RECENTLY VIEWED MOVIES

Am I a movie nut, or what? Both I guess. Some recently watched movies that I want to pass along to anyone interested and mostly available at Blockbuster for $4.99 are:

THE WHOLE SHEBANG is a cute love story full of fireworks both literally and figuratively starring Stanley Tucci. This is not a chick flick but one the men will enjoy too. I was especially taken with the dog in the movie because I knew a dog like him once.

THE UPSIDE OF ANGER is a must see for anyone in relationship or ever in a relationship or ever hoping to be in relationship. It is a wonderful composite of what anger does to a family and has an ending that kept me guessing during the whole movie.

CAVEDWELLER is not a very descriptive title for this movie, also about relationships, unless I missed something so I did not chose this movie by its title but rather by the blurb on the back of the case. Again, about a family in conflict, this movie takes some unexpected turns in attitude and action and I liked the tenderness portrayed by some of the rather crude characters.

A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT is set in France in WWI and has French subtitles. It is a rather long movie with frequent flashbacks to the trenches. The plot unfolds in the beautiful French countryside with the young woman grieving the loss of her fiance. She is sure that he is not dead and sets out on a long journey to find him. It seems that she becomes totally delusional about finding someone who so obviously did not make it off the battlefield. The viewer wants so for her to find peace of mind. She does find peace of mind in a lovely, serene ending.

You can find out more about these movies by going to www.imdb.com. I hope that some of you check out these movies.

JUST GOT HOME

I just got home from an overnighter with my son and Lady Cheryl in Clearwater. We dined at a Japanese grill last night and had breakfast at my favorite place, Lenny's, probably once a Denny's, which serves Jewish breakfast and lunch fare. That was our only tribute to Israel--no put down to the Jews intended.

Last night we watched a feature length French cartoon entitled THE TRIPLETTS OF BELLEVILLE. It had been recommended by John's father and we found it delightfully funny and entertaining. We all laughed our heads off. I think my favorite character was the dog, Bruno. I bought it so I will enjoy seeing it over and over. The special features on the video with the animators and musicians were especially delightful too. I always enjoy hearing how a project was conceived by the producers so I nearly always watch the features when I view a movie--that is the advantage of seeing a DVD at home.

Now I'm home for the afternoon which means doing the dishes and taking a nap. Ta Ta.

IT'S A QUIET WEEK

It's a quiet week in woebegone Lakeland. I'm doing less than I should but more than I want to. Mainly I'm trying to get ready for my vacation to the north for a month and getting psyched up for it. I always end up with lots of last minute stuff to do before a trip and I am trying to circumvent that this time. We will see how well I do. Today I have paid bills and shredded--there is always stuff to shred.

My son called me on his way home from the airport today. He and Cheryl had arrived back safely having had a wonderful time. I look forward to hearing about it face to face. The children were all in Chicago along with their father and had an enviable weekend together. My son-in-law returned to Chicago yesterday from a long ride on his BMW with riders from their riding club who went to a rally somewhere in New York state. It was his first really long ride and I guess he was pumped when he got home. He and Natalie will ride together for a week to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at the end of August. I may go to Chicago to house/dog sit for them during that time. My youngsters have so much fun.

This weekend Natalie, Amanda and friend Amber are meeting in Logansport IN to do a decathlon--Nat rides the bike portion, Amanda swims and Amber runs. I think they took first place last year in their division but they claimed not to have much competition. They may have to work harder this year. I am glad that they have so much fun doing physical stuff. I never learned to enjoy that. I believe that they are doing the same thing for a competition in a couple of weeks in Chicago.

As can be seen, I wouldn't have much to write about were it not for my children. My mother-in-law, God rest her soul, had a saying that she loved. It was: "Every old crow thinks hers is the blackest." I think she probably said that to me one time when I was bragging on my offspring. I have certainly proven that old adage to be true. I think that I have also proved my boundless love for my children. As I have often said, "They are the very air that I breathe." God bless all of them. I love being a Mom. It is the greatest accomplishment of my life, undoubtedly. Thank you, God, for the privilege of having such a wonderful family.

Hey, anybody out there reading. Have a great day. Feel the love.

