Friday Funnies

Recently, in a local thrift store, I spotted these ruby red shoes and thought of — can you guess what?

That's right, the ruby slippers sported by Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) in the 1939 American musical fantasy film, The Wizard of Oz. True, they don't look the same, but these were much less costly. It's amazing at what some uber-rich folks buy for who knows why.

Glinda, the good witch, gifted the slippers to Dorothy

The ones shown below sold  at auction in December 2024 for an astounding $28 million — for shoes without any rubies !

Dallas-based auction house, Heritage Auctions, had estimated they would surpass $3 million since online bidding stood at $1.55 million before live bidding began. Fast bidding surpassed that figure, some bidders phoned in offers and bidding ended in 15 minutes with an unknown buyer. Figuring in auction house fee, the total cost paid was about $32.5 million — all for movie memorabilia with no real jewels, the slippers are made of sequins. (The previous auction record for entertainment memorabilia was $5.52 million for a windswept white dress Marilyn Monroe wore in the 1955 film,The Seven Year Itch.)

Ruby red slippers that went for $28 million at auction, December 2024 

Ironically, in the 1900 The Wizard of Oz book by Frank Baum, Dorothy's slippers are silver. Production company MGM chose red so they would stand out against the yellow-brick road featured in the Technicolor film. The costume team made multiple pairs to ensure against damage during filming. Only four pairs are known to have survived and are owned by private collectors. A pair is displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. 

In 2005, this pair of the iconic footwear was stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor’s hometown of Grand Rapids, MN, after a thief smashed a glass display case. Their whereabouts were unknown until the FBI recovered them in 2018. The later convicted thief said he'd been told the slippers contained real jewels. 

The pair has been on loan to the museum, Garland's 1920s restored birthplace, housing a Judy Garland and Wizard of Oz collection. After their recovery, they were returned to their owner, Michael Shaw, a California collector.  In 1969, he had bought the shoes and a gingham dress from former MGM film costumer Kent Warner for $2,500. When stolen, they were insured for $1 million.

Grand Rapids wanted to get the shoes back and bid in the auction. The museum had solicited donations to boost the amount raised by the city of Grand Rapids at its annual Judy Garland festival. Minnesota lawmakers had also set aside $100,000, hardly enough as it turned out. 

And, not only did the thrift store have a pair of red shoes, but also these actual red slippers. The shoes and slippers together were less costly than the movie ones. Full disclosure, while my name is Dorothy, I've never owned a pair of ruby red footwear of any type.

(In answer to a comment, the only thing obtained during this thrift store visit were the red shoes and slippers photos; however, I did do a clothing drop-off.)

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

It's good to be home without clicking my heels 3 times.

An Unexpected Sighting

Photo was taken by myself and published in this local online publication

While we've become accustomed to viewing various types of bird life on the Nashua River from our 5th floor mill apartment window, such as gulls, Canada geese, Mallard ducks, cormorants and great blue herons. This was a very unusual site last week when we spotted this pair of Mute Swans. (All of these photos were taken indoors from our apartment.)

This pair stayed close to one another the entire time

This pair was quite attentive to one another during the half hour or more that we watched until they were out of our viewing. According to online sources, Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) mate in a complex ritual. They will stare at one another doing up and down neck motions and will often raise both heads together to look at each other with sideways glances turning their heads from side to side They are known for being monogamous and forming long-lasting relationships, usually until one of the pair dies.

Hopefully, this pair will return again, so I could take some photos from the riverbank. Gusty winds and frigid temps made going outdoors very uninviting last week.

FYI: The first photo above was published in the Nashua Great American Downtown online publication last week. Thanks to all who asked in the comments.

Friday Funnies Reveal

Last week's Friday Funnies post was based on the film below.

From the comments received, it was clear that, unlike ourselves, either not many bloggers are avid holiday film watchers or were not familiar with this one. Congrats to fellow blogger Emma (Leaves on My Tree) for correctly naming the film.

