Tuesday 4 Meme- Lunch at Woolworth's

 

Lunch at Woolworth's

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It's time again for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.   

Prices are soaring and there is no end in sight!  Wouldn't it be nice to go back in time to do our buying? Even restaurants were affordable back in the day.
You can click on the menu to see it full sized. 

I worked  two full time jobs to help put my kids through school.   One of those jobs was Woolworth's. 

1. Did you ever eat at Woolworth's?  no

2.  What would you order from this menu?  I would order the #2 Cheeseburger platter.

3. Woolworth's had banana splits and    Sundaes.  Do you like Sundaes? What kind?  yes, I like a turtle sundae with hotfudge and caramel.  I like butterscotch also, but harder to find.

4. What restaurants are you favorites and what do you usually order?  We go to Applebee's and Cheddars.  It depends on my mood what I order.  Sometimes a cheeseburger and sometimes a club sandwich from Applebee's.  Cheddars has more choices I enjoy.

It would be great to go back in time!  I cannot wait to read your answers about Woolworth's and your favorites.  I have never been. 

I have been so busy with school.  In fact, this week is an example...I will be there until 8:00PM in a meeting on Thursday night.  It is also Parent/Teacher Conference time next Monday.  I am excited to catch up a little with you guys.

Saturday 9: I Get Around

 

Saturday 9: I Get Around (1964)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) 60 years ago this month, the Beach Boys were singing that having a cool car and helped them get girls. In your teen years, what did you drive? Ford Fairmont...probably about a 1980 or so.

2) They are searching for a new place to party. This weekend, will you be visiting any bars, theaters or restaurants?  no, but one of my teacher friends and I are planning to go see It Ends With Us...based on the book we read.  Has anyone seen it yet?  Was it good?  The book is very good.

3) When Brian Wilson was forming the group, he turned to his friend Al Jardine, his brothers Dennis and Carl, and his cousin, Mike Love. Though most of their songs were about cars, beaches and surf, only one of those founding members was a surfer: Dennis. Do you enjoy the beach? Are you good on a surfboard?  Love the beach, no to surfing.

4) They were originally from Hawthorne, California. Hawthorne was the early childhood home of Marilyn Monroe. Since Marilyn was one of the most iconic women of the 20th century, we know you recognize her image. Have you seen any of her movies?  Yes, Josh and I have watched a few together.

5) "I Get Around" is included in Endless Summer, the greatest hits compilation released in 1974. Influential music critic Robert Christgau said Endless Summer should be part of any basic record library. What's one of your favorite CDs?  I do have the Beach Boys CD that Josh got me for Christmas that is a favorite.  My actual favorite is probably The Cars.  It was one we listened to in college a lot and it just takes me back.

Let's look at the summer of 1964.

6) The #1 film of the summer of 1964 was Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. Have you seen it?  I don't think I have seen it all of the way through.

7) President Lyndon Johnson accepted the Democratic party's nomination at the August 1964 convention in Atlantic City, NJ. Atlantic City is known for casinos and gambling. Do you often play the lottery, bingo, or any other game of chance?  We will pick up a power ball ticket every so often.

8) Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was still a baby in the summer of 1964. What was in your most recent Amazon delivery?  I got some new socks.

9) Another little one born in '64 is Mariska Hargitay. The star of Law & Order: SVU is the daughter of a well-known movie star. Without looking it up, do you know who her mother was?  nope. (I looked it up though).

Fun fact.  I love the Beach Boys and I have seen them in concert two times.

We had Open House on Thursday night, I love meeting my new kids.  We start on Tuesday with kids.  The summer flew by.  Here is me with the rest of the pre-K team.  I am the old one in the middle. ;)  We are in my classroom. ♥

Saturday 9: Annie's Song

 

Saturday 9: Annie's Song (1974)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) 50 years ago this month, we were all listening to John Denver rhapsodize about nature. He singles out walking in the rain as a particularly lovely experience. Do you enjoy walking in the rain?  Not really.  When we have had droughts in the past, I have been known to stand in the rain, but just a normal walk in the rain, no.

