Dotty for Deco

I'm not a joiner by nature. 

photo attribution below

This doubtless comes as a shock (not really) to those who know me. In high school, at the insistence of my mother, I joined the ecology club, attended one meeting, and promptly dropped out (without telling my Mom). 

There was that time when Jan and I joined a racquetball club. We went there a few times and played, then stopped and let our membership lapse.

When my kid was in grade school, I was a member of the PTU . It was incredibly insular, however, and I never felt welcome. Don't get me wrong, the other members (mostly women) put on a good face, but I couldn't help feeling like I was in school myself, facing down the popular kids. I stuck with it for a couple of seasons, then gave up.

The years flew by, and other than signing up for AARP, I didn't feel the need to join any organization.

Then one afternoon a few years ago, I attended a symposium hosted by the Cowan Pottery Museum. I'd been smitten by the Jazz Bowl, created by Viktor Schrekengost (subject of another blog post of mine), and Mr. Ginley encouraged me to learn more. By the end of the talk, I was hooked. Today, I'm a card-carrying Cowan Pottery Museum Associate.

The Cowan Pottery collection is showcased in the Rocky River Public Library. Not surprisingly, Mr. and I are there pretty much every Sunday. I'm particularly taken with the Art Deco pieces. So when I heard this year's symposium focused on this genre, I knew I had to attend.

The main focus of the event was the 1925 Exposition Internationale in Paris. Art Deco (although it wasn't called that until years later) was the theme of the Exposition. It was a fascinating presentation, with lots of photos of the buildings and art that were showcased. Fun fact: only two major countries didn't participate: Germany and the United States. 

Sadly, it's difficult to get a real feel for what it would have been like to attend the event in person because black and white was the primary photographic option. There are a few brochures that remain with artists' renderings. But Art Deco is rife with vibrant colors like Egyptian Blue, so the absence of color is disappointing. (One exception is the photo featured above, which is quite lovely.)

The color issue was somewhat mitigated by another guest speaker, Joseph Davis, a local collector who brought several Art Deco pieces from the period and discussed the provenance of each. 

The symposium wrapped up with a contest. The presenter showed photographic details from Art Deco buildings around town, and the audience was tasked with determining where they were taken. Of the dozens of photos, I recognized exactly one. And that's only because it was from the State Theatre, and we'd just been there the week before.

Am I closer to being an expert after attending the symposium?

No, but that's okay. It was fun to just look end enjoy. 

I'll leave art experting to the experts. 

Photo attribution: Boudoir from the Hôtel du Collectionneur, at the 1925 Paris Exhibition, by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann. One of the rare color photos from the event.

For your viewing pleasure, below are photos of some of the items brought to the event by Joseph Davis Decorative Arts and Antiques:

Dear Advice Columnist

I've always been intrigued by the advice columns in the newspaper.

attribution below

Presumably, I'm not the only one, because, in my local rag, there's a proliferation of this genre. Where once Dear Abby and Ann Landers ruled, we can now get advice from Carolyn Hax, Dear Annie, Asking Eric, Meghan Leahy, and Heloise (she of the "Hints" for better living).

Reading these columns is a sort of guilty pleasure. It's comforting to see that other people have the same problems as I do. Or different problems that are much worse than mine. Or petty concerns that make me roll my eyes and say, "I should be so lucky if that's all I had to worry about."

Me being me, I can't stop from ruminating beyond the stories presented in these tales of woe-is-I. 

For example, there's the "he-said, she-said" factor – you're only getting one side of the story. Yes, there are times when the snarkiness or evil intent of the writer comes through loud and clear. But there are other times when I can't help wondering how the person on the other side of the table perceives their behavior. After all, it's not difficult to stretch the truth when pleading your case. I'd love to see a column where the other person had an opportunity to rebut.

"Jane, you ignorant slut!" (If you don't get the SNL reference, feel free to look it up.)

