Saturday, December 31, 2011
happy new year
Wishing all of you a Very Happy New Year with many many more to come.....Peace on Earth, Good Health, and Much Much Happiness.......See you in 2012....!More To Come..........
Note: Update on Sweetie....! He is holding his own and they are monitoring his insides every day with Ultrasound, to make sure there is nothing untoward happening---I won't go into specifics about that except to say things look pretty good, at this point. The growth they removed was Cancer, but the doctor feels they got it all and this kind of cancer does not respond well to Chemo, so that will not be an option---and to be truthful, I wouldn't put him through that anyway---this has been hard enough on him...! So....once he is eating better and pooping better and does not need to be monitored daily and his sutures come out...He will be able to come home to me....I did visit him, which was wonderful----they brought him out to the car since I cannot go into the hospital with my Lung Issues....It was great to see him and he is one strong little cat, I tell you.....We had some nice quality time together, and I will try to do that again, if I can arrange it.....Anyway....thank you all for your prayers and healing thoughts for my little honey boy....I know it all helped!
I hope your New Years Celebration is a lovely one, my dears.......
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 12:06:00 AM
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
a lovely christmas
It was a lovely Christmas Day at the Parks, though somewhat Bittersweet....The first Christmas without Betty, but her wonderful boys and their wives, did her proud, and all of us lifted a glass to her......
The table looked lovely and my little contribution to Christmas 2011 were the Chocolate Teddy Bears for the table.....
There was a lot of hustle and bustle in the kitchen, naturally.....Much attention was being paid to "The Turkey"......
And then, 'the boys', took the Turkey over to the Table, to 'rest'.
The other contribution that I make to Christmas Dinner each year is---I Carve The Turkey! Yes! And I really enjoy doing it very much.
That's Andy with me---we are talking about the readiness of this Beautiful Turkey......Andy had done all the preparation of the Turkey, including the Brinning and the Stuffing........Back in the late '70's or early 1980's Betty sewed an apron out of some old sheets of mine. It was for a scene we were doing at Theatre West for a Musical we were writing..Betty: Lyrics, Me: Music, based on the play "Cheri", by Colette....Betty and Andre Landzat played the leads and I played the maid and then went backstage to play the piano for the songs they sang---the Apron was part of my Maid Costume....
Forever after, this was and is the Apron I wear to Carve The Turkey...! The Beautiful Karen had washed it and ironed it so it was fresh and clean before the onslaught.....
And then, she helped get me into it......I sat on a stool in front of this gorgeous Turkey so I could carve it using the Electric knife.
This is the first time in all the years I have been doing this, that anyone has taken pictures of me actually carving the Turkey......
I actually only carved one whole side of this beautiful Turkey.....I'm sure the family will have another two or three meals out of it....It was deeee-licious, beyond words.....Tender and Juicy and perfect! Andy, you did a beautiful job.....Your Momma would have been so very proud....!More To Come........
Update on my Honey Boy: Sweetie came through the surgery very very well.....Though he is still not out of the woods, as they say...The next few days are rather critical, because of the possible bad things that can happen from this very serious abdominal surgery....Poor little guy....And we are still waiting for the results on the Biopsy. Best case scenario---what they removed, is Benign.....Keep those prayers coming......
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 11:54:00 AM
Thursday, December 22, 2011
happy holidays to all!
My little Patio, at Twilight........two additions---The little tree I mentioned and a few more Poinsettias.....That's it for the Front Door Entry.......The "star" at the top of my little tree is shaped rather like a Jewish Star.....Well, Hanukkah began on the 20th
So....here is a nod to both Holidays......A Very Very Happy Hanukkah and a Very Very Merry Christmas to you all.........! And, I now have two other Santa's sitting inside my house.....Here's one, below.......
And below, again....here is the other one......He actually lights up and moves and plays a song....!
I think it is appropriate that he is standing next to my little white, Baby Grand Electric Piano......And one last photo.....my 'display' as you enter my front door.......
So......I wish each and every one of you a Very Merry Christmas......May you enjoy all the Joys of the Season and have a Peaceful Healthy Happy New Year, too.....More To Come..........
