Episode 0108 - “Figging Disaster”

Frank Murphy is joined by his friend Kathryn Frady of Marble City Opera. Frank is mildly surprised that Kathryn isn’t in Baton Rouge at the moment. Frank wonders if Louisiana has a state income tax (it does). 

Frank considers yard work and gardening to be his exercise program. He bought a tray of wilting marigolds from the clearance shelf but they are now thriving in his garden. Frank wants to grow more perennials like day lilies instead of annuals like the marigolds. 

This time last year, Frank was spending hours per day harvesting figs. No figs have ripened yet this year because the trees are behind schedule due to the winter freeze and the extreme pruning that was necessary. 

Dr. Frank Jr. PhD arrived for a visit shortly after a strong thunderstorm that knocked down several fig branches. They cut away the damaged branches but since then Frank has been bothered by a rash on his legs that could be from the irritating fig sap. 

Frank planted parts of the damaged branches on his property and on his neighbor’s property. Frank’s wife Jere is concerned that there is no more room in the yard for more fig trees. 

Another neighbor has a new pool and asked Frank to clean it for a week. The neighbor also invited Frank to pick some apples from his tree. Frank put his grandsons on his shoulders to reach the higher fruit. When Frank’s daughter arrived, she made applesauce and apple butter from the fruit the boys picked. 

This episode is sponsored by BoneZones.com (don’t forget the S). Buy books and other merchandise autographed by Body Farm founder Dr. Bill Bass at https://bonezones.com/ including Body Farm t-shirts. You can also get several of Sam Venable’s books, signed by the author and the new book by former UT counsel Ron Leadbetter. 

Frank and Jere took Artie and Timmy to Dollywood. Frank and both boys rode the Dragonflier roller coaster. Frank and Artie then rode Big Bear Mountain. Frank wished the wait time had been longer because he felt unwell after Big Bear Mountain. He skipped lunch but later Jere bought him a soft pretzel that was the best thing he ate all day. He ate the pretzel while enjoying the Dreamland Drive-In show, which Frank’s friend Mike Howard is stage managing. 

Kathryn took her husband James to Andy’s Frozen Custard in Baton Rouge. It was his first visit and he asked for a cone with cookie-dough ice cream, which is not on the menu. Kathryn improvised by ordering a cup of vanilla custard with cookie-dough mixed in and then requested an empty cone and a spoon. 

Frank went to two wedding receptions that had cookie bars, meaning a buffet assortment of cookies, many of which reminded Frank of Christmas baking. At one reception, the cookies were uncovered after dinner. At the other reception, the cookie bar was set up near the bar before the dining room was opened. 

At the fancy reception, Frank was excited to meet a radio sports announcer who was assigned to the same table. Frank and Jere were the only people at the table because the sports announcer didn’t show up. The guests at another table invited Frank and Jere to squeeze into their table rather than sit alone. 

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