For all the non-movie fans, here are the answers:

• Christmas with the Kranks was a moderate box-office movie success.
• It was based on Skipping Christmas (John Grisham), a best-selling book.
• Luther and Nora Krank plan to skip it after daughter Blair left for the Peace Corps.
• Neighbors Bev and Walt Scheel had a pet cat. Bev had health issues.
• Vic  Frohmeyer was the neighborhood leader, his son was Spike.
• A character, Marty was in several scenes and flew off as Santa in a Volkswagen.

Synopsis

After their daughter, Blair) leaves for service with the Peace Corps before Christmas, Luther Krank (Tim Allen) totals up that $6,000 was spent for Christmas the previous year with nothing to show for it. He convinces wife, Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) to forgo the traditions of cards, gift-giving, donations, entertaining, tree buying, decorating and instead take a Caribbean cruise for less cost. This plan irks Christmas-obsessed neighbors Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd) and Walt Scheel (M. Emmet Walsh), who are determined to win the best decorated street competition. Every home was to feature an oversized Frosty on the roof. When the Kranks refuse to decorate with their snowman, they become neighborhood outcasts. When Blair unexpectedly is returning home for the holidays, the Kranks are faced with pulling together a holiday party on short notice. Neighbors are relunctant to help until Frohmeyer reminds them the party is for Blair, not her parents. All ends well with much help from the neighbors. Krank gives the cruise to the Scheels.

The movie was panned by many reviewers, including film critic Roger Ebert who gave it a single star. Some have labelled it as one of the worst movies that includes everything wrong with how some celebrate Christmas. Despite this, it's viewed regularly at the holiday season and has become a cult favorite. Full disclosure, we have a DVD of the film.

Filming

Christmas with the Kranks takes place mainly in the Kranks' fictional neighborhood of Hemlock Street in a suburb of Chicago, ILL over the course of Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. But, none of it was filmed in the Midwest part of the U.S. The town was built in a parking lot. 

Former Downey Studios and Christmas with the Kranks Street (internet source)

After a search for filming locations, filmmakers decided to set up the neighborhood in an empty location and selected the parking lot of a former NASA/Boeing site in Downey, CA, about 15 miles from downtown LA at Downey Studios. The first three weeks were spent designing houses. In the next 12 weeks, hundreds of carpenters, plasterers, and painters built what would become the largest exterior set ever built for a film which included 5 complete homes and 11 facades at a cost of $5 million. The film's producer stated the set would be available for other movies, TV series and commercials to use afterwards. However, film workers claimed their health problems were caused by toxic residues and hazardous conditions at Downey Studios. The studio closed in 2012 because of these issues, also a lack of profit. Today the site is home to the Promenade at Downey retail center.

Not all of the film's scenes were shot at Downey Studios, as it didn't have a downtown backlot set. Instead, the production team filmed the movie’s urban scenes at other CA studios and locations. A scene involving Chip’s Market was filmed at Universal Studios Hollywood in the studio’s New York Street area. The stationary store, where Nora didn’t place a holiday card order, was also filmed there. A supermarket scene was filmed at Cordon's Ranch Market in Glendale, CA. The scene in which police officers apprehend a burglar was filmed at Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank. A mall scene was filmed Westside Pavilion Mall in LA, which has since closed.

And, now you know, the rest of the story, and that's all, folks, almost . . .

We met up with this Frosty on Main St in Lititz, PA, last weekend

Friday Funnies

Free Frosty! and We Want Frosty! are words that came to mind this week as holiday decorations were being dismantled at the local mall.

Does anyone know why?

This crated snowman is a hint. here's another one, these words are from a movie.

Many who watch holiday movies regularly may know the answer. And, to see how well you can do, here's a holiday-related trivia quiz (possibly the last until December). 

Ready or not, here goes . . .

• In what 2004 movie were these lines featured?
• What is the title of the 2001 book on which it's based and its author?
• Can you name the main couple (bonus point for daughter's  names)?
• Who were the pet-owning neighbors (bonus point for type of pet)?
• Who is the neighbor who vocalized these words (bonus point for a son's name)?
• Can you name the mysterious party guest; who is he is at the film's end?

