I Prefer Baseball...

Hello friends.. happy Saturday! 

[Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!]

Saturday 9: Dead Skunk (1972)

Unfamiliar with this song? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a poor dead skunk that stinks "to high heaven." Have you ever experienced the spray from a skunk?
Yes, we can smell that around here a lot of times. While I live by the seashore, there are pine barrens behind me and lots of animals there.

2) Dennis Oliver, a disc jockey in Quincy, IL, played this song every night at 9:00 PM for decades. The only thing that got him to stop was being moved to the morning slot. What song do you never tire of? 

3) At Georgia Tech's Russ Chandler Stadium, the fans sing this during the 7th inning stretch of their baseball games. Do you know the lyrics of the more conventional 7th inning choice, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame?"

I do! 

Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.

4) This week's featured artist, Loudon Wainwright III, can play many instruments, but is said to enjoy banjo and ukulele best. If you could magically become proficient on any instrument right now, which would you choose, and why?

5) He appeared as Capt. Spalding on several episodes of M*A*S*H in the 1970s. If you could transport yourself into the world of your favorite TV show, which would you choose?

The Nelson's with Ozzie, Harriet , David and Ricky. 

6) Loudon's mother was a yoga instructor. What did you most recently do for exercise?

Yoga. I mostly do face yoga which keeps your face line free and younger looking.

7) He went to St. Andrew's School in Delaware, where the movie Dead Poet's Society, starring Robin Williams, was filmed. When you think of Robin Williams, do you recall his dramatic movie roles, his funny movies, his comedy routines, or Mork from Ork?

I think of him in so many... Mrs. Doubtfire, Dead Poet's Society, The Birdcage, Good Will Hunting... so many. I miss him.

8) In 1973, when this song was popular, Norman Mailer created a great deal of buzz with his book about Marilyn Monroe. Do you read many biographies and memoirs? Or do you prefer to read fiction?  I do like biographies and have read quite a few. I also like fiction equally well. 

9) Random question: You're on the road, traveling through a town you've never been in before, and ready to stop for a quick bite. On one side of the street is a cute little diner called Mom's. On the other side is McDonald's. Which do you choose?  

Mom's of course. See the post before this to see why... I love diners. New Jersey is famous for diners and Mom & Pop restaurants. Every town has a ton of them.

Americana

There is something totally American about eating in a diner. What do you think?

Future Ahead!

 Welcome to Tuesday 4 in memory of Toni Taddeo.

This week we have some questions from Pamela Steiner once again.

I hope you enjoy them.

1.  Let's pretend that it is 50 years into the future, and explorers have just discovered your house, "frozen in time" exactly as it is today. Everything is preserved, even the food, but of course no one has lived there for fifty years.  What do you think would be their first reaction as they walk in the door of your house?
 

2.  What would the things left in your house tell the explorers about you?  That I paint, play the piano, loved making ponds, entertaining people and that I enjoyed my library of books and music.
 
3.  What kinds of books would they discover on your bookshelves or beside your chair/bed? Hundreds of books of mystery, anthropology, archaeology, religion and history.
 
4.  What things would they discover in your closets or cabinets that would make them wonder why on earth you were saving it? ....    Too many coffee and tea cups!

Thanks  Pam for more great questions!

 A few views of my home:

 

 

v

Sunday Stealing

Another Sunday and stealing is on the horizon at Sunday Stealing and this weeks stolen from Face Book.

    Your favorite songs? There are so many but I do like the old songs like Sleep Walk.
    Your favorite bands. I used to like Bad Company,Gerry Rafferty, but generally I don't like bands so much as I like individual songs.
    Your favorite actors or actresses? I enjoy movies with Sandra Bullock, Bette Davis, etc.
    Your favorite books. I like the Agatha Christie books and the Spenser series on which the Spenser for Hire TV program was based.
    Your favorite movies. Moonstruck, You've Got Mail, Cosmopolitan, Zorro the Gay Blade.. etc.
    Your favorite TV shows   I am currently enjoying Kraft
    Your favorite foods/drinks. I like Greek, Mexican, British and Italian foods.
    Your favorite kitchen appliance. I think my new refrigerator.
    Your favorite animal.  Too many to name.
    Your favorite scents I do like Yves St. Laurent a lot.
    Your favorite things you do in your free time.. paint, play piano, watch a movie with a friend, go to the beach.
    Your pet peeves.. thick and stubborn people.
    Things you collect. Nothing anymore. I want a life free of "stuff".
    Things you like to swap. Nothing I can think of.
    Places you've been. The USA and Canada
    Places you'd like to visit... I am just not really interested in travel anymore.
    classes you liked in school.. anthropology hands down, and 2nd Chemistry.
    crafts you would like to learn I think it would be nice to learn to tatt like my mother used to do and to learn to make the round pillows she made with smocking on them.