BOMBS BEING RUSHED TO ISRAEL

I noticed an article in this morning's New York Times which began by saying that our present administration--name withheld to protect the guilty--is rushing an order of precision bombs to Israel. I did not have the heart to read any further. God help our warring world.

CONDEMNATION

One of my friends who writes a blog suggested in a recent post that we read Matthew 7:1 and he also suggested that reading the Sermon on the Mount in its entirety would be good. I decided that I would refresh my memory and in my Contemporary English Version verses 1 and 2 of chapter 7 read, "Don't condemn others, and God won't condemn you. God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them." Wow!

I have received some negative feed back lately for some of my remarks about stem cell research and I have chosen not to delete my negative comments and don't plan to unless they contain obscenities. I think it is fair to take as good as I give. I also think that it is fair for me to say how I feel about current affairs without being judged. If things that I have said have sounded judgmental and have offended then I apologize. I do not take back anything that I have stated because these are issues that I feel strongly about. The taking of a life for any reason is a serious issue whether it be fighting terrorism, war, capital punishment, abortion, driving a vehicle in such a manner that a life is carelessly taken, murder and any others that may come to mind. I do not think that stem cell research falls into this category since we are talking about two frozen cells that in all probability are going to be thrown out at some point anyway. That is its own discussion and maybe the whole idea of creating those stem cells in the first place needs to be rethought. If their use brings cures for things such as cancer, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury and other life threatening and taking disorders then who wouldn't want a life changed or saved, especially if it were your loved one? Isn't that in essence creating life? Seems pretty Christ like to me to want this for the less fortunate physically.

Before I digress further I want to make one thing clear, I am a born again Christian and my God as I understand Him is my guide in all that I do--except sometimes when I'm driving the car and even then I don't resort to stupid dangerous stuff. I may sometimes speak out before God has had a chance to shut my mouth and for that I do have regrets. Being judgmental is one of the sins with which I have always struggled and continue to on a daily basis. I keep working on it but I doubt that I will ever reach perfection in that area. I guess I am trying to clarify for myself who I am. I am loving, tender, caring, committed to living by Christian principles in the best way that I know. There is a lot that I don't understand about Christianity and try and seek as I do there is a lot that I am unable in my finite mind to understand even after having it explained. As someone once said, "God isn't finished with me yet." I agree that He has lots of work to do in me and I pray continually for Him to grow me into the person that I am to be.

Since I live alone I do not have someone to share my thoughts with on a daily basis. This blog is my means of shooting off my mouth and in so doing to sometimes clarify my thoughts and ideas. I'm happy when anyone responds with ideas and clarifications or for that matter agrees with me. I hope in the future that you will feel free to not be anonymous if you don't agree with me or if you want to stand in judgement of me. I can take it. Dear readers, keep those comments coming and if you are more righteous than me then pray for me.

I JUST DON'T GET IT

I should never watch or listen to the news. How can a President of the USA veto stem cell research on the basis of morals and then condone bombing the citizens of other countries to hell and back? I just don't get it. And these are stem cells that would other wise be discarded. Will someone please explain this to me? If this makes me a liberal then I am proud to be called LIBERAL.

MMM GOOD

I have been driving past a little restaurant in a strip mall south of where I live ever since I have been here and kept wondering if it might be a place with good eats. It is not a franchise eatery and my children and I have a thing about seeking out these kind of places to eat. I had heard that some acquaintances of mine eat there and figured that it was probably pretty good since we eat at some of the same restaurants. Since my son was visiting today I decided to give it a try for our lunch. I really wasn't sure whether it was Mexican or Cuban food since the place is called Dona Julias. What a very pleasant surprise it turned out to be. It is very informal--seat yourself. The lunch specials were printed on a blackboard easily read from across the restaurant. It is Mexican and while spicy it is not the set-you-on-fire variety. The specials were priced at $6.50 and the portions were huge which means I brought home enough for two more generous meals. Chips were hot and crispy and the salsa was homemade. Everything we got was delicious. I will become a regular there now. They are open for dinner in the evening as well. Anybody want to go with me? Just give me a call. You won't be disappointed. The food reminded me of the homemade food I have had in Mexican homes. Delicious!!!

