The Spy Who Loved Me...or not

I've just been reading Willow's post about the Russian Spies, and now I have an urge to see the Bond stuff. I may even indulge in a Lichee martin, I don't know from shaken or stirred so ... I can remember my parents talking about spies during their ordeals during WWII. My dad even pointed out some railway enthusiasts to me saying that taking photos of a rail line would be taboo in Poland. I've never forgotten that, and often when my guys and I would volunteer at The Rosary Apostolate Office there would be all these individuals taking photographs, it's always made me uneasy, silly I know but... My dad use to say this is all gathering intelligence (not in those words, we spoke Polish to our parents). But as one of Willow's comments said "we blab everything now, one would not think this unnecessary" Anyway I get most of my news Monday -Thursday from the Daily Show, so it's not what you would say non-selective, and since I fall asleep shortly thereafter I don't know what the "real news" is saying about all this. But my question today is "What's your favorite spy book/movie? Mine would have to be the Spy Who Loved Me, Ive not seen the movie, I read the book, when I was very young, really, I`m sure parental controls should have been exercised. REALLY

Back to Romance

Do you ever watch old movies. I don't mean black and whites. I mean like Get Smart, or Columbo. I sort of crash on Sunday afternoon and I watch Columbo, or MacMillan and Wife, or Mcleod. Remember when that series came out and it was a Sunday night special. Take note in the advancements that have taken place in law enforcement, in technology. Compare these to the CSIs of today. My kids laugh at me for watching these shows. And while we know Columbo will get his man, and Sally and Mac will solve whatever crime is being committed, we also know that there would never be a cop like Mcleod for long in New York today. I slept with a cop for 29 years, I know. So of all these men ( and other than Sally and Mildred, the wife and maid) all these heroes were men. Even these things have changed. Where am I going with all this? Well I need to decide when my romance novel will take place. What time and where globally. I had always thought it would be historical fiction, but apparently that doesn't sell too well. I'm not sure I'm interested in selling. After all my husband needs to keep working. So I've been watching and taking notes on places I'd like to dream of having a romance in. Haven't decided on the hero yet. I know that once I meet him I will not even consider any other. We're not talking love here, just romance. Or could it be the romance of all time and love just happens.
Remember "Love Story" with Ali and Ryan O'Neil. Wasn't that sappy. I think I'll have to have the hero have some more horrific secret. (part of the formula) O.k. the first 5 comments that suggest a horrific secret will get a cameo appearance in the book. And if I use your suggestion well you might be the other woman.

P.S. Yes the cop I sleep with has a raincoat just like that, I would not allow him to wear it all wrinkled like that. After all I have that fabulous iron, but that's another blog. He's perhaps not as clever as Columbo, but he's certainly as annoying.

Lady in Yellow dress

When I read Leslie's blog today, I clicked on Carmi and saw all the buttons. The lady in yellow dress reminded me of Ruth. I don't know what her last name was, but in the summer my sisters and I would line on the front lawn of the Nugent house under those 200 year old pine trees and wait for Ruth to go to church. You can imagine how early we did this, since we then went to get dressed and went to church ourselves for 11 a.m. Even though my mother was a dressmaker we never got frilly dresses and everything was made so it could fit someone else when we grew. Ruth's mother obviously liked them, and Ruth wore them every Sunday. My favorite was the yellow one. Her hair would be all teased and everything. I always thought when I got so old that everyone would think I lost it I'd get myself one of those dresses and wear rumba panties with knee socks (another thing my mother did not do.) And lots of lace, and frills. Just like Baby Jane, from the movie. When we started to sew for ourselves we did some pretty things, but by then we were too old for frills and rumba panties and knee socks for that matter. We did make some pretty neat stuff though. My sister Donna had a really nice navy linen suit with a pink blouse and a "Virgin Pin" remember those. I only remember Alice making maternity pants, she was not a sewer. Although now that my mother is somewhat confused she gives Alice all her alterations. Barb was a great hemmer, she could do a hem like nobodies business (what ever that means). And Donna and Alice and Veronica had these pop tops that had three ruffles on the bottom, gingham if I remember correctly. I think I'm the only one that ended up sewing for a living. (Did I mention that I live in poverty). I have some lovely fabric though. I don't think my mother ever bought us any dresses everything was had sewn. I guess being a dressmaker it would be bad for business if your kids wore store bought clothes.To this day I have difficulty shopping for clothes. I have now set some criteria, I only sew wool, silk and linen and dress up clothing. As I don't go out much, I don't sew much. When I buy something I could have made, I hear my mother voice, "why couldn't you make that". If she only knew. All this talk of yellow dresses has made me think, I think I have a yellow dress started someplace. I know I must have fabric. Well I guess we know what I'm doing today. in the photo you'll see my mother made all our dresses, no frills, no knee sock. Donna, my cousin Kaz, Alice and Barb.

Que Sera Sera

I was born in the early 50's. In my profile you'll see that I love to listen to Doris Day Weird huh! I'm nothing if not weird. I just felt like listening to Que Sera Sera the other day and when I Googled it, I got all kinds of interesting facts about Doris. I have a dear friend named Doris. Haven't seen her for awhile, but she always puts things in perspective for me re: my boys. Being the mother of 3 adult boys she is so calm I sometimes want to shake her up and say get mad. I'm sure she does. I met Doris during World Youth Day. Doris and I volunteered at our Parish. We were then permitted to attend many of the attractions, of course I was on the security committee, (I don't know why, but people assume your a cops wife, you must know everything there is to know about security)anyway, I arranged a security pass for Sasha since he was too young to participate, and Daniel was working and off Doris, Sasha and I went downtown, on the bus. She nearly died when I suggested it, having driven everywhere all the time. Well when we got off the subway at Parliament, it was very crowded, and I was not sure about the direction, so I went to ask one of our boys in blue, (leaving Sasha with Doris, you know Sasha often wears orange so I thought no problem I'll find them even in a crowd>) Well! when I got my directions straightened out I got turned around and panic set in, here I was a responsible mom, leaving my child with a woman I hardly knew and she TOOK him, (did I mention Doris isn't very big, and if push came to shove Sasha could beat her up if need be.) Anyway that orange head and shirt came through and I found them, my heart jumping out of my chest, they were just where I left them waiting patiently. We had a wonderful evening together and Doris has been my friend since, and both my boys have grown to really care for her.

See how easily I am distracted. Back to Doris Day. I'm sick of my hair. So I thought I'm going to look for a new do. I love the way Doris Day always had her hair so groomed. We don't see that in our young actors anymore. Look at Jennifer Aniston, a lovely young lady, but don't you just want to comb her hair. So I'm checking out Doris hairdos for inspiration. I even think I'm going back to being a blond, I truly think I have more fun. Sometimes I don't recognize myself in the mirror with this brownish tone.

What does this have to do with my romance novel you ask? I'm trying to do a physical profile of my heroine. Doris Day it's you! Maybe a little spicier, but definitely with combed hair. ().