dual personalities

Tag: Weekend

July 25, 2022

This and that, here and there

by chuckofish

Every so often I just like to post this old Booth cartoon because it sums up my mood so well.

In other news, we continue to languish in our tropical flyover state where we have been tolerating/not tolerating super hot temperatures. On top of which, my allergies were terrible this weekend–the sneezing and the blowing–zut alors!

I did manage to go to one estate sale and I checked out my local antique mall where I found something I could not resist.

It’s a large lead soldier–a Cameron Highlander–in a nice case. It is very well painted.

You will say that I already have plenty of lead soldiers around my house, but I couldn’t help myself. He was on sale! It was a rescue job and I am not apologizing.

You may recall that our father was quite a hobbyist and one of his longterm hobbies was painting lead soldiers and collecting Britains. I do indeed have them all over my house.

So what’s one more soldier?

The OM and I went to church on Sunday where we heard a good sermon on Matthew 21: 33-46. We also sang some great old hymns lustily which is always a joy. The boy and his family were in KC this weekend so we ate brunch at our backup diner and then drove down to my favorite auction house to check out the preview of next weekend’s auction. I am keeping my eye on a few things and who knows, if there is no competition, I may win something.

And they say the intense heat will be vacating the area and we will be back to near normal temperatures and maybe some rain. That would be nice.

Did you watch Red River (1948) on Saturday? We did and it was great.

John Wayne is iconic and Montgomery Clift holds his own. And, boy, that is saying a lot.

And here’s a great rendition of a favorite hymn by Missouri’s own, the Petersens, to start your week off…

4 Comments
July 18, 2022

“He who regards the clouds will not reap”*

by chuckofish

I had a busy week. We even went out on a weeknight.

The OM got to use his office’s (air-conditioned) suite at the ballpark so he invited a group of friends and clients to watch the game. I had not been to a Cardinals game in many years, not since my flyover university used to sponsor nights at the ballpark. Also I lost interest in the redbirds when they fired Mike Matheny in 2018 (sigh). Anyway, it was fun to watch a game right on the third base line.

The little bud made a new best friend, who taught him how to yell, “You’re a bum!” to the manager. (Our manager is a bum, so it’s okay.) We had a 6-0 lead through seven innings and then lost the game because we have no relievers. C’est la vie.

After my busy week, all I wanted to do was chillax and watch the 150th Open at St. Andrew’s. I did get to see a little, but since I went to church on Sunday I missed the end. (Congrats to Cameron Smith who to me always has a disconcerting Nathan Bedford Forest vibe.)

We celebrated the OM’s birthday with a little party after church.

(The pictures of our birthday parties always look the same, don’t they?) Mr and Mrs Crypt Keeper–c’est la vie.

I’m impressed the OM blew out all the candles with one breath. (So was he.)

The French Silk pie was from Tippins and a big success. I made a tater tot casserole which was also a hit.

Here’s hoping this week will not be so busy and maybe it will cool off a little. It has been a hot summer, but that is par for the course and I am not complaining (as long as the electric grid holds out.)

And here’s a bonus picture of precious Katiebelle doing her chores:

*Ecclesiastes 11:4

3 Comments
June 20, 2022

Pickin’ and grinnin’

by chuckofish

As you know, I had quite a week, what with volunteering at Vacation Bible School…

…but the fun did not end there. After a slam bang VBS finish on Friday morning (which included a big slip ‘n slide on the front lawn), I rushed home to meet the OM so that we could drive to Jefferson City where we celebrated Father’s Day by attending a Ricky Skaggs concert with daughter #1 in the city’s outdoor amphitheater.

(As usual I did my best to advertise for Ultimate Lacrosse as well as use my Unclaimed Property fan to great advantage! It was super hot.)

We have seen Ricky in concert at least four times. The first time was in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry twenty-five years ago.

Taken with a camera–before cell phones!

We have all aged quite a bit since those glory days, but ol’ Ricky and his Kentucky Thunder Band still put on a great show.

No one goes to a Bluegrass concert who isn’t really into it, so the crowd is always rockin’–and this crowd of mid-Missouri oldsters was no exception.

I went to my first Bluegrass concert back in the 1970s. It was the legendary Doc Watson and his son Merle, playing in Graham Chapel at Washington University. I went with my brother and his friend Tom, who were bluegrass musicians themselves. I have been a fan ever since.

Anyway, we stayed up way past our usual bedtime on Friday night, but Ricky Skaggs was worth it.

On Saturday, daughter #1 and I went to a few favorite places in JC…

including the always interesting “Vin-tique” antique mall. Then we all had lunch at Steak ‘N Shake, followed by a treat at Central Dairy before heading home and collapsing.

