Stuck in the ’70s — It’s About Time You Came Back!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Well, summer’s winding down. For that I’m grateful. My leave of absence is almost over. For that, I’m not.

It’s hard to believe how quickly six weeks off work goes, especially if you don’t have a screaming, pooping, barfing newborn to take care of.

The first couple weeks after surgery kind of sucked. I was sort of hoping for an extended vacation, as it were. But what I got instead was a lot of pain and the inability to do for myself. Thankfully, it got better.

What have I done over this past month and a half? Let me try to recall …

There was plenty of TV and DVD watching, computer playing and book reading. There were also the days completely wasted (maybe not, when it comes to my sanity), lying around with the cats and sleeping while it rained. There were two or three trips back and forth to Memphis to shuttle No. 2 son; and the times I spent with my best girlfriend, watching ghost-hunting shows, talking politics and eating excessively.

I mustn’t forget a couple jaunts to spend the day with Dad. And the times Old Fartt #2 joined us for some pickin’ and grinnin’ and big breakfasts. There was a hot day in the shade on the banks of the rapidly flowing Spring River. And, most recently, there was the trip down said river in a blow-up boat.

Sooner than I’d like, I’ll be reporting for duty at the kitchen design desk of your local home improvement center. Back to the day in, day out … some rude and irate customers, a handful of rumor mongering co-workers and backstabbers, aching bones and feet and taxes. In the middle of that, it’s when I’ll remember lying in bed at 11 in the morning, reading about sexy vampires and listening to Diablo’s soft purr.

The things I thought I’d accomplish didn’t quite get finished — although there’s still a day or two for that; and I’ll have some days off from work coming. The house is a little less messy, and that’s what matters, I guess.

I took some pictures and some video along the way, most of it – no, probably all of it – not really worth looking at. But it’s fun just the same. Below is a 1 minute, 45 second sample of “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.”

My brother, my sweet baboo and I had gone to the outfitters to take a raft ride down the river. It was 1 in the afternoon. We arrived too late, so we scheduled for the next morning. We didn’t realize we’d be spending 5 hours in the unforgiving sunshine, fighting for our lives over some falls, dodging snakes and turtles and running out of beer a quarter of the way through.

Anyhoo … this video is from the day before the raft trip. I didn’t dare take my video camera along on that, and it’s a good thing, too (saving it for another blog entry). We had just been turned down for the Saturday float and decided to stop at a drive-in fast food chain for a bite to eat before heading back to the motel.

This is what we encountered.

Well, I’m off to tackle the grocery shopping.

Stay cool,
Julie
12:42 p.m. 8/25/08

When my dad first met my mom he knew her as Sunny.

Anyone who’s ever met my mom knows she exuded optimism, joy and happiness. She earned the nickname while working at the five and dime and was a fountain girl before my dad saw her in the window working on her latest job, as window display designer.

Aug. 13 Mom would be 80. This Thanksgiving she will have been physically gone for 5 years. Hard to believe … because Mom is here with me every day.

I smell her, I feel her, see her, and hear her daily.

While recuperating these past few weeks, I figured out some computer stuff and waded through some early family movies.

I knew what we had was something rare to be treasured. I realized I lived a “Wonder Years” existence. But, now, in going through these old films, I’ve realized what brilliant people my parents really are.

Dad worked with a hand-me-down 8mm camera (not Super 8 with sound), and Mom worked with, well, her God-given talents.

My plan is/was to come up with a Fidler Family video to give everyone at Christmas on DVD, complete with chapter selections and extras, perhaps some narration.

What’s amazing is how little editing is required. My dad shot all this with the cuts in his head, conserving film and developing costs, physically cranking the camera between takes, and I guess, asking or telling my mother what he would like her to do.

Then there’s my Mom, always acknowledging the camera — and then ignoring it.

Pure brilliance.

So, I’ve edited this down to 3 ½ minutes, and it’s all their doing.

Happy birthday Mom.
I love you.
Sis

Well, I had a bad few days there, but all is well now.

While recuperating from surgery, there’s not a whole lot one can do — except turn into Jack Nicholson from “The Shining.” So, I’ve parked my ass in front of the television A LOT.

Seeing all this hullabaloo about the Beijing Olympics (testing for steroids, testing to make sure competitors are the gender they say they are, pollution in China, the 41-year-old swimming mom whose coach has fallen ill) makes me long for “The Battle of the Network Stars.”

Now, THERE’S sports worth watching. Celebrity T&A (and D).

CBS’ Tom Selleck in a Speedo atop the starting block at the pool; Richard Hatch (the REAL one, from ABC’s “Streets of San Francisco” — not the fat, naked gay guy from “Survivor”) sweating in his blue Addidas shorts, thigh muscles rippling in the relay race; Leif Garrett looking tossled after jumping the hurdles; and yes, Farrah’s hair staying gorgeous in the tug of war even while she’s wearing white knee socks with a couple of blue stripes at the top (where ARE the young chicks finding those now?).

But, probably the episode most of us remember is when Robert Conrad threw a hissy fit. I couldn’t stand that guy. I hated his commercials. “Knock this battery off my shoulder. I dare ya!”

I’ll knock yer head off yer @!#*! shoulders, ya frickin’ !@#&*!

The situation was the relay race. ABC’s team captain was Mr. Kotter, Gabe Kaplan. The team included actors from “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Streets of San Francisco,” and “Charlie’s Angels.” Conrad was on NBC’s team. Shoot, the only things I watched on NBC were “CHiPs” (LOVED to watch Erik Estrada on “Battle of the Network Stars” — be still my heart) and “Saturday Night Live.” “Kojak’s” Smelly Savalas was the captain for CBS. That team included, hell, I don’t know — who else was there but Thomas?

I found a clip of this on You Tube, of course. It starts off with ol’ cigarette-puffin’, shades-wearin’ baldy Smelly Savalas talking to Howard “Get this thing off my head” Cosell. It’s about 9 minutes long, but definitely worth a peek. By the way, I still have my huge poster of Selleck in his Speedo on the starting block plastered to our bedroom wall. Don isn’t offended because he thinks it’s one of the Scrubbing Bubbles.

Conrad Vs. Kaplan

Put this URL in your Browser and smoke it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqWU9huMMco

Meanwhile, back at the ranch …

I finally got a video of Don & his buddy approved for upload. Well, sorta. I showed it to them, and they both liked it, but they want to do it again — the right way. Don told Old Fartt #2, “It’s more of a showcase of Julie’s talents than ours.”

As I showed it to them, I couldn’t argue with that, and I take absolutely no offense. My role is writer, director, videographer, film editor, sound engineer, producer and fan base. They’re “the talent.” (more demanding than the Monkees for gosh sakes)

So … they are in the process of honing their skills. I’ve provided them with a Large Print copy of the lyrics, and the 2 Old Farttz are gonna “do it right” for the second version of this video. I’m allowed to present it here so long as I let the viewers/readers/public/world know, “It gets a WHOLE lot better than this.”

OK. That being said, check out this video from an impromptu jam session in our living room a week ago tonight. Let me know what you think.

2 Old Farttz Jam

I can’t seem to get the videos to embed, so copy and paste this address into another tab on your browser, and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_TqcKhqJO4

It’s 104 on the porch.
Stay cool,
Julie
12:10 p.m. 8/1/08