Waitin' for the Weekend

"Do You Remember? #1" by Clint Collide:

If you please, you can save time by pausing the video and right-arrowing through the pics.

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Jeffrey Kevin: French Fall Tablescape

Another lavish display with a unique theme. In case you don't know, the Gallic rooster (coq gaulois) has been a symbol of France for ages.  

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Sunday Drive: The Lord's My Shepherd

The Good Shepherd, 1880 magazine illustration
via Wikipedia.  Click to enlarge.

A metrical version of Psalm 23 from the Scottish Psalter of 1650, sung by the choir of Winchester Cathedral.  This hymn was a favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and was sung at her funeral in 2022.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Back for More" by Clint Collide:

If you're in a hurry, just pause the video and right-arrow through the pics.

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Cavalcade: Autumn Window Displays

Kevin celebrates the return of the fall season with crock pots, stoves, and miscellaneous pots and pans in the earth tones that were so popular when he and I were young.  Which is all very nice and decorative, but there's also a truckload of goddamn autumn leaves strewn everyfuckingwhere.  I'm glad I'm not the one who will have to pick them up!

(Leaf raking was never my favorite chore.)

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Todd and Rob Still Shedding

The mountain boys continue their labors in their tiny garden shed, which now has new windows, new wainscotting, new panelling, new ceiling, and new paint.  They sure are good with tools, and I envy their know-how, though I hate to think how much money, time, and sweat these guys are pouring into a 4' x 8' room that no one will ever see except them and their plant life. But hey, at least they're not destroying Western Civilization - are they? 

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Memorable Men Alone #1" by Clint Collide:

To save time, you can just pause the video and right-arrow through the pics.

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Kinzinger: Civil War Reality Check

It certainly wouldn't be anything like a Saturday-night rumble in the bowling alley parking lot.  I wish Kinzinger had prepared a more articulate statement instead of speaking off the cuff, but I agree with all he says here:

A few things Kinzinger forgot to mention. In addition to the loss of electricity and running water, there would be no working toilets.  Just sit with that thought a minute.

No air conditioning, either, which would be devastating across the South.  Up north, the lack of heating in wintertime would be just as bad.  Apart from military casualties, many millions of people - of all parties and persuasions - would be suffering and starving across the nation.

Also, there would be no front line, as in the wars we read about in history books. There would be numerous fronts and areas of conflict; and no safe place "behind the lines" anywhere. 

But just exactly what army would be fighting what army? Think about that a moment. The rightwing boys show up with all their cool army gear and guns . . . and who shows up on the other side?   

A moment's reflection shows that this whole idea of civil war is just a gung-ho fantasy - which, left unchecked, could become, God forbid, an excuse for wholesale manslaughter.  

It is certainly a symptom of unreasoning hatred, not human decency, and certainly not Christianity:  Remember the One who said, "Put your sword away.  He who lives by the sword will die by the sword."

Much more likely, though hardly less horrible, would be for the federal authorities to find some flimsy excuse to declare a National Emergency and suspend the Constitution, the courts, and all state and local governments not directly subordinate to military rule from Washington. The few pockets of resistance that might spring up here or there would quickly be put down by military patrols, which are already occurring in some cities.  

So no need for a war, which would disppoint the rank and file, but too bad. Life would go on and profits continue to fill the coffers of the ultra-wealthy. Which was only to be expected. 

Let us hope that these dire situations never arise, and that all this stupid talk is just stupid talk. I have to believe that cooler heads and good sense will in time show us the way out of this dark tunnel. Please God. 

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Chateau Poseidon: Episodes 10 & 11

Tom and Damien carry on with renovation work, decor planning, and friendly visits.

Episode 10: Chopping down overgrown ivy; a visit by a couple of Brits who are renovating another chateau; and a secret transatlantic flight.

Episode 11:  Fun with spray paint; a difference of opinion; late riser vs. early riser; a quick lunch in the town market; and Damien's design plans for all the first-floor (American: second-floor) bedrooms.

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Sunday Drive: Ave Maria

Il Volo performs the Schubert hymn at a Christmas concert in the Senate of Italy, 2014.

