Friday, April 29, 2011

The Fairy Tale

I have been up since 3 a.m. watching the Royal wedding of Will and Kate, which was beautiful.

In my nearly 75 years I have seen the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, the ultimately disastrous and tragic marriage of Prince Charles and Diana, and now, Prince William and a commoner, Kate.

Fascination with royalty is intriguing to me, having grown up in a democracy. The implication of British royalty, even without power is somewhat interesting. It seems their only "duty" if, indeed, it is even a duty anymore, is head of the Church of England.

I love historical novels about the English monarchy and for a period time read quite a number, most titles of which have escaped my old memory. However, I remember one novel listed a long genealogy of the central royal characters of the novel. It was amusing to me that being the monarchy as head of any church, their behavior and lives were/are not very exemplary.

Of course, just because they are monarchs they are humans and their foibles were same as us commoners. The so-called planned marriages to produce heirs and keep royal bloodlines were disasters as far back as the centuries of genealogies existed. There were many descendants born out of wedlock and listed in genealogies as bastards.

Since the marriage of Diana and Charles was essentially just that: to produce an heir, it would seem we humans simply repeat history and repeat same mistakes over and over again.

Will, having witnessed the dissolution of his parents' marriage, surely knows the pitfalls, and seems to have taken his time and not restricted his sights to the so-called royal blood lines.

Kate seems to have a very level head, too.

Fairy tales are supposed to end with "and they lived happily ever after." I truly wish Will and Kate this ending. And Long Live the Queen, who older than I, is certainly chipper. I may begin to partake of gin. I understand she has a penchant for gin.

Upon reflection of my own marriage, which I have blogged about in detailed, my husband and I would have needed gurneys hauled down the aisle behind us for a two hour wedding.  We would have passed out standing that long, after all we went through, just as to get to the alter!!! I had a series of blogs last year on our courtship, mostly long distance, absentee groom on first wedding date, etc.
When Type A Meet Type Z: Part 1 Get Me to the Church on Time
The Path to the Alter Is Not Straight: Part 2 Get Me to the Church on Time
One Fiancé MIA! Part 3: Get Me to the Church on Time
From MIA TO AWOL! ONE FIANCÉ! Part 4: Get Me to the Church on Time
Dueling Chairs - Part V: Get Me to the Church on Time

I realize there really is an Epilogue to the series on my wedding saga, which is the trip to South Carolina to meet some of my husband's family and on to one of our many homes. When you are married to a military person, the military owns you, which is a perverse sort of way, today's marriage between Will and Kate will be dictated by the monarchy. The main difference the military career can end, the monarchy is forever, or so it seems.

Maybe I will get to that soon. I have a lot of blogging to catch up with. The short of one is my medical problem is stable and a procedure at the present time is not necessary.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

THE ALPHABET & ME - A TO Z

I read this meme on Sweet Virginia Breeze, which also came from Lynilu over at Never Ending Journey .

All, well almost all, about ME.
A. Age: 74
B. Bed: lift chair
C. Chore you dislike: Cleaning floors, dusting everywhere
D. Dogs: Luckie, a rescue part shepherd and Heinz 57
E. Essential start of your day: Coffee concoction immediately upon arising
F. Favorite color: Blue
G. Gold or silver: Gold
H. Height: 4'10"
I. Instruments you play: In past, piano, piccolo, flute
J. Job title: Retiree
K. Kids: None (by choice)
L. Live: North Central Arkansas
M. Mom's name: Lucile
N. Nicknames: Crash
O. Overnight hospital stays: More than I can count!
P. Pet peeves: impatient people
Q. Quote from a movie: SAD! SAD! SAD! from Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe
R. Righty or lefty: Righty
S. Siblings: Sister, brother, half-sister, half brother; one half-brother deceased
T. Time you wake up: 6-6:30 a.m.
U. Underwear: Yes
V. Vegetables you don't like: Turnips, Rutabagas, Radishes
W. What makes you run late: I'm usually early, but inconvenient phone calls have rarely made me late
X. X-rays you've had: Entire body if you also count CT scans.
Y. Yummy food you make: Date Nut rolls
Z. Zebras and zoos.

