The Art of Finding Lost Things

October 22, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Good afternoon. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here to introduce this week’s blog. If having a bobcat named Bebe roaming about the neighborhood isn’t bad enough, my novelist has misplaced her glasses. They are not her only pair, but they are her favorite pair. When she loses something, anything at all, she hunts and hunts until she finds the missing object. To be fair, she is very good at finding things but remains trapped in tunnel vision until she recovers her little lost lamb. I make valiant attempts to get her to sit down and not focus on finding whatever it is she has lost. I tell her that taking a break from searching may help her find her missing object sooner. But my attempts are often in vain. And so, I sigh, sprawl on my pillow and watch her roam around the home in a frantic trance trying to locate her missing treasure.

Her distraction did come in handy this week, however, as it allowed me to sneak to the computer and set up a meeting on Nextdoor for all the pets, bunnies, and squirrels to decide what to do about our dealings with Bebe. We resolved to meet at Ruffles house as we could all sneak into the van and have a covert tete-e-tete. Edison the Manx was the first to speak.

“I don’t see what more we can do,” he said. “We have given her a reasonable portion of our cat food as payola.”

“I am aware of that,” I told him. “However, I believe it is something other than food she wants.”

“But clearly it must be food,” Madeline the British Shorthair said. “She wants to dine on our neighborhood bunnies and squirrels. That’s her goal.”

“I know that’s what she’s implying, but I believe it is not the heart of the matter.”

Charlotte the Chow tilted her head. “What do you believe to be the heart of the matter?”

“To be honest, I have not figured it out yet. But she is leveraging us for something.”

“The bunnies and squirrels, the bunnies and squirrels,” the dachshund twins said chasing each other’s tails.

“I do not want her to eat our squirrels,” Ruffles the bulldog said. “I do not want her to eat our bunnies. I do not want that at all.”

“Nobody does. But we do need to protect Bernard, Belle, Sergio and the rest of the wildlife around our neighborhood. So, we need to figure out what she wants so she will stop trying to attack our friends.”

Artemus the Persian scoffed. “Exactly how do you propose we do that?”

Her sister Demeter scoffed as well. “Yes, Gigi. Exactly how do you propose we do that?”

“It is easy for you to scoff,” Sergio the squirrel said suddenly indignant. “You have owners who protect you, a roof over your heads, and a steady diet. We bunnies and squirrels are left out in the elements to defend ourselves.”

“That is your choice.”

“You must know that neither Sergio nor Belle nor I can be domesticated,” Bernard D. Bunny said. “Some bunnies can be domesticated, we can’t.”

“And yet you want our help.”

“Order, order,” I said banging my walnut gavel on the walnut sound block. “The point is we must work together and find a way to call another meeting in the park with Bebe. If we are all in agreement with that plan, I will contact Crispin the Coyote to set it up.

Until next week I bid you adieu.

MY BOOKS

You can check out my books Chicane and all five installments of the Musicology book series Musicology: Volume One, Baby!, Musicology: Volume Two, Kid!, Musicology: Volume Three, Twist!, Musicology: Volume Four, Sweetie! and Musicology: The Epiquad on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback editions. You can also check out Musicology’s web site at www.musicologyrocks.com and vote for who you think will win Musicology!

**STREAM OF THE WEEK: THIEF (1981)-AMAZON PRIME, ROKU, TUBI**

Continuing my pics of hidden gems is this film from 1981. What makes this week’s movie so good is James Caan’s superb performance, the research that went into the actual procedures the thieves use and its excellent third act. In many ways, this is a deconstructionist piece with its own structural build up and tear down and its fantastic character study of a criminal who is fighting to acquire the goal of living a normal life. The film was directed by Michael Mann in his debut outing. Mann also wrote the gritty script based on the memoir The Home Invaders: Confessions of a Cat Burglar by Frank Hohimer. It is noted, however, that Michael Mann did not actually use any of the content from the book. Tangerine Dream composed the original score which is outstanding and helps drive the tension of the story.

Frank (James Caan) is a highly competent professional thief. He owns a car dealership for which he launders thousands of dollars he and his partner Barry (Jim Belushi) make stealing diamonds. Frank has recently been released from the Joliet Correctional Center where he served time and was tough enough to survive the brutal experience.

Frank has very specific goals. One of them includes a cashier named Jesse (Tuesday Weld) who works at a restaurant he frequents. Frank has become smitten and plans to lead a normal life by marrying her and raising children.

After completing a jewelry theft with Barry, he gives the diamonds to his fence Joe (Hal Frank). Unfortunately, Joe owes money to the mob who kill him by tossing him out of a window. The mob boss Leo (Robert Prosky) outwardly a friendly fatherly figure and inwardly a cold-blooded killer, offers Frank a deal to work for him. At first Frank is apprehensive. He and Barry work alone. But after some persuasion, Frank agrees to take the position only to find out it may be the worst decision of his life.

Rounding out the cast are Willie Nelson as Frank’s longtime friend David “Okla” Bertinneau, Tom Signorelli as Attaglia, and Dennis Farina as Carl who, having been a real-life police detective, also worked as a technical adviser on the film. Look for William Peterson as a bartender.

Cappuccino with a Squirrel

October 15, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Good afternoon. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here to introduce this week’s blog. I spent most of the week devastated by my missing Oryctolagus cuniculus friends Bernard D. Bunny and his little sister Belle. It did not help that I pulled a muscle during the week as well. My novelist has had to lift me up onto the bed, chair and couch and I feel utterly helpless. The good thing is I do not have to go on any walks this week. I stroll to keep my svelte figure, but hikes are an utter pain in my nether regions. I am instead roaming a little outside and it has been sunny and the temperatures have been rather pleasant.

