CAN'T GET THAT SONG OUT OF MY HEAD

Eye Trouble

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:09:15 GMT

We had a nice time at the BBQ we went to yesterday (the 4th), but had to leave early. Our 12 year old son, M, had gotten some dirt in his eye BEFORE we left for the picnic and although we tried to flush it out, it hurt him so at the event that we trundled him off to Emergency. Luckily, it wasn't too busy and we got in and out in about 2 hours. They did pull a small black dot of dirt from his eye and said he had a small abraision, which was what hurt so much. Then, it was nearly impossible to find a pharmacy open to fill the eye drop prescription. They said he should be back to normal in about a day. It did hurt him some last night before bed, but he slept all night. Thank goodness it wasn't anything too serious. But I know from experience that eye pain is one of the worst!

Surprisingly, there were NO rogue fire works last night! They were banned, but I was certain someone would try to set some off in our little area here. But it was quiet and the dog didn't go crazy! Hope it will be tonight as well. We still smell some smoke from fires to the north of us, but the skies seem fairly clear and sunny. Hope your holiday was happy and relaxed!

Happy Fourth of July!

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:57:55 GMT

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Here are some interesting observances of this holiday in its early years from Wikipedia:

In 1777, thirteen guns were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.
In 1778, General George Washington marked Independence Day with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.
In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.
In 1781, the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize Independence Day as a state celebration.
In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held the first celebration of Independence Day in the country with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy".
In 1791 was the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day".
In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.
In 1941, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday. The residents of Vicksburg, Mississippi, celebrated Independence Day for the first time since July 4, 1863, when the Siege of Vicksburg ended with a Union victory during the American Civil War.

Here's another holiday I never knew existed (although I seem to remember seeing it on the calendar last year and wondering about it):

Constitution Day (or Citizenship Day) is an American federal holiday that recognizes the ratification of the United States Constitution. It is observed on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.

The law establishing the holiday was created in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by Senator Robert Byrd to the Omnibus spending bill of 2004. Before this law was enacted, the holiday was known as "Citizenship Day". In addition to renaming the holiday "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day," the act mandates that all publicly funded educational institutions provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution on that day. In May 2005, the United States Department of Education announced the enactment of this law and that it would apply to any school receiving federal funds of any kind. This holiday is not observed by granting time off work for federal employees.

When Constitution Day falls on a weekend or on another holiday, schools and other institutions unofficially observe the holiday on an adjacent weekday. This was the case in 2005, when Constitution Day was generally observed on Friday, September 16 and 2006 when the holiday was observed on Monday, September 18.

So, enjoy the Fourth and all the food and celebrations and remember the word "moderation" when it comes to drinking anything alcoholic. Drive carefully and enjoy the weekend!

Just stuff...

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:48:50 GMT

Not much happening here lately. The smoke is still here and is predicted to remain through Monday, but it is better---you can actually see more than 50 yards in front of you now. However, if I'm out in it for long, I start to get itchy eyes and headaches. The sun peeked through some yesterday and you can almost see some blue sky this morning. They say the lightning is headed to the north of us. WHEW.

Hey, my Detroit Tigers finally won against the Royals yesterday, putting them at 500% now and not dead last in their division! Go, you Tigers!

I'm not going to be putting out a short story for a few days (weeks) because I am concentrating on getting my current manuscript ready to send to the Publishers. So, if you want to read any of my stories, just click on their titles above and read away. I promise that once this manuscript is out and things get back to normal here (THAT could take a while!), I'll get right on a new story.

Enjoy your weekend and stay safe and well.

Nearby fires...

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:03:45 GMT

The sky is still hazy with the smoke from neighboring fires. Yesterday afternoon it was so bad, it looked more like a heavy fog than smoke. True, the sunsets are beautiful, but I'm willing to sacrifice that sight for some clean air again. Unfortunately, the Walker fire (which is 20 miles north and east of us and at last notice was over 1,400 acres) is still going and one of the Mendacino fires are all sending smoke our way. We had to keep our windows closed last night, in spite of the heat, and just resort to our portable fans to circulate our air. I hate leaving the animals out in it, but they don't seem to mind the smoke. The cats would just as soon come in and sleep on the bed, but the dog seems happy under the house where it's cool. Just our luck they'll finally get control of some of the fires and the next band of storms will bring more lightning and new threats. That is scheduled for this weekend, from what I hear.

