NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY !

Today is National Tap Dance Day. As a child, up until my early teens, I was a tap dancer. Yes, I admit it. I also did the Hula and Tahitian dancing (actually, I still do for exercise and the occasional performance for a very special audience of one who shall remain nameless), but that is another story.

I thought it would be fitting to honor a list of my favorite tap dancers with a little history and a few photos and videos.

BILL "BOJANGLES" ROBINSON  May 25 🎂1878- November 25, 1949



Beginning his long career in minstrel shows,Bill Robinson appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in Hollywood films (four with Shirley Temple) as well as radio and television.

Here is a clip from The Littlest Rebel (1934)

FRED ASTAIRE May 10, 1899-June 22, 1987

Fred Astaire began his long career partnering his older sister Adele in vaudeville, on Broadway, and the London stage until 1932 when Adele married and became Lady Cavendish and the team went their separate ways. Eventually, Hollywood beckoned, Fred made 31 films, ten with Ginger Rogers, and the rest is history.

Here is a clip from Top Hat (1935).

GINGER ROGERS July 16, 1911- April 25, 1995

Also began her career in vaudeville, moved to Broadway and then onto Hollywood where she excelled in drama, comedy, and musical films (ten with Fred Astaire) winning a Best Actress Academy Award for Kitty Foyle (1941) ,as well as television and radio appearances. 










Here is a clip from The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) the last pairing of Ginger and Fred where she clearly proves that she could tap with the best of them.

SHIRLEY TEMPLE April 23, 1928-February 10, 2014

Shirley Temple began her career at the age of three in the Baby Burlesks and Frolics of Youth shorts and small but stand out roles in Red-Haired Alibi (1932) and Stand Up and Cheer (1933) with James Dunn, She became an international star after Little Miss Marker (1934) and Baby Take a Bow (1934)  also opposite James Dunn ,

who she would work with once more in Bright Eyes (1934). From 1935-1938 she was the #1 Box Office Star and President Franklin D.Roosevelt declared that her films had helped America through the Great Depression.

Here is another clip from "The Littlest Rebel" (1935) with Bill Robinson.

And last, but by no means least.......................

ARTHUR DUNCAN September 25, 1933 -

Mr. Duncan entered show business at the ripe old age of thirteen. He later toured with The Jimmy Rodgers Show and hosted his own television variety show in Australia. After several years performing in Europe, he was discovered by Lawrence Welk's manager and offered a guest appearance on Mr. Welk's television show. Mr. Duncan proved so popular that he was offered a permanent place with Welk's "family" of regular entertainers and from 1964 until 1982 he could be seen every Sunday night tapping his heart out.

My family never missed The Lawrence Welk show and Mr Duncan was definitely my favorite,

Here is a clip of this wonderful artiste.

Where are my tap shoes today? I have no idea. I put in a call to my mother (who, like most mothers ,including her own, had hoped to have given birth to the next Shirley Temple, but alas, had not). She said she had no idea, but did I want her to send them to me if she found them ? No, I replied, wondering why she had not bronzed them like my other baby shoes, first riding boots, and first high heels. Apparently, she had been too disappointed.

 Oh well, I doubt they would still fit me anyway. 🌷

Mother's Day

TheChamCham and I have been away from home recently, so we were unable to spend Mother's Day with my mother, but we sent her two new Gardenia plants  (when she was a concert pianist, she always wore two in her hair when performing) to add to her collection and her favorite candy.

California Brittle from See's Candies.

My favorite film mothers include Mrs. Brown from NATIONAL VELVET (1945) played by the wonderful Anne Revere who won the Best Supporting Oscar for her performance and especially for this scene.

Mrs. Hansen from I REMEMBER MAMA (1948) played beautifully by Irene Dunne.

 "Marmee" from LITTLE WOMEN (1994) played by Susan Sarandon, encouraging her daughter Jo to go out into the world and live her dreams.

"Dearest" from LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY (1936) played by Dolores Costello Barrymore (Drew Barrymore's paternal Grandmother) willing to give up her son so that he can fulfill his destiny.

And Mrs. Jumbo from DUMBO (1941). I used to sing this song when I was a Nanny. It put my babies to sleep every time.

Do you have a favorite film mother ? 

NATIONAL LUPUS MONTH

              Tess and I have a very dear friend who suffers from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, more commonly known as Lupus, an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks healthy tissue, She was diagnosed six years ago after a major sunburn that left her face and hands so swollen that she could not open her eyes for several days and her own mother did not recognize her.  (According to Tess, who grew up with her, she spent every summer of her childhood covered in sunscreen and then ultimately zinc oxide because she burned anyway.) Thankfully, when she healed, her pretty face and hands returned to normal but she lost half of her beautiful waist length hair partially due to the stress and also because she could not comb or wash her hair and it became so tangled that it had to be cut. This incident left her so terrified of the sun that she has not left her home since and has become a virtual shut-in, only going outside after dark to tend her herb and flower garden. Our monthly visits take place in a cozy, storybook cottage that she shares with her mother, complete with blackout curtains on all but her mother's bedroom windows.The entirety of her home is lit charmingly by clear twinkle lights because of her photophobia (or sensitivity to light). The refreshments are fresh, organic, and mostly raw as she has come to believe that cooked food does not agree with her. It is somewhat like visiting Rapunzel locked away in her tower. She is a lovely, intelligent woman forced to hide from the outside world because of a cruel condition, but determined to make the best of it. 

Luckily for many future sufferers of Lupus, this scenario will be prevented by early diagnosis and preventative measures. If you know someone with Lupus there are many ways to be helpful to them.