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Bernie Sanders Condemns Murder of Charlie Kirk

I agree with everything Bernie says:

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Charlie Kirk Shot Dead at Utah College

California governor and prominent Democrat Gavin Newsom has posted this tweet on the murder of rightwing activist Chrarlie Kirk at a college in Utah today, and I agree with every word:

Kirk was no angel.  He was an archetypal bully - smug and self-righteous, with a cruel mouth.  But I'm sorry he was murdered.  Not only for the reasons Newsom stated - which are essential to civilized society and individual human decency - but also because of what the repercussions will be.

Yet the brainless vicious bitches over on the comments section of Joe.My.God.'s blog are whooping it up in celebration.  YOU STUPID JERKS.  Your attitude is as disgusting as anything that ever came out of Kirk's mouth.  You are not on some higher moral plane.  You are down there in the gutter with all the other self-righteous ratbastards of the world.  Cold-blooded murder is never a cause for celebration.

But I'll stop right there - the morality of all this, regardless of which side you are on, is obvious to any decent adult.  A society where it's okay to just shoot anybody you disagree with is not a society I wish to live in.  

I despised Kirk's hateful words and attitudes towards gays and all others who weren't just like him - I thought him an arrogant SOB just like the ones who beat, bullied, and humiliated me in high school, and were unkind in more subtle ways later on.  But my thoughts tonight are with Kirk's widow and two small children; no one should have to go through a tragedy like this, regardless of politics or religion.

From the Sermon on the Mount:

Click to enlarge.

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Taco Tuesday Tablescape

Jeffrey Kevin has some fabulous Mexicana fun with this one.  M.P., having grown up in El Paso, will surely get some new ideas for the next Tex-Mex dinner he cooks, which is fairly often.  We already have a good bit of Mexican decor, including a set of dinner plates, bowls, and saucers with concentric rings of southwesty colors:  red, orange, yellow, lime green, sky blue.  And we have those very same napkins!  With a full-length table runner to match!  

But we totally need those red placemats with the rainbow-colored tassels.  You go, J.K.!

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Sunday Drive: Top 5 Songs of 1965

"Billboard Top 5 songs from 1965 | Gen Z Music Producer Reaction" -- the title says it all.  But I give Isaac Brown credit for being intelligent, articulate, and not at all snotty as some others of his generation would be.  He's respectful, not sarcastic; a nice guy.  You can see as he listens to each song, and occasionally comments, that he approches them across the gulf of sixty summers with a very analytical mind, like an archaeologist.

But wait to watch his head explode when he gets to "Wooly Bully"!

1965 was a very good year for pop music - this is my kind of music, from that sweet slice of time after Meet the Beatles but before Sgt. Pepper.  No, I wasn't part of the counter-culture. Too square; still am.

For more fun with Isaac, go watch him listen to Rumours for the very first time!  (How the hell do you get to be a music producer without ever having heard Fleetwood Mac?  Sheesh!  Kids these days . . . )

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Cavalcade of Food: Stove Swap

Kevin and Ralph along with their friend Todd replace a range in the kitchen corner of the Cavalcade private museum.  Kevin likes to do this every so often; his place is full of dozens of old stoves and other appliances.  Check out the wonderful sliders they use this time to eliminate the strain of lifting the ranges with a dolly - wow, how easy that is.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Love Is Love" by Clint  Collide:

There's a sprinkling of famous faces in this one. As always, you can just pause the video and right-arrow through the pics to save time. 

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The Story of Harry S. Truman

Official portrait of President Truman
by Greta Kempton, 1947.
Click to enlarge.

I am so disgusted with all that is going on in our country and in the rest of the world now that I can't stomach the news anymore.  A couple of times a week, I run my eye over the headlines on the news feed, ditto the headlines on Joe.My.God., but I don't want the details.  I see the abyss opening wide ahead of us, and I can't bear to think of what may come.  Of course, I have no crystal ball, and things may yet get better instead of worse; but having a long view of human history, and knowing how mighty states have often fallen from greatness into ruin -- well, it's best not to fill my mind with dread of things I cannot prevent or control.

The Farm Journal, May 1916

I find comfort in my faith, and in revisiting the brighter spots in history.  Harry Truman was one of them, and I offer this video summary of his life in the Oval Office as a reminder of what a president can and should be.  His small-town upbringing was the source of his virtues as well as his shortcomings; but by God, he had the right stuff, never waivering in his faith in American democracy and his respect for the inherent worth of the common people.  That was a true man, a strong man, and a good man.  One of the greats.

