May 2, 2006

garrulous

1. Given to excessive and often trivial or rambling talk; tiresomely talkative.

2. Wordy and rambling: a garrulous speech.

I called on good-natured, garrulous old Simon Wheeler
-- The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, Mark Twain

exasperate

1. To make very angry or impatient; annoy greatly.

2. To increase the gravity or intensity of: "a scene . . . that exasperates his rose fever and makes him sneeze" Samuel Beckett.

he would..bore me to death with some exasperating reminiscence of him..

dilapidated

Having fallen into a state of disrepair or deterioration, as through neglect; broken-down and shabby.

(dilapidate, destroy, destruct)

dozing comfortably by the bar-room stove of the dilapidated tavern..

countenance

1. Appearance, especially the expression of the face: The question left him with a puzzled countenance.

2. The face or facial features.

his tranquil countenance

reel

to wind on or let out from a reel

reeled off the monotonous narrative

flume

a narrow gorge, usually with a steam flowing through it
an open artificial channel or chute carrying a stream of water, as for furnishing power or conveying logs