chanukah 4

The Dedication
 Now the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem to liberate it. They entered the Temple and cleared it of the idols placed there by the Syrian vandals. Judah and his followers built a new altar, which he dedicated on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev, in the year 3622.  Since the golden Menorah had been stolen by the Syrians, the Maccabees now made one of cheaper metal. When they wanted to light it, they found only a small cruse of pure olive oil bearing the seal of the High Priest Yochanan. It was sufficient to light only for one day. By a miracle of G-d, it continued to burn for eight days, till new oil was made available. That miracle proved that G-d had again taken His people under His protection. In memory of this, our sages appointed these eight days for annual thanksgiving and for lighting candles. 

Shalom

twain and churchill birthday

For 1000 years Scotland has observed the feast of St. Andrew,the patron saint of Scotland. Celebrations kick off Scotland's winter festival season, which includes the winter solstice, Hogmany (1 January) and Burns Day (25 January).

The Celts didn't simply sprout up in Scotland, they were pushed there. Ancient Celts emerged from Eastern Europe and made their way westward over time, fighting the entire way. The remnants of Celtic pagan rituals (mostly mating rites) are still practiced in honor of St. Andrew, probably not seriously, in many parts of Eastern Europe.

In Romania, the intercession of St. Andrew, the patron saint of travelers is invoked to ward off wolves, which are able to speak to humans on this day. Those hearing wolves speak soon die. Romanian girls who light their Easter candle over a fountain on this night will see the face of their future husband (or perhaps talking wolf) in the water below.

In some areas in Austria, young women would drink wine and then perform a spell, called Saint Andrew's prayer, while nude and kicking a straw bed. This was supposed to magically attract the future husband...(especially if her windowshade was open and she announced her intentions on Facebook. I suspect this works, although straw beds are not as plentiful as they once were.)

Divinations of a future spouse using molten wax or metal to depict the facial features or occupation or shoe size are likely as not to be successful on St. Andrew's day in Germany, Slovakia, Poland and parts of the Czech Republic.

If any of these rites are practiced by your family please let us know. We'd love to hear more.


Also on this day, once again we honor the joint celebrations of the birth of Sam Clemens and Winston Churchill. We have covered that territory earlier


Toad

chanukah 3

Shalom

chanukah 2

First Blessing over the lighting of the candle...
Blessed are you O L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah lights.

Second Blessing in remembrance of the miracles...
Blessed are you O L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who brought miracles for our ancestors, in those days at this time {of year}.

Shalom

Thanksgiving Mirth

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours.
Toad and Mrs. T

Happy Chanukah

First Blessing over the lighting of the candle...
Blessed are you O L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah lights.


Shalom
from our home to yours

TR

Today would be Teddy Roosevelt's birthday. The greatest showman of Roosevelt's time was Mark Twain. Twain hated TR, and took any available opportunity to rail against the president.

"Our people have adored this showy charlatan as perhaps no impostor of his brood has been adored since the Golden Calf, so it is to be expected that the Nation will want him back again after he is done hunting other wild animals heroically in Africa, with the safeguard and advertising equipment of a park of artillery and a brass band."
- Letter written 3/6/1908 (reprinted in The New York Times 5/31/1912)

Roosevelt in turn hated Twain, his tactic was to pose as the man of action versus the lounging critic.  Their "battles" served them each very well.

I've been reading Philip McFarland's "Mark Twain and the Colonel: Samuel L. Clemens, Theodore Roosevelt and the Arrival of the a New Century" 

The book is a dual biography of Twain and TR, filled with anecdotes and a long look back at the US's rise in the early 20th century from an agrarian backwater to international powerhouse.  I'm finding the book inconsistent.  The author does not take sides in the TR/Twain battle and tells his story well .  Where he fails is in trying too hard to make facts, dates and his story fit.

Toad

Nordstrom's

Nordstrom's Holiday gift to mankind

Sweater, Men's, Wool

Are you a dog walker living in an area where Jack Frost nips at your nose, or is there one on your holiday gift list? If so have I a suggestion.