2) Denver wrote this song on a ski lift in Aspen. He clearly relished the ride, but ski lifts are problematic for those who suffer from acrophobia, or a fear of heights. Acrophobia plagues approximately 5% of Americans. Are you one of them?  Yes, I have a hard time with heights.

3) John Denver recalled that this song just came to him as he looked down on the beauty of nature. Can you recall a time when something you saw in nature touched your heart?  When we drove by the mountains on our way to Florida, I cried at the beauty of them.  I want to go stay in the mountains in a cabin and just stare at them.

4) Wildly successful here in The States, John Denver's popularity didn't extend to the United Kingdom. In fact, "Annie's Song" was his only major hit. But it was a big one. Denver's version reached #1 in 1974 and then in 1978 James Galway hit #1 on the UK charts with an instrumental version. Do you have a favorite instrumental recording?  The Entertainer by Scott Joplin.   It is played a lot at the theme park here, so I heard it as a kid and I have always loved it.

5) John Denver's first-ever guitar, a gift from his grandmother, was displayed at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. Have you visited a museum yet this summer? If not, do you have plans to?  I haven't.  Karl and Josh visited The National WWI Museum in Kansas City while I was in St. Louis for my teacher conference.  They loved it.

6) In addition to the guitar, Denver also played the violin (or "the fiddle," as he called it). If a genie appeared to magically enable you to play the instrument of your choice, which would you choose?  Piano

Let's look at the summer of 1974.

7) Elizabeth Berkeley was born. She's best known as Jesse on the Saturday morning teen sitcom, Saved by the Bell. What Saturday morning TV shows do you remember fondly?  Smurfs, Looney Tunes

8) Hall of Fame pitcher and Cardinal great Dizzy Dean died. How is your baseball team doing this summer?  The St. Louis Cardinals are 59-57...I sadly haven't watched much this summer.

9) The biggest summer movie was The Longest Yard starring Burt Reynolds. What's your favorite Burt Reynolds movie?  I love Burt Reynolds, I will say Smokey and the Bandit.

This week we start back with teacher meetings and Open House is Thursday.  The following week the kids start!  Here we go.  That was a fast summer.

Saturday 9: Ghostbusters

 

Saturday 9: Ghostbusters (1984)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

This month we're going to recall Summer Songs. These will all be records that topped the charts during August.

1) Number 1 on the charts in August 40 years ago, "Ghostbusters" was written quickly. The Ghostbusters producers originally approached Lindsay Buckingham to write the movie theme. Buckingham took a long time to say no the film's production date could not be changed. That left Ray Parker Jr. only a few days to come up with a song. Do you work well with a tight deadline?  I do.  A deadline actually gets me to get busy and work.  If I am able to procrastinate, I will.

2) Parker recalls he got his inspiration from a late night TV commercial that kept encouraging viewers to call, call, call. What's the most recent business that you phoned, and why were you calling?  My mom had a small car accident last week and I called the mechanic about getting her car fixed.  She is fine.

3) The music video (linked above) was directed by Ivan Reitman, who also directed the movie. It features a variety of celebs saying "Ghostbusters!" None of them were paid for this, they all did it as a favor to Reitman. Have you more recently done or received a favor?  Received!  Josh and I just came back from my classroom.  He helped me get the furniture in place and unpack my boxes.  It only took us an hour or so, but if I would have been by myself, it would have taken a lot longer.

4) In 2009, Ray Parker Jr. made the Ghostbusters theme available as a ring tone. What's your phone's ring tone?  It was one on the phone...Erik Satie Gymnopedie.  I used to have ring tones and text tones assigned to the people that contact me regularly so I would know who was calling or texting, but after a couple of phones, I got tired of putting those tones back on, so I just used what is on the phone now.

5) This song is so enduringly popular that a 2020 documentary about Parker is titled, "Who You Gonna Call?" If you were to write a memoir or authorize a documentary about your life, what would you call it?  I don't think about things like this.  I have no idea.  I read this question to Josh and he told me he already wrote his memoir.

