Frank

Life

Here is one of Godmommy Gina's best poems from the journal I inherited.

Life

I love fine wine and a perfect red rose

Classical music when played quite low

I enjoy the warm summer nights or a cool winter breeze

I love snowballs & hayrides

And all the simple things in life

I'm in wonder of the planets and its stars in the sky

And the moon and the sun away up high

I get breathless at the sight of the sunrise and the sunset

What two beautiful ways for a day to go so right

I'm amazed with the spectrum of color all the seasons bring in

For each season has its own palette and arranges each scene

Life is a basic part of being

Enjoy what you can while you can

For you can never redo what you've missed

So make the best of what you have

And share your life, your thoughts, your dreams

With others so that their lives can be enriched along with your own.

October 2021 Books

* Along the Way ¹ by Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez - I preferred listening to Martin's reading of his life rather than Emilio's. Thankfully it's cut up into chapters and I could just skip Emilio's parts. 

* Around the Way Girl ¹ by Taraji P. Henson - Oh my gosh, her father...when she said that he called everyone nigger - her (regardless of Taraji's age), his mother, his wife, and a white woman who tried to cut in front of him in line, I lost it. He was a character, that's for sure, and his genuine love for his daughter was the best part of the book for me. Ms. Henson does a stellar job narrating, making it seem like she's just sitting back and telling you her life story, rather than reading it in a recording booth. 

♥ 'Salem's Lot ¹ by Stephen King - My favourite King novel that I like to listen to every October. 

♥ The Exorcist ¹ by William Peter Blatty

♥♥ Yours Cruelly, Elvira ¹ by Cassandra Peterson

♥ Dolores Claiborne ¹ by Stephen King - An absolutely spectacular novel that was superbly read by Frances Sternhagen. I loved the concept of having the entire story told as a confession in a police station by Dolores. I have never seen the film version and went in to the book not knowing a thing about it. I'm so glad I did because I was on the edge of my seat and completely absorbed.

* Aunt Morelia and the Screaming Skulls by Joan Carris - This was a book I snapped up in the kids section of Baldwin's and saved it for October. It was just a fun read for a long hot bath.

¹ - audiobook
² - abridged version
* - liked
♥ - loved
Any unmarked titles were, in my opinion, so-so.

Dapper As Hell

Today I finally got Bishop to go with me to Baldwin's Book Barn. On the way home we stopped at Birmingham Hill for a bit of a photo shoot. 

The Bell at Belgrade

The last time I was able to visit the house where Granny Roseanna was born, and where she raised her seven children, I made sure to record as much as possible. Walking up the steps so as to bottle the creaks that were a part of the soundtrack of my childhood, capturing the fold down steps in the closet that were put in to fully utilize the tip-top shelf and up into the recesses of the drop ceiling, and especially preserving the ringing of the doorbell. I know that the new owner will gut the house and flip it. I am certain that he will overlook the charm that the house holds and tear out all the unique touches that made it such a cool place to visit. So for the last time ever, here is the sound of the bell at Belgrade Street in Philly.

Gobble Gobble!

I woke up this morning to find eleven text messages from pals and family. (Shout out to the senders: Maggie, Anne, Bishop, Aunt Berne, Jaeden, Amy, Maureen, Juliette, Wayne, Kayla, and Mum!) In true form, I sent back my well wishes and included the best and most adorable Bitmoji ever. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The Haunted Bridge

I am so loving Nancy Drew Mysteries! Especially the ones written by Milderd Wirt Benson. This was one of the best yet and I'm gonna dive in to another one straight away. 

Young Bishop

Over the weekend Bish went to help a family friend move and came across photos from when he was a slender young man. I'm so glad he sent them to me, especially the one of him sitting pensively on a sofa, gazing at the floor with that fab wallpaper behind him.

Monster Movie

June 3rd of 2010 was the joint Confirmation celebration for Matthew and Johnny. It was held at a clubhouse of sorts at a park near Abington, PA. It had a creepy basement area and being the weirdo that I am I convinced the kids - Isabella, Johnny, Matthew, Kayla, and Jaeden - to hide in the dark room and then I'd sneak in with the camera rolling and they can jump out at me and scream like in monster movies. Jaeden scurrying out from under the table was definitely the highlight! Bella, Kay, and Jaeden were so young, too. It's not a fantastic video but just catching a glimpse, dark as it is, of them at this age is why I hafta post it.

Suzanne's Window

by Bruce Beasley, 1969

Cwood With the Ladies

This afternoon Lauryn, Mel, and I finally met up in Collingswood for grub, selfies, and four-plus hours of chit chat. In our group text beforehand it was revealed that booze was needed for the gathering and that bottle of white wine definitely lightened the mood. My biggest laugh came when Lauryn was discussing the new Jerry Garcia biopic. With clear annoyance in her tone at the choice she asked, "And guess who they picked to play Jerry..." Without thinking I said, "Jamie Foxx." My timing and choice of casting cracked everyone up, including myself. My next big laugh came later, over text. I was desperate to bust out a whole lotta fart-olas towards the end of dinner but was terrified that one wee breakage of wind might be more than expected. On the way to the parky lot I said, "Christ, I am so gassy. As soon as I drop Lauryn off and see her close the door I am gonna blow up my car." Thirty seconds after Lauryn got in her house I sent off a text. (See below for text!) It was such fun gabbing with them about everything I've missed in their lives and we are really hoping to make this a more regular happening. I just love these gals.

