THE CEPHALOPOD COFFEEHOUSE: TEN ZANY BIRDS

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,


It's time for The Cephalopod Coffeehouse, hosted by The Armchair Squid.

The idea is simple: On the last Friday of each month, post about the best book you've finished over the past month while visiting other bloggers doing the same.  In this way, we'll all have the opportunity to share our thoughts with other enthusiastic readers.

My book for May is Ten Zany Birds by Sherry Ellis, who blogs at Mama Diaries.

I'm so proud of Sherry. This is the third children's book she's had published. Ten Zany Birds became available quite recently.

The illustrations by Charu Jain are adorable. Ten Zany Birds can be a book to read aloud to children, or it's a good choice for children who are learning to read. It also incorporates counting. 

It begins:

Ten zany birds
singing in a tree,
dance at a party,
happy as can be.

Five with stripes.
Four with spots.
One with purple
polka dots.

As you can imagine from the description of the birds, they are cute as can be. I intend to buy this book for all the young children in my family. Guess what you're getting for Christmas, great nephews and nieces? (Good thing they don't read my blog.)

You can purchase Ten Zany Birds on Amazon at http://goo.gl/NVFM0d. Sherry very generously gave me an autographed copy of the book because I assisted with editing--not that she needed much help from me! I'm not receiving any remuneration for this review. She won't even know until sometime today (Friday) that I've written it.

To participate in The Cephalopod Coffeehouse or see the other bloggers' favorite books for this month, all you need to do is visit The Armchair Squid.

Thanks for the book, Sherry! I love you!

Happy reading!


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

Sadly, I can empathize with a woman who is getting divorced and needs training so she can get a job. Kate wants to support herself and her daughter.

This is Kate with her darling girl:

Kate applied for financial aid so she can work in IT (I think that's a wise career move).  Her application for financial aid was rejected.

She started a GOFUNDME campaign so she can get an education. I donated $100 earlier this evening.

If you can find it in your heart--and wallet--to help Kate, I am certain the money will be used wisely. If you can't contribute, than consider passing on the word about Kate's fundraising effort.

To make a donation, please visit: http://www.gofundme.com/jobtrainingforkate

It will be the jewel in your crown.


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

IN REMEMBRANCE

My dad died on Memorial Day, 1991.

Two years ago on Memorial Day, I met Willy Dunne Wooters, who is a veteran, but very much alive.

He's a keeper.

MY FINAL MAD MEN POST . . . FOR NOW

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

Let's have some fun with Mad Men.

And now I must take a little break from blogging so I can edit. I'll read as many blogs as I can.


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

FAREWELL, MAD WOMEN . . . AND DON

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

No spoilers, please. Don't give away anything about the finale of Mad Men or even the last season. Quite a few people won't see the show till it's available on DVDs or streaming.

I liked the finale. That's my spoiler.

I already told you in THIS POST that my favorite character on Mad Men is Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss).

But I love a number of other women on the show, too, so I must pay tribute to them.

Has an actress ever used her eyes better than Christina Hendricks as Joan?

You better believe big is beautiful.
Don't ever call ME fat ass again.
I have a Joan butt.

Betty, Betty, Betty: What a complex, sad character. She's compared to Princess Grace more than once. January Jones is gorgeous, and she proved she can act.

Sally! The dry cleaning that was in that bag had better not be on the floor!

Sally, child of the sixties.
Why didn't I look that good growing up?
I think I have a permanent awkward stage.

I hope Kiernan Shipka has a bright future. Her name is certainly memorable.

And now Don's true friend, Anna (Melinda Page Hamilton). Don took his commitment to Anna more seriously than any other with a woman . . . or a man, for that matter:

One more look at Peggy:

Bye-bye, Don. For some reason, Jon Hamm isn't as good looking as you are:

Hamm, stop pretending you're Draper.
Stay off the booze.

Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug


Oops! I almost forgot Trudy (Alison Brie). Willy Dunne Wooters has a crush on her. He gets this funny little smile when he sees her in a baby doll nightgown. Guess who bought some baby doll nighties of her own?

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE MAD MEN CHARACTER?

To Roger . . . and Mona . . . and Joan . . . and Jane; Dick, the whore child; Pete . . . and Trudy; Henry . . . and Betty; Anna . . . and her cute niece who was preggers and homeless the last time we saw her; Adam; Diana; Rachel; Megan . . . and her friend who shared Don in California; Salvatore Romano; Ken Cosgrove; Sally, Bobby, and Gene; Harry Crane; Glen, the creepy kid who wanted a lock of Betty's hair; Bert Cooper . . . and Japanese art; Manolo . . . and Pete's mother; the secretary who drove the tractor around the office and ran over someone's foot so it had to be amputated . . . and you Mad Men watchers,

Here's another tribute to one of our favorite shows. The finale is on AMC at 10 p.m. Sunday, May 17, 2015. We've traveled with these characters from 1960 to 1970. They cried when President Kennedy was assassinated, changed their clothes with the times, learned to smoke pot, and watched Americans land on the moon. Many of their stories have parallels to my childhood. Yes, it's true. I learned to roll a joint when I was nine.

I promise: No spoilers.

If you're a Mad Men watcher, then I'd like to know which character is your favorite. Please share with us in the comments.

As for me, the top of the pops is

Peggy Olson. 

When we met Peggy, she was a secretary and a naive virgin with a terrible hair cut. Working as Don's secretary lasted longer than her virginity, but it wasn't too long before Peggy moved up in the advertising world.

I loved watching Peggy fight for her success. She's an emblem of the times, they are a-changin'.

Jon Hamm may be the star of Mad Men, but for me the show is really about the women--especially Elisabeth Moss as Peggy. Don Draper (Hamm) gave her a hand from time-to-time while she climbed the ladder, but it was Peggy who came up with a basket full of kisses. She was a natural all along.

Now, Peggy is an adult who shows great insight into some of the events in her life. The bangs, the pony tail, and the childish clothes are gone. I can't remember the last time Peggy visited her whiny mother.

Peggy became da boss of copy writing.

Brava, Peggy. I shan't forget you.

Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

A TRIBUTE TO THE CONCLUSION OF MAD MEN

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

The final episode of Mad Men will air this Sunday, May 17, at ten p.m. EDT. While the last six episodes have been a bit strange, overall I've enjoyed the show. Willy Dunne Wooters likes it, too.

Here's a favorite Mad Men moment:




Funniest exchange ever between Roger Sterling and his second wife Jane.

I perform for Willy Dunne Wooters every Saturday night.


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

OSCAR'S YOUTUBE ADDRESS, WHICH I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

I'm sorry that I gave you the address for my Facebook page when I told you about Brilliant Oscar The Kitty. I forgot that you can't access most of what's on my Facebook page unless we're "Friends."

Since you are all my friends anyway, you are welcome to send a Friend request to me at https://www.facebook.com/janie.goltz.7.

If you're not a Facebooker--and I don't blame you if you aren't--you can see Oscar on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB-sKoP_It0&feature=share.

Oscar is adorable and very much loved by his adoptive parents!


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

OSCAR THE CAT WILL BE A YOUTUBE STAR

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

I can't embed today's video discovery, but you can see it on my Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/janie.goltz.7

Oscar the cat begs for a cricket to eat and gives a high five in exchange.

I had a great Mother's Day. I hope you did, too, whether or not you're a mom. Willy Dunne Wooters and Favorite Young Man took me out to dinner.

Favorite Young Man finished painting my bathroom. Photos will be forthcoming.

I'm sorry I'm not back to my regular blogging and reading schedule. I'm still editing, and I have a lot going on around the house.

God bless and see ya soon.


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

I WISH ALL YOU MOTHERS A HAPPY DAY

"My mother told me a million times not to exaggerate."
-Anon

"I want my children to have all the things I couldn't afford.
Then I want to move in with them."
-Phyllis Diller

"The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers.
The original meal has never been found."
-Calvin Trillin

"My mother's menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it."
-Buddy Hackett

How my kids feel about me:

I AM A PARTY POOPER

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

I am a party pooper. Do not give a party, or at least don't tell me you are giving a party, because I will poop on it.

He's so tired of my shit.

Thank you to the millions, or maybe a dozen or so, of you who have expressed concern about the problems in my little household. Middle Child's health is improving. The dishwasher decided, of its own volition, to work again. My back hurts, but it's better.

Now I'll continue to rest as much as I can because it helps my back, and while I rest, I can edit. 

Current major problem: The last two nights I've seen grotesque palmetto bugs in my home office, where I work and watch movies, but never both at the same time. The palmetto bug crawls out long enough for me to give it a threatening look or even blast it with bug spray. Then it runs away and laughs its ass off. Last night one of them was flying around behind my chair. I had to go to bed to escape it. 

Palmetto bugs, if you don't go away, then I shall poop on your party, too.


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug