My Favorite Sunscreen

I walk my dog almost every day here in Colorado. UV rays are stronger at altitude and we have 300 days of sunshine. According to my dermatologist, I have sensitive skin and a skin condition called rosacea. I was trying to find a gentle sun screen product to protect my skin from the damaging rays of the sun. I've always liked Neutrogena products and was happy to find that they have just what I wanted.  I chose Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Screen and just adore it. 

Image credit: Walgreens.com

I really like the texture of Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen. It's oil free and blends easily. I use it everyday and have had no breakouts or reactions. Neutrogena states that the product is PABA-free and won't clog pores. PABA can cause allergic reactions. Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen comes in SPF’s from 30 to 100. I'm using SPF 70 but intend to get SPF 100 next time. A tube lasts me a very long time which good because a 3 ounce tube costs about $12.00. Of course, you should do a patch test to make sure that your skin does not react to this or any skin care product. The only downside to the product is that parent company, Johnson and Johnson, does conduct animal testing. I checked the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Web site for this information. 

So what’s the big deal about SPF? SPF is an acronym for Sun Protection Factor. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for the regulation of sunscreen products. Although the manufacturer may suggest when to reapply sunscreen, the FDA says that the SPF does not apply to the time in the sun but the actual exposure. The sun is more intense in the middle of the day and different skin types absorb sunlight in variable amounts. The FDA also proposed a regulation limiting the maximum SPF to 50 as data is needed to confirm the higher SPF’s provide more protection. I don’t care if they’re waiting for data, I’ll use the highest SPF that I can get from a reputable manufacturer.

Several years ago, my dermatologist also recommended using a “sunblock” which at that time meant containing zinc oxide. Many people use zinc oxide on their noses for extra protection in some pretty wild colors. However, in 2015, the FDA mandated that the term “sunblock” cannot be used by manufacturers. A quick look at these products show SPF’s that are the same as other sunscreens. So much for purple noses. 

There is also the issue of UVA and UVB protection. What the heck are those and why should I care? UVA stands for ultraviolet A and UVB means ultraviolet B. Ultraviolet rays cause sunburn and skin damage. They are not visible to the human eye although some insects and birds see them. The electromagnetic wave length of ultraviolet light is shorter than visible light on the purple end of the spectrum. Therefore they were named ultra violet. UVA pass through the atmosphere. The ozone layer of the atmosphere absorbs some of the UVB rays while in transit. There’s even UVC rays but the ozone layer absorbs those completely. UVB rays penetrate the outer layer of skin, the epidermis. UVA rays penetrate more deeply to the middle layer, the dermis. The FDA requires that products labeled as “broad spectrum” pass a test that proves the product provides UVA protection in proportion to UVB rays.

I have many risk factors for skin cancer-fair skin, freckles, blistering sunburns as a child, and my red headed mother had basal cell carcinoma. I am so glad that I found Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen.

Ten Reasons I Like Dummies Books

Most of my collection

OK, I'll admit it right now, I like the "For Dummies" book series and here's my collection to prove it. They’re my guilty pleasure.  Whenever I am delving into a new topic, this is where I look after extensive on line searches. The books both entertain and inform. In no particular order, here are ten reasons why I like them.

The Part of Tens

I always read "The Part of Tens" at the end of the book first. I nibble around the edges of a project before diving in, so this is how I get started. There are always kibbles and bits of info that are good to know immediately.

Cartoons

This isn't a textbook for heaven's sake! Cartoons are the second thing I read in the book. Rich Tennant has been the resident cartoonist for the "For Dummies" series since 1991. The cartoons are called the "5th Wave" after the Ages in "Future Shock" by Alvin Toffler. I'm glad the cartoons are funny, since that book was so serious.

Consistent Icons

The same icons are used in all the "For Dummies" books. I see them as signposts along the way. A good way to skim a chapter is to just read the icons. The target icon has tips and shortcuts. The remember icon repeats important information just to be sure that the reader sees it. The warning icon with the bomb and short burning fuse scare me but is a good warning sign about problems, safety, etc. I love the technical stuff icon as I am something of a geek.

Lots of Diagrams

I'm a visual learner so I really appreciate all the diagrams in the books. Although the concepts may be obvious with a little bit of experience, the first time doing a task can be truly confusing. Remember the first time you tried knitting and learning to cast on stitches? How about trying to figure out how to make chicken stock without ending up with chicken jello? YouTube Videos are very helpful. However, I just like having the book opened to the task I'm working on. Then I don't have to stop, go back, and watch the same procedure five times before I can do it.

No Prior Knowledge

The "For Dummies" series assumes that you know nothing about a particular subject. For example, I inherited a lot of coins from an elderly relative. I had no idea if they had any value beyond face or metal value. "Coin Collecting for Dummies" taught me more about US Currency than I could ever have imagined. I haven't done anything else with coin collecting but the book gave me just what I needed to know. "For Dummies" can also serve as a gateway into whole new area of interest. I started with "Canning for Dummies" and now have over 100 jars of tomatoes, jelly, cabbage, salsa and oranges in my pantry. The next step is growing my own tomatoes so "Vegetable Gardening For Dummies" is on my Amazon shopping list.

