WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Pete Rose: An American Dilemma by Kostya Kennedy. Let me say it up front: I cannot stand Pete Rose and do not believe he belongs in The Hall of Fame. Part of my disgust comes from a sense of betrayal. I remember watching Pete Rose play and, even though I have always been a true blue Cub fan, I loved it when he came up to bat. He respected those 90 feet to first and always, always ran it out. That he turned out to be such a rampaging asshole is beyond disillusioning.

 

But it's time for me to get educated and evolve. All this talk about him being eligible for the Hall has made me face my own prejudice. While I have compassion for those addicted to drugs and alcohol, I'm dismissive of compulsive gamblers. Gotta work on that. Since baseball is a metaphor for life, I'm going to let baseball teach me.

 

Kostya Kennedy is a good writer and a good reporter. He shares Rose's story in an "it is what it is" manner. No moralizing, just straight-up story telling. So far I'm appreciating it.

2. What did you recently finish reading? Who Let the Dog Out? by David Rosenfelt. A very good mystery until it's not. A dog is kidnapped from the shelter run by Andy Carpenter and his partner, Willie Miller. Why would anyone steal a dog they could adopt? This enrages Willie and gets Andy's antenna up. They track the dog through a chip in her collar and find her quickly, along with a dead body.

This book has everything I like about the series. Andy Carpenter may not like being a defense attorney but he's an entertaining one and I enjoy reading about him before a jury. Especially because while he wants his client to be innocent, he's not 100% sure. Of course, for our system of justice to work, even the guilty deserve a zealous defense. Andy would just prefer his clients be innocent. An unrepentant smart ass, he cracks wise beautifully and often at inappropriate moments throughout the story. He loves baseball and is imparting this passion to his son.    

It's the ending of the book that I didn't like. Too violent, too complicated, and simply not credible. That's all I'll say as not to spoil it. Not that he has asked for my help, but I recommend Rosenfelt get acquainted with the old Columbo TV series. Those mysteries are brilliant little plays, and each episode feels fresh. Yet at their core, the murders are always about basic human motivations: greed and lust. Rosenfelt adds too many exotic, unfamiliar and unnecessary elements and my bullshit meter goes off.

3. What will you read next? A thriller: One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware.

 

 

 

How low can we go?

President Donald J. Trump addressed West Point graduates while wearing a MAGA hat. I suppose that's fitting, because he went on to slag Joe Biden and Barack Obama, even though our military is supposed to be apolitical. Continuing in this self-indulgent vein, he warned them against marrying "trophy wives," whined for the umpteenth time that he's been investigated more than the "great, late Alphonse Capone," and rhapsodized about golfer Gary Player. I don't know what he was trying to impart to these young people, except that he loves having eyes on him and thrives on being center of attention.

Disgusted yet? No? Then enjoy his Memorial Day message to the country, as posted on Truth Social. 

“HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL, INCLUDING THE SCUM THAT SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS TRYING TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY THROUGH WARPED RADICAL LEFT MINDS, WHO ALLOWED 21,000,000 MILLION PEOPLE TO ILLEGALLY ENTER OUR COUNTRY, MANY OF THEM BEING CRIMINALS AND THE MENTALLY INSANE,THROUGH AN OPEN BORDER THAT ONLY AN INCOMPETENT PRESIDENT WOULD APPROVE, AND THROUGH JUDGES WHO ARE ON A MISSION TO KEEP MURDERERS, DRUG DEALERS, RAPISTS, GANG MEMBERS, AND RELEASED PRISONERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, IN OUR COUNTRY SO THEY CAN ROB, MURDER, AND RAPE AGAIN — ALL PROTECTED BY THESE USA HATING JUDGES WHO SUFFER FROM AN IDEOLOGY THAT IS SICK, AND VERY DANGEROUS FOR OUR COUNTRY.“ 

Of course there's no mention of our nation's war dead, because, well, why would the Commander in Chief honor them on Memorial Day? It's so much more satisfying for him to focus on his grievances. (BTW, Eric? Don? If you can't take his phone away from him on holidays, at least tell Pop Pop to release the all caps.) 