Let the Stealing on Sunday Commence!

Well Howdy friends! Its late Saturday night and a flood watch is in effect while thunder  rages on and rain falls heavily outside. 

But its time for Sunday Stealing with Bev who provides great questions each week for us to answer and think about.  Here is the latest....
Stolen from Thursday Thunks

1. Did you eat paste and/or glue as a child? No, I tasted it once but it was awful.
2. Look at the wall to your right, what is on it?  A heraldry picture of a family surname and a framed quote.
3. Do you put butter and/or salt on your popcorn? I put butter and Brewer's Yeast on it. Sometimes just a ton of rich, creamy butter all by itself. Never salt.
4. What does your favorite coffee cup look like?   It is a Hydrapeak 18 oz double vacuum cup in white

 

5. Would you rather have a pet hippo or a pet elephant?  They belong on their own.
6. Toilet Paper - hard, soft, extra soft? Charmin and only Charmin thank you very much.
7. Have you ever rescued/taken in a stray animal?  Yes all the time.God has sent a lot of dogs, cats to my house. Now, I have no animals except a pond full of big old gorgeous  golden and white carp.
8. If you realize your house is on fire while you are using the bathroom, do you wipe or just run for the door? Wipe and then the door.
9. Now, if you only had $10 to buy one thing, what would it be?  Some grocery items probably.
10. What’s your favorite type of potato?  I like super giant Idaho potatoes.. they are delicious!
11. How long do you keep unmatched socks before you get rid of them... and how do you dispose of these socks?    Socks are used for polishing and cleaning rags as are old towels, old tee shirts, etc. I do not buy paper towels as I find that wasteful.
12. What was the last thing you took a picture of?     I took a picture of a picture!  My first husband (who died) my little boy and my Arabian horse Pete (Petra Khan) I will post it here.  We had a bunch of horses: Arabian and Quarter horses.

 

13. Do you use a cookbook? Yes, if I need to but not too often. I've gotten some of my best recipes from great books.
14. Bottled or tap water?  Well water when I had my well open. It was pure and no fluoride  or any chemicals in it. Town made us switch to the horrible tasting city water.. big scam.. So, now I like bottled water better. My tap water has an awful taste to it. You have to wonder how much money crossed palms to make people close their wells down.
15. Do you like pumpkin pie? Do you cheat and buy a premade one or do you make it from scratch? Heck, do you even make pumpkin pie at all?     Yes, I've made pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving for decades. My mother made it  from fresh from the garden pumpkins, but I have always used the canned plain pumpkin.

Purple People Eaters

Welcome friends!
Let's try Saturday 9 today.

Saturday 9: Purple People Eater (1958)

Unfamiliar with this song? Hear it here.

1) When actor Sheb Wooley brought this song to MGM Records, they initially rejected it, saying it just wasn't the kind of thing they wanted to be associated with. Then executives discovered how popular the audition recording was with the 20-somethings in the office. MGM released it after all and it became a #1 hit. Tell us about a time you were glad you changed your mind about something. 

A few times I have watched movies I previously didn't have any interest in seeing and I really enjoyed them after all.
 

2) This song has been so enduringly popular that in the 1970s, the Minnesota Vikings defensive line referred to themselves as the Purple People Eaters. What football team do you root for?
 

I just am not a football fan and if I were I would not be a fan anymore with the political garbage taking over.  My mother was a Giants fan and a Philly Eagles fan as well.
 

3) The song was initially inspired by Sputnik, the satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1958. In the 21st century, do you think space exploration is a worthwhile public investment? Or would you prefer  governments spend that money here on earth

It's a ridiculous waste of money and NASA is a huge scam.

