The Barenaked Dream

Truth and naked dreams
from Gary Books, Bluffton News Banner, Bluffton, Indiana.

Mr. Books writes very well on the subject of dreams and the history of TV wrestlers. (Who among ye remember Gorgeous George?) I'm sure he must have written well on other topics too. I just haven't read them yet.

Almost since shaggy-haired men scratched animal pictures on their cave walls, great writers and thinkers have encouraged everyone to “follow their dreams.”

There were female wrestlers, too. During the war years, one’s ring character was Elvira Snodgrass, who was promoted as the “wrestling hillbilly.” Her goal in life, she said, was to wrestle all comers to make enough money so she could retire to her “hawg” farm in Tennessee.

And yes, that is indeed the Flatiron building (285 ft. tall) at 23rd Street, Broadway, & 5th Avenue, New York, New York.

Gas prices?

Have you noticed that since the election, gas prices have gone up. I passed a Citgo on my way to purchase the Pinot Noir and noticed that regular is now 2.49 a gallon.




The day before the election it was 2.34 a gallon.

Undoubtedly, just a coincidence.

Coq au vin

I just sneaked a peek at the magazine my wife is reading. She went out shopping and left it open on the sofa.

The article is about and includes a recipe for coq au vin, which explains why she asked me to pick up a bottle of red wine. No beans and rice tonight.

There used to be a very good French restaurant on 8th Avenue in NYC called the Coq au Vin.


Well, I finished washing and putting away the dishes and after I finish this I'll
get to the laundry.

I bought a shoe box full of old photos at a yard sale a few summers ago for a couple of bucks. They just looked interesting. I don't understand why anyone would want to part with such great photos, I suppose of their family, but I love them. Here's just one. I post some others on another day. I'm impressed with the simplicity, composure and directness of the subjects in this and in all the others.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got tired of opening those packages of Toll House cookie dough, so I decided that--with the aid of The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion--to make them from scratch. Not being able to find any scratch, I resorted to flour, chocolate chips, baking powder and all the usual ingredients. I didn't use butter, for although the cookies were ostensibly for the boys and their mom, I knew I'd probably succumb to temptation. I used Smart Balance instead.

They turned out great. Just one of the side effects of the Christmas spirit. What the heck is the matter with me?! They were too sweet, in my opinion, so I think I'll use a little less brown sugar next time. That will probably be this afternoon, since my very social eleven year old son is having a "few" friends over.

And btw, I did succumb--just a wee bit.

I'm dreaming...

Every year I promise myself not to get caught up in the frantic rush of Christmas and each year I find myself ensnared. Not unpleasantly, you understand. I've actually grown to enjoy it. ("Grown to" is an interesting phrase. I first "grew out of" and now I've "grown to".) It has become fun. When you have an eleven year old boy, how can it not be? I still grouse and complain about the commercialism and all that, but I do love Christmas. In my heart I love it. I just try not to let on.



It just occurred to me that I haven't heard Bing Crosby sing White Christmas this year. But wait. Here's a link to Elvis singing it.




When I was a kid, I dreamt a lot about a white Christmas. I don't recall that we ever had one, but it didn't matter. The dreaming was enough. Just imagining what I would do if the snow came. I was always trying to find some definitive evidence that Santa Claus existed. Reason told me it was impossible for an overweight guy in a sleigh pulled by tiny, flying reindeer to cover so much territory in one night. Still, I had no real proof that he didn't exist. A little snow on Christmas Eve would be all I needed. It would be impossible for him to get in and out of our house without leaving sleigh tracks, footprints, reindeer droppings. Some trace.

Now that I live in New York I do see a white Christmas now and then, but I've never think to check for footprints in the snow. Hmmm.

And so it was that tonight's theme became Christmas trees and lights. From Wales, Virginia, North Carolina and Louisiana.

Christmas in Wales

"Take a photo tour of what has to be the best dressed house in Pantperthog!"

Christmas Tree Mittens

If you like quilts and Christmas take a peek.



Thank you www.quilttownusa.com:
"A holiday tradition of decorating Christmas trees with mittens for donations to needy children inspired Virginia Jones of Taunton, Massachusetts, to create "The Mitten Tree" (51" x 59"). Mittens do not have to come in pairs when you make your version of this delightful wintertime quilt."

Singing Christmas Tree

In the spirit of the season, from the Hendersonville, NC News.

"They started the display in the 1970s with 100 lights and a manger."

Lights in the night: Naughty or nice?

By BERNARD BAKER
Register & Bee staff writer
December 1, 2006



DANVILLE VA. - A Caswell County Christmas tradition is under way again.

Leon and Ann Paschal’s Christmas light display lit up on Thanksgiving night.

Ann Paschal said Tuesday that the couple’s Casville, N.C., home should be adorned with 1.5 million lights - up a couple hundred thousand from last year.