Wait! There's more! Our President went on to repost a message that referred to Joe Biden as a "decrepit corpse." Think I'm kidding? Here it is: "They stole the 2020 election and hijacked the country using a decrepit corpse as a frontman, They used an autopen to start wars, steal from our treasury, and pardon their friends." Yes, Donald Trump just endorsed referring to a man diagnosed with metastatic cancer as a "decrepit corpse." Oh yeah, and as far as pardoning friends goes, our President just pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley, reality TV stars convicted of tax evasion. 

All this makes Memorial Day weekend especially memorable, doesn't it?

I know there are loud-and-proud Christians who are happy this man represents the USA. My aunt/godmother is one of them. Her sanctimony and blind loyalty have literally torn our family apart. So far, I have stubbornly managed to maintain relations with her. But I don't know how much longer I can continue rising above the fray when no bottom has been established. I fear Donald Trump's base instincts will just drag us lower ... and lower ... and lower.

 

PS I limited myself to Memorial Day. I still can't get over January 6. Neither the original riot nor the pardons that followed. Or the way Trump has treated our allies. Or the wheeling and dealing his family does in plain sight. Or the recklessness and ugliness of DOGE and Elon's chainsaw. Or his slow and steady destruction of Madisonian Democracy. I'm afraid we're going to keep descending lower, and lower, and lower ... until it dawns on MAGA Nation that between the tariffs and the Big, Beautiful Bill, everything is going to cost them more. Sigh. Part of me just wants to say, "What the fuck!" and watch baseball.

I say Mariah t-shirts for everybody!

Behold Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs' centerfielder. This past week he's hit .299 with a .677 SLG. At 23, he's the youngest Cub since Anthony Rizzo 💙 to have 2 HR and 6 RBI in a single game. He loves Mariah Carey and doesn't care who knows it.

 

He's a delight to watch. Bold with his bat, a veritable cheetah on the base pads and willing to go for literally anything hit in his area code. 

PCA doesn't have Rizz' commitment to giving back, but perhaps it's unfair to expect anyone to equal Anthony Rizzo there. Since 2012, he's been responsible for at least $12 million to help families battling pediatric cancer. That doesn't count events for other causes. For example, I recall that here in Chicago, he catered lunches for health care workers administering the vaccine during covid. In New York, he has comped the entry fee for health care workers to run the NYC Marathon so they can raise funds for their hospitals. Helping others is a legit passion for Rizz.

But he does have Rizzo's joie de vivre. Watching Pete, I just know there is nothing he would rather be doing than playing baseball ... and simply being alive here in Chicago. It's going to be an exciting summer.

 

 

Sunday Stealing

8 Questions

1. What habit do you wish you could break? Is laziness a habit?

2. Where is your favorite vacation spot? It changes. Right now, it's the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood. 98 years old, it's where the classic Hollywood stars left their hand/footprints when their films premiered. The Oscars have been held here. It's kept up with the times. You're looking at the world's largest IMAX screen. This is homebase for the TCM Classic Film Festival. Seeing great old films here, as they were meant to be seen, while surrounded by other passionate movie nerds, make that week in April one I look forward to. (PS My preferred seat is in Row F, on the aisle. It gives me a clear route to the ladies room and the bar. 😉)

 

3. How many years of formal education have you completed? 9. After a couple fits and starts, I gave up on college.

4. Have you ever had a job that required you be certified or licensed? Nope.

5. Do you enjoy camping? Nope. I enjoy being outdoors. I also enjoy sleeping on a box spring and mattress, far above ground, and showering with lots of hot water.

6. Tell us about a time you got away with something. I love office supplies. I was just tickled the other day when, as I was endorsing a check at the bank, I saw that someone had left a big binder clip behind. I put it in my purse and it now has a good home.

7. Where have you lived the longest, and what do/did you like best about it? I've lived in this neighborhood for (gulp!) 47 years. I love it because it's highly walkable and diverse. I know diversity is no longer in vogue, but I believe we're enriched by embracing all different types of people.

