Friday’s Fun Find | Cathy C. Hall Writes

Today, I give you the theme song from Green Acres, the fish-out-of-water show in the 60’s that flipped the concept of The Beverly Hillbillies. (Want to know how to do the fish-out-water plot? Watch a couple episodes of either program and you’re golden.)

One of the recurring characters in Green Acres was Ralph, a handywoman who was always working on something around the old homestead. Eddie Albert was always stepping on a hammer or walking into a ladder or fuming about the cost of the latest repair. BUT NO REPAIR WAS EVER, EVER FINISHED.

For six weeks, a painter has been working hard here at the old Hall homestead, putting in two or three hours a day, a couple times a week. For six weeks, he has popped up outside my window, literally five inches from my face, while I try to concentrate on producing scathingly brilliant paragraphs. For six weeks, Libs has barked her fool head off for a goodly potion of the time he has spent here. In six weeks, he has found seven other things wrong with my house and needed to talk to me–in my pajamas–at least 27 times. In six weeks, he has sent me about a dozen new estimates for the work.

Yesterday, I finally paid my Ralph for the job.

But he’ll be back in a month to paint that board (the one around the garage that isn’t quite “cured” yet). All I got to do, says he, is give him a call and he’ll be here, bright and early (to see me in my fall pajamas).

Because, said my painter, when he gets a job, he likes to finish it.

My lovely friend, Suzanne, dunked herself with ice and threw out the ALS challenge to yours truly. And I recruited Cathy-on-a-Stick (unbeknownst to the little pic) to stand in for me. But one thing led to another while I was visiting dear old Dad, and before you could say, “Aiiieeee! That’s cold!”, I was on my way home and the moment for dunking had passed. And the ALS organization had raised tons of money!

Still, I wanted to give in some way to somebody. And then along came a heads up through 12 x 12 about an editor who’s Racing for Cancer Research. Gee, I thought, that’s an excellent cause–I mean, if you’re gonna run, might as well be running for a good reason–plus, this young woman will provide a critique of 1500 words in exchange for a $25 donation. So I thought, as I’m a writer, that might be fun and certainly worthwhile.

So I figured, okay, that’s who’ll get my check. But then, another writer friend posted about Jean Reidy and how she’s raising money for Reach Out and Read Colorado. And I fell in love with this program of doctors and nurses, giving books to our youngest readers. And then Jean Reidy (and I love her books, too!) sweetened her cause by giving those who donated $5 a chance to win one of a number of prizes.

Well. Now I’d found two lovely causes that needed my help–and I thought you, as writers and readers, might be interested, too.

So thank you to Suzanne who gave me a push to think about helping others. Sorry I didn’t get to the dunk, but I will get to the writing of checks.

(And as an added bonus, Cathy-on-a-Stick has come out of hiding.)