Wide Variety of Topics

At last count there are 2,516 titles at dummies.com, ranging from algebra to Zoho and everything in between. According to the Web site, the books have been translated in 30 languages including Spanish, Arabic, Estonian, Greek, Russian, and Vietnamese. The "For Dummies" series is the world's bestselling reference brand according to the publisher, Wiley. Personally, I prefer these books over Cliff's Notes! Do you need to know the rules for Australian football? There's a book for that. There are books for Hadoop (big data), Shakespeare, going Paleo, Vegetarian, or low carb. Jane Austen, Classical Music, Art history? There are books for that too. The list just goes on and on, but I won't.

Kits

Who knew? I was looking for a book on how to repair drywall. I thought that I would have to dig through some huge generic home repair book that had maybe one page about drywall repair. Then, I would need to go to my local hardware store and buy stuff that I would use a couple of times. Wrong! There's a drywall repair kit "For Dummies" with everything needed for about $20.00. I could spend that on Spackle paste and a few tools alone! I'm going to get the kit this month and update this lens after I use it. Other home repair kits are available for weatherizing, HDTV cabling, bath refinishing, and TV wall mounting. Contractors may laugh at these kits but I think they're great for the do it yourself beginner. 

Craft kits include origami, embroidery, and punch needle. There are even guitar kits that include the guitar! Just choose electric, bass, acoustic or ukulele. OK, so the guitars included aren't a Gibson acoustic or Fender Stratocaster, but even Bruce Springsteen started on an $18 guitar.

Good Introduction to New Subjects

The "For Dummies" series is a good way to investigate a subject without spending a ton of money on a pursuit that you may not enjoy. I'm a dabbler. I like stringing beads and pearls, but don't want to get into metal clay or lamp-working glass. I attempted gourmet cooking and canning. The time, equipment, and enjoyment are well worth the investment. The HTML book is handy to understand what’s going on behind the code in Blogger. Get a few books or kits to check out a new interest and see where it takes you!

Written by People Who Know Their Stuff

Marsha Collier's many "For Dummies" books about eBay have helped a lot a people get started on eBay and other e-commerce sites. I found her product photography tips to be really helpful without having to buy books about photography. The Wikipedia bibliography lists twenty four books on e-commerce topics in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese and German. 

Another well known author is David Pogue, technology columnist for the New York Times and host of Nova's "Making Stuff." He has written eight books for the For Dummies series, on both technology and classical music. I expected books on technology but opera? 

One of my favorite "For Dummies" books is "Gourmet Cooking for Dummies" by the late Charlie Trotter. This book changed my mind about the For Dummies series. I'm a native Chicagoan, have eaten at his restaurant, and watched his PBS shows. Mr. Trotter certainly has the "cred" to have written this book. These are just a few of the well known authors in the For Dummies series. Check to see if your personal guru has written one!

My Collection

After looking at the photo of the "For Dummies" books that I have, maybe I should get one of the books on photography. The books cover a wide variety of the subjects that I was and am interested in. I've lost interest in management and call centers since retiring, but cooking and canning have moved to the top of the list. I've added blogging and jewelry making books from the series since the photo was taken. 

Canning & Preserving For Dummies

Image credit: Barnes and Noble

Not just for Dummies!

This is the first book about canning that I bought. I like the For Dummies books because they assume that you are new to a subject and really don't know anything about it. I'll admit that I love the cartoons and read the Part of Tens first! "Canning & Preserving For Dummies" is divided into five parts, each reviewed below.  Or as my Latin teacher would say, "Liber est divisa in partes quinque."

Getting Started

Part I "Getting Started" is exactly what I was looking for in a canning book. I was especially concerned about the equipment that would be needed. No problem, there's a whole chapter listing everything and anything that could possible used in canning with diagrams. I had never even seen a jar lifter or lid wand before reading this book! The authors provide an overview of the three main methods of preserving food-canning, freezing and drying. 

Canning methods to avoid are detailed. I have 1947 Ball and Kerr canning books from my mother which contain some of these methods. Even if Mom or Grandma sealed jelly jars with paraffin without any problems, botulism spores can still develop, so this technique is on the list. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) only approves canning by water bath canning or pressure canning. Finally, Part 1 covers how the acidity of food determines the type of canning to use and the various microorganisms that cause spoilage. I live in Denver so I really appreciated the explanation of how altitude affects canning. Methods for detecting spoiled food are described very thoroughly. I use them every time I open a jar.

Water Bath Canning

Part II "Water Bath Canning" dives right into the most common method of canning. The authors take the newbie by the hand and walk through the basic steps of canning common to all recipes. First, gather and prepare both equipment and ingredients. "Mise en place", which means getting everything ready, applies both to chefs and home foodies like me. The mysteries of filling, "debubbling", and head space are unraveled. Processing jars and testing seals are also demystified. The advice on reprocessing sealed jars boils down to don't unless every jar in the batch doesn't seal. The author's emphasis on food safety is consistent throughout the entire book. 

Now the fun begins! Charge into the "Simply Fruit" chapter for a wide variety of the classic fruits used in canning. These include apples for pie filing and applesauce, peaches, pears, and berries. Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit so recipes for tomato pieces, paste, and juice fall into this group. Next up are the jams, jellies, and marmalades that can be made from all types of fruit. The pieces of the pectin puzzle are clearly explained. Low sugar pectin is briefly mentioned but I would have liked to seen recipes using both regular and low sugar pectin. Also, there are very few classic jam or jelly recipes included.

The pickling chapter has all the recipes and techniques that one would hope. There's even a diagram about peeling and seeding a cucumber! Pickles and relish are on next year's canning list. Salsa and chutney recipes complete the water bath canning section.