8. When you were a kid, were more of your playmates boys or girls? I lived on a girl dominated block. I sometimes played with Tommy, but he was across the busy street so our moms had to be involved in bringing us together. We tried to watch Lassie together on Sunday evenings, before we had to return to our own homes for dinner and bath time before school on Monday. (Funny, the stuff you remember.)

 

Saturday 9

 American Soldier (2003)

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

Memorial Day is a federal holiday that honors men and women who served and died in the United States Armed Forces. We want to make sure that message is not lost this weekend.

1) Are you a veteran? Are there veterans in your family? Do you know anyone who is active military? We are grateful and want to hear about it. My dad was a Marine who served in Korea. My uncle was in the Army and saw action in Vietnam. My oldest nephew was in the Navy for eight years but (thankfully for my mother – his grandma, who worried about him constantly) he never saw combat.

2) In this song, Toby Keith reminds us soldiers "work straight through holidays," even this one, and we are grateful for that, too. Have you ever had to work on a federal holiday? If yes, did it make you sad to be on the job when everyone else was celebrating? Now that I work in retail, holiday shifts are a possibility. I worked New Year's Day in 2024, which was fine because our store was virtually empty and I got time-and-a-half for my minimal efforts. This year I was behind the counter for Dr. King's birthday. It was the first time I worked on that day since it became a holiday in 1986. We were very busy – lots of school kids – and I admit it felt weird.

3) The video for this song was filmed at Edwards Air Force Base. This site was chosen to make it easier for off-duty soldiers, reservists and their families to appear. Have you ever visited a military base? Nope.

4) Toby Keith never served in the military but often performed for the USO. While the USO is best known for providing entertainment to our troops, they also have a "Canine Comfort Crew." Local USO centers make dogs available to troops who long to see a wagging tail. Are you a dog lover? Oh, yes. One of my favorites was my friend Henry's dog, NouNou. A mixed breed, little mop of a black dog, who, like Henry himself, was nothing but love. NouNou came to Henry's home quite by accident. His owner worked with Henry at Florida Keys Community College. He worked in the office and Henry was a teacher. Anyway, when he was hospitalized with AIDS, he asked Henry to watch NouNou. Henry was a massive animal lover and a good friend, so he said yes without hesitation. When NouNou's dad died in the hospital, Henry called his parents and let them know he had their son's beloved dog. They curtly told him that they didn't approve of "the Key West lifestyle" and wouldn't be coming down for the dog. Can you imagine parents not wanting their dead son's dog, a dog their son had loved? Henry and his husband Reg already had two cats and two collies and weren't looking for a permanent addition to their menagerie, but NouNou was so sweet and far too old to be successfully adopted through a shelter. So it's with Henry that NouNou stayed. When I visited, he was my special friend. I never saw his eyes and I don't know how he saw through all that black fur. I saw his little white teeth a lot, though. He seemed to smile sometimes, especially after he had a good run on those short legs. The other dogs in the household were much bigger, but NouNou valiantly tried to keep up and loved those backyard races. He also got very excited when he saw the little ones walk by, to and from school. He only had a couple years with Henry and Reg, but NouNou ended his life surrounded by love, which he completely deserved. Who's a good boy?

 
5) Memorial Day kicks off the summer season. What's your favorite picnic food? Potato salad.

6) Let's welcome summer with ice cream. What's your favorite flavor? Cone or cup? Mint chocolate chip in a cup.

 

7) This marks the weekend when Americans step up their outdoor activity and do things they may not have been able to do during the winter months. For example, when is the last time you applied mosquito repellent? I don't recall.

8) Or swam? I don't recall. (This makes me sad.)

9) As you answer these questions, is there an air conditioner or fan on?  I've got a fan in the window.

 

 

Lizzie Lewis is my hero

I was proud to contribute money and time to Elizabeth Lewis' campaign for Board of Education member. She didn't win, and that hurts. 

