ANOTHER VERY DROLL DAY

On this day in 1870, Charles Dickens died. I'm practically finished with that book of his. On this day in 1934, Donald Duck was first introduced to the world. Whoa, did we ever have the major & totally storm last night or what! There were thunder & lightning up the wazoo. What a way to end a drought. We really needed it. The grass will be substantially greener from now on for a while. KrissyKrissyKrissy showed up late yesterday but is now gone again for a while. The Fourth of July beckons, getting closer & closer by the second. In a few more weeks, we shall be surrounded by crowds of characters trying oh_so_desperately to catch up with all the gossip of the past year. The countdown to zero hour has already begun. The last weekend of this month should have plenty of totally groovy surprises in store for us, including Brianne's shower. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

NICE WEATHER SO FAR

Yesterday, Sam's birthday & Jerry Day, went quite well. I spoke to Same & Michael on the phone for a few minutes. The birthday boy got a wet suit for a present. I asked Michael for some help with my computer but he said it's most probably just plain dying of old age by now. Uncle Frankie & Fran showed up, as usual last night, for a little while. I'm assuming the Ronald has been feeling a smidge better lately because he just sent me an e.mail a few minutes ago. Up until recently, every time I've gone out for the papers each day, I've gone to the local Wyoming Ave. Unimart. Yesterday, though, I got the really bright idea to start taking advantage of those paper machines on the streets around here. They open up whenever somebody puts the right amount of change in & he just gets to take out the paper he wants. The only disadvantage is to the distributor because there's nothing stopping a crook from taking more than what he's chosen to pay for. KrissyKrissyKrissy's not back from her latest jaunt just yet. She's confusing. Today's the day when the grand & glorious Friday dance beckons for one & all. Ever since I first discovered the Friday dance it's been catching on quite well.

VERY COOL WEATHER LATELY

The weather's still a smidge nippier than it's been lately, without much rain. I just found out that O.L.P.H., my old parish, will be having their 25th anniversary feast & street fair starting on July 11th with Polish night. After that, until the 15th, are Irish, Italian, American & International/German nights, in that order. I miss those things. I knew everybody in the entire area, having lived there since pert near my twelfth birthday. Last night I saw the old Cecil B. DeMille movie The Sign of the Cross with many old time stars in it. The guy in the picture is one of the top bananas in my old KofC council. I just got their Tidings & the Columbia lately. I see they recently hosted something for the young_uns from the Lindenhurst public schools. It's nice being able to keep up with the old stomping grounds.

COOLER THAN AVERAGE DAY

Today's weather is a smidge on the cooler side compared to our recent very hot streak. It's a nice change of pace. I just like very warm weather though. Well, folks, I reckon the big annual shindig over in Hilldale is coming up once again. It will be on the very last weekend of June this year. It will be fattening, over crowded & nerve wracking as always. I never get to see any of these characters all year though, so it should be really interesting. It's a swell time combined with all sorts of hysterics, gossip & sunburn. Perhaps you're wondering why I came up with the Beatles & Grateful Dead videos yesterday. This week is the Sgt. Pepper anniversary. It was on the first. I like the Fabs' early days better than the psychedelic era though. The Grateful Dead video is because tomorrow is Jerry Day. I couldn't help noticing on the "Don't Ease Me In" video that it was recorded on June 27, 1970, close to exactly thirty seven years ago. I first found out about "Don't Ease Me In" in 1980, when the Dead released it on their "Go To Heaven" album. Ever since then, it's been quite an absolute favorite of mine.

Grateful Dead - Don't Ease Me In (06-27-70)

The Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand (Love Version)

The Beatles - She loves you

Beatles From me to you

The Beatles - I Saw Her Standing There (1964)

YET ANOTHER DICKENS BOOK

Last night, I watched two old silent movies. The second & longer one was Lon Chaney's The Monster. A couple of days ago I started re_reading Dickens' Bleak House. Like Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood, but in an entirely different style, it can very easily be understood as an indictment of liberalism. Last night it rained & today is a smidge cooler, by about ten degrees, than it's usually been lately. KrissyKrissyKrissy's visiting a cousin of hers for a party. Today's the thirty_ninth anniversary of RFK's assassination. I met him once at his very last ever St. Patrick's Day parade. Did LBJ really have a hand in the JFK assassination or what? That, not even the least bit surprisingly, is the latest buzz these days.

OLD WOODY ALLEN MOVIE

A couple of nights ago, I saw Woody Allen's "Take the Money & Run." I've always been a very big fan of his. He's like the Jewish version of me, a Yorker who just can't get a break. Yesterday Fran & Uncle Frankie came over for supper. It was the first Sunday of the month & that appears to have gotten to be a habit by now. Johno told me a few days ago that the bowling league's dinner at the Milleridge Inn was a couple of Fridays ago. All the remaining league members & new people were there, I should hope. Today is Mary Anne & Steve's nineteenth anniversary. The time most certainly flew by on that one, huh? KrissyKrissyKrissy was around fifteenish minutes late getting home this morning. Someone outside is packing an umbrella so I take it our long drought is just about over. The weather has been awfully dry lately. Grass for miles around is quite an annoying shade of brown. I felt stupid even bothering to cut the grass.