If you find this video refreshing, I heartily recommend the definitive biography, entitled Truman, by the late historian David McCullough.  There is an audiobook version on YouTube (slow the speed down to about 75%) that makes for fascinating listening - though you can start in the middle, if you like, with Truman's sudden elevation to the presidency on the death of FDR in April, 1945, a few weeks before Germany surrendered.  The job just got rougher and tougher from there on out, but Truman plowed right on, true to his lights, keeping the country and the world on course for peace and prosperity, doing an astoundingly fine job that would have broken many a lesser man.  That's why ever since he left office in January 1953, he has consistently been ranked in the top ten of American presidents.

The video opens with Truman thanking his hometown neighbors for the rapturous welcome they gave him when he returned to Independence, Missouri, after leaving the White House for the last time.  Enjoy.

 

On a personal note, it's odd to realize I am older now than FDR was when he died, and older than Truman was when he left office.  Where does the time go?

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Todd and Rob Strip Down and Cut Up

 The mountain boys put windows in the potting shed.

M.P. says it would be easier to just remove the siding and put translucent fiberglass panels all around the outside. When I said, why don't we do that with our own storage shed, he just growled and looked away.

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Sunday Drive: Frenesi

For M.P., who loves this tune and loves to dance.  Take your pick, amigo mio!

Julie London sings it in English, 1963:

From Latin America, a singer and two dancers:

From Mexico, maybe; two dancers have the floor to themselves:

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"No Shirts + No Shoes #2" by Clint Collide:

As always, if you don't have to time to watch it the regular way, just mute the sound and right-arrow through the pics.

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Tom and Damien: Chateau Poseidon updates

These boys are working and videoing so fast on their grand reno project, I can't keep up with them.  Here are their two latest vids.

Episode 7: Our First Thirty Days as Chateau Owners

Episode 8: Let's Talk about Money

They've also posted their first video en francais here.

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The Pork Boys Do Ossobuco

Well, fellas, it's been a long time since I posted about one of our dinners.  Because technical difficulties.  But I found a little work-around, so I have two pics of our most recent Sunday dinner to show you - a simple meal, but believe me it was grand!

It was Dinner in Italy at our house.  We started with Tuscan beans and greens soup, (what's the name for that, Frank?) with bits of cooked ham thrown in.  Quite tasty!  We Southerners found it much to our liking, natch - we were raised on greens, beans, and hamhocks.  Only it was a bit too salty, so the second time around, M.P. boiled some chopped-up potatoes in it, which corrected the saltiness nicely.

Ossobuco.  I found this pic on the net. 
It looks very much like what M.P. cooked up.

The main dish was ossobuco, which M.P. made for the first time last winter, and again last weekend, filling the house with a most delicious aroma.  The name means "hollow bone," and that's where the marrow is.  The beef shank with attached meat is cooked low and slow in the oven as the marrow melts out into the meat, giving every bite a rich, fatty, scrumptious taste!  It puts us into orbit, and we are only sad that we had to wait 70-odd years to discover this fabulous dish.

The green vegetable was fagiolini in fricassea (hey you in the back - watch your damn mouth, buddy), which is green beans cooked in a creamy sauce of egg yolks and lemon juice.  An Italian recipe, perhaps of Greek origin, it has a new and different taste.  I liked it.

For the starch dish, we had linguini alfredo, with a standard alfredo sauce, which we both love.  The bread was M.P.'s wonderful focaccia, handmade.  Our dinner wine was Gato Negro, something M.P. discovered a while back, which is dark and strong like Chianti.  Yeah, I know it's Spanish, but it worked fine.

Finally, the piece de resistance was the chocolate & caramel cheesecake that M.P. had baked that morning, which was totally Out.Of.This. World.  OMG, you have no idea.  Here's the one picture we got of it:

This made us pork boys happy as pigs in the sunshine, I tell you what!

We finished it off last night.  And that's all I have to show, but I hope from here on I can get more food pics to show here on the Blue Truck.  Later, guys.  Buon appetito!