Maybe she wasn't the best candidate. Her campaign was so focused on hearing and empowering students that perhaps she was ignoring fiscal and administrative issues. But here's what touched my heart:

1) She announced her candidacy when was only 17, though she turned 18 in time to serve on the Board. I love it when young people are involved and giving back. She took it so seriously! Her website has more depth and detail about the Mohonasen Board of Education than I've seen from candidates in mayoral, aldermanic and state house campaigns. She made herself available to the press, and while sometimes she sounded naive she was, as Teddy Roosevelt said, "in the arena." Most touching of all, she spent all day Tuesday at the polls – just outside the perimeter where campaigning is banned. She was there for hours and hours to answer the questions of parents and voters. All this for a seat on the Board of Education! 💔

2) She stood up to a bully. I know in today's MAGA/Might Makes Right World being heavy-handed and insensitive to DEI issues is in vogue, but I'm still a proponent of the old Golden Rule. When she was still a student at Mohonasen High, Lizzie had the temerity to lobby for a GSA organization at her school. A Board member publicly singled her out, chewed her out, and disparaged her advocacy of LGBTQ+ students. He was admonished by the state's education department for the way he treated her, but he has never apologized – even though his callous remarks cost the district more than $14,000 in legal fees to defend him. 

Think about it: a grown man in a position of power holding a student up for ridicule. A student who, by the way, often needs crutches because she struggles with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome). Not a pretty picture, is it? When I was 15, that would have been enough to make me slink away. He would have completely dispirited me.

But Lizzie is made of stronger stuff. When she was old enough she ran against him. (Though she always said that wasn't the only reason why she ran. Read about it here.)

I hate bullies. I love Lizzie. Young people like her will help make our world a better, safer place.

Her yard sign

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #411

Thirteen predictors. There are many factors that go into whether we will fall victim to a treatable chronic disease like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and hypertension. According to the CDC,* here are thirteen of the top non-genetic characteristics that impact a citizen's risk.

1. Income

2. Employment status

3. Education

4. Insurance

5. Access to hospital services

6. Access to primary care services

7. Access to pharmacies

8. Access to a vehicle

9. Access to public transportation

10. Internet access

11. Home value

12. Age

13. Race/ethnicity

It would seem that in America, how healthy you are depends in large part on how much money you have and where you live. Have a nice day.

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

*As of Feb., 2024. I don't know what the current CDC has to say about these things.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Who Let the Dog Out? by David Rosenfelt. Andy Carpenter is a lawyer by trade, but his passion is for rescuing dogs. So when a dog is kidnapped from his shelter, he jumps into action. Thanks to a chip in the collar, he finds the poor dog quickly, along with a dead body.

 

Andy Carpenter is my fictional boyfriend. He's smarter than he lets on, and a better man than he professes to be. He's a smart ass who can't resist a wise crack, even in court. He's a sports fan, and a millionaire many times over. I want him to marry me and take me away from all this.

 

So I really want to like this book. I've been on a roll, having just finished two five-star biographies. I hope this book keeps alive my happy streak of enjoying what I've read.

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? Competing with Idiots by Nick Davis. I loved this dual biography of Herman and Joseph Mankiewicz,  written by Herman's grandson.

There's a lot about great movies. Really legendary classic films made by the brothers, including Citizen Kane, Pride of the Yankees, All About Eve, Duck Soup ... There's a lot of celebrity dish: Joe slept with Judy Garland, Linda Darnell, Elizabeth Taylor (maybe) and Herman hung around with Dorothy Parker, the Marx Brothers and George S. Kaufman. 

There's a lot of family, too. These two over-achieving sons had a complex relationship with their public school teacher dad and spent their lives trying to measure up to what he expected of them. After 5 Oscars, you would think they would feel good about themselves but they didn't (couldn't). There's abuse masquerading as discipline, addictions (alcohol, gambling), bipolar disorder and suicide. There are competitions and estrangements and admiration and love. In short, the Mankiewicz's are just like any other family, except that their dramas played out on a grand stage instead of behind closed suburban doors.

Nick Davis tells his family's story with clear eyes and sensitive insights. Herman's grandson, he inserted himself into the story when needed but didn't do it too much. The stories about his mother's relationships with both her dad and Uncle Joe gave the book credibility and resonance.

3. What will you read next? I don't know.

 

 

Heartwarming, isn't it?

 

Sunday Stealing

Back to Bed

1. Let's say your alarm wakes you up with music. What would be the worst song to hear first thing in the morning? "I Got You, Babe." I like the song well enough, but I'd be afraid I'd found myself in Bill Murray's Groundhog Day.

