Sunday, January 5, 2020
Our neighborhood – once rather peaceful – is getting dicey. Yesterday, another cop chase, right past the spot where i enjoy my pipe and feed the squirrels.
As if there’s not been enough stabbings and shootings around here already, police SUVs – marked and unmarked – were hunting down someone; some car or whatever. They were hot on it, too – they turned the corner, then pulled a U and came right back and sped off the opposite way. I think the squirrels even darted back up in the tree.
Headed up to Forest Glen and Mariano’s this very windy afternoon (40+ mph gusts). I usually take my rolling luggage, it’s the best thing for grocery shopping on foot. We’re talking stairs, tho’ – especially boarding the Metra on the way back (26 stairs to the platform).
The packer did an excellent job of arranging the goods, but he struggled to fit everything in. I told him, in Kramer’s voice, “I think I over bought.” That luggage cart must have weighed close to 40 lbs. I got my exercise.
Hope all of you had a great New Years Eve. Channel 9 (WGN here in Chicago) ran Marx Bros. movies – Animal Crackers and Monkey Business. They were still as timely and fresh as they must have been in the ’30s. “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I’ll never know.” He goes on to say he had to go to Alabama to get the tusks out. “Because in Alabama, the Tuscaloosa…”
And Harpo, subtely thumbing his nose at the opera singer while not missing a note on his harp.
Last night (Sat. Jan. 4), I watched an old Sherlock film, ‘The Spider Woman.’ If any of you are fans – especially of the Rathbone/Bruce series – it was one time Lestrade out dolted Watson. Sherlock winds up giving him (Lestrade) his famed Calabash pipe, too.
The young actor who played Larry – the boy who hopped around the room as a ruse to throw Sherlock off the trail of the killer – was played by Teddy Infuhr. In real life, he became a chiropractor and lived until 2007.
Sadly, my neighbor passed away in his apt. last week. God rest his soul, but it makes me thing of “ask not for whom the bell tolls…”
Been working on some of the songs i wrote back in the ’70s – that was when i had energy! The arthritis in my hand (left thumb) keeps me from playing as much as i’d like to, but if i find something i think might be worth your while, i’ll post a vid – if i can keep the clams to a minimum.
Can you believe – 2020! Wish i could see that well again! Have a great January. It’s warm for the season here – thankful. And it’s staying light longer now – about a minute each day!