Each morning I am awoken by my 4 legged friends at precisely the same time and taken for a walk. Lately, the mornings have been cool (read cold and windy) so I've worn several light layers to keep warm and still have mobility. Nothing I tried worked well on windy days.

Perhaps you've seen the J. Peterman winter/holiday catalog. Tucked near the back is item 1149 U.S. Navy Sweater.  "Our navy sweater is made by the same company that supplies the U.S. Navy. 100% Navy wool, mothproofed. Ribbed Cuffs, jersey body, cover stitched seams, low (2.25 inch) turtleneck Rugged, warm, close fitting...)color: midnight black $69

The Navy knows from keeping the wind out.

I fell in love instantly and knew once again the military had come to a civilians rescue, but I was too cheap to pop for Peterman's tariff. A military item ought to be at an Army surplus store shouldn't it? Turns out sweater, men's, wool was harder to find than I expected. Once I learned to ask the right questions the answer appeared. The Navy Deck Sweater is available at Army Navy Sales. $30. and is just as Peterman says it is.

Comes in the original Department of Defense Supply bag. I realize it's hard to get excited over another black mock turtle sweater, but this is the bees knees.  Buy it large you're likely to shrink it.

Toad

More Odds and Ends

Those who remember that fateful weekend will recall that John John's father was buried on his son's 3rd birthday.  That had got to carry some long term psychic cost.

II. Holiday Table Decorates?

A thousand variations on this theme exist, but its simple and fun especially if you have kids, or kid like adults. I stole Giada's variation, and our best bites photo.

Double stuff Oreos, peanut butter cups, malted milk balls, and indian corn, a tube of squirt on icing

III. Home Library

#1 son has opened a free library on his street. I'm too much a book hoarder to do it myself, but I applaud his effort.  He was encouraged when a dad and his son walking by took Tom Sawyer.

IV. Even the Food Channel

This screen shot is from the Food Network program Restaurant Divided expresses my sentiment exactly.  If you are new to this planet and don't know from ADG he may be found at Maxminimus

Toad

laurence sterne

We rarely dip so far into ancient history but today is the 300th birthday of Reverend Laurence Sterne, most recently of Shandy Hall. Rev. Sterne is best known 300 years later as the author of the book that cannot be filmed, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy.

If you are a reader, and have not yet read Tristram I urge you,  READ it. It is an especially good winter read.  Tristram written in 9 books, the first 2 published in 1759, is primarily Mr. Shandy's life story, interspersed with diversions, back stories, out takes, tall tales and lessons.  The diagrams below from Book 6 are Tristram's observations on his diversions.  It took Sterne 3 books and 2 years before Tristram was born.

It's funny, bawdy, clever and informative at the same time.  You may find it a bit too much to swallow in one bite.  If so, take a bite here and there as it suits.  You will be well rewarded for your patience.

Toad

Make your way as a woman in 18th century England

You are a woman in 18th -century England. This is a tumultuous time in history. The population is rising and urbanization is changing the way that people live and work. But this is part of your environment. You are a white, 21-year old woman who hails from modest, middle-class parents. You live in a small village outside of London, but you have never traveled there. You work hard with your parents in keeping the household running.

You hear a knock at the front door. You recognize the voice of Mr. Snodgrass Bumfrey talking to your father. Mr. Bumfrey is a merchant who will soon inherit a shop in this village from his ailing father.

---

Do you remain and allow your father to present Mr. Bumfrey to you as your future husband or take your meager savings and slip out the back door to make a new start in London?

Run or Stay?  Follow the link and play along with the University of Michigan Department of Education.

On a similar but different topic, from the you knew it had to be some day but hadn't a clue when department: today is Miley's birthday. Save us all. 

Toad

nouveau beaujolais 2013

 Ze holidays, they begin today, now that the 2013 Nouveau Beaujolais has finally hit the streets. The wait has been excruciating.  The trick to enjoying this plonk is to never imbibe... on an empty stomach.  Long considered more marketing hype than substance (liquid Kardashian says the Tampa Bay Times), NB is a lightly fermented (grapes were on the vine in September) gamay grape juice that reviewers describe as tasting of strawberry bubblegum. It goes well with holiday foods you naturally avoid but are often required to move around your plate at family events.

