Scribblings From the Desert

I am a published author and produced screenwriter living in Rancho Mirage, California with my wife, Beth, and two dogs, Crystal and Misty. I have spent most of my life in and around the Hollywood Motion Picture Business.

Name:
Location: Rancho Mirage, California, United States

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Timothy Oliphant of Justified

Home from meeting and check e-mail and news sits with girls, salami and chips. Try call Mike for Hawaii info. Work on computer for awhile. Talk Beth; reach Mike and get name of condos in HI. Out to get burger at Carl's, Jr. Homer. Turn on TV and watch last night's recorded segment of Justified while I eat burger. Down for nap with girls. Up at 2:00. Check e-mail. Out to bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Into office and work on computer some more - look at condos. Write here. Into kitchen and start making dinner. Beth home and help her in with her stuff. We eat and talk. After dessert we both into office and look at condos for rent in Hawaii. Into living room and watch last night's recording of NCIS. I get ready and work here while Beth takes her shower. Later ~

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Burt Lancaster in Ulzana's Raid

Home from meeting and check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. At 9:00 I drive to bank to make a deposit for Beth; then to pet shop by Walmart to get food for Daisy. Home and put away dog food; turn on TV. Watch Ulzana's Raid with Burt Lancaster. Have last half of my tuna sandwich and chips for lunch. Talked to Beth and tried to fax her. Down for nap with girls. Up and check e-mail. Out and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail (one check) for Beth. Clean up side yard. Let Misty run in back yard; Daisy isn't quite ready for back yard yet. Put frozen meat out to thaw. Work in office for awhile. Bring in meat - it's thawed in an hour. Start preparing my steak and make salads. Turn on TV. Beth home and help her in with her stuff. Start BBQing steak. Beth into office to e-mail someone. She in to make her dinner when I have five-minutes to go on mine. We eat and talk. After dessert and clean up,both into office - I write here,she cleans up taxes. Into living room and watch last nights recording of Hawaii Five-O. She showers and I finish up here. Later ~

Monday, February 27, 2012

Garner Ranch location used in Riders of the Range

Straight to Tony's garage at Palm Springs Ford to meet Beth to get new tire on van. Tony sends us to Ramona where Beth bought tires but warranty is wrong. Back to Tony's and drop van, Drop her at work. I home and check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. Into living room and watch Riders of the Range, with Tim Holt and Richard Martin. After, check e-mail and down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Work in office. Start getting trash together for tonight. Into kitchen and start preparing tacos. Beth home. Finish making dinner and we eat. After. into living room and watch rerun recording of CSI: Miami. Finish taking trash out; clean up. Beth in shower. She gets ready. Later ~

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Rolling out the Red Carpet

Sleep in Day. I up 5:30. Shave and clear the bath. She up and into bath to do her hair. I shower and dress. Bring in Sunday Paper. Make our breakfasts and we eat- I have breakfast with Sunday paper. She reads other parts of paper while eating. I into bath and trim beard. Back into kitchen and talk with Beth. She off to drop by her place of work. I spend time on computer. She back and we talk in dining room. She off for appointment her with Fran. I out to get sandwiches. I work in office. She back in an hour. We eat lunch together and talk. I down for nap with girls. Up at 2:30. Feed girls. Beth and I talk while I show her video. She off for annual Fellowship Hall meeting followed by steering committee. I putz around - record red carpet for Academy Awards. Watch awards opening with Billy Crystal. Beth home from meetings. We watch the red carpet recorded show; then view the est of the live awards show. She showers; both get ready. Later ~

Saturday, February 25, 2012


Grocery shopping at 7:30 - left meeting early. Home and Brenda helps me unload. Make popcorn. I check e-mail and news sites with girls and popcorn, She cleans and I work at computer. She leaves and I into kitchen to start making lunch - left over potato dish from Wednesday, Beth home and she has her fruit with me - has some potato's too. She off to lunch with Rhonda. I down for nap with girls. Up 2:15. Dress and comb hair. Beth home. We talk in office while we work. Belated BD card from Shannon. Into kitchen to start making salads for dinner. She in to help. We eat and talk. Into living room to watch three shows we haven't seen yet - Smash; Pan Am; and Person of Interest. Both ger ready for bed. Later ~

