STRUMPDATE
Ridley and I are starting in Chicago today, then going to strumpet in Dayton, Ohio, then going (Why not?) BACK to Chicago this evening to attempt to catch a flight to San Francisco. So there will likely be very little blogging today from Yours Truly.
We had a fine event last night in Naperville, Ill., which featured yet another appearance by the Mystery Woman On A Stick.
First!
*yawn*
Posted by: WoosterGirl | July 22, 2006 at 10:02 AM
happy trails dave and ridley..........from queensbee in albany, but not on a stick.
Posted by: queensbee | July 22, 2006 at 10:04 AM
have a safe trip guys!!!
Posted by: Siouxie | July 22, 2006 at 10:06 AM
Have a safe trip Dave! I'll see you in Dayton.
Posted by: Bumble | July 22, 2006 at 10:06 AM
Who is that lady on a stick? Is she the same one in Punkin's link to pics on the Vineyud?
Been on vacation, am a bit behind on following the Blog.
Posted by: WoosterGirl | July 22, 2006 at 10:09 AM
yeah it's the same woman. i THINK it's leetie.
Posted by: judi | July 22, 2006 at 10:11 AM
Oh, and happy trails, Dave and Ridley! Don't get caught in The Fog in The City.
Posted by: WoosterGirl | July 22, 2006 at 10:12 AM
but did her head keep shrinking???
Posted by: Siouxie | July 22, 2006 at 10:13 AM
Alas, no indestructible Pikachu's...
Posted by: Matt Morrison | July 22, 2006 at 10:15 AM
But we need more pictures of the Leetie Head on a Stick!
Anyone? Bueller?
Posted by: Jeff Meyerson | July 22, 2006 at 10:17 AM
Thanks, judi. :)
Posted by: WoosterGirl | July 22, 2006 at 10:18 AM
HeyDave, have fun and be careful. Are you on a private Strumpet-jet, or, God forbid flying commercial? Be nice to Bumble. She'll be the one with teeth.
Posted by: Jazzzz | July 22, 2006 at 10:19 AM
Boy, that Leetie really gets around!
Posted by: Suzy Q | July 22, 2006 at 10:20 AM
Leetie-head was getting a wee bit unkempt, but what can you expect when you spend most of your life travelling in a tube - with a stick up your....um...nevermind...
Posted by: Punkin Poo | July 22, 2006 at 10:22 AM
Jazzzz- Yes, that is just one of my many good qualities. :-)
Posted by: Bumble | July 22, 2006 at 10:24 AM
Poor Leetie-head. Life on the road is rough.
I understand that Dave's original plan was to roll Ridley up and ship him in a tube from strumpet to strumpet, as well.
Posted by: Cheryl | July 22, 2006 at 10:34 AM
have fun, be safe, say hi to leetie for me, and tell johnny i love him!
Posted by: crossgirl | July 22, 2006 at 10:37 AM
Pix. ID for group shots: (L-to-R)
Ridley, Leetie-on-a-straw (I didn't have a stick),mama723, Scat's daughter Emily, Scat, & His Daveness.
Posted by: mama723 | July 22, 2006 at 10:38 AM
Bumble....You be careful also. We expect crap-cam pics. I'm curious to see if Dave took more than one shirt on the trip. I thought I saw smell rays eminating from his bustier. Are you bearing gifts for Dave and Ridley?
Posted by: Jazzzz | July 22, 2006 at 10:39 AM
mama723: I got "the page cannot be found"
Can you try again?
Scat: any pics?
Posted by: Jeff Meyerson | July 22, 2006 at 10:42 AM
Dave, you're beyond the halfway point. Happy travels.
Posted by: Lisa Bisa Fo Fisa | July 22, 2006 at 10:42 AM
Mama ... linkee no workee for me ...
Posted by: Cheryl | July 22, 2006 at 10:43 AM
mama, link doesn't link...please re-post!
Posted by: WoosterGirl | July 22, 2006 at 10:46 AM
Off topic alert ...
Has anyone seen Sthnbelle or Mew since the NY strumpet? Did we frighten them away? Not that that would be surprising ...