Well, at least our pool is up and running and with plenty of water in our own well, we have kept our lawn green, even though all the neighbors have the brown lawns. Just keep your fingers crossed the lightning doesn't come our way.

The Answer, of course, is....

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:16:00 GMT

Yes, DIAMOND HEAD is the film from where the latest quote came.

According to my book, THE FILMS OF CHARLTON HESTON, by Jeff Rovin: "Heston's 'King' Howland is a ruthless bigot who is violently opposed to his sister Sloan marrying a full-blooded Hawaiian native. This, even though he, himself, is having an affair with the local Mei Chen. At his sister's engagement party, Howland is attacked by Mei Chen's brother, who ends up killing Sloan's fiance, Paul, instead. Sloan blames Howland for the incident and moves off the island to Honolulu. There she finds solace in the bottle. Meanwhile Paul's brother, Dean, finds the girl and is upset by her sorry state. He takes her to his mother's house to recuperate. By this time, Mei is pregnant by Heston. She dies after giving birth to a son. Heston refuses to accept the child. So, Sloan and Dean, who now plan to marry, care for the child. Heston finally accepts the half-breed Dean as his brother-in-law, gives his baby the Howland name, which is very generous of him, and all ends with a semblance of happiness."

Sounds a lot like DALLAS, doesn't it??!!!

New Heston Quote

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:59:45 GMT

This Heston film was set in the Hawaiian Islands and the ad for it read: "Hawaii has something for everyone: adultery, racial strife, politic, Charlton Heston!" HA! This was a beautiful film starring Heston, Yvette Mimieux, James Darren and George Chakiris. It was based on a book by Peter Gilman and deals with the early years in the growth of Hawaii. They don't show this film on TV often but it is available on DVD.

This was one of two films he made about Hawaii. Can you name this earlier one?

Bette Midler

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:12:46 GMT

WOW! Just saw BETTE MIDLER on OPRAH the other day and boy, does she look great! I'm so happy she's back to singing--opening a 2 year show in Las Vegas soon. For a 60+ gal, she looks fabulous---hope I look half that good when I reach that age. Her "look alike" daughter was also on the show and seemed like a nice, well-rounded person, even though she's not following in her mother's footsteps in show biz.

I've always been a Bette Midler fan--have most of her albums--and especially love the ones where she collaborates with her old friend, Barry Manilow. The song you hear is "I'm a Woman" from her "Peggy Lee Songbook" and one of my favorite tunes on the album. I especially love the old jazz organ in the accompaniment! There are so many super songs on this album, it's hard to pick just one.

Boy, what I wouldn't give to see her new show in Vegas...well, I can dream, can't I???

All Stars picks...

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:54:52 GMT

Well, they were supposed to announce who made All-Stars in our Little League yesterday. And, of course, M did NOT make it, even though he was the best hitter on his team (got a hit it nearly all the games---often more than one hit), got the most RBI's and made very few errors at 3rd base or in the field. The reason he did NOT make it was because he is NOT a coach's son. Yes, you read that right. Whether the coach's sons play well or not, they always make it and the other players are left out, regardless of their statistics during the year. Since we have three coaches, all their boys made it, even though there wasn't more than a handful of actual hits among them all year and they made the majority of the errors in the field. So UNFAIR....all the politics involved. Last year, it was the same thing. However one boy DID make it (from our team) who wasn't a coach's son, but he was one of only two boys were made the All-Star team (drawn from four teams) who wasn't a coach's son.

I've been keeping my fingers crossed and hoping M would make the team since this is his last year on the 12 and under leagues--he goes up to Juniors next year (13+) and will be down at the bottom of the barrel again...lots of bench sitting. At any rate, I was proud of my boy---he played hard and well and made a big difference in the team this year. But I just had to vent----all the politics that go on, even at that level, is totally WRONG in my opinion. Maybe I'm just a frustrated Mom... (That's me and my hubby right there in the background!)

Sad News...

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:48:17 GMT

I got some sad news yesterday evening. My ex-husband, father of my older son (the one in the Navy), Donald J. Harris, passed away at the age of 75. His sister called me last night to tell me and try to get ahold of my son. I had just talked to S on the phone about an hour before she called with the news, so I had to turn around and call him back with the bad news. It was not un-expected as Don's health had not been good lately, leaving him weak and volnurable. Apparently the flu was going around there and I expect he may have contracted it at some point.