2. How many pillows do you sleep with? Three. Two on my side of the bed, one that goes untouched on the other side but I keep it there to keep things symmetrical.

3. What size mattress do you sleep on? Full.

4. Do you always sleep on the same side of the bed? Yes. Closest to the door.

5. Do you make your bed every day? The only time I make my bed is when I change the sheets.

6. Do you keep water on your bedside table? Yes. I'm supposed to drink more water and I find that I mindlessly gulp it overnight so that water bottle brings me closer to my 8 glasses.

7. How often do you change your sheets? Weekly.

8. What's under your bed? Stuff. I don't even know for sure.

9. Do you sleep in total darkness or do you like to have a light on? Light.

10. What do you remember about your childhood bedroom? It was yellow. I still have my old yellow/white dressers in my walk-in closet.

 

"The one who always remembers"

That's me, according to my aunt/godmother. Her birthday was Friday and Mother's Day was last Sunday. Apparently it was not a festive week beyond her husband and friends. Her two sons, five grandchildren, and other goddaughter (my kid sister) all seemed to have ignored it, though one daughter-in-law did leave a "HBD" post on her Facebook page.

I sent her a pair of books. She has mentioned that she misses Kinsey Milhone, the Sue Grafton heroine who disappeared from our lives when author Grafton died, and Kay Scarpetta of Patricia Cornwell's series. My aunt feels – and I agree – that the Scarpetta books have become ridiculously complex and violent. (I gave up on Kay before she did.) So I sent my aunt Book #1 in a pair of mystery series I thought she might like: Rachel Knight (for Mother's Day) and Agatha Raisin (for her birthday). Instead of having Amazon send them, I wrapped them myself and included notes as to why I thought she'd like them.

Less than $50 and not really much of my time. The woman is knocking on 80 and is one of two people left on earth who held me as a baby. It made me happy to acknowledge her.

What made me sad is that so few other people did. Of course, she has only herself to blame. Her MAGA lectures are offensive, but she doesn't stop. Can't resist. She shoehorns it into every conversation and it snaps at you when you least expect it. Her children, grandchildren and now my sister can't stand it anymore.

I can. I have mitigated her presence on social media by changing my Facebook settings and have chosen to view her MAGA outbursts like an addiction she can't control. I have decided, too, that Donald Trump has coarsened us and cost us so much in terms of humanity, dignity and spirit.* I refuse to let him take my aunt away, too.

I've come to this conclusion in therapy. I've said these things out loud, worked them through, in sessions with my therapist. I'm a verbal old girl, articulating helps me resolve. My shrink calls my approach "taking one for the team." Making it clear that, out of love and choice – not obligation – I'm accepting a certain amount of unacceptable behavior from her. Oh, I find her views not only reprehensible but dangerous to our democracy. I'm a proud member of the resistance and do what I can, where I can, to peacefully beat MAGA back. But it also makes me happy to bring my aunt joy, especially when she seems to be lacking it. It brings me peace to give her grace. I like myself for how I treat her.

I am sorry for everyone else in this sad saga. For my aunt, for having alienated people she loves. Her children and grandchildren and now my sister, because they haven't felt as peaceful this week as I have.

Therapy is worth the dime and the time, folks. It really is. 

 *I do find it ruefully amusing that, when the tide turns against Trump, it will be because stuff costs more. Not because of January 6 or how he denied people due process and trampled on free speech and the separation of powers. Ah, the Land of the Free! The issues in my little family are just a microcosm of what's eating away at this whole country.

Ssturday 9

Saturday 9: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (1987)

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

1) In this song, Gracie Slick challenges, "Let them say we're crazy!" Tell us about something you're glad you did, even though your friends or family may have advised you against it. Going on vacation alone. Decades ago – back in the 1990s – a friend and I bought a spa package to the Arlington in Hot Springs. Her little boy (now married!) got sick and she cancelled at the last minute when it was too late for us to get a full refund. I went by myself and had double the hot tub soaks and massages. It was bliss! I began taking solo spa trips every spring for years. I was warned it wasn't safe, that I would be lonely, that it would feel awkward. It never was any of those things. I always came back from these trips rejuvenated by the alone time, and with more focus and insight. 

