So Long, Adieu!

When I'm not hanging around the Library, I live with a human family in the neighborhood. This is my "regular" home, because the food is good, and I have nice places to sleep and kind humans who serve moi.  I also visit some of my minions who work or volunteer at the Library (e.g., Kindly Couple), mostly to visit with their multitude of kitties, but also because the food is superb.

I've just discovered that my "regular" human family will be moving soon to a faraway land, which sounds quite exciting.  I've always wanted to travel more in this lifetime!  Anyway, I won't be able to hang out at the Library anymore, because it will be too far for moi to walk.

I'd like to extend a most heartfelt THANK YOU! to all my loyal readers.  In nearly three years (I began this blog on December 19, 2010) I've posted 1,183 articles to this blog, and they will remain online for anybody who wants to read (or re-read) them.  It has all been tremendous fun.

I've enjoyed working with my minions at MPL and will miss all the cool adventures we've had there.

It has been a wild ride.  

Adieu.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  There are lots of goodbye songs.  Here's a music video featuring the original demo of "Too Much to Lose," by Gordon Lightfoot, which appeared in a more polished, slightly different lyrical version (a previously unreleased track) on the CD compilation, Songbook (1999).

P.P.S.  The Weavers covered "So Long, It's Been Good to Know You," composed by Woody Guthrie, which was included on the LP The Weavers Greatest Hits (1957).

P.P.P.S. "So Long, Farewell" was a sweet song performed in the stage and movie versions of the musical The Sound of Music (1965). Naturally, it was included on the movie soundtrack album (1965). Here's a music clip from the soundtrack, with the youthful troupe (portraying the von Trapp family) singing. Did you know the movie director, Robert Wise, grew up in Winchester, Indiana? True statement, as Broadway Gal (or Sammy the Toucan) would say.

P.P.P.P.S.  The Jayhawks performed "Sister Cry" live at the el Azkena Rock Festival (2008). The tune originally appeared on the group's CD Hollywood Town Hall (1992).  The refrain's final lyrics say it all.

Four Times Ten to the Fifth

The MPL YouTube Channel just passed 400,000 (4.0 x 10⁵) viewings. Libraries track statistics like cats track prey, so these numbers keep us well-fed.  The analogy is particularly apt, as patron usage of public libraries influences our funding in some way that my minions handle. As for moi, I prefer concentrating on my prey, which usually (and thankfully) comes out of a tin, these days.

We usually celebrate these statistical milestones by reprising one of our videos.  Here is our 400th uploaded video.  I counted backwards from our present total (453).

Miss Michelle @ MPL: Early Literacy Fun at the Library

(Week of March 10-16, 2013) 

Here are two book trailers that have (currently) been viewed exactly 400 times each, but that number is likely to change after watching them.

MPL Book Trailer #8

The Bunny Book, by Patsy Scarry & Richard Scarry

MPL Book Trailer #98

The Thirty-Nine Steps, by John Buchan

Congratulations to everyone who has made our videos over the past four years (come January 9).  It's been fun.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  I've previously used "409" (1962), by the Beach Boys, as a musical closer, but it's a great song, so why not use it again?

No Disguise Necessary

Find out about our upcoming children's programs during Spring 2014 by visiting our youth services desk.  You know you want to.

No registration is required for these programs!  Just come as you are (and bring a caregiver, if you're ages 0-6). You don't need a disguise, but it's more fun that way.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  I have a soft spot for 1960s "bubble gum" pop music.  Since some of our patrons were pictured with masks (in the photo above) from one of our youth programs, I thought it would be appropriate to close with "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (1967), by John Fred & His Playboy Band.  The tune topped Billboard's pop charts in January, 1968, knocking the Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye" out of the number one position.  This is ironic, since John Fred and bandmate Andrew Bernard co-composed the tune after misunderstanding the lyrics of another Beatles song, "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" (1967).  Fred thought John Lennon was singing "Lucy in disguise with diamonds," but was soon corrected when he first saw the printed title and liner notes to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967).  Still, a girl wearing glasses (in disguise) seemed like a catchy title, and this upbeat number was a winner.

Would I "Stear" You Wrong About History?

One of my Library's patrons asked if we could determine when and where these undated, unidentified photographs were taken, knowing only the photographer's name.

Click Images to Bigify

Give up?  All the clues you need are in the photos.  You recognized the B-24 Liberator and the Boeing-Stearman Kaydets (probably models N2S or PT-17), didn't you?  I just blogged about the Stearman biplanes.