Connoisseurs naturally prefer glass bottled Cold Duck, or Champale to NB with their holiday feasts.

Toad

A warning for Vancouverites

The city of Vancouver BC recently passed a revision of their city building codes.  Beginning next March all new residential construction must be built to be more accessible to people with disabilities and the elderly.  Most of the changes make common sense.  The requirement calls for wider doors and hallways, lower light switches and higher power outlets.  The very short, left handed electrician who wired our condo did most of those things accidently.   

What got the most press however was the call for the death of the doorknob and round faucet handles.  Come March round faucets and doorknobs are out, instead we'll have lever type. 

Friends, I have installed lever type exterior door handles in our last 2 homes. I found it easier to open doors with lever handles when carrying groceries from the garage to into the kitchen. They were a great success, but with success comes unintended consequences.

As easy as lever type handles are to use for we elderly, they are also easy to for dogs and children to manipulate.

The late great Ted the Wonder Dog was happy to open the door and show the lion dogs out. We couldn't keep him outside as he enjoyed letting himself in at will.  

Toad

Call me Ted

The Mouth of the South turns 75 today.

I've always like Ted, especially in his early Captain Courageous days.  My twin cousin was a congressional lobbyist for him at the time. She was/is young and cute and declared him the most odious man on the planet.  I refused to believe.

Not long after Turner's boat won the America's Cup I asked if she would have Ted sign a copy of the photo below for me. I've never known Smith girls to talk like that.

I still like Ted.  For whatever his faults his legacy will live on through his children and his philanthropy.  Guided by their old man's generosity, his children have become stewards of the finest farm and ranch land in the U.S..  

We finally met several years ago.  A client of mine has a bison (buffalo) ranch, Ted came to call, and I got to stay. After our introduction he paused and said "I used to have a girl working for me in Washington with that name."   Just call me Ted.

Happy birthday sir.

Toad

Molly

These are the nice pages, so keep an open mind.

During the one television per household, pre-On Constantly, pre-On Demand television era of the 1980's any airing of a brat pack movie was an event at our place. My first born and her friends knew every line to every one of their movies by heart.

Being a BP member can only carry you so far in life and now the Pack have grown up, some actually having to find legit work.

Mrs. T called me into our modern era home theatre, paused her television until I was ready and had me guess who the chanteuse yodeling on the box was. Damned if it wasn't Molly Ringwald, reincarnated as a cabaret singer.

I judge her musical talent on par with her acting, some may disagree.









Toad

Questions without answers

1.  If you were alive then, the events of November 23, 1963 are forever seared in your memory. I remember the day well, but for one very large gap.

I was in grade school in suburban Kansas City then.  That fateful Friday was a school holiday and for the life of me I don't know why. I can't even hazard a guess.

2.  Thanksgiving 1963 came 3 days after the president's burial.  Was there ever a drearier holiday.

3.  Brennan's in New Orleans RIP

Family squabbles have closed the joint, at least for the time being.  Once lawyers are called in to settle family matters, things rarely turn out for the good.

I always liked Brennans but would have enjoyed it more were it half its size.  The food was good, but the restaurant was always too busy, and tables too rushed to truly enjoy your stay.  Made a great bloody mary however.

4. Today is Ms. Hutton's birthday. Let us rejoice and be glad.

5. Lost and Found:  The good news and bad news of moving are much the same.  In our case we cleared out a lot of stuff we wouldn't have otherwise.  Everyday, I ask my bride or she'll ask me, "have you seen the...".  No.

Prior to moving we  rented storage in a franchise "we'll keep your stuff" place. With eyes wide open I personally loaded our books, file cabinets and some Christmas decorations first thing into that space.  The next day we buried our treasures with furniture, fully believing we'd empty it, certainly by now.

It's likely we will continue to rent storage forever. I'm torn between unloading and reloading our space or renting the space next door, and with knowledge and forethought moving.  Neither appeals.

