Saturday 9: My Valentine

Saturday 9: My Valentine (2011)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Paul McCartney sings that he won't let a day go by without remembering why he loves his valentine. What blessings are you thankful for today?

A. I am thankful for my husband, who braves the snow and ice outside to go feed the cattle and check the mail. I am thankful for my brother, who called me yesterday to see how I was, for my friends who call me, and for the fact that I was able to install Office 2007 on my new computer because I don't want to pay Microsoft $100 a year to use the newest version of Word.

2) Paul directed the video of Natalie Portman translating his song into American Sign Language (ASL), which is the third most commonly-used language in both the United States and Canada. British Sign Language (BSL), commonly used in EU countries, is very different. Do you find it easy to learn new languages?

A. I did when I was younger. Now that I am older and my brain is not so stretchy, I am not sure I would find it easy. (A very long time ago I could speak Spanish and Latin. Now I can't do either.)

3) The song is on Paul's Kisses on the Bottom CD, for which he won one of his 18 Grammy Awards. What compliment or accolade have you recently received?

A. A couple of folks liked my protest song I posted a while back.

4) Paul is an honorary NYPD detective. He was given this designation for performing a charity concert after 9/11. Do you know anyone in law enforcement?

A. Yes. My father was a policeman before he went into sales, and my brother-in-law is retired from the Virginia State Police.

5) Bob Dylan has said of Paul, "I'm in awe of McCartney. He's about the only one I'm in awe of. He can do it all. He never lets up. He's just so effortless." Tell us about someone whose talent you admire.

A. The husband of a close friend is a master woodworker. He makes beautiful pieces out of wood, most of which are out of my price range. I have a couple of bowls he made from wood that came from our property. You can read more about him at this blog post, which also has photos of his work.

This is the last Saturday  9 before Valentine's Day and so this morning we shall focus on the upcoming holiday.

6) The holiday is also known as The Feast of St. Valentine. Do you have a special meal planned for February 14?

A. No. We have ice on the ground, I have not been shopping, and it's the day the Daytona 500 runs. He will only be interested in the race and I can hardly eat anything, anyway.

7) The phrase "wear your heart on your sleeve" began in medieval times. On Valentine's Day, men would celebrate the holiday by displaying their lady love's name on their sleeves. If you were going to adopt this custom, whose name would you wear?

A. My husband's.

8) Women buy and send more Valentines than men do. Who received the last greeting card you sent?

A. My friend B.

9) Men buy and send more roses at Valentine's Day than women do. What's your favorite flower?

A. Iris. I like roses but I have always thought the iris was a beautiful flower. Unfortunately they don't last very long when they bloom.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.