Saturday 9

 
Saturday 9: Indian Lake (1968)

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

1) In this song, a family gets on a bus and heads off on vacation. Think about the last trip you took. Did you travel by car, bus, train, boat, or plane? I flew to/from Grand Rapids for Christmas with my niece and her family.

2) Once they get to Indian Lake, they swim, have a picnic and go canoeing. Are you looking forward to any of these activities this summer? None. Does that make me sound boring? 

3) "Indian Lake" became familiar to TV audiences because it was used in commercials for the Dodge Charger. In the 1960s, most households didn't have remote controls to enable viewers to mute or skip commercials. Today, we do. When a commercial comes on, do you watch or do you turn down the sound or, if possible, fast forward past it? I generally watch it. Since I was in advertising for decades. I figure it's my penance. Plus, I don't watch TV with the remote in my hands. Seems like a lot of work to locate it and figure out how to avoid the commercials. (My cousin Rose is passionate about muting or skipping commercials and never lets go of the remote, lest she hear a moment of an ad.)

4) The Cowsills were a family singing group who had four Top 10 hits between 1967 and 1969. The brothers were self taught musicians who enjoyed playing at church and school events. When their father, Bud Cowsill, became their manager, he insisted his wife Barbara and their youngest, Susan, join the band. He wanted the Cowsills to become "a latter-day Von Trapp family." Without looking it up, do you know who the Von Trapps were? The family that inspired The Sound of Music.

5) The Cowsills were the inspiration for the sitcom The Partridge Family. It ran for four seasons and the fictional Partridges had three Top 10 hits, were nominated for a Grammy and made David Cassidy a star. Are you familiar with The Partridge Family? Yes. The show was stupid but David Cassidy was dreamy. So were Donny and Bobby. Ah, the heart throbs of my pre-teen years!

I subscribed to Fave. $7/year of my own money!

6) The Cowsills starred in an advertising campaign for the American Dairy Association. On TV and in magazine ads they proclaimed that "Milk is the lift that lasts." Decades later, oldest brother Bill recalled that he seldom drank milk. How about you? Do you often drink milk? I drink a glass of chocolate milk every morning. My vitamins and meds go down easiest that way. 

7) While Bud Cowsill engineered the family band's success, he also contributed to their demise. The Cowsills were scheduled to appear 10 times on the influential Ed Sullivan Show, but were fired after the second because Bud was too confrontational backstage. He also had a reputation for being abrasive with record company executives and concert promoters, and this affected the the band's ability to find work. Do you have a hard time biting your tongue or controlling your temper? Not anymore. I reinvented myself when I started at the card shop in 2024. In my old job, I could run a tight ship and developed a reputation for getting what I wanted (that was my boss' version; I viewed it as having integrity and fighting for the best product possible). I am responsible for very little at this new job, so I'm approaching it differently. I'm all about the vibe, with my teammates and our customers. My new shift manager, Alejandra, called me a "gentle, sunny spirit." I cannot imagine any coworkers describing the 2020 vintage Gal that way. 

8) In 1968, when this song was popular, Leonard Bernstein released his award-winning recording of Mahler: Symphony No. 8. Do you enjoy classical music? No.

9) Random question – Here we are in March. If you made any New Year's resolutions, have you kept them? I promised myself I'd donate household goods and clothes once/month this year. As March ends, I've made 3 trips to the local resale shop and 1 to Goodwill, so I'm ahead. Let's hear it for The Gal!

Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash

 

 

Boomerang emotions

Happy. Sad. That's been me this past week. 

First the happy. I spent a lovely afternoon with Elaine. We celebrated her birthday by exploring the Art Institute of Chicago – she keeps trying to civilize me – and then having a fancy lunch at Remington's, a new-to-her restaurant.

I had a good shift at the card shop. Emily, my new boss, wore a Cubs hoodie to the store in celebration of Opening Day. Obviously a bond was forged.

Then I got a pair of invitations. Laura, a Los Angeleno movie lover I met at last year's TCM Film Festival, wants to know when I'm arriving in town for this year's festival. She's having a breakfast that first day and hopes I can join her husband and their friends. The second is from Bob. He and Patty are locals who also attend the TCM Film Festival. He's retiring on April 3 and this weekend his wife is hosting an Open House in his honor. 

I miss my late friends Henry and John so very much. Every day. New people can't replace them, of course, but it makes me happy to know that there are opportunities out there for camaraderie. 