One good thing that happened this week was I got to chat with Sergio the Squirrel. He said he nearly had a run in with the big furry beast. He had just settled in for the night when he heard something scratching at the bottom of his tree. He peeked down from his knothole and saw the oversized cat sharpening her claws on the bark. He jumped back and hid inside his drey and waited there until dawn. At that time, he bravely peered out again and the gigantic feline was gone.

He said he had not seen the Bunny siblings but would keep an eye out for them for me. I thanked him and invited him to tea. He said he was more of a coffee drinker. I gladly accommodated my guest by brewing him a hot cappuccino. I must say I am a talented amateur barista. He thanked me profusely and ravished the French cookies my novelist picked up on sale at Costco this week. He told me it was his busiest time of year gathering up sustenance for the winter. He said he was grateful to live in our neighborhood because he did not have to run through busy streets when he hoarded. Our world is his grocery store. He thanked me for the afternoon refreshments and the next day I found an assortment of Pacific Northwest conifers in front of my door.

Then, early Wednesday morning after the sun rose, I went outside and saw my dear Bernard hop through the nearby fence. I ran to him and licked his face profusely, which I immediately regretted as he tasted of dirt. He told me he and Belle had hidden in their tunnels again thanks to Belle’s keen sense of smell. I told him about Bebe’s refusal to agree not to harm the wildlife and would only acknowledge the contract was between her and the domestic pets. He found this most disturbing. I told him of my injury, and he agreed to discuss the matter with the other bunnies and squirrels. Until next week, I bid you adieu.

MY BOOKS

**STREAM OF THE WEEK: BROADCHURCH (2013) Netflix, Roku, Tubi, PlutoTV, Peacock**

This week I thought I would take a short break from hidden gem movies to talk about a British television show written for grownups that is leaving Netflix at the end of October. It is also streaming on Roku, Tubi, Pluto and Peacock. If you have never seen it, you really, really should. This is one of the best television shows in recent memory. An absolutely engrossing, brilliantly conceived piece of filmmaking that will keep you riveted from beginning to end. Twenty-three of the twenty-four episodes were written by Chris Chibnall. Only one was written by Louise Fox. I think that far too many shows have way too many writers and it is phenomenal when one person writes all or just about all the episodes. You are bound to get more consistency and a truer vision that way. I would say any given show should have no more than three writers. Too many writers spoil the scripts. Not to mention many writers are arrogant, emotional jerks, and in writing, dictatorship is good.

The show is set in a fictional sleepy little coastal town in Great Britan called Broadchurch. One morning the body of an eleven-year-old boy named Danny (Oskar McNamara) is found on the beach. Danny is the son of Beth Latimer (Jodie Whittaker) and Mark Latimer (Andrew Buchan) and brother of Chloe (Charlotte Beaumont). The head detective in the town is D.S. Ellie Miller (brilliantly played by Olivia Coleman). But reserved out-of-town detective D.I. Alec Hardy (also brilliantly played by David Tennant) takes the lead on the case.

Hardy is determined to solve this murder because his last case was left unresolved. As Hardy and Miller start to investigate, they discover whoever murdered Danny likely knew him and is a local sending the two detectives on a journey to uncover the secrets of the town’s residents which include the Reverand of the town (Arthur Darvill), Mark’s work partner Nige (Joe Sims), caravan dweller Susan Wright (Pauline Quirke), Danny’s best friend and Miller’s son Tom (Adam Wilson), shop owner Jack Marshal (David Bradley), and hotel owner Becca Fisher (Simone McAullay). Due to the Latimer family wanting more exposure on the case they enlist Miller’s nephew Olly Stevens (Jonathan Bailey) one of the local news reporters to stir up more attention much to the irritation of his boss Maggie Radcliffe (Carolyn Pickles). Olly contacts Karen White (Vicky McClure) a reporter from a larger newspaper who’s been lurking around the community looking for a story to help move things into action.

Rare and Ruthless

October 8, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Good afternoon. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here to introduce this week’s blog. Before I go forward with our story, I must tell you some details I may have left out. Bebe is no ordinary bobcat. You see, here in the Pacific Northwest we can get a rarer form of bobcat. You were picturing a wild cat with tawny fur with spots and thin tufts on the top of the ears I imagine. But that is not what Bebe looks like. Bebe is a rare melanistic variant of the Lynx rufus. More specifically, a Melanistic Bobcat. This means she has long black silky fur and all you can see of her face are her intense amber eyes. She is utterly menacing and looks like a big round furry beachball. And she never, and I mean never, runs. She saunters. Slowly. She moves without fear and is utterly terrifying.

I woke up early one morning this week, about five-thirty a.m. to be exact. My novelist begrudgingly arose from bed and was about to take me out when she scanned the natural world outside after turning on the lights. That’s when she spotted Bebe. Or at least the back of Bebe strolling away. She turned to me and said there was no way either of us were going outside until daylight. Can you believe it? That ominous beast has taken over my walking grounds and I am most displeased. Most displeased indeed.

Ever since that night I have not seen or heard from Bernard D. Bunny or his little sister Belle. I am deeply concerned. There were no messages, no meetings for afternoon tea and I am having difficulty waiting it out. Every tick of the clock makes me anxious. I know they are brave and careful creatures. But Bebe is behemoth in comparison. My novelist has become protective of me and stays close by. I have not been able to gather up the neighborhood pets for another meeting, and I am going to have to arrange a Zoom call instead. This is not as simple as it sounds as some neighborhood pets are technology challenged…such as the dachshund twins.

That said, I just wanted to make sure you were caught up on that bit of information. Until next week, I bid you adieu.

