Category: Life with Pratts

My Daily Digs

  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi “Dog Shooter” Noem had an allergic reaction after visiting a biolab? If that were true the lab would have to be locked down and a determination made of exactly what substance caused the reaction. My guess is, Kristi was on some legal/illegal drug and/or she had an anxiety/panic attack.
  • Donald was talking tough when threatening Iran, but of course he did his TACO thing and backed off. That’s good, but the truth is he’s afraid of doing the wrong thing and being indecisive as a result.

Speaking of my digs, there’s today’s Jumble.

A while ago, I mentioned an unfinished pine bookcase — assembly not required — I’d ordered for the back of the Pratt Cave. My work on finishing it came out well enough that I’m waiting for another one, 12-inches wide. Placed together, they’ll be the same width as the piano that previously occupied the space.

Girly Girls

I’ve been watching Pee-Wee as Himself on HBO Max. Paul Reubens explaining the influence that Fifties TV had on him brings to mind its lasting impressions on my young self.

While I am only three years younger than he was, that’s enough of a difference for me to have few if any memories of watching TV before the Sixties, although I was exposed to plenty of Fifties reruns. Reubens loved watching I Love Lucy, a show that I have spent my entire life actively avoiding. My appreciation of Lucille Ball extends only to Star Trek originally being a Desilu production.

My favorite TV series that launched in the Fifties, and was successful enough to continue into the Sixties, is Leave it to Beaver. The interplay between the characters has some of the best sitcom writing of its day.

Another show I liked, for a very specific reason, is The Donna Reed Show. That specific reason is named Shelley Fabares (pronounced “fab-ray”). Shelley set the standard for my definition of femininity. She was the perfect girl. Along with Shelley, there are a couple of other ladies in my “Ultimate Girls Next Door” list, all safely older than myself.

Shelley’s BFF was Annette who, as popular as she was, wasn’t my type.

As I have pointed out in past years, my favorite member of The Mickey Mouse Club was Cheryl Holdridge. Teenage Cheryl was quite a flirt as Julie in Leave it to Beaver.

The Disney Girls: Cheryl, Shelley, Annette, Doreen Tracey

As I got older, I became more aware of Carol Lynley and Tuesday Weld. I later learned what explained my — ahem! — growing interest in seeing them on TV. Carol and Tuesday were called something unique to the era. They were “sex kittens.”

Ann-Margret, only a year older than Carol and two years older than Tuesday, was leader of the sex kitten pack, but she seemed more adult and intimidating. Maybe because she’s Swedish? 😉

Office Space

I have been making progress in my effort to reduce, or at least organize, the clutter in my office. Slow and limited progress, I should admit.

Yes, there are two printers, one inkjet and one laser, with the Canon MP-600 being used only as a scanner. It’s eighteen years old, and Canon cartridges are both hard to find and very expensive. Maybe I’ll give some knock-offs a try.

Hmm… that Beatles poster looks familiar.

Speaking of inkjet and laser printers, I’d like to take credit for their introduction at American hospitals. I’ll explain in an upcoming post.