Now for the sad. My girlcat, Connie, is sick. As recently as Tuesday night, she was fine. I distinctly recall her racing around, leaping and playing, after her dinner and, frankly, her evening shit. Wednesday she was quiet, eating but not at all social. Thursday I had to convince her to eat. Today I can't get her to take food or water. She doesn't want to cuddle puddle with Roy Hobbs or get a tummy scratch from me. I suspect she's constipated. I'm worried that she could become dehydrated. So tomorrow morning we have the first appointment (8 AM) at the vet. Tonight is going to be a tough night. I am so worried about my little girl. She has never been healthy. When I first adopted her, she was recovering from malnutrition. She has a heart murmur. Now she's a senior citizen – 14 years old, the equivalent of 72 in human years – and things could go south quickly.

It's such a tight rope I walk with her. Connie is so shy with strangers, so frightened of leaving the house. Taking her to the vet causes her terror so I don't want to do it unless absolutely necessary. So I waited until I knew this wasn't some passing blip. I just hope I didn't wait too long.

I love my girlcat very much. 

Photo by Mirela Vasile on Unsplash 
 

 

Thursday Thirteen #456

Well, this is random. Amazon is top of mind because they're having a Big Spring Sale. Here are the contents of 13 recent Amazon deliveries. 

1. RoC Retinol Night Serum Capsules. Only I don't use it at night. 

2. Toe separators. Okay, maybe this is weird. I noticed in the tub that the big toe on my left foot – the foot with the bunion – rubs against the next toe. Who knew that a company name Welnove makes a little blue washable toe separator?

3. Ethernet cable. It is what it is.

4. 48 tubes of lip balm. I put these in the blessing bags I give local panhandlers.

5. Small plastic litter pan. This is not for my cats. (I mean, small? For Roy Hobbs?) It was sent to an animal shelter in Kankakee for their supply drive after the March 10 tornado.

6. Nike Revolution 8 Shoes. Still breaking them in, but I'm hopeful.

7. Compression socks. Seems I'm fixated on my feet lately, doesn't it? These help with the heel pain I've been suffering due to disc issues.

8. 50 blank folded cards. I use these for my Letters Against Isolation cards.

9. Airtight cereal storage container. But not for cereal. This is to prevent Roy Hobbs from tearing into the bag of cat food, gorging himself, and throwing up. Yes, he's smart. But I have opposing thumbs and can work the latch!

10. GUM dental picks. I could have purchased these at Walgreen's, but it was a bit of a walk and the weather was challenging and I had another Amazon delivery coming anyway and oh, what the hell.

11. "This blanket is a hug to you." I had a purple one sent to my Cousin Rose after she had knee surgery. She took a selfie using it, which made me happy.

12. Organic honey and oatmeal cream. I ordered this to treat a raised red patch on my arm. I don't know what caused the rash, but this seemed to work. (I seem to respond well to oatmeal in these situations.)

13. Air purifier for the bedroom. I don't know that my air needs purifying, but it can't hurt, right?

Do you often come home to Amazon packages on your doorstep?  

 

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

 

Does she want to be alone?

I thought I was writing an inoffensive email. I was touching base with my aunt/Godmother, who has had health problems lately. I wanted to make her feel supported. I also wanted to show her a photo of Violet, my grandniece, with Violet's cousins, who had come to Michigan over Spring break to meet the baby. 

I used this TV theme song as my entrée. If you're a Boomer, you know it. Patty Duke portrayed "identical cousins," which is, of course, genetically impossible. This theme is as memorable as the show was stupid. 

I was chatty. I talked about how the lyrics to this theme were running through my head all week:

•  First with the Oscars and Sinners. I reminded her that I've been madly Oscar obsessed since I was a little girl and remain so, so naturally I saw Michael B. Jordan's winning performance for playing twins. I mentioned how amazed I am by how far the technology had come since the 1960s when Patty Duke played COUSINS, identical cousins! I asked her if she remembered the song.

•  Then with the photo of Baby Violet and her California, which I attached. I knew if it wasn't for me my aunt wouldn't see it because she has MAGA'd their mothers to death. They no longer communicate with her because my aunt is legit unable to converse without shoe-horning her hostile politics into every conversation. (Spoiler alert: she's about to do it to me. Keep reading.)

I closed the email with an update about the resolution of my problems at the card shop. I was happy to report that I'm able to sit during my shifts because of my bad back, and that Corporate HR couldn't have been nicer about it. "Of course they are. Because I'm a senior citizen and they're afraid I'll sue." I was joking, of course. I made $4,800 at this job in 2025. I'm certainly not about to sue anyone over this!