To compound the fun I have been ordered to make room in the garage for Mrs. T's car before the weather turns.  Can you picture my week?

Toad

Odds and Ends

We tend to schedule the dogs winter haircuts the day before the weather turns cold. Monday was haircut day, Tuesday was first frost.

The girls don't like having their haircut, but enjoy the attention afterwards.  Our usually mangy looking mutts come home smelling pretty, and their coats are incredibly bright shiny and soft.  I asked their barber why.  She credits this stuff.  $4.

I'll deny this, but I had to try it.  Left my coat soft and shiny. Smells good too. If I wake up looking like Yul Brenner you'll know why.  I can now scratch behind my ears with my feet.

II Snapchat

While watching game shows, Mrs. T  and I play along at home and when decision time comes, do you want the money or do you wish to continue playing, the standard line at our house is "Is anyone, anywhere likely to offer you more cash today?" If yes, keep playing, obviously.

Most of us had never heard of Snapchat prior to their announcement that they turned down $3 billion from Facebook. Clearly someone is coming along with more buckets of cash. It's good to have options.

III Gig Lamps

Mrs. T has a BFF who hates change.  For fear her favorite product will change she stocks up.  A lifetime supply of  household products are stored in her house.  Shopping for appliances with her is hell.  "I want a washer just like the washer I purchased 20 years ago" is generally a non-starter.  We attribute her attitude to age.

In the 50 years I have worn glasses I had never broken a pair, until this summer.  I was devastated. I had to replace my frames with their exact match.  I had become our BFF.   I didn't care that no one else liked them.  It took what felt like forever and much harrumping  to track down an exact match.

While waiting for the replacements to arrive I came across the photo below, gratuitously liberated from the Italian Industrialists blog .

Completely discounting the differences in our ages, and that our faces are not shaped the same I wanted his frames too.  Tracked them down in Hungary.  After 50 years, now that my eyesight continues to improve, suddenly I need a back up?

I'm undecided, but that's never stopped me.  Perhaps I should go with Jason Epstein's look (shown below).  If you haven't yet, find a copy of his book Eating.  You'll enjoy the read, as well as the cooking tips.

Toad

Children's Day

A show of hands please. Raise a hand if you have ever heard of Children's Day.  Raise the other hand if you knew it was today, at least in India.  Not so many hands.

Those with a cynical bent will note the irony of Children's Day falling exactly 9 months after St. Valentine's Day, but since India is not an especially Christian country, I am willing to accept the official story that today was chosen because it is also the birthday of Prime Minister Nehru, the India's first PM as an independent country, and lover of children.  Uncle Nehru saw children as the future.......

The United Nations has declared November 20 as the official worldwide Children's Day.  The feast is honored in the abeyance in the US, and most often officially observed only in places famous for refugee camps and sweat shops.  Some obscenities never change.

Toad

Prince Charles

Happy Birthday Sir

Odd Jobs

Of all the careers, in all the world, it is a wonder we chose the ones we did.  Perhaps our fathers were in the same line of work, maybe the military taught a useful skill, just maybe we learned something useful in school.  The lucky few managed to find fulfillment in careers they loved.  Search around though and you begin to wonder how many of us ever planned the jobs we ended up with.

The Guardian ran photo gallery earlier this week of some of the world's oddest jobs.  We are a litigious society.  So much so that no manufacturer can afford to willingly produce dangerous or unhealthy products and offer them for sale in first world countries.  To veil any attempt at flogging inferior goods, the position of quality inspector was created.  Here are some of the Guardian's picks for the world's oddest jobs.

 
Betty Lyons is an odor judge.  For 30+ years she has smelled armpits, feet, breath, litter boxes all in the name of science.  I'm guessing that as a little girl sniffer was never on her I wanna be a ...list.

   Patricia Patterson of Manhattan Kansas is a professional dog food taster.  University of Kansas fans may quietly acknowledge the usefulness of dog food tasters in Kansas State University's home town.