Posted by: Cheryl | July 22, 2006 at 10:47 AM
couldn't link either...hmmm
Posted by: Siouxie | July 22, 2006 at 10:54 AM
Strumpeting was fun! I took the littlies to the Naperville signing last night and met the famous Dave and Ridley. For some reason, there were a lot of people there who were interested in talking about BOOKS. Even the kids. Sheesh. Anyway, I sent judi a few pictures via the "e-mail the blog" link. I don't know how to throw them on a web page myself - sorry. I should have sought out the blogger who had the Leetie-head-on-a-stick and introduced myself, but I was a little nervous, this being my first few weeks in blogland, and didn't quite know how to explain my blog obsession to my daughters, who would undoubtedly want to read it once explained to them, but for obvious reasons (Walter, anyone?) we'll wait until they are teens. They were there for the books (eldest was immersed in Starcatchers five minutes after purchase), but agreed afterwards that it was "cool" to hear the authors talk. My 10-year-old thought Dave should have used more "expression" in his voice when he read Peter's lines (always the critic). Everyone enjoyed the eyepatches and tattoos.
Betsi, I decided not to bring White Castle sliders, figuring Dave and Ridley would be flying again today, and didn't need any uncomfortable souvenirs from our fair city. So they got a box of apricot and strawberry Bohemian kolacky from Berwyn, Illinois.
I think I scared the hell out of Dave when I whipped out my Scarlet Letter of Shame. It was an Ultimate Manilow CD on a chain, but alas, I was too ashamed to wear it all night. Not to mention generating questions from the kids again.
But I proudly wore my CORN MAZE t-shirt.
Fun was had by all. I hope the people who brought Leetie's head post some pics.
[Happily checking off "strumpeting" from my List of Things to Do Before I Die".]
:-)
Posted by: Cat R. | July 22, 2006 at 10:57 AM
Wowser ... that routing/itinerary sounds as if someone on a desk somewhere doesn't think that it's possible to fly out of places like Dayton and other Strumpet Sites that are smaller than Chicago/NYC/Miami and such ...
Isn't Dayton where the Museum of Aviation (or whutever its called) located?
Wouldn't they likely have an airport there?
C'mon, take it easy on the guys ... schedule a little easier, please?
That's like our office, where they fly us from Ontario (SoCal) to Bismarck (Nodak) via LAX and/or Phoenix, then to Denver ... why not ONT to Denver to Bismarck? 'Cuz it was $30 CHEAPER!!! ...
Oh ... um ... merely thinkin' ... mebbe it wuz Ted Mullet-Grabber who did the schedulin' ... or ... Blessed St. Judi ...
Um ... nevermind ...
Dave, Ridley ... at least you're gettin' lotsa frequent flyer miles ...
Posted by: O. the U(manity) | July 22, 2006 at 10:57 AM
ahh...there's the picture! great one too!
Posted by: Susy Cruz | July 22, 2006 at 11:06 AM
nope, neither one of us, o the u. :) it was the strumpeting queens at disney who set up the tour. they do a great job, really; it's tough getting things organized. and i think in this case they just figured getting them on out of dayton would be preferable. no offense, dayton!
Posted by: judi | July 22, 2006 at 11:07 AM
Mama723 - email me your pix and I'll post 'em. Use the address at my name below.
Posted by: Meanie the Blue | July 22, 2006 at 11:08 AM
*blushing*
You do know that it's the bloglits who are organizing all this, right?
I sent one little head (ok maybe not so little) to one little bloglit and now it's become a living, breathing entity.
*is proud of the bloglits' organizational skills*
:)
Posted by: Leetie | July 22, 2006 at 11:11 AM
Congrats, Leetie! You have become an official strumpeter. And thanks for clearing up the mystery.
I wonder how blurry "you" will be by the end of the tour?
Posted by: WoosterGirl | July 22, 2006 at 11:14 AM
Leetie - sorry we didn't have your "head" down here in Miami to kick off the strumpeting! :)
Posted by: Siouxie | July 22, 2006 at 11:14 AM
I can't get the d@mn link to work either, so here's the URL to copy & paste. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mama72350/album?.dir=aebfre2&.src=ph
Meanie -- HELP!
Wessonality -- you should have introduced yourself. (I was carrying the head as a sort of "Bloglit ID".) Next time, OK?
(BTW, Leetie -- thanks for becoming a Blog Icon!)
Posted by: mama723 | July 22, 2006 at 11:16 AM
Leetie-on-a-straw, hi-tuc-a-haw. Leetie-in-the-hay, hi-tuc-a-....oh, nevermind.
Posted by: Jazzzz | July 22, 2006 at 11:18 AM
YAY Naperville Bloglits!!! I love the tee-shirt!
Posted by: Lisa Bisa Fo Fisa | July 22, 2006 at 11:21 AM
Leetie is the official Blogging Mascot of StrumpetFest 2006. Go, Leetie!
