Yuck

I'm sick.

For the past three days I have had the flu/cold combo that is making the rounds. I didn't ask for it. I don't want it. I wish I didn't have it.

But we can't always get what we want. So here is how I am dealing with it.

First of all I am grateful that I don't work or have young children around. That would really crimp my style. I just want to sleep.

My sick routine is to sleep till noon, have breakfast, take a couple of benedryl, go back to bed wake up around 3, take some Comtrex Cough and Cold, read and then back to bed.

Repeat every 3 hours as necessary. Until bedtime.

Comtrex has been my saviour and I recommend it to everyone suffering the stuffy sinus, cough, headache, sore throat, blahs. Within a few minutes the symptoms go away. The benedryl kicks in, and its good night Irene.

I'll be back in form soon, till then keep the shiny side up.

Toad

Favorite soundtrack?

Our friend Giuseppe, at an Affordable Wardrobe ttp://anaffordablewardrobe.blogspot.com/ has challenged us to name our favorite movie soundtrack.

Since this is not a knife fight, and if Giuseppe is amenable I propose several rules. Feel free to violate them at your leisure, although they will earn no points.

Rule 1: Musicals are off limits. Absolutely no, Oklahoma. Was FM a musical? A Hard Days Night?
Rule 2: Concert films are out, except perhaps Cream at the Albert Hall. Woodstock although not really a concert, may not make the cut, the jury is out.

Rule 3: Although no one holds them in higher esteem than I, no biographies. No Night and Day, no Benny Goodman story.

Leading off today's discussion is Giuseppe, with his nomination of "A Man and a Woman"

My response to G was that he was too young. Take all challenges seriously. I'll offer my suggestion up at the end.

Toad

My dog is smarter than....

I am ashamed to admit this but Ted the Wonder Dog has a better memory than I.

Ted and I are creatures of routine. He's is pretty hard to rattle, but generally he likes and gets things his way.

Let me provide an example. I am an unapologetic cigar smoker. I only smoke outside, at home. Mrs. T says she likes the smell of cigars in the house, but I know that's a lie. I don't like the smell, so outside it is. So of an evening Ted and I take our cigars and a tipple, head to the rockers on the veranda and spend an hour or so swapping lies, and catching up on each other's day. We have been doing this rain or shine, hot or cold for years. We enjoy the time together.

Another part of our routine is thus. When it is cold out, I always wear an old Barbour Beaufort jacket, and in the handwarmer pocket I keep 2 dog bones. (After his smoke, Ted enjoys a bone). When I put the jacket on, Ted becomes a different dog. He's awake, his animated, he's helpful and will do whatever I tell him, at least until he gets the bones.

Saturday evening was cold, and for the first time this season I wore the old warhorse green jacket. Ted went nuts and I couldn't figure out why. Finally, I caught on. Apparently, I'm not well dressed until I put a couple of bones in my pocket.

Toad

A follow up

A funny follow up to yesterdays post.

Saturday morning Ted the Wonder Dog was awake far earlier than usual and in full watch dog mode. Over the years we have come to respect that side of him, and take it seriously. I got up, looked out the window and saw a police car stopped in the drive.

Since the kids have left home we have studiously avoided waking to cops in the drive.

After the usual courtesies, he asked if we had heard gunshots. NO!

Well, they had reports of hunters in the area and he was on the lookout. We made certain Ted was in the house, and went back to bed.

As soon as I was under the covers I heard BANG, BANG.

Five minutes later Ted was up with a vengeance. Looked out again and three trucks from the local electric company were heading down the service drive. The gunfire must have been a transformer coming undone.

Toad

Fred Astaire

Upon the recommendation of our friend Anon of NY I picked up a copy of Fred Astaire by Joseph Epstein at the local library.

There are three things of note in Fred's life.

He was a very private man and a perectionist in his craft. You have never heard a whiff of scandal about his life

Wasn't a bad singer. Many of the leading song writers of the 20th century wrote some of their best work for him.

He could dance a bit on stage. Never socially.