Auntie answered right away.  No mention of The Patty Duke Show, which made me sad because I was sure that shot of nostalgia would have made her smile. 

But she didn't watch the Oscars because the political posturing of Hollywood turns her off, and she doesn't want to see what the celebrities "are wearing, or most likely, not wearing." My comment about HR reminded her of "all the woke garbage" when she worked for Motorola, where "a black woman engineer was automatically golden." She liked the photo of Baby Violet and the California Cousins and said she kinda misses her only cousin, Sandy, but she hasn't heard from Sandy since last May. (Gee! I wonder why.)

She went on to detail her medical problems, which included a recent trip to the ER for vomiting and stomach pains. She's OK now, but I appreciate that this must have terrifying.

She will be 80 in May.* She is estranged from her oldest son and his kids because she can't stop being, in her adult granddaughter's words, "a racist homophobe." She has a great grandchild she's never held. My kid sister and my niece don't want anything to do with her since she called my niece and nephew "freeloaders" for their participation in Biden's tuition repayment plan. 

At least she still has me. But for fuck's sake, can't she remove her red MAGA hat for the half hour it takes to respond to my email? She didn't have to slam the Oscars, which she knows I watched and enjoyed. I gave her The Patty Duke Show off ramp. She could have just said she was happy for me, getting the stool at work. Or she could have asked what was wrong with my back. But no, she went with "the woke garbage." (BTW, I had referred to myself as "a senior citizen" because that usually makes her laugh. "You're my sweet baby niece and Goddaughter! How can you be a senior citizen?")

I have news for my Auntie. Come Mother's Day and her birthday in May, she can count on gifts from one person, and it's not Donald Trump. 

I am stubborn and I refuse to let her go. But I wish she'd stop tempting me.

I know that our President likes to chide people like me for Trump Derangement Syndrome, but it's MAGA that takes over people's lives. I don't go to the blogs of right-wingers and tell them why they're wrong, yet people have done that here. I don't tell my aunt I don't respect her beliefs, but she can't resist slagging mine. There's an inherent lack of respect, a need to make enemies out of others, that MAGA inspires. 

I can see that my aunt is lonely and I know she's not stupid. I just don't see why she can't connect the dots.

*Or maybe 79.  

 

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? Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! by Liza Minnelli. I am a big fan of (some of) Liza's work. Her Emmy-winning special, Liza with a Z, is ridiculously rewatchable. But as a personality, she makes me uncomfortable. I do not connect to her emotionally. I find her too schmaltzy, too undignified, inauthentic ... Maybe I'm wrong about her. Let's see. Besides, I find Garland endlessly fascinating, and there's sure to be a shit-ton of Judy here.

2. What did you recently finish reading? The Last Coincidence by Robert Goldsborough. A young woman that Archie watched grow up – Noreen, the favorite niece of his long-time love, Lily Rowan – is raped. The word "rape" is never used, but that's obviously what happened. The girl refuses to press charges but Archie takes matters into his own hands and confronts her attacker. Pages later, the creep is found dead. Genius detective Nero Wolfe is persuaded to solve the murder.

 

I appreciated the discretion and sensitivity used when addressing the rape. I also appreciated the way Nero Wolfe treats Noreen. Wolfe has never been comfortable around women and sex is a mystery to him. But he doesn't approach her as broken, or a victim. He respects her as an adult and a client. As a survivor of sexual violence myself, I liked Wolfe for that.

3. What will you read next?  I don't know, but I'm sure it will be non-fiction.

PS A note about The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. I'm not including it here because it's really more of a workbook than a book. Which is not to say I haven't found it helpful. I even downloaded the worksheets!

 

  

How nice it must be

Today I wore my 2025 Paul McCartney tour t-shirt. Two different women – one in her 30s, the other in her 50s – asked me if I saw "him" last time "he" was in town. 

I thought it must be great to be Paul McCartney. He was in Chicago four months ago, yet both of these women had been aware of his concert appearances.  They both seemed certain these had been memorable shows.

He has earned a high level of notoriety and good will. I hope he knows it and enjoys it.

 

Sunday Stealing

Have You Ever ...

