Current Events: Binders Full of Women

Well, I really did try to avoid bringing up this topic, but Governor Romney's choice of words at the second presidential debate was so hilariously inappropriate I just can't stop laughing, so here it is!  I suppose this is because his comment makes me think of a scene in the 1966 Rosalind Russell/Hayley Mills movie "The Trouble with Angels", where a naive young nun is sent out with a whole host of young novices to outfit them with brassieres, which she calls "binders".  While I seriously doubt Mr. Romney had this particular definition in mind, the thought of "binders full of women" in the Massachusetts governor's office becomes pretty risqué to those of us who remember this comedy (and I'm obviously one of many who do!).

And then I am also reminded of that classic joke about Prince Albert in a can (see a rather funny scene with Tim Curry from the 1990 Stephen King horror movie "It" if you need to refresh your memory -- this is a great movie for Halloween, by the way).  I can just picture Romney's campaign headquarters receiving this message:

"Governor Romney, does your campaign office have binders full of women?  Well, if it does you really need to let them out!"

Oh dear, combine the two images and this whole scenario could really get out of hand!

Okay, I've had enough fun at the Republican candidate's expense.  The important thing to remember is the general consensus that Governer Romney commanded the first debate, while President Obama took charge in the second.  Next Monday we will find out who performs better in the third and final one, and then it is on to the election in November.  Don't forget to vote!

            

This 'n That Thursdays: Not-My-Style Dining Rooms

I am usually very open-minded when it comes to design.  After all, everyone has their own individual style, and I think that is a good thing -- it keeps life interesting!  I do have very definite tastes of my own, but almost always find positive aspects to any type of décor.  Every once in a while, however, I come across something that... well, let's just say I could never have the look in my own home.  It is not necessarily bad design, but for me it just hits all the wrong style notes.  Recently I saw a few photos of dining rooms that are truly not my style.  Take a look for yourself and you be the judge -- is it just me, or are these rooms the sort that only a select few could own?

First up is this dazzling display of reddish pink and white:

From Born Again Redneck's Daily Duh!

Or perhaps I should have said dizzying display!  I really want to like this one -- I love stripes, and the pink is very close to red, which is my favorite color.  I even appreciate the bold color jolt of the yellow buffet in the corner.  But honestly, to me it looks as if a candy cane factory exploded in this room.  The stripes are overpowering and the color scheme just makes my head spin -- I would have to eat with my eyes closed if I were to dine in this room!

The next dining room has a similar problem:

From COCOCOZY

This room isn't so much dizzying as it is confusing.  The table and chairs have a Far East feel to them while the mirrors, pendant light, and picture look more Middle Eastern or Indian.  I am afraid that East meets East just doesn't work for me (nice table setting, though!).

Unlike the previous two rooms, the next dining room is not too hard on the eyes, but it is also not conducive to a pleasurable dining experience:

From Born Again Redneck's Daily Duh!

The lack of color makes this space feel rather somber.  There are only two dining chairs, and both face a wall rather than each other, which sets a rather unfriendly tone, almost like being put in the corner for punishment.  And then there is that gigantic alligator picture -- I would feel extremely uncomfortable consuming a meal under the stare of that beady reptilian eye.  I think one would have to be a dedicated herpetophile to appreciate a room like this!

And speaking of eyes, I've mentioned before that I have a phobia about being gazed upon by nonliving eyeballs.  The alligator orb above is bad enough, but for me the dining room below would be the ultimate nightmarish experience:

From The Caledonian Mining Expedition Company

The bird cage on the table is just wrong, and the animal heads are creepy, but that huge portrait of an unsmiling woman with the blank and unblinking stare would send me scurrying from the place.  In fact, I think this would be the perfect Halloween dining room.  Hmmm, come to think of it, just set out some spooky Eyeball Appetizers,  Eyeball Subs, Eyeball Cake Pops, and Blueberry Rickety Eyeball Punch and you could have yourself a delightfully frightful Halloween celebration here!

