Sadie Plays Half Pint in the Grassy Salem Meadow

Despite the rain or the threat of rain, the weekend turned out to be quite enjoyable and productive. I was able to finish yard work and planting annuals in the beds. Sadie also had some quality time and two productive high-impact walks. We even attempted to recreate the closing credits to Little House on the Prairie. This was my Half Pint's best take. Enjoy!!!



The result we had wished for.


After the brief shoot our budget did not allow for a fancy on-set trailer or other perks. Sadie simply collapsed after working for not quite guild level scale. Peanut butter treats were all the meager craft services could provide.

Rainy Day Mystery

Murder She Said: Brief Synopsis

When nobody will believe she witnessed a murder, elderly sleuth Miss Marple takes a job as a maid to ferret out clues.

As a child I came to appreciate this wonderful gem late one night by accident as I channel surfed. Margaret Rutherford made four Agatha Christie Miss Marple films in the early 1960s. This is the first film of that series. The Scooby Doo Mystery production values and charming score composed by Ron Goodwin all add to the kitschy atmosphere of the film. The most fun comes not just from the mystery but from Rutherford's expressive, frumpy elastic face and body language. She steels every scene. Other films in the series include: Murder at the Gallop, Murder Ahoy and Murder Most Foul. Stringer Davis (Rutherford's husband in real life) portrayed Mr. Stringer, a sort of befuddled sidekick, in all four films.

Grandpapa Steiff Bear Arrives

After a bit of a delay, Grandpapa Steiff bear, an exclusive release of The Toy Shoppe, finally arrived in a large cardboard box with a caution in German and lots of acid free tissue paper.

He is the fifth edition in the larger bear family series available through The Toy Shoppe in Virginia. Since FAO Schwartz closed all of its stores down except for two flagship stores and its Internet business, The Toy Shoppe is the largest vendor of Steiff in North America. They work closely with Steiff to incorporate elements of vintage bears in their new interpretations. His accessories include a removable sweater and a working gold pocket watch featuring the Steiff and The Toy Shoppe logos.
One of his best and most striking features is his shaved muzzle, which gives him a stately profile. He is number ten in an edition of 1,500 pieces.

Dream Remembered

Last night's dream was filled with A list actors and other oddities. Here's the scoop on the dream and it seems too silly for interpretation. Jessica Lange and another actress were playing the roles of Big and Little Eddie from Grey Gardens in a stage version of the show at a local pub.

No, it does get better. I was also in the play but as the young boy from Sling Blade speaking in a thick Hollywood Southern accent.

My entire family showed up for one of the performances at the pub where the show would incorporate pub activity into the action. I became paralyzed with stage fright and could not perform a scene with Jessica Lange. After the performance - or my paralyzed attempt - I flung myself at Jessica's feet begging for her forgiveness. She did forgive me and also gave me a lift home in her Amish buggy. While driving home, she taught me how to take the reins of the horse. The next evening I experienced the same stage-fright-like symptoms and could not be comforted by Jessica. However, she gave me a ride home again in the buggy.

Orchid Opens

Whole Foods has a great deal on a larger than usual variety of orchids. All varieties are $15.99 and tend to look better cared for than the selection offered at Home Depot. The one I picked out had not opened yet. A week later it is thriving with all the flowers opened except one. This lovely lady is a Miltonia Soquel "Tiffany". These are a nice alternative to the expensive ones delivered through a florist.

Sadie Takes New Toy Out for Test Drive

Sadie picked up a new toy this weekend since she did not make a big fuss at the groomers. Wetnoz, not a company I was familiar with, makes a toy called a Spring Roll an ergonomic fetch toy. It comes only in lime green making it easy to spot. Available in two sizes I choose the small and love how perfectly Sadie's distinctive dachshund profile fits in the hourglass shaped cup at each end. There is a small place in the center to place a treat, which provides play motivation. If you choose a treat that fits snugly in the center, you are in for quite a lengthy show as your dog becomes more and more playfully determined. Sorry for the hidden-camera video quality.

Zen Soy Chocolate Pudding, MMMMM Good!

A nice refreshing snack I have grown fond of - addicted to - is Zen Soy's Chocolate Pudding. They make four flavors: chocolate, banana, vanilla, chocolate vanilla swirl. I prefer the chocolate both for its texture and taste. Thick and creamy with a dark chocolate flavor it has no strange after taste. Since the flavor is more dark chocolate than milk chocolate in richness the pudding seems twice as decadent. It serves up best cold directly from the fridge. The pudding is organic, and you can find it at most Wild Oats and Whole Foods locations. Each pudding has only 130 calories and one gram of fat.