If you choose to participate, you may link or reference it in a comment on my blog if you wish.

Monday, April 18, 2011

CHECKING IN

I'm checking in before someone sends the sheriff to find me.

Between being in my spring allergy/bronchitis funk, my main notebook computer was also in the hospital. I just got it back today which coincided with a tad better perceived health.

Despite my lack of memory, HP informed me AND sent me photos of moisture/spills inside my unit. I have owned 3 notebooks over 8 years and this is the first to crash because of apparent owner lapses in good judgement, i.e., don't drink or eat near your computer! Yeah, I know, we all do it.

However, I have some ideas to eliminate re-occurence; a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse, and/or an overlay for the notebook keyboard. Spilling coffee or whatever in a $9 keyboard, is much easier and less expensive to replace than the motherboard, keyboard, etc. of a notebook computer where liquids on the keyboard mean liquids inside on the main components.

Since I bought an extended warranty, but not accident warranty, I had to pay a hefty figure for repairs. Normally I'd chunked it for another, but this particular unit I custom designed and truly love the features, like streaming TV, etc. and its nearly 18" screen.

We also have hired a man to renovate our flower beds. I heeded his advice to basically start over. He dug up nearly everything and laid felt that is good for 5 years down, then about 3 inches of  good soil and same amount of a good chestnut colored mulch. We left 2 forsynthias and a few rose bushes which apparently grow in spite of neglect.

We are not through yet. We have some nandinas we saved to transplant or grow in whiskey barrels for awhile. And we have one area to renovate, but have not decided how yet.
So we have postponed work for a week or two.

Next Tuesday (26th) I go to Little Rock for a consult with a electrophysiologist cardiologist about and a pulmonary ablation, a heart procedure.

The somewhat dangerous medicine is working great, but I'd rather be off it, if possible. We discontinued a stomach medicine called Nexium which blocked full absorption of many foods and medicines. VOILA! Suddenly the medicine was fully preventing the A-Fib attacks, at least to the extent I am not aware of them. It has been wonderful.

Will try to get around to what I have missed, the two weeks I spent in 24 hour paroxysmal coughing, hacking,  and, well, I think you get the picture without further adjectives.

Sunday, April 03, 2011

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

My  niece sent me these links for those of us who reminisce about the earlier TV, mostly B&W of my childhood, so I thought some of you might enjoy clicking on them. A lot of them were idealistic, something that would not pass for good ratings these days.

I watch reruns, of Andy Griffith even today. There is a Bible study series based on some of his shows. Today I watch reruns of REBA, but even some of the subject matter and language in them would have been censored in the days of the following links.Clink on an underlined year, or underlined title, tolink and enjoy YESTERDAY, SO LONG AGO FOR ME!!!! Some are really blurry, but I remember we did not think so in those day when it was magic to have a "picture show movie" in your own home.

[One blogger could not open for FireFox; I am using Internet Explorer 8 and tested two links.