Friday, February 24, 2012

John Ford directs Tim Holt in Stagecoach

Leave meeting early and drive to Sam's to shop for Hall and us. Drive home and off-load our stuff and put it away. Check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. Work at computer for awhile. Into living room and watch Wagon Train with Tim Holt. Make a sandwich and eat while viewing. Down for nap with girls. Bring in mail from outside. Feed girls, Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Work in office for awhile. Call Beth. Start making dinner. She home and I begin heating chips with cheese. She works in office. We eat and watch some O'Reilly and John Stossel special program about laws. Into office and write here. She works on computer. Beth showers. Then we watch Monday's recording of Alcatraz. She gets ready; I get ready. Later ~

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys - Robin Hood of Texas

Beth not feeling well - decides to stay home, then at last minute, she decides to go.
Home from meeting; check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. Work at computer for awhile. E-mail from Richard Lapp - he has cancer and is about to undergo
treatment. UPS delivers Beth check - she by and pick it up. I into living room and watch Gene Autry's final Republic movie, Robin Hood of Texas, With Sterling Hollaway. Make some lunch and eat while viewing. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. into office and work for awhile. Into kitchen and shuck some corn and make the salads. Beth home early. I put wrong phone number on fax and this company ended up talking to me, not her. I also called WGA earlier about pension. She into office and sends e-mails. I BBQ corn. We finally eat and watch our news shows. Ice cream then she in to shower while I write here. INto living room to watch last tonight's CSI: Vegas. She gets ready. I take out trash and get ready. Later ~

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Rory Calhoun and Barbara Bates in Apache Territory (1958)

Drive home; check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami, and chips. Drive back to Palm Desert for haircut with Sherry Mesa. After that, to Chrysler in Cat City to buy new small, AM antena for back of roof top. To Tony' at Ford to have it attached. Home and turn on TV. Watch recording of last night's Justified. Make sandwich and get chips and sour cream and eat while viewing Apache Territory with Rory Calhoun. Down for nap with girls, Up in two hours. Harry left message and I call him back in SF. He;s off to Reno by train tomorrow. Bring in mail from outside. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth, Work on Dawn of Eagles in office. To kitchenand turn on O'Reilly. Beth home and helps me make dinner. Watch debate while we eat. Work quick in office. Watch last night's recording of NCIS. She shower;I write here then get ready. Later ~

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Glenn Ford

Stop at market and pick up watermelon for Beth and a birthday card for James in Florida. Home and check e-mail and news sites. To post office to mail card to James; then to bank to cash check and make deposit for Beth. Home and start watching a Glen Ford western, Day of the Evil Gun, with Arthur Kennedy and Dean Jagger. Jimmy George calls; I stop movie and we talk. Make tortilla lunch and eat while viewing movie. Turn it off at noon and down for nap with girls. Up and check e-mail. Check outsid for mail and there is none. Feed girls. Clean up side yard. Work in office then watch end of Day of the Evil Gun. Sweep tiles. Bring our meat in from outside where it's been defrosting.Into kitchen and prepare steak. Beth calls: she is bringing cole slaw. She home and Istart BBQ steak. She changes towels in bathrooms. She cooks her chicken. Sit down and eat while Hannity is on. I havw ice cream and she washes her hair. I into office and write here. We to living room and watch recording of lt night's Hawaii Five-0. She showers; I get ready - later ~

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Pan Am TV Show cast

Sleep in day. Both up at 5:30. I shave. She in to do her hair; I check e-mail. She into office; I shower and dress. Make and we eat breakfast. Read Sunday paper. I trim beard. She does my pill boxes. She to her place of employment. I work in office for awhile. She home and we have lunch. I down for nap with girls. She off to MDD meeting. I up and feed girls. Beth home and we both work around house. She makes dinner and we eat. After dessert we watch last week's recording of Pan Am. She showers and I get ready. Later ~

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Lash and Fuzzy

Grocery shopping after I leave meeting at 7:30. Home by 8:30. Put stuff away. Into office and check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. Drive to nail place by 10:00. Meet Beth and get toes done. I home and make lunch; watch Lash LaRue and Fuzzy. Beth home and I sit with her while she eats. I down for nap with girls. Up at 2:50. Dress then bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Beth irons all afternoon while I work in office. She prepares dinner - enchiladas and more for her. Ice cream for dessert. Into living room and watch recording of last week's CSI: Vegas. She showers; I write here. We watch more recordings from last week: Smash and Person of Interest. I write here - she into bed. Later ~