Someone has to design men's underwear.  Why not Jennifer Fischetti, VP of design at Nautica.

Ever wonder why you never find burnt or clumpy chips in you bag?  It because Cindy Pina and people like her are potato chip inspectors.

Daniel Raudabaugh tests tampons at First Quality for a living.  POW jokes aside, it's unlikely tampon testing was ever on Daniel's mind when he applied at FQ.

The entire list may be found here.  

Toad

In Memoriam

Whether you observe Remembrance Day, Armistice Day or Veterans Day take a moment today and give thanks to those who came before, served your nation honorably, asking for nothing but a chance to return home and resume their lives. Our's is a debt we can only repay forward; by honoring our obligations and not misusing or taking for granted the daily sacrifices made by the men and women of our armed services and their families.

Buy a poppy from the VFW guy at the mall or supermarket. Wear it proudly, honor those who currently wear the uniform, and give thanks to those who served.

II. General George Patton

Today would have been Gen Patton's 128th birthday.  The few men I remember talking to, from when I was a small boy, who served under the General loved him, hated him and feared him all at once.

Most of us only know George from the the movie Patton.  If you stayed awake long enough to see the end you'll recall that George was nearly killed by a runaway wagon.  In fact he died when a troop carrier hit his staff car on December 21, 1945.   Supposedly he was assassinated by US and Russian agents, under orders from the chiefs of the US OSS, later the CIA, and Russian NKVD the forerunner to the KGB.

The story of Patton's death is neatly told in Robert Wilcox's Target Patton.  If you are a conspiracy theorist, the cover up of the events surrounding Patton's death looks and feels like a rehearsal to those in 1963.

III. Bond, James Bond

Trivia buffs may recall that today is Commander James Bond's 93rd birthday. Born in Wattenscheid, to Andrew Bond and Monique Delacroix. Bond is a descendant of Brigadier Gerard on his mother's side.

Toad

Marine Corps Birthday

The following will be read to the command on the 10th of November, 1921, and hereafter on the 10th of November of every year. Should the order not be received by the 10th of November, 1921, it will be read upon receipt.

(1) On November 10, 1775, a Corps of Marines was created by a resolution of Continental Congress. Since that date many thousand men have borne the name "Marine". In memory of them it is fitting that we who are Marines should commemorate the birthday of our corps by calling to mind the glories of its long and illustrious history.

(2) The record of our corps is one which will bear comparison with that of the most famous military organizations in the world's history. During 90 of the 146 years of its existence the Marine Corps has been in action against the Nation's foes. From the Battle of Trenton to the Argonne, Marines have won foremost honors in war, and is the long eras of tranquility at home, generation after generation of Marines have grown gray in war in both hemispheres and in every corner of the seven seas, that our country and its citizens might enjoy peace and security.

(3) In every battle and skirmish since the birth of our corps, Marines have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue.

(4) This high name of distinction and soldierly repute we who are Marines today have received from those who preceded us in the corps. With it we have also received from them the eternal spirit which has animated our corps from generation to generation and has been the distinguishing mark of the Marines in every age. So long as that spirit continues to flourish Marines will be found equal to every emergency in the future as they have been in the past, and the men of our Nation will regard us as worthy successors to the long line of illustrious men who have served as "Soldiers of the Sea" since the founding of the Corps.