1) Skipped school? Depends on your definition. I malingered so my mom would call me in a sick. I left the school at lunchtime and didn't return for afternoon classes. I joined the school newspaper so I wouldn't get a last hour class and then went to the mall instead of the newspaper office. BUT I never pretended to leave for school in the morning without reaching that destination.

 

2) Lettered in a school sport? Yes. I got a letter for volleyball in 8th grade. I was a terrible player and I didn't deserve to even make the team, much less letter. But my gym teacher/coach was proud of me for trying out and I got the letter as a reward for gumption and good-naturedly riding the bench.

 

3) Made a prank phone call? Oh yes. How do kids do this now? Do they buy burner phones for this specific purpose?

 

4) Paid for a meal with coins? Often. Especially in the lunch line at the school cafeteria. Again, do kids still do this today? Do they still search sofa cushions and car interiors for coins?

5) Laughed until some sort of beverage came out of your nose? Nope.

 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: London Town (1978)

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

1) Have you ever visited London? Nope. 

2) In this song, Paul sings of encountering a London street musician playing the flute. Are there street musicians in your town? When I worked in Chicago's Loop, I saw street musicians all the time. I especially got a kick out of the kids who played drums on empty buckets. But now that I work in the quieter neighborhood I live in? No.

3) It's raining as he wanders around London. How is the weather where you are today? Beautiful! 75º and sunny. Tomorrow, however, it will be rainy and 45º. Welcome to spring in Chicago.

4) "London Town" is one of a handful of songs credited to Paul McCartney and Denny Laine, his bandmate in Wings from 1971 to 1981. They became fast friends in the mid-60s when Denny was with The Moody Blues, the band who opened for The Beatles on their final UK concert tour. Paul has acknowledged Denny's outstanding vocals and guitar playing, as well as his humor and generosity. Share the good qualities of one of your close friends. I'm soon going to see Elaine soon for the first time in more than a month, so she's top of mind. I like how independent she is in her thinking. She recently told me the story of her days as a beauty pageant contestant back in the 1970s. The pageant was to crown the queen who would ride in a neighborhood parade. She was still in her teens and entered as a joke, though her mother was thrilled and took it very seriously. Anyway, she made it to the finals, where the contestants were asked what they would say to Mayor Richard J. Daley, who ruled Chicago with an iron fist. The other girls said things like, "I'd thank him," or "I'd be so excited, I couldn't think of anything to say." Elaine said, "I'd ask him why he doesn't hire Black officers to police Black neighborhoods and Chinese officers for Chinatown." She recalls being greeted by uncomfortable silence. She lost and her mother was furious. She had no regrets, saying, "They gave me a microphone and I used it for good." That's Elaine.

5) Wings broke up in 1981 when Paul decided he was weary of touring. His kids were in school, his Beatle bandmate John Lennon had been murdered, and he simply felt more comfortable staying put and working in the studio, rather than performing live. Denny believed this would mean his role, and his financial compensation, would diminish so he quit Wings. Tell us about why you left one of your jobs. I left my first advertising job because I wanted to see what I could really do. I was a copywriter for the Sears Catalog and it was great fun and it had become quite easy, but it was formulaic. I went on to write packaging copy and marketing materials for a hair care company and loved the challenges.

6) Linda McCartney also wrote and performed with Wings. In addition to music, she is known for her photography and cookbooks. Of these three – music, photography and cooking – which do you enjoy most? Photography. I'm not especially good at it, but I do enjoy it.

7) Paul's first car was a 1964 Aston Martin DB5. He selected it himself before The Beatles went off on their first world tour and it was waiting for him when he got home to London. He drove it when he shouldn't have, as he didn't get his license until spring of 1965. When did you get your driver's license? I didn't get my driver's license until I was 30. I was always a terrible driver, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could, indeed, pass the test. Once I did, I never drove again. (And you don't want me to. I'm awful.)

8) Speaking of driver's licenses ... Last year someone bought one of Paul's expired driver's licenses at auction for $20,000. When you get a new license, passport, or state issued ID, what do you do with the old one? I have a very, very old passport around here somewhere. It's probably more than 30 years expired and I think it's a neat souvenir. My expired state IDs go into the shredder.

9) Random question – Which do you have more of: dirty dishes in the sink or dirty clothes in the hamper? Clothes.

 

 

This is not normal

Banners depicting Donald Trump now hang outside the USDA and the Department of Justice in Washington DC. No President has ever done anything like this before.