On Sunday I had to wear my VBS t-shirt one last time to church for the final celebration and explosive display of Christian enthusiasm before we all settled back down into our more sedate Presbyterian worship. The OM and I thought we would bring the boy lunch at his store after church since he had to work, but every place we tried to stop was way too crowded and the drive-through lines were too long, so we just stopped by and said “Happy Father’s Day!” and went home. C’est la vie.

Here’s hoping life will be calmer this week while I ready myself to visit this little tyke and her parents in North Carolina next weekend.

Cheese!

5 Comments
May 30, 2022

How lucky

by chuckofish

We had a beautiful, sunshine-y weekend and we took good advantage of it. Daughter #1 came home on Friday to attend the funeral of our old friend Bob. He and his wife, who we met at our old church, switched to the Anglican Church many years ago and were pillars of that small congregation. The church was overflowing with friends and family and we were happy to get seats. One son and a granddaughter gave heartfelt eulogies; he was a much-loved patriarch of a large and loving family.

Bob and and his wife Sue always had time for our family; indeed, they were often stand-in grandparents for our kids who had none, taking them to the movies, and attending school plays, graduations, holidays, weddings, even the V.P. Ball, with us. And every New Years Day for years we attended their spades party where a potpourri of guests played a round-robin spades tournament with randomly selected partners. Frequently daughter #2 was paired with Bob, who good-naturedly played with a six or seven-year old. They invited us to their camp at the Lake of the Ozarks. They were swell.

Bob was indeed a saint, a child of God, and now he is among that “cloud of witnesses” that surrounds us. (Hebrews 12:1) Into paradise may the angels lead thee, Bob. At your coming may the martyrs greet thee, and bring you into the holy city Jerusalem.

Daughter #1 also came home in order to attend a birthday party on Saturday, but it was canceled at the last minute. So because it was such a beautiful day, we drove to Faust Park in west St. Louis County. The park is 200 acres on a tract of land that once belonged to the second governor of Missouri, Frederick Bates.

The estate includes a house, barn and three log buildings that were built around 1817-1819. Faust also is the home to the Butterfly House and a carousel. We walked around the “historic village” and toured the Butterfly House, which is like a mini Climatron with lots of exotic butterflies.

After lunch we went home and sat on the patio for three hours sipping margaritas and watching the birds and squirrels enjoy Happy Hour in the mulberry tree. They are rather comical to watch as they gorge on the over-ripe berries and get tipsy. (The squirrels hang like monkeys reaching for berries and the Robins fall off the branches.) We even saw a Pilated Woodpecker–very exciting!

On Sunday after church the wee twins came over to eat bagels and frolic outside while the grown-ups indulged in driveway sittin’.

Watering the flowers (the bud’s idea) ended in filling the baby pool and drenching themselves.

Can you imagine anything more fun?

Today is Memorial Day–lest we forget–so I will be watching They Were Expendable (1945) and giving heartfelt thanks for our veterans, past and present.

Sidenote: We also watched Dog (2022) this weekend. It is a great movie about veterans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od3vDkhrC_E

A toast to Channing who co-wrote and co-produced the film.

4 Comments
May 23, 2022

“Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight, robed in the blooming garb of spring”*

by chuckofish

Well, on last Thursday night we had quite a thunderstorm, which actually was a EF0 tornado two blocks away. I’m not kidding. I was standing in the front door watching when the straight line wind came through (80 mph!) but it didn’t seem like a really big deal or anything.

But I guess it was.

(photo from KSDK.com)

On Saturday morning the OM and I went to my friend Nicki’s memorial service which had been postponed since January. We had to drive there in a thunderous gulley-washer, arriving, like everyone else, rather wet and bedraggled from the hike from our car. (This church–with the largest Episcopal congregation in the diocese–has no parking lot and you have to find parking spots on a residential street the best you can–zut alors!)

As you know, I have always loved the Episcopal Burial Office, Rite I, especially the procession–

I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord;
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live;
and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

I know that my Redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth;
and though this body be destroyed, yet shall I see God;
whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold,
and not as a stranger.

For none of us liveth to himself,
and no man dieth to himself.
For if we live, we live unto the Lord.
and if we die, we die unto the Lord.
Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord;
even so saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors.

The semi-professional choir (wearing masks) sang it, however, as they did the psalms, and so it seemed like a theater production. This is how they like it at this church. So be it.