Don was a very talented musician. He played drums all his life, winning several awards in San Diego for Jazz Drummer of the Year back in the 60's. He also played tympany with the San Diego symphony during those years. Although he was an exceptional drummer, his love was the vibes. He spent several years in the Navy andwhen he finally wanted to leave the military, he was offered the Navy Band, the USNCT Navy school band, and the then US/Canadian Navy band. But he turned them all down to start his own civilian band, Arrangement 70. He traveled for years with them all across the country, finally settling back in San Diego, then Santa Baraba, and finally back home to Montana.

I was always amazed at his talent for writing musical arrangements for bands, as he did those years we lived in Montana. He led a small 6 piece dance band, The Polished Brass, for which he wrote over 100 arrangements of all the great standards with a few rock and country thrown in. He also wrote a few full jazz band arrangements for a community Missoula jazz band in the mid-80's. One of my favorites was a jazz take on the old Mickey Mouse theme song. Boy, did it swing!

I will certainly miss Don, as he was my best friend for many years. But we have a wonderful son, which he was very proud of, to carry on his name. So long, Don.

New current music

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 13:33:26 GMT

The music you’re hearing now is from a little sleeper movie from the ‘90s called "Little Man Tate." I was so drawn in by the jazz from this movie, I ordered the soundtrack. This piece is the opening one from the movie and sets the pace for the whole thing. It is an excellent film with an appearance of Harry Connick, Jr. later on. If you get a chance to rent this gem, do it!

The music was written by Mark Isham, who also wrote soundtracks for "Never Cry Wolf," "Twisted," "Men of Honor," "Of Mice and Men," A River Runs Through It," "Rules of Engagement," "October Sky" and numerous other films as well. He was born in 1951 and studied classical music as a child, playing trumpet, piano and violin. But after moving from New York to San Francisco, he became interested in jazz, pop and rock. He played with several jazz artists like Pharoah Sanders, Charles Lloyd and pop artists like The Beach Boys and Van Morrison, finally forming a band called Group 87. In 1983, he scored his first film (Never Cry Wolf) with Disney and was off and running in the film scoring business. Now, after releasing his first non-movie album for Columbia in 1995, Blue Sun, he is content to stick with contemporary jazz.

What a uplifting and fun soundtrack this "Little Man Tate" album is! I’ll be keeping my ears peeled when viewing others he’s done, that’s for sure!

Mysterious Dad answer

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:35:46 GMT

The name of the series that starred Robert Wagner was IT TAKES A THIEF. Fred Astaire was the Dad, Alister Mundy, master thief. Loved this series and have never caught it in reruns. Perhaps Robert Wagner is not releasing for reruns, though I know it is available on DVD.

Actually my very FAVORITE TV Dad was Andy Taylor. Although a lot of people think the show was "hokey" I really like it and still watch the reruns. It's good to see real values taught in a relaxed but serious manner. I know the kids of today will never call their dads "sir" like in Leave It To Beaver and other family shows of the time, but the shows do teach responsibility and accepting the consequences for their bad behavior. Many kids today don't know the meaning of respect, probably because it isn't used at home or school towards them. Yes, parents, it up to you to teach them and practice what you preach.

Remember this Dad?

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:01:20 GMT

There are so many TV Dads that are good, bad and (yes) ugly! But then there's this Dad who was unflappable and absolutely wonderful. Unfortunately he appeared on the show only 3 or 4 times in the series' 3rd year. However, during those few episodes, we come to love and admire him. What style! What class!

The series premise: Convicted cat burglar Alexander Mundy gets an offer he can't refuse from the United States government: If he puts his formidable thieving skills to work for them, he'll be released from prison. At various times his government liaisons for his assignments were Noah Bain and Wallie Powers.

During the third season, Alister Mundy, Alexander's father, appears also as a master gentleman-thief who says at the start of each episode, "I've heard of stealing from the government, but not for the government."

Remember the series? Remember the actor who played the illustrious Alister Mundy? (Yeah, yeah, the picture gives it away!)

Part Five (the END)

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:46:54 GMT

Answer to previous Heston Movie Quote: BAD FOR EACH OTHER

Here's the ending to this strange little story. I told you near the beginning that this idea came to me out of a reoccurring dream I had. Well, since I wrote the story, the dream has never come back. Hmmm. Maybe it was part of a former ME that just needed to come out. Hope you enjoy the ending. (Oh, and don't forget to comment!)

(Part Five)

Tears clouded her eyes as she stuffed the envelope into her pocket and slithering back through the tunnel, down the attic escape, the steep staircase, and the long curving one to the main floor. She found herself in the library, gasping and shaking. After gulping a tall glass of water and waiting for her heart to quit trying to leap out of her chest, she carefully opened the faded envelope and pulled out two pieces of paper. One was a handwritten letter from her Grandfather, who had never come home from the war, dated January 3, 1943.

My Darling,

I don’t think the war will ever end. The Japs seem stronger and stronger and we always seem to need more supplies than we get. I can’t wait to see you and little Jerry. I hope his heart is getting stronger. You really should take him to a doctor. If he becomes too weak to go to and from the little slave room, you must get outside help. You don’t have to tell anyone who he is. He’ll be our little secret. Please take care of him and give him a big hug.

Slave room? But of course! Her father had told her that this house was one of two in town that had been part of the underground railroad during the Civil War. That room would have been a perfect hiding place. But what could have been wrong with Jerry and why did they hide him? And who, exactly was he? She carefully smoothed the other slip of paper that had been in the envelope.

On it was scrawled, "Jeremy Baily, born this 21^st day of November, 1938, in the County of York, State of Ohio. Mother: Elizabeth Bailey; Father: unknown."

The "unknown" was crossed out and scrawled next to it was the name, "Billy Leggett." He was Grandmama’s little brother but instead of calling him Uncle Billy, her father had called him "Crazy Billy" because he had had a sharp temper and had stabbed a man to death. Her father said Crazy Billy liked to pet young children like they were animals. "I never let him touch me, I’ll tell you," declared my father. Elizabeth Bailey was Julie’s Aunt Liz, her father’s younger sister, who had died in some kind of accident before she was 20. Obviously Liz had not been able to avoid him. Nothing had never mentioned anything about any child. Being Southern Baptist, Grandmama must have felt Jerry had been "spawned by the devil," as she was so find of saying. It was just like Grandmama to hide the child, out of shame. But Julie couldn’t just leave Jerry’s remains up there. She couldn’t stand to even be in this house, knowing he was there.

Tears dripped from her cheeks as she stared at the birth certificate and the letter from Grandfather. Jerry would not be lost, she decided, fetching the bulky family Bible from its shelf in the library. On the inside cover was the family tree. She scrolled down the names until she came to her Aunt Liz’s, then crossed out the "none" in the "Children" slot beside Elizabeth’s name and wrote "Jeremy Bailey". Closing the cover, tears streaming down her face, she picked up the phone and dialed the police.

THE END

A Rare Heston film

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:42:54 GMT

This 1953 film is rare indeed. Most Heston fans have not even seen it, since it is one of the handful of films not put out on VHS or DVD and is rarely shown on TV. I was lucky enough to capture it on TV years ago and recorded it. Would love to add a remastered version of this black and white film to my Heston library.

In this film, he plays Tom Owens, a young doctor in a mining town. Although this movie was made after Greatest Show on Earth, Heston was still a newcomer to the Hollywood scene. Lizabeth Scott and Diane Foster played his love interests. The script was based on a short story entitled "Scapel" by Horace McCoy.

Can you name this obscure film?

Part Four

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:31:31 GMT

Aw shucks, we lost our baseball games yesterday! But the boys played hard and we only lost 12-9. M was directly responsible for scoring 3 of those runs too. He played well, but there were too many mistakes on our side. We have one more game on Friday (a make-up game) and then the season will be over for this year. It seems so short!

Without further ado, here is the next part:

(Part Four)

After spending a restless night in the big house, Julie dragged out of bed with the sun the next morning, anxious to find the room with the round window. As she sipped her coffee, she walked around outside the house, through the tall, dewy grass until she was directly under the round window, the blues and reds and greens dancing in the morning light. It appeared to be straight up from the library window, putting it on the east side of the ballroom, farthest from the chimney, and in the attic. There had to be a way to get in!