Friday, February 17, 2012

Jack Perman's 81st birthday



Leave meeting early and drive to Sam's to shop for Hall and us. Home and unload our stuff then check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. Work at computer for awhile. Drive over to Berths place of work at 11:15. It's Jack's 81st birthday. Pizza with family, Brenda and the gardeners. I home and down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Work in office rest of p.m. - Beth here and changes purse. We to Greek Festival and have grape leaves and other Greek food. Sit with Garison Tarnow and his family while we eat. Home and watch recording of Alcatraz from last Monday. She shower while I write here. Later ~

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Yvonne DeCarlo and Rod Cameron in Frontier Gal

COLD and WINDY
Stop at Albertson's to exchange starch cans that don't work for starch cans that do work. Drive home. Check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami, and chips. Work on computer for awhile. Talk to Beth on phone. Back to computer and try watching old westerns. Into living room and watch Frontier Gal, with Rod Cameron and Yvonne DeCarlo. Make beans for lunch; eat and view show. Down for nap with girls. Up in two hours. Bring in mail - two magazines. Feed girls. Clean up side yard. Work in office on Dawn of Eagles my WIP. Change outside porch lights. Start dinner by shucking corn and making salads. Set up BBQ. Beth home so I start corn. She checks her mail and e-mail. I serve dinner and we eat and talk. After dessert she washes her hair. I write here. She into office for a few minutes. We watch NCIS recording from last night. Then she off to shower while I get ready. Later ~

Wednesday, February 15, 2012


RAIN in P.M.
Leave meeting five-minutes early. Home and check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami, and chips. Take Daisy to the vet for shots and check up. Home. Call Beth. Meet her at Bermuda Dunes airport where she leaves Tracker for pilot. Drop her at her work and I drive home. Fix some lunch and watch last night's Justified recording. Get ready and down for nap with girls. Up in two hours. Up and bring in mail from outside. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Talk to Beth - company for dinner tonight (Melissa). It starts to RAIN. More work at computer. Start setting up for dinner - Beth will bring Panda Express. Do ice waters. They here - help bring in food and her other stuff. Sit at table and talk and eat. Ice cream for dessert. I into office and write here. One of us takes Melissa back to house. Beth works at computer then showers. I get ready. Later ~

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Hawaii Five-0 cast

Home from meeting and check e-mail and news sites with girls. Bring in recycle bin.
Dive into WIP and work on it for awhile. e-mail from Byron - he liked the review. Into living room and watch the rest of the Gene Autry western I started yesterday. Eat tortillas while viewing. Down for nap with girls. Up in two hours. Bring in mail from outside. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. To office and work some more on WIP novel. Into kitchen and start getting dinner ready - salads and marinade. Watch computer to see when Beth leaves work. She's left. I start BBQ. She's home shortly. Help her in with her stuff. Put steak on BBQ. She does a few chores then starts cooking her chicken. We eat and talk. After dessert, e watch Hawaii Five-0 from last night. She sends e-mail to her boss, then showers. I write here then get ready. Later ~

Monday, February 13, 2011

Stars of Person of Interest

Straight to Beth's employers' place and drive her to Bermuda Dunes airport to pick up her employer's car. We'll me back in p.m. for the other car. I stop at bank on way home to deposit for her. Home and check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. Work in office for awhile then into living room for TV. Watch Gene Autry and Smiley in an old one. Eat lunch while viewing. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Pick up Beth and to airport for other car. Home. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Work on a WIP for an hour or so. Into kitchen and start dinner. Beth home and takes over fixing dinner. We eat and talk. After dessert we watch the Person of Interest from last Thursday. She showers; I get ready. Later ~

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Jorge Garcia and Sarah Jones, stars of Alcatraz

Sleep in day. I up first at 5:30 - Beth follows. Shave and check e-mail and news. Then I shower and dress; move into kitchen. Breakfast with Beth and Sunday paper. I into office and work on review of Byron's book. Finish and send to him. Beth is working on our taxes. She off to appointment with Fran. I make lunch for me and have ice cream for dessert. Beth home and eats - I sit with her. Down for nap with girls. Up and feed girls. Clean up side yard. Into office and search for a yacht on google. Spend some time in office with her. She into kitchen to start dinner. I turn on Huckabee. I help by making salads. We eat and after Huckabee we talk. Ice cream and clean up. She washes her hair. Then we watch Alcatraz recording from last Monday. After that we watch recording of Smash, from last Monday. She showers; I get ready. Later ~