Photo by USA Today

 

Donald J. Trump is having a coin struck in his honor. It's a gold commemorative coin. No President has ever done this, either. He is also trying to have his image replace Sacagawea on the silver dollar. This is likely not legal. Whatever. She's a chick and she's not white so who cares? (Dismissing a Native American woman is such a great way to prove you're not WOKE.)

The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts is now the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The word "memorial" here is key. Legally, and by an act of Congress, The Kennedy Center is a memorial to John F. Kennedy the same way the Lincoln Memorial immortalizes Lincoln. Will "Make America Great Again" be carved into the marble in that Memorial alongside the Gettysburg Address? Don't roll your eyes and dismiss this as Trump Derangement Syndrome. The Kennedy Center is closing in July for "renovations" and I predict that when it reopens there will be no JFK left. (And hey! How about that East Wing of the White House where our modern First Ladies made so much history? What do you bet that massive ballroom will be named for Donald J. Trump, as well?)

I don't know where you went to school or what was taught in your social studies, but I bet you were told, as I was, that we don't put our living elected officials on stuff like postage stamps or money because they aren't sovereigns or monarchs. This is part of why we fought that Revolutionary War, remember? Yet MAGA mocks us when we march in No More Kings rallies. Okeedokee.

Trump's SAVE Act disenfranchises married women. If you took your husband's name, you better never move. Because if the SAVE Act passes and you relocate, you won't be able to register to vote without proof of citizenship – likely your birth certificate, and your birth certificate doesn't have your married name, now does it? So you'll have to produce your passport. If you don't have a current passport, you'll have to apply for one. That takes four to six weeks. Oh, and after you get your passport, you'll have to contact your State Board of Elections and find out where to re-register in person. If the SAVE Act passes, there will be be no more online voter registration. If you think this is designed to stop illegal aliens from voting, well, bless your heart. It's to make it harder for married women to vote. Makes sense, since only 44% of women voted for Trump in 2024. 

Think this is Trump Derangement Syndrome again? Ask yourself how hard it will be for a man to re-register to vote if he gets married or moves. (Or me. At times I am quite grateful to be a spinster.)

Of course, instead of the arduous SAVE Act, we could just require voters to re-register by presenting the Real ID they got so they could board a plane. They had to prove citizenship to get that, so the screening is already done. That would be more efficient for the government – remember DOGE? – and it's already in your wallet. But what fun would that be? After all, we're talking about a punitive  Administration that thinks it's completely acceptable to have ICE agents ask citizens to produce "their papers" on our streets, just because of skin color or accent.  

I know this President is becoming less popular, but it's not because of authoritarian antics. It's because people are paying more at the pump and even the most Trump-y red state driver cannot possibly still blame that on "Sleep Joe" Biden, too.  Somehow that makes me sad. I wish Americans cared more about America than their wallets. 

My friend John once said of America during the last Presidential campaign, "In Berlin before the War, they didn't know they were living in Berlin before the War." He was so right.

 

Thursday Thirteen #455

 I ❤ Archie. Let me tell you about my imaginary boyfriend.

1. Archie Goodwin was originally created by author Rex Stout. He appears in 47 Nero Wolfe mystery novels and short stories, written first by Stout and then, after his death, Robert Goldsborough.

2. Archie is is 5'11 and 180 lbs. Light brown hair, brown eyes. Because the characters in Wolfe mysteries don't age, he is forever between 35 and 40 years old. A private investigator, licensed by the State of New York, he works for Nero Wolfe. They are an impressive team: Wolfe, the peerless genius and agoraphobic; Archie, fearless, street smart and good with his fists. He collects the clues and presents them to Wolfe, who solves the cases.

 

3. He is comfortable living in the shadow of his celebrity boss. He also lives comfortably in Wolfe's home, a Manhattan brownstone. His bedroom is on the third floor. The all-male household also includes Fritz Bremmer, a gourmet chef always on call (except for his day off) who lives in the basement, and Theodore Horstman, the full-time gardener who tends to Wolfe's internationally renown orchid collection. Though there 7 days a week, sometimes for as long as 12 hours in a day, Theodore does not live onsite.

 

4. When they aren't working cases together, Archie acts as Wolfe's secretary. He types, organizes files, handles correspondence, and balances the household accounts. He gets a two-week paid vacation each year. (No word on medical, dental or life insurance.)

