Ramblings And What Not ~

Hello Peoples! It’s windy day. A very windy day. I walked to the bakery early this morning, enjoyed a decadent hot chocolate and journeyed home. The bakery is still take out only, so I didn’t stay long. It’s really a day to stay home and partake in a project. Rick and I are going to paint the bathroom Indigo. This week, we went to a few paint stores and got samples of Indigo and decided on one. Now, we are going to prep the bathroom for a paint job. Our bathroom is pink. That’s right ~ pink. Soon it will be Indigo.

Much love ~

Kathy

Classic Movie Friday!

Hello Peoples! Once again, it’s time for Classic Movie Friday. This week I’m featuring iconic wedding dresses. Yes, these lovely ladies have found the man of their dreams  🙂   and have decided to say “I do.” Each lovely lady has a unique story to tell and I recommend you watch each movie to learn their stories.  🙂  I think, The Sound of Music is the loveliest and most romantic story of the three. *sigh* There are several iconic wedding dresses I didn’t include in this short list, I’ve narrowed it down to three. Enjoy!  🙂  I didn’t list these in any particular order.

It Happened One Night (1934)

Claudette Colbert

Frankenstein (1934)

Mae Clark

The Sound of Music (1965)

Julie Andrews

Much love ~

Kathy

The Lockdown Tag Award ~

Hello Peoples! Seriously! Yup! I did find this tag and decided, right away, to participate. I wasn’t tagged. I jumped in and did do it!  🙂  I think I participated in a tag, similar to this, at the beginning of the pandemic.

You can find this tag at Evin’s fun and delightful blog ~ A Curly Sue’s Rambling. Evin has a sweet blog. Thanks Evin!  🙂

https://evinsblog.wordpress.com/2020/09/15/catching-up-on-awards-and-tags-assumptions-about-me/

RULES ~

~ Thank the person who nominated you.

~ Answer the blogger’s questions.

~ Nominate other bloggers.

Well! That’s easy.  🙂

The Questions ~

Overall, how are you handling the quarantine?

I’m doing pretty good. Our city is getting back to normal. In the beginning, I stayed home and did a lot of reading. In fact, my primary and secondary piles of reading books are all read! What will I do now??? *haha*

What viral recipes have you tried during the lockdown?

I tried only one new recipe. It’s a yummy lemon blueberry bread.

What activities have you missed the most during quarantine?

The coffee shops, bistros and the bakery have been closing early and for a long time they were take out only. I wasn’t able to meet with friends at these businesses like I did before the pandemic.

Do you wear a mask when you leave the house?

No, I don’t. I do carry a mask with me, in case I visit a business that requires a mask.

Are you an essential worker. If yes, what is your job title?

Since I work at home, yes, I am essential. *haha*

How do you exercise during the lockdown?

My exercise routine didn’t change at all. Since all my exercise is in the great outdoors and everyone was in their homes, I continued to exercise outdoors. I rarely saw another person. Now, I’m seeing more and more people.

Have you subscribed to any new subscription services since the lockdown started?

No.

What did/does your daily schedule look like before the pandemic started?

It really didn’t change much. Rick and I watched a LOT of movies in the beginning and, of course, I got caught up on my reading. We stayed closer to home.

Do you think the pandemic is getting worse or better?

Better. I’m an optimist.  🙂

Consider yourself tagged!

Much love ~

Kathy

The Call of the Wild

The Call of the Wild (2020)

Harrison Ford   Omar Sy   Cara Gee   Dan Stevens   Bradley Whitford

Oh my word! I loved this movie! The story is about Buck. He’s a BIG, fun, soft-hearted dog, who gets into all sorts of mischief. He’s so playful and he love’s his human family. He lives in California. Well, one night he is lured away and kidnapped or dognapped by a man with nefarious intent. He’s sold in Skagway, Alaska and becomes a member of a dog sled team, delivering the mail to remote towns in the Yukon. More than once, throughout this film, I wanted Buck to come live with me.  🙂  He does encounter danger and less than friendly people. In spite of all the challenges, he’s having a great time, as Buck normally does. Buck meets John Thornton (Harrison Ford) and the two become friends and travel together somewhere near the Artic Circle.

This story is so rich with adventure! John Thornton is a good man. John and Buck take good care of one another and have a great companionship. John talks to Buck and Buck seems to listen and understand.

The cinematography seems perfect to me. Beautiful country. Typical gold rush size towns. Rough, tough people. And, a wilderness that is begging to be explored.

HIGHLY Recommend!

 

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Hello Peoples! I’ve been nominated for The Sunshine Blogger Award!

Thank-you Carissa for nominating me!  🙂  You can meet Carissa and read her blog at ~

https://cabdriversandcoffeepots.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-sunshine-blogger-award.html

The Rules ~

1.) Thank the blogger who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog.