“Last year, we had some people visit us from Hollywood, Calif., and some from Italy came by who were visiting relatives in the area,” she said.

There could be one hitch with the display that is set to run nightly until New Year’s Eve.

Some of the Paschals’ neighbors complained to the Caswell County Sheriff’s Office about people parking in their yards and blocking their driveways.

Cheryl Fuqua, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office, said the Paschals’ attraction is popular in the area, but the street is narrow and there’s not much room for parking.

“Parking there is a problem. Cars can be towed,” Fuqua said.

People can drive through the Paschals’ property to view the display or park their cars and walk. Ann Paschal said many people prefer to park their cars and walk around the display.

She said her and her husband don’t want to do anything to upset their neighbors. They want people to enjoy the Christmas lights and the display found inside the log cabins.

“People really seem to appreciate what we do,” Ann said.

Last year, the couple’s electricity bill topped $11,000. However, contributions from viewers took care of those bills.

Now that both Leon and Ann Paschal have retired, they spend most of their time working and improving the display. They started the display in the 1970s with 100 lights and a manger.

“We’re getting older and slower. That’s all we do right,” said Ann Paschal, who retired from the Sanitary Café in Reidsville, N.C., after 29 years on the job.

Contact Bernard Baker at bbaker@registerbee.com or at (434) 791-7986.

What's a scoop run?

Just ease on over to Agoraphobia and see for yourself.
We used to do something similar in Virginia. We called it cruising.







Thank you Agoraphobia. It's nice to see someone laugh so well.

Kitty's Invisible Bicycle

Every cat should have one.

Skating in Saudi Arabia

Now doesn't this this look like fun? I have a feeling it could catch on big in the US. West Side highway here I come!
Courtesy ikbis.com.

Charlie Rose - An hour with Barack Obama

An hour with Senator Barack Obama (D-IL). He discusses the speculation about a presidential run in 2008, his political ideology, the current state of American politics, the situation in Iraq, and his book, "The Audacity of Hope".

SIGHTING OF DISC-SHAPED OBJECT OVER O'HARE AIRPORT, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AT 16:30 HRS. (CENTRAL) ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2006

The National UFO Reporting Center is dedicated to the collection and dissemination of objective UFO data.

Don't panic. Calmly follow this LINK to NUFORC and read for yourself. Watch too. They have videos.





May the force be with you because nobody else will be. I'm joking of course.

You know me.

April Winchell's funny spot

On the West coast lives a pretty lady who also happens to be a very funny and creative in a lot of ways lady. April Winchell is her name and her blog is one of the funniest around.

I was just there and what with Christmas coming and all, I thought how cool it would be to have on hand The Night Before Christmas to play for my son on---well, er um, the night before Xmas. Please don't strike dear Lord.

And who better to read it--I would but I always fall asleep--but Jay Leno. You too can have a copy for your very own. And, numerous other holiday delights as well. Visit April and check it out. Careful you don't split a side.

Oh, by the way. If you want to find out more about Ms. Winchell go to IMDB.

A Hobbit's Tale

If you are a fan of the Hobbit and Tolkien, you might enjoy this site. Can you believe that such a pleasant looking chap as Andy Serkis played creepy and sad little Gollum in the Lord of the Rings films? Mr. Serkis is married and has three children. Wonder if they've seen dad at work?

Thanksgiving gifts

I got out of bed on Thanksgiving. Early. As usual. Before the break of dawn.

I went for coffee and sat down to start writing.

Much to be thankful for and eager to say so.



The computer started and almost immediately broke out into a terrible clattering sound. Instinctively, I turned the thing off. The next day when I phoned Dell, the very bright and helpful young woman told me that the problem was my power supply and that I shouldn't worry because a power supply isn't expensive. And she assured me that I could exchange the bad for the good with ease. All I needed was a screwdriver. This afternoon the part came and just as the nice lady had promised, I did it all by myself. I think having the vodka and orange juice helped a lot. Joke.


The sudden loss of access to a computer made for a very quiet and peaceful few days.
I was forced to write using a pencil and pad of paper. How strange it is to see my own handwriting after, what seems like years. Very odd to watch my thoughts come to life on paper as my hand effortlessly makes all those intricate squiggly moves. Easy as falling off a bicycle.


The weather was about as good as it could be these past few days. (There is no such thing as global warming.) Perfect for walking and taking pictures.


So that's just what I did.













Thursday is our regular garbage pickup day, but because of Thanksgiving the collection company changed the day. We got this card from them on Tuesday




On Wednesday this card arrived.



On Friday, we found this in our post office box.

















Thanksgiving was a fine day. I spent last Thanksgiving in the hospital following my surprise bypass surgery. As far as hospitals go, it was OK, but it sure felt pretty good to be in my nice warm home with my family this year. Thanks.


"I'm the decider. I can bite this turkey's head off if I decide to."