MY BOOKS

**STREAM OF THE WEEK: SOUTHERN COMFORT (1981)-AMAZON PRIME, ROKU, TUBI, YOUTUBE**

In my continuing hunt for cinematic gems, I came across this terrific, overlooked psychological thriller from director Walter Hill. Co-written by Hill, Michael Kane, and David Giler, the story is about a group of National Guardsman who are out for a routine exercise down in the Louisiana bayou. The squad of nine soldiers is led by Staff Sergeant Poole (Peter Coyote), a Vietnam Veteran. To boost morale, one of the squad members, PFC Spencer (Keith Caradine) has arranged for a group of prostitutes to be the entertainment after the maneuvers are complete. This goes well with the other members of the group which include Simms (Franklyn Seales), Cribbs (T.K. Carter), Stucky (Lewis Smith), and hot head Reece (Fred Ward). But it does not sit right with married newcomer Hardin (well-acted by Powers Booth), a chemical engineer recently transferred from the Texas Army National Guard. Hardin is leery about the cavalier attitude of the members of the squad and does his best to keep his distance and not to volunteer for any positions.

The squad starts heading out on their exercise expecting it to be a mundane routine. They realize after studying their map, their walk is going to be a long and rough one. While heading along their way, they happen to come across three boats owned by local Cajun hunter-trappers. Pool hesitates to borrow the vessel, but most of the squad urges him to take the boats anyway. Reluctantly, he agrees and they head out into the water. After getting a little way from the bank, they happen to see a group of local Cajuns standing on the shore watching them. Loose-cannon Stucky decides to fire blanks in their direction. His actions do not go over well with the Cajuns who fire back with real bullets hitting and killing Pool putting by-the-book Sgt. Casper (Les Lannom) in charge. The squad quickly drag the boats ashore to protect themselves and rethink their strategy, which causes a mentally unstable private, a high school football coach named Bowden (Alan Autry) to seek revenge for Pools death when the group continues on and comes across the abode of one of the Cajun trappers (Brion James).

Sunday in the Park with a Lynx rufus

October 1, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Good afternoon. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here to introduce this week’s blog. Crispin contacted Bebe, the bobcat, and invited her to join us neighborhood pets for a tete-e-tete in the park. We agreed to meet with her on one side of the playground and us on the other for safety’s sake. The cats have been less than enthused about giving up a portion of their food to appease her. But I tell them that we must negotiate trust between our domestic selves and local predators that live in the wild.

“I think it is unfair to make us give this wildcat part of our food,” Edison the Manx said as we stood waiting for the creature to emerge from the woods.

“The coyotes have been most cooperative with us Canis lupus familiaris,” I said, “after we agreed to provide them with a portion of our dog food.”

“I agree with Edison,” Madeline the British Shorthair said. “I am sensitive about sharing my food with others.”

“It’s not that big of deal,” Ruffles the bulldog said.

“That’s easy for you to say,” Edison said. “Your owner gives you ample amounts of grub.”

“You’re just saying that because I’m bigger than you and need more to eat.”

“I detest the idea of giving this creature payola,” Artemus the Persian said. “Especially after dealing with black market criminals who kidnaped my sister.”

“Here, here,” Demeter her sister said.

“The rest of us Canis lupus familiaris have not complained about providing the coyotes sustenance,” Charlotte the chow said.

“Not even me,” Bruiser the Jack Russell said. “And I like my food. I like it a lot. I must jump now.”

We all turned and watched Bruiser jump up and down for a moment before returning to our conversation.

“When is she coming?” Titus and Tyler, the dachshund twins simultaneously asked as they chased each other around in a circle. “When is she coming?”

“She will be here soon,” I assured them. “It is almost twilight.”

Suddenly, from out of the foliage a creature emerged. She was sleek, swanky and intimidating. She moved in a way that was both luxurious and menacing. She was larger and more muscular than expected and I quickly regretted bringing myself and my cohorts to this meeting. The creature sat down on her haunches and licked her paw. Then she stared at us with looming amber eyes and said, “Well, I’m here. Talk.”

I cleared my throat and said, “Greetings, madam bobcat. My name is Gigi the parti poodle and I welcome you to our meeting.”

“Yeah, and?”

“And we would like to discuss the possibility of you accepting a portion of our neighborhood cats’ food in exchange for not attacking us or our bunnies and squirrels.”

“Hmm,” she said, swatting at moth that flitted near her. “How good is this cat food?”

“The best. Many of the Felis catus in this neighborhood get Smalls or Just for Cats, or The Honest Kitchen.”

“Interesting. I could go for making that deal with the felines and leaving the dogs alone as well. But I see no reason for you to negotiate for the bunnies and squirrels.”

“The bunnies and squirrels have asked me to speak for them on this matter.”

“I don’t know. I think I would get darned hungry living on left-over cat food alone.”

“With all respect, I believe you are being most obdurate in your assessment of our offer.”

The beast rolled her amber orbs. “A poodle using big words. Who would have seen that coming?”

“And quick to insult I see. To prove your misguided indignance, we are sticking to our offer of a fair and substantial amount of high-end cat food. And might I add, obstinate Lynx rufus, if you try to harm any single hair on any bunny or squirrel in our neighborhood, you will pay and pay dearly. Good day.”

Until next week, I bid you adieu.

MY BOOKS

**STREAM OF THE WEEK: THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE (1976)-HBO MAX, & GLORIA (1980) ROKU**

This week in continuing with literary cinema, I thought I would feature two films from legendary independent writer director John Casseveties. Both films are about people who find themselves in dire straits, one due to their choices and the other due to choices which have been put upon them. Each of them is forced to use their own special set of skills to deal with their deadly situations. The films have a raw gritty feel and remain riveting from beginning to end.

