Do Ya'll Like Cheesy Movie Sets?

Do ya'll like cheesy movie sets?

My favorite flower! It is due to bloom soon. It is one of the last daffodils to bloom.

The Pheasant's Eye or Melodrama Part 5

Chapter 8:

            When Mildred came home, after everyone else, she found her mother on the couch reading a book that wasn’t the Bible. The privilege of being the minister’s wife was too great to be overthrown by ‘God’s word’. She was, by far, one of the most radical persons of the church’s followers. One of the philosophies of the occult was to not socialize with the outside crowd, a rule she never followed.  She had just finishing a letter for an out-of-town friend as Mildred had left earlier. 

            She looked up, and asked, “What’s wrong, Mildred?” while putting her book down and moving over to make room for her daughter.

            “It’s nothing,”

            “Really?” she asked, concerned.

            “Mother, what can you do to stop something when you have no power?”

            “Let the wind take it, things will fall into place. History has shown time and again that if you meddle with something, it will usually fall apart.”

            “Thank you, mother,” said Mildred gratefully, and she ran off to go to bed, wondering where the wind would take her.

            After Mildred had gone off to bed, Margaret looked to Gladys, the maid, and said, “Will you get my coat please, Gladys.”

            “Yes ma’am.” She went to retrieve the coat.

            When Gladys came back with the coat, she helped Margaret into it. “Gladys, I’ll be back in an hour. Evelyn invited me to her house after Wednesday service for a duck her husband shot.”

            “Yes ma’am, I will tell your husband when he gets back.”

            “Thank you, Gladys. You’re a huge help,” and she left.

            A few minutes later, Bob came home with Kathy.

            “Gladys, get some wine from the cellar,” demanded Bob.

            “But sir…” she hesitated; she felt very loyal to Margaret.

            “Now!”

            “Yes, sir,” sighed Gladys. What else could she do?

            After coming back with a bottle of Rhubarb wine, Bob ordered her, “Gladys, pour.” After she poured, “Gladys, go to bed.”

            “Yes sir,” but instead she disobeyed. She spied on the conversation through the keyhole of the dining room.

            “Oh, Kathy, I love you!” said Bob enthusiastically, deeply in love.

            “Oh, darling!” said Kathy. “You are like the wind beneath me. Let us run away and get married.”

            “Gee, I’d like to, but…”

            “But what?” asked Kathy sitting up on the table, taking her arm from around his shoulders. “You think I’m the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden, don’t you?”

            “No, I do not. My love for you is like a thousand nightingales, singing in the breeze.”

            Kathy had to really work to restrain her laughter, but she was (fortunately?) distracted by a door slam. “Who’s that?” she asked with alarm.

            “My wife! You better get out! Until the ‘morrow, my darling,” he said passionately.

            After she was out of the door, Kathy snickered. “Idiot! I have that fool under my thumb now.”

            Bob scampered off to bed, throwing the rhubarb wine under the cupboard so his wife would not discover it.

            Meanwhile, Margaret and Gladys were talking in the entryway.  “Gladys, could you help me get my coat off?” asked Margaret.

            “Yes ma’am. Oh, may I tell you something?” whispered Gladys.

            “Yes, of course you may.”

            “We’ll have to go somewhere more private, though…”

Chapter 9:

“Bob,” said Margaret as she was walking into her husband’s office. 

“During the sermon you were looking at Kathy with longing eyes.”

“So? During my sermon I always look at everyone. It's to bring the message of God to those poor souls.” said Bob trying to cover up the facts so his wife would leave him alone.

“Don't lie to me! Tell me the truth; are you dating Kathy right now?”

“No, I'm not! What makes you think that?”

“Bob, everyone knows! You shouldn't lie; you obviously do love Kathy.”

“Give me an example.”

“Well, when she ever talks to you, you gaze at her… like she is the joy of your life,” Margaret said, wistfully.

“That doesn't make any sense. You can't just judge an expression!”

“How come when I got home last Saturday, she was at our house? You never told me that you were having dinner with her.”

“I told you; you probably weren't even listening to me,” said Bob, trying to act pitiful.

“I always listen to you, and I want your relationship with Kathy to END! Do you know how sinful it is to have a spouse and love someone else? That is considered adultery.”

“I know about sin like the back of my hand, you know nothing about sin. Look at the way you lived before you met me. You were wild and uncontrolled.”

“At least I'm not a…a…HYPOCRITE!” shouted Margaret, her face turning red with anger and jealousy.

“You just don't know what Kathy has that you don't,” Bob said, nastily.  Bob had finally given up on hiding his affair with Kathy.

“Youth?” Margaret answered sarcastically.

            Bob was shocked. Although he had been married to his wife for many years, he had always misjudged her cleverness.” You’ve never loved me! You, you...!”

“I've always cared for you, but you seem to have better things to do than practicing what you preach,” said Margaret.  She was calm now, and a little sad.

“I've always practiced what I've preached,” said Bob trying to think up a comeback. “Thou shall not kill!” exclaimed Bob with a burst of confidence.     

“Oh, and you think God is going to let you get away with that?” There was a long silence. “I thought so.  I demand a divorce! I am tired of all your silly stories.”

            “A divorce, huh,” chuckled Bob, not taking his wife very seriously.

            “Yeah, when I first met you, I had it made: a good job, a faithful boyfriend. And then I met you. You really won me over.  You convinced me to come to this…this awful place…and I’ve hardly been happy since. Except for Mildred: she is my hope in this dark world. And now whenever I send my family cards, they never answer me back because they haven’t forgiven me.”

            “You must not have a very good family.”

            “Actually, I don’t blame my family for not forgiving me,” said Margaret wistfully, “I left when my grandmother was dying from cancer, I felt restrained, bossed around, and I felt like more of a burden to my family…”

“Sorry,” said Bob without pity in his voice, “we are not getting a divorce. God will never allow that!” said Bob shaking his head. “You are committing a thousand sins at once.”

“I think God would sympathize with my not wanting to be with a DISHONEST man.” Her sadness had vanished and once again turned to anger.

“There will be no divorce. My reputation will be spoiled! I could be impeached.” Bob was desperate and afraid of losing his power.

“Well then I'm leavin' so your reputation WON’T be ‘spoiled’!”

“You'll come back. You always have,” said Bob, doubting Margaret would ever leave.

“No, Bob,” said Margaret, with tears in her eyes. “I am serious this time.”

Burlesque dancers of the 1890’s.

Irish Soda Bread

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl sift:

4 1/2 cups flour

1 tbs. ground nutmeg

1 tbs. ground cinnamon

1 1/4 tbs. baking powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

When blended, mix in:

1 cup raisins

Beat in a separate bowl:

3 medium eggs

3/4 cups milk

Add mixture to larger bowl and work into a dough with a spoon. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Flour hands and make 4 or 5 small, round, loaves.

 Place on a greased and floured cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Songs from Rio Rita- Part 6 I'm Out on the Loose Tonight

Ask me how I get this way,

Who and what's the holiday,

I'm just a wild bird simply, gee.

Tangled up in married ties

Been all through that exercise,

Now it's single oars for me.

Have I been a chump? Oh verily!

Now just watch me jump, o merrily,

I'm out on the loose tonight

Wild as a deuce tonight,

If I am pop-eyed,

I can explain,

Just got away from the ball and the chain.

I need no excuse tonight.

I'm gonna do things right.

I have a few oats to sow,

I don't care where they grow,

I'm out on the loose tonight.