Wednesday, September 23, 2009

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree

Falling apple I chatted with my folks on the phone today (they're doing fine, just busy), and I had a funny moment when talking to Dad. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, just a routine checkup, but we got on the subject of cancer.

Dad: Cervical cancer can be treated pretty easily now, as long as they find it quickly. Not like that other cancer women can get...what is that one...?

Me: Ovarian?

Dad: Yeah. I guess women can have that and not even know it until it's too late.

Me: It's a bad one. I've tried to learn about the symptoms so I can recognize it if something is seriously wrong.

Dad: What's that other one that's so bad?

Me: Pancreatic?

Dad: Yeah. That's what Patrick Swayze died of.

Me: Yeah, that was sad.

Dad: You know, I felt really bad about that. I liked Patrick Swayze. I never saw "Dirty Dancing," but I liked that one...which one was it where he's a bouncer and comes in to run a club?

Me: "Road House"! It's one of my favorites! We watched it the night we heard he'd died.

Haha! It just cracked me up to hear that my 86-year-old Dad digs "Road House"! We talked about a few of our favorite parts (Dad said, "Boy, he could really take care of those bad guys, couldn't he?"), and it just tickled me. This was almost as great an epiphany as when Dad told me, "You know, if I hadn't gone into the National Guard, I always thought it would be neat to run an office supply store." I told him, "So that's where I get it from!" and we laughed. We agreed, though, that we'd never turn a profit, because we'd constantly be buying out our own stock.

There are certainly worse tendencies to inherit from your parents. I'll take the quirks of loving "Road House" and office supplies over nasty traits any day!

~~~~~

Hummy girl I'm amazed that our hummingbirds are still here. I think this is the latest they've ever stuck around. The boys left a couple of weeks ago, but the girls are still coming up to the feeders, trying to bulk up for their flight south. I'm guessing they'll be gone in the coming week. I hate to see them go, but I look forward to their return every spring!

In the meantime, our barred owl has been very vocal lately. I hear him often at night, and Ken got to hear him the other night, too. It's such a spooky sound...I love it! Now we need to get the coyote howling at the same time. Ooooo!

~~~~~

Does anyone else watch "Hell's Kitchen"? Ken and I love it. It's a little bit of "Iron Chef," with a whole lot of the foul-tempered (and foul-mouthed) Gordon Ramsay thrown in the mix. "It's RAW!" "Feel that...it's STONE COLD!" [throws pan in the trash] "Come ON!" Last night, someone was blubbering about how they couldn't take it anymore, and I asked Ken, "Had they never watched the show before they tried out for it?" Would I want to take that kind of abuse? No way. But I wouldn't try out for a show like that, knowing that is how the Big Guy operates.

We also watched the premiere of "The Good Wife" with Julianne Margulies and Chris Noth. I thought it was quite good, and although I'm not committed to watching it faithfully, I'll definitely tune in again. Neat premise--woman's politician husband gets caught in a sex/money scandal and goes to prison, woman goes back to work as a lawyer. Very topical!

It's nice to see some of our favorites begin the fall season, even though this means the end of our summer movie watching. So many movies, so little time!

11 comments:

  1. I love your interchange with your dad. I like Road House too and I adored Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing. Of course, half of the women in the World felt the same. Watched The Good Wife and enjoyed it, like you I'm not certain if I will add it to my regular viewing schedule. I already have too many shows that I watch regularly!Of course I could quit work so that I would have more time to watch all the stuff that I record on my DVR.

    I've thought the same thing about the folks on Hell's Kitchen. Surely they watched the show before auditioning! Ramsay is very scary. I really enjoy any episode with flames shooting off the stove our out of the oven.

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  2. Paul and I watch Hell's Kitchen all the time. I agree it obvious from the get go what kind of treatment you can expect.

    Loved the play by play with your dad. (Hugs)Indigo

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  3. Glad we started watching Hell's Kitchen. For readers who have never watched it, give it a chance. I first caught an episode on a business trip, and while was not sure at first because Ramsay is so abusive, on a slow TV night, I turned it on and on the second viewing, was hooked. So was Beth. So, to not make your decision in the first few minutes, watch the entire show, and then make your viewing choice :o)

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  4. haha! That's too funny.. I've always been addicted to stationery, and so was my mum! We used to fight over the Staples catalogue :)

    Ramsay is kinda difficult to get used to. I really disliked him when he first started appearing on TV, but I guess now I understand what he's about. He's a really good chef (so I understand from those who've eaten his food) and he's an exceptionally talented and successful restaurateur. He's immensely passionate about what he does - hence the rage and the torrents of abuse - but in all the episodes I've seen so far, I've never been left thinking to myself "Ramsay's wrong!" Quite the contrary, actually. :)

    Watch out for another Gordon Ramsay series - "The F Word". Be warned, though, it's guts 'n' all, and in one or two series they show the slaughter of pigs and chickens. Not something I can watch, but I accept the honesty of the programme. This IS where your food comes from. :-\

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  5. I like your dad!

    The only TV show I absolutely can't miss is Hoarders, on A&E on Monday nights. It may be the most interesting show I've ever seen on TV. It's a documentary series about folks who can't stop acquiring "things", until their homes are unbelievable, dangerous, unsanitary junk heaps, and an intervention must be done. Other than that, I can't really get into TV much, although I have a feeling I might get stuck on Dancing With The Stars once again this season. Maybe.

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  6. The conversation with your Dad reminded of my Mother telling me she loves to watch House. You could've bowled me over. She is so reserved...and she watches House!

    I guess I'd have to say my favorite Patrick Swaze movie is Ghost. Especially that potter's wheel scene!

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  7. Are you freaking kidding me??? You can tell the difference between boy Mockingbirds and girl Mockingbirds???? Holy Bird Gender, Batman! That's amazing. (And don't tell me one is blue and the other's red. I have a feeling there's more to it than that!)

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  8. nope, don't watch Hell's Kitchen. Most of my shows started yesterday, and tonight too. lots of TV to watch. The Good Wife is recorded but not watched. Glad you had a good conversation with your dad.

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  9. I go through that with my Dad, too, finding out we like the same odd things. It's nice to be a part of that continuation.
    I didn't see The Good Wife. I am a Glee-k, and a Top Chef-er on Wednesday nights!

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  10. I LOVE HELL'S KITCHEN!!! You HAVE to catch me up, I've missed two weeks now, because of the Bible Study I signed up for.... I'm also missing More to Love, which, HERE comes on after Hell's Kitchen!! I think the guy that I want to win Hell's Kitchen is Dave (wait, that's the guy that broke his wrist, right?? The one that talks kinda funny!! LOL! He's REALLY good, I like him!) Is he still on it!??

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  11. Good luck with your appointment. We watched the Good Wife last night and think it may be a pretty good series. That is the difference in generations, my dad would have never thought of talking to me about that but he was 65 when I was born. Actually I do not remember having checkups or anyone pushing like now for women to have checkups

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I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?