Back upstairs she went to the east wall. Knocking gently, a low, hollow thud answered. With the lantern, she searched the smooth wall, finding no hint of an opening. The entrance had to be there! She began moving boxes and small tables stacked in the corner away from wall. Two trunks situated on top of each other seemed too heavy to move. But Julie pushed and tugged at the top one until it began to slide. Then, with one big shove, it crashed to the floor. A huge cloud of dust billowed up around it. The bottom trunk stuck stubbornly to the floor. With the crowbar, she managed to pry it loose and push it away from the wall. Behind the cleaner wall where the trunk had been, a three-foot by three-foot outline of a door appeared. She took the screwdriver and pried the door out until she could get her fingers in the crack. With one foot braced against the wall, she tugged it open.

Light poured in with musty air. Julie brushed the cobwebs away and peered through the opening. It seemed to be part of a short, square tunnel, reminding her of an air duct, that ran the length of the wall. With her head and shoulders through the opening, Julie took a big breath, then closed her eyes and scrambled through the crawlspace of cobwebs and spiders. When it finally spilled into a room, she sprawled out onto the floor and exhaled, only to breath in a stench so strong, it made her gag. She covered her mouth, and tried not to inhale. Then she saw the round window with it’s red, blue and green stained glass, sparkled and glistened with rainbows of light. It was even more beautiful up close.

She gazed around the small room. Only a plain, dark chest of drawers and a small wooden-framed bed filled the space. At first she thought it was some kind of doll that lay on the bed, but when she looked closer, she realized it was a fully dressed skeleton with its arms folded across its chest. A tattered envelope was stuck between its finger bones, and its mouth was open as if it had been trying to say something.

Julie screamed and turned away from the grizzly sight towards the window, breathing heavily, struggling not to lose her breakfast. After a few minutes, she managed to slow her breathing went back to the tiny body. Carefully, with quaking hands, she pulled the envelope from the bony grasp. It was addressed to her Grandmother from her Grandfather.

Part Three

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:08:58 GMT

What a beautiful weekend this has been---so far. Warm and sunny but not too hot and not too much wind! Hope you all are enjoying it as much as I. Here's the next part in this strange story:

(Part Three)

Her footsteps echoed on the metal rungs as she went up the stairs. She paused and listened between each step. No sign of light appeared through the dense cobwebs. And everything was silent. She flicked on the flashlight, throwing its beam jerkily this way and that. The attic was smaller than she had thought, and although she searched every corner, there was no round window. In fact, there were no windows at all. This was not the room. But it was the attic.

Julie wished she had thought to bring a candle. As she searched the walls with the beam of the flashlight, she spotted an old glass oil lamp along with a box of kitchen matches. Amazingly there was still a good half-inch of oil in the bottom of the lamp. She lit it.

The room glowed to life. Two huge trunks loomed at one end, and at the other, an old, wooden school desk butted up against the wall beside two boxes. One was packed with books and the other with metal cars and small, green GI Joe soldiers. Julie was fascinated with the desk with its fancy metal braces on the sides, holding a wooden box and lid that looked dull but unscratched. She lifted the lid and peered inside. Two chewed pencils and a notebook and three small cars were neatly arranged. She carefully lifted out the notebook. The faded writing inside was too dim to make out, even with the flashlight. She would have to read it later. Julie’s growling stomach reminded her that she hadn’t eaten all day, so gathering her tools and the notebook, she returned to the main floor, glad she had thought to bring a sandwich along.

After devouring everything in the small paper bag and washing her hands, she stepped into the library. When she opened the notebook, it appeared to have been written by a young boy. He wrote that he wished he could visit Egypt, Africa, and England. He dreamed of knights in armor and crusaders fighting with swords. However, he also wished he could play with other children and see his mother and father. Julie was puzzled. Who was he? Why was his journal in this attic desk?

Harvey Korman passing

Sat, 31 May 2008 14:38:40 GMT

So sorry to hear of Harvey Korman's passing. His work always made me laugh. I especially loved him in BLAZING SADDLES as Hedley Lamar. His humor was truly inspired as all I had to do was see him and I'd smile. He and Tim Conway were classic on The Carol Burnett Show and it was always fun to see him crack up at his companions' jokes. He always seemed like a happy person. I will truly miss him.

Part Two

Thu, 29 May 2008 13:32:13 GMT

ANSWER TO NEW QUOTE: GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

Now, here is the next part in this strange story:

(Part Two)

The steps creaked and groaned as Julie ascended to the second floor. Two large bedrooms and two smaller ones, along with a closet-converted-to-a-bathroom, occupied the second floor. Her father’s room had been the first one and his younger brother had claimed the second large one. In both rooms, the furniture and beds were draped with sheets.