John A. Lejeune,
Major General Commandant

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE 2013

Date Signed: 10/29/2013
ALMARS Active Number: 037/13

R 291451Z OCT 13
UNCLASSIFIED/
ALMAR 037/13
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS(UC)/F002//
SUBJ/UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE 2013//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  FOR 238 YEARS, THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS HAS PROUDLY SERVED OUR GREAT NATION WITH UNFAILING VALOR - BOLSTERED BY THE ENDURING FORTITUDE OF OUR FELLOW MARINES, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR FRIENDS.  THIS IS WHY EACH YEAR ON NOVEMBER 10TH, MARINES FROM ALL GENERATIONS GATHER TOGETHER, IN GROUPS LARGE AND SMALL, TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY OF OUR CORPS AND TO REFLECT ON THE PROUD LEGACY AND WARRIOR ETHOS WE SHARE.  THIS IS WHAT UNITES US AS MARINES.  FROM OUR FIRST BATTLE AT NEW PROVIDENCE TO TODAY IN AFGHANISTAN, MARINES HAVE ALWAYS SHOWN THAT THEY WERE MADE OF TOUGHER STUFF - THAT WHEN THE ENEMY'S FIRE POURED IN FROM ALL ANGLES, AND THE SITUATION WAS GRIM, MARINES UNEQUIVOCALLY KNEW THAT THEIR FELLOW MARINES WOULD STAY BEHIND THEIR GUNS, FIGHT COURAGEOUSLY, AND DRIVE THE ENEMY FROM THE BATTLEFIELD.  WE HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN HARDSHIP, FATIGUE, AND PAIN ... BUT WE HAVE NEVER KNOWN WHAT IT IS TO LOSE A BATTLE!
2.  MARINES OF GENERATIONS PAST BUILT OUR REPUTATION AS THE MOST DISCIPLINED AND HONORABLE WARRIORS TO EVER SET FOOT ON A BATTLEFIELD, AND WE HAVE TRIUMPHED IN EVERY BATTLE BECAUSE OUR CORPS HAS ALWAYS FOCUSED ON IRON DISCIPLINE AND COMBAT EXCELLENCE.  THIS IS WHO WE ARE...THIS IS WHAT WE DO!  IT MATTERS NOT WHETHER YOU CARRIED AN M-1, AN M-14, OR M-16.  IT MATTERS NOT WHETHER YOU FOUGHT ON A LONELY ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC, ASSAULTED A CITADEL IN THE JUNGLE, OR MARCHED UP TO BAGHDAD.  IT MATTERS NOT WHETHER YOU ARE A GRUNT, A PILOT OR A LOGGIE.  WHAT MATTERS IS THAT, WHEN THE CHIPS WERE DOWN AND THINGS GOT TOUGH, YOUR FELLOW MARINES COULD COUNT ON YOU TO STAND AND FIGHT ... AND FIGHT YOU DID!
3.  THIS YEAR, WE CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARY OF SEVERAL EPIC BATTLES IN OUR CELEBRATED HISTORY: THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2D MARINE DIVISION LANDING ON TARAWA, THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF HUE CITY, AND THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE "MARCH UP" TO BAGHDAD.  MARINES WHO FOUGHT IN THESE LEGENDARY BATTLES EACH MADE THEIR MARK UPON THE HISTORY OF OUR CORPS.  THEY HAVE PASSED A RICH AND ILLUSTRIOUS LEGACY ON TO US - A MUCH HERALDED REPUTATION.  IT IS OURS TO JEALOUSLY GUARD, AND IT IS UP TO US TO MAKE OUR OWN MARKS AND THUS PROUDLY PASS IT ON TO THE GENERATIONS OF MARINES WHO WILL FOLLOW.
4.  SERGEANT MAJOR MICHEAL BARRETT JOINS ME IN CONGRATULATING EACH OF YOU.  BECAUSE OF YOU, YOUR SELFLESS SERVICE, AND YOUR MANY SACRIFICES, OUR CORPS REMAINS STRONG AND READY TO RESPOND TO ANY CRISIS.  THROUGHOUT HISTORY, MARINES HAVE FACED TOUGH TIMES AND THERE WILL BE TOUGH TIMES AHEAD, BUT THERE IS NO CHALLENGE WE CANNOT OVERCOME IF WE REMAIN HONORABLE AND ALWAYS FAITHFUL TO OUR NATION, OUR CONSTITUTION AND EACH OTHER.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARINES!
5.  SEMPER FIDELIS.  JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//

Thank you and Happy Birthday
Toad

Berlin Wall

Today we celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall, on this date 1989. In many ways the end of WWII.

Toad

Hemingway's wives

While not worshiping at the shrine of Ernest Hemingway I have come to love his many wives. Not a one of the four became a caricature of the artist's wife which in turn made them more real and their lives more fascinating than his.

