The Duckies go to a Costume Party

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Saturday was Halloween, and the Duckies celebrated by going to a costume party.

Costumes ranged from the Balloon Boy, which the wearer tapped a silver balloon to his head, to an authentic Civil War uniform. Everyone looked great–Alice (from Wonderland) was there, as was a GhostBuster, a garden knome, the Prom Queen, a zombie, and a convict picking up Garbage.

My old nemesis Barney was there dressed as a hot dog.

My real supprise was that the Hostess and Host were wearing the same costumes as us–how embarising. We dressed as a witch and a pirate.  Sure, maybe there would be another witch or pirate, but both! The Duckie’s costomes were better, of course, but I posted a picture of theirs too so you could see for yourself.

They did throw a real nice party and everyone had a good time.

>My name is Duckie, Travelin Duckie. Licenced to Scrapbook.

>It was a dreary morning, not unlike any other mornings of late, but “B” had a forign mission for “The Duckie”.

{play theme song: Duunn, da-dat-daa, dun, dun, dun, Duunn, da-dat-daa, dun, dun, dun, Duunn, da-dat-daa, dun, dun, dun, Daa Daaaa}

I booked my passage and was soon on my way the bussle and intrique of Waukesha, Wisconsin. My mission was to infiltrate the Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook Expo and secure special papers and official stamps. The guest list must have been very exclusive–hundreds of women were trying to buy their way in. I slipped into the shoulderbag of one of these women and was carried right past security. Inside, I found my primary objective–unique scrapbook papers and special rubber stamps, the likes unseen by Travelin’ Duckie.

I secured these materials and moved on to my secondary objective–propoganda. I was to blanket the area with TravelinDuckie.com fliers. I discovered that most of these women came here via standard ground transportation, and began to place a flier in every car windows. Oh no!  What was that?  I had to move quickly if I was going to elude the Expo’s Secret Forces.

I knew I had no choice. Fifteen miles away was the Safe House. I jumped into the closest car and forced the driver at duck-point to drive me to Milwaukee. I ditched the car and made my way to the office of International Exports. Inside the small office I found the secret passage and entered the Safe House. Many agents were there. Some were drinking Vodka Martinis (shaken, not stirred), and others were dining on local faire.  The perfect disguise–if someone did accidently discover the Safe House, they would find what looked like a spy-themed restarant and bar, and the Agents hiding there just patrons of the establishment. I was one lucky-duckie; the Expo Special Forces were eluded.

After several hours at the Safe House, I arranged transportation to a local castle, where I believed the Wisconsin Intelligence Agency was located. I wanted to alert the authorities to the Expo forces. Apparently there is no royalty or government authority the Mars Cheese Castle, so I sampled the local cheese and sausages as I prepared my mission report for “B”.

I returned back to HQ, my primary and secondary mission objectives completed.  Watch for new Scrapbook Kits using papers and stamps from the Expo at http://www.travelinduckie.com.

>Like a farm boy turned newspaper reporter

>I’m taking a couple of weeks from reminising about my yellow rock adventures because last weekend I went to someplace new. Like a farm boy turned newspaper reporter from Kansas, I went to Metropolis! Illinois, that is.

There I saw the Man of Steel himself. He was so nice and let me take my picture with him. He looked like a really big man in that red cape.

My nemesis Barney tried to disguise himself like the Superman, but he didn’t fool me.

>Duckie’s First Adventure – Part II

>Another day of driving and another night of camping, but we were finally to someplace that sounded cool–Yellow Stone.  What little yellow rubber ducky wouldn’t like a park, a National Park at that, about yellow rocks?

The campground was a flurry of activity in the morning. I sat at the picnic table as the humans ate their Snap-Crackles-and-Pops. They talked about what they were going to see–geysers, mud pots, bacteria mats–yuck. What about the yellow rocks?  At the next tent was a couple of unhappy campers. “I’m sorry I ruined your vacation because I want to go to the hospital,” one of the people said to the other as he got in the car and slammed the door. The other got in the car and they drove away. My people mocked them–”I’m sorry I ruined your vacation” they said to each other.  I’m a wise rubber ducky and didn’t want to tempt fate, so I just sat there thinking about seeing those yellow rocks.

No sooner had we left the campground and headed for the Hot Springs (is that like a hot bath?  Duckies like those), the human in the back seat said she needed to go to the hospital. We all laughed, but she wasn’t kidding–she had dislocated her shoulder. The ranger first-aid station was 15 miles in the other direction. There isn’t much a rubber duck can do in this situation. A few hours later, we left the ranger station hospital and she was feeling much better. I found that with her arm in a sling, I had a great place to see this Yellow Rock Park.