The second staircase to the third floor was just past the bathroom at the end of the hall behind an imposing white, locked door. Julie tried six keys before finding the proper one. He held her breath as the door squealed open, revealing a narrow, steep flight of stairs. Upon reaching the third floor, she found a large open room with a low ceiling, no furniture at all and no windows. It looked like a ballroom with its modest cut-glass chandelier and vast, hardwood floor. A brick fireplace covered the entire far wall. The stones were beautifully laid in swirling patterns of black, gray, and white. Julie jumped as a small mouse dashed across the dusty floor. Only a mouse, she told herself, taking a deep breath, then sneezing loudly.

But since this room had no windows, where was the room with the round window? There must be stairs to an attic, she told herself. Her Grandmama had often told her this thing or that thing was "stored in the attic." But where was its access? This room appeared to be without doors, except for the one from which she’d come through. No where was there a stair entrance. Julie walked around the room, her shoes clunking with hollow thuds. As she neared the fireplace, Julie noticed a small square seam in the ceiling, about 7 feet high. She’d need some kind of ladder.

So, she made her way back downstairs to the main floor and out to the garage behind the house. A stepladder, screwdriver, crowbar, pliers, and flashlight were almost too much for her to carry, but she managed, by jamming the screwdriver, pliers, and flashlight in the belt of her jeans.

Julie huffed and puffed as she dragged the ladder and tools up the final steep staircase. She plopped down in the ballroom under the ceiling seam to catch her breath. It felt wonderful to lean back on the floor and gaze up. Her eyes followed a scrapping sound across it, ending in a thud. She froze. As she bit her lower lip, and cocked her head to listen, she heard a small, pleading voice which got stronger one minute, then faded away the next. "I need to get out. Please help me. Please let me go." Then the voice faded to nothing. Sweat ran down Julie’s face as she stripped off the sweater and flung it to the floor. With shaky hands, she set up the ladder under the square and climbed to the top rung, grabbing the ceiling to balance. Upon close inspection, the seam was tighter than she had thought. She pushed and pried with her screwdriver, but it didn’t budge. She threw down the crowbar in exasperation as it was useless with such a narrow crack. Julie climbed down and shook her head. How in the world could she get into that attic?

As she leaned against the fireplace, she felt, more than heard, a faint click. The door above her suddenly slid open. A set of fire steps came barreling down, knocking over the ladder and scattering her tools across the slick floor. She leapt back and grinned as she looked up at the gaping hole.

New Heston quote from an OLD movie...

Wed, 28 May 2008 13:53:09 GMT

You know, EVERYONE should watch this movie! If nothing else, it is educational in that it shows a chunk of the past that is all but gone forever---(hint) the Barnum and Bailey Circus in it's prime! Yes, you Charlton Heston fans out there will probably have seen this one that co-starred Jimmy Stewart in full clown make-up. This was Heston's first "Specticular" film and the whole thing jump-started his film career. He was virtually unknown when this film came out. Cecil B. DeMille directed this larger-than-life film and went on to direct Chuck in the Ten Commandments later. I never get tired of viewing this film as it is so wonderfully down with real circus performers. The back story is well written and the film won an Oscar for BEST PICTURE in 1953! The train wreck scene was one of the finest disasters to be filmed at that time and Jimmy Stewart and the rest of the cast were brilliant!

If you don't know the name of this film, you must have been living in a cave!!! Of Chuck's character Brad in the film, someone declared: "YOU GOT NOTHIN' BUT SAWDUST IN YOUR VEINS!"

Part One

Mon, 26 May 2008 13:32:50 GMT

Happy Memorial Day! Hope you all have a safe and relaxed time today. A special THANKS to justglass-online.com for the picture of the window. Here is the first part of the new Short Story:

The Room With The Round Window

When Julie stepped out of the car and gazed up at the yellow house after 14 years, she wiped away a tear of joy, not knowing the secret buried inside. Now this house had been left to her by her grandmother. She scanned the three-story square building with its carved corners, dark shutters and that room at the very top, in the center, with its stained-glass round window that shimmered in the morning sun. Julie had reoccurring dreams about this place and that room with the round window. Maybe she could finally find it and put an end to those weird dreams.

