Michael, many of your readers have probably seen the #5 article, about the itinerant island chain San Serriffe with two main islands Upper Caisse and Lower Caisse, but just in case they didn’t (no pun intended, honest – I didn’t catch it until I re-read this), I do think you should publish it or a link or whatever. It ties in with recent discussions.
Jennifer
adam
The islands one was news to me — as were most, though I’d heard of some of them. I’ll confess that Lukas hit me in a moment of distraction and briefly had me going with that Google toolbar add-on … Thing is, it could of course be done, but it would shake the foundations (due to whatever server tiffs happen out there, I occasionally get emails delayed by hours, even days as it is).
rakkity
Whence comes April Fool’s Day? Thanks to Jennifer’s link, I’ve learned (a) that British humor is darned clever and (b) April Fools Day goes back before 1708.
jennifer
So, when we take a blog vacation to the San Serriffe Islands, Jen and El Kib will visit Upper Caisse while adam, rakkity and I will visit Lower Caisse? I wonder if there’s an island we all get together on.
'nifer
There. I have an island all to myself now.
michael
I believe in that collection of semi-colon-shaped islands is one configured like a comma, and it’s inhabited by two people, myself and Lynn Truss. Lynn’s dressed in black leather and she’s swinging a riding crop in arcs that smack the floor. I sit in a straight-backed walnut library chair, the lone figure at a writing table that seats twenty.
I’m anxiously laboring over stories for the blog as sweat drips from my forehead to the laptop’s keyboard. My personal feeling is there’s plenty enough pressure just to produce compelling narratives, but Lynn insists they also be correctly punctuated. Every third whack I timidly glance back and see Jennifer’s face.
jennifer
That’s it! Lynn Truss!! That was the name on that postcard I got in college!!! (See comment #3, last year’s Postcard from Chile, https://mainecourse.com/mt/?p=837) So, you know her, Michael? Hey, did we know each other in college?
jennifer
Private to person claiming to be “‘nifer”: I think people who (inappropriately) appropriate other people’s special nicknames should be voted off their island.
'nifer
Then it’s unanimous. I get to stay.
'nifer
It’s come to my attention that not all recognized my little play with names. It’s me. Jen. Go ahead. Ask me anything. I’ll prove it.
michael
Where were you in the spring of ’65?
Matt
blog is getting a little dull.
where is a new post?
lagging behind
'nifer
Spring of ’65 I was still recovering from the big move. Alternating between dreaming and daydreaming about a warmer climate, I mostly just hung around getting used to my new surroundings. Come to think of it, not much has changed in 43 years.
I was born on 3/30.
jennifer
Gosh, that uncertainty as to who ‘nifer is sure made me cranky. I was on strike for … wow, over 48 hours! (It did occur to me earlier today that it might be you, Jen, but I had no way to know.)
Happy belated birthday! No, I mean–belatedly, Happy Birthday, ‘fer!
'nifer
The Mattku is spot on. I’m going to be original and actually post something rather than comment. And it wont be a lame youtube, although I did just go through all the old Michael Jackson videos. Jeez, remember that mania? What were we smoking back then? Oh, wait. I remember… It all makes sense now.