Movie Baby Food for the Soul--from 1961 and 1962 🎥 🍿

I was so tired Friday evening, after running Skippy around to appointments and obligations (gymnastics, home instructor four days a week for two hours each time, doctor appointment in pouring rain, CVS Rx pickup, soccer practice, orthodontist). Plus my own doctor check-up, which I didn’t relish, since I haven’t been taking such good care of myself. Dan and I share the daily morning and afternoon driving, on top of that.

I know a million parents do a million good things for their children and don’t get exhausted, but I do. I hope that changes as I take better care of me. I thought the Miracle Balm I bought at Jones Road Beauty (Bobbi Brown’s flagship store in Montclair) might energize me, but I was too tired to put it on until this morning.

I had the living room and our one TV to myself both Friday and Saturday night. This was the nursery food I chose:

The Parent Trap from 1961, starring Maureen O’Hara, Brian Keith--and Hayley Mills playing the twins. It came out the year I was born. I loved seeing what was happening in the world and on the big screen, though I know what I saw was WAY above my parents’ level of comfort living. This story involves a beautiful ranch in Monterey with horses, a ranch hand, a mission style home and modern furniture--and, for the other twin, a high-society life in Boston. You see housekeepers, a chauffeur, girls’ sleepaway summer camp. That was not in the cards at 187 Bedford Road in Dumont. I didn’t feel deprived, not really, but seeing this was such fluff and fun. And the fashions, oh, the fashions.

Joanna Barnes as Vicky, the gorgeous gold digger who wants to marry Sharon's and Susan’s handsome Dad--before they intervene. Oh, Barnes plays this role deliciously. Best treasure: In the 1998 "Parent Trap" remake, with Lindsey Lohan, Barnes returns to play the gold digger’s mother. 

Sharon and Susan. Or is it Susan and Sharon? Even their parents can’t tell them apart.

Beautiful Maureen O’Hara--the chemistry is good with Brian Keith. My Dad and I loved watching "Miracle on 34th Street" with O’Hara every Christmas season, so I thought of him a lot.

That Touch of Mink, 1962, starring Cary Grant and Doris Day. Omigosh, omigosh. Again with the fashions, the hair, the Automat, the men’s office empire, the trips to Bermuda. The home decor. AND this swinging, wealthy bachelor lets secretary Cathy Timberlake (Doris Day) go to Bergdorf Goodman and pick out whatever she wants, from a sexy black evening gown (in 1962!) to a mink coat. I love that one of the closing credits thanks "Bergdorf Goodman for being Bergdorf Goodman."

Also stars Audrey Meadows (Mrs. Ralph Kramden) as Cathy’s roommate Connie, who works in the Automat. That setting brings on all kinds of funny lunch jokes from behind the little glass doors. I thought of my parents bringing us to the Automat when it was closing (and probably before that).

Cary Grant at his wittiest and most attractive.

Bermuda in all its glory, from a horse-drawn carriage to a private apartment with a view of coral sand beaches . Did I tell you my mother won a trip to Bermuda when I was in fifth grade? She and Dad went. So I thought of them there, too.

The worst thing about watching "Mink" is that it was playing on some odd network and there were SO MANY DARN commercials. Now I see I could have watched it on Amazon Prime?! Honestly, I practically memorized the commercials for an online casino and for a drug that might help prevent HIV. I know the latter is vital but the ads were repeated SO MANY times. So the movie wasn’t really free--I paid with my mind space, infiltrated with those ad messages.

Anyway, those were two great movies. Good night to you. I will be joining The Neon Tea Party Crochet Camp on Zoom at 8:15 p.m. Making a sweater, lots of fun.