6) Early in his career, Ray was in demand as a session musician. He played guitar on the records of some of the 70s most successful female singers, including Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Diana Ross. Of those ladies, which is your favorite?  I love all of them, but I will say Tina Turner.

Let's look at the summer of 1984.

7) Released in June, the original Ghostbusters was a huge hit throughout the summer. Have you seen it? Did you see the sequel that was released this past spring?  I saw Ghostbusters when it came out, I was 14 years old, so kind of perfect for that age.  I never really thought the sequel would be as good as the original, so I didn't see it, but if I ever see it available to watch on streaming, I probably would.

8) Beverly Burns became the first female captain of a Boeing 747. She was a pilot for People Express Airways, an airline which later merged with Continental, and Continental then merged with United. Do you recall which airline you flew when you took your first flight?  I have never flown, we have always been able to drive where we are going.

9) Ronald Reagan joked about bombing Russia during a mic check for a radio interview. He was embarrassed when the comment was leaked and broadcast around the world. Have you recently felt embarrassed?  When we were in my classroom, several co-workers came in to say hi and I had on no make-up at all.  I know they don't care, but I always have on make up at school.

Tomorrow-August 4th is Josh's birthday!  He is turning 26.  Happy birthday, Josh! ♥

Tuesday 4 Meme- Painting With Tom Sawyer

 

Painting With Tom Sawyer

Norman Rockwell's Whitewashing the Fence

Well, we are on the doorstep of August. How do you like that?   A lot of Tom Sawyers adventures take place in the summer like whitewashing Aunt Polly's fence.

Hannibal, Missouri has fence painting contests in July and and July 4th is National Tom Sawyer day there.  They have a parade, carnival,  fireworks, and a general good time is had by all it seems.

So here is another set of questions for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.        I hope you enjoy them.

1. What special things happen around you in summer? If nothing, have you ever considered organizing something?  We mostly have several 4th of July events with music, others take place over the water and people ride in boats to watch.  There are several small things, but those are the big ones.

2. Tom hated painting. But on the subject of painting, what color is your house? Your living room? Your bedroom?  Thinking of  changing anything?  My living room is fall colors...shades of brown and burgundy, blue, green and gold.  My bedroom is light browns and dusty rose.  I am not really thinking of changing anything yet.

3. Were your childhood summers carefree and did you have any adventures or chores like Tom did?  My summers were so much fun as a kid.  I would ride bikes with my neighbor Shannon and we would adventure in the woods.  We also played in the water hose.  Shannon died a few years ago.  It is still upsetting to me.  When I visited my Grandparents in Oklahoma I played with a group of kids and I think about them too.  Jenny, Brooke and Ronald.  We had a lot of fun too.

4. Did you ever help paint a house or a fence or anything at all?  How did that go?  My dad used to paint our house and I would help some.  I was pretty little, but I always wanted to do things with my dad.  I helped pain the inside of our house.  We need to paint again.  It has been a while.

Saturday 9: Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)

 

Saturday 9: Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You) 1969

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Liza Minnelli acknowledges that she may be "taking a terrible chance." Have you done anything risky lately?  Not that I can think of.

2) In 1969, when Liza recorded this song, she was 23 and her career was really beginning to take off. She was a sought-after guest on TV talk and variety shows and received her first Oscar nomination. Give us a quick overview of your life at 23.  I had moved to the city (Kansas City).  I always wanted to live in the big city when I was a kid.  I did love it there, but it was too expensive for me to live alone (I was single), so I moved to Springfield, MO...medium city.   I am glad I was able to do that because now I am totally happy in the country and I do not have to think "what if".  I worked with the mentally handicapped in a group home setting.  I loved it.  I stopped working with the mentally handicapped when I got married...I wanted to work daytime hours.  That is how I started working in schools and later went back to school for my education hours.

3) Also in 1969, the first Gap store was opened in San Francisco. What have you recently added to your wardrobe? If yes, where did you buy it?  I ordered some clothes for school and home too from Bloom Chic.

4) Liza says she always has apple juice in her refrigerator. What's something you're certain to have in your frig?  Pepsi and water.