4) The Purple People Eater is a visitor from another planet. When you imagine creatures from outer space, are they frightening or friendly?

They are invisible because they don't exist! But as Werner Von Braun said, the next scam after disease will be asteroids and finally alien invasion.. all of  it 100% fake.

5) This record was the biggest hit Sheb Wooley ever had. He was better known as an actor, costarring with Clint Eastwood on the 1950s TV show, Rawhide. What's your favorite Clint Eastwood movie?

I am batting 1000 today with negative answers. I just don't like Clint Eastwood much at all and none of his movies stand out as anything to write home about.\

6) Sheb and Clint remained buddies and appeared together decades later in The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976). Tell us about one of your longest-lasting friendships.
I've been friends with a fellow blogger (in person) for over 30 years. We have lunch together every Saturday now for years and years.
7) In 1958, when this song was popular, hula hoops were a national craze. Did you ever play with a hula hoop? If yes, were you good at it? 

Yes I had a hula hoop and I was pretty good with it too. I enjoyed it a lot.

8) Also in 1958, Arnold Palmer won his first Masters Golf Tournament. When did you most recently play golf?

Never! Well, miniature once but real golf never and I always wanted to try it. It looks like a great sport to me.

9) Random question: Do you believe women gossip more than men?
No. As a matter of fact I think the reverse is true

Books, TV and Movies...

Hello Friends.. welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. Just 4 questions each week. So glad you are joining in and the more the merrier!

Books.. TV.. Movies are the topic of the week.

1 A movie theme song will play every time you walk in the room.. what is it? (consider asking family or friends) 

Only one person gave me an answer and they said Theme to Peter Gunn.. Don't quite know what to make of that.

2. What movie, book or TV program could you live in?

The Nelsons, Father Knows Best, Bonanza. Nothing from modern TV is like anything I'd care to take part it.  The old programs which you can view on old time TV or YouTube are far nicer, more peaceful and loving.

3. Is there a book/movie/TV quote you often think about or that effects you in some way? 

Oh, there sure is one from A Christmas Carol:  "Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die?  It may be, that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child."

 4. OK friend, its your turn to organize our Blogger Movie Night where we get together as a group for snacks and movies!  What movies have you planned for us tonight and what snacks are we going to have?

 A double feature... " Meet Me In St. Louis" which is always a nice choice and an old drive in B movie that is pretty entertaining and not too scary at all called  "The Giant Gila Monster". You can view both on YouTube.. the monster one for free. That movie is also a great look back at the 1950s.

Snacks will be  veggie plate,  potato chips, pretzels and Tacos... coffee, tea (hot or iced) and soft drinks.  Maybe a plate of ice cream bonbons would be nice as well.

Mairzy Doats

Saturday 9: Mairzy Doats (1944)

Unfamiliar with this song? Hear it here.



1) While today this is considered a children's song, "Mairzy Doats" was a #1 hit and a staple on radio stations in 1944. Do you know any of today's most popular songs? (Here's this week's Hot 100.)
 I know a lot of them as I keep up with things like that and I have teens in my life.

2) One of the song's writers recalled that the song was inspired by an old English nursery rhyme. Tell us a rhyme you remember from childhood.

"Mary had a little lamb, his fleece was black as soot! And everywhere that Mary went his sooty foot he put!"

3) This week's group, The Merry Macs, was formed by three brothers -- Judd, Joe and Ted McMichael -- who learned to harmonize at home. Did you grow up in a musical household?
Yes. My grandmother was a piano teacher and professional pipe organist. My mother played piano very well and my father played honky  tonk piano. My brother sang with a band.

 
4) When the McMichaels decided their new group needed a woman's voice, they asked Cheri McKay to join them. Realizing all their names began with Mc, they began calling themselves The Merry Macs. Have you ever performed with a singing group? (Yes, that garage band you played in after school counts.) If yes, what was your band called?

Yes I was in an acapella group.

5) The Merry Macs' first gigs were playing high school dances. Do you have any memories of school dances you'd like to share this morning?
Yes, a certain boy would always ask me to dance to the song Sleep Walk which was played at school dances for decades for some reason.  It's a lovely song.  I was "master of ceremonies/DJ" for dances with an organization I belonged to in High school also.