I just saved you an hour and a half. A much better use of that hour and half would be to catch several of the Fred and Gingers on TCM this week.

Toad

Deer Season

Deer season for firearms opens in Missouri today. In Mayberry, you could tell it was coming all week. Increased booze and outdoor related advertising are the early harbingers of sporting season.

Unexpectedly, Mayberry homeowners and their representatives who pass a number of if/then tests may bow hunt deer in their own backyard. I don't hunt and while I may like to crab about the giants rats, they do add a certain something to the area, so we do not allow hunting at The Park. The giant rats have found out and have been congregating at our house for the past week

All in all I have nothing against deer or deer hunters, but it does lead to an annual hassle. The fight to find a contractor.

We have been trying to have our driveway repaired for the past month. In desperation I'd posted a please help me to Craigslist. Within hours 4 different companies called to say how happy they would be solve my problem. Each made appointments. None showed.

Mark my words, sometime Wednesday or Thursday the phone will ring. Each conversation will begin, "Remember me?" My heart says no I don't, my head says hell yes, where have you been, but I know.

The sad part of hunting season comes at the end of duck season, which is just before Christmas. That's when you can find a great deal on a well loved hunting dog.

Keep the dogs inside, wear bright colors.

Toad

One of us was wrong

So I jumped out of bed this morning, got dressed and was at the tailor just about as early in the morning as I'm ever likely to show up anywhere.


Tried on jacket one. It felt like pj's. Heaven

Tried on jacket two. A bit heavier but again it felt a light as skin.

Then I looked in the mirror. The skirt of each jacket was about two inches past my hand. Looked like a zoot suit. After minor discussions regarding my height and his eyesight I agreed to return next Friday. Until then, we wait.

Toad

Welcome to all our new friends

A most generous thank you to Mrs. Blandings for sharing her audience with me. I hope you enjoy your visits, and I look forward to your comments. It has taken a bit to find my voice so trample through the archives, some of our current stories begin in the past.

I've a pretty good chin so feel free to put me in my place as needed.

Also please feel free to share our humble blog with your friends as well. I hope to earn your trust.

Toad

The Sportcoats are here!!!!!

Today is the day my two sportcoats are ready to be picked up. I'll post photos later this afternoon.

Until then, have a great weekend, come back next week as we consider the upcoming holidays.

Toad

In Praise of Oreck

While Mrs. T was away I broke our Oreck Vacuum.

My general style is to admit my sins, take my beating and go on, and so it was when she came home to find the vac in the back seat of the car.

When ask why I took the vac for a drive, I fessed up and told her how I attempted to get it fixed on my way to the airport, they were closed and now I'm had.

Next morning I was about considering a return trip to the Oreck folks, but Mrs. T allowed how this was women's work and she'd handle it.

You know the empty feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you go to a repair shop. You know it will cost a fortune to repair, and probably take 3 weeks, and you just know you're about to be had? Mrs. T's experience was quite different.

She dragged it in, told them the problem. The Oreck response was that will be $5 and take 3 minutes. When the job was finished the clerk carried it to the car. "That's the Oreck way, ma'am".

They now have a customer for life.

Toad

It's going to be a long year

Unlike Mrs. T, I am not much of a gambler. I am more than happy to stay home while she does battle with a poker machine. I do have one gambling vice though. I bet against the University of Kansas basketball team.

#1 son and I have a routine. He gets Kansas, I get points. We wager a million dollars a game double or nothing on most games. Usually we even out at the end of the season because KU chokes in March. Writing the check for $192 million last April did hurt a bit, but it won't happen again for another 10-12 years.

So it must be getting near that time again. Tuesay night I get a phone call. How many points do you want? KU is playing the Little Sisters of the Poor right now. I passed. I gotta have a team with at least one 3 point shooter to get interested.

Toad

Linens n Things RIP

OK, this is probably a girl thing that I am not meant to understand, but try me anyway.