2.) Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.

3.) Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.

4.) List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

The Sunshine Blogger Award Questions Assigned To Me ~

~ What is your favorite hobby?

I love to go hiking in the woods or the mountains. I enjoy sitting by a campfire. Nothing like it.

~ What is the best book you’ve read so far this year?

Oh my! I’ve read several. I don’t know if I can choose just one book. Just to name a few ~

Persuasion by Jane Austin

Molly by Sarah Monzon

On A Summer Tide by Suzanne Fisher Woods

The Ian Rutledge Mysteries by Charles Todd are good and The Death On Demand Mysteries by Carolyn Hart are good.

The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton was fascinating.

There are so many!  🙂

~ What is the worst book you’ve read so far this year?

I didn’t like The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo.

~ What is your favorite color and how do you use it in your life?

Blue is my favorite color.  🙂  I decorate our home with blue.

~ Do you drink tea and if so, what brand is your favorite?

I don’t know if I have a favorite brand, however, I like Assam tea, Irish tea and British Breakfast tea. I like peach green tea if it’s iced. I usually purchase organic tea and loose leaf.

~ Since we’re slowly coming up on the holidays, what is your favorite treat in December?

Fudge! Yummy! I don’t eat much fudge though.

~ Do you play board games and if so, what is your favorite?

I don’t play board games very often, but when I do I enjoy Balderdash!

~ What is your favorite movie that was made during the Hays Code, 1934 -1968?

Casablanca (1942)

~ What is your favorite singing group?

I don’t really have one. I like many songs and a LOT of different types of music.

~ Do you prefer CDs, digital music, or (GASP) vinyl?

I prefer CDs.

~ What got you started in the blogging realm?

I belonged to a book group and the book group had a blog. From there, I decided to start a winter blog. I was going to blog only during the winter months, it blossomed from there.  🙂

My Sunshine Blogger Questions and Nominees ~

1.) If you live in the United States, have you ever traveled outside the US? If you live in another country, have you ever visited America?

2.) Have you visited all the Great Lakes?

3.) Have you ever climbed a mountain, if yes, which one?

4.) Are you a morning person, or a night owl?

5.) Have you ever been hang gliding?

6.) Do you enjoy horseback riding?

7.) Have you ever taken a cruise across the Atlantic Ocean?

8.) What is your favorite food to savor on Thanksgiving?

9.) Do you prefer mashed potatoes, baked potatoes or French fries?

10.) Who would you prefer to dance with, Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly?

11.)  Are you a coffee drinker?

And there you have it!  🙂  Consider yourself tagged!

Much love ~

Kathy

Classic Movie Friday!

Hello Peoples! Rick is an avid aficionado of the classic sci-fi movies, or as we call them, “B Movies!” This week on Classic Movie Friday we created a list of “B Movies” that are the best. *ahem* Best is relative.  🙂  I would like you to know, my choices, are somewhat different from Rick’s. I chose three of these films. Rick chose four. He could have listed twenty more movies! I stopped us at these seven. Your welcome.   🙂  Drum roll please ~ coming in at number ~

1.) War of the Worlds (1953)

Gene Barry   Ann Robinson

2.) The Time Machine (1960)

Rod Taylor

3.) First Men in the Moon (1964)

Edward Judd   Martha Hyer   Lionel Jeffries

4.) The Blob (1958)

Steve McQueen   Aneta Corsaut

5.) When Worlds Collide (1951)

Richard Derr   Barbara Rush

6.) The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)

Richard Denning   Julie Adams   Richard Carlson

7.) The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

Paul Hubschmid   Paula Raymond

Have you seen any of these most interesting films??? I’d like to hear from you.  🙂

Enjoy!

Ramblings And What Not ~

Hello Peoples! And a very good morning to you! Yes YOU! A cold front swept down from the north and it is shocking after our warm summer. The temperature was in the mid-40’s, but it felt like ~ really cold. Brrr. We went shopping for groceries. I was cold outside, I was cold in the grocery store! I dressed in layers! The truck was nice and toasty warm. We had a frost advisory last night. After I made lemon blueberry bread and brownies, I snuggled up on the sofa, under warm blankets and watched a movie.

Murder in Mesopotamia (2001)

David Suchet   Hugh Frasier

Rick liked this classic murder mystery by Agatha Christie. I read the book, but I should read it again. It was good! A person with nefarious intent murders a poor woman at an archeological dig in Mesopotamia. RUDE! Very RUDE.

Right now I’m reading ~

Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody by Barbara Ross

Do you have big plans for the weekend??? What are you currently reading?

It’s going to be in the 60’s today.  🙂  Much better.

