Friday Funnies

Every now and then you see a photo opp(ortunity) which has some distractions in the way. 

This post has a couple of examples. The photos were taken last weekend in Alton Bay, NH, after we went to Pop’s Clam Shell and stayed to watch a water skiing competition.

This canine has one paw on the wheel as he/she snoozed on the dashboard.

Shortly after the first photo was taken, the pup woke up still keeping a paw on the wheel.

This license plate aptly describes this post and, ironically, was spotted the same day.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

 We're going to the 73rd annual art show of the Nashua Area Artists association

in Greeley Park, Nashua, NH

Friday Funnies

Today's post is connected to a now famous movie line from the 1975 classic film, Jaws.

The actual line in the movie is: You're gonna need a bigger boat. However, it's widely mis-remembered as We're gonna need a bigger boat. 

And, I thought of that line recently after seeing this car with its load of two kayaks, only my take was: Maybe they need a bigger car ?

Maybe a bigger car is needed?

In the film, Chief Martin Brody (played by Roy Scheider) speaks the words after he gets a close-up look at the huge great white shark as it surfaces next to the boat owned and piloted by Captain Sam Quint (played by Robert Shaw).

But, did you know that line wasn't in the original script?

That's because it originated during film production since the production's support barge, which carried camera equipment and food, was too small for its load. What started as an inside joke became a line repeated among the cast and crew. Whenever anything went wrong on set, the crew would joke to the producers, You're gonna need a bigger boat.

During the actual filming, Scheider improvised the line during the shark encounter scene and director Steven Spielberg kept it in the final cut.

And, now you know — the rest of the story.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

It's a cooler and quieter weekend in Nashua, NH

Friday Funnies

The Nashua River which is directly behind the our mill apartment residence often has kayakers and occasionally those fishing from a boat.

Recently, this couple was seen on the river. The female boater seemed interested in fishing, unlike than her male companion.

Seems some folks can't get away from their cell phones no matter the location.

It just goes to show that you never know what sights can be seen on the river.

Enjoy Your Weekend Everyone

Stay 🆒 another heat advisory 🥵 in NH until early next week

Friday Funnies

Today is not only the last day of this month, it's also the last Friday for a funny. 

Here's something unusual, a canoe in a garage area. But, it's not just parked in any garage.

It's inside the garage at Clocktower Place, Nashua, NH, ironically in what was once a water canal for the former Nashua Manufacturing Company, a textile mill.

In 1825, a 3-mile-long Nashua River Power Canal was built for the mill to divert water from the Nashua River. The waterway channeled water through a gatehouse to drive turbines and power the looms.

In the late 1980s, the former water canal was paved over and converted into an underground parking garage. This was done as part of a major historic preservation project that converted the former mill into Clocktower Place residential apartments, our current home.

This vintage postcard shows the original water canal at the Nashua Manufacturing Company.

In answer to comment queries: Yes, the canoe was put in the parking space by a resident as parking spaces are assigned with a monthly fee for garage parking. Garage access is by a fob keyed to the resident's account. As to whether the canoe owner knew the history, most people likely do not unless they are curious and historically-minded. Thankfully, we have not had any flooding in recent years.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We’re going to the Lowell National Historic Park, MA

Friday Funnies

This is the Lexington, a custom-designed 75-foot two-level paddle wheel boat operated by the Charles River Boat Company in Boston. 

It provides passenger cruises in Boston harbor and was especially popular this past week with the tall ships docked in the harbor. A properly loaded and balanced boat sits relatively flat on the water like in the above photo.

But, when it lists as seen above, it could mean that uneven weight distribution is the cause. In the above photo, passengers were probably gathering to one side as it passed by the tall ships. Apparently, this listing is common as there have been no reported capsizes and the Lexington has safely cruised Boston Harbor for years.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

It's going to be a quiet one in Nashua, NH.

Friday Funnies

Many times, I've taken photos and saved them in a photo file for future. What seems like an ordinary photo can be used as a photo phunny (an intentional misspelling and misuse).

That said, here's a few of those photos; please excuse my phun captions. These photos were taken over the past several years in museums, flea markets and outdoors.

Ball and Chain is an expression that can refer to a heavy physical restraint often used on prisoners to prevent their scape. It's also become a figure of speech used to describe any heavy responsibility or obligation that restricts freedom and sometimes, rather derogatorily, it refers to a spouse or partner.

Hosed ?

Hosed, used informally, can mean that something is broken, ruined, or totally messed up. Unfortunately, it can also mean that someone has been cheated or treated unfairly or is in serious trouble.

Nailed It ?