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Sunday Drive: I Can Hear Music

The Beach Boys' 1969 hit brings back memories of someone I can't quite recall.  Was it a girl I was dating in high school?  That didn't work out, but I thought I was in love, and I do recall the warm, cozy feeling of this song.  Or was it later on, and I re-listened to this song, thinking of a boy I thought I loved?  Funny, I usually do remember personal things like that.  I guess the mind is aging like the body.  Oh well, it's still a good summer song, so enjoy.

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"Stop Scaring Us!"

I don't know why this popped up on my YouTube page yesterday, but it's well worth a listen.  Jackie Goldberg, past president of the Los Angeles School Board, sounds off vehemently against the homophobes in this speech from June 2023.  Ms. Goldberg retired last December after a lifetime of political and social service.

I wonder if this speech would get her sent to Alcatraz today. 

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Memorable Men Alone #1" by Clint Collide:

"

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Is Your Marriage Safe?

Ten years ago, the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.  Now a new petition asks the court to overturn that decision.  Read this summary from ScotusBlog to get up to date on what's happening:

Will the Supreme Court revisit its ruling on same-sex marriage?

You may want to look at some stats from the Pew Research Center on Americans' opinions about homesexuality and same-sex marriage.  Be aware that the latest poll that Pew conducted on these issues was in 2023-2024, when two-thirds of Americans favored same-sex marriage; however, some people may have changed their minds since then.

Religion and views on LGBTQ issues and abortion

It's also interesting to scroll to the bottom of that page and compare the very similar figures for attitudes about abortion, which also was legal nationawide until 2022.  As I said in this blog ten years ago when the Obergefell decision came down, what the Supreme Court gives, it can also take away.

We may all be about to find out who our friends really are.

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Todd and Rob: A Fright and a Fix-up

If you're like me, you may want to skip the snake part, from about 3:00 to 11:00.  Or watch it have a good laugh as the guys lose their minds.

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Sunday Drive: Schubert, Serenade

Just right for a quiet summer Sunday.

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VJ Day Plus 80

Monument to Allied dead in the Kohima War Cemetery, India.

King Charles III released an audio message last night commemorating the end of World War II on this day in 1945:

Here is the speech broadcast by his grandfather, King George VI, in 1945:

Earlieri that day in Washington, President Truman had announced the unconditional surrender of Japan, sparking riotous celebrations across the United States:

My dad was an Air Force mechanic stationed in Aachen, Germany, at the time. I don't know how he celebrated, but I do know that just two months later, after being shipped stateside with maybe ten thousand other G.I.'s on the Queen Elizabeth, he was back home with his parents, safe and sound. Many others never made it home, or were disabled for life. Living or dead, we owe them all an immense debt of gratitude - as it says on the monument pictured above.

Their service and sacrifice saved the whole world from depraved tyranny and unspeakable horrors. As President Roosevelt had remarked some years before, that generation had a "rendezvous with destiny." They met it with courage and righteous determination, bequeathing to us who followed three generations of general peace, progress, and unparalleled prosperity in the free world.  

What destiny lies ahead for today's linked-in generation, and how will they meet it? This weary old man in his twilight years wonders -- but would rather not stick around to find out.

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David Archuleta: Dulce Amor

Brand new from little David, who is bulking up nicely these days.  M.P. tipped me to this video.  See what you think, fellas.

P. S. -- The lyrics are found in the video description on YouTube.  A bit of autobiography, perhaps?

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Sunday Drive: Liszt, Consolation No. 3

A beautiful piece played on Liszt's own piano by a handsome young man.  How refreshing.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Hiya, Handsomes #2" by Clint Collide:

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Tom and Damien: Chateau for Two

The boys from French Canada are beavering away on renovating their newly-purchased Château Poséidon in the Loire Valley of France - and so quickly that I've already fallen behind on posting their videos.  Here are episodes 3 and 4 for your enjoyment.

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The Transfiguration of Christ

I have no words to say about the tragedy we are living through today, in this country and around the world; others have said it just as well, if not better.  All I can do is point to the gospel reading for today.

The Lessons Appointed for Use on

The Feast of the Transfiguration

On the holy mountain, a glimpse of God's glory, the splendid Reality behind and beyond all the anxious concerns of this transient life.  A profound thought for the faithful.  See also today's Forward meditation here.