Vintage Canning Books from 1947

Pressure Canning

Part III "Pressure Canning" does a very good job of taking the pressure and fear out of this technique for food preservation. Canned meat, vegetables, soups, and beans can make your pantry ready for any size of group that piles in at meal time! Choosing the right pressure canner is the most important step of the process. Multiple pictures and diagrams describe every aspect of the pressure canner. 

By the way, a pressure cooker is not the same as a pressure canner. I really appreciate the objective descriptions that don't favor any brand. Safety is strongly emphasized throughout the descriptions, which is very re-assuring. As in the water bath canning chapter, there is a step by step run through of the steps of pressure canning common to all recipes. Vegetable preserving alone is enough to get me to consider pressure canning. A cornucopia would not be enough to describe all the vegetable canning recipes in this chapter. Asparagus, corn, greens, and squash are just a few of the recipes. Particularly helpful is the list of vegetables not recommended for canning like broccoli, cucumbers, or root vegetables (parsnips, rutabagas and turnips). There are lots of illustrations of prepping vegetables for canning. 

Meat preservation by canning doesn't appeal to me. I'd just as soon freeze meat. I'm a city girl and just get meat at the grocery store as needed. However, I do see the utility of canning meat in large amounts such as after obtaining half a cow or a successful hunting or fishing trip. Basic recipes for game, beef, poultry, and fish will fill your shelves with these high protein staples. Finally, there are recipes for what the authors call combined foods. I would call them meals in a jar. Homemade baked beans, chicken stock, and spaghetti sauce with meat make quick and easy dinners on a busy day. As with all canning, preparation is the key to tasty food. I would be tempted to just eat the food after it is cooked without canning!

Freezing

There's much more to freezing than just putting food into a zippered freezer bag and into the freezer. Fresh vegetables need to be blanched, food should be wrapped to prevent freezer burn-just to mention a few techniques. Also reviewed are foods that shouldn't be frozen such as dairy and egg products (except butter). Choosing the correct containment is very important whether a rigid container, freezer bag, vacuum sealing, or wrapping in butcher wrap. All foods need to be labeled and dated so that there is a good rotation old to new items. 

The authors recommend a written inventory which would probably be most useful if you use an upright or chest freezer in addition to the freezer compartment of your refrigerator. Safety is emphasized again in the best options for thawing. It's just easier for me to freeze prepared foods like soup, stews, and vegetables than to pressure can them. The authors cover a wide variety of instructions for freezing these items. Frozen fresh herbs are a very good way to save money over buying them in winter at the supermarket.

Drying and Storing

Did you know that sun drying food is the oldest method of preservation? I didn't. Successful food drying uses many of the principles as canning and freezing. Have the right tools for the job, pick high quality food, and watch for spoilage.The tools of the trade are electric dehydrators, your oven, or the sun. The sun is free but weather dependent so only a very few areas are suitable due to the need for dry
, clear weather and consistent temperatures. I would suggest checking with your local university agricultural extension for more information. You probably have an oven so there's no additional up front cost. However, the oven can't be used for anything else while food is drying. 

Purchasing an electric dehydrator may be the best option if you are going to do a lot of preserving by drying. Dried fresh fruits are probably the most popular because of their many uses-lunches, hiking, or a quick snack to keep a toddler occupied! To prevent discoloration and oxidation, fruit can be blanched or dipped in an antioxidant like citrus juice, ascorbic acid, or commercial preparations. Recipes for a wide variety of fruits are provided-apples, apricots, bananas, cherries and more. The directions for making fruit leathers, another kid favorite, are particularly easy to follow. 

Drying vegetables will assist in storing a large harvest or great sale in a small space. I'm going to try drying tomatoes next year because the canned ones are so expensive. Too many zucchini? Make zucchini chips! For a quick soup and stew mix, combine dried potatoes, carrots, peas, and onions. Dried herbs are probably the next most popular dried food. The authors describe how to air dry commonly used herbs such as dill, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme. Sorry no parsley! The herbal tea recipes appeal to folks like me that just hate to buy anything at the grocery store if I can make it at home. 

Have a root cellar or stairs that lead from your basement directly outside? You may be able to store root vegetables (beets, carrots, onions, potatoes, turnips) this way. Food quality, containers, and safety are described, as for other preserving methods. The additional considerations of temperature and humidity are thoroughly explained. A tried and true method of preserving.

Image credit - AllPosters.com

The Chicago Accent

How can you tell I'm from da Windy City? I say two sentences at the most and people know I'm from Chicago. I'm from da nort' side and root for da Cubs and da Bears.

Image Credit: Allposters.com

I was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. I lived there for fifty years in the Western suburbs. I moved to Colorado in 2000. Even after all this time, my Chicago accent is obvious as soon as i start to speak. Apparently, my accent is much thicker than I realized and I hope I never lose it!

I was riding a ski lift here in Colorado. One guy was bragging that no one could ever guess where he was from. The two other people on the quad chair guessed wrong. He was stunned when I said he was from Chicago and asked how I knew. I simply said I knew because it didn't sound like he had an accent to me.

I'm not a linguist so this article isn't going to be a treatise with technical jargon about the influence of the multiple ethnicities and immigration waves on the speaking patterns of Chicago. I'm just going to do some translating so that folks visiting Chicago or Chicagoans can understand what we say.


