Pumpkin-our puppy--6 weeks living with us. She's a sweetie pie.

This week begins our 6th week having Pumpkin living with us. 

She makes our house a  happy home. She is so sweet and peppy.

Mad Men Review

I have enjoyed the show Mad Men. The fashions, the furniture, the way of life back then was endearing to relive. I am sad to see it come to an end, but I am angered that the writing had become so poor. This show had so much promise, it could have been a positive reflection on the 60s and 70s, but instead it chose to become no more than the same themes running over and over. Those themes were adultery, alcoholism, divorce, and disappointment. How many times did they lose their agency? I think we are into the 3rd or 4th at this point. A 7th grader could have written this crap.  The men in this series were, mainly, a bunch of drunks while the women did most of the work and got little of the credit. 

   The writers for this series must see life through a different pair of glasses than the real world. Surely there could have been a few characters who had healthy relationships and who did not drink. 

  My two favorite characters were Peggy and Joan and their lives turned out horrible. Why not allow Peggy some joy? IF I had been writing for this series I would have had Peggy to marry a successful man who worked for a TV studio and see her go forward to win an Emmy. I also think, in real life, a woman like Joan would have no problem marrying a doctor and settling down in a sprawling, lakeside home in the Hampton's. Instead she is made to chose between her son and a husband--how terrible!

  Roger was a fun character because he got so many of the humorous lines. Don, who was supposed to be Super Man, turned out to be a drunk who could not be true to any woman and he married two of the most beautiful women in the world. What was that deal with him standing in the hallway at the door of his mistress? Sicko. Flirting with a 17 year old friend of his daughter? Double sicko. 

No telling what the end will be, but I look for it to be a big disappointment. I'd say they will make it so that, like Star Trek, they can make a few Mad Men movies in the future. However, I kind of think Don Draper may kill himself by jumping out the window. After all, at the beginning of each show, we see him falling. 

Shark Tank--one of my favorite TV shows

   Shark Tank is a fun show to watch because it cannot be scripted. Most of the reality shows seem to be pre-written and the characters act out various plots and scenes. Shark Tank cannot be scripted because the sharks have to use their own money and what happens in the future is easy for the public to learn.

   I recently spent a very fun day reading the biographies of some of the cast members and watching videos of speeches and interviews they have given. 

  Mark Cuban is, by far, the richest one of them. He was not on the first season's shows, but the show was created, in part, because of his relationship with Mark Burnett. 

  Barbara Corcoran was contacted to appear on the show and then dropped a week before filming began. She wrote an e mail to Mark Burnett telling him how awful he was for treating her that way and he felt like she had an inner spark he admired so he rehired her. 

  Daymond is the one who knows what it is like to be truly poor. He grew up watching his mother work 2 or 3 jobs to pay the rent. He worked as a waiter for a long time after he created his line of clothing called FUBU---for us by us---meaning for people of his race. He was inspired by Hip Hop music, but could not sing or rap. He loves to hunt, fish and camp out---odd for a New York born and raised guy. He purchased a home on a lake so he can fish right off his pier at the back of his house and have a camp fire, too. 

   Kevin and Robert also star on a show out of Canada called Dragon's Den. There is a Dragon's Den for UK, Ireland and other countries. All have the same format as Shark's Tank.

Games of Thrones 9 p.m. Mad Men 10 p.m. What could be better?

Love the Games of Thrones and Mad Men, but Game of Thrones is excessively violent for my taste.

I have not read the books, but I do read the spoilers posted on line and I understand that Daenerys flies away on the back of one of her dragons and never returns. Let's see if the TV show sticks with that plot line.

In Mad Men Joan and Peggy are my favorite characters. I kind of get the feeling that Don Draper will die at the end, but I do not know why I get that impression. They will probably keep him alive so they can do a Mad Men movie and a reunion show ever so many years to keep the money flowing. I like Peggy because she is so real. I often did work that others took credit for so I know how she feels.

I also like Roger because he gets the most humorous lines. I did like Don, but he has turned out to be such a bad person always cheating on his wives and a solid drunk. I do not find him appealing. I agree with his daughter when she called him out about flirting with her 17 year old friend.

Wow, has the guy who plays Glenn ever changed? He used to be a chubby kid, but now he is a heart throb.

The character I like the least is Peter. What a selfish prick!

