are right!
Lucy
Lucy,We already have no. 2. Did you mean that clue for no. 4?
4. tops
6. fist
10. punk
I'm sorry, BJ. The T was for clue 2 which you had already solved (TRAP). I lost track.
Now you have #6 right. The crossword letter for number 4 should have been:
4. _ O _ _
Number 10. is NICK, which is a boy's name and a rather British expression for a pinch.
Love, Lucy
Apologies again, BJ. Six should be LIST for roster ( the L is the roman numeral 50 and IST looks like 1st).
Oh heck, this has been a real mess. I'm going to say that #4 is ROLL and have done with the whole thing. That's it!
My friend, Margaret, tells me that she has a file of charity shop quizzes that she will let me borrow for a bit of fun on the blog.
Love, Lucy
Hi Lucy,
No apologies needed. It is always fun, even when my answers are wrong. Trying to figure them out and sometimes having to be told the final answer are all part of the puzzle. Keep them coming.
Love, BJ
Auntie Louise, I am doing a bit better with my easy sudokus with your advice to look at the bigger picture as opposed to going square by square. In any case, I think it's time to get new batteries for my electronic yahtzee (the real reason I have turned reluctantly to sudokus...).
Holly ... I'm glad that the easy Sudokus are getting a little easier for you. Keep practising!
You know, the original batteries in my electronic Yahtzee are still going strong. I carry the game with me on all my travels for a bit of diversion. Yahtzee is definitely less taxing than Sudoku. If I were you, I'd buy new batteries for sure.
But don't give up on the challenge of an occasional, simple sudoku!
Louise
Hello everyone! i haven't made any entries lately but I still check the blog once in a while and I enjoy reading what is going on.
I need to tell of my experience and history with what is referred to as Sodoku.
Dad used to get a Dell publication called 'Math Puzzles and Logic Problems'. In his spare time (lol) he would work on the puzzles in the book and he said his favorite ones were the ones called 'Cross Sums'. I asked him if there were any that he didn't like that he would let me do. He said there were some that he didn't do because they were too easy and they were called 'Number Places'.
You guessed it! Those 'Number Places' are Sodoku puzzles. The only thing is, that was 40 - 45 years ago. Not only that, the Cross Sums that Dad loved are now called 'Kakuro', another Japanese puzzle being sold by the book, sometimes as a separate section in books with Sodoku.
Unbelievable? I have a subscription to Math Puzzles and Logic Problems and those puzzles remain part of the regular content and are still called the same as they were 45 years ago.
Strange but true!!!
Hey Lui,
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. I still buy Dell's Math & Logic books and am also familar with Sudoku as "Number Places". The thing that used to amaze me about Dad and his favorite Cross Sums was that he solved them in his head first and then just entered the numbers. He was definitely a mathametician!! What a guy!
Give yourself, Marie, Tricia, Brandon & his family, a heart hug from us. What an amazing family you are! I love being related to you!
Lots of love,
ME xoxoxoxo
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Math is radical!
- bumper sticker
ME xoxox
Hey Lui,
Those books of Dad's were the ones I learned to do Sudoku in. I had forgotten they were called Number Places, but they were one of my favorites. When Sudoku became the rage a few years ago I got hooked on them again. Bob figures we inherited Dad's 'puzzle gene'. He could be right! Thanks for the memories.
What Lucy said.....I love being related to you and your family, too!
Love, BJ
Oops, I meant to say what Lucy and Mary Ellen said...
Or... what Lucy was THINKING anyway, BJ, and Mary-Ellen said with so much enthusiasm.
Love, Lucy
Lui,
Like you, I watched Dad doing the cross sums in Dell's publications. One day I asked him how he went about solving them. He took time to talk to me about the recurring number combinations and quickly unlocked the mystery for me. He was a wonderful teacher and I have been doing cross sums ever since.
Another thing Dad told me was that the Number Place puzzles had more to do with patterns than with math and they were not as much fun for him to do. I started seeing the patterns and got hooked on those as well.
How is it that shared memories bring back such good feelings so long after the fact?
Love, Lucy
Here's a quiz entitled "Musical Instruments --- Old and New". It was published by the St. Andrews Chorus and dates back to 2005.
The catch is that I do not know the answers myself and I have no way of getting them. Perhaps with all the musicians in our family we won't need an answer key. Shall we give it a try?
Here's the example:
The burglar's spoils. (LUTE)
1. The Queen held the orb on coronation day.
2. Clear tin. (anagram)
3. Choose a short sherry.
4. Edge between two degrees.
5. This tropical fruit has the deity within.
6. A donkey is in favour.
7. Did Tim panic in a crisis at Wimbledon?
8. Sounds like a store for sodium chloride.
9. I had to ban John from playing this.
10. Take a shilling from a harlot.
11. Celebrate with champagne in this one.
12. Hell! Fog! Run! (anagram)
13. What was little Gerald up to?
14. A wrong turret may mar a castle.
15. The accountant has deserted Jacob and Esau's mother.
16. I wish I had Jubal's one.
17. Unsullied and chaste - but not untouched.
18. I like vanilla in mine.
19. A fisherman does this with direction.
20. Did Jacob o'ercome his afflictions?
21. Sad blue sob. (anagram)
22. Had an identity crisis in Twelfth Night.
23. What the baby does with a top.
24. A bag nevertheless.
25. Wrap up some tubes.
26. A girl arrives after a performance.
27. Stab her son. (anagram)
28. Miner about. (anagram)
29. Looks like he draws the line.
30. One engulfed by heavenly body.
31. Pink colleges. (anagram)
32. See phoney kiss - out of order.
LOL, Lucy
6. BASSOON
11. FLUTE
24. SACKBUT
25. BAGPIPES
28. TAMBOURINE
31. GLOCKENSPIEL
2. CLARINET
12. FLUGELHORN
Great Stuff, Kenneth,
You have solved one quarter of the quiz already. So far, the only instrument I have never heard of is a "sackbut". I suppose there may be others hidden in this list of the old and the new.
