Archive for July, 2008

This past weekend, we spent several hours trying to figure out what we are going to do with the area underneath our deck in the backyard. We have a deck coming off the main level, but as you walk out the door from the walk-out basement, all we have there now is an old makeshift doghouse that was there for Flash to use when it was windy or cold outside.

We would love to get a hot tub and put some nice pavers around it to make a nice relaxing area to kick back and enjoy ourselves. We even spent some time looking at some really cool spa accessories including scenes to put up on the wall behind the hot tub.

I can just imagine it now, kicking back after a long day at work to sit in our hot tub that overlooks the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, all from our backyard in Georgia. If that’s not heaven, I don’t know what is.

On this day, in 1956, Brenda Lee recorded her first big hit.

On this day, in 1868, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. Do you remember what it said?

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3. No one shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Many people in our country pay no attention to our Constitution. I really don’t think enough emphasis is placed on learning it in schools either. More people know how to get a passport than know anything about the Bill of Rights or many other amendments to the Constitution.

On this date in 1946, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin teamed up and became one of the most famous comedy teams ever.

Classic.

One day after Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin performed together for the last time, the movie “Pardners” was released.

Their final performance took place exactly ten years after they began performing together, and the nightclub, condo hotel, and movie industry has never been the same. Then again, by the time they stopped performing together I’m not sure too many people would have been interested in producing another movie with them, although I think it would have been good, as I am a huge fan.

On this day in 1973, Jim Croce’s hit, “Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown” hit number one on the Billboard pop-singles chart. Ahh, 1973. An era where everything was simpler. No iPods, no internet, just good books, acne products, and good music. Those were the days.

He died two months later.

On this day in 1976, Nadia Comaneci became the first gymnast to get a perfect score of 10 on the uneven parallel bars.

Man, how time flies. Since Nadia captured our hearts we have seen a massive change in the world.
Computers are a million times faster, we have energy efficient lightbulbs, moving pods make it easier to move your stuff, heck, we’re even moving farther and more than back then. So what hasn’t changed since Nadia took the gold?

Not much.

Ruby Stevens was born on this day in 1907. Who was Ruby Stevens you ask? Why, she was one of the best actresses Hollywood has ever seen.

Of course, you know her as Barbra Stanwyck. Of course, I grew up watching her on “The Big Valley” and other shows. One of my favorite things to do, whether I am at home on a Sunday afternoon or sitting in a hotel room on vacation on the Outer Banks, is finding old reruns of shows like “The Big Valley”. They sure take me back.

Today, President Gerald Ford would have been 95 years old.

This day may be famous for being his birthday, but I will always remember it, because I was sitting in a house packing moving boxes getting ready to move into my first apartment. Yep. I remember the date. Why? Because I was in Las Vegas and the temperature outside was like 120 degrees. It’s hard to forget that.

You can find out more about this day in history at the History Channel, Those Were The Days, and InfoPlease .

In 1989, Laurence Olivier passed away.

Laurence Olivier was an excellent actor. He always seemed to be a gentleman and he was always in shape and never needed fat burners. He was a true class act. Of all the rolls he played, I think my favorite was Nicodemus in “Jesus of Nazareth”.

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