Oh well, they are all fictional, but it has been a different kind of show and has depicted the 50s, 60s and 70s very much like they were in real life. As a 66 year old woman I clearly remember wearing those hair styles and clothing fashions. People used to dress up and care about their appearance, men wore hats and no one would leave the house with skin showing. Oh, well, the good old days are gone forever.

Will Daenerys fly away on the back of one of her dragons like she does in the book?

Great night for watching TV Mad Men and Game of Thrones

Ba Hum Bug--sick with sore throat

Yuck!!! In bed this week with sore throat and coughing. Went to doctor yesterday for some antibiotics; feel some better today, but still weak with headache and congested lungs.

Pumpkin week 1 and week 5; she is almost doubled in size even though these photos do not show it.

Pumpkin week 5; she's a cuddly baby

                                   Our puppy, Pumpkin, is growing and is a fun ball of energy.

HBO is running 2 very good specials about the life and career of Frank Sinatra for his 100th birthday in December 2015.

Sinatra was a singer back in the days when an entertainer had to have talent. Boy could he sing. He lived to be 82. Nicknamed Chairman of the Board as a leader of the Rat Pack--a group of entertainers who played in Vegas. He did it His Way.

Frank Sinatra would be 100 this year

Friends of the Library Used Book Sale Will be here before you know it. May 29 is the first day.

One of the best events in Knoxville.

IF you have never been, make plans and GO this year.

For the first time it will be held at Bearden High School.

One of the main problems with this event has always been PARKING and being able to get near enough to the front door to load books. The committee listened and made a new arrangement this year. The new site should take care of the PARKING and loading/unloading problem.

2015 Annual Used Book Sale

WHEN: Friday, May 29, 2015–Monday, June 1, 2015
WHERE: Bearden High School, 8352 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919
WHAT: Thousands of beautiful used books for sale; all proceeds benefit the Knox County Public Library
HOW: Hundreds of volunteers working year-round for the love of their library

Sign up to be a Used Book Sale Volunteer! 

Spread the word by downloading this flyer to share with your friends by email or in person.

HOURS
Friday, May 29: Members Only Preview Day, 2–8 p.m.
Saturday, May 30: Sale Open to the Public, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Sunday, May 31: Sale Open to the Public, 1–6 p.m.
Monday, June 1: $5 Bag Sale, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Monday, June 1: Community Giveaway, noon–2 p.m.

You asked, they listened: Our volunteer team worked tirelessly to find a venue with easier access and more convenient parking for our supporters. Their goal is always to make your dollars go further for the Knox County Public Library system.

Congratulation to Pyrex----100 years old.

I'd say it would be difficult to find a kitchen in America that does not have at least one Pyrex dish in it. Yay for Pyrex.

I collect Pyrex. My trick is to only pay a few dollars for special pieces.

I love the pink baking dish; it is almost square. We use the 6 ounce pudding cups the most as my son enjoys putting sauces in them. I bought the measuring cup for 50 cents at a thrift store. Glad they did not know what they had. I also bought the small red bowls for $2 each. I have 2 of them. I most recently bought the white bowl with green design for $3; it has a clear lid not shown in this photo. I have many more pieces, but these are a few to show the variety. Of course I have many clear pie plates and baking dishes and one loaf pan/dish.

Bowls have been in use 75 years

  No wonder I like them so much; 75 years and still as good as new. I think I am attached to stacking bowls because my grandmother, Mama Gibbs, had a set and I learned how to cook using them. She always had something going on in her kitchen. The stacking bowls cost $2.49 cents for a set of 4--bet she spent the money she used to make selling eggs on them; hope so.

Stacking bowls--first made in the 40s

  My set of stacking bowls is a unique color. Most are red, blue, green and yellow. Mine are yellow, orange, a darker orange then a bronze, nearly brown color.

Each month I enjoy reading Country Living

This month has an article about Pyrex---the popular glassware. I happen to collect it and I was thrilled to read this article.

Cousin Joann game me a subscription to Country Living Magazine

4th week of Pumpkin's life with us :)

She is growing.

Pumpkin week #3

Pumpkin has been with us for 3 weeks. She is potty trained and has her two brothers under control. She is very lively and a good puppy. She loves her yard, too.

March roses--blooms so pretty--forsythia

Last year I purchased 12 gallon pots of forsythia from a man on Craigslist. Each one has lived
and is flourishing in my yard. They only bloom in March, thus the name March Rose.