Classic pronunciations

First of all, I do not find the Saturday Night Live skit about "da Bears and da Cubs" funny at all. That's how I've said it all my life especially after my "fodder" (father) took me to my first Cubs game as a kid. I don't talk about "da Sox" (no color reference needed), because most of my family is from "da nort' side not da sout' side." You may have noticed that the "th" sound is not really necessary. I had a "fodder and mudder". I would go "troo da yard to see tree of my friends dat live on da udder side of da block." Translation - I would go through the yard to see three of my friends that live on the other side of the block. I had a good friend "wit da name of Katdee" (with the name of Kathy).

Chicagoans often have to check "da roof (as in woof) of da garaj" to make sure it hasn't caved in from the snow, as mine did one time. That is, check the rooooooof of the gar-ahzh for a cave-in.

Apparently, houses are different in Chicagoland than other places, maybe it's all the Berwyn bungalows. Houses have a "frunchroom and bejrooms" (where we keep the frunches and bejjes). Just kidding, I'm sure your house has a living room or front room and bedrooms. Mine doesn't. I usually eat my cheese and "sah-sej pizza in da frunchroom." Translation-Saw-sej pizza in the frontroom.

Local geography confuses non natives. If I'm in the city, I know where I'm going because I've asked what "hunnert nort is dat?" The city is on a numbered grid system so it's very easy to find things. For example, Lawrence Avenue is seventy two hundred north and Western Avenue is twenty four hundred west. I don't need to ask what "hunnert sout" anything is because streets south of Lake Street have number names, like 22nd Street and 12th Street. Well, sometimes not really because 22nd Street is also called Cermak and 12th Street is also called Row-se-velt, not Roooosevelt. There's an L stop (elevated train) at Ray-seen, not Ruh-seen (Racine). There's only a little bit of "hunnerts east." Lake Michigan isn't numbered. LSD is numbered and a great way to see the city. I mean Lake Shore Drive, just in case you thought it meant something else.

While I was writing this, I said to myself "enough a dat stuff" (enough of that stuff). I guess I don't have to worry about losing my so called accent.

How to sound like a native Chicagoan

Traffic reports confuse a lot of visitors. We know the expressways (not freeways except for the tollways) personally by name not by the number. I've been stuck in traffic on the Ryan, Kennedy and Eisenhower. Well, it was the Congress originally but got changed. Traffic reports talk about Hubbard's Cave (Hubbard and the Kennedy), the Hillside Strangler (multiple highways converging in the tiny suburb of Hillside). There are often gaper's blocks at the Spaghetti Bowl, where the Kennedy, Ryan and Eisenhower converge just west of "da Loop." The Loop is that area of downtown Chicago encircled by the L (elevated train). The L is always shown in movies like "While You Were Sleeping" and "High Fidelity." Of course, the L was prominent in the chase scenes of the "Blues Brothers."

If you need to get to "charm school in Joliet", take the Stevenson. Joliet is pronounced Joe-lee-et not Jah-lee-et. The charm school is Stateville Prison, shown in the opening scenes of the "Blues Brothers." I first remember Stateville being called the charm school by the late great Steve Goodman in the song "Lincoln Park Pirates".

You take "da Nortwest Highway to get to "Dezz Planes," formally known as Des Plaines. The Northwest Highway is one of the major angle streets like Elston or Mil-wah-kee. If you say "Deh Plane" like Des Moines, no one will know what city you're talking about. Folks in the city won't go to Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg because "Shahmburg is da edge of da ert".

You'll see two flats and three flats all over the area, not duplexes or triplexes. Paul-eye-na (not Paul-eee-na) has a lot of them, Go-thee doesn't. Go-thee is spelled Goethe but not pronounced as "ger-ta", despite the large German population. On "da Nort side" you'll hit De-VOHN Avenue, not "Devin" Avenue, spelled Devon.

Finally, we wear gym shoes not sneakers, drink pop not soda and put our hair in ponytails using rubber bands, not elastics. I go to the cash station at the bank, not the ATM. Softball is correctly played with a 16 inch ball and no gloves.

Chicago Celebrity Accents

A lot of great actors and celebrities are from Chicago. Some sound like it, some don't any more. Dennis Farina, Joe Montegna, Bill and Bryan Murray, John and Jim Belushi lay on the accent like mozzarella on a deep dish pizza. Here is a YouTube clip of Dennis Franz  at "da best." Even the Geico gecko did a pretty good job.

Some folks that seem to have lost most the that sweet sound are John and Joan Cusack, Gary Sinise, and John Malkovich. They are all amazingly talented people, just not "dat" noticeably Chicago natives.


Movies and the Chicago Accent

"The Blues Brothers" is at the top of my list for authenticity of accent. After all, John Belushi grew up in the Western suburbs. Canadian Dan Akroyd does a decent job with his accent. "Continental Divide", also starring Belushi, is accurate in displaying accents and the city.

I hate it when movies are shot or set in Chicago but the accents are very wrong. In "While You Were Sleeping," Sandra Bullock's neighbor had a terrific New "Yawk" accent as did Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines in "Running Scared." There were great shots of the State of Illinois Center though. The only thing Chicago about the movie "Chicago" were a very few exterior shots, not the voice work.

Image credit: Allposters.com

The Picasso Sculpture in Daley Center Plaza
Remember it from "The Blues Brothers?"

A Retirement Story

Image credit: Staples.com

I've retired but I'm not ready for a rocking chair! Here's my story about retirement for your perusal. Some people plan and count down the days until retirement. Not me, my retirement was sudden and of my own choosing. A supervisor more than half my age was telling me that I had to work ten hours a day through the winter holidays. I went to Human Resources and just quit. In retrospect, I was planning subliminally. I knew what my insurance premium under the Affordable Health Care Act would be and I knew that I could pay my bills with the Social Security and a pension that I was already receiving. I also know that I'm lucky that I could walk out. 