Note: My dear little "Sweetie" is in the Hospital and will be operated on tomorrow......Please keep him in your thoughts and your Prayers. I pray he comes through this with flying colors....It is quite a serious surgery. I'm trying to stay as positive as possible and I would dearly appreciate any and all good thoughts coming this way for my 'dearest'......
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 1:52:00 AM
Friday, December 16, 2011
decorating
This is just the first step in my meager Holiday Decorations for my little Front-Door-Porch---I don't do too much...and what will be added are a few more Poinsettia Plants and, perhaps, a little tree......But, if you want to see a really special beautiful magical Christmas display, go to Joey's Pad.....here.......and be sure to see the very last picture. I so wish he could drop by my place from 'across the pond' and brighten up my little Patio for The Holidays..........What he did, and what more he will do, is my dream of what Christmas should look like........More To Come..........
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 8:27:00 PM
Sunday, December 11, 2011
nada-nothing-zero
Oh Lordy....I have nothing to say. Zilch. Zero. Nada. Life is overwhelming these days......So, I think I will share a video with you that means a lot to me. I need to be inspired again....maybe this will do it....This is from "Sunday In The Park With George"(1984), the beautiful musical that Stephen Sondheim wrote about the great Artist, George Seurat....This was sung at Sondheim's 80th Birthday Celebration at Lincoln Center in March 2010, by Original Cast Members, Mandy Patankin and Bernadette Peters.....Stunningly Beautiful....... "......Anything you do, let it come from you, then it will be new.....Give Us More To See......". Oh, My God...Yes! And here is the same song 'back in the day'...1984-85.....Perfection!
Oh, Oh, Ohhhhh, Yes.
I was younger.....They were younger.....And the message of this song for any Artist?......Utterly Timeless..............
More To Come..........
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 7:50:00 AM
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
miss peggy lee
I was lucky enough to spend an evening with Miss Peggy Lee many years ago....dear friends of mine, Ken & Mitzie Welch, who had worked with her, had a "Game" Party, and I was one of the guests along with Ms. Lee.....All the "games" were music related or film/stage related. For one of the musical ones, we were divided into teams of four....I was on the same team as Miss Peggy.....Songs were played by different artists and you had to fill in their names going across the page, one right underneath the other like a crossword. When it was all filled in---another "Artists" name was spelled out going down the center of the musical crossword and that was the Final Answer for that particular game.....The most unforgettable moment was when one of Peggy's songs was played and she did not recognize that it was her singing. Truly, My Hand To God! This was Hilarious and absolutely honest on her part.....For me, this was a precious and delicious experience......She was one of The Best singer/songwriter's/performers---Ever!
A Song For You Lyrics
I've been so many places in my life and time
I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad RHYMES
I've acted out my life in stages
With ten thousand people watching
But we're alone now and I'm singin' this song to you
I know your image of me is what I hope to be,
I've treated you unkindly, darling, but can't you see
There's no one more important to me
So baby can't you please see through me
'cause we're alone now and I'm singin' this song for you
You taught me precious secrets of the truth, withholdin' nothin'
You came out in front and I was hiding
But now I'm so much better so if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding
I love you in a place where there's no space or time
I love you for my life, 'cause you are a friend of mine
And when my life is over, remember that we were together
We were alone and I was singin' this song for you,
We were alone and I was singing this song for you.
More To Come.........
More To Come.........
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 12:03:00 AM
Thursday, December 01, 2011
boss
There is a new series on Starz called "BOSS" with Kelsey Grammer. This is a Kelsey Grammer as we have not seen him before---so far away from 'Frasier", well....it is almost frightening. But he is good! Really really good! The series is about a Mayor of Chicago, who is corrupt and power hungry to the point of addiction, who finds out he has an incurable neurological disease which will end in death, (something HE cannot control), and what happens as a result of that. I just re-read this sentence and feel it is so inadequate as far as the "plot" of this series is concerned....Overall, what this series is really about----what it is really saying is that: "Everyone Is Corrupt!" Yes, EVERYONE. According to this 8 episode series...(EIGHT episodes??????? You cannot be serious, Starz!!!!)....Everyone is corrupt. The Mayor, his staff, his wife, his daughter, all the Alderman of the City Of Chicago..(it could be anyplace, U.S.A., really).....Everyone, all of us---WE, are all corrupt. How deeply depressing is that?