5) Liza's favorite card game is poker. What's yours? Poker, maybe I should say Uno..I haven't played Poker since college.

6) Though Liza recorded the song in 1969, "Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)" was written way back in 1931. It has been recorded more than 50 times by artists as diverse as Bing Crosby, Andy Gibb and Bob Dylan. Before today, had you heard it?  no, but I can guarantee you Josh has and it is probably a favorite.  Please say a little prayer or send good thoughts for him if you would.  He LOVES Sandy Posey and she passed away early this week from complications of Alzheimer's and he has taken it kind of hard.  He watched my dad go through that too, it is rough.  He didn't know Sandy was sick until last week...he is friends on facebook with her husband Wade and that is how he found out.  He shared his love for her music with Wade over the years and Wade shared with Sandy.  

7) "Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)" is credited to Bert Kalmer and his partner, Harry Ruby. Another one of their hits was "Who's Sorry Now?" Do you owe anyone an apology?  I hope not.  I have been home a lot this week.

8) Together they also wrote "Hooray for Captain Spaulding," sung onscreen by Groucho Marx in the movie Animal Crackers. There were five Marx Brothers in all. How many can you name?  none

9) Random question: Do you believe talking to plants helps them grow?  I believe that!  

Saturday 9: Disco Duck

 

Saturday 9: Disco Duck (1976)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Rick Dees begins by describing a party where he can't resist that disco beat. What's the last party you attended? Was there dancing?  I am guessing it was a party at school with staff, but no dancing.

2) While this record was a massive international hit in 1976, it got off to an inauspicious start. Rick Dees said it took him less than a day to write the song, and more than three months to convince anyone to let him record it. Tell us about a time you were tempted to give up, but were glad you didn't.  I almost gave up on teaching, but I am so glad I didn't.

3) In the hit movie Saturday Night Fever, students are briefly seen learning to dance to "Disco Duck." Can you name another song from Saturday Night Fever?  no, I don't even think I have seen that movie.

4) Dees was already a top disc jockey in Memphis when "Disco Duck" was released. With the record's success, his radio career soared and he got a better job reaching a greater audience at a radio station in Los Angeles. Are there any disc jockeys you loyally listened to every day?  When I was young, the local DJ here was Woody P. Snow.  I listened to him or America's Top 40 on the weekend with Casey Kasem .

5) After more than 20 years, Rick lost his regular radio slot to Ryan Seacrest. But he still shares "the hottest music on the planet" through the Rick Dees Hit Music app (available at the Apple App Store or Google Play). What app have you recently downloaded to your phone?  Google Classroom ( I usually just look online, but decided why not have it on my phone).  There is a lot of information in there for school from our administrators.  I also have google drive, this gives me access to work stuff.

6) He used his favorite radio format to create a cookbook called Rick Dees All-Time Top 40 Greatest Desserts. If you could finish a delicious meal with the dessert of your choice, anything at all, what would you order?  There is a little tea house here that has homemade desserts.  She makes the best cake I have ever had.  I would choose some of her cake.  The one I had last was coconut cake.

7) In 1976, when "Disco Duck" was a hit, The Bionic Woman premiered on ABC. Because of her "bionic parts," Jamie Summers could run super fast, had super-sensitive hearing, and super-human strength. If you could have one of those qualities enhanced -- speed, hearing or strength -- which would you choose?  I think I would choose strength.  I feel as I age, I am getting weaker.  I do not need to be that fast and I can hear really well.

8) Also in 1976, like this year, the world got together for The Summer Olympics. Will you be following the international competition?  Absolutely!  I love the Olympics!

9) Random question: You're bone tired, exhausted, and you have an early day tomorrow. As you wash your face and brush your teeth before bed, one of the two bulbs in the bathroom fixture goes out. Do you 1) change the bulb before bed or 2) promise yourself to do it in a hurry tomorrow as you're rushing around in the morning or 3) decide you can live with one bulb for a while, go to bed, and replace the burned-out bulb when you get around it? #3..I would do it later.