6) Once their recording career took off, The Merry Macs went to Hollywood. They appeared in a film with the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. Who last made you laugh?

My friend Lee who always makes me laugh until my tummy hurts.

7) In 1944, when "Mairzy Doats" topped the charts, sunscreen was invented. It was first developed to protect soldiers during WWII, and that original formula was sold to Coppertone. Do you regularly use sunscreen?    

No, I've heard some bad things about it.

8) Also in 1944, a board game called Murder! was introduced in England. In 1949 it made its way to the United States and was renamed Clue. It's still popular today. Can you name any of the original 6 "characters" in the Clue game? (Extra credit: One was replaced in 2016; who was it?)
Miss Scarlett, Mrs Peacock, Col. Mustard, Prof. Plum. 

In 2016 Dr. Orchid replaced Mrs. White but the game had changed in other ways too and is just not as good anymore.

9) Random question: The new house you just bought comes with a big mirror on the ceiling of the master bedroom. Would you take it down or leave it there?
It will come down. If there was ever an earthquake it would be too dangerous. The Feng Shui is horrible with that as well.

Blogging....

Hello Friends. Here is my own Tuesday 4 in honor of our dear friend Toni Taddeo.

Blogging

 Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 kept up in her memory.

This week the questions were supplied by Pamela Steiner... Here we go, let's talk about Blogging!

1.  Tell us about your blog.  When did you start blogging?

I began to blog in 2005 on a serious basis. Although I worked on designing blogs for others and making headers for them before that. So, I've been blogging now for 16 years.
 
2.  What prompted you to begin blogging?   I wanted to leave something for my family.. words, stories, etc.
 
3.  What was your first blog about and why did you choose that subject/title?

My first blog was Lemon Lime Moon which still operates today.  The name was because of an article I wrote about my cats sitting on a lemon lime colored moon.

I had millions of views. It began as a personal thing but soon became political and then environmental when I realized the huge damage in Japan from Fukushima and the damage done by fracking such as Bayou Corne in Louisiana.  Fracking is insanity my friends.. insanity! Money breeds greed. They destroy for a dollar.

Here is a copy of the original form of Lemon Lime Moon when it was personal. I did enjoy it then and had many nice readers.   I changed to Cottage by the Sea because, well, that's where I live!  

Originally the blog had music.. the theme from Laura. It was a song dedicated to me by a fellow long ago who said it reminded him of me.
 
4.  How has your blog changed over time, and has it done for you what you hoped it would do in the first place?  I hoped to leave a view of life for my family and to make friends. I certainly have made friends from blogging and opened up a whole life on the internet with people across the globe.  I now operate many blogs. It's been a long while since I have maintained blogs for others. That involved working on the html etc. inside the blog, etc.

Thank you for joining in. I am sorry this is late but life has been mixed up for a bit around here.  I thank you all for putting up with me.

 

State of Affairs..

Hello sweet people...
Joining in with Stacey and Linda today. 

Currently...

Celebrating...  The fun I had at the ball game. It was a great night. We had great food, wonderful game and fireworks. Our seats were around a fire pit and it got cool enough out to enjoy that a lot.
The photo is the mascot kissing my hand. It was a dear, sweet moment . You can enlarge the photo by clicking on it.

Shocked...  at the path the nation is taking in so many things. Foreign influence must stop.
 

Enjoying...  a cup of decaf coffee and boiling some eggs for lunch.
 

Working...  on putting up Tuesday 4 a bit late. Life is weird lately. I have so much to do right now.
 

Kind of over...  Celebrity opinions in the news. Left-right debates etc.

Missing...having kids around all the time. I love the noise, the intrusions, the fun, the laughter.I'd have more if I was married.

Thinking about...  my future and that I need to get serious about blogging again. I miss it a lot. I've gotten sloppy about it. The discipline of blogging is good for you.

Grateful...  for life, family and friends. For good times and faith.

Cooking...  chicken for dinner tonight.

Feeling...  a bit lazy today. Gotta get going and exercise.

Irked by...  Bugs of summer.. those pesky little guys.

Today...  Cleaning...changing bed linens, a bit of laundry.   What about you?