I'm not going to pontificate about financial planning for retirement or what you should do to prepare for your own retirement. This is just my own story.The first few weeks felt like long weekend. Then I got my act together, took action on some of the ideas below. Now, I'm busier than I've ever been. How did I have time to work?


Set Up a Routine

It's best for me to keep a regular routine, even now. I've found that if I sleep and eat at about the same time, I feel much better. I have started losing track of the day of the week, so I'm doing chores like laundry or grocery shopping on specific days. The same goes for exercise or yard work. After breakfast, I walk the dog at a variety of parks and work in the yard. After lunch, I'm at the computer writing or sometimes take a nap.

My family always ate supper at 5:00 PM because my dad insisted that supper be on the table when he got home from work. Even after 40 years of working, my stomach expected an early dinner. This was a real problem when working until 7:00 or 8:00 PM. I'm so happy I can go back the supper schedule that I had as a kid.

Of course I have stayed up until 4 AM and slept in until 11 AM on a few occasions. Why not? I'm retired!

Develop New Interests

All of a sudden I had all the time I wanted for whatever I wanted to do. What the heck did I want to do all day? After a little thought, I decided that I wanted to try some new things. I discovered Blogger while researching social media. Now I write and love it! I didn't know how much I would like writing since my last experience was college term papers. I have lists and lists of ideas so I know that I'll keep writing. I'm planning to continue and expand vegetable gardening for canning, now that I have time to do it right. I've grown my own tomatoes for canning and plan to grow raspberries this year. 

Other skills I want to learn are how to play piano and write HTML. I've considered doing volunteer work, I just don't know what I want to do yet. If I volunteered at an animal shelter, I would take all the animals home, except for reptiles. I already knit hats for the homeless. I'm not good with kids so schools wouldn't work for me. I've worked in hospitals so that's not a possibility. As a co worker once said "Hospitals are full of sick people." As I get mailers from the park district or local junior colleges, I want to take some classes like yoga or the aforementioned piano. Now's the time to train for a 5K run, teach a class or climb all the Fourteeners in Colorado. It's not my cup of tea, but it may be yours.

Expand an Existing Interest

© Donna Cook – All Rights Reserved  

Like most people, I never had enough time to get really involved in my main interests. I've been able to expand the social media outreach for my my blog. I've been cooking up a storm, taking photographs, and posting the recipes here on Donna's Blog. I love to knit and have finally started to do Fair Isle knitting now that I've had the time to figure it out! I'm so proud of that hat in the picture.

I don't have the urge to travel just so I'm going to do "staycation" things here in Denver and the Rocky Mountains. There's so much terrific hiking that I could become a mountain goat. I've never really explored Denver itself so I'm finally able to get to Natural History and Art Museum as well as the Aquarium. Being the cheapskate that I am, I intend to take advantage of matinee tickets at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Next year, I hope to be able to go skiing during the week to avoid crowds and traffic.

Here are a few other ideas that you might enjoy. Now's the time to work on your golf handicap, bowling average or tennis game. Put some miles on that motorcycle, maybe even go to Sturgis. Go to a daytime baseball game or to a weeknight sports event without having to worry about getting up the next morning for work. I don't like the term "bucket list" but knock things off the "when I retire I'm going to" list. Sky dive, go to Paris or Peking. Get off the sofa and get going!

Regular Exercise

Buffy-my fur-kid

I'm glad to have reached the age where I have to move it or lose it. No more excuses about not having enough time. I'm actually making some progress now that the weather is getting better. I have an exercise app on my smart phone that's very motivational for walking. The app calculates mileage and calories burned so I can track my (slow) progress. Every little bit helps.I live within a mile of both a regular city sponsored fitness center and a senior center. I finally plan to take advantage of them next winter. I probably will swim laps and take some yoga classes. More fun than exercise videos at home!

The best choice I've made to get more exercise is to adopt a dog. I had cats while I was working since they are so low maintenance. I always said that I would get a dog when I retired, so I did! Adopting Buffy is one of my best retirement decisions. She helps me keep a regular routine and exercise every day. There's no living with her unless we walk at least a mile or preferably two. I've dropped about 10 pounds in three months from the walking.

Socialize

Image credit: Allposters.com

Who's had the time for a social life? I plan to see friends and family more regularly. If you don’t have any friends, get out and make some! I'm going to take the time to talk to the neighbors or meet the ones on my block that I don't know. I've retired from dating so that won't take up any of my time.

Many people spend more time with their pets, like taking the dog(s) to the park more often. Cats will be confused and and probably disappear under the bed. Why not get the band back together? The Stones still tour after all. Finally, make a to do list and then throw it out! There are no more deadlines and if something really needs to be done, you'll get around to it.

A Little Extra Cash

Stretching Social Security for a full month took some getting used to after getting a bi-weekly paycheck. If I need a little extra cash, I do some surveys and transcribing on Amazon MTurk as needed. You can't make a living there but it does help to make ends meet. 