My son's visit was pleasant and as always too short. He is on vacation and getting ready to go to Chicago for a long weekend with Lady Cheryl so he had things to do. Actually I think it was his turn to cook dinner tonight.

We had a nice little thunder storm and rain late this afternoon which has temporarily cleared the air. We continue to be short on rain but the grass and weeds keep growing. Why do grass and weeds grow but flowers have to be watered? I can't figure that one out.

Good evening to all.

MOVING ONWARD

I'm procrastinating again--I seem to do a lot of that--but actually after I wrote yesterday I did get a lot done. It felt good when I saw the pile of stuff that I mercilessly hauled to the street for this morning's pickup. Wish I could learn to toss sooner rather than later. Now I have to drive down the street to the Salvation Army to donate a trunkload of "stuff." I know that they will just love the array of things that I'm taking. Actually, I think I will add a few things to the cache today and then I'll feel like the trip is even more worthwhile.

My reward for a day well spent yesterday was a huge salad at Chili's last night with my mom and my friend, Marty. That was a nice ending to a busy day and I was able to kick back and relax before a good night's sleep. Maybe I would get going easier today if I knew there was a reward at the end of the day. The reward will just have to be a job well done, I suppose.

I have to be productive today because tomorrow I am expecting my son, John, for a visit. He is on vacation and I am delighted that he is coming to spend some time with his Mimi--my mom--and me. My kids really can light up my life in a way no other can. Don't know what I would do without them.

On a less delightful note, I have to call the termite man and see about getting my house tented. That is the process that is used here in the south to get rid of some kind of termite that you don't find in the north. The house is literally covered with a tent and something (a bomb or something) is set off inside that kills all of the little buggers. I've been told that they use something that sucks all of the oxygen out of the air and smothers everything. After a couple of days you can return and everything is o.k. to use. I'll find out all about it and be a few hundred dollars poorer. It happens to everyone sooner or later so it just goes with the territory. I'm hoping that this can be done while I am on vacation.

Over and out for today.

BUSINESS IS SLOW

I'm contemplating what I need to do today and procrastinating against all of it. It's one of those days when I would like to light a match to all of it and walk away but that would be such a temporary solution. It isn't raining, and nobody's shooting at me, the bills are paid, the car still runs including ac and radio, and my health is good so far as I know. Considering all that I guess I can't feel too down on my luck.

My weekend was of the ho hum variety. Watched some movies, spent some time with a friend, did the church thing and found sustenance enough to get by. I did the organ gig at church since the regular one is out for a couple of weeks. Actually, the church sanctuary ac failed yesterday so at the last moment the service was moved into the parish hall and with some quick thinking I got some men to move a piano from another room so that we could go on with the scheduled music. It all worked out o.k. and the best part was that we stayed cool. The bonus was our lovely monthly brunch which followed.

My son called from somewhere between Augusta GA and FL this morning on his way home from a weekend with his old friend from Madison, Adam Fritsche. The Fritsche family are friends from all our years in Madison and the elders have now settled in Augusta to be nearer their children. I'm so glad that the sons still keep their friendship going.

This isn't getting me any closer to being productive today but I'm sure having fun wasting time. It's Monday! What can you expect. Mondays are always hard to get going after a restful weekend. Ta Ta.

CUP OF TEA

One of the things that I did not say in my profile for this blog is that I have been a tea drinker pretty much all of my adult life. I guess I really discovered it when I was 21 years old and met my English friend who became my lifetime soul sister. She has been with me through the best of times and the worst of times. The tea is one small perk of having met her.

I am at this moment having my morning cup and with it finished off some luscious "Triple Ginger Snaps" that my daughter sent me from Trader Joes in Chicago. The snaps have tiny bits of candied ginger in them that is chewy and stick to your teeth giving a last little after taste of the spicy ginger. As my family will attest, I make a kick ass ginger snap myself but not in the league of these for snappiness and zest. I wish that Trader Joe had a mail order business because there are things that I would definitely be ordering from there. The Trader Joe "Sesame Stix" are "you-can't-eat-just-one" good. Enough about food but the cup of tea is marvelous. Today I am having Typhoo which a Scottish friend introduced me to 30+ years ago. Most mornings I settle for Tetley--especially the British blend. I never, oh never, drink Lipton unless I am someplace where there is no other choice and then I only lightly dip it in the water. It doesn't even make good iced tea. It is a very bitter tea to my taste. At one time I decided that I would totally decaf myself but that soon fell by the wayside. Decaf tea just doesn't cut it for me. I'd rather have one cup of the real thing than all of the decaf tea in the world.

