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Sunday, November 18, 2012

Another Fine Mess You Got Us In, Ollie

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comic film stars way, way, way back. Whenever they got into one of their antics, Laurel would say, "Another fine mess you got us in, Ollie."




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Marilyn (my friend of 50 plus years) was staying with me this summer. We wanted to gather stone fossils embedded with plant designs that we use for soap holders. I knew of a deserted canyon very near the ranch where the mountains were oozing with fossil shale. We were excited to be on this fossil hunt as we grabbed our baskets and hurried from my little pickup. I've never seen another car in this remote canyon and the feeling of being the only two people in the world, hung heavy over us. We walked along the roadside and found gorgeous specimens as we chatted and ooow'd and aaa'd over each fantastic rock.

Suddenly I heard a rustling sound from behind a nearby bush. It wasn't Cody (the dog) for I could see her up ahead with Marilyn. Panic set in as I looked back at the truck, never realizing how far we had walked. OMG, I suddenly remembered we were intruding on the home territory of bears and mountain lions. I called to Marilyn, "Run back to the pickup. We could be in danger. "

You all know how old I am, so I'm not going to say it but we turned tail and ran like 2 twenty year olds. As we were running and huffing, Marilyn managed to get out the words, "Another fine mess you got us in, Ollie."

Did she have to say that because who can run when they're laughing so hard. That phrase took precedent over fear for the moment. We were still laughing as we reached the safety of the ranch.



This stone is a good soap holder that I've been using by the kitchen sink.

30 comments:

  1. Your soap holder rock with delicate fossil is lovely, and your story is great --- BUT what was in the bush?!
    cheers Manzanita
    Sue

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  2. Dear Sue,
    We'll never know. I just stepped on the gas and we were outta there. It could have been something dangerous or a rabbit but it made for a fine adventure. Ha

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  3. Glad and good to see you posting again Manzanita - you are a miss!

    What an adventure ay? And you'll never know whether it was a bear (or lion) or not...

    I love old fossils - married to one. (I might use him as a soap dish.)

    Take care.

    Anna :o]

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  4. What a cool soap holder Manzi!! Whew! Glad you two out ran that big ole bear. I might have peed my pants as I was running.

    Oh My Gosh, I would have loved being with you and Marilyn, so fun.... scary but something you will never forget.

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  5. hahaha have to watch those bushes, you never know what they may contain.

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  6. Dear Anna,
    Yes indeed.... old fossils are worthy the seeking and fighting the dangers in the bush. Take good care of your old fossil as they are a treasure and hard to find. You put a smile on my face... Love from Manzi

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  7. Oh Terry, Don't tell Marilyn I wrote this, but I think she did. (One of her old age problems.... Ha). Wouldn't that have been fun for us all to be together. We'll have to think about that for the near future. That wasn't our only adventure.....Marilyn had occasion to say the "fine mess" thing more than once.

    Pat : I've missed your funny rhyming stories. It may have even been a wild cat in the bushes. I picked up a few cat stories during the summer, too.

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  8. All I could think of while reading this was a scene from the movie Tangled, when rapunzel hears a bush rustling jumps into Flynns arms and turns out it was nothing but a little bunny....
    Awesome to read your posts again!

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  9. Or it could have been a bylaws/conservation officer all ready to arrest you for removing fossils lol.
    I can just hear him. "You've got some 'splanin to to Lucy."

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  10. It's so good to see a post from you! Sorry, but I HAVE to say it... that soap dish rocks! (Sorry, I reeeally couldn't resist.) I love reading about your adventures. Reminds me of some of the things my girlfriend and I have gotten ourselves into... and laughed like idiots about... over the years. Ah, but it's the laughter that keeps us young, isn't it?

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  11. Good to see a post from you again-- & hyperCRYPTICal's line was priceless!!

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  12. I can just imagine the pair of you, gasping and giggling! Good to hear from you.

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  13. Paige,

    I love it. Our rustle could have been a bunny too but we didn't have any arms to jump into. Whoopde too bad!! It's nice to meet up with old friends again. Thanks.

    Delores : OOOPs..... that could be a bad scene but this isn't government land.... it's private and it's my neighbor and he doesn't care if we take a few hunks of shale. I think those dead plants make such pretty designs.