I'm not the only one in this house who enjoys reading these columns. (And no, I don't mean the cat.) Mr. Ginley partakes of them all, and he watches a lot of these sagas on YouTube. He will even talk back to the TV, when the narrator asks, "AITA" (i.e. "Am I the A-hole). His answer is most frequently "No!"

Why do we love peering into the lives of others? Does it make us feel better that we're not the only ones experiencing whatever it is we're going through? A "count your blessings" scenario, realizing others have it much worse than we do? Or a superior "get a life" reaction because we know our troubles are much worse than the idiot who's whining about her wedding cake being the wrong flavor and how her day was totally ruined.

As for me, I can't imagine ever writing a letter to an advice columnist.

I mean, as it is, Mr. Ginley occasionally says something like, "I saw your letter in Dear Abby today. I would never grab your ass in a fancy restaurant." 

I simply don't need that kind of drama.

Attribution: Alfred Stevens, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

To Be Frank

It was May 17, 1990. We were sitting on the couch in our apartment in Virginia, Mr. Ginley and I, testing each other's trivia skills. Having a good 'ole time. When the telephone rang.

We looked at each other. He paled. Something was wrong, he knew it instinctively. He went to pick up the phone.

His Dad, who'd been on vacation with his two brothers and his Mom, had a heart attack and passed away on a walk through Zion National Park. He was 70 years old. 

The first time I met Francis Ignatius Ginley, Jr. was a shock. My then-boyfriend warned me that his Dad hadn't warmed up to any of his girlfriends. I shouldn't feel bad if he nodded at me and went into the other room to read the paper. But that ain't what happened.

I walked in the front door of their home and was immediately greeted by his Dad who gave me a big kiss and a hug. I don't think I had a chance to give him a hug back, I was that startled. This didn't seem to bother him in the least. He put his arm around me and led me into the house. I then met Bill's Mom and his sister, Mary. The rest is a blur, but there was no question I'd been accepted into the fold.

Like my Dad, Frank was a veteran of World War II. He saw a lot of action, but didn't talk about it much. Clearly, it shaped who he became. By the time I met him, the edges had softened. He was tired and retired. He'd been through a lot.

Sadly, I only had four years with the man who became my second Dad, but they were eventful years. Mary passed away after bravely battling lung cancer. And his son followed me to Virginia to start a new life together. Mr. and I became Mr. and Mrs. but, as we came to regret, our parents weren't there to witness the nuptials.

On our last trip through town before he died, Dad made Mr. promise to take care of his Mom if anything happened. Which is why we ended up back here. 

I only wish our son could have know his Granddad. I know in my heart of hearts the two of them would have gotten on famously. I hope wherever his spirit lives (and I know it does) that Dad's watching over our boy.

Today, as we mark the 35th anniversary of his passing, I remember sitting in church for his funeral, feeling bereft. When in my head, I heard Frank, loud and clear, say, "Who the hell goes to Utah to die?" 

That was Frank. We love you and miss you like crazy, Dad!

Weekend Getaway

 Last weekend was lovely. 

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
photo attribution below

I took a trip to Columbus to see my sisters. I stayed with Diane and John. Diane and I shopped, we did jigsaw puzzles while John played DJ, and we (sans John) watched a Hallmark movie. 

The bird watching was a treat. If I had the skills of my friend, George, I'd share a pic of the rose-breasted grosbeaks that frequented her feeder on their way through town. (I cheated a bit and nabbed this online photo.)

Denise stopped by, and we all noshed on fish and chips from a place called Bag of Nails. Yum!

Sometimes you need to get out of Dodge, and this visit did not disappoint.

For those of you who are biting your nails and wondering, "How did Mr. Ginley fare in your absence?" – I assure you, he survived. Thanks, in part, to stocking up on his favorite snackables. Alas, the fruit I cut up remained untouched, but I suppose that was to be expected. 

To give him his props, Mr. was a good sport about being deserted – he encouraged me to enjoy my family time in C-Bus. 