In The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, we meet shady burlesque club owner Cosmo Vittelli (Ben Gazzara) who’s place is called Crazy Horse West located on the sunset strip in LA. Underneath the seedy exterior, Cosmo is a bit of an artist who writes and directs all the performances on stage. Unfortunately, he is aware patrons watch the show not for his efforts but for the nude women.

He has just paid off a gambling debt he’s had for several years to a mobster named Marty (Al Ruban) and decides to take three of his female workers out for a night on the town with his three favorite dancers Sherry (Alice Friedland), Margo (Donna Marie Gordon) and his girlfriend Rachel (Azizi Johari). They head out to Marty and his partner’s gambling establishment where Cosmo racks up a debt of $23,000. He and the three ladies are held at the establishment overnight where Cosmo says he’s good for the money. But Marty and his partners are not convinced. They tell him he must sign over the Crazy Horse West as collateral. Reluctantly he does and he and the three women are finally allowed to go home.

But the next night one of the partners Mort Weil (Seymour Cassel) and his “associates” head to Cosmo’s club and take him out to a restaurant. There they discuss his debt and tell him he can lower it substantially if he does one thing: kill a Chinese bookie named Harold Ling.

In Gloria, we meet the Dawn family. Jack Dawn (Buck Henry), a mild-mannered family man who works as an accountant for the mob. Jack has been acting as an informant for the FBI. When his wife Jeri (Julie Carmen), a beautiful Puerto Rican woman comes home from shopping and notices sinister men in the building she finds out they have figured out what’s going on. The couple rushes to get her mother Margarita (Lupe Garnica), their daughter Joan (Jessica Castillo) and their young son Phil (John Adames) out of the apartment to safety.

As they are getting ready to flee their neighbor Gloria Swensen (Gena Rowlands in her iconic Oscar nominated performance) stops by to borrow some coffee. Gloria, who is good friends with Jeri, understands the situation but wants no part of it. But Jack and Jeri convince Gloria to take the kids and hide them. However, their daughter Joan refuses to go. So, Jack gives Phil his small book he’s been keeping information in about the mob, tells him he is now the man of the family and Gloria takes him back to her apartment just before the thugs get to the Dawn’s apartment and shoot up the place.

Gloria reluctantly realizes they need to get out of there. She’s a frugal woman who has saved money her whole life and now must use it and her wily survival skills to protect Phil’s and her own life and get away from the mob and the people in it she is connected to. This is no small matter as Gloria doesn’t like kids and Phil is a bit of a handful. But after escaping from the apartment building and rescuing Phil from a carload of gangsters preparing to take out Phil, the two start to form a bond that will either lead them to survival or doom.

Summit with Crispin

September 24, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Good morning. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here to introduce this week’s blog. As you may remember, last week I considered holding a summit involving a bobcat sighting in our neighborhood. I had posted the warning on Nextdoor and all the cats and dogs in the neighborhood stayed inside and waited for the danger to pass. This week, considering the terrifying incident Belle and Bernard D. Bunny experienced, I decided to call a neighborhood summit to discuss the matter. I even invited Crispin Z. Coyote to the meeting. I thought he might be able to bring some insight into the matter.

“Oh,” he said. “You mean Bebe.”

“Bebe,” Edison the Manx said. “This thing has a name?”

“You have a name. I have a name. So, of course this bobcat has a name. Bebe.”

I cocked my head. “Have you had a run in with Bebe?”

“I would not call it a run in. I would call it a civil discussion.”

“You had a civil discussion with a bobcat,” Charlotte the Chow said.

“Yes. More than once.”

“How is that possible?”

“Bobcats and Coyotes coexist. We don’t necessarily go after the same prey, and we don’t necessarily hunt at the same time in the same place. But, yes, we have had some heated but civil conversations.”

Edison the Manx stopped licking his paw. “About what?”

“Hunting for one. We Canis latrans like to hunt in the open where Bebe and the other Lynx rufus like to hunt in the woods. I kept telling her hunting in the open is so much better. No roots to trip over, no thorns getting into your paws. But can I convince her of this? Not a chance.”

“The point at hand,” I said, “is why did she wander into our neighborhood?”

“I believe she often wanders into neighborhoods. Especially if there are a lot of rabbits around. No offence, Bernard.”

“None taken,” Bernard said stiffly.

“They like to hunt in neighborhoods like yours.”

“That is most unsettling,” Madeline the British Shorthair said.

Crispin shrugged. “It is the way of the carnivore.”

“You really should try grass,” Belle Bunny said.

“Yuck.”

“Well, I like it.”

“To each his own, little bunny.”

“The point,” I said, “is for you to instruct us on how to avoid being the prey of Bebe.”

“Well, Bebe hunts in neighborhoods when the wildlife is scarce. My guess is that is why she showed up.”

“You live around here. Is the wildlife scarce?”

“I wouldn’t know. You and your friends have provided my friends with dog food in an agreement that I won’t hunt the neighborhood pets or your bunnies and squirrels.”

“Here, here,” Sergio the squirrel said.

“Are you saying we should make a similar deal with Bebe?”

“I think she might be up for a cat food alliance,” Crispin said.

“And how would we arrange a meeting with her?”

“I could give her a call.”

“And how would we know we would be safe?” Ruffles the Bulldog said.

“I would have your meeting in a non-wooded area.”

“We could meet her at the playground at the park, I suppose.”

“Excellent. I’ll let her know about the matter and give her a ring. Or a text. Maybe an email.”

Until next week, I bid you adieu.