 

2) Slick is the lead singer of Jefferson Starship. This band got its start in 1965 as Jefferson Airplane but updated their name in 1974. Part of their reasoning was that by the 1970s, airplane travel was commonplace. In 2023, an estimated 820 million Americans flew domestically. When was your most recent flight? When is your next one? My last flight was ORD-LAX and back for the TCM Classic Film Festival last month. My next will be to/from Grand Rapids, Michigan. My niece is adopting a baby who will be born in June. I hope to travel up there some time in the early fall to meet my grand niece.🤞

 
3) Songwriter Albert Hammond said the song was inspired by his divorce. After years of legal wrangling, he was finally free to marry his long-time, long-suffering girlfriend. They're still married today. What is something you waited a long time for? Was it worth the wait? Retirement! As with any major life event, it was disruptive, a little scary and took me a long time to get used to. But yes, I love being able to call my days my own for the first time since I was 17.

 

4) Albert Hammond is perhaps best known as the one-hit wonder who sang, "It Never Rains in Southern California." Is rain expected where you are today? No.

 

5) He co-wrote the song with Diane Warren. In January, she lost her home to the Los Angeles fires. When a friend is confronted by heartache or tragedy, what can you say or do for them? What shouldn't you say or do? I tell them they are in my heart and my prayers. I send cards and emails to reinforce that I am here for them. I do not tell them this (whatever it is) was God's will. I am not presumptuous enough to speak for God! Plus everyone's relationship with God is individual and I respect that. BTW, something Joe Biden often said has helped me through a period of grief: "There will come a day, I promise you, that the memory of your loved one will bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye." Wise, sensitive and hopeful words.

6) "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" was the love theme to the romantic fantasy Mannequin. In that movie, a department store mannequin comes to life and falls for a struggling artist. While it was a moderate success at the box office, the gritty Vietnam drama Platoon was a much bigger hit. When you sit down to watch a movie, what genre would you prefer (fantasy, romance, comedy, drama, etc.)? I have a hankering to spend time with the Marx Brothers, so my answer must be comedy. (I love watching Groucho dance. The man cracks me up. And Harpo is so adorable.)

 

 
7) In 1987, when this song was popular, Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Aretha was proud of her Detroit roots. Have you been to Michigan? If yes, where did you go? I've been to Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids to visit various family members. I've never been to Detroit. It might be fun to go up there to see the Tigers play.

 

8) In 1987, the Chevy Corvette made news by adding a low tire pressure light to its dashboard. When you're driving and a yellow warning light comes on, do you handle the issue promptly? Or is it something you'll get to when you get around to it? No car. But I did learn, while I was working for a car care client, that drivers often consider yellow or orange warning lights as "low priority." That attitude, while common, is a good way to do real damage to your vehicle. (Listen to the lady who doesn't drive.)

9) Random question: A magic mirror reflects your appearance five years from today. Would you look at it? I don't know. I lost two close friends in 2024 and wonder how I would feel if I looked into the mirror and didn't see anything. (I know, that's a serious answer to a frivolous question. Sorry to be such a bummer.)

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #410

The motor boat edition. Here are thirteen facts about that most delightful sound: the purr.

1. Technically, a purr is not a "vocalization." The mouth is not involved at all. Muscles in the larynx vibrate and the sound is emitted as the cat breathes in and out.

2. The most common reason why a cat purrs is happiness. A purring cat is the ideal representation of contentment.

3. Mother cats purr after giving birth. Newborns are deaf and blind, so that vibration is how mothers and babies bond.

4. Kittens start purring themselves within a day or so of birth. They use their purr to let mama kitty know where they are.

5. A purr can be a manipulative act. Oh, boy! Do I know this one! My girl cat, Connie, makes serious eye contact and purrs like mad when she wants treats. She knows she's cute and that I find her irresistible.

6. It's kitty self care. Vets report that their hum calms them and helps them recover from illness or injury. I know Connie purrs when she's scared.