We skipped the reception at the St. Louis Country Club and came home so we could go to the high school graduation party of our neighbor across the street. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for this cute boy because he reminds me of DN. He is going to Montana State so he can hike and fish and ski. I said, you know you have to go to class too, right? He chuckled. But really. Why do people go to college nowadays? Anyway, it was a lot of socializing for one day. I watched the PGA tournament thereafter.

On Sunday it was good to be back in our own church alongside the wee babes. We had brunch afterwards and then they all went home and the weekend wound down.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

Hymn #642

P.S. This was cool about a unique Cardinals-Giants baseball game played last week. “We tend to think of life as a game to be won rather than a game to be enjoyed. We feel the pressure to determine the outcome. But what if we already know the outcome? We no longer need to worry about whether we will win or lose because those of us who are in Christ have both lost and won. Because he died and now lives, we have also died with him, and we will live with him (2 Tim 2:11). So if that’s the case, what do we have to lose?”

I am glad to see that Paul Zahl is back with his recommendations for TCM films to watch in June. “The Hoodlum Priest is the kind of movie that was popular and successful when it came out, but the critical “establishment” would like it to stay in a memory hole forever. Please don’t let that happen. Stay up and watch The Hoodlum Priest on June the 11th!”

Have a good week!

*Hymn #170, Munster Gesangbuch, 1677

6 Comments
May 16, 2022

Postcards from the weekend

by chuckofish

As anticipated, our long weekend visit from daughter #2 and Katie was super fun. It was so sad to see them off at the airport on Sunday and then to wave goodbye to daughter #1 as she headed back to mid-MO. Sigh. But we did a lot of of our favorite things…

Ted Drewes! Yummy!

The traditional extra large Diet Cokes from the Mac’s drive-through…

Walking through Laumeier Sculpture Park…

Cooling off with the cousins…

Bringing out the Cozy Coupe…

Going to Grant’s Farm…

We also enjoyed some quiet time…

All in all, truly a most wonderful visit for which we are most grateful! I’m also grateful that everyone got home safe and sound to their respective abodes. Today I will spend the day recovering and cleaning up!

7 Comments
May 2, 2022

Gracious God, my heart renew, make my spirit right and true…

by chuckofish

…cast me not away from thee, let thy Spirit dwell in me…*

It was a quiet weekend…except for an earthquake on Friday evening!

The OM and I were watching the news when we thought we heard two loud booms and the house shook for a second. We thought it might be a) an earthquake, b) an explosion or c) a bad car crash. Daughter #1 texted a little while later that she had received a ‘push alert’ about an earthquake in Valley Park.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.

–Psalm 46: 2-3

What next? Do we dare ask?

I cajoled the OM into accompanying me on Saturday to an open house held at the 1816 log house in Affton, MO, which will be disassembled and moved to the Thomas Sappington House Historic Site in Crestwood.

This is a great example of a small local group working tirelessly to preserve a small piece of history. They are still raising money so that the two Sappington cousins’ houses built in the early 1800s – Thomas’ brick house, now a museum, and Joseph’s log house (above)–can be preserved together. (The log cabin is currently located in a residential area, surrounded by small homes, and has been lived in by private owners all these years.)

There are lots of people who could just write a big check and make this happen but historic preservation is not high on most people’s priority lists these days. C’est la vie. It will happen, one small donation at a time.

On Sunday we met up with the boy and the wee twins at church per usual and then headed home afterwards for some brunch and driveway sittin’. (It was perfect weather for driveway sittin’ but I have no pictures of us just sittin’…)

Waitin’ for brunch with my old Tyrolean village…
Practising that nice PGA swing
We hauled out the old shopping cart–always a fave

And we always have fun looking for the hidden animals in the yard…

…and seeing what’s about to bloom…Iris buds!

I was struck in church by the thought of how blessed I was to be sitting between my husband and my grown son. This, after decades of being the “Widow Compton” at my old Episcopal Church, is not a small thing. (One old lady even thought I had married the actual widower with whom I generally shared a pew!) But the menfolk in my family like the new church–and no wonder–it is full of men! (I like it for that reason too.) Discuss among yourselves.

I watched the Horse Soldiers (1959) in honor of Ulysses Grant and Bing Russell and thoroughly enjoyed it.

It is such a great movie. I don’t understand why it is so often considered to be one of John Ford’s lesser films. The stars are great together and the supporting cast is without parallel in my opinion. It was filmed on location in Mississippi and so has an authenticity a lot of Civil War dramas lack. (Compare the plantation Greenbriar in this movie to Tara.) Ford himself tended to dismiss the film, in large part I think because a stuntman was killed while filming. This greatly upset him and he ended filming the movie abruptly and returned to California.