MY BOOKS

JEANNE DIELMAN, 23, QUAI du COMMERCE, 1080 BRUXELLES (1975)-HBO MAX

For the past week or two I have been searching for films that would be considered cinema as opposed to motion pictures designed to merely entertain. Movies that stand out and what I would call literary films. This one was named the greatest film of all time by the Sight and Sound poll. The members of the Sight and Sound poll are a mix of esteemed film critics, industry professionals, and filmmakers held every ten years to re-evaluate the very best of the artform. Each member submits a list of their top ten films of all time to determine the top position. I personally would not call it the movie the greatest film of all time. But I would call it one of the greatest films of all time. Cinematic masterpieces that have held the title in the past are Citizen Kane, Bicycle Thieves, 2001 A Space Odessey, Tokyo Story and Vertigo. Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles marks the first time a female director has taken the title. Her name is Chantal Akerman, and she was only twenty-five years old when she wrote and directed the film. She also made sure that her crew was 80% female, something that was unheard of at the time.

A note here: Jeanne Dielman will likely play better to a female audience than a male one, much like I think The Godfather plays better to a male audience than a female one. The reason for this is for a female audience, the story hits at a visceral level. A level that drives one to be both mesmerized and filled with fury. Women will find the film highly relatable today even though it takes place in the last quarter of last century because of the oppression it represents and the way women are, even to this day to some degree, considered second class citizens.

The story represents the grueling reality of what it has meant to be a woman for millennia. The boring, day-to-day nightmare of doing mundane yet necessary tasks the world takes for granted. And doing them mostly for indifferent thankless men. At times Jeanne is seen as a joke, in others an annoyance, yet others sexually objectified and worst of all being dismissed as irrelevant, unappreciated, and a mere shadow on the wall, out of sight. What Akerman does here is put the mundane on the screen like a horror story and quietly force the audience not to watch but to become immersed for no less than three hours and twenty-two minutes in Jeanne’s domestic prison like a ticking time bomb on the verge of explosion.

There is very little dialogue in the film. Mostly what we see is Jeanne doing her daily chores. The scenes in the apartment have a tight, claustrophobic effect. Usually there is some small item in the frame that is red like a thermos or a small glass bowl in the hutch, foreshadowing perhaps. We watch Jeanne (brilliantly played by Delphine Seyrig) get up out of bed, fix coffee and breakfast for her self-absorbed teenage son (not a daughter), Sylvain (Jan Decorte) polish his shoes, help him with his coat, and get him off to school. She then does housework, babysits a baby boy (not a baby girl) for a neighbor (voiced by Chantal Akerman herself) for free. She then goes shopping, not for herself per say but for food or a button her son needs for a sweater she’s knitting him. I might add she always wears a silk scarf when she leaves the apartment and it is also red, albeit a softer shade. When Jeanne goes out, she is always doing business with women who are shopkeepers, salesclerks, and waitresses. Except for one place: the bank. That worker is a young man. It is a man who stands between her and money. She deposits cash she keeps in a decorative ceramic pot on the dining room table.

Then she comes home and spends time preparing dinner. Right after she starts to cook the food, the doorbell rings. A man enters. She takes his coat and hat; they greet each other politely and then they go down the hall to Jeanne and her late husband’s bedroom and proceed to have sex. The hall changes from daylight to evening light quickly and the two emerge from the bedroom. Jeanne helps the man with his coat and hat, and he politely pays her and says he’ll see her next week. Every day brings a different steady client. Her oblivious son comes home from school where she serves him dinner and helps him with his schoolwork. During the rare moments when they do have a conversation, he often dismisses her or criticizes her offhandedly, like telling her there is a button undone on her housecoat. After dinner they go out for a walk, then they return home, pull out the couch bed, he goes to sleep, she goes to her bedroom and she goes to sleep. They get up the next day and do it all over again. And that drudgery is Jeanne’s hell. We follow her for three days through her unsatisfying life, moment to moment until …

Bobcat

September 17, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Good afternoon. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here to introduce this week’s blog. I spent most of the week deeply concerned. After the bobcat, or rather the Lynx rufus sighting, I had not heard from either Bernard or his little sister Belle. I began to fear the worst. I went to meet them for tea every day, and they were not at home. I lay awake at night listening, trying to hear them moving about as poodles have exquisite hearing abilities. But it was all in vain. I could hear nothing but the breeze and occasional midnight rain.

My novelist noticed I was moping about and asked me what the matter was. I told her I was worried the bobcat might have harmed Bernard and his little sister Belle. My novelist told me brown bunnies are fast. Very fast. They can run at speeds of 30-45 miles per hour if necessary. Also, their fur helps them camouflage themselves, they have a keen sense of smell, 100 million scent receptors in their noses to be exact and have almost 360° vision. They also have a keen sense of hearing, up to around 20,000 hertz. And most importantly, they often have tunnels that they can hide in that a bobcat cannot crawl into. Also, if Bernard and Belle kept their nails well maintained, they can use them as a weapon.

Still, I was concerned that bobcats, being stealthy hunters, could also camouflage themselves so that Bernard and Belle might not see them. Bobcats can also leap ten feet if necessary and have terrifyingly sharp retractable claws. I imagined poor little Belle being snatched up by the cruel beast. What also concerned me was the fact that bunnies are crepuscular animals just like bobcats and are both out and about at dawn and dusk. Not to mention, bunnies are such high stress creatures if unexpectedly confronted with a predator, they can go into cardiac arrest. Hopefully neither of them saw the bobcat unannounced.

Then, yesterday morning, after the sun had risen, I saw them. Bernard and Belle came out from under a patch of ivy and greeted me. I was so excited I started jumping up and down in the air barking with utter delight. I asked them what happened and they told me, much like my novelist told me, they had hidden in their warren as the light was leaving that evening I ran into the bobcat. Bobcats don’t come around here too often, Bernard said, but Belle happened to catch the scent of one coming from about a quarter of a mile away and they ran and hid immediately. I was so delighted upon their return that I fixed up some Hibiscus tea and French butter cookies, and we sat and chatted until noon. Still, the concern of a bobcat around has made many of the animals in the neighborhood nervous and I am considering calling a summit. Until next week, I bid you adieu.