 

5. His work with Wolfe regularly puts him in contact with law enforcement. Archie banters with Inspector Cramer of homicide and Cramer's assistant, Sgt. Purley Stebbins. Though often at cross purposes, the police respect Archie's integrity and skill, and he theirs. That's not true of Lt. Rowcliff. He and Archie make one another crazy and bring out the worst in each other. (I don't know what first Stout and then Goldsborough tried to achieve with this character, but I think he detracts more than he adds. I don't like Archie when he tangles with Rowcliff.)

 

6. I love Archie best when he's being a catalyst. Wolfe is very lazy and often won't take a case unless Archie badgers him into it. He uses humor to distract newspaper men and persuade them to share OTR information with him. He plays the clown or goes "aw, shucks" to ingratiate himself with witnesses and suspects. He is a friend and confidant to Fritz and a constant irritant to Theodore.

 

7. Archie is an excellent dancer and owns his own tux, which comes in handy when he's tailing a socialite. He enjoys billiards – Wolfe has a table in the brownstone – and stays in practice. He plays poker every Thursday night but seems to lose as often as he wins.

 

8. He is a big Mets fan and enjoys eating at the ballpark. Though not a big drinker, he has beer with his hot dogs and peanuts.

 

9. He stops for meals while on the street working cases and knows all the good NYC diners. (He seems to eschew chain restaurants.) His favorite place to eat, though, is at home. Fritz is not only an excellent cook, he's one of Archie's favorite people. He often starts his day eating breakfast in the kitchen with Fritz in companionable silence. 

   

10. Meals play a big part in the Wolfe books. There's pheasant, shad roe, capon souvaroff, Porterhouse steaks ... While Wolfe has wine, Archie tends to sip coffee. If Archie has to miss the evening's sitdown dinner, Fritz will make him more plebeian fare, like franks and beans or a ham sandwich. Archie insists he can scramble eggs, but I don't recall ever seeing him do it.

 

11. He drinks milk all day long. He has no exercise regime that I'm aware of.

 

12. Archie likes and appreciates women. Since he is our narrator, we hear his impression of everyone he meets and I can't recall a single female character he didn't say something good about. They may have good legs, or dimples, or a melodious voice, or shiny hair, or an open manner ... Regardless of age, race or body type, Archie admires them all. He forms instant crushes and occasionally as he interviews a woman, he fantasizes about sending her roses. 

 

13. He is involved in a long-term romantic relationship with socialite Lily Rowan. This blue-eyed blonde is heiress to the construction dynasty that literally built New York's sewer system and today has extensive ties to City Hall. Archie is too secure to be jealous of her position or uncomfortable in her rarefied milieu, though he does remind us that when he takes "La Rowan" out to dinner, he pays. They are not exclusive, but it is discreetly hinted that Archie and Lily are intimate – he knows she likes to sleep in on Sunday mornings, they have vacationed together across Europe, etc. She admires Archie's savoir-vivre. I want to be Lily Rowan. 

How about you? Do you have a dream lover?

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? The Last Coincidence by Robert Goldsborough. Much as I enjoy mystery series, I don't tend to read them back to back. I like to mix it up a bit. I'm making an exception this week to spend more time with the gang in Nero Wolfe's brownstone. I just didn't feel ready to move on after I finished Silver Spire (below).

 

This Wolfe mystery begins without much Wolfe, at least not at first. His assistant, Archie Goodwin, takes on a project all his own. Archie's long-time lover, Lily Rowan, tells Archie that her favorite niece is involved with, and has been abused by, a Manhattan party boy named Sparky. Archie decides to get to the bottom of this as a favor to Lily, and because he believes there's a way gentlemen should behave and Sparky's been a scumbag. Anyway, things go south fast and I predict that soon, very soon, genius investigator Wolfe will have involve himself.

2. What did you recently finish reading? Silver Spire by Robert Goldsborough. This mystery is set in the late 1980s. A new super church on Staten Island is all the rage because it's one of the first to nationally televise its services. It receives a lot of attention, not all of it positive. Some crank is slipping threatening letters into the collection sack (a plate isn't big enough for the money that rolls in). As the origin of those letters is investigated, someone gets dead. Both Nero Wolfe and his assistant, Archie Goodwin, believe the letters and the murder are an inside job, committed by a church employee. The folks at the church object to this strongly.

Part of why I enjoyed this is that the faith community is treated with such respect. Neither Archie nor Wolfe belong to a church and both are skeptical about marketing and monetizing religion. But there is no condescension when it comes to the Silver Spire employees, and Archie especially views them with compassion as they wrestle with the aftermath of the murder.

