188 Reality TV

Reality TV

Some years ago--more than I like to image--dear husband and I had numerous conversations about all the “reality tv” shows cropping up. We didn’t think we liked them. 

The banker husband posited that it was a grand plot to save money using local and outdoor sets for free advertising, unknown “regular” people instead of trained, professional actors. 

How could people expose themselves this way? Monitors and cameras on them night and day. Certainly edits of their conversations to make them sound more titillating. What were these people thinking? A way to stardom? A few dollars?

So last week, before the dire death of my motherboard in my computer, thankfully I had pulled up a few Google sites: realityblurred.com, IMDb.com, history.com. 

How long has it been since reality tv has crept into our tv viewing? The following reality shows have been watched off and on over the years. OH MY GOSH!! WE WERE AMAZED at the number of shows we have watched and HOW OLD the shows were. Our thoughts on this tv genre were really wrong! Reality tv is here to stay!

Please take a look at our list--in no chronological order and in no priority order. Just wrote down the names as we remembered them. See which you remember. 

Survivor (this was our first show - liked the host)

American Pickers

The Bachelorette (still watching)

The Bachelor (still watching)

Duck Dynasty (what a disappoint they turned out to be)

The Kardashians (nope – only one season) American Idol

Project Runway (love Tim Gunn)

Dancing with the Stars

Top Chef (tired of Padma) 

RuPaul (he’s become a “phenom”)

America’s Got Talent

Great British Bakeoff (though I can NOT do any of their recipes)

Forensic Files (only in reruns)

Pawn Stars (miss the “Old Man”) 

Hell’s Kitchen (love Gordon)

Dance Moms (in its heyday)

And, of course, (my weekly snarky comment): sometimes we count the news as a reality show!   

Awaiting a New Motherboard     

Savvy Glenne     

187 Surviving snow

Surviving snow 

Surviving the extremes of winter in the northernmost point of Virginia is not easy. It takes perseverance and experience to make it through the rough spots.

Most people think Virginia is located in what is considered the south in the United States, and for many reasons, it is. But geographically it is pretty far north, and thus the winter weather prevails.

Cold temperatures, snow, ice, and sleet are no strangers to this southern landscape. Some years are worse than others.

This year is proving to not let up on the extremes. The first snow came in November 2018 before the official arrival of winter. The only upside about these early storms is that often the leftovers will melt quickly. This was true of the about six inches we received before Thanksgiving.

But now we are in the throes of winter and no let-up is in the picture. After the first flakes fall, the scene is beautiful and then reality sets in. Piles of snow will melt, freeze, refreeze and become these ugly, dirty mounds of muck. No beauty left for sure.


We usually get a sunny day right before the bitter weather arrives. That is just a little tease to make us realize what we are missing--a rather cruel trick that causes a deep longing for the arrival of spring.

There are actually some people who love this weather and welcome it. I have no idea how this can be but to each his own.

Over the years, residents find ways to survive and cope as this ugly pattern cycles in and out. Reading, cleaning out, handwork, and other pursuits prevail as we try to ignore what is outside our windows.

Don’t even think about trying to lose weight as we head into this season that follows the holidays. Food is crucial as we are turned into shut-ins for a brief time. Grocery stores become the oasis of salvation as crowds converge the minute the bad weather forecast is broadcast. Milk, bread, toilet paper, and other necessities fly out of the stores at warp speed.

My husband and I have learned over the years how to make the experience a little better. He has tried positioning the vehicles so when the plows come through, he doesn’t have as much to shove. It never seems to work perfectly but sometimes is better than others.

I always make sure I have, in addition to plenty of groceries, a large bag of salt to melt the snow and ice. People warn me it will hurt the concrete, and I reply “better the concrete than me.” Our house has a full flight of steps to get to the front porch, so you better believe I throw the salt liberally. 

Luckily, we live within the city limits so we can walk to many locations. Often times, no stores are open, but we still have the security that we could walk if necessary.

Exercise is also necessary for survival. My husband has a stationary bike that keeps him from going stir crazy. I walk indoors at the local mall if I can get there. Sidewalks for outside walking are never completely cleared for days.

Boots are another crucial element to making it through the winter. Short, tall, and medium height are necessary to walk from the house to the vehicle. Heights of boots depend on the depth of snow so be prepared.

Gloves, hats, parkas, and other warm garments are pulled from the depths of closets, attic, basement, and anywhere else they have been crammed for storage. Staying warm is so important during the shoveling stage.

From previous years

Shovels and scrapers have to be close at hand. This year my husband found a handy gadget that had both a broom and scraper on one pole. A discovery like this is monumental as the task becomes more manageable.