Grown Up-Lady Wish

If I was a real person who had their life together I would 100% have one of Kate Gabrielle's stunningly hip and sassy purses. 

The Ella Bag

This design was born from my desire to find a cute bag that could hold my water bottle or cup upright while I'm out and about, so I can shop or stroll or go about my day hands-free and still stay hydrated. The bag features a 4" x 4" compartment that is perfectly suited for tumblers and water bottles with a sturdy divider to hold it in place. On the other side you'll find a 5" wide compartment that is deceivingly spacious, with plenty of room for your cell phone, keys, wallet, lip gloss and more! 

The Melisande Bag

Why Ella? Why Melisande? This bag was named after Judy Holliday's character in one of my favorite films, Bells Are Ringing. When she pulled a full cup of coffee out of her tiny handbag I knew I had to pay homage to her kind and quirky Ella Peterson when naming this bag. The sister design, featuring a larger storage compartment and zipper closure, is named after her alter-ego, Melisande Scott.

The Ella bag is $55 while the Melisande is $60. Ella comes in black, pink, and tan, while Melisande is in yellow or tan. The announcement went out at 1pm today and by the end of the day they were sold out!

Fall Daydream

I saw this dark beauty on IG and started imagining my life there. The quiet, surrounded by colour, the sounds of crinkly leaves, wind through branches, and the little stream beside the house. All that solitude and peace seems like a complete never-will but it was so nice to drift off to sleep last night wishing it was really mine.

(photos by @ethanbitz - location: @retreatatfallbranchfalls - seen on @tinyhouseattractive)

Thanksgiving Krispy Kreme!

A pecan pie donut?!!!? Cranberry Orange?!!?! Then there's the cute lil turkey...oh I'm so jealous. 

34 - The Weightlifters

The Weightlifter

We once had a neighbor who could lift anything. Most of the time she was a quiet woman with a gentle face but sometimes she would burst with so much energy that she would run down the streets in the middle of the night, uprooting trees and carrying cars. Maybe it was something she ate. Perhaps it had to do with the moon. We never could figure out the cause, but when we woke up one morning and discovered that she had rearranged several city blocks, we knew something had to be one. We made a list of projects and pinned them to her shirt. Move the highway outside of town, Get rid of three parking lots. Make the lake bigger. Today our town looks better than we could have imagined now that we've pointed her energies in the right direction. 

When overwhelmed by great emotions, it is easy to forget what is right. Focus on the best interests of those around you. By helping others, you reinforce your own well-being.

Bucephalus

Growing up The Black Stallion was one of my favourite films. Whenever Aunt Berne came to babysit she would bring her VCR plus Star Wars and The Black Stallion. Dave and I never seemed to tire of seeing it. Today I re-watched The Black Stallion Returns for the first time in decades. It made me want to check Etsy to see if there was a replica figurine of Bucephalus and there was! I'm gonna start saving my pennies and treat myself to this someday soon, maybe even the one that bundles it with a hardcover copy of the book by Walter Farley. I love it.

(photo kidnapped from BlackStallionRanch)

Princess Bride vs The Stones

Last night Amy and I were planning to see An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes at The Merriam Theatre together but her Stones concert from 2020 was rescheduled for the 11th in Georgia with the fam. I soldiered on, loving being able to throw my bag and coat on Amy's seat and stretch out a bit. Amy texted me pix from the concert and said they all had a fabulous time. Inconceivable was okay. I thought it would be a sort of stand-up of Cary discussing his memories of the film and a bit about his life and other work then perhaps a Q&A with the audience. It wasn't. It was the film, which was fun because the crowd was so into it, then about a half hour interview of sorts where Cary told all the stories I already knew from the two times I had read his book. It was a good time, but the stress leading up to it, the struggle to find a fucking parking garage that was not full, maneuvering my way through a city I should know well but don't (if only I knew Philly like I know Antwerp and Dublin), wasn't worth $150. The best part of the evening was bumping into my sister-in-law in the bathroom ten minutes before the end of the film. I was the only one there and wanted to snap a mirror selfie (I'm so vain, I know) before the person coming down the stairs came in. (You can see her in the background!) We hugged, took a real selfie and after the show I went over to say hi to her and the baby brother. Xavier and Mary were able to get VIP seats and meet Cary afterwards. I didn't know about the show until all of those tickets were sold out so I missed out. It was a nice evening after all is said and done and Cary was great with the audience. 

VS.

Dr. Bloecker

Stunning in Cincinnati

Look at this super rad home that I saw listed over the Summer. It's so beautiful and completely unique. 

(photos of 728 Hidden Glen Drive kidnapped from midcenturymodern and davidsmithmodernrealestate •Cincinnati Modern• Instagram accounts)