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Wednesday, April 19, 2023

A TOAST WITHOUT GOBLETS

 Hello! I live...                       

...and learn. Some time ago, 2009, I retired from a job that left me with a strong body and retentive mind. That was gardening --mostly in public places-- for 35 years. Before that I was a custom picture framer, fine arts restorer, truck driver, etc.

In the mid-70s a personable, thoughty-looking lady entered my frame-shop with a 200 year-old oil-landscape in need of repair. As
I wrote out the work-order she said, "I want it to look well-cared-for but not shiny or new."
 
 I raised my gaze to hers and said, "understood".
She answered, "Good!" and filled out her part of the work-order: name, phone, city, address......
 
"Am I reading your street address (upside down) correctly?"
 
"What does it look like?"
 
"Pig Turd Alley?"

"Welcome to Gold Country!"




 
 

11 comments:

  1. That's just a block away from Shit Creek, and crosses Without A Paddle Bvd., right? Nice to see you, Geo, and best to Norma.

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    1. Thanks Mike, closest I've come in Amador to that "Creek" is a spacious area named "Middle of Nowhere". Best to you too!.

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  2. It is enlightening to read some of the names given a long time ago. My husband's parents lived on Broken Kettle Road.

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    1. Broken Kettle Road is a beautifully memorable name!
      4 miles southeast of us was an old, properly posted sign
      that read "Helluva Road". When developers flew in, it got
      changed to something less memorable.

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  3. I remember the Pig Turd Alley story. Fascinating name, but I wouldn't want to live there. I admittedly appreciate names that have character.....but they seem to be getting scarce.
    Warm and positive thoughts to you and Norma.

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    1. Warm and positive to you too Jon. I suspect there is no greater lure for leathery-winged speculators and developers than old street names like the one 1/4 mile west of me, Bar Du Lane. Probably a brand description long ago-----like on critter's rump.

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  4. Dear Geo., so good to hear from you again! I am utterly glad.
    Funny names for whole villages we have in Germany too: Elend (misery), Irrendorf (village of the maniacs), Pech (bad luck), Sommerloch (silly season) - to name a few.
    I hope that Norma and you moved to a better named street - but if not: ""What's in a name?", as Shakespeare asked. So what...

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  5. We have many streets named for native American tribes here. A new development went in, and they decided to name the road after the (pronounced) sin-a-cook tribe. Only it's spelled Shinnicock. Needless to say it was changed about a year later.

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  6. My new favorite Street name! The old one is Aching Acres Rd. Thanks Geo., hope you're well and happy. x

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  7. Hello Geo:

    I hope all is going ok….. you have not been posting in a fair amount of time in ANY of your three blogs I know about.

    I do miss your wonderful and creative writing. Please consider updating.

    PipeTobacco

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