It is Saturday and hot, hot, hot already. I will spend most of the day with Andy while Jill, Tony and Trevor go to the beach. I don't think I will miss being in the sun although I am ready for a beach day myself. Any takers out there? Yesterday was a really bum day for me so I hope that my spirits get lifted today. I believe that they are rising already. Shalom!

SOFTLY FALLING RAIN

Rain is falling softly and I wish that it would continue throughout the night. It was a busy day so I don't mind the quiet of this evening. I have just taken another dose of alergy medication for the reaction that I am having to something in my environment. This is the first time in my life that I have been subject on a continuing basis to itchy eyes and skin. I really find it bothersome. It is usually worse during the evening hours. I will probably put a DVD in the machine in awhile and if the medication works I may fall into sweet slumber. I have a new TV that goes to sleep after a movie goes off unlike me who goes to sleep during the movie. It is nice because I don't wake up during the night to a blank glaring screen. Ah, modern conveniences are wonderful. So is the flat panel wide screen. I love it--all 23 inches.

PS FOR TUESDAY

I recently bought a movie that I found entitiled THE LAST OF THE BLONDE BOMBSHELLS starring one of my favorite female actresses, Dame Judi Dench. Also in the cast is Olympia Dukakis and Leslie Caron. I had not watched it until this evening and it is a must see for my female peers and sentimental type men. The story is about a group of ladies who had a dance band during WWII in London and entertained while the bombs were dropping on the city. The death of Dame Dench's husband in the story causes her to take up playing the saxaphone again and ends with the girls of the band having a reunion. I love the music of that era and always have. I think that I must have been conceived and grown in utero to those tunes and I certainly remember them from my earliest childhood. I hope that some of you will put this on your list of movies to view.

BACK TO SCHOOL

When I was having brunch with John and Lady Cheryl on Sunday she said that she is disenchanted with her blog because she never has anything to write about and that I always have stuff happening to write about. I am about the most unhappening person that I know but it is true that almost everyday there is some little something that I can expound upon. The secret, I believe, is learning to expound. I Wish I could have done a better job of it when I was writing term papers in college. Again, "too soon old....."

Today I went to my neighborhood Wal-Mart to pick up a couple of items and the place was teeming with Moms and kids buying back to school supplies. I have always been a sucker at back to school time for crayons, spiral bound notebooks, pens, etc. Today was no exception. I came home with two boxes of 24 Crayola crayons--my favorites--and Crayola markers. I had already bought 2 of the plastic pencil boxes that they have every year at this time because I use them to organize household things and then stack them in larger plastic storage drawers. Lest you think me a neat freak I will tell you that I am not that at all. My Mom and I agreed sometime ago that we could never live together because we would drive each other crazy--she is super neat and my place has a super lived in appearance (or in other words, sloppy.) Now the school supplies may never be opened and used but I have them just in case and I feel very good about that. Crayola can stay in business another year.

I remember when I was a little kid and we used Goldenrod lined yellow tablets for school. They cost 5 cents each. At this time of year I always remember the thrill of opening a new one to the first page that had never had a large lead pencil pressed against it to indent all of the rest of the pages to come. Life was so simple then. I am so glad for those memories of simple times.

We are having a gentle rain this afternoon which I hope continues but it probably won't last long. Most of the summer tropical showers are short lived here and make the air all the more oppressive when they end. I never have finished my weedeating job from last Friday when I blew up the weedeater. Now that it has rained I won't get to finish it today because the grass will be too wet. What a relief to have a good excuse for not doing it today. Maybe I will open the crayons after all.

SUPER SUNDAY

I'll have the soup--punch line to a joke you may have heard. It is nearing the end of a good day for me. I got to have a noontime breakfast with son John and lady Cheryl at the Cracker Barrel at exit 10 on Interstate 4. It is about half way for each of us and a good meeting place for a meal. We enjoyed our banter about the past couple of weeks and their upcoming vacation to Chicago. I love being with my kids.