Posted by: Suzy Q | July 22, 2006 at 11:23 AM
mama723 ~ yes, I should have -- next time!
meanie the blue - do you want a few pics from me too?
Posted by: Cat R. | July 22, 2006 at 11:25 AM
AWESOME photos mama!!! I love 'em. YOu had good seats. When bloglits show up en masse, we tend to huddle near the back to avoid security.
:-)
Posted by: Cheryl | July 22, 2006 at 11:28 AM
We were in the back. I LOVE my zoom lens.
Posted by: mama723 | July 22, 2006 at 11:34 AM
Wessonality! Thanks for the update. My wife agreed with your son; she thought Ridley had "more expression" in his reading. But Dave is a WRITER, not an AC-torr! And he got the laughs.
And great pic. Scat, I love your daughter's shirt!
I loved Suzy Q's line: Leetie is the official Blogging Mascot of StrumpetFest 2006.
Posted by: Jeff Meyerson | July 22, 2006 at 11:34 AM
Great slide show.
slide show
Posted by: Jeff Meyerson | July 22, 2006 at 11:37 AM
Great pics, mama! Thanks for posting!
Posted by: WoosterGirl | July 22, 2006 at 11:39 AM
very cool pics! in focus too
Posted by: Siouxie | July 22, 2006 at 11:41 AM
Wessonality - send 'em on to me. Will gladly oblige.
Posted by: Meanie the Blue | July 22, 2006 at 11:46 AM
*zips e-mail to meanie*
Thanks!!
Posted by: Cat R. | July 22, 2006 at 11:59 AM
sorry, wessonality; i got your email but i don't have anywhere to put em either, except uploading directly to the thread.... thanks mtb :)
Posted by: judi | July 22, 2006 at 12:11 PM
mama723: thank YOU too! :)
Posted by: Leetie | July 22, 2006 at 12:14 PM
Wessonality's Naperville strumpetation photos.
Nice ones, Wes!
Posted by: Meanie the Blue | July 22, 2006 at 12:15 PM
Thanks, Meanie!
For those who weren't there, the dragons were everywhere in Naperville, a la Chicago's Cows on Parade awhile back. This one's placard (right next door) for a car-and-party store was titled, "This Party's on Fire". Reminded me of the college dorm pyro thread from yesterday.
Posted by: Cat R. | July 22, 2006 at 12:20 PM
Yes, we have an airport here- after all, the airplane was invented by people trying to get out of Ohio. (Decades later, somebody was so desperate to get away from Ohio that he went to the moon.)
And yes, I am going to todays strumpeting session dressed like a pirate. I hope I am right in thinking I may not be the strangest thing there (not counting Dave and Ridley).
Posted by: Estelle Chauvelin | July 22, 2006 at 12:35 PM
This might sound strange. But if I didn't know better I would guess the person holding the stick, looked a lot like Ridley.
The girl looks like the daughter of the older woman and Dave. -I hope no one gets offended by me saying that. I am just trying to differentiate the women.- But this can't be possible.
The T-Shirt makes it that much more interesting.
By sheer coincidence the Lady on the Stick looks like my librarian.
Posted by: Alfred | July 22, 2006 at 12:49 PM
Anyone else going to Keplers tomorrow ?
Posted by: ShyJan | July 22, 2006 at 01:01 PM
mama723 came to the Naperville signing so prepared. First, she brought Leetie on a straw (she didn't have a stick so she improvised nicely) plus she brought this really good camera.
She also drove all the way from Springfield, USA. And tomorrow's her birthday.
Hooray mama!!
As for scat's daughter Emily's shirt...
Dave signed my "Money Secrets" book, "For scat/sarah, who is the mother of my children". I had that scanned and printed on my t-shirt. Emily's shirt kind of wrote istelf.
Dave & Ridley were clearly exhausted yet remained their sweet selves. And they're even cuter in person.
wessonality, you should definitely introduce yourself to oddly dressed or Leetie Head-toting people. But only at Dave Barry events...
Posted by: scat/sfo | July 22, 2006 at 02:01 PM
Oh, shoot. Wish I'd known people were going from the Central Illinois area. I would have carpooled.
My car isn't all that reliable. :)
Posted by: Angie | July 22, 2006 at 02:16 PM
wessonality--good call on the sliders.
Posted by: Betsi | July 22, 2006 at 03:27 PM
Wow! That is pretty impressive that people are being so organized to meet Dave. Making T-Shirts, getting Straw Heads, Dressing as Pirates, Bringing him Beer. I want to be a famous Humourist.
