"Hef" Has Died

   Playboy founder Hugh Hefner passed away at age 91. To many, he was a sexist, exploitive pig. To others, he was a revolutionary, who started a sexual awakening in the U.S, and many other countries.
   He started Playboy in December 1953, and featured Marilyn Monroe as the first "gatefold girl", even though her nude pictures had actually been taken in 1949. Not only did the magazine feature naked women, but also fashion and lifestyle articles and some pretty darn good interviews.
   My only brush with a centrefold was way back in 1980, when (I can't remember which month she was featured in) one of the women came to Prince George, B.C for a car show. I was working at a radio-T.V station, and got the "short straw" to go interview her. And, yes, she was gorgeous! She also had that "deer in the headlights" look about her, and didn't come across as particularly intelligent. I remember getting the video back to the station, and turning it over to my news director, who went upstairs to the editing bay to start cutting it.
   I also vividly remember walking past the stairs a few minutes later to see the video cassette come flying down and smashing into the wall, accompanied by some foul language, which was unusual for my N.D, who was a passive guy. The story never made it to air.
   At it's peak, Playboy magazine had some 7 million readers. As surprising as this may sound, it's the absolute truth: I never subscribed to the magazine.
   Of course, Hef went on to form the Playboy club, and several other endeavours. Sadly in later life, he became a caricature of himself. He died at his Playboy mansion last night.
   Like him or loath him, Hugh Hefner had a major impact on society over the past 64 years.

TTFN

Some Sad News

   A lot of people probably won't know the woman above, but she starred as one of my favourite T.V characters of all time. Liz Dawn played the irascible Vera Duckworth on the long running British soap opera "Coronation Street" for 34 years.
   I must admit, I was a huge fan "back in the day", but haven 't watched in probably 20 years. Vera and her husband Jack (played by Bill Tarmey, who passed away in 2012) got up to a lot of shenanigans. At one point, they owned the Rovers Return, the local pub.
   One of the funnier things Jack and Vera did was put stone cladding on their row-house which, of course, looked ridiculous.
   The show's network, ITV, issued a statement last night, saying, in part, "It is with the greatest sadness that we have learned our beloved Liz Dawn has passed away last night. Her family at Coronation Street are heartbroken. We extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathy at this very sad time to Liz’s devoted husband Don, her loving children Graham, Dawn, Ann and Julie, their families and her six grandchildren and three great grandchildren."
   Tara "Vera", and thanks for all the memories, Liz!

TTFN

Finally, A Decision

   As regular viewers of this blog know, when it comes to Halloween, I'm a bit of a keener. Normally, I start planning next years get-up November 1st, leaving plenty of time to think about and get ready for the next year. There were 2 exceptions. 2013, when I'd just started here, and this year.
   In years past, I've been a Zombie News Reader (2013)

   An Aussie (2014..and I even learned sort of how to play the digeridoo)

   A Zombie Killer (2015)

   And last year, "Scrape" the long lost relative of G 'n R guitarist "Slash", who hadn't been lost long enough

   But this year was a challenge. In fact, it wasn't until this past weekend during a quick trip to Regina that it clicked. And, as always, I'm going to drop a hint, but that's about all. It will be an iconic image from the past, and require a lantern

   Further details will have to wait until October 31st.
   And yes, I do get into the Halloween spirit.

TTFN

Brrrr!!!

   Baby, it's cold INSIDE. The air conditioning in our office seems to have been stuck on "high" for the better part of a week or more. I like it on the cool side, but, since I have an A/C vent just above my head, I'm even finding it too cold right now.
   One of my co-workers has to wear a jacket in the office, and I may bring one in tomorrow, if they don't get it sorted out quickly. In fact, the poor guy next to me gets the Arctic blast not just from the vent over my workstation, but one on the other side of him as well! It's to the point where the morning cup of coffee makes a great hand-warmer, as well as a delicious wake-me-up.
   Yes, we have tried to adjust the thermostat in the newsroom. In fact, we've got it cranked up to the max...85 F. But it's not making any difference. Hopefully, someone from building maintenance will get on it quickly. Before it starts cooling off outside. In the meantime, we're all just trying to stay warm.

TTFN

Back At Work

   It was a great week or so off, but I am back at it today. And I admit I accomplished a few things during the last week of my vacation, and got a few things checked off the "honey-do" list. Among those were calling a dry-wall company to look at some water damage to the ceiling in our living room, patching up a few holes made (by me...on purpose) in the columns outside the house for my wife's garden, and getting one of our kitties in for some dental work.
   I also scurried around the kitchen a bit, canning another batch of home-made salsa

   Which wasn't as watery as the batch I did last year. And, unlike last year, I actually followed the recipe correctly. One jar didn't seal properly, so I had to use that quickly. The rest is now ready for use.
   Another thing, and a culinary first for me, was making samosa's

   Which I had never done before. I did 2 batches, one chicken and rice, the other beef and potato. Both turned out well, although folding them was a bit of an adventure to say the least. I cut back on the spices, not adding curry, since my wife is not a huge fan of that particular flavour. Would I make them again? Yes. The process took me most of a day to get through them all, but they were more than worth it in the end.
   But now, it's back to work as we get set for a busy fall season.

TTFN