(to be continued…)

>The National Parks: America’s Best Idea

>Duckie is spending this week watching THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA’S BEST IDEA, a six-episode series on the history of the national parks, directed by Ken Burns. It’s great to see the history of these fantastic and beautiful places. Seeing the great scenery of the featured parks reminds me of my duckie trek to these places, and for those places I haven’t been, I’m dreaming of where to waddle next.

>Duckie’s First Adventure

>My first road trip was to Yellowstone National Park. Nobody knew I was going–not even me! The people in my house were packing for days. On the day we left, suitcases, duffle bags, coolers, camping supplies, and you name it, were being loaded into the car all day long. I remember it was late, well after my bedtime, when they turned everything off to go. At the last minute a hand reached up and plucked me from my shelf. I was pushed into a jacket pocket and we were gone.

Sometime the next day, I was taken from my cozy sleeping pocket and perched on the dashboard (wasn’t there a song about the dashboard lights?). I had no idea where we were. In front of us asphalt stretched out for ever. I could see cliffs of layered rock of amazing colors in the distance. I think someone called it Badlands, though I have no idea why. Maybe because there was no Duck ponds.

We finally stopped for the night. The people went into a flurry of activity–unpacking the car, setting up the tent, and unrolling the sleeping bags. I got a good look around. We were camping near the base of a huge rock tower. I don’t know what was on top, but it looked like huge beasts must have tried to climb it and slid back down leaving giant claw marks in its side. Before going to bed for the night, we got together with other campers and watched a documentary film about Alien spaceships visiting the Tower.

to be continued…

>Fun at the Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook Expo

>Today I was a lucky duckie because I got to go to the Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook Expo in Tinley Park.  Wow, talk about getting those creative juices flowing!  I found some cool frozen treat rubber stamps and I got to thinking of the fun scrapbook pages I can make with them.  Add your summer pictures from family picnics to days at the pool or even just playing around with your duckie friends.  I also found some really spooky Halloween paper and I am now so excited I can’t wait to Trick-or-Treat and get dressed up in my Halloween costume.  I can’t tell you what it is….you’ll have to wait for the surprise!  Until then, check out my Scrapbook Kits to see the creations I’ve come up with.

Nine-Eleven

On this day, I remember my 2006 trip to New York City. I was really touched and heartbroken at the site of the World Trade Center.  The site was fenced off, and there really wasn’t much you could see.  On one side was a photo memorial commemorating the events in 2001.  I moved from photo to photo in silence. One of a fireman really choked me up.  My people were crying (if I had tear ducts, I’d have been crying too).  Really one of the saddest, if not the saddest, places I’d ever been too. I was so moved by the simple display, that I actually took no photos of my own.

All-in-all, I really enjoyed the trip. I had never been to NYC before–I guess I’m just a country duckie at heart. I really liked the lagoon at Central Park (I’m a duckie, of course) and the ferry rides to the Liberty and Ellis Islands.  I also saw Rockefeller Center, Wall Street, and Times Square at night.  I even walked (carried, actually) over the Brooklyn Bridge to the other side where I ate real New York pizza and drank a Brooklyn Lager. I hope to return to New York City again, maybe at Christmas time to see the city and stores decorated for the holidays.

At Travelin’ Duckie and travelinduckie.com, our hearts go to out to the families of those lost on 9/11 and in the War on Terrorism.  We also want to remember and thank men and women of the armed forces that fight to protect ideals that make America great.

>Attack of the Dog

>So, I’m quietly sitting on a shelf, pondering the answer to the ultimate question of life, universe, and everything (OK, I was actually thinking about my upcoming trip down Route 66), when out of nowhere a giant mouth scoops me up. It was like that scene in Star Wars where the monster comes up out of the asteroid and gobbles up the Millennium Falcon. I’m carried in this beast 5 feet to the floor where, get this, it starts chomping on me! What can I do? Giant teeth poking into me from all around. I tried to scream, but I’m a rubber duck without a squeaker. I lost a wing in the scuffle, but no help as to be found. Finally, I hard a thunderous roar! “BARNEY!” it said (what ever that means). The teeth of terror dropped me and left me to die a slow death, then a kind person scooped me up, and with tears in her eyes, tried to fix my broken wing. I’m back on my shelf, waiting for a trip to the rubber duckie doctor.

>Welcome to the Travelin’ Duckie Blog!

>Welcome to the Travelin’ Duckie Blog. Who is the Travelin’ Duckie? Well, I’m a little rubber duck that gets taken on vacations, weekenders, and just about anywhere fun. I have my picture at Mount Rushmore, by the Gateway Arch, at the Statue of Liberty (where I met Cash Cow, but that’s a story for another day), on the steps of Capital Hill, and at the turning of the Chicago River green–just to name a few. This blog will tell the story of some of my adventures. It will also be a sounding board for my business, Travelin Duckie Scrapbook Designs.

You can see some of my pictures at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=98547&id=137533124360&l=632104cc2c

Quack back at ya soon!