Sunday Stealing

 Summer

1. What is the hottest temperature you've seen this summer so far? One day in June it hit 98º. This scares me because our hottest month is usually August. If it's 98º this early in the season, the prospect of August is sticky and icky.

2. What is your favorite summer beverage? Coke. Though the urologist would prefer I say, "Ice water with a splash of lemon." Much better for my kidneys.

3. Have you seen any fireflies/lightning bugs yet? Cicadas? I finally saw some cicadas in late May. I was disappointed that, in this neighborhood, "the invasion" was something of a bust. We've had a lot of new construction here in the last decade, and that uprooted lots of trees. Hence, fewer cicadas. 😞

4. What are the last 3 things you bought online? 1) I sent a package of rulers via Amazon to a local back-to-school supplies drive and 2) Neutrogena wrinkle cream from Ulta.com and 3) Florastor probiotics from CVS.com. Scintillating, isn't it?

5. Where do locals go to cool off? We stay indoors in the a/c. There's a shallow fountain between the movie theater and the ice cream parlor and kids find splashing in it irresistible.

6. Where did you buy your last postcard and what was on the pc? I bought this postcard at the shop where I work part-time. I sent it to our friend Gregory to thank him for the wonderful job he did planning our friend John's celebration of life.

7. What's your favorite summertime scent? I'll go with lemon, since I'm supposed to be adding it to my ice water. (See #2.)

8. What kind of a/c do you have - central, room, fans only, chillers, none and what temperature do you set it to? I have two air conditioners, one through-the-wall for the living room/dining room and a small window unit for my bedroom. There's no a/c for the smaller bedroom ... which gives me yet another reason not to have anyone visit overnight. (I hate having company.) 

Here's a photo of a through-the-wall unit. I include it because I once loved a guy who grew up in Denver and lived for a time in Austin and he thought they were the damndest thing he'd ever seen. They are very popular in multi-unit buildings here in Chicagoland. Especially in older buildings that went up before central air was commonplace. Through-the-wall units enable each tenant/unit owner to cool their own unit exclusively and pay their own energy costs.

9. Do you have a summer vacation planned and if so, where are you really going?? No summer plans. I went to Los Angeles in April for the TCM Classic Film Festival and will be traveling to Michigan for Christmas with my niece. (Why ask where I'm "really" going? Why would I lie?)

10. What are your favorite summer activities? I like to cheer, and boo, and raise a hullabaloo.

11. What's your favorite summertime food? I like chicken salad, or sometimes tuna salad, when it's too hot to eat warm food.

12. Did you ever go to summer school? Nope.

13. What's your favorite summertime memory? I have many. One is from the summer between second and third grade. I took lessons at the high school and was so proud when I could swim the length of the pool. I had no speed whatsoever, but I did it! (Backstroke, too.)

14. Do you like fireworks? Only on the 4th of July. Around here, the sound of fireworks can be confused with gunfire and it's scary.

15. How do you feel about the longer days of summer? 👍

Today is a nightmare come true

After Bobby Kennedy was shot at the conclusion of a political rally, before he lapsed out of consciousness forever with Rosary beads in his hand, he asked, "Is everybody OK?" Today, after being shot during a political rally, Donald Trump asked for his shoes, pumped his fist, and said, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Now I'm not going to make fun of Donald Trump, the way he and Don Jr. both made fun of Paul Pelosi after being attacked in the Pelosi home. I'm not going to imply that Trump was shot by enraged and spurned gay lover, though I have just as much evidence of that as the Trumps have about Mr. Pelosi and his assailant.  

I'm not going to call it a false flag or a set up. I'm not going to question how an assailant could get to a former POTUS and candidate who has Secret Service protection, the way the MAGA World questioned how the man with the hammer got past security measures to enter the Pelosi home. 

I'm not going to mock the pink bald spot that was evident as the Secret Service pushed Donald Trump into the van and into safety. Though I am sure if it was reversed, Trump and his supporters would be mocking Joe Biden's vulnerability. 

I'm not going to dismiss today's events with a facile response about "sending thoughts and prayers," while blaming mental health issues and not guns for what happened.

I'm an American. I remember the President's and Bobby's assassinations. I remember Dr. King and George Wallace. I remember two attempts on Gerald Ford and one on Ronald Reagan. Those memories are as much a part of me as the vaccination scar on my left arm. They haunt me. Today is a nightmare come true.

I'm a Chicagoan. I live in a city awash in guns, despite strict laws, because they come floating through our porous borders from Indiana and Kentucky. Sorry, Mr. Trump, but if I'm going to "Fight! Fight! Fight!" it's to keep you out of office and get real Federal laws passed that successfully restrict handguns and automatic weapons.

I'm a Christian. Though I won't be a hypocrite and deny that I despise Donald Trump, I will say that my first thought when I heard the news was, "Please love him, God." No one wins when a gun goes off. Deplorable MAGA cruelty coarsens and diminishes us all.

I pray for soul of the MAGA supporter who died today.

I pray for the full recovery of both Donald Trump and the as-yet unnamed supporters who were also injured.

I also pray for, and will work for, his defeat in November.

Guns are never the answer. Violent rhetoric is never the answer. How I wish Trump's words had been "Is everybody OK?" instead of "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer (1963)

 Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Nat King Cole sings about enjoying "soda and pretzels and beer." Which of those three would we find in your kitchen right now? Soda (Coca Cola).

2) The lyrics mention a romantic movie. Which movie couple do you believe had onscreen chemistry? I hope Harry and Sally lived happily ever after.

3) He wishes "summer could always be here." How has your summer been so far? Too hot! My favorite-most ballplayer, Anthony Rizzo, is on the injured list. I miss my friend, John. Sometimes I wish we could just fast forward to pumpkin spice. But then I remember I like the little things about summer, like not having to wear socks and that the sun is still out at 8:00 PM, and I'm happy again.

4) According to the song, a great warm weather meal includes sandwiches and weinies. Tell us about your perfect sandwich or, if you prefer, what you believe is the ideal way to dress a hot dog. First I spread mayo along the inside bottom of the bun. This is key. Then I add relish or pickle. (Depending on what's available.) Then the hot dog. Finally ketchup. Only slather one condiment on top of your dog. Trust me: If you put too much on top of the dog, it will just dribble all over your shirt.

5) Nat was a big baseball fan. Growing up in Chicago he played sandlot games and listened to Cubs games on the radio. As an adult he was a season ticket holder at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Do you enjoy playing/watching baseball or softball? Only as much as I enjoy breathing. Unfortunately, just because I love Major League Baseball doesn't mean it loves me back. This season has been hard, especially with Rizzo struggling so. At least there's this guy. Shota Imanaga is a joy! Our only All Star. So deserving!

He just shut out the Orioles!

6) The lyrics of this week's song were written by Charlie Tobias, who wanted to create a sense of nostalgia for summers gone by. Share one of your special summer memories. I remember riding around in the backseat, listening to my dad sing along with this song on the radio. He was not a happy man, and little moments where I sensed he was truly enjoying himself stayed with me.

7) In 1963, one of the best-selling books was Happiness Is a Warm Puppy by Charles Schultz. The cover showed Lucy giving Snoopy a big hug. Name another character from the Peanuts comic strip. Charlie Brown.

8) Also in 1963, men were wearing thin, solid-color ties. Later in the decade, ties would become wider, patterned and more colorful. Where do you turn to keep up with fashion trends? I don't really bother anymore. When I want to add to my wardrobe, I check out Thredup for ideas.

9) Random question: Would you rather be a cowboy or a pirate? Cowboy! I'd much rather ride a horse than sail on a ship.