Harve Presnell dies

Here's the first time I saw Harve Presnell...and it's remained one of my favorite movies...and yes I have lots of favorite movies.



Guess this will be a movie we will watch this weekend. I was sad to have read last night that Harve Prenell had died of pancreatic cancer....

And who could forget this song from "Paint Your Wagon" and who will forget his voice?


And who didn't hate him in The Pretender!

Harve Presnell, the Golden Globe-winning actor best known for his role as William H. Macy's father-in-law in Fargo and who starred in Broadway musicals The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Annie, has died. He was 75.

The actor died Tuesday at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., after a battle with pancreatic cancer, Presnell's agent told the Associated Press.

Born, George Harvey Presnell on Sept. 14, 1933, he was known for his booming baritone voice. The 6-foot-4 actor first gained attention in 1960 as mining prospector "Leadville" Johnny Brown in The Unsinkable Molly Brown. He later reprised the role in the 1964 film version opposite Debbie Reynolds in the title role.

Presnell became a leading man when he was cast as wealthy, bald Daddy Warbucks in a tour of Annie. He continued to play the role in various productions of the musical, including a run on Broadway from 1981-1983.

a Cause I could support

Do you need an organization to send funds to? Are you interested in helping children who have aged out of foster care? Then this one might be for you. I just learned about it this morning...and will be telling our Service Oriented Red Hats group about it.

Lemony Chicken Popover Puff

Last week I went to a garage sale and found a new PC cookbook for a dollar and this week I thought I would make a few of these recipes. Tonight I made the Lemony Chicken Popover Puff and it was delicious. There were NO leftovers (darn...I love to have leftovers for Robert's lunch box). Since the cookbook has been retired, I felt it was safe to post the recipe...so it is on my other blog, the HatchaMeal.

I had a small deep dish baker and halved the recipe and it worked just fine. But this is the full recipe. In case you don't know, the deep dish baker is a stone that often doubles for a cake pan or deep dish pizza pan...it has many uses in the PC recipes. But if you don't have one, try to find a comparable size dish...it should be 11" in diameter and hold 8 cups in volume.

I avoided using all the PC terminology of their wonderful devices...and if I don't have something I just improvise. Robert heartily recommends this dish, too. It was so much fun watching the popover really pop up and almost over and then deflate...

Flora and Fauna

Just some pix of the magnificent flowers and trees and plants we enjoyed.

A Lost Generation?

Entry made for an AARP commercial, Took 2nd place. Be sure to watch it to the end.

Shopping

  Altho this picture is really not about shopping, it was such a funny shot that Robert has entitled it…”Ron, being told we are not snorkling but SHOPPING again”.  Probably he did feel this way as often as we did go shopping.

It helped that they knew all the good places to shop, as well as able to direct us to places they’ve been often and didn’t need to go again.

I think everyone has to stop and peruse the venders that are on the streets.  Man, it has to be hot for them, day after day.

Perfume…I have never seen so many perfume stores and in such combinations. Several had a separate room for the alcohol which was probably for the men when the women shopped.  Saw that at the diamond stores as well. And yes, I bought some perfume.  But I also bought a diamond ring…a blue diamond ring which has a design that looks like the surf (not that I noticed it first but when it was pointed out to me, it’s what I see all the time…what a lovely remembrance of the trip).  Linda had told me that there were these blue diamonds and as you know I don’t like diamonds. They just aren’t colorful enough for me…but to see the blue diamonds.  WOW…now those I could deal with.

But I could also deal with opals, mother of pearl and amber.  So yes…I bought a lot but all with cash…they are all paid for so I didn’t go into hock for any of them.   Then there were the croc flipflops that Marian suggested (both robert and i have a pair but his are not flipflops). 

There are these wonderful alley ways, small places where you can find the most amazing things…and all have such pretty doors.  Here’s a great blue one…and you can see how vintage it is.  Apparently, ships would arrive filled with brick for ballast or some sort of reason. They would unload the bricks and load up the goods they had come for. The bricks were used to build warehouses and these warehouses have since been used to become small shops.  Oh yes…this place caters to the vacationers…especially those from the cruise ships.

                                                                                  Hey McKenna….what do you think of this lovely fairy? Well, look at what she’s only ONE of:

This is a chandelier..I was told how many there were of these little fairies…can’t remember, but there were hundreds of them.  And they would all me to buy this chandelier and ship it to me.  Spectacular.

And then there was this amber museum which we used as shelter from the heat on our walking tour (more on that another day).  Here’s another chandelier of amber. .that’s a replica of one given to Columbus I think it was.

Then there was Gladys.  Gladys owns a lot I think…including being the tenant of a lot of the stores.  She has this perfectly lovely eatery. She sits at the bar and sings.  But she grows the hot peppers   and jars the hot pepper sauce.  She was delightful.  Even as a songstress.  I brought home several hot sauces for my men, some from her, some from another bottler.

Best part of shopping….TAX FREE!

Over the Threshold

Happy day....on so many levels.

My mom and bonpapa are now eternally one.

Jordan and Hillary, with the help of an army of friends, moved into their first home today and are so happy. Here's a short video of Jordan carrying Hillary over the threshold.



and the first of many pizza deliveries....the delivery guy said he was not on America's Most Wanted and was OK with having his picture taken:







We looked at cars...I love the hybrids.





Best friends (Pam and Ken) encouraged a dinner out before they leave for their vacation. I'll miss them!

Marissa and Hank are coming to visit.

Connor, Evan, and Ken had a successful Cub day camp for 3 days.

McKenna wants a sarong like her mom has...all girl.

