The Quack Doctor

Margie: Edna, I found a new blog that you're going to love! It's called The Quack Doctor which reminds me of all those quacks you've gone to over the years. You've had more ailments than I've had gentlemen friends.

The blog is described as "a collection of panacean powders, pills, potions, procedures and pamphlets, as advertised in historical newspapers."




Here's one of my favorite posts.

Party time, the Basement is one year old today!

Welcome to our one-year blogiversary party! Come on in, grab some refreshments, and crank up the party tunes. A party is only as good as its guests, and we know we've got some fine ones swinging by today to join in the festivities.

Now, for the main entertainment: our good friend Amy Vernon has honored us by writing a piece especially for today. She writes The TV Tyrant, and is the VP of marketing for SMAK News, which has its inaugural launch in two weeks (more on that at the end of today's post).

So, if you're comfortable and in the party mood, join us as we celebrate today. We're so glad you came!

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AmyV: Imagine my glee when two of my favorite bloggers ever asked me to write something up to celebrate their first year on the Internet.

I happened to have been around for the ladies' public debut, when they were so gracious as to discuss the goings-on in a little Kansas town called Jericho, on a blog I used to write for. They began to develop quite a following and came back often to discuss issues with me, for which I was grateful.

They would do Q&A sessions sometimes on another blog, but eventually the public outcry was such that they had no other choice but to start their own blog. And, on March 18, 2008, the ladies set up the server in their basement and started broadcasting to the outside world.

So when the ladies asked me to write up something for their one-year blogiversary, I thought I'd turn the tables on them and ask them a few questions:

1) Were you two ladies born in Jericho, or did your family move there at some point?
Edna: Dear, Margie and I were both born in the very house we're living in now; there was no hospital nearby in those days, and Mama was such a trooper. We'll probably die in Jericho, too, but hopefully not for many more years.

2) C'mon, tell me - who's older? Margie or Edna? We're all dying to know. For that matter, how old are you two, exactly?
Margie: Young lady, I thought you were raised better than to ask such a question. Would you like to tell us your bra size? I'm shocked.
Edna: She's shocked because she's the older sister. Now, as for how old that actually is...well, that I will keep to myself.

3) Who did you vote for? Johnston or Gray? If you had it to do over again, would you change your vote? [Note to newcomers to the basement: Johnston Green and Gray Anderson were vying for the mayoralty of Jericho during a very trying time in its history. Johnston was the incumbent and Gray owned the salt mine. Gray won.]
Margie: I voted for Johnston and I sure wouldn't change my vote. He always came to help Edna and me when we had problems with our clogged toilet. How many mayors would do that?
Edna: Oh, I voted for Johnston, of course! He reminds me so much of that nice man who used to be on "Simon and Simon." As for changing my vote, I never second-guess myself when it comes to politics, dear.

4) Who's the best-known gentleman you've had the good fortune of ... being acquainted with?
Margie: Oh, Jonah Prowse and Jensen Ackles of course. Such fine gentlemen and they know how to treat a lady too. There are things I could tell you ... but I won't.
Edna: In her dreams, she's never been 'acquainted' with either of those two gentlemen! As for myself, ladies simply do not gossip about who they're "acquainted" with. Amy, dear, you should have known better than to ask such a scandalous question.

5) What are your favorite desserts?
Margie: I just love a banana pudding and strawberries dipped in chocolate. Breakfast in bed is a dessert too isn't it?
Oh, my, Margie!
Edna: Typical, my sister just can't resist hussying up any question you ask of her. Personally, I love anything chocolate, but I am fond of a decent key lime pie too.

6) If you had your life to live over again, knowing everything you know now, what one thing (and one thing only) that you did would you change, if anything?
Margie: I would not have married when I was so young. I'd have been a party girl for a while first then I'd have married my cowboy. We'd have moved to his ranch in Montana and I'd never have had to live with Edna.
I'm glad you didn't, or else we wouldn't have had the good fortune to read your blog.
Edna: Well, it's never too late for you to move to Montana, you harpy, and good riddance! Amy, to answer your question, I'd have to say that I would not change a thing. I'm of the attitude that living one's life with regrets is simply a waste of time and energy. I cherish each and every experience, because it's made me who I am today.
That's beautiful, Edna.
Margie: Lordy, Edna, I wish those experiences hadn't made you who you are today. I wish you'd been a nice person.
Oh, Margie...

