Blog Talkers #71

Story time …

What book is on your nightstand now? Tell us about it, post a blurb. If you’re reading it, do you like it? If you haven’t started, what are your expectations? Would you recommend it to a good friend? What type of stories do you like to read the most often? Why?

Well, first of all, I don’t have a nightstand, so I will tell you what book I have on my desk in the kitchen.

I recently purchased The Wrinkle In Time Quintet Boxed Set. I never had my own copy of Wrinkle in Time, although I had probably read it 15 times over the years from different libraries and always meant to read the rest of the Murry family set. So far, I have been able to read the first 5 or ten pages of Wrinkle before my daughter borrowed it, then Sweet Baboo started reading it, then a lady at work wants to read it. And on it goes. Oh well, after forty some years, a few more days won’t matter, eh?

My tastes in reading have changed in the last few years. I used to be a real big Stephen King fan, also Dean Koontz with a bit of Robin Cook tossed in. Then I turned to self help books for a time, “bodice ripping” romance novels, time travel romance, (check out Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series) and now to more contemporary fiction authors.

Right now, aside from my side trip that I am taking with my childhood books, I am enjoying fictional stories about women of a certain age, since I am now that certain age. The Red Hat stories (Haywood Smith) are a hoot, Janice Kaplan (check out “Mine Are Spectacular”), plus others make me feel that I am not alone in this part of my ever changing life. I also have to say, I used to read to broaden my views and improve my mind. Now, I read to be entertained. Listening to the evening news is disturbing enough, give me a good humorous book to read instead.

Blog Talkers #68

Joke.
What is a joke to you? What do you find funny? Do you appreciate a good practical joke, or do you think practical jokes are cruel? What is the best joke you’ve ever played on someone. What is the best joke you’ve ever heard?

I’m a huge fan of slapstick/physical comedy. Nothing will ever make me laugh harder than a great pratfall. A fine example would be Carol Burnett — or Red Skelton, another great one. Oh gosh, and Tim Conway. And John Belushi. And Chevy Chase. And Flip Wilson. And the list goes on…….

I don’t care for practical jokes. They are meaner than mean — most people don’t like being singled out for something, but to be singled out and then ridiculed — it’s just not a good thing to do. Very tactless. I was singled out in grade school by a couple of bullies (girls, no less) and I can tell you from experience that it will make your life miserable.

I have a hard time retaining any kind of joke. I manage to forget jokes just about as soon as I hear them. But if you were to ask me what my favorite sketch from a comedy show would be, it would be a tie between Flip’s Geraldine Jones and Carol Burnett’s Scarlet O’Hara with the curtain and curtain rod. I start giggling every time I hear “I saw it in the winda (that lovely southern accent) and just had to have it.” And another sketch is from Frasier that is probably the best five minutes I ever spent in front of a TV. Check it out below. This is the kind of thing that rings my chimes.

from www.youtube.com posted with vodpod

Blog Talkers #65

Flowers. Do you like flowers? When is the last time you received flowers? When is the last time you sent someone flowers? Do you think purchasing flowers is a waste of money? Do you garden? What is your favorite flower?

I love getting flowers — the last ones that I got were in basket for Easter from the docs that I work for. It contained a hyacinth and a handful of tiny yellow jonquils. I’ll be able to plant them after they have gone by and enjoy them again next year in the spring. The last time SB gave me flowers was Valentine’s Day - one red rose (he’s heard me on my soapbox proclaiming to all and sundry the insult of overpriced roses and the commercialism of that day.)

Although I don’t think it is a waste of money purchasing flowers, I do enjoy plants that flower more so than cut flowers, because you get more for your money. Unless they are zinnias (my favorite flower) — we plant them all over the yard and they range in size from just under a foot to over 4 feet. As long as you remove the spent blooms, they will continue to blossom until killing frost. It’s a great investment — all that color for about $2.00.

I love to garden, but haven’t been able to for the past few years — hands are too stiff and will complain too much for days after if I decide to try it anyway. I am mostly content to sit in my beach chair and watch SB — he’s the real gardener anyway!!!