Image credit: Allposters.com

Cary Grant Comedies

The Inimitable Cary Grant

Source: By Trailer screenshot (The Philadelphia Story trailer) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Cary Grant

Cary Grant defines the suave and debonair man. He rose from a troubled childhood in Bristol, England to a world wide superstar. Known for both his dramatic and comedic roles in over 75 movies, he was only nominated for the Oscar award twice. He was finally given a special Academy Award in 1970. Many actors have been called "the next Cary Grant" but there is only one original.  Here are my favorite Cary Grant comedies.

"Arsenic and Old Lace"

"Arsenic and Old Lace" is so hilarious that one forgets that the plot is about three serial killers, two very sweet little old ladies and their scary nephew. Cary Grant plays Mortimer Brewster. Mortimer marries the girl next door at City Hall. The couple goes first to Brooklyn to tell Mortimer's aunts about the marriage and then intend to go to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon.

It doesn't quite work out quite that way. Cary Grant makes a very surprising discovery about Aunts Martha and Abby while sitting on a window seat. Let's just say that the elderberry wine that the aunts serve their guests has an extra kick. Mortimer's brother, Teddy, is very busy burying "yellow fever victims" in the basement. Teddy thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt digging locks in the Panama Canal. He is always dashing up San Juan Hill (the stairs) yelling "Charge!"

To complicate matters even further, his other brother, Jonathan, is on the lam. He arrives with his accomplice, Dr. Einstein, to hide out and bury his latest victim. The roles are played to perfection by Raymond Massey and Peter Lorre. Another running gag in the movie is multiple characters telling Jonathan that he looks like Boris Karloff. Peter Lorre manages to be both menacing and funny at the same time.

Elaine, Mortimer's wife, eagerly wants to go on her honeymoon. Mortimer keeps delaying until he finds out that he's the "son of a sea cook" and not a Brewster after all. It's too bad that the censors would not let Cary Grant say, "I'm not a Brewster - I'm a bastard!" The alliteration is better in the original line. Lots of funny subplots play out during the movie, adding to the hilarity. Edward Everett Horton wants to get the commitment(s) finalized. Raymond Massey wants plastic surgery to hide his identity. Officer O'Hara keeps trying to tell Mortimer about the play he's written.

Director Frank Capra skillfully keeps the pot from boiling over. Although known for directing "It's a Wonderful Life", "It Happened One Night" and many other great films, this is my personal favorite. According to IMDB.com, "Cary Grant considered his acting in this film to be horribly over the top and often called it his least favorite of all his movies." Grant's exaggerated facial expressions and overreactions are the best part of the movie!

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Run time: 1 hours 58 minutes
Released in 1944 by Warner Brothers

"Arsenic and Old Lace" Trailer

"He looks like Boris Karloff"

"The Philadelphia Story"

"The Philadelphia Story" is a sparkling comedy with sharp repartee between all the leads. High society gal, Katherine Hepburn, is about to marry a self made man who doesn't quite fit in with her social set. Her ex-husband, Cary Grant, shows up the night before the wedding. There's blackmail in the air which brings James Stewart and Ruth Hussey to the family home, as reporters covering the wedding. A midnight mix-up fueled by Champagne complicates matters but there's a happy Hollywood ending.

Acerbic comments about the upper class abound. One of my favorites is when Jimmy Stewart observes "the privileged class enjoying its privileges". Of course there's also Katherine Helpburn's "the nice judge gave me a full pardon" in reference to her marriage to Cary Grant.

Cary Grant's performance is as subtle in this film as it was manic in "Arsenic and Old Lace." Katherine Hepburn rid herself of the title "box office poison" by playing Tracy Lord both in the Broadway play and the movie. One best scenes is between Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart after Stewart has had too much Champagne. Stewart ad-libbed the hiccuping. Grant's reaction is priceless. Check out the clip below! Director George Cukor was known as a "woman's director." His other films include "Sylvia Scarlett", "The Women", and "My Fair Lady" just to name a few.

"Arsenic and Old Lace" and "The Philadelphia Story" are both nearly two hours long. I suggest curling up with a large bowl of popcorn and binge-watching both of them.

Available for download on iTunes for $14.99
Available on DVD from Barnes and Noble for $7.49
Run time: 1 hours 52 minutes

Released in 1940 by MGM
                                              "The Philadelphia Story" Trailer

Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart

"Bringing Up Baby"

"Bringing Up Baby" defines the phrase "screwball comedy." Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant pair up again in this movie that has a plot that is as thin and light as air. The story line includes a clavicle, leopard, dog and a million dollar endowment.

Cary Grant plays a somewhat nerdy paleontologist. He's trying to assemble a complete dinosaur skeleton but is missing the clavicle. In addition, Grant is about to marry a very focused, serious woman, but meets the breezy Hepburn. Hepburn immediately falls in love with him and won't leave him alone. Grant gets the bone but Katherine Hepburn's dog steals and buries it. A leopard named Baby appears, causes mayhem, and only calms down to the song "I Can't Give You Anything but Love." The wedding is cancelled, Hepburn finds the bone, and everyone lives happily ever after.

"Bringing Up Baby" was initially considered a failure and is the cause of Hepburn being labeled box office poison. The film became popular after it began running on television. Apparently, director Howard Hawks and Hepburn did not get along very well. He did more movies with Grant including "His Girl Friday" and "I Was a Male War Bride."