MY BOOKS

**STREAM OF THE WEEK: STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU (2026)-DISNEY+**

This week’s pick is a fun little ride for those of you out there who have watched and completed the Star Wars television series The Mandalorian. One of the fun parts about this installment is there is a long sequence of just Grogu and his exploits which you do not get much in the regular show. The movie is very watchable, very likable and has great pacing. I think kids and adults will both enjoy this next chapter in the life of a Mandalorian and his gifted little adopted child. The script was co-written by Dave Filoni, Noah Kloor and creator Jon Favreau who also directed and produced the film.

The story starts with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), better known as Mando, and Grogu working for the New Republic. They report to Ward (Sigourney Weaver) a colonel and leader of the New Republic’s Adelphi Rangers. After finishing a job well, albeit unconventionally, Ward wants to send Mando on a new mission: to rescue Jabba the Hutt’s son and heir Rotta (voiced by Jeremy Allen White). Rotta has been kidnapped by the elusive Commander Coin (Jonny Coyne). Mando is reluctant at first, not being a big fan of Hutts. But after Ward offers him a new Razor Crest ship as forward payment for his assignment, he and Grogu agree to go to Shakari to rescue Rotta.

After landing on Shakari, they meet an Ardennian fry-cook street vendor, named Hugo Durant (voiced by Martin Scorsese). Hugo is most reluctant to provide them with information at first but with some persuasion he points them in the right direction to find Rotta who is working as a highly touted gladiator. Mando and Grogu slip into the prison and locate Rotta in his cell. But they are surprised when Rotta tells them he has no intention of quitting his new-found career, that he likes his independence, and that his Hutt siblings, the ones who enlisted the New Republic to find him, only did so to bring him in and kill him.

Stop Making Stupid Shows

September 10, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Good afternoon. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here to introduce this week’s blog. I must say it has been an adventurous week. Firstly, I made a dreadful mistake. Whilst outside for our morning sun I happened to wander about and go under a deck. My novelist saw me come out with cobwebs and pine needles threaded through my white and black curls. She was most displeased and claimed I smelled odorous. I was whisked back into our home where my beloved collar was unbuckled, and I was placed into a tub for a proper bath. It was, as always, most dreadful. Afterwards, when I’d had a good toweling, I was left damp and shivering for most of the day.

When nightfall came, I had a good supper and at the end of the evening, I went outside. Much to my surprise I nearly came face to face with a bobcat. A big scarry bobcat. It turned, noticed my presence and began sauntering towards me. …Him, who happened to be out there with me noticed it and quickly ushered me back inside.

I spent the last day typing up a warning for all the other neighborhood cats and dogs. I cannot let them be victims of this large and destructive beast. I posted my cautionary notice on Nextdoor with the hope that all the local Canis lupis familiaris and all the local Felis catus as well as the local squirrels and bunnies read it.

I also did a bit of research and found out that bobcats like to hunt twice a day. They go out hunting at dawn for three hours. Then they rest. Then at dusk until around midnight they hunt again before taking a second rest. This makes them crepuscular creatures. They are also quite flexible and, in the winter, if food is scarce, they will come out during the daytime to hunt.

My novelist and I watched a recent news report with…Him, where a 91-year-old lady had left a window open, and a bobcat chased her cats up a tree beside her house and into an open window. The woman heard something banging on her bedroom door and called 911. The police came, called the Department of Fish and Wildlife who came and sedated the beast, put it in a carrier and released it back into the wild. My novelist is keeping a close eye on me, monitoring all my outside time, and all the windows are closed for now.

On a sad note, we also found out this week Amazon Prime cancelled Spider-Noir. We are most displeased with this news. We believe it is one of the best and smartest new shows on television and Amazon Prime made a great error in dismissing it. Our hope is another streamer will pick it up. However, there is not one that has stepped up to do that right now. It is a shame with all the wasteland of mediocre television shows on all the streamers they decided to get rid of one of the best. Until next week, I bid you adieu.

MY BOOKS

**STREAM OF THE WEEK: IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT (2025)-HULU**

This week’s pick won the Palme d’Or in 2025 at the 78th Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for two Oscars this year for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay for Jafar Panahi who also directed and co-produced.

The film starts out with a man (Ebrahim Azizi) who has a prosthetic leg driving a small car through Iran with his wife (Afssaneh Najmabadi) and young daughter (Delnaz Najafi). The daughter wants to listen to modern music, but there is danger in doing so. While out in the desert they perchance hit a dog and must stop at a garage to have the car looked at.

When they do, a mechanic named Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri) thinks the man has an eerily familiar walk, due to the man’s prosthetic leg. He believes he may be Eghbal, the sadistic jailer they nicknamed “peg leg” who tortured him when he was a political prisoner. He follows the man and kidnaps him and takes him out to the desert to bury him alive. However, he finds himself unsure if he has kidnapped the right man.

He renders the man unconscious and goes to find some of his fellow political prisoners to see if they can identify the man who tortured them. He goes to Salar (Georges Hashemzadeh) who runs a bookshop, but he tells Vahid he is going down a dangerous path. However, Salar sends him to talk to a female photographer named Shiva (Mariam Afshari) who is taking wedding pictures of a bride Goli (Hadis Pakbaten) who was also tortured by Eghbal and her groom Ali (Majid Panahi). Shiva is reluctant but Goli is determined to see if this is the right man. Ali reluctantly goes along. The two women look at the man in the back of Vahid’s van but because they were blindfolded so much of the time during their incarceration, they too are not entirely sure.

