Friday, December 1, 2023

Gentlemen, A Christmas Gift Idea...


...from those halcyon days of yore.

Imagine her excitement when she opens her gift!

I mean c'mon, what does she like better than vacuuming?  And with a Hoover!

I'm guessing she won't be able to find words to express her true feelings for you at that moment.

You better hope not anyway, at least until the kids are out of earshot.

Here's another one:



Not just a mop...a sponge mop, and such a deal at less than $4.00.

Ah, the good ol' days when you could please the little lady for next to nothing right up until she took you to the cleaners in divorce court.

No need to thank me.


And while we're on the subject of lost causes:

the biden presidency in a picture: help!  I've fallen and can't get up

That's what happened recently to the so-called National Christmas tree at La Casa Blanca.

What does it mean?


Exact.


In "Kowboy Korner", I'm pleased to present this impressive bull ride by one of my grandsons:



He's definitely gaining on it; that's his best / longest ride yet.

And did you notice?  He landed on his feet.

O to be young again!

Well...no, actually, that's not true.

Climbing on top of 1200 pounds of enraged bovine fury is nothing I ever would have attempted, even in my wild and misspent youth.

I humbly bow before his courage and applaud his improvement.

Now enough already Ike, before you break something you need, like your body!

Kids these days...



Been thinking about our next home, probably a few years hence, and kicking around the idea of an American Foursquare...


...a style common from the 1890's through 1930.

They were available as mail order kits from both Sears...


...and Montgomery Ward:

not positive what a "homelike home" is, but there you have it

Just as the sleek, minimalist mid century modern style was a reaction to and rejection of the rich exuberance of art deco, so the American Foursquare homes were a stark break from the ornate Victorian style of the 1800's.

No frills and space efficient, they were a popular and inexpensive choice for both urban and rural settings.

Even the gorgeous Gatsby home Karen and I toured a few years ago...


...has obvious traits of the American Foursquare tradition.

So why would we trade our lovely mid century modern classic for a 4square?

Well...we might not; we do love this home, and we're definitely not finished with its restoration.

It's more of a notion than a plan at this point, but if we did opt for a 4square, it would be to delve into the art deco motif.

We like mid century modern; we're not obsessed with it.

But we also appreciate the aforementioned "rich exuberance" of art deco design, and we do have quite a few items from that era:

sparton bluebird and colonial globe radios from the 1930's



1927 Western Electric model 102-B1 phone



various and sundry Ronson style lighters and cigarette holders from the 20's and 30's, a 1939 world's fair "trylon and perisphere" teapot, and a 1920s flapper

It wouldn't be hard to transform the decor from 4square plain to roaring 20's.

A few lighting, furniture and appliance touches...

a man cave special, this would never see the inside of our 4square kitchen


ditto on this 1920's stove...you know what will freeze over before Karen agreed to cook on one of these

...and voila, I'd be a bachelor in no time.

There are some modern refrigerators and stoves with a retro look and feel, so those might be an option.

At Christmastime, we'd send out art deco cards...



...and trade out our aluminum tree for something more period correct...


..only without Cary Grant.

I can see this home in a rural setting with some land, but not so many oak trees...



...so we're not drowning in leaves every fall.

Time will tell...all filed under "possibilities" for now.


Here we go...



...23 skidoo:

and he still dresses for the office



perfect form



snowed this week, but melted now



bonus room tree...needs a santa hat



another grueling day at the leisure acres home for wayward felines



things are winding down...



...at Larry's cottage for another season



The Christmas rush is on, with just a shade over 3 weeks until the big day.

In all the seasonal panic, try to remember why we celebrate the day:


later, mcm fans...

* Crass Commercialism Corner *

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Sunday, November 26, 2023

It Happened again...


...for the 7th year in a row.

The Lions were upended on Thanksgiving Day; depressing.

Happily our celebration is not centered on the meaningless world of sports, and we enjoyed sharing some of God's bounty with beloved family members.

I get the cornucopia, pilgrims and native americans, but had to ask Karen, "why the escapees from santa's sleigh?"   "it's deer season," she replied. 


the butterball turkey breast was dee-lish


as were the 'taters, corn and green bean casserole


all of which paired nicely with gravy and rolls



stuffing myself with stuffing is an annual tradition



gotta have cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving; the cole slaw and olives were a bonus


Counting "his 'n hers", Karen fed 10 of us altogether; and yes I did help as much as I could without gumming up the works, but she definitely deserves the credit for our delicious meal.

We gave thanks to God in heaven for the food before us, the family beside us and the love between us, then enjoyed a hearty repast.




No sooner had we stored Thanksgiving away for another year than we began ushering in Christmas 2023...

gotta love mid century modern aluminum Christmas trees



nativity scene on the mantel



an Aldi special



pretty good movie, too



Christmas wreath and curtain lights



the sacro-secular debate rages on


It's a start, anyway, with more to come I'm sure.

How much more is still up for grabs, considering it all has to be taken down and put away in a month.

But even with all that barge totin' and bale liftin' I still found time to cover the last of my greens...

Buddy checking out the tarp covered green

...and swat a few wiffle golf balls in my backyard.

Just in time, too...


...'cause it's snowing today.

And hey, where the Lions failed, the Michigan Wolverines succeeded...


...vanquishing those evil buckeyes from Ohio.

All in all, a pretty good weekend.



You know what this means...



...so let's get to it:

I'm sorry, the irony is too much...once touted for their brazen disregard for societal convention, now sponsored by the American Association of Retired Persons...puh-leeze...


a little snowfall outside Larry's deer blind now


november sunset from our courtyard


window aluminum Christmas tree from outside



               making their escape on Thanksgiving morning




As you help yourself to Thanksgiving leftovers, a reminder from God's Word...


later, mcm fans...

* Crass Commercialism Corner *

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

Get your paperback books here:



Get your ebooks here: