[Mary Meriam]

Originally Posted by David Rosenthal

Where does a 750,000 pound Great British starling sit?

Anywhere it wants to?

[David Rosenthal]

Originally Posted by Mary Meriam

Anywhere it wants to?

Bingo!

How about his one:

What did the 750,000 pound Great British starling say?

[Rick Mullin]

Cally,

I just read the whole thread--yes, stay safe. And get us that photo of you and Janet!

RM

[Mary Meriam]

Originally Posted by David Rosenthal

What did the 750,000 pound Great British starling say?

Where is my 750,000 pounds of birdfeed?

[David Rosenthal]

Originally Posted by Me

What did the 750,000 pound Great British starling say?

Originally Posted by Mary Meriam

Where is my 750,000 pounds of birdfeed?

Nope.

Answer: "Here kitty, kitty..."

Oh, those five hundred pound canary jokes -- they weren't funny when I was eight, and they aren't funny now. Good times.

David R.

[Cally Conan-Davies]

Hi Everyone! Janet, too, if you're listening!

I've just arrived back at my island. I am exhausted! Drove 860km since we last spoke, through the most incredible water-logged scenes: helicopter evacuations, land become inland seas, roads split open like wounds. Even many locals haven't seen water like this in their life-times!

I need to sleep now. Just read this thread and want to let you know I'm safe - but it's been hair-raising! I am relieved to hear that you are all safe, too, through your ice and blizzards!

I missed Janet! Her road was still closed when the police let us through to take advantage of a 12 hour window of time before the next flood surge is expected through Far North Queensland - we call it F. N. Q (F'n Q) - where I am now. So you'll have to wait another few months for the promised photo of Janet and me!!!

Must sleep now - I'm falling over on my feet!!! The last two weeks as I travelled north have been so exciting! I'll try and poem them for you!

Love, and all happiness to all your New Years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cally

[John Whitworth]

We have lots of starlings. You can make pies with them. Also rooks. The French eat EVERY form of bird. They'd fricassee humming birds if they were indigenous. But we are more picky. In fact we are SO picky these days we don't even eat the pigeons we shoot. We export them over the Channel. Terrible waste.

Wendy Cope says she has never eaten a barn owl. Neither have I. Hum! What about a bald eagle? With chips. Or a kookaburra?

[Rick Mullin]

Cally,

I'm glad you're back safely. I just got an e-mail from Janet, whose situation is improving. She expressed a great deal concern about you in your travels! So, yeah. Glad you're back.

Be well and get some rest.

RM

[W.F. Lantry]

Cally,

At least you had lots of company:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010...ef=global-home

Glad you're safe!

Thanks,

Bill

[Julie Steiner]

Required ID: Short graying hair = Maryann. Long, not-so-graying hair=Julie.

Maryann is right. No gray hairs for me! Mine go directly to white--do not pass gray, do not collect $200. (Maryann obviously mistook those for tasteful platinum highlights. Completely understandable.)

Glad to hear you made it back safely to the more temperate Minnesota climes, Maryann! Warm wishes to Jane, Cally, Janet, Michael...well, just about everyone else. Tomorrow I'm leaving slushy Wisconsin for rainy San Diego.

Cheers,
Julie

PS--Um, apparently the Wisconsin fog had other plans for me. Flight canceled, no possibility of another until Sunday.

PPS--Finally made it home yesterday. Hooray!