Shiva says they must get in touch with her former partner Hamid (Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr) a hotheaded loose cannon who is more than happy to kill the man in the back of the van.

Beep Beep Zip Bang

September 3, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Good afternoon. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here to introduce this week’s blog. Last week my novelist and I did something we have never done before. We went to the famous Twede’s Café in Snoqualmie Falls. The café is famously known as the RR Diner featured in the television show Twin Peaks. The show used both the interior and the exterior for scenes. I do not know how they got a film crew in there as it is narrow, but they indeed managed it. The booths, however, are large and comfortable.

We did have to get on a waiting list even though we went mid-week. So, we do recommend if you visit the place to plan accordingly. Our wait time was about twenty minutes. My novelist ordered a Garden Salad which is generous and a coffee with cream and sugar. I ordered a side of bacon. For dessert, we both enjoyed a slice of their famous Cherry pie. We both agree the pie is outstanding. We took pictures so you could get an idea of what the restaruant looks like. The place is very much like a mid-twentieth century diner. And they do sell magnets and stickers if you would like souvenirs. Unfortunatley, we were so excited about the pie we ate it before we could take a picture.

However, we purchased our Twin Peaks souvenirs from a couple of stores down at DT Vintage & More. We strongly recommend stopping here as well. They have a section of the store dedicated to Twin Peaks merchandise done by local artists. They have pins, earrings, metal signs, coasters, mugs, T-shirts, tote bags and more. My novelist and I were impressed, and the prices were very reasonable. So, if you do visit the restaurant, make sure you also visit that store as well. There is also a great looking little bakery next to DT Vintage and More.

We also took in a matinee of Coyote Vs Acme early this week. If you watch the trailers for the other animated movies out there (the new Shaun, the Sheep movie excluded) this one is a breath of fresh air. Most of the new films look like a hot mess. We believe Coyote Vs Acme, though part animation and part live action should be eligible for an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film despite not having the film be 75% animation. This is a stupid rule. Not only should it be eligible for the nomination for being a smart entertaining movie, but also because of the ridiculous journey it had to take to get to the big screen.

Warner Bros. might just be the stupidest Hollywood studio on the planet. How can you own Looney Tunes and not figure out how to make money with them? Warner Bros. even had their own brick and mortar stores at one time which were outstanding and successful. Better designed than the Disney Stores. And yet AOL, run by mentally inept turnips, could not figure out how valuable they were and sold them all off.

Paramount, who now unfortunately owns Warner Bros., also run by mentally compromised cabbage heads, did not think that they should merchandise the film. If you go to Warner Bros. store online, there is no Coyote vs Acme merchandise you can purchase. None. Zilch. Nada. When we attended the theatre, my novelist wore a Tweety shirt, Roadrunner Earrings, and a Wile E. Coyote necklace. All of whom are in the film. We saw someone else in a Wile E. Coyote T-shirt. But none of this licensed merchandise came from the now Warner Bros. online store because they did not sell any. What a bunch of maroons! If a small town with a restaurant that was in a once popular television show can figure out how to merchandise, how come a big corporation is too stupid to figure out how to do the same thing?

The only intelligent party here is Ketchup Entertainment who bought the movie for fifty million dollars and released it. They should receive an Oscar for merely having common sense, sadly a rare trait these days in Hollywood and quite frankly everywhere else as well. If you get a chance, go see Coyote vs Acme. It is worth the ticket. Until next week, I bid you adieu.

MY BOOKS

**STREAM OF THE WEEK: 9 TO 5 (1980)-AMAZON PRIME, NETFLIX, HULU**

In honor of Dolly Parton, our Stream of the Week is this terrific women’s liberation comedy for which she received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Song. The film was directed by Colin Higgins who co-wrote the smart and funny WGA nominated original script with Patricia Resnick. The movie was later made into a 2009 Broadway Musical for which Dolly Parton wrote several new songs, and AFI rightly named the movie one of the 100 Best Comedies of All Time.

The story takes place in an unnamed city in California, where recently divorced Judy Bernly (well-played by Jane Fonda) who has spent most of her adult life as a homemaker, gets her first job as a secretary for the company Consolidated Companies. There she meets the smart and witty senior supervisor Violet Newstead (wryly played by Lilly Tomlin) who shows her around the rat race. They both work for sexist, bigoted all-around narcissist, Vice President Franklin Hart (Dabney Coleman who drolly steals just about every scene). Violet warns Judy about Hart’s bootlicker mole Roz (Elizabeth Wilson), and Hart’s cheery sexy secretary Doralee Rhodes (Dolly Parton in her breakout performance) whom the whole office believes is having an affair with Hart.

Hart often calls on Violet to do his bidding when Doralee is out of the office, a job which Violet tolerates because she is up for a promotion after working at the company for twelve years. But when Hart gives the promotion to the less-qualified Bob Enright, things begin to unravel. Hart viciously chews Judy out for a mishap with the copier and Violet and Judy find Doralee has not been having an affair with Hart but instead has been the victim of his constant sexual harassment. The three women meet at the nearby Charlie’s Bar and gleefully share their Hart revenge fantasies. But their seemingly innocent conversation takes an unexpected turn when Violet is asked to do one too many errands for her unappreciative boss.

Rounding out the cast is Sterling Hayden as board member Tinsworthy and Marian Mercer as Harts unsuspecting wife Missy Hart.

Epidog

August 27, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Good afternoon. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here to introduce this week’s blog. Much has gone back to normal since last week’s apex. Artemis is delighted to be reunited with her sister Demeter. The two Persian cats have celebrated their reunion by cozying up on their climbing apparatus, each on their own tier. The twin Dachshunds Titus and Tyler have been chasing each other around in their front lawn, Charlotte has settled into reading the complete works of Shakespeare, Madeline and Edison meet at each other’s houses for a rousing game of checkers, Ruffles is working on getting his official driver’s license, and Bernard, Belle and I have gone back to having tea in the afternoons.