As you are all aware LNT is shutting down. It is currently in the hands of a liquidator, so you can throw away all your old coupons, because they are no longer accepted, not even at BB&B. Don't yet fall for the come on signs outside 20-40% off. There are no bargains to be had ...yet.

So my question is, Why did LNT fail, while Bed Bath and Beyond is succeeding beyond their own expectations? To my untrained eye they appear to be the same store, although I never understood their mutually assured to fail concept that only males pay retail.

What did I miss?

Toad

I am drop dead gobsmacked

I was taking my morning walk around blog world this morning, spending longer than usual at Bunny's blog. The pictures of the Mary Jane candies took me back to my mother. They were her favorite treats.

Otherwise, Ms. Tomerlin's eye this morning was dead on as usual.

Ever click on the pictures in the left margin? They are "cool links to click on". Randomly, since I am wearing my cartridge belt, I clicked the photo above, and ended up back here. Go figure.

Thank you for the unexpected surprise, it made my day.

Toad

What's your favorite movie?

Peterman's Eye started this last week, by telling the story of the play, later movie Harvey. I've enjoyed this movie since I was a child, and know it by heart. Isn't that sick?

Which got me to thinking, what's my favorite movie? How does one chose?

There are a lot of old movies that I am more accustomed to seeing on broadcast TV, rather than on DVD or cable. Perhaps I had them on VHS or they just appear in my memory on TV. You have them rummaging around your anxiety closet too.

Ever see a movie that you think you know because you have seen it on broadcast, and then see the original sometime later. It's really disconcerting.

In the past week, since I have had a free evening or two I have caught bits of Blazing Saddles, The Blue Brothers and Young Frankenstein. None of which were the movies I remember.

Favorite, movies change depending upon mood, season or company. Some are forever on the list, some are fluid. This summer I has hooked on A Good Year, but I am hoping that passes soon.

I'll share several of mine if you'll share several of yours. TV movies don't count. Fair?

All time top 3

Lawrence of Arabia Makes Mrs. T's skin crawl. All I have to do is Acaba and she is out the door. I remember seeing this the weekend it was first released, I became a T.E. Lawrence fan immediately. His real story is far more interesting than the movie.

Most of the Fred and Gingers. The best part of these was Edward Everett Horton. Best remembered via the Rocky and Bullwinkle show. Chose your favorite, I am not picky.

Casablanca: The ending is still a surprise to me every time I see it.

Holiday Movies

A Christmas Story, of course. Poor Schwartz.

Love Affair/ An Affair to Remember Deep down I hate this schmaltzy mess, but every Christmas Eve Eve two local tv stations coordinate their schedules to run these two flix simultaneously, which is really swarmy. For those too young to remember, Love Affair was the original. AATR is a line by line remake with more famous actors. Favorite line" if you can call that painting I can call this walking"

Tomorrow I'll have a different list. I am hooked on old movies. The Topper series, Charlie Chan, a lot of the Cary Grant, before he became CG stuff., David Niven, Terry Thomas the list is endless.

Ps: The original commeration of Remembrence Day was November 11 at 11 am. Thank a vet.

Toad

Tie Crocs?

Dare Ya. Double Dog Dare Ya, but don't tke me down with you

An honest merchant?

I was chatting with #1 son yesterday about all the new and exciting holiday doings at his work when he pointed me to his company web site.

I was greeted by this message.

Welcome to {hisemployer}.com!
We've temporarily closed our store. We're working hard to improve your shopping experience at {hisemployer}.com. Please try again later. Thanks for your patience!

Frankly, I think more companies would improve my shopping experience by shutting down their on line presence.

I found the message funny for two reasons. First, #1 runs this department and clearly didn't know about this when he pointed me there. Secondly, #1 took it so hard and personally.

Things are back to normal now, so please shop here. He loves and needs the job.

Toad

Brer Rabbit part deux

After our recent Brer Rabbit escapade, I became curious. Were the Uncle Remus stories in fact racist, or was it the setting and other baggage that tainted our memory and had made them so?