The Transfiguration of Christ by Carl Bloch, 1872.
Click to enlarge.

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Todd and Rob: Your Questions Answered

Those Georgia mountain boys, with the help of some good whiskey,  take a break from landscaping to answer questions from fans.

Among other interesting confessions, they admit they spent $4000 or $5000 on flowers and plants and stuff this year. Wow.  They are very fortunate.

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Sunday Drive: Tchaikovsky, Waltz of the Flowers

We usually hear this tune around Christmastime, but I thought my truckbuddies might appreciate a cool breeze now in high summer, with beautiful roses and some serene scenery too.  Peace be with you.

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Cavalcade of Food: No-Bake Noodle Doodles

Kevin shows how to make a quick, simple chocolate-and-butterscotch snack with a nifty improvised double boiler:

The peanuts are too crunchy for me at this late age, but I wonder if I can persuade M.P. to come up with a softer version.  I have to tell you all that he made a chocolate pie for dessert last Sunday, and it is out-of-this-world delicious!  Like going to chocolate heaven.  You never had anything better in your mouth.  Trust me.

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Do Not Be Afraid

I probably shouldn't do this, but today's reading from Forward Day by Day (a ministry of the Episcopal Church) is so very pertinent to this moment in time that I feel compelled to share it with my truckbuddies.  I hope you will draw comfort and strength from it in the parlous state of the world today.

Click to enlarge.

The text was written by Roger Hutchison, author, illustrator, and Episcopal lay minister.  If the good folks at FDD object, I'll remove the text image, but you can still read it at the FDD website here.

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Mike Wallace Interviews Oscar Hammerstein, 1958

I came across this video by accident yesterday, and I'm glad I did.  What Hammerstein says about his religion is quite touching.  He also talks a bit about politics.  Very interesting, even inspiring.

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Thou Shalt Not Kill

For the sake of my own peace of mind, in recent months I have deliberately posted less and less about politics and all the terrible conflicts going on in the world. This old man knows that his tiny voice will make no difference - a whisper in a whirlwind - but for my own self-respect I must at least say this about the new holocaust in Gaza.

My friends, do you recall this horrific, nauseating balcony scene from Schindler's List?

That is what I immediately thought of that when I read this in the Guardian the other day:

[D]ozens of American doctors and nurses who served in Gaza . . . last year testified they had received the bodies of Palestinian children shot in the head or chest by Israeli snipers. Israeli soldiers have confessed that they are deliberately targeting children. Nick Maynard – a British doctor working in Gaza’s Nasser hospital – says that he is seeing clusters of young teenagers who have been shot in different body parts: on one day, it’s the abdomen, on another, the head or neck, on another, the testicles. “So there’s a very clear pattern and it’s almost as if a game is being played,” he says.

What is the difference between the movie scene and what is happening in Gaza now?  The answer is, none:  it is murder for sport.  Just like the filthy Nazi in the film.  If that is not an abomination in the eyes of God and all mankind, what is?

This devil's work has nothing to do with religion.  It would be the same whether the perpetrators were Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, atheist, or Martian.  Murder is murder.  And the word for murder of a whole nation or people is genocide.  If you need to see it with your own eyes, here are some videos that are very hard to watch - but the world is watching.  So is God.  And God is not partial.

A report from Turkish state television:

An American veteran describes the war crimes against civilians he saw perpetrated by other Americans working for the Israelis:

Dr. Nick Maynard, quoted above, describes the mass starvation and horrific target practice the Israeli Defence Force has been using on Gaza children:

A final comment from an editorial in the Guardian, emphasis mine:

Faced with the systematic destruction of Palestinian life in Gaza, other states must together produce a systematic, comprehensive and concrete response. If not now, when? What more would it take to convince them? This is first and foremost a catastrophe for Palestinians. But if states continue to allow international humanitarian law to be shredded, the repercussions will be felt by many more around the world in years to come. History will not ask whether these governments did anything to stop genocide by an ally, but whether they did all they could.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Team Players #1" by Clint Collide:

If you're pressed for time, just pause the video and arrow ahead through the pics.