Nailed it is a term often used to successfully complete, execute, or explain something. This can refer to doing something successfully like a job or test. It's also been used as a popular internet slang to jokingly highlight a failed task.

Busting Out ?

Busting out commonly refers to escaping from captivity or a confined space, like a jail or prison. It can also be used describe to suddenly start an action, like laughing, or quitting a bad habit.

Unseated ?

Unseated can mean to have someone removed from a position of authority or office. When used in a literal sense, it can describe a sudden fall or being physically thrown from a seat or saddle or falling off a bicycle.

That's all for this time, folks. I hope you’ve enjoyed and/or chucked a bit at these photo selections and interpretations. As always, feel free to add your own in a comment.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're off on a short road trip and new-to-us NH experience.

Friday Funnies

This weekend is a BIG birthday celebration here in the states. July 4, 2026 marks not only Independence Day but the historic 250th anniversary (semiquincentennial) of the U.S. and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Maxine was ready and decked out in her colorful finery at the senior center earlier this week minus footwear.

A jewelry store in downtown Nashua, NH, always has a holiday window display featuring tiny mice figurines appropriately garbed for the holiday. What makes these rather special on this holiday weekend is that they are all created and produced in the U.S. and remain a family business in the state of Massachusetts.

Some of these tiny figures even had some sweet holiday baked goods which seemed larger than the mouse.

These mini mice are very collectible and known as Wee Forest Folk® and are natives of New England! They were started by the Peterson family in Massachusetts in 1972. Today, a mouse figure begins as an original clay piece which is hand sculpted by one of three sculptors in the family. The finished sculpture is molded and hand cast at the "mouse factory" in Carlisle, MA. After, skilled artists hand paint each piece to create a unique mouse personality. 

Some of these tiny mice can cost upwards of several hundred dollars depending on the piece and the holiday. That's why, I continue to admire them in the downtown window display.

Wall mural in downtown Nashua, NH

Enjoy the 🇺🇸 Holiday Weekend, Everyone

It's been a hot 🥵 week in NH & no travel plans for us. 

We'll stay home and watch a local fireworks display.

Friday Funnies

This week I walked in downtown Nashua, NH, to a dental appointment and along the way passed several parking areas. The perfect spots to see vanity license plates.

Obviously, there's many NH residents who don’t mind the expense of these plates. Some can be rather amusing.

Others are quite simple, even if I can't quite grasp why the motorist felt compelled to have a vanity plate.

Some plates are more descriptive and easier to figure out.

On Saturday we're going to the 26th Annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic here in NH. Competitors from around the world are competing, including artists from Canada, Latvia, Russia and the U.S. Artists are working on a massive, 100-ton sponsor sculpture that reflects this year's theme, From Sea to Shining Sea – America 250.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're off to the beach sculptures, photos next week.

Friday Funnies

Today's Friday Funnies features wildlife seen around Nashua, NH, this week to show that humans aren't the only ones with fun moments.

Summertime is the time for outdoor dining, many downtown restaurants feature al fresco dining. This squirrel took advantage of sidewalk birdseed to grab a quick meal al fresco.

Meanwhile, on the Nashua River this bird was splish-splashing and taking a bath earlier this week. 

The expression getting your ducks in a row applied to this trio of male mallards.

Apparently, it starts at a young age too as this duckling trio followed a mother mallard.

These two pairs of female and male mallards were in a row and not in the water.

A couple of painted turtles were out on a limb as we walked along the riverwalk this week.

Meanwhile, this pair of mute swans took an afternoon siesta on the Nashua River.

It's been a hot and humid week, pollen levels have been considered moderate to high. The yellow dust is seen everywhere, especially on vehicles. 

Cooler temps are forecast for the coming week, maybe some needed rain as well.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're home, dining al fresco & enjoying the new riverwalk & park.

Friday Funnies

There's usually one standout in every crowd even among rubber ducks. This one was among entries in the Rubber Duck Regatta over the Memorial Day weekend.

Unfortunately, being unique was its sole claim to fame as it wasn't the winning duck. Still, it was arguably the most noticeable contestant.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

It will be a quiet one in Nashua, NH, after last weekend also rainy

Friday Funnies

This photo was sent by a friend, who lives in Oregon, and is currently spending a few days in CA. This notice was posted at the entrance to the Carmel Beach.

His comment in a text message: I can’t get my foot up there even if they didn’t tell me not to! We both wondered if anyone had tried, most likely the answer was Yes if parents held small children up to the fountain.

In the U.S., Memorial Day is seen as the unofficial start of summer and observed on the last Monday in May. While the weekend signals warm weather, outdoor activities, pool and beach openings and summer travel, its true meaning is often overlooked. First known as Decoration Day, it began after the Civil War as a time to decorate graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags. After WWI, it was expanded to honor all U.S. soldiers who had died in any war as a day of remembrance.