3. What will you read next?  Non-fiction. My shrink has recommended The Happiness Trap.

 

  

 

So it's the laughter we will remember ...

 

I'd read a rumor last week that Streisand would pay tribute to Redford at this year's Oscars, but I dismissed it as just that. My girl Babs is a perfectionist, and a live performance in front of a worldwide audience just doesn't seem like her jam. Besides, at 84 (next month), she doesn't perform anymore.

But there she was last night. Onstage, reminiscing about her most indelible leading man. (He seems to have been the first one to call her "Babs," at least to her face.) And then she sang the last chorus of "The Way We Were." Katie said farewell to Hubbell one last time. Yeah, I cried. Of course I cried. 

This came after a tribute to Rob Reiner. First Billy Crystal spoke about his best friend, then the casts of his most famous films wordlessly stood together onstage. (This one was really fraught since we all know – from police reports – that the last place Rob Reiner and his wife ever visited was the home of Oscar host Conan O'Brien.)

Then the tribute to Diane Keaton. Her Family Stone co-star Rachel McAdam shared that, on set, Keaton would sing The Girl Scout Friendship Song. ("Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold. A circle is round, it has no end, that's how long I'll be your friend.") How very sweet and authentic!

Redford was 89. Keaton was 79. Reiner was 78. They were a huge part of my movie going, and since movies are a big part of my life, they mattered to me. While Redford hit me hardest personally, he died peacefully at home in his sleep. I wish we could say the same of the other two.

Anyway, last night's Oscar In Memoriam segment was beautiful and, for me, cathartic.

 

PS When she first came out, the piano was too loud and we had a hard time hearing Babs over it. I am sure she demanded a complete accounting of how that happened. And I wouldn't have her any other way.

Sunday Stealing

Thursday Thunks

1. It's the middle of the night. There isn't another car in sight. You're stuck at a red light that just won't change. How long do wait until you run it? I don't drive so I don't know for certain. There's a four-way stop in my town that is frequently red all ways, even for pedestrians. I just daringly, perhaps unwisely, go when I decide it looks safe. I imagine I'd do the same thing in car ... if I was confident I wouldn't get a ticket.

2. What's your favorite recipe? I don't really have one.

3. When did you last ask yourself, "What the hell was I thinking?" I predict it will happen on March 23 when I see the the $18.95 (gulp!) rental charge on my credit card bill for Marty Supreme. It's one of the last multi-Oscar-nominated movies I hadn't seen and just went for it. And then immediately had renters' remorse. It was a good movie. I'm not sorry I saw it. Depending on how it does at the Oscars, I may be sorry I spent the $18.95 to see it.

4. Have you ever had a mole removed? If yes, where on your body was it? Lots. Last time was about a decade ago. My dermatologist referred me to a plastic surgeon to have one on my face removed and biopsied. It was benign, thank God. 

5. What website do you faithfully check (other than email)? I've been checking YouTube a lot lately to see when the latest Daily Beast podcasts drop.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover (2001)

Selected in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) This is one of the songs included in Willie Nelson's Rainbow Connection album. He named it after his daughter Amy's favorite song when she was a little girl. She'd been asking him to record "The Rainbow Connection" for 20 years and finally, in 2001, he came through for her. Think of something you had to wait for. Was it worth the wait? I had to wait five days to bring Roy Hobbs home. Here he is the day we met at what is – for most cats – a no-cage shelter. But he was in isolation because he had a cold. Since I had another cat (Connie) at home, we agreed he should finish his meds and make sure he was on the mend before I brought him home. And oh, yes! He was worth the wait!

2) Willie can trace his family tree back to the Revolutionary War. Are you interested in genealogy? Not really.

3) Today Willie is legendary performer, but as a child, he was very uncomfortable in front of crowds. He recalled that during his school days, reciting in front of his class made him so uncomfortable he suffered nose bleeds. When did you most recently have a bloody nose? During the winter. It wasn't a gusher, but I noticed blood on my tissue. Every winter, the heat dries out my skin and nasal passages.

4) During the 1990s, Willie had problems with the IRS. His management team set up illegal tax shelters and he ended up owing millions in back taxes and penalties. This year's IRS filing deadline is Wednesday, April 15. Will you be early, on time, or will you need an extension? Taxes filed, refund received, some of it spent already. I put some away for my upcoming vacation and the rest is going to a series of facials. (La-de-dah!)