7) Boxers or briefs? (For the gents, of course.)
Margie: My stars, Miss Amy, I haven't blushed this much in years. I must say a gentleman always looks nice in briefs but I don't object to boxers. Frankly, they don't need to wear either if that's what they prefer.
Edna: I'm not sure this question is at all appropriate. Surely our readers don't want to know about gentlemen's unmentionables? I'd just as soon not think about them myself, so I respectfully decline to answer, dear.
Oh, Edna. Don't be such a prude. I knew Margie would play along. :-)

8) Let's get real for a moment here. You two always seem to hate one another. But don't you really love one another?
Margie: Miss Amy, I plead the Fifth as advised by my attorney.
Oh, Margie, I know you meant to say, "Yes."
Edna: I suppose we do love each other, in our own way. Of course, that love often takes the form of bickering and death threats, but what family doesn't have a little of that?
True, true.

9) How do you two decide on what to blog about? Is there a battle of the wills every day? It's hard to believe how prolific you are.
Margie: Thank you, Miss Amy. I must admit there is no daily battle of the wills. Edna and I love and appreciate all our readers so we always try to focus on them and what they might like to read.
That's not to say, of course, that we appreciate what each other says all the time.
Edna: Speak for yourself, Margie, I always appreciate what you say. I just don't always listen to it. Miss Amy, we do talk a lot about what our readers comment on, and we try to figure out what they might enjoy. We also try and stay as organized as possible, and we plan out our posts way ahead of time.
It's nice to see you two agree on something for a change. You do always put your readers first, no matter your personal ... conflicts, and we all appreciate that. We all love visiting with you.

11) What have you learned about writing a blog after doing this for a year? You've come so far in just 365 days. What advice would you give to other ... experienced ... ladies who would like to set up their own blog?
Margie: I've learned that it's easier to let my sister have her way rather than put up with her childish temper tantrums.
I would advise others to think long and hard before you write a blog with a relative. If you do decide to involve a relative, be sure they take their anti-psychotic meds every day.
Edna: Put a sock in it, Margie. At least I don't insist that every single post also has a picture of handsome naked men. [NOTE from Amy: They're not completely naked. And they sure are purty.]
My advice to anyone starting a blog is that they should write about something that they enjoy. If you're not having fun, you won't stick with it and your blog will suffer. Luckily, my sister and I have a lot of fun, which is why we're still here after a whole year.

AmyV: Well, we're glad you're still here after a year and that you continue to come up with interesting and entertaining things to say every day. I personally hope you stick around for another year, or two, or 10, or 20! I do plan on visiting more often, so please make sure you always have some of your special tea on hand for me. And thank you so much for making this bacon appetizer specifically for me; it's simply delicious. Of course, it's bacon, so I was bound to like it.

Anyhow, ladies, congratulations on your blogiversary and thank you so much for inviting me to share it with you.

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Thank you so much, Amy! (Folks, don't forget to swing by SMAK News to sign up for its launch in two weeks; it will be a social networking site made expressly for women, which we are very excited about!)

So there you have it folks, we hope you had fun at our anniversary party, and we thank you all so much for continuing to come and visit with us. Without our regular readers, we would just be blogging into the ether, and we are grateful every day that you all seem to enjoy reading the rantings and musings of these two old ladies.

Love, Margie and Edna

Fun Friday: get ready to par-TAY!

Dear Readers,

Next Wednesday, March 18th, will be our one-year blogging anniversary here at the Basement. My goodness, how the time does fly! We've got fun stuff planned for next week, and you are all invited to come share in the festivities.

In the meantime, here's a little something to put you all in the party mood...everyone around the world, come on!

Now, don't forget to come back next week and check out what we've got up our frilly sleeves. We'll be watching for you to come party with us!

Love, Margie and Edna

Have you met Miss Lidian?

The Virtual Dime Museum

Margie: Edna, I never lie so I must admit that I believe I've become a blog addict. I get up of a morning, make my coffee, and start reading blogs.

I love visiting other countries, looking at all the beautiful jewelry, and reading what's going on in other people's lives. One of my favorites is that blog by Lidian. I don't think that's her real name though. She probably uses an alias to stop people like you from snooping in her business.

Anyway, I love her Virtual Dime Museum. My word, those ads of hers take me back in time. You probably don't even know what a dime museum is since you lay abed all day. Lazy bones.

Edna: That is just like you, praising someone else and then insulting your own kin. How about this, Margie? If you're so keen on telling the truth, why don't you let our readers know just exactly how old you are. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Margie: Edna, I'll tell you my age when Hades freezes over. I much prefer reading at the lovely museum to talking to you. You're a nitwit.

Edna: I knew it folks, she'll never completely tell the truth. She's lying about me being a nitwit. Although I will give her this, I agree completely about that Miss Lidian and her blogs. She's a mighty entertaining blogger, and I just love going over to the Virtual Dime Museum. Her Kitchen Retro blog is wonderful, as well. You can tell she does her homework, and she comes up with some obscure, but still very interesting, topics.

Margie, I'll tell you the truth, I'm glad you decided to talk about Miss Lidian today. She truly is one of my favorite bloggers, and that's no lie.

Margie: That statement makes you only a half-wit, Edna. You know a good blog when I find one. I love obscure topics because you're so obscure.

