Author Archives: uncleblogsy

FICTION…TRUE FACTS WEDNESDAY: Peeping Tom

     Not quite a thousand years ago, there lived in the city of Coventry a tailor known as Tom O’Thneedle, which was neighborhood talk for “Tom of the Needle”.  The O’Thneedles had been tailors for time out of mind.  Tom’s grandfather liked to talk about the days when things were tough for tailors, before theContinue reading “FICTION…TRUE FACTS WEDNESDAY: Peeping Tom”

QUAINTUPLETS: Mirror, Mirror, Burning Bright

     All mirrors are magic, of course.  Some are more magic than others, that’s all, so we call them magic mirrors.  This distinguishes them from the mirrors we look at so often that we forget about their magic.      Several mirrors were made which would show any scene requested, or answer questions about things farContinue reading “QUAINTUPLETS: Mirror, Mirror, Burning Bright”

Delight in de Window

     Now, in pursuing my research on your behalf into the question of peeping Tom postcards (there’s no end to the trouble I go to for your reading enjoyment, but that’s just the kind of blogger I am),  I thought I would consider the question of what is NOT a peeping Tom postcard.      ForContinue reading “Delight in de Window”

Sorry, Tom (or) Not Safe On the Sidelines

     Do you know where we get the phrase “Peeping Tom” for a man who tries to get a look at women in a state of undress?  Well, that’s a pity, because I’m going to tell you the story anyhow.      There are plenty of versions of the story of Lady Godiva.  My favorite isContinue reading “Sorry, Tom (or) Not Safe On the Sidelines”

QUAINTUPLETS: Lyall Whistle-Lips

     In the damp northern land of Tarrefol, a young man named Lyall worked as a shepherd.  Every day, he took his village’s sheep to the hills north of town where they could feed on the green grass.      His job was to see that at least as many sheep came home at night asContinue reading “QUAINTUPLETS: Lyall Whistle-Lips”

FICTION FRIDAY: Too Close?

“Now, remember, Forsyth.  You were voted the best man for the job.” “It’s an honor, sir.  Unusual, but quite an honor to be chosen for the first interplanetary blind date.” “Yes, the women of Earth picked you as the best overall…ah, here she comes.  Remember, you’re the hope of an entire planet.” “But, sir!  She’s….”Continue reading “FICTION FRIDAY: Too Close?”

Don’t Rock the Postcard

     Now, although this is the Interwebs, we really need to be fair to both sides here.  For every maritime disaster postcard, there are a hundred showing boats and ships going about their business without calamity.  The places which sold postcards sometimes had a vested interest in reminding you of the peaceful, calming effects ofContinue reading “Don’t Rock the Postcard”

QUAINTUPLETS: Egbert’s Soul, Pt. 2

     “I’ve broken my soul!” wailed Egbert, looking left and right for a door in the wall.  “I know it.  I’ve broken my soul and I shall never be happy again!”      The egg had not, as a matter of fact, broken.  On the other side of the wall was the garden of the King. Continue reading “QUAINTUPLETS: Egbert’s Soul, Pt. 2”

I See By Your Outfit

     Today’s consideration of fine old jokes takes us to the wild west, and the garment known as chaps.  The word is short for chaparreras, which American cowboys shortened to chaps, at first pronounced shaps.  They apparently start appearing in tales of the west in the 1830s, and were intended to keep a cowboy’s legsContinue reading “I See By Your Outfit”