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The Great Vacation Trains - Paris, 1958

A delightful record of the annual departure of a million Parisians for summer vacations in all directions, via the French National Railways (S. N. C. F.) and the Herculean efforts of its employees and train crews. A marvelous people-watching video from a bygone era.  All of those fresh-faced garcons are now old graybeards like me.

Tip:  open the video in YouTube and then hit the "CC" button to get a good English translation of the narration (you might want to slow it down a bit, too). 

Bon voyage!

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Todd and Rob's Steamy Weekend

Todd goes topless in this day-in-the-life record of the diggings and dawdlings at their mountain cabin on a hot summer weekend.  Don't miss the fascinating close-up at the 13:20 mark.

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Father David: Prophetic Voices

Father David's very timely homily is based on yesterday's reading from the book of Amos as well as Jesus's speech in Matthew 23:

It's almost as if Amos and Jesus were responding to today's headlines, isn't it?

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Sunday Drive: Mama

Boys, do you ever miss your mamas?  Mine has been gone from this life more than thirty years, but I miss her still. And I know her bright, shining love will meet me when I get to the end of my road.

An old favorite song of mine: 

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New State Portraits in Buckingham Palace

A look at the two new portraits of the King and Queen, as well as others from past reigns.

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What We're Watching: Jim Butcher's Story, 1994

A poignant story of a young gay man coming out to his fundamentalist family in Dallas during the plague years.  We wept.

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Todd and Rob's Mountain Oasis

The Georgia boys show off the luxuriance of their mountain garden in the height of summer:

BTW, don't miss the light show in the last eight minutes.

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Sunday Drive: "God Made Me the Way I Am"

Cameron shares his faith journey as a gay man raised in a conservative Christian church:

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Old School Charm #1" by Clint Collide:

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Chateau for Two

Tom and Damien are a charming Canadian couple who bought a derelict chateau in France, where they have a monumental repair and renovation job ahead of them:

In their second video, they give a mini-tour of the chateau:

(Mais je ne comprends pas pourquoi les gars ne parlent pas le francais dans leur videos. Pour le convenence de leurs telespectateurs anglophones, je me suppose.)

For a full tour of Chateau Poseidon from top to bottom, and a bit of the grounds, see the video they made for So Chateau here.

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Boyfriend Bait: Key Lime Pie

New York Times food writer Vaughn Vreeland promises this homemade pie will be Love Potion Number Lime if you follow his recipe:

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Bernie and Pete: Where We Go From Here

Bernie Sanders denounces the looming healthcare disaster caused by Trump's "big, beautiful bill":

Pete Buttigieg is rocking the beard and stache, with a message of hope for all Americans:

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Growing Up Gay: Ken from Kentucky

"An Endless Tune":  from Kentucky to Florida to Hollywood and beyond.

Bonus:  Jane Pauley interviews Jeanne and Jules Manford, founders of PFLAG, on the Today show, July 6, 1978:

This was about the time I came out to my own mom, while I was in college.  Mama was great, she was immediately supportive, but it took her a while to process it all.  I brought her to a meeting of the gay rap group at school, where a lady who had started a chapter of PFLAG gave a talk, and that helped my mom a lot.  

Times were changing, but in 1978 it was still quite a scary thing to come out to anyone.  There were as yet no openly gay celebrities on TV or in public life, certainly not in the Deep South.  Only Anita Bryant running her mouth about the "homosexual threat" . . .

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Jeffrey Kevin: Nautical Tablescape (4th of July)

Navy blue and white are the main colors of this week's patriotic tablescape:

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The American's Creed

Written by William Tyler Page, 1917, and well worth remembering:

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it; to support its Constitution, to obey its laws; to respect its flag; and to defend it against all enemies.

Bonus:  Adam Kinzinger's Fourth of July message "Still Worth Believing In":

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Restoring Sean: From the Top Down

Sean completes the ceiling and a lot of trim work.  The best view of the overhead work is from 36:30 on. 

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Todd and Rob Go Jump in the Lake

Those Blue Ridge boys take a break from their phantasmagoric gardening to paddle around a beautiful mountain lake.

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Sunday Drive: Fields of Gold

Eva Cassidy's timeless performance:

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Cavalcade of Food: Summer Display and Cool Cocktail

Kevin shows off his new summertime display windows at his appliance museum in Croswell, Michigan.