There are many outrageously funny sight gags in the movie. Katherine Hepburn tears her dress in a restaurant. Cary Grant walks in tandem with her out of the restaurant to protect her modesty. Grant had done this routine in vaudeville, which contributed to the perfectly synchronized walk. Another famous scene in the movie has Cary Grant running around in a feathered robe. Hepburn's aunt asks him why he is wearing the robe. Grant famously ad-libbed "Because I just went gay all of a sudden!" There's a lot of speculation as to what the intended meaning of the word gay is in that line. I just think the sight of Grant in the robe is funnier than any connotation of the word. The final scene is my favorite. Although I'm sure that stunt doubles were used, Cary Grant is clearly hanging onto Katherine Hepburn as the skeleton collapses.

If released today, "Bringing Up Baby" would probably be called a "rom-com" (romantic comedy). In my opinion, the light as air plot and comedic performances are simply wonderful.

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Run time: 1 hours 42 minutes
Released in 1938 by RKO Radio Pictures

"Bringing Up Baby" Trailer

"Gay All of a Sudden" 

"Once Upon A Honeymoon"

“Once Upon a Honeymoon” offers an interesting look back at World War II style propaganda. Although released in 1942, the same year as “Casablanca,” this film has faded into obscurity. Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers elevate “Once Upon a Honeymoon” to an interesting time capsule of a troubled era.

The complex plot takes nearly two hours from exposition to denouement. Ginger Rogers dons a pseudo upper class accent even though she is a burlesque dancer from Brooklyn named Katie O’Hara. She’s using the name Katherine Butt-Smith in Vienna and marries an Austrian baron. He showers her with “jew-els”, her exaggerated pronunciation. Unbeknownst to her, he works for the Nazis and helps to bring down the governments in the countries that they visit. Cary Grant play’s Patrick O’Toole, a reporter trying to expose Baron Von Luber as a Nazi collaborator. He meets and falls in love with Ginger Rogers, who is now Baroness Von Luber. Grant tries to convince her about her husband’s true intentions but she refuses to believe him. Finally, in Warsaw, Rogers sees the truth about the Baron. She helps her Jewish maid escape by giving the maid her passport. Unfortunately, Rogers is stopped by the Gestapo carrying her maid’s passport. Both she and Grant nearly go to a concentration camp. Grant puts her name on a casualty list and provides one of her diamond bracelets as proof of identity. Paraphrasing Grant, “The Baron will really know that you had to be dead to give this up.”

After hop scotching across Europe, Grant and Rogers go to Paris where they meet a double agent posing as a photographer, Gaston Le Blanc. In a memorable scene, the agent convinces the couple that he is an American by going through a compendium of American slang. Rogers agrees to resurface as the Baroness to bring down the Baron for the last time. Grant runs into the Baron and agrees to do a Nazi broadcast aimed at Americans. Grant laces the broadcast with double entendres that an American listener would recognize, negating the propaganda value. For example, he states "Germany wants peace, a piece of Poland, a piece of Holland, a piece of France". At the end, he exhorts the listener to tell everyone about the Nazis, including “tell it to the Marines" meaning that the broadcast was untruthful.

Rogers and Grant leave on a ship for America, only to find that the Baron is escaping on the same ship. Rogers runs into the Baron and takes action by pushing him overboard. She tells Grant “"He said it came down to me or him and I guess, in my mind, it came down to him."

Leo McCarey notably directed Cary Grant in “The Awful Truth” and “An Affair to Remember.” McCarey brings the comedy skills shown in the classic “Duck Soup” to “Once Upon A Honeymoon.”

If you like “Casablanca”, Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator”, or Jack Benny’s “To Be or Not To Be”, watch “Once Upon a Honeymoon” to immerse yourself in another time and place.

Available for download on iTunes for $9.99
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Run time: 1 hours 57 minutes
Released in 1942 by RKO Radio Pictures

"Once Upon A Honeymoon" Trailer

So Many More!

I've only scratched the surface. Other great Cary Grant comedies include and aren't limited to "She Done Him Wrong," "His Girl Friday," "Monkey Business," "I Was a Male War Bride," "Topper," "Bachelor and The Bobby Soxer," "Operation Petticoat," and "Father Goose."

Cary Grant's comedies are still funny, even at today's standards.  His dramatic acting in "North by Northwest" and "Suspicious" is outstanding. However, the comedies are in a class by themselves.These are just a few of the many hilarious comedies starring Cary Grant. I've chosen my personal favorites. Hope you enjoy them!

"The Lion In Winter"

Image credit: Barnes and Noble

"The Lion in Winter" is one of my very favorite movies. I love period movies and costume dramas that take the viewer to a different time and place. The time is Christmas, 1168 AD/CE and the place is Medieval France in Chinon Castle (Chateau de Chinon), southwest of Paris. The movie portrays a wonderfully dysfunctional family. If you like acerbic wit of Maggie Smith, Dowager Countess of Grantham, on Downton Abbey you'll love this movie. There are zingers in almost every scene.


Originally a stage play, the move is over two hours long (134 minutes). I did not want it to end. James Goldman wrote both play and the adapted screenplay. He won an Academy Award for his efforts. The movie was released in 1968 and the long hair of Medieval times fit the Swinging 60's perfectly.

The Story

The story is about a family Christmas reunion. Need I say more? Family reunions haven't changed much since 1183 AD/CE. The movie is full of plots, alliances made and broken, and a lot of sex in many interesting and unexpected pairings. Take the time to watch Katherine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole chew the scenery and chew out each other. The following exchange takes place when Henry II and Eleanor first greet each other:

Eleanor: "How dear of you to let me out of prison."

Henry II: "It's only for the holidays."