Forget parking in the city for days. Snow is stacked in many of the spots and getting to parking meters is a trick. I had to walk to the end of the block and come back to put money in the meter due to piled up snow. Parking garages are a great option, but be warned, they fill up fast.

Generally, we don’t see the grass in our yard until spring or later. The only good part of that is we don’t have to mow for quite some time.

So here I go to make some hot dish to consume this evening as we wait for the snow, freezing rain, and whatever else the elements send our way.

Also, a trip to the spirit store to keep you warm from head to toe is a definite necessity for survival!

Snow-Savvy Frances               

186 Woman at a Man's Show

Manning (being the booth person)at Civil War Relic Shows

I am trying not to be sexist, but Civil War relic shows are mostly the province of males. Sure there are women there--usually staying at the booth while the guys walk the aisles and wheel and deal.

So there are good things about being at the show and some not-so-great things:



Good Things

A good thing!?

• I get to wear this really neat T-shirt and hat!
• There is never a line in the ladies' room--unlike library conventions!
• The shows are away from home so I get to eat out every meal!
• You get to know the dealers after a few shows. Most are nice & friendly.
• I usually start and finish an entire book.
• I have material for this blog!

• I make and sell stick pins and bookmarks as a fundraiser for the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum in Winchester.

• Tootsie is also at the show, usually hiding under the table.

Bad Things

Ouch!

• If Trish is there, Harry can roam so I sit, and sit, and sit.

• The show runs Friday night and all day Saturday and Sunday.

• One-half day left, and I didn't bring a second book!

• Endless shopping opportunities and nothing I want to buy!

• I sold more stick pins and bookmarks than Harry sold relics at the Charleston, SC show. He did buy much inventory, which is why he goes so I guess that is a good thing?

So Harry always tells me how great it is to have Tootsie and me at the show! It is mostly fun except for my aching back!

Trish                   

185 Cemeteries

Cemeteries-–A Grave Matter

Happy and healthy 2019 to you, dear readers. I had every intention of blogging some New Year’s fun but absolutely got side-tracked working in the library archives. Many researchers over the past month were looking at genealogies. Makes sense--Thanksgiving through Christmas is a time of family gatherings, of sharing old stories, and family myths.

So that you might get an idea of how my brain jumped from topic to topic--I think I went from helping folks with Ancestry.com to Find a Grave to…many other more specific sites and old Bibles, books, and manuscripts. I also recalled what an

time I had in high school helping my Mother make a list of the headstones in a graveyard at an old church where many of her ancestors worshipped. 

I learned the following specifics which may help you do your research (from the Oxford English Dictionary):

Cemetery – a burial ground not in a churchyard

Graveyard – a burial ground in a churchyard

Tomb – a large underground vault or the hole dug to hold a coffin or casket

Tombstone - a large, flat engraved stone which may stand or lie over a grave

Headstone – can be synonymous with tombstone, but often used to denote a monument to a noted person or event

Mausoleum – a building erected to hold the dead bodies of a family; in the past, mainly for royals and landed gentry

Crypt - a stone or concrete chamber in which the casket is placed

Coffin – a long, narrow box of wood in which the dead body or ashes of the dead is placed

Casket – often synonymous with coffin, but usually of better, longer lasting qualities or the larger rectangular wood or metal box into which a coffin is placed

Sarcophagus – above ground tomb

Cenotaph - a commemorative monument to a dead person or persons who are buried elsewhere

Epitaph – saying engraved on the tombstone

From the website Livability, I learned some facts about graveyards and cemeteries (yes, inside the churchyard and outside of the church property). Gravestones are made of many types of material: granite, marble, quartz, sandstone, and wood. The assumption may be made, said author Kari Ridge, the more expensive the material, the higher class and more important the deceased is deemed to be. 

Obelisks began cropping up in the 1840s when Egyptology was very popular. The obelisk, reaching to the heavens, indicated the direction the soul was headed AND often they were cheaper because they took up less ground. 

Ridge also suggested that we pay attention to any carvings on the stones. For example, hands in prayer symbolize devotion, an hourglass says time flies, and lambs were commonly used for children. A final admonition from the author is that the once popular art of doing rubbings of a tombstone is often no longer allowed in many sites as age and acid rain are harming so many stones. Use your camera instead. 

If the weather holds (it’s in the 40s here in Virginia and in the 80s where Savvy Trish is now), go visit a cemetery or graveyard. It is a fascinating way to spend an hour or two. Some stones will break your heart, others will make you laugh like these two examples below: 

or even better, send this cartoon to your children!

Glenne