    Susan : Oh goodness.... that's a good one. Punning is such fun and not many people pun any more. You can pun with me any time. I bet you can still get into a "fine mess" with girlfriends. We never mean to.... just happens.

    Fishducky : Yes, Anna's line was a good one. Made me laugh. She is really versatile. Did you read her last post? Beautifully written but bone chilling with terror and then she writes a priceless funny line like that. She's really great.

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  14. Dear Roz : A couple of females can always find trouble, seems like. It's good to be back among old (not age wise but long standing) friends. I like your profile picture. I'll bop over and have a better look at it.

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  15. Manzi: It's been a while, and I just wanted to say hi.

    As for your tale, that was the worst thing you could have done. Take it from an outdoors guy. You are lucky. Never run. Walk slowly. Bears and Mountain Lions will give chase if they see you running, and you can't outrun them at any age. Glad you are okay.

    I'm guessing the squirrels in the bush are still laughing their tails off at both of you!

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  16. Good to hear from you! Your story was delightful, as always!

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  17. Good to hear from you! Your story was delightful, as always!

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  18. I can see you two laughing and running like crazy. I just love it! I've missed you, Lady.

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  19. Hi Manzanita - so pleased you've had a great summer with Marilyn ... now gathering fossils - what a great idea - I love that thought.

    Your greenhouse-shed looks wonderful ..

    Oh I did love Laurel and Hardy - still do .. could always watch them ... and am glad you survived to record the post!! Cheers and happy Thanksgiving .. Hilary

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  20. JJ : I guess I knew that too, but at the time all I could think of is "RUN." But, I'll keep that in mind for our next caper.

    Shawn : It's been a long vacation from blogging but no vacation from work. I peeped in on yours and you've been taking a little vacation, too.

    Oh Hilary : Thanks for noticing the little greenhouse. Just the right size for one.

    Susan : Thanks for catching me on FB. I've missed our communication, too. Be seeing you.


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  21. Hi Manzanita,

    It's a darned good thing your stone was just used as a soap holder and not used on a mysterious sound from that nearby bush :)

    Lovely seeing you over at my site. Thanks for this story and with that, I'm outta' here....
    Gary

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  22. HAhaha!! If you were downunder, it'd most likely have been a snake - or maybe a killer rabbit!!! Although I note that your hightailing it didn't involve dropping the soapdish??!!

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  23. Klahanie : No, indeed, we clasped our baskets of precious rocks and ran like the wind. Well, at least like a summer breeze.

    Red : Could have been a snake.... lots of rattlers but they usually don't rustle around. JJ was right. If it had been a bear or Mt. lion we'd be roadside scat by now. What a thought!

    Held on to our baskets. That photo is one that I've had a long time. I like the vivid detail of the plant in that one. I keep it by the kitchen sink.

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  24. Dear Manzanita, and on this day before Thanksgiving I am grateful to discover a new posting from you. A delightful story and I can just see you running like a twenty-year-old and laughing all the way. You take such joy in life that you enrich all of us who have come to know you through this blog. Peace and Happy Thanksgiving.

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  25. Thank you Dee for your kind comment. I also share my wishes with you for a Thanksgiving Day filled with peace, good eats and no creamed cauliflower.

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  26. Oh, dear, Manzanita! All that fear and running for nothing. I suspect it was a sleepy Bear looking for an extra paw full of berries just before hibernation time.

    Speaking of that winter wont of Bears, I'm heading into hibernation now, too. See you in the spring. Blessings and Bear hugs.

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  27. I am so happy to hear from you and what a wonderful, exciting tale you've told. Glad you succeeded in outrunning that whatever. Blessings Manz.

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  28. Rob Bear.... Well if it was a bear in the bush, I would have been comfortable if it had been you.

    Anthony,
    Thanks Anthony... and I hope you are have a beautiful T-Day right now with your lovely family and your good cooking.

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  29. What a great little adventure. I had missed your new post and am so glad to see this.... lovely to hear from you again...

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  30. Oh my! I just love this story! I used to watch Laurel and Hardy all the time. Thank goodness you both came to no harm. Wow! You know a place to get those gorgeous fossils? That's fabulous!

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