So what do you think?  Could you live with any of these spaces, or do you share my opinion that these dining rooms are hard to love?  (No offense to the homeowners, of course -- I just don't happen to share their tastes!)
         

Wish List Wednesdays: Lavender for Your Linens

I have always been a big fan of lavender.  I would fill my house with its fragrance if I could, and a good place to start would be in closets and dresser drawers.  The Lavender Drawer Liners (six sheets for $22) shown above and the Lavender-Sachets-by-the-Yard (eight sachets for $25) shown below would do the job perfectly.  Lavender also repel insects, which means that it will prolong the life of your fabrics as well as imbuing them with a heavenly scent.  I will certainly be adding these products to my home soon!

Terrifying Tuesdays: Night Monster (1942)

"Night Monster" (1942) is one of the horror movies I remember seeing as a teen, and it scared me silly at the time!  It has all of the classic horror movie essentials -- an eerie old mansion in a spooky swamp setting, a rich invalid patriarch and his unstable sister, the sinister butler and devious housekeeper, a mysterious foreigner with an unusual influence in the household, a series of unexplained murders, and something strange that roams after dark.  And then there is the curious incident of the frogs -- why do they suddenly stop croaking at odd times of the night?

Wealthy Kurt Ingston (Ralph Morgan) has invited three prominent physicians to stay at his mansion, hinting at a generous donation to their various causes.  Dr. Phipps (Francis Pierlot), Dr. Timmons (Frank Reicher), and Dr. King (Lionel Atwill) just happen to be the doctors who were unable to halt the crippling disease which made Ingston an invalid.  Psychiatrist Lynn Harper (Irene Hervey) is thrown into the mix when Ingston's sister Margaret (Fay Helm) asks the doctor to come and evaluate her sanity.  On her way to the mansion, Dr. Harper's car breaks down, and she starts to walk.  She hears a terrified scream and hurries back toward her car, but fortunately the Ingstons' neighbor and friend, mystery writer Dick Baldwin (Don Porter), happens to drive by and offers her a ride.  They are admitted to the house by butler Rolf (Bela Lugosi) and meet wheelchair-bound Ingston, his insolent chauffeur Laurie (Leif Erickson), and the enigmatic Agor Singh (Nils Asther).  On the way to dinner, Dr. Harper is accosted by housekeeper Miss Judd (Doris Lloyd) in a less than friendly manner.

Dinner proves to be a rather uncomfortable affair as otherwise affable host Ingston subtly reproaches the three doctors he invited to the house.  Events become even more complicated after the meal when Kurt Ingston reveals that the recipient of his donation will be Agor Singh, who employs mystical mental powers to perform unimaginable feats.  Singh even demonstrates his remarkable occult ability to the assembled party.  Meanwhile, a former maid at the mansion goes missing and is found by the town sheriff, dead of strangulation with a puzzling pool of blood nearby.   The stage is now set for the tragedies and thrilling climax which follow.  Suffice it to say that good eventually triumphs over evil, and the hero gets the girl, as is the way in any classic horror film.

Turner Classic Movies channel is currently presenting a series of movies dealing with the topic of disabilities.  I have a feeling that "Night Monster" is not included in their lineup.  What a shame, since this film depicts one of the most unique treatments for a disability I have ever seen!  You can see what I mean by watching the movie yourself on YouTube (see below).

Interesting Fact: Veterans of the horror genre Bela Lugosi and Lionel Atwill are given top billing in this movie, even though both have only minor roles.

Gore Guide (0=none to 5=extreme): 0

Mysterious Mondays: "The Shadows on the Wall" by Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman

"'What is that?' he demanded in a strange voice."
(from The Literary Gothic)

Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman's short story "The Shadows on the Wall" is a dark tale of strange deaths and even stranger supernatural happenings.  Four siblings have gathered for the funeral of a fifth, one of two brothers named Edward Glynn who has died suddenly and mysteriously.  The other brother, Henry, a physician, has pronounced his death a natural one, but the three sisters, Caroline, Rebecca Ann, and Emma (now Mrs. Stephen Brigham), are not so sure.  While preparing for the funeral, the sisters carry on a stilted and fearful conversation.  It is apparent that something is on their minds, but that they cannot bring themselves to discuss it.  However, from what is left unsaid as they speak, it becomes clear that the three women suspect foul play in the death of their brother, and that they feel their other brother may be the perpetrator.