To make up for last weekend's frivolities, I need to catch up on all the stuff that didn't get done in my absence. We got our T-Dap vaccines yesterday in anticipation of the arrival of our granddaughter.  I cut the lawn, which will please the neighbors no end. And we will be visiting various libraries to return books, stopping at Savers to drop off used items, and doing our semi-annual shopping for health and beauty items. 

And, oh yes, buying a microwave to replace our old rusted-out version. Although, admittedly, it's been nice having the extra counter space, we've decided we're not ready to do without this modern appliance. But it will be a more petite model than the behemoth we ditched. (If it takes a little longer to defrost the hamburger, so be it. We're not going anywhere.)

If you're still awake at this point, I can only offer my deepest gratitude. You get bonus points for fortitude and a winning attitude.

Did I use the Google to find a "tude" word to end this mess?

You betcha. I have quite the aptitude for wordery, eh?

Photo attribution: Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Who Were These People?

So many times I've been talking with Mr. Ginley and said, "I wish I could ask Mom (or Dad) about that." 

It's probably an aging thing (or perhaps it's our impending grandparenthood) but we find that we're reminiscing more about our parents. And there's so much more I want to know.

But all I have are faulty memories, photos, mementoes, and a lot of baggage.

I mean, who as a teenager thinks to ask their Mom or Dad what hopes and dreams they gave up to raise us kids?

I did learn that my Mom had a yen to pursue art. She told me once that she wished she'd gotten formal instruction. In another time and place, she probably would have. But she had six kids instead. Don't get me wrong, she said she had no regrets, and we knew she loved us. Still...you have to wonder about unfulfilled dreams.

As for my Dad, he was such a hardass when we were growing up, as many men of his generation were, and reluctant to talk about any dreams that were left behind. He went right from high school to service to his country to marriage and fatherhood. What would he have pursued if the expectations of his time hadn't existed?

I also think about my parents' relationship. They didn't argue much in front of us. Dad sometimes yelled at Mom, which would upset us. But it wasn't until later in life that I realized how deep their love for each other went. He sang "You Are My Sunshine" to her every night before bed, until the dementia came. Mom looked after him for the rest of his life, talking to him as if he understood everything. And, who knows, maybe somewhere deep inside, he did. 

In the end, it turns out we really don't know our parents at all. We make assumptions about who they were based on our own telescopic perception. Did we mistake discipline for a lack of love? Did we think our parents were too hard on us? Or not hard enough.

In the end, we have to acknowledge that our folks, with all their faults, did their best. As those of us who are parents understand all to well.

And hope that our children cut us a break for the mistakes we've made.

Or, as Mr. Ginley was fond of telling our own son, "This is nothing that years of therapy won't cure."

Brown Out

The two of us don't often have an evening out, so when we do, you know it has to be something special.

"Hold my coffee"

In the case of Wednesday night, it was Alton Brown who lured the Ginleys out of their cave.

The event was called "Alton Brown Live: The Last Bite." We sucked it up, plunked down a wad of cash, and planned our big night out. 

The first roadblock came up when we tried to get a parking pass. We found out too late that the parking garage was sold out for the evening. 

The second roadblock came in the form of a Cavs playoff game, which was going on at the same time as our show and would no doubt push parking prices through the roof. 

Given that neither one of us are adventurous when it comes to driving downtown (let alone trolling for parking), we began to stress a bit. Sure, we could take the rapid downtown, but that would mean schlepping back to Public Square afterward at 10:00 at night along with whatever Cavs fans were also hitting the happy trail.

What's a codger to do?

Well, this codger pulled out her computer and emailed her favorite livery service (aka Axel Hoyer) and arranged for a ride home.

So that was settled.

Fortunately, the weather cooperated. It was a lovely evening as Mr. and I headed downtown. We were lucky because there were no issues with the Rapid, and we made it downtown in good time. From there, we headed out of the Terminal Tower, reminiscing about all the stores that used to be there. (Remember the Warner Brothers gift store? Brooks Brothers? The record store?)

