Good 36º pouring rain dark morning.
Here's predictions for this week here in this area....
Yesterday the rain came on and then in the early afternoon we had a bit of sunshine and some blue sky. I was surprised!
We topped at 47º.
Picture of the Day...this is that time of year! 
Interesting about Clint Eastwood...
Clint Eastwood. Actor. Director. Producer. Cowboy. Cop. Father. From struggling young actor to multi Oscar-winning director, he has had an incredible career spanning from the 1950s to the present. Some of his movies were huge box-office hits and some were stinkers, but Clint's played some of cinema's most iconic roles, from The Man with No Name to Dirty Harry.
Clinton Eastwood Jr. was born on May 31st, 1930 in San Francisco, California. His mom was Ruth (née Runner; 1909–2006) and his dad was, you guessed it… Clinton Eastwood Sr. (1906–1970). Baby Clint was nicknamed "Samson" by the nurses in the hospital because he weighed in at a whopping 11 pounds 6 ounces! He has a younger sister, Jeanne Bernhardt, who was born in 1934.
During his early life, the family moved around California three times during the 1930s as his father changed occupations - it was the Great Depression, after all. As a pupil, he was held back due to poor academic scores at Piedmont Middle School. In January 1945, he attended Piedmont High School but was asked to leave for writing an obscene suggestion to a school official on the athletic field scoreboard, burning an effigy on the school lawn, and tearing up the turf with his bike!
He transferred to Oakland Technical High School and graduated from the airplane shop. High school friend Don Loomis said: "I don't think he was spending that much time at school because he was having a pretty good time elsewhere." It’s clear that it wasn’t a lack of intelligence that held Clint back, but more a cavalier, maverick attitude to the rules.
After finishing high school, Clint Jr. worked in a variety of jobs, including lifeguard, paper carrier, grocery clerk, forest firefighter, golf caddy at Claremont Country Club, and steelworker in states like Oregon and Texas. Eastwood claims he tried to enroll at Seattle University in 1951 but was instead drafted into the US Army during the Korean War.
But in April 1954, Lubin – the man who created the talking horse TV show, Mr. Ed – suggested that Eastwood attend drama classes and arranged for his first contract in April 1954, paying $100 per week. When Eastwood started working, the studio hated his stiff acting and habit of talking through his teeth when he said his lines — even though this became a Clint trademark.
Clint’s acting career wasn’t exactly a bed of roses. He won minor roles as sailors and soldiers and had a minor uncredited role as a ranch hand (his first western) in August 1955 with Law Man, aka Star in the Dust. Universal presented him with his first TV role in July 1955, on NBC's Allen in Movieland, which starred comedian Steve Allen, actor Tony Curtis, and swing musician Benny Goodman. Universal terminated his contract in October 1955.
In 1958, Eastwood finally got his breakthrough. He wasn’t the finest of actors, but he had everything that makes America great: good looks and perseverance. He was cast as Rowdy Yates in CBS's hour long cowboy series Rawhide. The 30-year-old Eastwood wasn’t enamored with the role; he felt Rowdy was too young but had to take his shot. Shoots were grueling, often filming six days a week for an average of 12 hours a day in the baking Arizona desert.
Rawhide was a massive success. Audiences lapped it up but – like an old cowboy's horse – but the show ran out of legs by 1963 and a lack of originality led to a ratings decline. Eastwood tried his hand directing trailers for the show, but couldn't convince producers to let him direct an episode. In the show's first season, Eastwood earned $750 an episode. When Rawhide was canceled in the middle of the 1965–66 season, he received $119,000 as severance pay!
Dirty Harry was hugely popular with audiences and earned a whopping $36 million from a budget of $4 million. Putting in his best acting performance yet, the gritty cop thriller spawned four sequels and Clint played Detective Harry Callahan over the next 17 years, always carrying his trusty .44 Magnum.
If you want to read a lot more about Clint, go here:
From Mr. Food
Our Easy Cheeseburger Ring is a family-favorite, ground beef dinner recipe that gets everyone excited! It's simple, tasty, and easy to customize. It even doubles as a great party appetizer. The best part? No matter where you serve it, it's gonna be budget-friendly. Everyone loves a totally classic cheeseburger way of chowing down!
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
- Preheat oven to 350 º. Coat a 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef and onion, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain.
- Stir in ketchup, mustard, Cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Unroll crescent rolls. Place wide end of triangles in center of pizza pan, forming a ring, overlapping dough as necessary. Spoon meat mixture into center of each triangle. Bring smaller ends of triangles over meat, tucking ends under.
- Bake 20 minutes, or until rolls are golden. Serve warm.
***Serve with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and pickles for that authentic cheeseburger experience!
Historically this date......
1636 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the United States National Guard.
2000 – The "Texas 7" escape from the John Connally Unit near Kenedy, Texas and go on a robbery spree, during which police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot and killed.
2003 – Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit(see Operation Red Dawn).
And births this date include....
1818 – Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States (d. 1882)
1910 – Van Heflin, American actor (d. 1971)
1925 – Dick Van Dyke, American actor and comedian
Interesting.... he's 95. He got married the first time in 1948 and after 38 years got divorced. Then he married again in 2012 at age 87!
1929 – Christopher Plummer, Canadian actor (d.2021)
All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Monday. Ciao.
xo Sue Mom Bobo
December 13th commemorates the birth of the National Guard.
A component of the United States Army, the National Guard is primarily composed of citizen soldiers who hold down full-time, civilian jobs, attend school or as is often the case, both. At the same time, they are available to provide support and protection for the states’ civilians or to be called for military operations for the country.
Each U.S. state, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the territories of Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands maintain both an Army National Guard and an Air National Guard.
National Guard Mission
National Guard Soldiers serve both community and country. Our versatility enables us to respond to domestic emergencies, overseas combat missions, counter-drug efforts, reconstruction missions and more. The Guard always responds with speed, strength and efficiency, helping to defend American freedom and ideals.
From before the start of the American Revolution to Hurricane Katrina and beyond, the National Guard has provided support and protection for its citizens.
HOW TO OBSERVE
While not recognized as a Federal Holiday, National Guard members across the country celebrate the birth of the oldest military organization in the United States with galas, balls and birthday parties.
NATIONAL GUARD BIRTHDAY HISTORY
On December 13 of 1636, a direct declaration by the Massachusetts General Court established an official militia for the first time in the American Colonies. The resolution required all able-bodied men from age 16 to 60 to join. While less-organized militia existed, this legal document brought them together under a formal establishment. We know this organization today as the National Guard.
The Massachusetts Bay Colony established three regiments designated East, South, and North. Older than the United States itself, the National Guard maintains these roots in Massachusetts. The regiments include the 101st Engineer Battalion (formerly East Regiment), the 101st Field Artillery (South Regiment), and the 181st Infantry and the 182nd Infantry Regiment (North Regiment).
After the United States was formed, and the country grew, each state established its own militia. However, the term National Guard was not the official name until 1933. While some states used the term National Guard before this time, individual state militia had various titles. Two examples include the Mississippi State Guard and the Indiana Legion.
After World War II, the newly established United States Air Force established the Air National Guard.
Today, approximately 350,000 men and women serve in the National Guard and the Air National Guard, 39% of the Army’s operational force.
** My Jerry was a Marine but also served with California National Guard after we were married. He operated a 155 self-propelled howitzer....
In the Marines he had been a tanker....