But the suspicious death of their brother Edward is not all that is on the minds of Caroline and Rebecca Ann.  As evening approaches and lamps are needed, Rebecca is asked to bring a light into the study which the women are occupying.  She is strangely reluctant, but the more forceful personalities of the other two sisters finally compel her to do so.  She is told to place the lamp in the middle of the room, and upon doing so, a bizarre supernatural phenomenon is revealed.  How the sisters cope with this event, and the reaction of their brother Henry when he discovers it, lead to a terrifying conclusion for this story.

Once again Freeman's skill as a writer paints a picture of sturdy New England women coping with harrowing situations, this time both real and supernatural, in their own unique way.  In fact, it almost seems as if the women are more willing to face the supernatural occurrence of the shadows on the wall, frightening though they are, than the real-life horror of fratricide.  While not overtly scary, an unsettling feeling of apprehension and unease permeate this tale from start to finish, and one has to wonder how the hapless sisters left behind will cope with the shades of two brothers who seem destined to spend a passive yet defiant eternity together.

"'Oh, my God,' gasped Mrs. Brigham.  'There are -- there are two shadows!'"
(from The Literary Gothic)

         

Foodie Fridays: Whole Wheat Buttermilk Quick Bread

From Everyday Food Storage

The buttermilk saga continues!  In my quest for recipes with buttermilk as an ingredient to use up the bottle my husband mistakenly purchased, I found this one for Whole Wheat Buttermilk Quick Bread.  The bread is super tasty and since it is not sweet you can even use it for sandwiches.  It makes excellent breakfast toast with some butter and a little jam if you like.  Since this is a quick bread no kneading and rising are required, so it is quite simple to make.  The next time you are in the mood to bake, why not give this recipe a try?

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Quick Bread

2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. flour
1/2 Tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 T. sugar
1/2 C. chopped pecans
2 T. butter, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/3 C. buttermilk

Combine the first six ingredients.  Stir in the remaining ingredients, mixing well but not overmixing.  Pour into a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and cool slightly, then remove from the pan and cool completely.  Makes one loaf.
         

This 'n That Thursdays: A New Color for Fall!

Just in time for Halloween, a creepy new color has burst upon the scene in the fashion world -- oxblood!  This fabulous color with the frightening name is a gorgeous shade of deep red with brownish/purplish undertones.  I remember it mainly as the color of some sturdy outdoor Asian ceramic pots which have been around for a while, such as this one:

From SFGate

Now apparently this color is the darling of the Fall 2012 fashion runways:

From College Fashion

From Her Campus Emory

From Thrifty Tyra

As you can tell from these runway photos, oxblood is an especially popular color for leather.  This means that home furnishings in this handsome shade of red should be showing up in interior design much more frequently, in addition to paint and even tile options for this color:

Oxblood red front door from Houzz

Oxblood red walls from Home Interior Design Themes

Oxblood red powder room from Houzz

Classic oxblood red garden stool from Gump's

Contemporary oxblood red leather chair from Buy.com

Oxblood red leather club chair from Buy.com

Classic Chesterfield sofa in oxblood red from Chesterfields in Lincoln Limited

Contemporary sofa in oxblood red leather and zebrawood from 1stdibs

I could go on and on with this, but I'm going to stop now since my post is getting way too long.  I especially love the contemporary sofa above, and oxblood red may just be my new favorite fall color -- in fact, I think it would look lovely with my favorite fall color from last year called butternut.  I can't wait to see more ideas for adding this lovely red shade with the scary name to my own home!