I'll let Scowl-Face take the story from here.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  Spoiler alert!  The photos were taken in the early 1950s at Skyways, Inc., an aircraft ferrying business in the Los Angeles, California area.

P.P.S.  Take a closer look at a Boeing-Stearman PT-17 Kaydet in this video (2012).

Time Out For Rattermeece Dinner

The Decorinator, the BizMeister, and Miss Erma have rekindled our faux fireplace.

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Looks like there's something new this year.

That's a Rattermeece (or Rattermeese)

on That Grandfather Clock

Nice, Big, Juicy Rattermeece, I Notice

That's Moi, Noticing

As I recollect the nursery rhyme, "Hickory Dickory Dock," that rattermeece has to come down sometime.

Yep.  Pretty Much.

I can wait.  Patience is a feline strong suit.  Meanwhile, there's a nice, warm faux fire, even if the slobberdog is hogging it.

How do those snow dudes keep from melting atop that fireplace?  That's a poser.

If anyone is looking for moi, check under the tree outside the Friends of the Library book sale room.  I'm waiting for my dinner to descend.  Looks like the clock won't be the only thing that "struck one."

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  Let's reprise our book trailer featuring Mike Nelson's Death Rat!: a Novel, by Michael J. Nelson, which I have previously reviewed.

Not Stealing MY Christmas, Grinch!

Guess who's trying to steal Christmas at my Library.

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The Grinch!

 

Let's be clear, Grinch.  You will NOT be stealing Christmas on my watch.  That's a four paw claw guarantee!  So you'd best beware.

We also have jolly ol' Saint Nick on guard duty.

Santa Claus IS Coming to Town!

Hope there's canned tuna-in-oil in that gift bag, Santa.  Just saying.

We've got others guarding the Library for the holidays, although, frankly, I think guarding is an exaggeration of the first order.

  Santa's Slobberdog Helper?

Among our literary giants, we have Hank and Willie protecting one of our Christmas trees, but they look like a bust as security guards.

 Hank & Willie Show Their Holiday Cheer

What about these cold customers?  Perhaps they will stop the Grinch.

Not Mister Popper's Penguins, I'll Venture

Hey, that reminds moi that we have a book trailer featuring that classic children's chapter book.

 MPL Book Trailer #108

Mr. Popper's Penguins, by

Richard Atwater & Florence Atwater

Illustrated by Robert Lawson

Decorations Forthcoming

The Decorinator, the BizMeister, Miss Erma, and the Hamburglar (i.e., Fancy Nancy) are still decorating the Library, so it's a work-in-progress, to be sure.  I'm certainly looking forward to the faux fireplace.

We have several holiday displays around the Library, too.

 Great Holiday Book Display, Crafty Gal

 Holiday Movies Ready to Check-Out

 This Santa Says, "Check-Out a Christmas Movie Tonight!"

Christmas Reading Display Now Has a Tree

We have many more holiday books (print, audio, playaway, ebook), movies (DVD & VHS), and music CDs available to check-out using your Evergreen Indiana library card.  You may search our E.I. online catalog at your convenience.  You're sure to find something interesting--unless the Grinch has gotten there first.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  Let's reprise a couple of book trailers featuring popular holiday fiction.  These and several other titles from the Christmas Hope series are available in our E.I. online catalog.

 MPL Book Trailer #140

The Christmas Shoes

by Donna VanLiere

 MPL Book Trailer #5

The Christmas Secret

by Donna VanLiere

Tober, Calendar Cover Kitty

Tober, Boss Cat at Thorntown (Indiana) Public Library, has made the cover of the 2014 Baker & Taylor library calendar.  This is HUGE!!!!

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Read Tober's blog post to learn more about this exciting tribute to Indiana's most famous library feline.

But Tober isn't the only Hoosier library kitty featured on the calendar. There's also Uma, resident feline at Bloomfield-Eastern Greene County (Indiana) Public Library, who graces the August 2014 calendar page.

I wasn't eligible for the calendar, because, unlike my library kitty colleagues, I don't live inside my Library.  I just visit outside (but sometimes sneak inside to report on what's happening, although I usually just send my minions for routine stories).

As Sparkle the Designer Cat would say, conCATulations, Tober and Uma! All Indiana library-associated felines are honored that you represent us.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  Two humans were given the important task of impersonating Baker & Taylor at the 2009 Texas Library Association conference in Houston.