As always, no prizes, just braggin' rights. Answers posted next week.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're on a PA & NJ road trip to visit family, including a new great niece

Un-decorating Christmas

Never seems as enjoyable as putting everything up had been — tree, lights, ornaments and decorations — all in anticipation of the merriest time of year. 

But, all good things eventually end which, for us, meant taking down Christmas paraphernalia last weekend. The original plan was to leave everything in place longer, but we're going on a short road trip to visit family in PA and NJ this weekend into next week. It was easier to handle this task beforehand. 

Many of our combined holiday ornaments and decorations hold special memories as many of yours do as well. Here's a look at some of ours, including details about many favorites.

All the ornaments are removed from the tree and placed on the sofa, then separated to be stored by type (wood, glass, penguins, bears, etc.). While we weren't in a hurry, it seemed to take a shorter time to pack everything away than to put it up. Before Christmas, we listened to holiday tunes and enjoyed egg nog and some home-baked treats — doesn't everyone?

There's a supply of clothespin Santas, snowmen and snowflakes. The snowmen ornaments at the bottom left were gifts from grandchildren and to ourselves.

The trio of hand-crafted gnomes were purchased on a cross-country road trip several years ago. Originally planned as gifts, they were misplaced, found after the holiday and have remained in NH. The shell wreath was a holiday gift from family. Bells because every time you hear a bell . . .

These two ornaments are among the most delicate in our collection. Both hand-painted on shells and purchased in VA. The penguin shell was purchased at a holiday craft fair on the VA eastern shore. The one on the right is the Hope and Glory Inn, Irvington, VA,  where we stayed on our honeymoon. It's one of the oldest in our collection.

The icicle ornaments are made of glass and came from VA and NH. The white ornaments (top right) are Lenox. The snowflakes were hand-crafted by a co-worker's mother many years ago and have been displayed on our NJ, VA and NH trees.

These wood-crackers made in Germany were bought years ago in NJ as holiday gifts for my late mother. After her passing, they were retrieved and are displayed in our home annually for the Christmas holiday. The angel was another holiday gift, the snowman a thrift store buy.

There's a number of Boyds bears ornaments on our tree, mostly bears and penguins, and oddly enough not a frog in this group. The fire engine bear is a reminder of Grenville's former profession as a NJ firefighter. 

These Boyds bears figurines which, of course, include a penguin and frog are displayed on  bookcases during the holidays. All were purchased years ago when we lived in NJ.

The figurines in the above photo hold special memories. The happy couple are vintage salt and pepper shakers that belonged to my mother. The bear sled is a music box that was gifted by Anne, a special NJ friend a few years before her passing. Displaying these at Christmas never fails to bring back memories of both.

Charlie Brown and friends were waiting to be put away until next Christmas (the tree had already been repacked). These were purchased at an after-Christmas sale in PA several years ago for the incredible price of $1 each. I haven’t seen any like these since then.

These bears and moose were ready for a long hibernation in the storage unit; however, a few others remain around the apartment year-round.

The un-decorated tree was taken apart and placed back into its box. Ironically, the year we had planned to purchase a live tree, management issued a notice that these were no longer permitted (fire and safety reasons). As we were out shopping that day, we bought this tree which alternates holiday seasons with the village display. After being un-decorated, Grenville disassembled it and with the packed totes all were ready for a return to the storage unit. Conveniently, storage units are located a short walk down the hallway as there's no basement or garage storage here.

There was a water shutdown at the mill apartments this week and since temps were frigid, we went to the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, NH, to walk around. We hadn't been there before the holidays and Santa had already left. Workers were removing his spot and all the holiday decorations. Very soon, the Easter Bunny will be taking up a seasonal residence, possibly on the same couch.

Do you take down decorations right after Christmas, New Year's Day or later ?

An addendum to this post to share that a fellow blogger, Jon, mentioned here before, has been going through tough times with various medical issues. Hospitalized on Christmas Eve, he's currently in a TN rehab facility. Jon has shared details openly on his blog Lone Wolf Concerto, and his most recent post (Cold Night's Journey) included a mailing address to which I'm sending a card. If you are so inclined, perhaps you would also send a note or card of encouragement for the New Year, just a suggestion.