Our guest minister at church this morning had a very interesting thought in his sermon about the air that we now breath being the same air that has been in our universe for millions of years which means that we are breathing in the same air that Jesus Christ and every great as well as common person who has gone before us has breathed, and everyone who comes after us will be breathing in the same air that we have breathed. I thought that was quite a profound thought. He mentioned that the dinosaurs had breathed the same air as well. I thought that might account for some of the stink that we sometimes experience too.

I borrowed my niece's DVD's of the first season of EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND and have been watching them this weekend. I had never seen the show more than a half dozen times during its existence and then usually a rerun. I actually got interested in it when I saw some of the cast being interviewed on the late night shows about the time the show was going off the air. I am findind the series absolutely hilarious and enjoyable. It moves right along with no commercials to have to fast forward through. It is absolutely the best way to watch a series. I have done lots of laughing outloud all by myself. I always find it rather startling when I laugh audibly alone because I always associate laughter as something that is shared with someone else. I am finding laughing alone to be quite therapeutic and I am grateful for it. If it is true that laughter increases good health then I should be getting healthier. I just need to get off the sofa and move my body around.

Peace and blessing on us all as we start a new week.

THE FUNERAL PLAYER

If you want to make a movie of my recent life this would be a good title. In recent years there have been such movies as THE WEDDING SINGER, THE WEDDING PLANNER, and no doubt others. My recent gigs have been playing for funerals. I suppose that is appropriate at my age. I'm on call for my church and they set the fee which is rather handsome for me as a retiree so long as people keep dying (no sacrilege intended.) So my main task for today was to play a memorial service. Usually I don't know the person being eulogized so it's more like showing up for work in my best black duds.

Yesterday afternoon I called my mom on the spur of the moment and invited her to go to our local "cheap seat" theater which costs $2.00. She had seen the previews for this movie and thought it would be funny. It is Robin Williams in the movie titled RV. If you have never been an RVer or a camper you might not find this so funny but since mother and I have been both we found it howlingly funny. I laughed until I nearly peed my pants. It was one continuous roar from start to finish. It was one of those experiences that seems to wash away all of the muck that has been accumulating inside one for awhile. I know that the movie didn't get very good reviews but then some of the reviewers need to learn to not take themselves so seriously. So if you are looking for a good laugh go see this movie. I imagine I will have to buy it when it gets cheap. I think it ranks right up there with VACATION, CHRISTMAS VACATION, and some of those all time funny movies. Just think how much less humor there would be in our lives if it weren't for the likes of Bill Murray, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, John Candy, Mel Brooks, and a whole plethora of funny actors. Thank you Lord for humor that sometimes lets us forget momentarily what pitiful sinners we are.

If I have any readers out there in blogland, I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend wherever you are.

WHAT'S A BLOG FOR?

A friend of mine recently remarked that she didn't understand what a blog is for. I think it is a great way to bitch and moan when you have no one to bitch and moan to. It is also a way to make your views known when you don't have any other venue to make them known or even if you do. It is a way for our family to know what is going on with each other without having to write the same stuff over and over. In short, those are a few reasons for having a blog.

Today I want to bitch and moan. Sometimes bitching and moaning is really good when there are no easy solutions to whatever the problem is. I also love using the word "bitching" because it was such a nono when I was growing up. It still is with a lot of my family but I just don't care anymore or as Maxine said recently in a cartoon, "I just don't give a shit." My mom has a great story about that word too which I might regale you with some slow news day and she still has great fun telling the story which dates back to her childhood.