As we strolled down Euclid Avenue, we recalled the other stores and fast food joints that are mere ghosts in our memories. Peterson's Nuts on the square. Remember that smell? It was a little bit of heaven, and damn near impossible to pass by without nabbing a quarter pound of cashews. 

We had decided ahead of time to nosh at Heinen's, so we walked to 9th Street and went in to see what good eats we could find. (Alton Brown fans will appreciate this reference.) I'd heard there was a Michell's Ice Cream shop inside, so I was all set. Mr. Ginley found a pasta salad, a bag of chips, and an orange soda. We sat and ate our goodies and people watched. 

Who knew so many people in the CLE were wine connisseurs? A lot of the grape was sold that night.

As showtime neared, we headed over to the State Theatre (aka the "KeyBank State Theatre").  I guess everything is for sale these days.

I decided to grab a coffee, and we headed upstairs where we stood for half an hour waiting for our semi-nosebleed seats to become available.

They turned out to be quite good seats, all things considered. We both had a clear view of the stage, and Alton Brown did not disappoint. I wish my brother, Paul, could have been there. Alton did an entire schtick on Cap'n Crunch Cereal, choosing the proper bowl size, and milk. (Also, there was a funny bit about buttermilk.) He talked about watching Saturday morning cartoons, which those of us of a certain age could totally relate to.

There were other entertaining skits, an intermission, and the finale, which featured Barnabas Brown's Weiner Wonder Machine. Team Cleveland just squeezed into the 10th spot. (You had to be there.) 

All in all, a good time was had. And when we exited the theatre, there was our ride. 

"Wow, people are going to think we're somebodys," quipped Mr. Ginley. 

Not likely. Still, we did feel quite special being picked up at the door. In no time at all, we were winging our way homeward, chatting pleasantly with Mr. Hoyer about grandchildren and such, and we arrived back at the Casa de Ginley weary but happy.

We may not be spring chickens anymore, but it was fun flying the coop if only for one night.

Eggs-treme Nostalgia

I wish I could hop into the wayback machine and travel to my childhood.

This would be the day when my siblings and I decorated Easter eggs.

My Mom would present us with pristine white hard boiled eggs, ready for the dunking. She'd divvy them up to provide eggs-actly the same number to each child. (That's how we rolled in the Schrimpf house.)

One of the elder sibs (most likely Diane) would pour the boiling water into bowls along with vinegar and the fizzy color tablet.

We'd each pick out a metal dipper, which we'd bend into shape.

If we were so inclined, we'd use the waxy crayon to write a clever or possibly profane message on the egg before dunking it into the colorful liquid. 

You could dip the egg halfway in for a dual-color presentation or go all-in for one overall solid color. The more patient you were, the darker the shade. 

Once the eggs were colored and dry, you could add stickers or rub-on transfers.

The best part was critiquing each other's eggs. Someone (Paul) invariable went for the ugliest egg, which was achieved by dunking the egg in multiple colors that didn't blend well. The result would be something resembling baby shitz. 

After the eggs dried and we'd all lost interest, Mom would put the eggs in the carton and store them in the refrigerator until the Easter Bunny hid them later that evening. In those days, there were no worries about eggs going bad. Unless one wasn't discovered and the EB forgot where it was hidden. Then we'd all chime in with, "Well, if we don't find it, the smell will give it away in a few days." 

But it never came to that. 

These days, Easter for the Ginleys is just a day when many of the stores are closed. No decorated eggs, no Easter bonnets, no big Easter dinner.

But now that I've taken that stroll down memory lane, I don't mind. A nice, quiet day at home and maybe a walk in the park actually sounds kind of nice.

As an added bonus, we won't be eating hard boiled eggs every day for the next week.

The tradition carried over to the next generation.
(My niece, Melissa, is sitting on her mom's lap.)