Well, dear readers, not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse. Now, I don’t know about you but I think we need some creatures that are stirring – there are things that need to be stirred, like the spaghetti sauce that I’ll be making tomorrow. But no, the fershluganah creatures can’t be bothered to stir, not even that lazy lout, the mouse. So, I’ll be doing the stirring and that’s all there is to that. Yes, I’m getting ready for the Annual BK Christmas Do, and this year I’m very prepared. I think we’re going to have some fun guests, including occasional dear reader Noel, who seems to be in Los Angeles, California, USA. And I think there will be a few others coming who are first-timers, which is always fun. I actually have got everything I need to make my two annual dishes, save for mushrooms and rolls and donuts, which I’ll buy this evening. I’ve got the garlic, the onions, the butter, and everything else needed for the famous BK spaghetti and tuna pasta salad. Of course, I really have no idea how many people are coming, because I never ask for RSVPs – there could be five, ten, or as many as twenty-five. We shall see what we shall see. Meanwhile, I am going to speak to the creatures AND the mouse about their lack of stirring. Speaking of stirring, yesterday was a stirring day. For example, I got up. That was stirring. It was raining and had been for quite some time. I did some work on the computer, answered e-mails and at ten the rain stopped and I took the chance and did the long jog. Happily, the rain had pretty much abated for the day. When I got back, my friend Richard Jones came by to visit. After that, I had to do some errands and whatnot. I drove to my car dearlers and got a new front bumper license plate holder. You see, when I purchased my car back in 1998 the law was that you didn’t have to have a front license plate, hence none of the cars back then were designed to have them. And then, of course, some idiots changed the law and suddenly we had to have our front license plates, so they made this holder that fit on the front bumper. For a plastic holder, it was pretty expensive. I then took it and my battered front license plate to my local gas station and they hammered out the plate and hooked up the holder and now I am once again within the law. After that, I went to Gelson’s and did some shopping and got some tuna to make sandwiches for lunch. I also picked up a couple of packages at the mail place. I then came home and ate my sandwiches whilst sitting on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I watched two more episodes of Mannix. I don’t really know why I enjoy the show so much, but I do. I never really watched it back then, but I just like Mike Connors and the stories all hold my interest (the show was created by the excellent Levinson and Link), and I love the musical scores which, thus far, have been by Lalo Schifrin, Richard Hazard, and Jerry Fielding. The guest stars haven’t been stellar, but we did get Harold J. Stone, who’s always very good, and Peter Haskell (whatever happened to him – I liked him very much on Bracken’s World). Well, I just imdb’d him and he’s still working away. We also had the lovely Sheree North in one episode. There are occasional fun glimpses of 1968 Los Angeles, too, and you know I love those.
After that, I decided to go to Amoeba and do some trading – I didn’t get one of the good guys, so got less than I was hoping to, but still did all right. I picked up about six CDs and a DVD of the recent PBS Mitzi Gaynor special, which I’m looking forward to seeing. One of the CDs I picked up was Phil Woods and some great jazz players doing Henry Mancini music. It’s a terrific CD. For a snack, I ate two pieces of rye toast with bing cherry jam from Knott’s Berry Farm.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because frankly not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse, and I’m going to berate them momentarily.
Today, I have much to do. I don’t know what it is, but it’s much. I know I have to do the long jog (weather permitting) and I have to do some errands and whatnot, and I’m also starting to address the packages for the new Kritzerland release. I have to make sure the new CD master has arrived at the pressing plant, and I have an important early-morning errand to do, probably before I do the jog. Then, later I’ll go to Gelson’s and buy the few remaining items for the Do, including a couple of logs for the fireplace, because that always adds a touch of warmth to the proceedings.
Tomorrow, of course, is the Do. In the morning, the official announcement for the new Kritzerland release finally hits, and I’m hoping that the few copies that are left sell out quickly – there’s no way we won’t be sold out by the 26th. Then I’ll make the tuna pasta salad first thing in the morning, then I begin the spaghetti sauce at noon, and then I have to get the table set up, and clean up whatever junk is laying around on various and sundried tables (I’ve done a lot of that already, thankfully), and then I’ll shave and shower and dress nicely, and then guests begin arriving at six o’clock.
On Christmas day, I’ve been invited to the annual Cissy Wechter Do, and I’m looking forward to that. She always has amazing food, and I know most of the guests, too, so it’s always a good time.
After that, I have absolutely nothing planned until after the first of the year. I may, in fact, take a look at what I wrote about six months ago when I began what may be my new novel – I’ll see if it still grabs me and if that’s the road I want to go down. If it’s not, I switch gears and move right to a new Hofstetter mystery, the setting of which I already know.
Well, I suppose we should put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, I suppose we should break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, I suppose we should dance the Hora and the Frug, for today is the birthday of former dear reader William F. Orr, who has not been with us for quite some time – perhaps this will get him to drop by. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to former dear reader William F. Orr. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO FORMER DEAR READER WILLIAM F. ORR!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do an early-morning errand, do the long jog, do other important errands, begin addressing packages, eat something fun and light, and shop at Gelson’s. Today’s topic of discussion: Our ten-best lists continue – what were your ten best CD releases of 2008? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we see if we can get those creatures and the mouse off their lazy butt cheeks to do some stirring.