I went out about 9:30 a.m. today to do my weedeating which I do about once a month. Since I have lived here I have burned up 3 or 4 electric weedeaters--I've lost count. I rummaged through my receipts and found the papers on the most recent one, thank God it was a Craftsman, and in all my sweat and dirt drove down to the neighborhood Sears/Kmart and they gladly exchanged it with not a question asked. I really liked that. That was the best part of the day. I have always been a Craftsman fan. So about the time I'm ready to leave the store it starts pouring rain--so much for finishing the weed eating job. Since I was already wet and not going to be able to finish the job anytime soon I decided to buzz into Wal-Mart and buy some 12 inch concrete paver stones to finish another job that I started a few weeks ago. Since there was no one, of course, in the garden yard to help I loaded all 10 pavers into my car by myself and after a quick drive through Taco Bell I headed home. Now it is still raining, my car is loaded down with concrete pavers and I am filthy dirty. I ate lunch and worked a little bit on a crossword puzzle by which time the rain had stopped. Too wet now to weed eat I decided to unload the pavers and put some in place. I'm making a surface outside my back door for a Rubbermaid utility closet/shed thingy that currently resides on my patio. I proceeded to clear the grass and try to level the ground and actually got six more pavers placed before it began to rain again. That was o.k. because by then I was drenched with sweat and my back was breaking. The space out back also houses my wheel barrow leaned up against the house, my garbage can and my recycle bin. My charcoal grill will have to live there too when I get it all finished. The space is underneath a double window with an awning so there is some protection from the elements. This project started because I am in hopes of eventually getting part of my present patio enclosed into a "Florida room" of sorts and all of this stuff once lived on the patio. The new room will be mostly glass and will add a lot to my small living space.

Well, 4 ibuprofen, a glass of iced tea, a shower, a hard scrub to remove all the grass that was stuck to my legs and a little bitching and I am recovering nicely. Hard work has its merit, I guess, although I often wish I didn't have to do it all by myself--sounds like a good song title. My experience of waiting for help has always been frustrating so I have no one to fuss with when I don't get things done like I'd like and I'm not having to beg and whine for help. I hate begging and whining although I know people who do it very, very well.

The day has been far from wasted. I really did get quite a lot done considering the road blocks to doing it. I am clean, my spirits are lifting and I'm ready for the rest of the day. I'm spending a couple of hours with my great nephews tonight while Jill and Tony go out to eat and then I'll be free to do as I please the rest of the evening. That ain't half bad for an old lady.

A TALE OF TWO KITTIES

I have heard other satires on the title A TALE OF TWO CITIES but this one was really cute. I entertained my 6 (going on 16) year old great nephew today and one of the things that we did was see the new Garfield movie. Actually I took him and my 88 year old mother. I don't know who enjoyed it the most. True to form for most 6 or 16 year olds (and 88 year olds who have lost some of their inhibitions) Trevor really enjoyed the belching and farting that Garfield did. Bill Murray was the voice of Garfield and one of my favorite Scotsmen, Billy Connolly, played the villain. I guess the kid in me got entertained again today.

The poignant thing about the movie for me today was that I am in danger of losing my own beloved cat because of the nazi type administration here where I live. They are becoming zealous about enforcing a no pet law. The cat never goes outside but according to the rules she is an alien. Sometimes I think that I am the alien. Like Miss Scarlet, I'll think about it tomorrow.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

We live in a day of much cynicism and disillusionment. This is understandable to most of us. Having said that, I do want to say that, in spite of the hideous Lee Greenwood rendition, I am pround to be an American where for most part I know that I am free. I believe that the biggest threat and fear to our country is not from terrorists or outside entities but from within. It is up to us as citizens to do all that we can to keep our country free from bigotry, hatred and strife. We each have to stay vigilant and be passionate about protecting our freedoms as set forth in the Constitution of the United States of America and the Bill of Rights.

I wish for you a happy holiday filled with all that you enjoy. Mine will consist of family, swimming, eating, making some more homemade ice cream now that I have the hang of it, and enjoying my freedom to do all of these things. God bless America, my home sweet home.

SUNDAY MUSING

I have just had one of my favorite Sundays. I went to church then came home and ate leftovers from a wonderful meal earlier in the week--the steak that I spoke of in an earlier writing this week. It was almost as good today as it was when it was first sizzling on the platter. After eating I retired to the sofa and the TV where I was more or less conscious the rest of the day with rain falling softly on the roof making the patter that I love so much. I probably won't sleep tonight but it was sure wonderful this afternoon. I had been tired a lot on Friday and Saturday so maybe I got rested up today.