Schedule of Nashua, NH, holiday events

On Monday, there will be a Memorial Day parade in Nashua, NH on Main Street. The rest of the 3-day weekend will be filled with events centered on dedication of the recently renovated Le Parc de Notre Renaissance Français, known as Renaissance Park and the new riverwalk near Clocktower Place mill apartments, our current residence. 

There's an entire slate of events from Friday through Monday. Highlights include a rubber duck regatta, live music, mural dedication, lighted kayak parade, drone show, petting zoo, yoga, and the Nashua Farmers Market. 

Saturday night, we're going to a concert at the Nashua Center for the Arts. Grammy-winning guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli  will perform a program, Dear Mr. Bennett, celebrating the late celebrated singer Tony Bennett. 

Last night, we took a walk along the riverwalk in advance of this weekend's activities. The wall murals are still a work-in-progress, but the performance area is completed and ready for this events. A second river fountain will be running by early next week.

The performance area is completed; wall murals are still in progress

One of two river fountains was installed this week

A view of Clocktower Place and the riverwalk across the Nashua River

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're staying home and enjoying the local events

Friday Funnies

Here's a not-so-funny trip down memory lane for those folks living in the U.S. 

Does anyone remember when gas prices were this low?

U.S. gas was commonly priced around 29 cents a gallon during the late 1950s through the early 1960s. During local gas wars in the 1950s and 60s, prices dropped even lower than 29 cents, sometimes below 20 cents. (Gas wars were times of competition in the when local gas stations would severely slash fuel prices to undercut rivals.)

This photo, taken last week at a PA museum, shows that less than $7 purchased 23 gallons of gas at just over 29 cents a gallon. According to the Automobile Association of America (AAA) the current national average price for a gallon of gas is $4.528. Western states like Hawaii and Washington join California at the high end, while Gulf Coast and Midwest states (like Kansas, North Dakota) have somewhat lower prices.

On our recent road trip to visit family and friends, I noticed that gas prices in states we were in varied widely — $4.49 in RI, $4.53 in NJ, and $4.65 in PA. This week, Grenville filled his Jeep SUV at a station here in Nashua, NH, at a cost of $4.35. According to AAA, the local average currently is $4.485. While it seems like he got a bargain, it didn't seem that way when the total topped more than $75 for a fill-up.

Your turn — how are gas prices in your area?

As always,. thanks for your comments on my recent post about onboard experiences on our riverboat cruise. I'll have future posts on some of the cities and sites visited.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're glad to be home & after a week of rain hope for a sunny weekend

Friday Funnies

Welcome to a brand new month and the first Friday Funny of May. 

This post is about a little yellow bug that I saw this week in the mill apartments parking lot. 

It's one that is instantly recognized by most people.

The Volkswagen Beetle, officially Volkswagen Type 1, is a small family car produced rom 1938 to 2003 by German company Volkswagen. A global cultural icon known for its bug-like design, it's regarded as one of the most influential cars of the 20th century and its 65-year production period is the longest for any single generation of automobile. More than 21 million were made in over 20 locations worldwide. It's the best-selling car of a single platform (based on one core engineering design, chassis, and drivetrain) in auto history.

Did you know?

Béla Barényi & Ferdinand Porsche

That Volkswagen was established in 1937 Berlin by the Nazi Party's German Labour Front as part of the Strength Through Joy program. In the early 1930s, most Germans could not afford anything more than a motorcycle, only one German out of 50 owned a car. Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, decided there was a need for a simple, mass-produced car for the country's new road network. 

In the early 1930s, German engineer Ferdinand Porsche and his design team started design and development of the car. The fundamental design has been attributed to a Hungarian engineer Béla Barényi as early as 1925, predating Porsche and his 1927 design was created 10 years before the car went into production.

Volkswagen initially slated production for the late 1930s. The 1939 outbreak of WW II delayed that until the war's end. Originally the Volkswagen Type 1, it was marketed as Volkswagen. In 1955, Volkswagen recognized Barényi as the intellectual father of the Beetle. The car became known as the Beetle in 1968.

Today, May 1 is celebrated as International Workers' Day honoring labor movements and worker solidarity globally. In many countries, i's a national public holiday, also celebrated as May Day, a traditional spring festival with maypole dancing and flowers. In 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated it as a Catholic feast day for St. Joseph the Worker, patron saint of workers and craftsmen. Some countries, U.S. and Canada, celebrate Labor Day on other dates.

Now, you and I know the rest of the story.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're leaving on a 3-state road trip to visit family & friends