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Pacifica

Grocery shopping after meeting; then home and unload with Brenda's help. I put stuff away. Make some popcorn and share with Brenda while she continues to clean and I work at computer. Beth calls - she's at work. I continue working on computer and reviewing Byron's book. Brenda leaves. I make a tortilla lunch and after dessert I down for nap with girls. I up in two hours and Beth is here. We both work in office. She into kitchen to read today's paper. I continue in office. She starts to iron on service porch. I work here in office. Change into long pants for tonight. Beth gets ready. We off to meet her employers and some others for dinner at Pacifica. BD dinner for Rhonda, Jack and me. Home and start get ready. She showers. Later ~

Friday, February 10, 2012

Bob Steele in Cavalry (1936)

Leave meeting early and drive to Sam's Club to shop for Hall and us. Home and take our stuff inside. Check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. Work at computer for awhile. Watch Cavalry (1936) with Bob Steele on computer site. Make some lunch and eat while viewing. Watch an old three Musketeers after that. Down for nap with girls. Lotta dreaming. Up and check e-mail again. Bring in mail from outside. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Into office and work for awhile. Beth calls - she's on her way home. She picks me up and we drive to Palm Springs for dinner at Las Consuelos Terraza with Steve and Theresa Grippi. Home and I work in office. She showers; I get ready. Later ~

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Gene Autry

Home from meeting and check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. Work on computer for awhile. Do some copying for the girls' dog licenses and get it all ready for mailing. Into living room and watch Gold Mine in the Sky wuth Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette. Fix some lunch and eat while viewing. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail; feed girls; open mail for Beth; clean up side yard. Into office and work for awhile. Into kitchen and shuck some corn. Start fixing salads, Turn on O'Reilly. Beth home; help her in with her stuff. BBQ the corn. We eat and talk. After dessert we into living room and watch last night's recording of CSI:Vegas. She showers. I get ready. Later ~

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Tab Hunter, Van Heflen, James Darren in Gunman's Walk

Home after meeting and check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami and chips. Take Misty to her vet dentist appointment at 9:15. We're out of there in 15-mins. Home and unleash her. I check e-mail and more news sites. Work at computer for awhile. Into living room and watch end of Gunman's Walk, with Van Heflin, Tab Hunter and James Darren. Make some lunch and eat while viewing. Down for nap with girls. Up and Beth calls. Bring in mail; feed girls; Open mail for Beth; clean up side yard. Into office and work at computer. Into kitchen and put away dishes. Back to computer and work for awhile. Into kitchen and start on dinner. She home and we eat. After dessert we watch last night's recording of NCIS. Both work in office. She shower; I get ready. Later ~

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Gene Autry and Carolina Cotton in Apache Country

Supposed to Rain Later On
Home from meeting and check e-mail and news sites wirth girls and popcorn. Work at computer for awhile. Look for Hawaii rentals on Vacation Rentals by Owner.com- lots of great rentals. Talk to Beth several times. Into living room and watch Apache Country with Gene Autry and Pat Buttram. Make some lunch and eat while viewing. Down for nap with girls in bedroom. Up and get dressed. Out and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. No rain yet. Work at computer. Into kitchen and turn on news. Start getting steak and chicken reay. Make salads. Watch Survellix to see when Beth leaves. Start BBQ. She calls, has been to cleaners. Start BBQ steak. She home and I help her in with her stuff. She gets right on with her chicken. Steak is done;bring in in. She finishes the chicken. We eat and talk. After dessert we clean up. Then we watch recording of last night's Hawaii Five-0. She to office then she showers. I finish writing here. Get ready. Still no rain. Later ~

Monday, February 06, 2012


My Birthday - 69 ~
Ride with Beth to meeting. Brenda will take her to work. I leave early and drive home. Check e-mail and news sites with girls - no chips. Lock up good as garage door is still broken. Girls get their baths from Marchelle. Home and fix some lunch. Beth calls and drive to her place of employment to give her her car - she drops me off back home. I go to sleep with phone beside my bed. It rings in 30-minutes. Garage door guy on his way over. He here and fixes door in 20-minutes. I back to nap with girls. Up 3:30. Bring in mail; feed girls; open mail for Beth; clean up side yard. Work in office for awhile. To kitchen and start salads. Turn on O'Reilly. Beth home and help her in with her stuff. We eat and talk. After dessert we both into office and work. She showers; I get ready. Later ~