Much love ~

Kathy

 

The Classics Club ~ The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg

“Set in early eighteenth-century Scotland, the novel accounts the corruption of a boy of strict Calvinist parentage by a mysterious stranger under whose influence he commits a series of murders. The stranger assures the boy that no sin can affect the salvation of an elect person. The reader, while recognizing the stranger as Satan, is prevented by the subtlely of the novel’s structure from finally deciding whether, for all his vividness and wit, he is more than a figment of the boy’s imagination.” ~ goodreads

When I decided to join The Classics Club, I created a list of fifty books to read in the next five years. I researched classic authors and books online and discover this gem by James Hogg. I decided to read it for the Classics Club, however, I didn’t think I would ever find the book. I have a friend who was required to read said book in college, so, she loaned me her copy of the book and I read the story aloud to Rick.

At this time, I can’t say I liked it, however, I can’t say I didn’t like it. It is interesting and I do believe there is something in the story for everyone. It certainly gives the reader something to think about. It’s well written ~ it did take some thought to read and write the story. It does have some Scottish Brogue in it.

The story is about Robert. He is the son of the laird of Dalcastle and his mother, who believes in strict Calvinism, was taught by a minister named Wringhim. The marriage does break up and Robert’s parents live in separate parts of the house. Robert does have one brother. Robert is raised by his mother and his brother George is raised by his father. As far as I can tell, Robert is a problem from a very young age and George doesn’t like his brother.  Early in the story Robert meets Gil-Martin aka Satan. From an early age Robert acts horribly but his self-righteous beliefs or his views on predestination convince him no harm will come to him in the here after and everything he does, he does to purge the world of evil, to protect the elect.

A large part of the first part of the book is a narrative and the shorter second part of the story is Robert’s journal. I thought the journal entries were much more interesting. This isn’t a casual read and it’s a difficult story to write a review for. There are times, throughout the book when there are small indicators the experience might be a dream or imagination??? I can see where it could be imagination, but, in my opinion as I look back at the story, I don’t believe it was a dream. This isn’t a book with a happy ending and the only likable character I found was Robert’s mother. However there are only brief moments with her in the book.

Have you read James Hogg classic book? What are your thoughts?

Happy Reading!

Classic Movie Friday!

Hello Peoples! Sadly, it is getting more and more difficult to find classic movies. So! As I continue to search for said movies, I will post creative ideas to dazzle and entertain us *haha* while I continue to scour the countryside!  🙂  Today I will share with you my favorite mysteries/noir films. I have done this snazzy blog post in the past, however, the list changes continually. So! Here is the NEW! The IMPROVED! These films are in no particular order. That would be to difficult!  🙂

Double Indemnity (1944)

Fred McMurray   Barbara Stanwyck

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Humphrey Bogart   Mary Astor

The Thin Man (1934)

William Powell   Myrna Loy

Dial M For Murder (1954)

Grace Kelly   Robert Cummings   Ray Milland

Laura (1944)

Gene Tierney   Dana Andrews

Charlie Chan At the Wax Museum (1940)

Sidney Toler   Victor Sen Yung

Crossroads (1942)

William Powell   Hedy Lamarr

Dishonored Lady (1947)

Hedy Lamarr   Dennis O’Keefe

Portrait In Black (1960)

Lana Turner   Anthony Quinn

 

Have you seen these classic films? Which are your favorites? Do you have favorites I haven’t included?

Enjoy!

The Classics Club ~ The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton

“Equal parts mystery, suspense story, allegory and farce, this title features Gabriel Syme, who is the author’s ideal of the virtuous Common Man. He must infiltrate and try to thwart an anarchist cell, whose heart is the mysterious and ambiguous Sunday, a man whose power seem almost godlike.” ~goodreads

I need to say, right away, this is a book I need to read twice. I loved it, yet, I didn’t completely understand it. This is a fantastical ride on the philosophical highway. Gabriel Syme is an ordinary man, a random dude. He is a spy, a covert detective who has infiltrated an anarchist group to frustrate and snafu their nefarious plans. Including Syme, their are seven anarchists on this council and as the storyline unfolds, the reader discovers that things are not what they seem. Oh yes. There is mystery! There are surprises! There are turns and twists. Who is nefarious? Who is upright? And! Who is the mysterious Sunday? Abstruseness surrounds him. He’s an enigma.

“Almost as Syme heard the words, he saw on the sea of human faces in front of him a frightful and beautiful alteration, as if heaven had opened behind his head. But Sunday had only passed silently along the front like a shadow, and had sat in the central seat. He was draped plainly, in a pure and terrible white, and his hair was like a silver flame on his forehead.” (p. 151)

What an adventure!

If you read this book and do not understand it, you are not alone.

Without a doubt, this story is fascinating. It’s one of the most fascinating stories I have ever read. I will be reading this book again in the future.

Highly recommend! Happy Reading!