Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Joan Kirby hires Perry Mason to cross-examine her husband, John. While his story about helping a stranded young woman, Norma Logan, find a motel room seems plausible, Mason doesn't believe him and, when a doctor running a black-market adoption agency is found severely beaten and later dies, Mason's new client becomes one of the suspects. Complicating things is the Kirby's illegally adopted son. Review : When I picked out this book at our local library a few days ago, the title and the description had me believing this would be one of my favorite Perry Mason books. After finishing it last night, I can say I didn't hate it, but it also fell far short of expectations. The overall premise wasn't a terrible one, the victim was running an illegal abortion clinic and the fact he had both Kirby and Logan written in his appointment book made Mason's client look like one of the primary suspects. Norma choosing to hire an unscrupulous attorney who was looking t

Synopsis : When a savings and loan is robbed by men who seem to know the bank a little too well, Lt. Sam Wagner figures out a mild-mannered bank teller, Leon Poole, was an inside man and he, along with other police officers, corner Poole in his apartment. Believing he is alone; they enter a shootout with Poole and Wagner accidentally kill's Poole's wife. Two years later, Poole escapes prison and seeks to get revenge by murdering Wagner's wife. Who's in it? The movie stars Joseph Cotten , Wendall Corey , Rhonda Fleming , John Beradino and Alan Hale, Jr. Review: I came across this movie a couple days ago and, thinking it sounded interesting, added it to my library. I had a chance to watch it earlier today and it turned out to be a good choice. There were a couple things about this movie I liked in particular. One of the main ones as the antagonist, Poole (Corey). He was a character that was insane enough to make his scenes unpredictable and intense but also mild-manner

Synopsis: Always on the lookout for a good bargain, Aunt Bee ( Frances Bavier ) can't pass up an opportunity to purchase 150 pounds of beef from a discount butcher. Unfortunately for her, the meat turns out to be tough and their freezer, which she purchased at an auction, starts to malfunction. My Thoughts -  Andy ( Andy Griffith ) sure gave Bee a hard time about saving money. OK, maybe the meat purchase and the freezer purchase turned out to be bad ideas but what was wrong about her buying sugar in bulk? He's trying to feed three mouths on one income and, since we all know he's honest, he's probably not making enough where they can just throw money away.  Plus, it's not like he doesn't try to save money. He won't even buy his own car; he just takes the sheriff's car everywhere. And he seemed awfully shocked about having roast beef when they didn't have company over. Of course, both of those things being said, when is the last time Andy even shop

  After spending 4 years on the Beaver Dam Swan City Ice Skaters Board of Directors (two of them as vice president), I allowed my term to run out so another person could take my place. My last day on the board was yesterday and, as that meeting/banquet came to a close, I was presented with the President Award in recognition of my volunteer efforts. I'm honestly still a bit undecided about no longer being on the board. The time was right (my daughter is graduating and will no longer be skating with the club) but I'm a person who thrives on routine and not being part of the board is a major change to that routine that I'll have to get used to. Plus, after helping navigate the club through a pandemic and leaving it in great financial shape, there is part of me that is apprehensive about letting someone new take the reins. I'm sure, after time, I'll get over it though, especially if I find a hobby or part-time job to take up some of my newly acquired free time.

Synopsis: When a crate full of moldable plastic washes up on the island, the castaways come up with a variety of uses for the substance, including fixing Gilligan's ( Bob Denver ) teeth. What they don't know is the clay becomes explosive once it hardens. My Thoughts : That scientist ( Kirk Duncan ) sure was nonchalant when holding that explosive ash tray. If I knew it could blow up the entire room if dropped, I'd definitely make sure I had two hands on it and certainly wouldn't risk handing it to someone I just met. In fact, the whole idea seems a bit impractical when you think about it. It would be different if you needed a heat source or some sort of detonator to set it off. Something that can explode just because you drop it seems like it would result in a lot of accidental secret agent deaths. Wow, the Skipper ( Alan Hale, Jr. ) sure is a snob all of a sudden. I am, of course, basing this on his complaint about Gilligan finding a crate full of clothes "reje

Synopsis : Tensions run high for the Coopers as a Sunday school altercation involving Missy ( Raegan Revord ) results in Mary ( Zoe Perry ) losing her job and the family being ostracized by their church. When Pastor Rob ( Dan Byrd ) shows up to check on Mary, George ( Lance Barber ) suspects a possible affair. My Thoughts -  Considering how opposed that church seemed to be in an earlier episode about talking to kids about sex , I am a little surprised the parents would even bother to explain the whole pregnant out of wedlock thing to them. I would think that conversation would be a bit too "sinful" for most of those parents to have it. I have to admit, I am surprised by Pastor Jeff ( Matt Hobby ). He sure turned judgmental in a hurry considering all the times the Coopers helped him with his own child. To be fair, he might be afraid to support the Coopers out of fear of losing his job too but, until I hear him make that explanation, he has lost all my respect. I still don