Ernest Hemingway's first 3 wives, Hadley Richardson, Pauline Pfeiffer and Martha Gellhorn were each St. Louis girls.  As Ernest wrote, "if one is perpetually doomed to marry people from St. Louis, it's best to marry them from the best families"  to which Gertrude Stein replied "anyone who's married three girls from St. Louis hasn't learned much." Several of my friends would agree.

St. Louis was a much smaller town in those days, and although not close in age, Hem's personal First 3 Wives Club had more than him in common. Growing up in the same neighborhood, one which became a modest midwest Bloomsbury (more on that soon) they had money, travelled in the same social circles, knew the same families and liked each other at least for a while. 

I have a picture in my mind's eye of Hem, who doesn't visit STL often and is unwilling to take direction, driving to his in-laws for Thanksgiving, turning left when he should have turned right,and arriving, family in tow, at the wrong wife's house. Never happened but could have. A boy can dream, can't he?

Hadley and Pauline's families each owned pharmaceutical companies. Martha's MD father was Hadley's OB/GYN. 

 Hadley Richardson

 Pauline Pfeiffer

Martha Gellhorn

Perhaps more troubling for Hem than not knowing his wives local references was keeping their birthdays straight. Today is Martha Gellhorn's birthday, tomorrow would be Hadley's. How would any husband be expected to remember back to back birthdays ?

A Moveable Feast (pre-2009 edition) is considered the beginner's guide to Hemingway's first 2 wives, Hadley was clearly the love of Ernest life, the one he let get away. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain tells her story clearly and convincingly.  

History is somewhat unkind to Pauline, the beautiful, young, rich girl Hemingway dumped Hadley for. Ultimately, it was her money and her family connections that gave Hemingway's talent room to blossom. 

Martha Gellhorn quickly saw through Hemingway's act, and tired of it. She was the only wife to divorce him.  Martha was a more talented writer, and braver than he'd ever be, and would not allow herself "to be a footnote in anyone's biography." Travels with Myself and Another, written by Martha is a good intro. The Another is Hemingway although he is never mentioned by name.

Fourth wife Mary survived Hem and was his literary heir.  A Moveable Feast, while completely written by Ernest, supposedly was edited by Mary after Ernest's death. Maybe/Maybe not. Pauline's family felt the Pfeiffer contribution was slighted in the original. The 2009 edition, edited by Pauline's grandson Sean, adds their story.  Read the earlier edition.

Toad

Dinosaurs still roam the earth

If you haven't been here long you are unlikely to know that I am a digital dinosaur.  That I continue to roam the earth may be an embarrassment, but digital illiteracy has saved me from of any number of self inflicted jams.

Monday night I NEEDED a pedometer.  Mrs. T had reminded me earlier that I "they said that I was supposed to walk" some magical of steps per day, and while I knew I did, I just had to "know".  That I've never had a pedometer and lived to tell the tale never clicked. Seeing how many steps per day I walked became imperative.

Depending upon your point of view Google has made instant shopping gratification better or worse. Impulsively I Googled pedometers, then pedometer comparisons.  What I learned was that any pedometer worth its salt, not only counted steps, but heart rate, calories burned, time of day and the change in your pocket.  All this data is instantly synched to your smartphone and uploaded to Facebook allowing your friends, health insurance company and the world spy agencies to follow your daily progress.

However dizzyingly hard it may be to imagine, I have neither a smartphone nor Facebook account, hence I was blocked from sharing my vitals with the world.

Disappointed, in my quest, the magnetic pull of exchanging sleep for killing time on an EBAY  felt useful.  Search pedometers on EBAY, tune out anything digital and what your left with is your dad's pedometer, which by the way, the pedometer reviewers said was more accurate than any of the modern stuff.

 EBAY taught me that 10,000 others were once curious enough to pay to learn their step count. Their curiosity lasted 2 days. A year later, answer known, they listed their slightly used pedometer for sale.  Thanks to Google and EBAY I got over myself, quickly, a sadder yet no wiser man.

Toad