9siduri

…And the Spring Clean is Complete

This is my last group of books going to the library. The great spring clean is done. The book cases are not quite as full as they once were. But some nifty books found happy homes; a few went directly to friends. That made me feel great. And I got a chance to flip throughContinue reading “…And the Spring Clean is Complete”

Review of “Count Yorga, Vampire” (1970)

This is our Saturday pizza and bad movie offering. Yum. Pizza and prosecco. Plot: While the viewer watches an old-fashioned wooden coffin being hauled in the back of an old-fashioned pickup truck, a narrator describes the legend of the vampire. The truck drives the gates of a large estate. Donna (Donna Anders) has invited someContinue reading “Review of “Count Yorga, Vampire” (1970)”

Spring Clean #21

This group of books from the last shelf in my great clean-out of books. Of course, it will soon be covered in books from other parts of the house, but that’s a matter for another day. I have a chance to wipe the dust off in momentary triumph and rearrange the whole bookshelf. Yeah. TheContinue reading “Spring Clean #21”

Review of “The Loves of Hercules” (1960″

This is our Saturday night pizza and bad movie offering, a beefcake flick filmed initially in Italian. The eye candy was a nice accompaniment (your mileage may vary) to the pizza and wine, and it brought up the apocryphal reaction of Harry Warner (one of the Warner Brothers) to talkies: “Who the hell wants toContinue reading “Review of “The Loves of Hercules” (1960″”

Five More Books Off to the Library/Spring Clean #20

This is this week’s group of books going to the library. As always, lots of fond memories. I’m surprised I’ve had the Vonnegut book this long. I believe I read it sometime around 1990. The sad part of donating all these books is as fast as I clear off the shelves, they fill up againContinue reading “Five More Books Off to the Library/Spring Clean #20”

Review of “The Beast of Hollow Mountain” (1956)

For our Saturday pizza and bad movie night, we once again turned to Mystery Science Theater 3000. They did not disappoint. This was a color 1956 Claymation monster flick involving a love triangle, vaqueros, bad dudes, a fistfight in the town square smashing a lot of honest vendors’ stalls, and the heroics of (*sigh*) theContinue reading “Review of “The Beast of Hollow Mountain” (1956)”

Spring Clean #19 The End is in Sight

With this group of books, the end approaches for the spring cleaning I originally intended. I have less than a shelf to go. That means, I can clean off an end table or two and put books on a freshly dusted off shelf. The Stuff: As journalist Seierstad recounts in her foreword, she met ShahContinue reading “Spring Clean #19 The End is in Sight”

Review of “Avalanche” (1978)

For our Saturday night pizza and bad movie, we ventured into Mystery Science Theater territory for this callback to disaster flicks of the 70s. I was rooting for the snow. The pizza and wine were good. Plot: Caroline Brace, formerly Shelby (Mia Farrow), checks into a newly opened ski resort and meets her former mother-in-law,Continue reading “Review of “Avalanche” (1978)”

Review of “A Simple Ad” (2019)

Thoughts:This is a very short film inspired by a six-word micro-short story attributed to Ernest Hemingway. The opening credits roll over shots of a bookcase with family pictures—a baby, a little boy, and a wedding, among others. The viewer hears “Suo Gan,” a lovely traditional Welsh lullaby sung by the Choir of King’s College. ItContinue reading “Review of “A Simple Ad” (2019)”

Spring Clean #18

This is the next group of books to go to the library. The end is in sight. The current shelf is nearly clear. The single remaining shelf is only half full. I will miss these books, but I like the idea of other people enjoying them—and having shelves to put stray books on. The Stuff:Continue reading “Spring Clean #18”