Matthew Brady takes a picture.

Nevertheless, it is one of my favorites.

It is supposed to rain on and off again all week, but oh well. I’ll find something to do.

*The Psalter, 1912

4 Comments
April 28, 2022

The sun also rises, and the sun goes down*

by chuckofish

The temperature has fluctuated mightily of late, but I went ahead and planted geraniums in the pots on my front porch (before Mother’s Day!) and I think they’ll be okay.

I have had a quiet week compared to last week and my weekend will be likewise sedate. No impending social events beyond the usual Sunday family get-together. I will use some of the time to catch up on the Errol Flynn movies I DVR’d over the month of April when he was the TCM Star of the Month. Many of these movies I have not seen since I watched “Errol Flynn Theater” on Sunday afternoons during my childhood. Some of the ones I have watched are better than I remembered.

I liked Desperate Journey (1942) which follows the crew of a downed British bomber as they escape from their Nazi captors with Top Secret intelligence. The desperate journey they make to get out of Germany alive is exciting and full of derring-do. The cast of Warner Brothers A-teamers is excellent and includes Ronald Reagan in a scene-stealing part.

I also liked Objective, Burma! (1945) which is a gritty WWII adventure about a platoon of special ops who parachute into the remote Burmese jungle to destroy a strategic Japanese radar station, but find that getting back out isn’t easy.

The Master of Ballantrae (1953) is an entertaining swashbuckler loosely based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. Filmed in technicolor in England and Scotland, it exhibits high production values and its stars, Errol Flynn and Roger Livesey, look great in their costumes and seem to be enjoying themselves.

No, it’s not Captain Blood, but it’s not bad.

As I have noted before, our mother was a huge fan of Errol Flynn and it really bothered her that he ruined his career and his looks with his lifestyle and heavy drinking. (He died at age 50 in 1959.) She basically wrote off all his movies after the mid-1940s. She had a point, but I would argue that some of his later movies are not that bad and, really, compared to a lot of actors, he looked good right up to the end. It’s just that he started out so great. Sigh.

EF playing his hero John Barrymore in Too Much, Too Soon (1958)

I liked this post about how people, as they age, just want to remain useful and bear fruit. The author even quotes from Psalm 92 which I also did last week.

I love reading about guys like this.

I also liked this post about Elon Musk buying Twitter (although the writer uses ‘pretty’ as a modifier way too much.) “Lest we forget, it seems that Elon Musk got it in his head—at least in part—to purchase Twitter when Twitter gave a temporary suspension to the Babylon Bee.”

I love it. Never underestimate the Bee.

*Ecclesiastes 1: 5

6 Comments
March 28, 2022

Blessed assurance

by chuckofish

The sun came out, but it was windy and cold here in flyover country this weekend. March is still roaring like a lion! We are awaiting the lamb…

God is good and I look for and find small pleasures in his name*.

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?

—Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

Daughter #1 and I had fun hanging out and singing along to Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. On Saturday we buzzed around, shopping for fabric and children’s clothes and perusing an estate sale. We went out to lunch. We gabbed away in the Florida room and enjoyed happy hour at home. On Sunday she got up early and drove downtown to have breakfast with a college friend before church. I went to my adult education class at church and then the OM, boy, daughter #3 et al met up at the 11 o’clock service. The seven of us almost take up an entire pew!) The wee twins were again super well-behaved, keeping their natural depravity in check during the hour and a half long service. I was super impressed.

After church we went home and ate bagels and jelly beans and, although it was chilly, played outside for awhile.

Rapunzel!

As my mother always said, “Keep it simple,” and my friend Nicki said, “Lower your expectations.” Praise the Lord–everything will work out.

*Read this for more on this subject.

6 Comments
March 21, 2022

Morning by morning new mercies I see*

by chuckofish

Easter candy season has arrived and the bud was introduced to malted milk eggs…

Super Yummo

…and the Dedham bunnies have come out.

Lottie and the wee laddie deserved candy after church on Sunday because they sat quietly through the entire service, including the long sermon. (There was no children’s separate worship because of spring break.) Their dad said there was some “loud sighing” which he did not appreciate, but I was very impressed.

After church we had bagels again and then indulged in some fine driveway sitting while the twins frolicked.

Good times, simple pleasures. Go for a drive, eat some candy, blow some bubbles, dig in the dirt…read some poetry!

I like Robert Herrick’s poem from the 17th century. Some things don’t change.

P.S. The Babylon Bee has been on fire recently, but this headline made me LOL. The world is so crazy, what can you do but laugh?

7 Comments