Friday Funnies

Friday Funnies is back after a holiday hiatus. This week's post is a return to some of the vanity license plates seen in and around Nashua, NH, in recent months. Their popularity seems to be increasing as motorists display some interesting choices.

There was no mistaking the message behind these two plates.

The A's have it in this selection. Does anyone know that the last plate means? (me neither)

And, so do the M's in these plates

Maybe these are favorite animals?

Are these the occupations or interest of these motorists?

These two are very far apart in the sentiments shown.

Here's a favorite. Wondering why someone would pay an extra fee to state the obvious.

And, this was one of the loveliest, the frame selected to complement the vanity plate. 

While getting a vanity plate is not in my plans for this year (or ever), some of these plates have  been very amusing, while others just confusing to decipher. This year will, most likely, bring more examples of both.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

It's un-decorating time for us, maybe for you as well?

From Us to You

It's that time of year, Patrick and I wish everyone a happy & healthy 2025.

We hope that it will be a good year for All

"Auld Lang Syne" is famously associated with a song popular on New Year's Eve.  The title, translated literally into standard English, is "Old Long Since." The words can be interpreted as since long ago or for old times' sake.

The song is based on a poem written by Robert Burns, national poet of Scotland, who claimed he didn't write the song but that the words were taken from an old man’s singing. Burns was the first to put it on paper in 1788, and the poem didn't appear in print until after his death in 1796. It was popular in Scotland and was sung at weddings and other occasions. With its emphasis on friendship, reminiscence and parting,“Auld Lang Syne” expressed the essence of Hogmanay (Scots word for the last day of the year) by bidding farewell to one year so that another could begin.

Guy Lombardo, Mr New Year's Eve

Canadian-born bandleader Guy Lombardo and his band, the Royal Canadians made “Auld Lang Syne” a New Year’s Eve tradition in North America. Lombardo heard the tune when he and his brothers, as teenage musicians, toured rural areas around his hometown of London, Ontario, which had been settled by Scots. It was played in a series of popular radio (and later TV) broadcasts that began on December 31, 1929 and continued to 1976.

Variety magazine called Lombardo “the only Canadian ever to create an American tradition.” According to Life magazine, if Lombardo failed to play “Auld Lang Syne” the American public wouldn't believe that a new year had arrived. 

Lombardo died in 1977, and while 2025 will arrive without him, it won't quite the same. He and his band hosted an annual New Year's Eve celebration at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC from 1966 to 1976, traditional viewing at my parent's home.

Our plans are to celebrate at home in NH. However, you will usher in a New Year and whatever memories you will share, we hope they are full of good times and special memories. 

Friday Funnies

How quickly it came and is nearly gone after waiting the whole year long — the Christmas season may well be the most wonderful time of the year and I enjoyed doing a series of holiday this 'n that posts. This post-holiday Friday Funnies continues that theme.

Family members know of our fondness for penguins and frogs and gifted us with these.

The penguin is Neve and the frog is Snapper according to tags attached to each.

This group will certainly make laundry a bit more fun. Several months ago, we switched from using dryer sheets to white wool dryer balls, Grenville said he couldn't resist gifting these. While they're almost too cute to throw in the dryer, they will be used for that chore.

In keeping with a theme, this penguin throw was my gift from a family member. It will be very comfortable to snuggle into for winter reads.

Snapper, the lone frog, posed among a lot of penguins and seemed outnumbered.

Grenville didn't get a frog themed gift, but received these pickle ones from family. He doesn't play pickle ball, but was told that frogs were hard to find and these were green. It's not really the same.

Until we can take a return trip to the UK, we'll enjoy images on this 2025 calendar sent from friends, Kath and Andrew. We've been receiving these calendars for the past few years. It's one of my favorite gifts and enjoyed monthly.

The snowmen trio shown above was a hand-painted card from a 90+ neighbor, who I play Scrabble with on a regular basis. Every year for the past several years she has created a card with a snowman theme. All are saved and treasured more than any store-bought gift.