Henry and Eleanor

All of the actors are just superb. Katherine Hepburn plays Eleanor of Aquitaine, both very formidable women. It was her first movie after the death of her long time love, Spencer Tracy. She won her third Oscar for this role and deservedly so. Miss Hepburn is not the prim and proper New Englander that she played so many times. As Eleanor of Aquitaine, she is bawdy, earthy, and very outspoken. Here's a line that surprised me, spoken while Eleanor is admiring a necklace she's holding in front of her:

Eleanor: [to her jewelry] "I'd hang you from the n*****s, but you'd shock the children."

Peter O'Toole appears to be having a rollicking good time as Henry II. He must have because this is the second movie in which he portrayed this king, the first time being in 1964 in "Becket" with Richard Burton. Henry II charges around the castle bellowing orders and berating his sons. Alais, his mistress, is an active participant in all the chaos, much to the chagrin of his wife, Eleanor. He wants to annul his marriage and marry Alais resulting in the following exchange:

Henry II: "Well I'm off."

Eleanor: "To Rome?"

Henry II: "That's where they keep the Pope!"

"The Lion in Winter" Trailer

Sibling Rivalry at Its Best

I can't forget their three sons. All provide perfect birth order portrayals, which makes me glad to be an only child. Anthony Hopkins portrays the eldest son Richard otherwise known as Richard the Lionhearted. It's hard to believe that this was his first major screen roll and I can see Hannibal Lecter already. Richard I was openly homosexual and this aspect is portrayed in the movie. I find this interesting because the law against homosexuality had been repealed in England just the year before, in 1967. Remember that the movie was released in 1968 and homosexuality was not commonly portrayed or discussed in the media at that time. At any rate, I never watched any Robin Hood movie the same way again.

John Castle plays Geoffrey and is the ideal example of middle child. He's always observing and commenting on the shenanigans of his parents and brothers. Then there is this comment:

Prince Geoffrey: "No one ever thinks of crown and mentions Geoff, why is that?"

Nigel Terry is wonderful as the Prince John, referred to as "Johnny". He's the future king of England for heaven's sake. He's the baby of the family and Henry wants John to inherit the throne. John proudly proclaims "Father loves me best." Mr. Terry went on to play King Arthur in "Excalibur".

Though not a son of Henry and Eleanor, Timothy Dalton rates a special mention as King Phillip II of France. He is wonderfully sleazy and smarmy as the lover of Richard. James Bond he was not in this movie. Phillip appears to be a bit dim:

Henry II: "The Vexin's mine."

Phillip II: "By what authority?"

Henry II: "It's got my troops all over it; that makes it mine."

Music, Director and Costumes

John Barry won an Academy Award for the musical score of “The Lion in Winter.” He also won Oscars for “Born Free,” “Dances with Wolves,” and “Out of Africa.” Mr. Barry may be best known for his work in the majority of James Bond films. He composed the iconic song “Goldfinger,” sung by Shirley Bassey.

The director, Anthony Harvey, was nominated for but did not win the Academy Award for “The Lion in Winter.” He directed Katherine Hepburn a second time in the 1973 TV movie of “The Glass Menagerie.” Mr. Harvey’s editorial credits include “Lolita”-1962, “Dr. Strangelove”-1964, and “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold”-1965 among others.

"Love Among the Ruins"

Margaret Furse was also nominated for but did not win the Academy Award for costume design. She also designed the costumer for the Katherine Hepburn TV movie “Love Among the Ruins.” The hat and feather boa seem to have a life of their own in this clip. Ms. Furse has a great feel for period costumes. She won an Oscar for “Anne of the Thousand Days.” Her work on “Becket” and “Mary, Queen of Scots” also garnered Academy Award nominations.
                                                                                                                                                          
Historical Background

Henry II was even more energetic and determined than Peter O’Toole. Matilda, his mother, had been named as the heir to Henry I, his grandfather. She would have been the first queen of England but was usurped by her cousin, Stephen. Henry II invaded England and Stephen designated him as heir. Henry became king at the age of 21. He ruled England with his chancellor and friend, Thomas Becket. Henry elevated Becket to Archbishop of Canterbury. However, Becket supported the church over the king and the two became enemies. Becket was later assassinated. During this time, Henry married the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Eleanor of Aquitaine was powerful and wealthy in her own right, as heiress to the Aquitane. The Aquitaine is located in southwestern France and stretches from the Loire River on the east to the Pyrenees Mountains on the west. She had married Louis VII of France and had gone on the Second Crusade with him. However, Eleanor bore two daughters but no sons and the marriage was annulled. She quickly married Henry II and bore five of the requisite sons and three more daughters. After her sons were grown, Eleanor led a rebellion against Henry to regain the Aquitaine but lost. He imprisoned her until his death. Freed by her son Richard, Eleanor became Regent when Richard went off on the Third Crusade. When Richard was kidnapped by Duke of Austria, Eleanor raised the ransom, went to Austria and brought him back to England. Unusual for her time, she lived well into her eighties and died at monastery at Fontevrault in Anjou in 1204.

Wedding of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine

Source: "Wedding Ela louis" by Unknown - Grandes Chroniques de France. MS. Douce 217.. Licensed under Public

A Last Word from Katherine Hepburn

I'll conclude with my favorite quote of entire movie:

Eleanor: "What would you have me do? Give out? Give up? Give in?"

Henry II: "Give me a little peace."

Eleanor: "A little? Why so modest? How about eternal peace? Now there's a thought."

About the Movie

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Run time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Released in 1968 by 20th Century Fox