Fatigue is a major symptom of Lupus. Offering to do a friend or relative's shopping or other errands for them would be much appreciated. If they have a pet, you could take it for a walk or play a game or two of hide the mouse. If they have children, be "uncle" or "auntie" for the day and take them out to a movie or sports event or for a picnic. Or if you like to cook, why not prepare a meal (or two) and put one in the freezer for another day. When we visit, we stay for a weekend and Tess cooks and bakes and I walk the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (I added some pictures from the film 
 Restoration  (1995) for those who might not know what a these lovely little dogs look like. I love this film! -Tess)

                                                    LuLu Charles II's favorite.

Sam Neill as Charles II

Then I go 
fishing at the nearby river to stock their freezer with fresh, wild-caught salmon,(an excellent source of Omega-3.)

Not to be outdone,here is a picture of a salmon before.................

..........and After.

A gift basket is always welcome 
____________________________________

Books or videos in their favorite genre.
A CD of relaxing music.
Fresh fruit and /or vegetables from your garden (pesticide free).
Fresh flowers or a houseplant (also pesticide free)
Twinkle lights (apparently, you can never have enough)
Yogurt, Kefir, Kombucha Tea, 
Sunscreen, lip balm (Bert's Bees or Badger brand are especially good)
Wild-caught fresh fish (a wonderful source of Omega-3)

Celebrities with Lupus
***************************
Tony Braxton
Kristen Johnston
Seal
Selena Gomez
Nick Cannon

This post was written by both of us, but typed up by My Tess (except for this part, Ow) because I went out to get the mail yesterday and jammed two of my fingers in the box  📫  😧 and it hurts to type.

Me: 😭  Tess: Oh, my poor baby !!! 💋💋💋    Me:  😉😊 (Let the pampering commence !  🍕🍣🍧🍰🍲🍷🍺☕🍝)   Tess: Why are you smiling ?  Me: 😳  (Uhhh....)

May The (Belated) Fourth Be With You.

Yesterday at lunchtime, TheChamCham came downstairs, and while we were eating he casually inquired what time the Star Wars party was starting, who I had invited, and what he was expected to wear.He says I stared at him as if he were speaking Swahili.

Me:What Star Wars party? Him: It's Star Wars Day today. I thought you knew. I got up and looked at the calendar above my desk and saw nothing but Mother's Day for the month of May. I asked him if he were teasing me. He looked like a disappointed five year old who did not receive the cowboy boots he had asked Santa for. Him:  Then we aren't doing anything?  Me: I had no idea.I wish you had told me. It is a little short notice. Him: (pouting beautifully) Oh. 😔o.k.   Then he went back upstairs and B.B. King wailed for the rest of the afternoon.

What to do ?

If you read my Easter post, you will know that I am up for a challenge and I do not like to disappoint my loved ones, especially my Mr.C. So, I went into holiday mode and threw together the most slapdash snacks and basic decorations I have ever "created" and by dinnertime we had ourselves a "party".

I did not invite anyone else (generations of Southern etiquette prevents me from ever inviting guests on less than twenty-four hours notice), I put The Empire Strikes Back

(our favorite) in the DVD player, laid the coffee table with the snacks (which were closer to what I would have served to my little ones back when I was a Nanny), plumped up the pillows on the sectional, and texted my Lord and Master that dinner was served in the media room. Dress: casual. 

 Blue Bantha milk with star shaped ice cubes.

"Hoth" Dogs,
Celery "light sabers", 









and hardboiled Lando's Eggs (Lando's Aide- photo) with black olive headsets,

(In between, we had the roast chicken and rice pilaf and green beans that I had already planned for dinner. I kept it warm in a chafing dish so that we wouldn't have to put the movie on pause. That always breaks the mood, I think.)

And for dessert, Dagobah Bars (brownies with coconut, chocolate chips, marshmallows and coffee) or Wampa Paws (the same ,with almond "claws", powdered sugar fur and strawberry jam "gore")
and Calrissian (rice) Crispies.

And guess what? He LOVED it !😊

He never fails to amaze me with his childlike appreciation of the simplest things.He says that when I arrived for my interview eight years ago, that he thought three things. First, that I was as pretty as a picture. Second, that I smelled like a bakery and to him that was nicer than any perfume. And third   (after serving him his requested macaroni and cheese) that I was the only woman who had ever made it for him from scratch (including his mother and his first wife). He said that he knew then that I was the one and he did not need to look any further.Who would have guessed that one of my grandmother's recipes, and not anything I had learned in cooking school,would not only win me the best job in the world, but the finest man in the world as well (although the latter took a lot longer and came as a complete and utter surprise.)


Let's see, Father's Day is only forty-four days away. I had best get a move on if I am going to do it up right!

                                 Is this not the most precious thing? I dare you not to smile.

                                                  When I was looking for the poster, I came across some cute photos of the cast that I thought you might enjoy. I certainly did.

 Harrison Ford, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Carrie Fisher,Mark Hamill, Kenny Baker.

Carrie Fisher and her stunt double, Sandra Gross.

And my favorite. I always wanted a Tauntaun but alas, I still have yet to find one. I did almost come close with a gray American Saddlebred mare who sort of moved the same way but instead of squealing she sounded more like Chewbacca and dove out at anyone who passed her box on another horse, including Mr. William Shatner, who looked suitably startled. "Naughty Girl." I chastised her. "THAT'S a girl?" Exclaimed Mr. Shatner. I apologized and he smiled and rode away,  and never passed that way again. Mr. Shatner is a very wise man. ☺️🌷