So, how has your week gone so far?

I thought I’d ask first so you can respond.

Then I can get on to doing what I seem to do best — talking about myself.

Lately the Mardi Unit girls and I have been getting ready for this Saturday’s benefit auction for the Ryther Child Center from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Rod-n-Gun Club.

Is it OK to say “girls” when you are a boy?

I use this noun with respect, as I try to do with most nouns of the feminine gender.

Mom taught me to open doors for women of all ages.

Both Mom and Dad taught us to say “sir” and “ma’am” when responding to men and women senior in years.

They also had lists of words that we were encouraged not to use.

Although I cannot find that list, I do know “girls” was not on it when I was in fourth grade.

I still feel like I am in fourth grade.

Particularly when I hang out with the Ryther girls like Frannie and Sally and Susanne and Flo and Julie and Donna and Delores and Ruthie and Tootie and Dorothy and Paulette and Jeannie and Sandy and Mardi and Betty and Joanne and Molly and Doris and Sara and Shirley and Alice and all the names I left out because I ran out of paper at the last meeting.

By the way, the Ryther Child Center, now in its 125th year of helping kids, is quite a success story. Started in Seattle in 1883 by Mother Ollie Ryther when she took in her dying neighbor’s three children, the 10-acre campus provides an essential and safe environment for kids in special need.

For more details, check out the Internet presentation at www.ryther.org or come to the dinner auction this Saturday, the 18th. DJ Bob will be spinning the oldies during dinner and after the auction.

Anticipated auction items include a two-night deluxe-package stay in the Skyline Tower at the classic Eldorado Hotel in Reno, lodging at Langley’s beautiful Boatyard Inn, plus one of last year’s faves: a fun-filled Bloody Mary/champagne brunch at the historic Maine Stay, hosted by Susanne and Bill Paulson and Ruth and Duane Den Adel.

Sources close to the Rod-n-Gun kitchen say that at this year’s Ryther Rocks the Rock Dinner Dance Auction Fundraiser, longtime song stylist and local comedienne Frannie Johnson will be dressed as June Cleaver and available on short notice for table comedy.

In these times of external confusion and media-hyped strife, it’s nice to know that we can still smile while we stay at home, go inside and just hang out with the girls.

You know they just wanna have fun.

We sure hope to see you this Saturday.

At least stop in to say hello to Elvis.

He’s back!

He’ll be standing tall somewhere in the trophy room, or as Frannie calls it, The Dead Head Room.