Saturday, August 29, 2020

Ladies and Gentlemen...

art work by Wayne Wirgau

...allow me to present...the Mid Century Modern Power Couple that never was.


Yep, that's Elvis and Marilyn gracing our mid century modern garage, but Elvis is still a work in progress...we decided he needs to be bigger, so I'll have follow up pics of the completed portrait next week.

Marilyn, on the other hand is both finis and spectacular..

...and here she is, all lit up at night...



...pretty darn cool.

Marilyn and Elvis were the biggest stars in their professions, contemporaries, but never romantically involved.

They did meet briefly - according to Joe Esposito, one of Elvis' posse - in June of 1960.

They happened to be on the same Paramount Studios movie lot and bumped into each other near their dressing rooms.

They exchanged pleasantries and a hug and that was that.

No torrid love affair, no one night stand...just a friendly hi how are ya between the 2 biggest superstars of the day.

So there you have it - the mid century modern power couple that never was - now together on our garage.

Might have to add one more mcm icon to our collection...



Ol' Blue Eyes, anyone?



It was 4 years ago this weekend that Karen and I did some Metro Cruisin' with Mr. T...


I know what you're thinking...

...nothing like kicking it old school in a 1923 Model T.


...how does an old guy like him get a young beauty like her?



It's the car, boyo...beautiful women dig beautiful cars...

Good times.



Cloudy day on the links...

...but a very enjoyable round, and I saved the best for last...


...when I dropped that 9 footer for birdie on #9.


As the saying goes, even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then...


...because the rest of my round was the usual mix of bogeys...



...and their uglier siblings, double/triple bogeys.

Even so, it was a pleasant stroll through the countryside chasing that little white gutta percha.

Can't wait to tee it up again next week.



Karen and I have been watching another PBS / Walter Presents series, In Vlaamse Velden (In Flanders Field)...



...the story of a family in Belgium and their struggles during WWI.

We're enjoying these European series about historical events for the different viewpoints than we sometimes get here in America.

In World War 1, Germany attempted to execute their "Schlieffen Plan", which called for a sweeping attack through Belgium and down into France...



...and Belgium was seen as little more than a useful bridge on their road to victory.

History records it didn't quite work that way, and the Flemish people of Belgium suffered tremendously.

Besides the brutality of the occupying German army and starvation due to food shortages - with a tip o' the hat to Herbert Hoover's Commission for Relief in Belgium efforts -



- this series explores the internal conflicts between the Flemish and the French - allegedly allies in the war.

For most Americans, that's probably a lost subtext but to the Belgians it was a major affront that compounded their anguish during this awful time.

So expand your horizons a little and tune into this series on PBS...part of a number of efforts created to remember the 100th anniversary of WWI (1914 - 1918).



Seen here and there...


Larry's back at his cottage for a week of work and vacation...



...enjoying beautiful sunsets...


...and glorious moonlit nights like this...



our courtyard fountain in the sunshine


a couple of pals dropped by the command center this week



looking for one of these in my size



did I use this one recently?  well I'm using it again...I like it...



I know - I can't believe it either - but it's that time again...




What?  Heck no, not that!   This:



I can't really jump that high, but we're packing it in anyway for another week here at the Atomic Monster Cafe.

But don't worry, we'll be back next week and remember...as the great Joe Louis said...

...you can run, but you can't hide...

later, mcm fans...

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Saturday, August 1, 2020

A Sign The Apocalypse...


...is upon us...I watched this event as a 19 year old college freshman and can vouch for the fact there were no females competing in the Men's Decathlon at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

I did see the incredible Bruce Jenner win the gold and set a new world record in the process; it was a glorious thing to behold.

Alas, we are indeed in the midst of a deadly pandemic, but it has nothing to do with the common-coldvid-19.

Instead, our society has been infected with the mental illness of wokeness that makes the weak minded among us believe history can be changed to suit their whims.

I couldn't care less how Jenner self-identifies today.  As a libertarian I believe in "primum non nocere"...first, do no harm.

As long as that standard is upheld, Jenner can identify as a unicorn for all I care...not my business.

But much as they may wish it, neither Jenner nor anyone else has a license to rewrite history.

Whatever happened, happened.

It's the past and cannot be changed.

So when the "This Day In History" author of that article writes "after the first day of competition Jenner was...17 points behind her rival", it's not just pathetic pandering; it's historically inaccurate.

From Orwell's 1949 masterpiece, 1984:


“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered.

"And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute.

"History has stopped.

"Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”


Welcome to the Ministry Of Truth.

Sad.  A little scary, too.



While we're on the subject of political nonsense, I spotted this bumper sticker on my way home from golfing:

Here's a little closer look:
"Literally Any Mentally Stable Adult 2020"

Amen.



But speaking of history...Karen was looking through some pics of this place when we moved in during the summer of 2017.

I took some "after" pics to go with each of the "befores", to wit:

Before:
the leaky, leaf filled pond in the courtyard...

After:
...transformed into a beautiful rock garden.

Before:
another view of the leaky pond...

After:
...and Karen's gorgeous makeover of that area today.

Before:
the corner garden area by the bonus room...

After:
...and Karen's revamped garden area today.

Before:
the courtyard "pet cemetery" view you saw as you approached our front door...

After:
...and the lush garden view Karen created that greets you now.

Sometimes the process of restoring this home to its former glory can seem frustratingly slow, so once in a while it's good to be reminded of where we started.

We soldier on.



And speaking of soldiering on, I toughed my way through my stroll through the country today...

...wasn't quite as good as last week's round, though I did have a couple of legitimate chances to 1 putt for par.



Unfortunately I left one a couple of inches short and just skirted the cup to right on the other one.

I did however snag a handful of bogeys along the way and in spite of those 2 near misses I actually putted pretty well overall.

As always it was a refreshing respite from the workaday world.

Gotta love hickory golf.



Well, it happened...

Ok, so it's probably not quite that bad...there's still some beautiful summer weather left...

...so get outside and enjoy it!

Plus, you'll never guess what "national month" August is...

I'm good with that.

But I'm warning you...it won't be long before summer packs her bags and...

...well...you know...



Once around the horn...
Amy and Pete beating the heat in big blue...even the drink cups are wearing sunglasses



hibiscus in bloom



relaxation station



Rocky returns



glad the magnet was turned off



a friend of Larry's snapped this pic of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming



just another day in paradise


it's GROUNDHOG day...



These may be the times that try men's souls, but at the moment it's also...

...here at the...

Mr. Bolts needs his beauty sleep...

...obviously...so it's time to hustle everyone out the door.

C'mon now, off you go...we've switched out the welcome mat for something more apropos...

...turned off the lights, yawned expansively...what else can we do?

Take the hint already.

later, mcm fans...


* Crass Commercialism Corner *

In the "so convenient you can't stand it" department, you can purchase my books here and on Amazon.com!

Get your paperback books here:



Get your ebooks here: