License plate in a predominantly Jewish suburb of Chicago:

ES DREK

(sp?)

which means "Eat shit" in Yiddish.

So does "drek" = shit or is it "dreck" (since you had a "(sp?)" in there?

My parents' license plates said "LEFTYS." as they were both left-handed and both Lefties politically. My dad was incredibly proud of that one.

Now off to have cold blueberry tart for breakfast. This vacation thing is AWESOME. So far: We saw a good play at the Williamstown Theatre. Drove through gorgeous scenery. Wandered around Great Barrington. Visited our old college (Bennington) and only got gut-wrenchingly nostalgic when we went into the old dressing room at the theatre which looks EXACTLY the same. Helped make an appetizer of figs stuffed with cheese and wrapped in prosciutto and roasted for dinner last night--killer. Sat on her screened porch with the lights off and watched a gigantic and dramatic thunderstorm. Also talked and talked and talked. We have been friends since 1976 which blows both our minds.

Robin, sounds like an excellent vacation so far!

flea, I have the American Express Blue card, which is pretty low key, decent interest (though I don't pay much attention, 'cause we also pay it off every month) and I pay online so's to avoid the lost payment issue. I also get Delta miles. There's no annual fee and they haven't pissed me off.

Tom and I also have Citi cards, which can be paid online, but have incurred annoyances with the following: 1) forever sending me checks to pay off other balances 2) they appear to have started charging a 95-cent fee for international transactions. But, minor, and you can get points to go to gift cards for Bed Bath & Beyond or Home Depot or any number of things.

No wonder it's finally gotten so cool, here. Robin's in state.

Robin, that sounds so great. My best friend from college was from Pittsfield. You're making me all Berkshire nostalgic.

So does "drek" = shit or is it "dreck" (since you had a "(sp?)" in there?

I was worried more about the "es", but I think it is "dreck" - at least that produces more google matches.

I was worried more about the "es", but I think it is "dreck" - at least that produces more google matches.

I've seen it transliterated either way. I think that the formal transliteration system that's usually used would make it "drek," but there's really no good reason for someone writing informally not to spell it however.

Oooh, Scrappy's in MA? Not coming further eastward, are you?

For a ceremony at the time of the funeral or near to it, I would use "memorial service."

I guess a funeral or memorial service connotes a personal ceremony, for the whole person, while a commemorative ceremony would be for the deceased person's public achievements or public persona.

Thanks, Raq. I'll forward this to him.

Kermit waves at Nilly.