Suzy Says

Old movies always make me wish I lived in the past. Come to think of it, the news does that, too. Anyway, last night’s entertainment was The Reckless Moment (1949), starring the beautiful Joan Bennett and the always suave and charming James Mason. Bad guy, good guy, or a mixture of the two, you gotta love him.

A Columbia picture – with the original Columbia lady, back when she was a total babe instead of the hideous “updated” one – the credits included my favorite of all time (“gowns by” – in this case, Jean Louis) and went on to inform me that the screenplay is based on “The Blank Wall”, by Elisabeth Holding.

I’m a huge Holding fan, and cannot understand why she’s so unknown. I have almost all of her books, most in the Dell double book edition, where you read one story, then turn it over and get a whole ‘nother one, usually with lurid covers. But don’t let that put you off. She is a mistress of suspense, in the grand tradition of Patricia Highsmith and Ruth Rendell (though antedating them by many years), where a person makes a fatal mistake and his/her life spirals out of control.

The movie is in glorious black and white, and I have to say, if I really could live in the past, it might be in the 1940s. The cars and clothes are great, everything’s stylish, and there are important things like electricity and hot running water. Sure, there’s the dreary war, but there’s always a dreary war. At least things looked good.

Since it looks like I’ll be staying here for a while, I’ve decided to try and do something with the backyard and porch. I’m thinking of getting matchstick blinds to put on the sides of the porch. It would make more shade (or I could roll the blinds up if I wanted sun) and it will have the total bonus of shielding the next door dogs and their cement hell from my sight. Also, if the Barkers don’t see the kitties on the porch, there might be less barking.

Theoretically.

I’d like to get something to climb up the trellis, which is also on the Barkers’ side. Extra prettiness, an extra layer between Me and the Barkers. I’m considering orange bougainvillea, because I love it and it doesn’t grow where my sister lives, so she can enjoy it when she’s here. And orange was Frank Sinatra’s favorite color, and it doesn’t get any cooler than Frank. My boss always says, “It’s Frank’s world – we just live in it.”

My next notion was hanging baskets of fuchsias for the front of the porch (facing the lawn), but my sister told me that fuchsias are the Suzy of flowers – showy, pretty, and shade-loving – so they won’t be happy there. But I do want something that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, so any suggestions are welcome. It’s facing east but also has a southern exposure, so there’s sun most of the day.

I’m also considering excavating the flower bed that is bordered with bricks or something and is very overgrown. It’s on the right hand side, next to B’s fence, so there’s a little more shade there. I was thinking of maybe tomatoes and basil, but I’m not sure, so again, I’d love to hear your ideas, either in the comments or at speakallATearthlinkDOTnet.

Finally, I sent a note to my landlords with my rent check this month, asking if they’d consider supplying me with some kind of ground cover for the front lawn. The grass is totally dead and looks like a nervous breakdown. Even if they won’t buy me the plants, I’ll probably end up digging it up. At this point, just mulch would look better, and I can’t bring myself to put another lawn there. They don’t belong in this climate, and I begrudge the water in a potential drought year, even though my actual water usage is only 10% of the bill.

I never miss the Kentucky Derby, even though I don’t watch horse racing* otherwise. What could be Suzy-er than fabulous hats, the more over the top the better, daytime cocktails (mint julep, anyone?), beautiful animals and an event that’s so fast not even I have time to get bored?

No-one could have been bored by today’s race. I was astonished to see Mine That Bird** speed past horse after glossy horse until he crossed the finish line with his jubilant jockey, the charming character Calvin Borel.

Wish I’d had the horse sense to bet on him at 50-1 odds!

*Golden Gate Fields is just a few minutes drive away, but I’ve never been. Maybe if I could wear a fancy hat…

**Why do horses always have such ridiculous names? Why?

If it isn’t one headache, it’s another…

The big pain in my tiny brain has receded, leaving a strange bruised feeling. I finally got to sleep well after midnight last night, and was awake barely in time for a conference call scheduled for this morning. I certainly wasn’t at my best, such as that is.

When the call was finally over, I went outside to collect the garbage cans, which were piercingly (for the headache challenged) emptied earlier today. I didn’t realize June was right behind me, and she shot out of the house as if fired from a catapult (pun intended). I chased her, saying words that no well-brought up young lady should, as she headed under the porch.

Henry was not pleased to see her. Not only was he trying to take a nap, he knows perfectly well that she has usurped the porch and hisses at him and claws at the glass whenever she sees him. He vanished, leaving me to try and coax her out, while actually wanting to scream at her. I noticed that Henry hadn’t finished his food, so I lured her with that until I could grab her and bring her back into the house, threatening reform school or a mean Mary Poppins like the one in the books. She seemed completely unconcerned.

I thought having access to the porch would quell the wandering craving, but apparently not. Maybe she wanted to see things up close. Maybe she wanted to chase Henry. Maybe she wanted to drive me crazy.

Mission accomplished.