5) In "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover," Willie sings about appreciating something he has previously overlooked. Is there anything positive in your life you feel you may take for granted? That both Connie and Roy Hobbs are healthy. My cats provide so much affection and joy and keeping them safe and well is my responsibility. 

6) Four leaf clovers and shamrocks are considered good luck. Do you have a lucky charm? My Guatamalan "worry doll." When I fly, I hold her in my hand and transfer my panic to her.

 
7) "The wearing o' the green" is one way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Will you wear something green in honor of the day? Yes.

8) According to Irish folklore, if you catch a leprechaun he must either give you his pot o' gold or grant you three wishes. Would you choose the gold or the wishes? I would go for the gold. I've heard that leprechauns can be difficult to deal with, so it might be wise to just take the pot and be on my way.

   

9) Traditional Irish stew is made with mutton or lamb, though here in the US beef is also very popular. What's your favorite soup/stew? I recently had a really good bowl of chicken and shells. I don't know why I liked shells better than noodles, but I did.

 

Thursday Thirteen #454

Faith and Beggorah! St. Patrick's Day is a huge-ass big deal here in Chicagoland. Everyone will wear green. Everyone will raise a glass in celebration. Neighborhoods have their own competing parades. We even dye the Chicago River green.

Yet at the card shop where I work, all we sell for St. Patrick's Day is four different greeting cards. I was told this is because St. Patrick's Day is not the event nationwide that it is in Chicago and Boston, and since our store is part of a national chain, we get the same merchandise as every other store in the country gets. They don't tailor what they send us to our unique customer base.

This is a missed opportunity, as evidenced by the 13 top St. Patrick's Day items on sale at the dollar store on the other side of town. 

1. 16-oz. St. Patrick’s Day tumblers
2. Shamrock headbands
3. Snoopy-as-Leprechaun socks
4. Winnie the Pooh-as-Leprechaun socks
5. Cardboard shamrock eyeglasses 
6. Leprechaun green felt hats
7. Shamrock felt garland
8. Leprechaun party straws
9. Pot o'gold dishtowels
10. Shamrock beads
11. Leprechaun wall decorations`
12. Sheet of "Luck of the Irish/Lucky charm" stickers
13. Shamrock foil balloons

How about your neighborhood? Will you see many leprechauns and shamrocks as St. Patrick's Day approaches?

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? Silver Spire by Robert Goldsborough. Set your time machine back to 1980s New York. A charismatic minister at the forefront of the new wave of televangelism discovered threatening letters in the collection sack (a plate isn't big enough for the money that rolls in). To get to the bottom of this scary situation, the Rev.'s top assistant ends up where many prominent but troubled New Yorkers of the day went – on the steps of Nero Wolfe's brownstone.

I'd hang around that brownstone if I could. There's Nero Wolfe himself, genius investigator, who is as lazy and irascible as he is brilliant. I love his reluctance to work when there is quiet pleasure to be had, reading, drinking beer, and tending his orchids. Which brings us to Theodore. He's a jerk, but this gardener is the only one Wolfe trusts with his prized orchids. Fritz is the household manager/cook, and he's adorable. Charming, dedicated and talented, he whips up dishes like poached shad with sorrel sauce for lunch. Best of all, there's Archie Goodwin. He's Wolfe's right hand man, keeper of the books and the secrets, the one who actually gathers the clues. He may not have Wolfe's IQ, but he's clever and witty – a good detective with a bad attitude when confronted by authority. He also loves baseball, poker and women. I've always been more than a little in love with Archie, so I'm enjoying this.

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? Nobody Heard a Thing by Angela Henry.  Decades ago, two little girls went to the park after school. One was abducted in plain sight of the other and never seen again. A documentarian shows up in the sleepy midwestern town to take a fresh look at this cold case on its 25th anniversary. She starts digging around and old rumors and new theories surface. People start getting dead. Is it tied to the long-ago abduction, or is bucolic Elmhurst now under siege from a serial killer?

 

The plot of this book is first rate.  Zig zag. Twist turn. It goes in unexpected directions and yet, looking back, it all made sense. Which is not to say I liked or recommend it. The main character, Ava, is an idiot. For real. She experienced trauma as a child – seeing her friend snatched before her eyes – and yet exhibits no caution, apprehension or even common sense. She repeatedly puts herself in harm's way for no particular reason. No, wait! Here's the reason: She has to behave this way to move the story along. I wish Ms. Henry put as much care into character development as she did into her intricate plot.

3. What will you read next?  Don't know.