She fumbled with the huge ring of keys the lawyer had given her, finally locating the one for that fit the front door. When she stepped in, a musty odor hit her. Cobwebs brushed her head and shoulders. The floor creaked with every step. This house had been closed up for almost 20 years because her grandmother had gone to a nursing home. She had insisted that no one go into the house while she was alive. Now Grandmama had passed away and left the house to Julie with the stipulation that it be kept in the family.

Julie had fond childhood memories of this house and was anxious to explore it entirely. She could almost hear her grandmother’s strict rules when she had been a young girl: "You must never go up to the third floor. You may never go down in the basement without an adult." Julie could hardly wait to explore it. What mystery lay on the third floor? What could possibly be off limits in the basement? And what about that room at the top with the round window? Was it in the attic? She shivered and put on the sweater that she had brought from the car.

Everything was just as she had remembered it. A massive wood-framed mirror in the living room reflected everyone who came into the house. When Julie saw herself in the dusty glass, she seemed thinner, older, and faded like the family photos in the albums upstairs. Her long blond hair pulled back and knotted gave her an old-fashioned look like the portrait of Aunt Liz that hung in the downstairs bedroom. The library was off to the right of the front door, the shelves up to the ceiling filled with hundreds of leather bound books. Cobwebs crisscrossing the leather, padded window seats. The built-in mantel clock sat silently in the corner, veiled in a layer of dust. Julie tiptoed through both downstairs bedrooms and the dining room, where she’d sat for so many holiday dinners and helped with countless jigsaw puzzles. The kitchen evoked memories of homemade doughnuts frying, and huge turkeys in the oven. She remembered her Grandmama’s long-haired white cat, Mickey, weaving in and out of peoples’ legs as she meowed her way across the rooms.

The door to the basement was off the kitchen and firmly locked. But rather than look for the key just then, Julie decided to explore the upstairs first. Her hand followed the carved mahogany handrail as it curved gracefully up the stairs.

Book List: WHAT I'M READING

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:00:13 GMT

WHAT I'M READING

Sue A. Lehman: BLINDSIDED
HERE IT IS...FINALLY AVAILABLE AT AMAZON! "Sure to please mystery buffs and dog lovers alike."
Sue Lehman: The Rat
Coming soon this fall! You can pre-order this now.
Sara Gruen: Water for Elephants
"Gritty, sensual and charged with dark secrets involving love, murder and a majestic, muste heroine."

Custom List: HESTON QUOTES

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:59:30 GMT

HESTON QUOTES

COUNTERPOINT (1968 film)
"You have nice legs, but they tend to blur the vision."
THE NAKED JUNGLE (1954 film)
"I don't know how to be second---I can only be first!"
55 DAYS AT PEKING (1963 film)
"Attack who? The whole Imperial Army? And attack with what? 115 rusty guns?!!!"
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956 film)
"Blood makes poor mortar."
THE WAR LORD (1965 film)
"Before I came here they told me marsh people had spotted bellies and webbed toes."
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952 film)
"You know...I never knew a woman could fill a pipe."
BAD FOR EACH OTHER (1953 film)
"Nobody is going to collect ME and hang ME on a wall!"
DIAMOND HEAD (1963 film)
"When I bow, I don't like someone's hand pushing my head down!"

Custom List: SHORT STORY READS ONLY

Tue, 27 May 2008 13:32:19 GMT

SHORT STORY READS ONLY

NOT LOST
Go to the list of CATEGORIES and click on EPISODES. Just scroll down to the end and read the EPISODES from bottom to top! ENJOY!
THE GUARDIAN
Click on THE GUARDIAN in the categories to catch up on the new story for 2008.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
Click on this title in the CATEGORIES and enjoy the latest episodes.
Room With the Round Window
Click on this title in CATEGORIES to read all the episodes posted. And don't forget to comment!

Custom List: Favorite places to visit

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:31:37 GMT

Favorite places to visit

Green Man
Gardening and Environmentally correct!
AND SO IT GOES ON...
cool as a cucumber!
The BEST piano/music site on the Web!
Great music site for all your music needs!
Early Morning Yawn
Get a load of this fun-loving guy---besides, he's my son
Bill
What fun!
My new BOOK site!!!
Showcases my new book and lets you in on my future projects!
CarolDee
She's found another home here. Find out what she thinks!
Bob's place
Great fun and good recipes and trivia!

Custom List: MY GUESTBOOK

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:42:17 GMT

MY GUESTBOOK

SIGN HERE OR BE SQUARE!