Go to bed, Edna.

Kitchen Retro

Cousin T Visits The Basement

We are so happy to have our Cousin T visiting us today. He would come spend summers with us when he was just a tadpole. He's moved to Jericho Junction now so he can visit more often. (Keep the Special Tea out of his reach, Edna.)


Margie: Cousin T, you live at Jericho Junction now so you can visit us much more often. I'll give you some Special Tea to take back home with you. Now, you just sit down and tell us what's going on in town.

It is true the junction is just a hop, skip and a jump from here but sometimes it can be very difficult to get all them things in the right order to wind you up where you want to be. I love it in your basement though. Your root cellar was my second home when I was a kid. I love how it can be 95 degree outside but stay a nice cool 62 down here. Do you remember that time the twister sirens went off while my sister Sadie and I were over for supper and we all rushed down here and when we emerged that old oak down the hill was on it's side with half of it's root canopy sticking out of the ground? Oaks is some strong trees too.

You ladies should know better than me what is going on in Jericho though. I only get a call when one'a Beck's guys kicks in a door and they need someone to fix it.


Margie: Mr. Hawkins gave us new computers but these new-fangled contraptions confuse us. What should we look up on the innerweb, Cousin T.?

My feeling is it doesn't matter what you are looking up so much as how you are doing it. I got me laptop too and what I really like to do is to start a fire outside in the burn barrel using some of them scraps from my carpentry job and then sit around all night tending it and listening to baseball and sniffing around online finding stuff Like THIS fella who plays a really nice harp. I like the way his eyes go all glassy when he play's.


Margie: Edna wants to go to the carnival. Do you have a car? Maybe you could take us?

That reminds me of one of my favorite songs. Most people think I am weird for liking THIS guy but I think his singing is kind of pretty. Just try to ignore how that ocean is going back and forth like that. It is a nice shot of the ocean I just wish it was a little longer.

Sure we can all go to the Sharptown carnival in my truck. I love the Tilty world.


Edna: Cousin T, we love having you come to visit us, but you don't come around often enough! What could we talk about here on our blog that would make you visit more?

I have an intense interest in cabinet hardware so if you talked about that more it would be good. Also, I intend to learn a little bit more about greek mythology so maybe if you threw in something about birds flying out of a crack in somebodies head or a three headed dog or the like.

Mostly you know, I am like a bad penny though, I always turn up.



Edna: Margie stores some precious things down in the basement, and she's worried about them getting out---er, someone stealing them. I know you're good with carpentry and wood-working, can you suggest some ways that we might make the basement door more secure?

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a dead bolt. Them normal locks you can pick with a credit card or, as someone tried to do at my house, a 2 foot square. I found it all bent up on my back porch when I got home late one night. The very next day I installed me a dead bolt. This fella I know has a dead bolt installed in his front door has one of them remote controls like to open your car cept this one opens his house. I guess you would call that a live bolt. I would also suggest Miss Margie take out some four legged insurance. Most thieves hear a dog and see a dead bolt they just keep on trucking.

Can I have more of this Tea?
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We would like to thank Margaret at EyeSpi20 for making us one of her favorite blogs of the week.

Blackjack Fairgrounds Blog Carnival

Margie: Edna, it's a well known fact that I am the best hostess in Jericho. Just look here. Miss Amy at Remote Access has asked me to be the hostess for her blog carnival. She didn't ask you because you're so dumb you don't even know what a blog carnival is.

Edna: Oooh, a carnival, how exciting! Will there be cotton candy, do you think? I just love carnival food...

Margie: Edna, shut your trap and let's get on with the carnival, please.

Edna: Margie, you're so mean to me. I hope you fall off the tilt-a-whirl.





Mike Loomer, Jericho On-Set Dresser, answers your questions at Radio Free Jericho.

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If you love Skeet Ulrich you'll love this new website that's all Skeet. Also, read about yet another serious flaw in Nielsen ratings that continue to make TV ratings less valuable.

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Many thanks to Terocious at Jericho Junction for making us aware of The Great Jericho Rewatch (idea by dbalcer). The Rewatch takes place every Tuesday night at 10 p.m. EST.

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Here's the motivator thread Kricka started on CBS. Feel free to use the ones she made or make your own.

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Have a question you'd like Esai Morales to answer? Ask them here.

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Jake's Motivator Thread by Kricka.

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Thanks to Anna at A Day In The Life for her post on thoughts about Jericho.

Here's a tiny sample: "First of all, I think it would be interesting to see what would happen to Jericho if a tornado were to strike. I live in Kansas and know that tornadoes are a very real threat. It just makes me wonder if they would ever depict anything like that, no if, but WHEN Jericho returns!"

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If you would like to host a future carnival, please email Amy.


To submit an article for the carnival go here.