Speaking of gifts, the ones we give one another are small. Like others we know of a similar age, we tend to gift ourselves throughout the year. And, our adventures are gifts to ourselves. However, we always exchange a few things. I gave Grenville a cookbook, CD and ornament. He gifted me with the penguin dryer balls, a flashlight for my car and a music box with handmade soap.

Your turn — do you exchange gifts; if so, did you receive special and/or fun gifts?

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're getting together with friends for dominoes

A nice break after Christmas & before New Year's

Holiday This 'N That #4

Thanks to all who have commented on the Holiday This 'N That posts in recent weeks. I've enjoyed researching, learning new things about Christmas and sharing with all of you. 

Regretfully, the holiday season comes early and goes away too soon especially as stores set up displays before Thanksgiving, then dismantle them before Christmas. We hope that the spirit of the holiday season stays with you all year long.

This (almost) final holiday post includes some of our favorite holiday movies and music, a bit more holiday trivia and photos of some holiday decos inside and outside our apartment.

Our Christmas tree, stockings hung with care, favorite ornaments

Favorite Classic Movie(s): The Bishops Wife, Holiday Affair, Beyond Tomorrow, Miracle on 34th Street, The Great Rupert, The Holly and the Ivy

Favorite Newer Movie(s): Love Actually, The Holiday, Mixed Nuts, Home Alone, A Christmas Story, Scrooged, The Grinch, The Santa Clause trio, Charlie Brown Christmas

Favorite Tunes: I'll Be Home for Christmas, The Christmas Song, Last Christmas, Santa Baby, Merry Christmas, Darling, Silent Night, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Snowmen and the Grinch reside on a window ledge in the Living Room

A colony of penguins, snowmen and Santa on a bookcase shelf

Last Christmas was recorded in 1984 and potentially could have reached #1 during the holiday season, but was eclipsed by Do They Know It's Christmas? a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 Ethiopian famine. Geldof and Ure assembled Band Aid, a supergroup of 40 popular British and Irish performers, and recorded the song at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, in a single day, November 1984. George Michael was also in the group and later donated all the royalties from Last Christmas to the cause.

The Nativity belonged to my late mother, the music box sled was a gift from a friend who's since passed and the penguins are because we like them

In 2023, 39 years after its release, Last Christmas was the No. 1 holiday song in the UK. This year, it again reached No. 1 on Friday, December 13. The tune fended off competition for the top spot from All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey. Ironically, George Michael died on Christmas Day 2016, age 53. Another one of my favorite singers, Eartha Kitt, also died on Christmas in 2008, age 81.

This holiday decked penguin sat on the front porch of our VA home for years and is now indoors outside our apartment entry with friends 

These were not the only performers who passed on Christmas, others have included: William Claude Dukenfield (W.C. Fields) died in 1946 at age 66, Charlie Chaplin died in 1977 at age 88, Joan Blondell died in 1978 at age 73, Dean Martin died in 1995 at age 87; James Brown died  in 2006 at age 73. (My mother passed away 10 years ago, 3 days before Christmas.)

This "rescue" Santa and reindeer face painted 40 years ago are outside our apartment

A number of the rich and famous, who were born on Christmas Day, include: Sir Isaac Newton (1642), Pius VI (1717), Conrad Hilton (1887), Robert Ripley (1893), Humphrey Bogart (1899), Tony Martin (1914), Anwar el-Sadat (1918), Rod Serling (1924), Jimmy Buffet (1946), Barbara Mandrell (1948), Sissy Spacek (1949), Annie Lennox (1954), Justin Trudeau (1971).

Vintage Hallmark teddy bears plus a new-this-year bear inside our apartment

However, wherever and with whom, you will be celebrating Christmas 

and Hanukkah , we wish you the merriest of times and everything good for 2025

The view outside our apartment window a few minutes ago . . . the snow is falling

Unfortunately, it's not expected to last beyond intermittent snow showers the rest of today. 

Nevertheless, it's a wonderful sight on Christmas Eve, even if for a short time.