7. It's helpful to humans, too. Studies have shown that listening to a cat's purr can literally reduce blood pressure. 

8. It's rare, but occasionally vets come across a cat that doesn't purr. This is unique to the cat. Purrlessness is not tied to any breed.

9. Lions and tigers do not purr, but cheetahs and bobcats do.

10. Elephants often purr when they eat. Some believe it's their way of communicating to the rest of the herd, "This is good. This is safe."

11. Guinea pigs purr when they're happy.

12. Like cats and kittens, mother raccoons purr to comfort their kits.

13. Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt and Lee Merriwether also purred ... magnificently. 

 

 

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

 

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Competing with Idiots by Nick Davis. This dual biography of Herman and Joseph Mankiewicz was written by Herman's grandson, and his being a Mankiewicz adds dimension to the story.

 

Herman wrote Pride of the Yankees (see below) and another little movie you've likely heard of: Citizen Kane. His kid brother Joe won four Oscars. Herman's son Frank was Sen. Robert Kennedy's press aide and is the one who told the world of the second Kennedy assassination. Two of Nick's cousins – Ben and Josh – went on to have TV careers. Ben is the main host of TCM and a contributor to CBS Sunday Morning. Josh is a regular on Dateline. So the Mankiewicz clan is an interesting group of over achievers, and I like hearing about them from the inside.

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? The Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig by Jonathan Eig. I've seen Pride of the Yankees, the classic film about Lou Gehrig, many times. His wife, played by Teresa Wright, is portrayed as loyal, steadfast, true and oh-so wholesome. The truth is less wholesome but far more interesting.

Eleanor Twitchell had been a flapper. She drank, smoked and partied. She was "a lady with a past." When Lou married her, he was 30 and likely America's most eligible bachelor. He was also painfully shy around women and had lived at home with his overbearing mother his entire life. Eleanor rocked his world. Yes, she enjoyed going to Yankee Stadium wearing stylish hats and fur stoles. But she gave her husband the confidence to finally enjoy his fame and wealth, too. Before Eleanor, he simply signed every contract the Yankees gave him, even though he was an All Star and a World Series Champion. After her, he negotiated. He got over his shyness, appearing on Wheaties boxes and radio shows and even a Hollywood movie. While fishing alone on a boat remained his favorite past time, with Eleanor he traveled, dined out and took up ice skating.

Lou was always stoic about everything, but it was Eleanor who first suspected something was amiss. During the offseason, she insisted he see a doctor. (A personal physician, not one of the Yankees doctors.) Lou was misdiagnosed – ALS was not well known at the time – but it showed how well she knew and cared for her man. 

Theirs was a marriage of opposites, she was his perfect partner. Hers was the last face he saw before he slipped into a coma. The real Eleanor was too flashy a wench for MGM when they made Pride of the Yankees, but I thought their romance was the best part of this book. PS I liked all the baseball, too!

3. What will you read next? I don't know.

Sunday Stealing

The Bathroom Meme

1. Do you shampoo once or lather, rinse and repeat? I shampoo once.

2. Do you use conditioner a) daily, b) when you need it, c) never? Daily.

3. What's your shaving cream preference: foam or gel? Gel, I suppose. But I have foam right now because it was on sale.

4. Is your toothbrush manual or electric? Manual.

5. Dental floss, soft picks, neither or both? Soft pick, though I lie when the dentist asks and tell him both.

6. Do you use mouthwash a) daily, b) when you need it, c) never? B. Usually to help soothe angry gums after dental work, or when I worry that my breath may offend.

7. Are there magazines in your bathroom? Nope.

8. Is there bar soap or liquid soap on your bathroom sink? Bar.

9. What kind of soap is in your shower? Body wash.

10. Now for the most important question: does the toilet paper drape over or under? Over! Over over over over. Under is just wrong.

 

She's an old girl

My Connie Cat is so lively, it's easy to forget she's 13 years old, or 68 in human years. Saturday's trip to the vet brought it into sharp relief.

I knew she was going to need dental work. I put $2,000 of my tax refund aside for this purpose. It's not going to be enough.