I don't know that I have ever read Uncle Remus before now. I well remember my Golden Book of Uncle Remus, but I doubt I was able to read it. It was a frequent bed time story, but probably not much after I turned 4 or 5. I saw the Disney released Song of the South, and once in VHS. The movie was fifty something years ago. The world is much changed.

So, I went to the library and pulled Uncle Remus, The Complete Tales, by Julius Lester off the shelf. 700 pages neatly hidden in the Black Experience section. The purists amongst us will remember that the Uncle Remus stories were written by Joel Chandler Harris between 1876 and 1918 in what was believed by Mr. Harris to be the familiar slave dialect in his part of the south.

Mr. Lester's work is a modern retelling of the old classics. It is his opinion that the originals were written in such a dialect as to be near impossible to decipher for a modern reader. His belief, is that the only way for the stories to live was to retell them in a way 21st century readers would understand. He expected the stories to be rewritten in another couple of generations in a way understandable to people of that time.

Frankly he succeeded.

At their heart, the Uncle Remus stories are black folktales. Folktales from all cultures are stories originally told by and to adults, which if the children were quiet they may be allowed to listen to. As such they have important messages to convey. Folk messages translate into all cultures.

Mr. Lester's work tells the stories, without the unnecessary backstory in a mix of modern white and black English. Their cadence is distinctly black, the stories feel modern. Yes the original tales as told by Joel Chandler Harris stories are racist to our ears. The Uncle Remus stories conveyed by Mr. Lester are not.

As I was reading the book I was thinking constantly of Ms. Mindless's class of Washington DC first graders. They would love the stories. A great story teller would have her class mesmerized.

Toad

I love Bunny, but

As I may have pointed out in the past, one of the great dangers involved with reading blogs, is you find yourself several hours older, and very much wiser.



I love Bunny. The poor woman must be black and blue from being tagged by so many of us. Mercifully she holds herself above the fray. I would love to meet her. Cocktails by the pool would be divine. I'd insist David come.



This time, her meticulous sense of style let her down. I saw the post, I bit. $10 to Alibris and 3 days later it arrived. God it's awful.


I still can't wait for tomorrows' post.



Toad

Moms do play favorites

Everyone in Mrs. T's sphere of influence pretty well knows how they stack up. Her middle kid (youngest son) is #1 and can do no wrong. Any attempt to oust him would result in humiliation. Since she lost her dog over the summer I have been elevated to #3. That's just how things work.

Mrs. T is also a gambler. She is a pretty good poker player and a very skilled video poker aficionado. Her level and frequency of play means she rarely has to reach for her purse inside a casino property, except perhaps to feed the kitty.

So several weeks ago, #1 called and asked mom if she could get him a free room in Las Vegas for this weekend. She called made reservations and off he went. Check in went well, he got a lovely suite, the fruit basket, complementary meal vouchers, show tickets the whole nine yards.

On his second morning he noticed the room wasn't being comped and the bill was huge. Mid day 2 he gets a call asking Mrs. T to make her presence known, as they had a $300 gift card for her.

So that is why as I write this Mrs. T is cooling her heels in the Atlanta airport. If anyone else tried this stunt they would be creamed, but not #1.

If you care to meet her, she will be making a return engagement Tuesday afternoon. Look her up and say hi.

Part 2

Mrs. T flies cheap not conveniently. Last night booking her trip from Mayberry to LV she had the option of changing planes in ATL or Phoenix. Why not go east to go west I always say. I love her madly, but she can be exasperating at times. Anyway, I'm batching it.

Toad

I hate our coffee pot!!!

Can anyone recommend a suitable replacement? We've tried the Gevalia, Braun, Black and Decker and a host of others. It can't be that hard to make a great coffee pot,but it must be.

I'm looking for something that works fairly quickly, keeps a pot warm, and doesn't spill half the contents down the side of the pot when I pour.

Wish list includes:

Stainless steel

timer

auto-shut off

10-12 cup capacity

under $150

I am jealous because each of you has a better pot than I. What do you recommend, what to avoid??

Thanks,

Toad