Why watch this?? Well, as a writer myself, I am always interested in what TV is feeding us---but most particularly what the Premium Cable Channels are creating---where censorship is non-existent. They can pretty much do whatever they want.....And that's a good thing, I think, with some exceptions, of course; AND, as an Emmy Voter, I know "Boss" will come up and should, in the Voting process...This is a wonderfully written show---A wonderfully Directed show, and, with some of the best acting you will see, anywhere......
Still.....I wonder about 'the message' of 'Boss'. Are each and every one of us corrupt? Are each and every one of us capable of killing and/or destroying anyone and everyone to get what we want? To get and keep "Power"? Is it really by any means necessary?Gee, I sure as hell hope not.....
On Sunday of the Thanksgiving Weekend, Starz showed a 'marathon' of these hour long episodes that have appeared so far---one right after the other---no commercials, of course----6 episodes in all---6 hours in all, so far that is, and with only two more episodes to go in their FIRST Season......(To use the word "season" is almost laughable...! Kids, I remember when a 'season' was 36 episodes...or 32...or even 24......! Now, we are at an EIGHT episode season???? As you can see, I just cannot let go of this---I'm like a dog with an 8-episode-bone.....!) Well....they may be right to only have 8 episodes. I'm not sure I can take that much more cruelty, corruption and killing, without a l-o-n-g break.....!
Oh, and, lest I forget....There is more "explicit" fornicating in each hour of this eight hours than seems possible, IF there is a further message than "we are all corrupt and we are all "Eff-ing" each other in every way", I have not seen it----there is no morality. There is only corruption. Is this what television is saying the 21st Century is all about? Pretty ugly, I'm afraid..........
And yet.....and yet, I kept watching. The most amazing thing about watching this "marathon" was..How much I actually had missed, when watching each episode for the last 6 Fridays.....(WHAT??? I don't remember THAT happening?, etc., etc....) The truth is, the way to see a series like this---so full and packed with important and often subtle information mixed in with the Horror-Show-Cruelty-Information, is NOT every Friday Night...but ALL 6 or 8 episodes---one episode right after the other in one sitting, or two----to remember who everyone is and how they are connected in this complex series, is impossible from Friday to Friday--utterly impossible, what with daily life getting in the way and all we have to remember about everything that happens on any given day in our real lives. Well, it's no wonder I felt like I was seeing most of it for the first time.......!
Still.....why do we need a series like this? Why do we need to know and/or believe that EVERYONE is corrupt? What makes us care about these people---Well, as it turns out, very little. I almost don't care at all about these people. I find them abhorrent. I find them frighteningly horrifying and "real", too, I'm sorry to say......And, truthfully, after 6 hours of this assault, I was ready for some entertainment. You know what I mean? I needed a movie like "Somethings Gotta Give".....Please...give me Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton on the beach or in the kitchen......
Or give me Jude Law & Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet & Jack Black in "The Holiday"...
Both of these films were written and directed by Nancy Meyers....Good writing, wonderful acting, and you feel good when they are over---you feel hope.....!
Okay.......
Do I recommend "BOSS"? Well.....I'm not sure what to say---plus, there are only two more episodes, though I'm sure it will be available for rent sooner than you can blink your eyes.....It's a tough series about tough people....And there seems to be a lot of that these days, especially on the so called Premium Channels---HBO, Showtime and Starz....Is this the way of all Drama series now? Stark harsh cruelty coming at you at breakneck speed? It obviously reflects the harshness and cruelty of life in this 21st Century.....But I hate to think that possibly, as Peggy Lee once sang a long time ago..."Is that all there is?"
Oy Vey!More To Come.........
NOTE: Remembering all those dearly departed friends...43.....on this World Aids Day, 2011......You will never be forgotten and you will be in my heart throughout eternity.......
NOTE 2: 12/02/11: Another dear wonderful friend---the talented, and hilariously funny Alan Sues---has died.....He was a true "original" and such a dear dear sweet funny man, with a wicked sense of humor....Some of you older folks may remember him from "Laugh In".....I knew him from Theatre West and those were truly special heady days, I tell you.....It is getting very crowded up there in Heaven, with so many wonderfully talented people leaving us......Rest Well Dear Dear Alan.......
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 1:06:00 AM
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