I had no idea how exhausted I was after all that kafuffle. But I am delighted to have everything back to normal before the summer is over. We are planning an Afternoon Tea celebration and in addition to our usual motley crew we are also inviting Sergio the Squirrel for his brave exploits in getting us the blueprints for the evil man’s house. And of course, our villain turned hero Crispin the Coyote and his coyote friends. They have promised to only eat cucumber sandwiches, scones and cakes and not the guests.

Unfortunately, my novelist took me in for a grooming and although I once again look spectacular the experience was torturous. But the result is stunning and I will look amazing at the soiree. I may even wear ribbons on my ears and my rhinestone collar around my neck. Not the diamond one I dream of, mind you, but a sparkly piece just the same. I was also delighted that yesterday was International Dog Day. The cats were sweet enough to gift me with a brand-new SPOT Skinneeez Dog Toy. These are of course my favorites. They said it was the least they could do since I spearheaded their rescues.

My novelist is glad to have me back to my usual self. She was quite concerned about my comings and goings during the whole ordeal. She wants me to return my focus to writing stories. I tried to tell her my adventure was indeed a story, but she dismissed the whole matter. She is, however, being gracious enough to take me to the Coyote vs Acme movie next week. And I do adore popcorn.

I think we have all learned to be a bit more vigilant in the neighborhood because of the kidnappings and have all promised to go out in pairs from now on. Apparently, one can never be too cautious. We have all had our owners (and novelists) purchase us whistles to take with us should we ever find ourselves in the company of nefarious creatures be they human or animal.

I do believe that wraps up the whole saga. But you never know when another rousing adventure might take place. I thank you all for being patient with me during this tense and tumultuous time. And thus, until next time, I bid you adieu.

MY BOOKS

BEST OF THE EMMY NOMINATIONS

PLURIBUS (2026)-APPLE TV+

Of all the shows nominated for the Emmy this year, this one is the crème de la crème. And this best of breed sci-fi drama comes from none other than the best guy working in the television industry today, Vince Gilligan. When I saw the first episode, I was a bit iffy. My thought was, yet another end of the world story. But on further watch, Pluribus is anything but ordinary and easily the most original show on television right now.

Oddly, the most fascinating part of Pluribus is how some audience members cannot tell who the villain is until the last episode of the season…if they can even do it by then. To me, the identity of the villain was quite clear from the beginning but to others apparently it was not so cut and dry. Maybe this is a sly societal statement from our resident INFP about the present state of our world. Or perhaps it is merely an observation about the way people have always been.

The show is like a Milgram Obedience Experiment and a Stanford Prison Experiment rolled into one. I’m not certain if it is personality type, generational placement or exactly what it is that causes confusion around what is sinister and what is not in the show’s world. But it’s concerning to me that this confusion exists. Regardless, I am not going to give away any clues so that if you have never watched this mini masterpiece before, you can decide for yourself.

Pluribus received a whopping eighteen Emmy nominations including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (One Hour), Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music, Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score), Outstanding Music Supervision, Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Carol Sturka (Rhea Seahorn in a brilliant Emmy nominated best of the year performance) is a highly successful misanthropic, alcoholic romance fantasy writer. Helen (Emmy nominee Miriam Shor) is her beloved spouse and manager. Carol dreams of writing the great American novel one day and give up her day job for good. After flying home from Houston to Albuquerque, the two women head out that evening to Silver Jack’s Saloon. Because of Carol’s drinking their SUV has a breathalyzer that must be blown into to start the car. As Helen doesn’t drink, she drives them to the bar and has a Coke while Carol sips on a Manhattan. After Carol finishes her drink, they go outside to smoke and look at the responses of the fans to Carol’s new book. While outside, Carol gazes up to see a group of planes

Gigi’s Seasonal Post: Back to School Preview Part 4

August 23, 2026 ~ gigicatchesair ~ Leave a comment

Usually, Gigi and I only post on Thursdays. But we have started doing an Annual Back to School shopping post in July and August which we have touched on in the past couple of years. First, a few things:

We believe financial literacy should be taught in schools so that everyone can make the best decisions on their purchases and investments.

We are not influencers. We are writers.

We do not receive money or any other compensation for our selections.

We ourselves have purchased multiple items from the establishments we list.

We see the value in purchasing quality clothes and accessories that will last and not fall apart and are made of natural materials with a few occasional non-natural exceptions.

We hate seeing students getting ripped off.

We believe in getting the best possible deal for the best possible items.

For this special post Gigi and I wanted to feature another sale which started this week we think is one of the best of the summer and it is France Luxe’s Sale on Sale. This is a fantastic site that sells high-quality hair accessories made in France and the L. Erickson line with some of their items made in Germany, especially the Swarovski® Crystal pieces.

This sale takes another 50% off France Luxe and L. Erickson sale items (discount automatically applied at checkout) and it usually happens twice a year: once in August and once in December. The selection is generous including hair bands, hair ties, barrettes, head bands, hair pins, hair spinners, combs, and even some jewelry. There is also a variety of colors to choose from. The sale just started this week and if you need hair accessories this is the very best time to pick some up. Please note for every 3 items you buy, you recieve one free mystery item. So, for instance, if you purchase 3 items you get a free item. If you purchase six items, you get a second mystery free item and so on. Gigi and I received a variety of different free items over time when we shopped there. Shipping is free if you purchase $50 or more.

France Luxe recently won a 2026 Cosmopolitan Magazine Holy Grail Beauty Award for their L. Erickson Grab & Go Pony Holders which are superb.