8 down, 24 to go!
Lucy
7. Timpani (drums)
9. Banjo
16. Lyre
20. Oboe
21. Double Bass
BJ, all of your answers fit, too. I just knew this musical instruments quiz would fit this family.
13 down and 19 to go!
Love, Lucy
14. Maracas
27. Basset horn
1. Cor anglais (English horn)Cor o' nation?
5. MeloDEOn
18. Cornet
23. Spinet
8. Psaltery
10. (s) Trumpet
15. Rebec (Rebecca was Jacob and Esau's mother)
30. Sitar
Thanks, BJ, not only for the answers but for the explanations. We have to agree with all your answers.
Dave says #4 is triangle!
That's 24 down and 8 to go.
The following numbers are still outstanding: 3, 13, 17, 19, 22, 26, 29 and 32.
I'm already digging up another quiz for us to tackle.
Lucy
Hi y'all
3. Piccolo flute
Marty
In "Twelfth Night" I played Malvolio. The lead woman character is Viola.
#22 Viola?
#19 castinettes
Marty, those three are very clever in the clues and in the solving, don't you agree? Well done!
We have just 5 left (13,17,26,29 and 32) and the night is still young everywhere but in Scotland!
LOL, Lucy
17. Virginal
26. Concertina
13. DIDGERIDOO
(what "did Jerry do"?)
This may be a long shot...
Phony kiss = Phone X
Out of order = X phone
32. Xylophone
Kenneth ... #13 and 26 are such clever answers and they really fit. I had never heard of a musical instrument called a "virginal" but it, too, fits the description given in clue #17.
That's a definite "yes" on #32, Marty ... the LO part of it means "see" (or behold). xy(LO)phone.
Well done, guys, we have just #29 to go: "Looks like he draws the line".
Lucy
BJ ... I have just learned that there is an instrument called a "theorbo". If that's the case, that is probably a better answer for #1.
We have had second thoughts about #4 as well. Dave guessed that an "edge between two degrees" might be a triangle but MA(RIM)BA seems like a good response to this clever clue.
We're still working on #29 "Looks like he draws the line".
LOL, Lucy
Lucy,
I agree that the new answers for #4 are better than the first two we had.
I'm glad you liked my #26. It was one of those light bulb moments.
BJ
Could 29 be Mandolin?
Yes, BJ! The mandolin finishes off this quiz.
BTW...I went back over our answers and discovered that I gave Kenneth credit for the answers to #17 and 26 instead of acknowledging your acumen.
That must have been another one of those senior moments! Sorry.
Love, Lucy
Lucy,
As long as we get them all, we can all take credit. Damn we're good!Love, BJ
I like your attitude, BJ!
This next quiz is sweet - that is, all of the answers are sweets. The St. Andrews Amateur Operatic Society used this as a fund-raiser in 2004.
Two examples are given:
Middle Eastern joy = Turkish delight
Are you comforTABLE There? = tablet
1. Wobbly infants
2. Alter mess (anag 1)
3. The sorcerer's art
4. Are you myopic Nicola?
5. Mediaeval entertainers
6. Beagle II's hoped for destination
7. Rough brick den (anag 2)
8. Good shots by Robin Hood
9. They scheme to get you hitched
10. Loving busy beasties
11. A tiny dog
12. O cheer! Cola tango (anag 2)
13. Keeps your rude mouth shut
14. Would you like a comic Andy?
15. Zorro lost his sword
16. Plants for your wet garden
17. Sounds like a conduit for ornamental feathers
18. Goody goody
19. Afro hairdo
20. Turn the first letter of the French prison upside down
21. Prop sand (anag 2)
22. Did Erica ram Elsie's car?
23. Pigs root for them
24. An excellent address
25. Emu's wing (anag 2)
26. Look heavenwards for this cloudy road
27. A hundred flee before their short leader
28. Deal with incompetently
29. Ice-cream sundae, Rona?
30. The people who solve this quiz.
BTW...I think the numbers after anagrams may be the number of words in the answer. Remember, the sweets we don't "open" will remain a mystery.
LOL, Lucy
1. Jelly babies
12. Chocolate orange
18. licorice goodies
20. pastille
25. wine gums
Lucy,
Probably these are British sweets, so we will expect you to solve most of them.
Love, BJ
P.S.
I want to change #18 to bon bons
BJ
2nd run-through:
5. minstrels
13. humbugs
22. caramels
23. coconut mushrooms
26. Galaxy bar or galaxy ripple
28. Butterfinger
Change #23 to Truffles
Change #26. to milky way chocolate bar
4. macaroon
7. Edinburgh rock
21. Pan drops
24. Quality street candies
2. Maltesers
3. Black magic chocolates
6. Mars Bar (Beagle II was a landing spacecraft on an unsuccessful Mars expedition).
30. Smarties...!
8. Carmel Creams aka bullseye
My gosh, BJ, you have come up with 18 answers already. As always, the clues are easy to see once someone else solves them. I especially like the Mars Bar.
Sonia ... Smarties is the perfect answer for #30 - that's us for sure! With the # 8 Bullseye we already have 20 down with 10 to go.
As for me, I have nothing to add at this point. Maybe a good night's sleep will help.
Love, Lucy
15. Rolos?
zorRO LOSt his sword
19. Curly Wurly??
might be a stretch...but it's a GREAT chocolate bar!!
16. marshmallows? another stretch maybe....
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