Bonus:  Kevin shows how to make his idea of a classic Cuba Libre - i. e., rum and Coke:

 

This is actually your Head Trucker's favorite drink, on those very rare occasions when I have a cocktail nowadays.  But I ask for a Captain and Coke on the rocks, no lime.  Simple and delicious.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Mon Prince Charmant" by Clint Collide:

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Ten Years On: Marriage Equality Day

June 26 should be a red-letter day on every gay and lesbian calendar - the day the Supreme Court extended marriage equality to all Americans in these momentous words that will ring through centuries to come:

No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.

—Justice Anthony Kennedy, Obergefell v. Hodges majority opinion (emphasis mine)

Here's the NBC news report on that day and President Obama's eloquent remarks:

Here's your Head Trucker's post on that day.  M.P. and I were teary-eyed with joy.  I thought, finally -- it's over, we won, now life can flow on smoothly and happily for us gay folks, as it should.

But of course life doesn't always go as we expect.  Now we face new challenges.  Let's stay united, firm, and courageous.  Our love is here to stay!

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Restoring Sean: Derailed but Determined

Big, beefy, hairy guy with a sweet smile is renovating an old house he bought.  Come watch.  

If you're pressed for time, get the best view of his body of work starting at the 27:00 mark.

 

He's also into interior design. Check out his website at restoringsean.com.

(P.S. -- Where did all these home-repair bears come from?  In my day, everybody was into disco, not DIY.)

Growing Up Gay: Bullied but Unbroken

Insightful story by a woofy guy from my generation who came out in the 70's but led a very different life in the big city:

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Father David: On the Road Again

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the

Second Sunday of Pentecost

Father David shares a very timely message today, as the world recoils in shock from Trump's overnight bombing of Iran.

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Jeffrey Kevin: Butterfly Tablescape

To welcome the first day of summer, Jeffrey Kevin sets a lovely table in shades of pink and teal - and lots of pretty butterflies in all the colors of the rainbow!

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Strong Enough #2" by Clint Collide:

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What We're Watching: Spotted Dick

Witty food historian Max Miller gets down to the nitty gritty with that British favorite of most peculiar nomenclature.  But relax - it's not what you think!

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Pleas for Peace: Senator, King, and Pope

For the record, I'm presenting clear sight and plain speaking from three good men - but who will listen?  The world has been warned.

1.  Senator Bernie Sanders, always a voice of reason and justice for all:

2.  King Abudllah of Jordan, who was educated in Britain and the United States, is the longest-serving monarch in the Muslim world and one of the most respected, and has always been a voice of tolerance and peace in the Middle East:

3.  Pope Leo also calls for peace, warning of a return to savage barbarism if peace is not preserved:

The world is sitting on the edge of a volcano. It's too awful to think about.  God help us all.

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Royal Ascot 2025

Ascot Racecourse is part of the Crown Estate, just down the road and over the hill from Windsor Castle.  It was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne.  Since 1825, the June races have been marked by a daily carriage procession of the reigning sovereign and assorted guests from the Castle to the course - a splendid old tradition that the horse-loving British are quite fond of.  It's also a marvelous occasion for ladies to dress up in their fanciest formal frocks and hats - think My Fair Lady. 

None of this has anything to do with the government of the country - but isn't this much nicer than a gloomy parade of tanks and guns and vainglorious bluster from a pompous buffoon?

The history of Royal Ascot:

Yesterday's royal carriage procession for the opening day, described by a couple of chatty newsgirls. Wait for the reveal of their hats at the very end:

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Kinzinger: A Warning for Democracy

Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger has an urgent message for all Americans:

Your Head Trucker is aware of the numerous horrors going on in the world at this time; but this weary old man can't bring himself to blog about them.  Not that it would do any good, anyhow.  Kinzinger says what needs to be said; let those who have ears, hear.

BTW, I just learned that Kinzinger, who represented an Illinois district in Congress, recently moved to a suburb of Houston.

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Todd and Rob Canoodle On

Those Georgia mountain boys are getting all hot and sweaty as they continue with their canoe project.  But will they shuck the shirts?

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Sunday Drive: Holy, Holy, Holy!