Posted by: Alfred | July 22, 2006 at 03:52 PM
Those people were in line about 50 people after me. I made fun of them just a little bit. Did Ridley feel left out?
And also, if people are burning with wonder, Dave and Ridley sang me happy birthday yesterday. I wanted to thank them. It was quaint.
Posted by: Andy | July 22, 2006 at 04:02 PM
Ah, Andy, I remember you! It's OK, we made a little fun of you, too. Just kidding. You're cute. And we noticed (it was hard not to) Dave & Ridley singing to you.
Happy birthday!
Posted by: scat/sfo | July 22, 2006 at 04:38 PM
From today's Reader's Digest, "Laughter, the Best Medicine":
How much do pirates pay to have their ears pierced?
A buck-an-ear.
How did the pirate stop smoking?
He used the patch.
Where do pirates go for breakfast?
IHOP.
Aaaarrrrggghh!
Posted by: Cat R. | July 22, 2006 at 04:48 PM
Dave signed my "Money Secrets" book, "For scat/sarah, who is the mother of my children". I had that scanned and printed on my t-shirt. Emily's shirt kind of wrote istelf.
Ah, thank you for telling us what was on your shirt. I could make out the Dave Barry signature after staring at it for a little bit, but that was all. Was about to ask...
Posted by: Brad | July 22, 2006 at 05:20 PM
Jazzzz~ Yes, I bore gifts. They each got a gift bag containing 6 snack packs of Cheez-its, two handfuls of miniature Snickers and one stocking cap with a skull and crossbones embroidered on it by yours truly.
Posted by: Bumble | July 22, 2006 at 05:57 PM
Bumble - you're another one of those craftsy people! I hope they post pics of those caps. Being completely untalented, I only brought beer and Cheez-Its. They are better off for me having NOT attempted anything more.
Posted by: Suzy Q | July 22, 2006 at 06:31 PM
Ahhhhh...Cheezits! THAT would explain the orange crumbs Ridley left in my cleavage!
Posted by: Punkin Poo | July 22, 2006 at 06:37 PM
People Brought Food?
I am going to attempt a humourous book right away.
Posted by: Alfred | July 22, 2006 at 06:57 PM
Suzy~ They took pictures wearing them, so hopefully.
Posted by: Bumble | July 22, 2006 at 07:18 PM
ShyJan - look for me at Kepler's (assuming they get there in time) - I'll be the one with the GIANT Leetie-head...
Posted by: Higgy | July 23, 2006 at 12:50 AM
Really LTTG ... been gone away from wireless connection for another family reunion, my side this time ...
Yes, OK judi ... I sorta wuz kiddin' about the "who schedules these wierd flight itineraries" comments ... after attemptin' to sked our own flights to/from Ireland, I know it's not easy ...
Also ... intended as good-natured kidding r.e. Dayton and flight and stuff ... hope y'all got that in the proper intended context ...
Nice pix! Good time for everyone, it would seem ...
Wonderin' if I'll ever get another chance to meet up with other bloglits, or Dave/Ridley ... ever again ...
Posted by: O. the U(manity) | July 23, 2006 at 01:14 AM
Let me put it this way, Dave: I'd be happy to be your son-in-law.
Posted by: Poop Dogg | July 23, 2006 at 07:48 AM
Stick for a body
after decapitation...
the traveling head!
Posted by: snif | July 23, 2006 at 09:44 AM
When did Leetie-head-on-a-stick start, anyway? Can somebody point me to the thread?
*resumes blurking*
Posted by: Blogchik | July 23, 2006 at 11:49 PM
Blogchik - it all started here.
Posted by: Meanie the Blue | July 24, 2006 at 10:28 AM
I attended the 7/21 signing. Attendance was terrific - over 130 numbers were given out (people were called to the autograph waiting line by groups of 10). Dave and Ridley were giving a taped interview when I arrived, and then they gave a talk/reading to the group.
Dave signed a picture of him and me that I had taken at the release of the first Peter book. He and Ridley signed my copy of Peter 2, and I got a lovely snapshot standing with both their arms around me.
As a writer, I am thrilled to meet writing superstars; Dave Barry has been my favorite writer for years. I have the signed picture on my desk to inspire me to keep trying even when the rejection slips hit. One day, I will succeed, and I will have a book signing of my own!
Posted by: Eva | July 25, 2006 at 10:06 AM