Sunday, February 05, 2012

The Marvelous Wonderettes
Superbowl day - Sleep in day. She up 5:30; I up a few minutes later. Check e-mail while she does her hair. I into bathroom - shave and shower. Dress and into kitchen for breakfast while I read Sunday paper. Garage door held up OK. Beth does some ironing and washes clothes. I work in office. We sit down for lunch - remains of yesterday's sandwiches. Dave Cass calls and we bring each other up to date. We leave for McCallum Theater to see The Marvelous Wonderettes. Very Good. Home and pick up super bowl in second quarter. She fixes some diner at half and we eat at beginning of second half. Giants win. I into office and write on blog; she watches TV. She showers while I get ready. Later ~

Saturday, February 04, 2012

Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in Moneyball

Leave meeting extra early to go grocery shopping. Home and unload and put stuff away with help from Brenda. Check e-mail and Beth home. We off for 9:30 nail appointment with Becky and her mom, Vivi. I pick up sandwiches; then across street to Pet Smart and get dog toys - bone and a football. Home and Beth close behind. We eat and talk. She off to Sherry's and Mel. I down for nap with girls. Up 2:00. Check e-mail; then bring in outside mail; feed girls; clean uup side yard. Work at computer. Beth home and we both work in office. Start to go out and she backs into garage door before it's all the way up. Ron over and we try to fix it. No luck; will have to leave it half way down all week end. We drive to vet she'll be taking Jo to for surgery. Stop for chili-cheese dogs to take home. Drive home and park her car in driveway. We eat chili-cheese dogs and chips. Then we watch Moneyball as a rental. She showers and I get ready. I write here. Later ~

Friday, February 03, 2012

James Caviezel and Michael Emerson of Person of Interest

Leave meeting early and drive to Sam's Club to shop for Hall, Beth's employers, and us. Drop Beth's employers' stuff to Beth at work. Home and check e-mail and news sites with girls, salami, and chips. Work at computer for awhile. Into living room and watch recording of The Cimarron Kid, with Audie Murphy. Make a sandwich and est while viewing. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Into office and check e-mail; write here for a minute or two. I'm defrosting meat for tonight. Start making salads. Check Beth on remote; she's on way. Get BBQ going. Beth home and help her in with her stuff. Start BBQ steak. She into office. Eventually she in to cook her chicken. Both finish cooking and we eat. Talk about the day. After dessert we both into office and work. Then we into living room and watch last night's Person of Interest. She showers; I write here. Later ~

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Round Table

AA Birthday #30.
Beth gives me cake at meeting. Home and check e-mail and news sites with girls. salami and chips. Drive to credit union where I make deposit; then to Palm Desert and buy folding cheater glasses at In the Bag. Home and check computer. Get ready and off to Indio and Chinese place for monthly Conservative Round Table. Good food; good conversation. Drive home for an ice cream dessert. Down for nap with our girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Work in office for awhile. UPS delivers steaks. I put them in freezer. Into kitchen. Turn on Bill O'Reilly and start dinner I chop potatoes, etc.) - Beth home and help her in with her stuff. She continues making the potato dish while I finish up salads. She cooks then we eat and talk. After ice cream we into office and both work at our computers. I take out trash. She showers. I get ready. Later ~

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Behind the Scenes on Showdown, with Audie Murphy (second from left)

Home after meeting and check e-mail and news sites with girls and chips, salami and chips. Work at computer for awhile. Read some of Byron's book; read some phone instructions. Move into living room and watch the last of Showdown, with Audie Murphy and Charles Drake. Make some tortillas for lunch and eat. Check e-mail and down for nap with girls. Up and check e-mail; out and bring in mail; feed girls; clean up side yard. Beth's chicken is delivered and I open it and put in freezer. Into office and work on blog... Into kitchen and get dinner going. Make salads. Check to see if Beth's on way home. Start microwave. Beth here. Help her in with her stuff. Finish cooking dinner and we eat. We talk, eat and have dessert. NCIS is a rerun so we into office and work together. She showers while I get ready. Later ~