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the

First Sunday after Pentecost:

Trinity Sunday

Lyrics are found here.

Bonus:  Father David's sermon for today has a profound message for believers and unbelievers alike.  I recommend it to all my truckbuddies.

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Trooping the Colour, 2025

Now this is how you do a real King's Birthday Parade.  Sky News covers the whole shebang, which took place in London this morning:

Note:  the British monarch and all other European monarchs are the good guys - constitutional monarchs.  Their powers were clipped centuries ago, and now they reign but do not rule, as the saying is.  It is hard for an American mind to grasp the concept of a king with all the glory but very little of the power, but that's the way the British like it.  (They don't think like we do.)  And as the 70-year reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II amply demonstrated, in a parliamentary democracy a figurehead monarch can be a strong force for good and an anchor of stability amid the to-and-fro of politics and social change.

For background on the evolution of the monarchy in Britain, start with the Bill of Rights 1689, which preceded our own Constitution and Bill of Rights by a century, and was very much in the minds of the Founding Fathers when they were getting our country off the ground.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Strong Enough #1" by Clint Collide.  A short, eclectic mix of the weird and the wonderful.

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New Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge Nears Completion

It was scheduled to open sometime this month, but there's no word yet on just when that will happen.  The new bridge is not exactly what I would call pretty, but it's an impressive structure:  over half a mile long and more than 500 feet tall.  See what you think.

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"I Loved Lucy": An Interview with Author Lee Tannen

Harvey Brownstone conducts an in-depth interview with Lee Tannen about his friendship with Lucille Ball: 

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I just want a reality check here: is everybody in the world turning gay? Or has the YouTube algorithm finally got my number?   I'm like, WTF man?  Lately, it's been throwing lots of homo-centric videos my way, so I figure I should share them with my truckbuddies. 

Intervewer Harvey Brownstone is a most unusual person. After 25 years as a family court judge in Toronto, he retired and has made a second career for himself as a celebrity interviewer. And most of the people he interviews are people I would like to hear from. Gay minds think alike, I guess. There's lots more interviews and commentary to be found on his blog.

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Blue Heaven Tablescape

As my longtime truckbuddies know, we love setting a pretty table for our Sunday dinners here at the Blue Truck - chef de cuisine M.P. is also the man in charge of decor, though I have bought numerous items of china, crystal, cloths, and tableware over the years to enhance our collection of pretties.

But Jeffrey Kevin has us beat all to slap.  Oh my, he does have a penchant for all that.  It takes a special talent to make something as grand as this Blue Heaven spread he shows us today, with lovely old-time porcelain, French crystal, and even blue hydrangeas to match the Wedgwood.  Beautiful.

BTW, if you're pressed for time, you don't have to watch the whole show to get the effect, just the first couple of minutes. 

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Sunday Drive: I AM PRIDE

What a great gay anthem.  Ought to be the gay anthem, I say.  I'd make a few tweaks to the lyrics, but overall - I love it.  Thanks to my truckbuddy Frank for posting it first.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"The Heart Knows, #1" by Clint Collide:

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Rodney and Jake Roof the Coop

Or, Rodney on a hot tin roof.  Just a simple backyard job, easy-peasy with power tools.

Bonus:  The guys install a new super-duper theft-proof mailbox:

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Better Homos and Gardens

The warm weather has brought the DIY'ers out in droves, on YouTube anyway, and my truckbuddies may be interested to see what somebody is doing with an old plantation house in South Carolina.  Brian Branton, a D.C. attorney and lobbyist, saw historic Cedar Grove for sale online a while back, and by his own account, immediately fell in love with the place and snapped it up.  Now he's hard at work writing checks to have the house and gardens restored to his idea of fabulous.  

An enormous "passion project," as monied people like to say, but he seems to have the requisite energy and enthusiasm for it.  Well, good luck to him in that reddest of all red states - I'm sure it's great fun to have a whole estate to play with. 

You can choose how much you want to see of this project, from among a dozen or so vids Brian has posted already.  Here's his first introductory overview from April 2024 (2 min.):

 

 Here's Brian's walkthough of the whole house, a work in progress (47 min.):

 

And here's his latest video, just posted yesterday, an overview of the garden and grounds (29 min.): 

 

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