Because of her age and her health issues, simply getting teeth pulled is not simple. Today was the geriatric blood panel ($370). It was only the first step in the process. Next, she will have an electrocardiogram – needed because of her heart murmur. Finally, she can have the teeth pulled. Now we're closer to $3,000.

No, I'm not happy about this. But after those two bad teeth are gone, she will be more comfortable. And healthier. Those raw gums can be a gateway to infection, and in a senior cat, infections can get serious quickly. 

Plus, we're in this together. While I can intellectualize concern about the money and ramifications of anesthesia, she is going to be in terror throughout this process. This morning, when she realized I was putting her in the carrier, she gave out this sad, plaintive howl, as though if she asked, she could dissuade me. When I was checking her in at the vet, she began to sing because she couldn't see me. During the exam – which included having her abdomen palpated and blood drawn – she was silent, distant, terrified. Granted, she was over it within a half hour of being home with Roy Hobbs. But it was heartbreaking to witness in real time.

She hates being outside. She hates strangers touching her. Every trip to the vet is a torment she can't understand, and this dental adventure will include three vet trips. So as unhappy as I am, she is that frightened. But we will get through this together, Connie and I.

Photo by Sueda Güzeldere on Unsplash

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: Mama Liked the Roses (1970)

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

1) In this song, Elvis tells us his mother loved tending the roses in the garden. Do you have a green thumb? I don't have a garden, but I do well with the potted plants I have hidden in my den. (If my cats knew they were in there, they'd say, "Hey! Thanks for the salad bar!")

2) Mama would put the roses in a vase in the living room. Do you have cut flowers in your home right now? Nope. I got out of the habit of having flowers at home because my cat Reynaldo would knock the vase over (snap) like that.

 
3) Elvis sings that he found Mama's rose petals pressed in the family Bible. Have you ever pressed petals in a book? If yes, what occasion were you commemorating? I've never done this.

4) OK, so now we know Mama liked roses. What about you? Would you prefer white, pink, yellow or red roses? I like yellow. I've never received white, but I think those are very pretty, too.

5) Elvis' own mother, Gladys Presley, had a major impact on pop culture. When her son was 11, he asked for either a rifle or a bicycle for his birthday. She deemed the rifle too dangerous and the bike too expensive, and so he chose a guitar instead. The rest is history. Tell us about a special birthday gift from your youth. I vividly recall the Addams Family game I received at my second grade birthday party. It was from Janet. She'd gone through Kindergarten and first grade with us but then her family moved – less than 5 miles away but a different school district. None of us had seen her since school let out the previous summer and when she showed up at my November birthday party, it was a massive big deal. I don't think I ever saw her again, but her attendance at my party helped all of us little girls adjust. I think my mom was very wise in making that happen.

6) Abraham Lincoln credited his stepmother, Sarah, for her lasting influence on his life, saying she ignited his love of reading and learning. Tell us about a woman -- mother, stepmother, grandmother, aunt, Godmother, teacher, neighbor -- who changed your life for the better. My cousin Rosemary. About a decade older than me, she showed me by example that there was a different path. She never tried to influence me, but she did always listen, encourage and support. I have tried to pay this forward and have always used Rosie as my role model when I spend time with my niece and nephew.

7) Mother's Day is almost upon us. According to the National Restaurant Association, we like to eat out on this holiday, with revenue up more than 80% on Mother's Day weekend. When did you last dine at a restaurant? Was it a special occasion? Just this afternoon (Friday) I had lunch with my friend Joanna at the bar in the Palmer House. It's a beautiful room, and one of her favorites. I suppose it was a special occasion in that the Palmer House is celebrating 100 years in this spot. I'm lucky to have Joanna remind me of places like this. She loves Chicago as only a transplant can (she moved here in 2001) and delights in things I can take for granted because they've been there my entire life.

 

8) Candles are a big seller for Mother's Day, too. What's your favorite candle scent? I don't do candles for the same reason I don't do cut flowers (cats). But I'm crazy about a pine candle we sell at the card shop each Christmas. If you stand in just the right spot in front of the display, it's heaven.

9) Sam is celebrating Mother's Day with her mother's favorite, Hershey Bars. Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate or chocolate with almonds? Milk chocolate with almonds.