1.  JACKIE GLEASON ON THE ROCKY MARCIANO SHOW THE MAIN EVENT (1960)

2.  JAMES DEAN: HIS FINAL TV APPEARANCE (1954)

3.  ELVIS SINGS BLUE SUEDE SHOES
(1956)

4.  A TRIBUTE TO ELVIS PRESLEY, THE KING OF ROCK & ROLL
(1959-62)

5.  THE EDSEL INTRODUCED ON NBC
(1957)

6.  BOBBY DARIN'S "MACK THE KNIFE"
(1959)

7.  WESTINGHOUSE DEBUTS HI-TECH "ADVANCED TV"
(1951)

8.  WILLIAM BENDIX AS LOVABLE CHESTER A. RILEY (1956)

9.  ICONS I: WHAT MADE 50'S TV GOLDEN
(COMPILATION, (1952-60)

10.  THE PATTI PAGE SHOW
(1958)

11. BLOOPERS FROM THE HONEYMOONERS (1957-58)

12.  THE CENSORED JERRY LEE LEWIS HERE UNCENSORED! (1957-59)

13.  A TRUE 50's DOO WOP TV CLASSIC(1958)

14.  FAMILY AFFAIR (1966)

15.  ALAN FREED'S BIG BEAT DANCE PARTY DANCERS (1959)

16.  THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW (1957)

17.  The Inventor Of TV Sketch Comedy ERNIE KOVACS (1954)

18.  THE RED SKELTON SHOW (1959)

19.  ICONS: THE DELINQUENCY RAMPAGE! (COMPILATION, 1957-60)

20.  FATHER KNOWS BEST (1953)

21.  PETTICOAT JUNCTION (1962)

22.  OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST BOB MATTHIAS (1956)

23.  DANCES OF THE 1950's: THE HAND JIVE (1957)

24.  GROUCHO MARX YOU BET YOUR LIFE (1959)

25.  DRAGNET(1959)

26.  THE IMMORTAL MUSICAL COMEDY OF VICTOR BORGE 1951

27.  EDDIE FISHER SINGS A MEDLEY OF HIS BIGGEST HITS 1953

28.  ABBOTT & COSTELLO: WHO'S ON FIRST? 1951

29.  MORE DANCES OF THE 1950's THE JITTERBUG 1958

30. THE HONEYMOONERS ... IN COLOR! 1969

31.  THE ORIGINAL FLASH GORDON SERIAL theatres-1939; TV-1960's


32.  THE LONE RANGER 1955

33.  THE ENDEARING GRIMACES OF EDDIE CANTOR 1952

34.  BOBBY DARIN NERVOUSLY HOSTS A BEAUTY CONTEST 1957

35.  MORE DANCES OF THE 1950's: THE LINDY HOP 1959

36.  SHAKE, BABY, SHAKE!  IT'S THE KILLER AGAIN! 1958

37.  THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW 1958

38.  SID CAESAR: YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS 1957

39.  HERE COMES TOBOR! 1954

40.  THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN 1954


41.  THE ADVENTURES OF FLIPPER 1964

42.  SPIKE JONES 1951

43.  CAPTAIN VIDEO & HIS VIDEO RANGERS 1950

44.  THE LIBERACE SHOW 1952

45.  MEDIC 1954

46.  THE BIG VALLEY 1965

47.  THE ROOTS OF TV BASEBALL 1950-57

48.  Mc HALE'S NAVY 1962

49.  HOPALONG CASSIDY 1952

50.  DARK SHADOWS 1966

51.  FADS & FANCIES OF THE 50s & 60s


52.  I LOVE LUCY 1952

53.  THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW 1962


54.  THE BEATLES FIRST TELEVISION APPEARANCE 1963

55.  BAT MASTERSON 1958

56.  MARTY ROBBINS ON THE JOHNNY CASH SHOW 1964

57.  FRANK SINATRA SPEAKS CANDIDLY 1954

58.  PASSWORD 1962

59.  STAR TREK TV ON DEMAND 1966-present

60.  MORE DANCES OF THE 50's: THE SWINGBACK 1958

61.  THE LIVE TV FRIDGE COMMERCIAL CATASTROPHE 1954

62.  THE ARTHUR GODFREY SHOW 1957


63.   BUILDING THE 1958 DODGE 1957

64.  FIGHT CLASSIC: ROCKY MARCIANO vs. JERSEY JOE WALCOTT 1952

65.  AND MORE GREAT ICONS OF THE 50's VOL III 1952-59


66.  ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS 1959

67.  SATURDAY NIGHTLIVE~~ BEFORE SNL 1954-58

68.  FELIX THE CAT 1959

69.  THE DONNA REED SHOW 1958

70.  THE GOLDBERGS 1952

71.  LUCILLE BALL & CAROL BURNETT 1965

72.  THE LITTLE RASCALS 1955

73.  HIGHWAY PATROL 1956

74.  LOST IN SPACE 1966

75.  BEULAH 1951

76.  BEWITCHED 1966

77.  I DREAM OF JEANIE 1966

78.  SEA HUNT 1957

79.  DYNAMITE JOE RINDONE 1954

80.  THE MILTON BERLE SHOW 1957

81.  THE LEGEND OF DOO WOP