Am sure the Kennedys and Christensens are all well altho I didn't talk to them today. Here are a couple of recent photos.

Sun, Sea, Sand

We have lived along the Erie shoreline for 33 years and I love it. It's terrifying and dark and clear and cool and sunny and hot. My children often have returned home just to re-center themselves by sitting on our shore. But I could appreciate a different sort of beach, actually BEACHES, while away. We were taken to so many beaches, with so many names that I can't recall them.

It was fun to watch the short rains come in, and a few drops fell while we were in the water yet we didn't think about leaving (well, once we did) as we would have done on Lake Erie. And how the sea changes colors. We took car and people ferries between St. Thomas and St. John and I was moved by the colors of the water. It was mesmerizing.

Here Marian and I are waiting for the people ferry in the morning.

And then with Robert

on the way back home. It was refreshing and relaxing to be on boat. I ought to mention that the one ferry we were on was sailing along just fine...then there was a clunk. Suddenly the 'workers' that were sitting in the cabin with the passenger jumped up and went running. Robert proceeded to get the life vests out from their stored area and in front of us...well, Robert actually put his on...that's his CERT training kicking into gear. I am watching the water thinking how long I could actually stay in the water...but then saw all the other boats around and knew that even if we ended up in the drink that we'd be rescued in short order. Initially we were told we were going back to St. Thomas. Then we kept going around in circles...then in a straight line. Turns out the 'captain' steered the ferry over some rocks, broke off half of the whatever and there wasn't correct steering. One hour and 15 minutes later we actually pulled up at St. John. Relieved. The life vests were restowed and we enjoyed a day shopping. When it was time to return, we were glad that another ferry had arrived to take us back. But the waters were a rich color on the return trip. Dark and cool.

Workers between the islands have special passes. I was amazed at how many actually commute this way. One ferry was totally filled with just the day workers. It's pretty pricey but I am thinking that perhaps they get a special deal or it's part of their salary.

These little guys are everywhere. and some are not so little. It's totally their island and they seem perfectly content to mix with the vacationers.

I think we were on St. John, I was lying in the sand, enjoying the heat of the sun. Ron said, "Susan, you have company." I looked left only to see one of these iguanas right at my arm. I let out a yelp and he started to scurry away. He stopped, I quietly talked him back to me. He came right up to me and kissed my arm with his tongue. So very soft and friendly. This is my kissing buddy:

HANDSOME...isn't he? But there was one at the pool who actually nipped my finger first...cuz I was stupid enough to think they all wanted to kiss me (I've always enjoyed kissing). Then when I pulled my finger away, he nipped my toe! Not friendly. I decided to stick with the beach ones.

One day I commented at what a great job the Lord and Michael had done in this part of the world. Robert suggested that we helped, too. I wondered if we were the grunts...probably...but whatever...I think good work was done down here. The vast stretches of beach, the incredible colors of the sea, the small islands everywhere, the amazing flowers. The chirping birds. The kissing iguanas. Absolutely breathtaking.

But would I have appreciated it as much if I lived here year round or hadn't had Lake Erie, the love of our front door, to compare it with..finding neither lacking....just different. So we enjoyed the sun and the sand and most definitely the sea! And the colors and the sunrises!

and SUNSETS!!!!!!!!!!!

St Thomas

At last...I will start short entries with pictures from our trip. Thanks to those of you who keep asking. . .you are like me. I love to enjoy pictures...even if I don't have a clue who these people are. And it's hard not to be the one on the trip, or at least it has been for me. But I live vicariously quite well.

Thanks to Marian and Ron who have a time share there, we were able to have an amazing adventure. Usually they have one of their kids/family with them but as luck would have it, this time none of them could go so we got to fill the spot. Marian and Ron were so generous in their time and explanations of what and where and how and who. I can see why they love this place for its looks and amenities but I also saw these two fine people relax....somewhat. As business owners and employers and parents, rest never comes very easily....but for them it came. Ron lives to snorkle and we tried to be good learners. Robert's mustache got in the way of a good seal for his face mask. My facemask worked beautifully. I just had to keep telling myself that I could do this...I could breathe through this tube that was filling my mouth. That I wasn't going to die. That I should NOT go deep or else I would have to exhale sharply. The surprise was how salty the water was. But it WAS restful to just lie on top the water and see the grand world beneath. On Ron's suggestion I bought along a disposable underwater camera and hopefully will one day remember to get the film developed...and then I promise to post whatever might have turned out.Here is small picture of the boys snorkling the first night we arrived.

This is where we stayed. It is owned by Marriott and so colorful. Those of you who visited me at 809 know that I prefer a mass of color, real colors , definite colors rather than the pristine, sterile white. So this place was perfect for me. I loved to be on the beach or at the pool and looked up at all these grand colors. And naturally, you need to see the view from our balcony. The Buchanans had their own private balcony and bedroom, as did we. One night there was this terrific storm which I slept through. Robert, however, was awakened by these huge boomers but decided to allow me to sleep.

In the morning, we discovered the satellite was knocked out as was the WiFi to the whole island. TV was restored rather quickly...WiFi, well, not so fast.

I have to insert here that having my iPod Touch with me was perfect! You gotta get yourselves one or an iPhone if you need that. For Robert and me..the Touch was all we need.

So for now, that's the first entry. A big "thank you" to Ron and Marian for inviting us and showing us such a fantastic time.

McKenna

Just so you can see my pretty granddaughter from MI (the boys had gone camping and so we girls went to the movies and then decided to go for something nummy...it was a little late).....I have resized our vacation photos and after the farewell breakfast for Barbara, I'll be back to posting them. Til now...look at McKenna.