Steve did a little redesigning around here last night, what do you think? The flowers that pop up on the masthead are White Nancy (how apropos), petunias from backyard, lavender from our front yard and Love in a Mist (the space-agey flowers), which my son would like to inform you are “an invasive weed and you really need to pull them all up before they go to seed, Mom.”
I will defy him. I love Love in a Mist and I agree with the Internet that it is a charming, old-fashioned flower that blooms in spring and early summer. (When did 7-year-olds get so smart, anyway?) Thanks for the update, Steve-o. I’ll consider this an early birthday present. (Our other three blogs are next in line.)
Hey! Happy (early) Father’s Day to all you dads out there. (It’s late this year — June 21st.)
“Hop on Pop-Up” (from Dr. Seuss, of course, Random House, $6.99, unpaged) is a charming little version of “Hop on Pop.” We love “Hop on Pop” over here. What are some good gifts for Dad? A set of Slim Jim Swim Fins, how about, or a Bright Dwight Bird-Flight Night-Sight Light? He does not want a walrus, believe me.
“Wake Up, Papa Bear!” is a sweet little touch-n-feel book (by David and Maxwell Algrim, illustrated by Adam Relf, Random House Children’s Books, $9.99, unpaged). I love touch-n-feel books, it’s the 2-year-old in me. Papa Bear has scratchy feet, a leathery nose, and soft fur. The babies will love this one.
In “Where Did Daddy’s Hair Go?” (by Joe O’Connor, illustrated by Henry Payne, Random House, $14.95, unpaged) a good-natured dad tries to explain to his son how he lost his hair — but it’s not that kind of lost. Nice illustrations, and a good story, to boot.
Interview with Rob Ingram in Portland Family (“We are people! By nature that makes us imperfect. Forgive often, love hard, laugh good and live life! Hey, it is supposed to be fun so why not enjoy it and why EVER let anyone else steal your thunder. Work hard, play harder!!!” Love that. Rob is a great guy and a force of nature in our community, thank you Rob for all of your hard work and wise words) and…
May go to a BlogHer meet-up between 3-5 today at Posies, if I remember. Oh! And game 5 is tonight, Pens and whatever the name of that team is that they’re playing. Go, Penguins!
To be a mountain you have to climb alone
and accept all that rain and snow. You have to look far away when evening comes. If a forest
grows, you care; you stand there leaning against
the wind, waiting for someone with faith enough
to ask you to move. Great stones will tumble
against each other and gouge your sides. A storm
will live somewhere in your canyons hoarding its lightning.
If you are lucky, people will give you a dignified
name and bring crowds to admire how sturdy you are, how long you can hold still for the camera. And some time, they say, if you last long enough you will hear God;a voice will roll down from the sky and all your patience will be rewarded. The whole world will hear it: “Well done.”
Here’s an essay for you, since we’re talking housework. It’s from twelve years ago, it would appear, cuz Steve and I weren’t married yet. Living in sin, woot!
“Whenever I do something good, right away I’ve got to do something bad, so I know I’m not going to pieces.” — Paul Newman
You know what my husband is doing right now? Vacuuming, cleaning the house (nervous energy, I suppose) and otherwise getting prepared for the hockey game that starts at 5. Finally it’s the real Stanley Cup playoffs. Since it is two Eastern teams — Detroit and Pittsburgh — GO PENS! — silly me. I thought we were still in the pre-pre-playoffs, like we have been since last September.
I’ve heard that some are still watching NBA games but no sir, not over here. With all this free time on my hands, I have been liberally drinking pinot grigio, vodka lemonades and mojitos, admiring the petunias and watching the children jet around. Where do they get the energy? It’s been so hot here. Also… reading. Reading, reading and reading.
“Paul Newman: A Life” (Harmony Books, $29.99, 490 pages), is one of the best biographies I’ve ever read in my life, and I’m not just saying that because I used to work with the author, Shawn Levy. (Not the director, the writer.) He was always a decent guy to work with, plus a good reporter and movie critic, to boot. He did an outstanding job on this book, go buy two copies — no, three. Because you’ll need one for yourself, one for your mom or auntie, and one for your girlfriend. Men, you’ll need three copies, too. Because you know you secretly wish you were Hud, or Brick, or Chance, or Butch, or the hottie (literally) from “The Towering Inferno.” So, chop-chop, already.
And speaking of chop-chop? You know what he loved? Salad dressing (you already knew that. Red wine vinegar, olive oil, herbs, garlic, onion and ground mustard seed) over a bowl of chopped celery, or perhaps over a nice Caesar with romaine hearts, homemade croutons and sliced tomatoes. And popcorn. Dishpan after dishpan of hot, delicious, freshly-popped popcorn.
Even though he drank (like a fish), smoked (like a chimney) and raced cars (like a madman), I am convinced that he lived into his 80s because of all the salad and popcorn. I will continue to drink, but I will eat more popcorn and veggies. Chop-chop.
My only wish is that there would have been more pictures in the book. Even though Mr. Levy included two generous spreads of photos, c’mon. He was Paul Newman. We needed three or four sections of photos. Sigh.
“Sexiness wears thin after a while and beauty fades, but to be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that’s a real treat.” — Joanne Woodward
And now… a little review for MotherTalk. The New York Times is just coming out with a Young Reader’s Edition of “Obama: The Historic Journey.” Oh, good. Lots of pix. (Maybe we need a Young Reader’s Edition of the Paul Newman book? Mmmm…) Great book — also available in an adult version. (Viking Children’s Books, $24.95, 94 pages.) My favorite quote:
The weekend before the inauguration, President-elect Barack Obama and his family had stopped to visit the Lincoln Memorial, studying the words carved into the marble. Considering his inaugural speech, ten-year-old Malia turned to her father and advised, “First African-American president. Better be good.”
My daughter and I are considering starting a mother-daughter book club at her school, so I turned to “The Mother-Daughter Book Club: How Ten Busy Mothers and Daughters Came Together to Talk, Laugh and Learn Through Their Love of Reading.” (HarperPerennial, $12.95, 296 pages.) (Tips include how to start your own club, reading lists and discussion guides.) We’re thinking “Twilight,” “Inkheart,” maybe an Edward Eager book, from the olden days? Any ideas?
Reviewed today:
And now, a funny YouTube clip of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward on “What’s My Line?”:
, 
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