This afternoon I watched the first half of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, THE SEQUEL, which I had to play a second time to get the part that I slept through. So if I can't sleep tonight I will watch the second half. I wax nostalgic when I watch the Anne series because it was a favorite way to spend a winter afternoon for Amanda and me. We would nestle into warm covers on the daybed which was in the living end of our huge country kitchen. There we would stay for hours watching Anne Shirley and friends on beautiful Prince Edward Island. I always wanted to go there after seeing what a charming and beautiful place that it is.

Tonight I saw Garrison Keillor and The Prarie Home Companion cast on PBS doing last night's show from the Tanglewood Music Festival in upstate New York. It was delightful as are all of his performances.

I heard only a brief blurb today about there being an auto accident at today's Madison Regatta in my old home town of Madison, Indiana. Seems that a car drove into the crowd of spectators and on into the river. That is rather hard to imagine since the roads leading to the river are all blocked off for the boat race activities. On second thought, maybe it isn't hard to believe. There are always a lot of drunk crazies at that race. A roadblock doesn't have much force against a drunken driver. I remember one year when I lived there that someone jumped from the bridge and I think was found with his feet stuck in the muddy bottom of the river. Anyway, he succeeded in taking his life in front of about 50,000 people. I guess you could say that he took the BIG plunge.

So, now my beautiful Sunday has come and gone and a new week is a few minutes old. The rain has stopped and so shall I. All is peaceful for me and my furry companion, Willow. Shalom.

HOME MADE ICE CREAM

One of the vivid memories that I have of summer and holidays when I was a kid was making home made ice cream at Grandma and Grandpa DuKates. We would gather under a huge old oak tree--felled by a serious storm in the spring of this year--and the adults would crank the freezer until it was impossible to crank any more. The ice cream, a custard type concoction, I think, that my grandma cooked and then chilled, would be deliciously cold and sweet. Grandma always made everything extra sweet. A spoon could stand alone in her iced tea. I remember the headache that would ensue from the first taste of that cold, sweet desert. I don't suppose that I ever have a cold rush headache that I don't think about those days.

One of the memorable things about making ice cream for me is getting to sit on top of the freezer while an adult cranked it. After the ice cream began to freeze and the freezer offered some resistance to cranking it was a task to hold the freezer still until the mix was frozen to proper consistency. One of those hand made woven rag rugs would be thrown over the top of the freezer and a child would get to sit on top of it to help keep the freezer from moving around. I especially liked getting to sit on the freezer and feel the cold as it radiated up through the rug and into my skinny little bottom--yes, it once was skinny.

Those days are only a memory now but home made ice cream is not. I guess I wanted to give my children as many of my pleasant childhood memories as I could so we always had an ice cream freezer since early on in our family life. Of course, we moved up to the electric model that does not require a cranker, or a crank, whichever the case may be. We often made ice cream over the years and I became pretty good with turning out a good product. It was often accompanied by that delicious Texas sheet cake which I could produce from start to finish in 40 minutes complete with fudgy frosting or sherry cake, a sort of light version of pound cake with sherry for flavoring and a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Oh what memories that brings back. If I made the ice cream for guests someone would invariably bring up cranking the ice cream freezer during childhood days. My respone to that was that we would have a whole lot less home made ice cream if someone had to crank the freezer and it might even be a lost art by now were it not for the electric appliance.

Well, I have said all of this to say that last night I made my first freezer of ice cream in several years. Since living in Florida I had not had a freezer until I acquired one at a family yard sale last fall. It was brand new and a super 6 qt. size--bigger than I had ever owned. Yesterday my sister-in-law called and asked if I would make a freezer of ice cream for a family gathering which was being held last night honoring my cousin and wife, John and Gwen Ahlemann, who are visiting from Memphis. I about did a tail spin because I don't have any of my recipes from my life prior to divorce. For that reason I feel like a cripple when it comes to culinary quests. Anyway, I started consulting all of my cookbooks and the internet and could not come up with a recipe that seemed like what I wanted so, as I do when push comes to shove, I made up a concoction that seemed palatable to me. Actually, the cook books had helped me to know the sugar to milk product ratio and that was a start. In the end it turned out quite good, the freezer worked just great and now I will be happy to try it again.

So, dear readers, have a fantastic holiday weekend, be safe and find someone to love. If you can't find someone to love, love the one you're with. I'm planning this afternoon to go see the just released THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway among others. It looks like it will be fun.