Thursday Thirteen - Grandma Edition

1. Every June 11, I stop and do the math again. She’d be 103 this year, which feels impossible and also exactly right. Some people stay present long after they’re gone. Today is my maternal grandmother's birthday.

2. When I think of childhood, I’m at her kitchen table with Campbell’s chicken noodle soup steaming in front of me and a Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pie (known to us grandkids as a Grandaddy Cookie) waiting its turn. That table was my infirmary, my library, my safe harbor.

3. She had already raised five children by the time I arrived, with another one coming a year after me, yet she still had patience left over for every grandchild who wandered through her door.

4. On sick days she wrapped me in one of Aunt Susie’s afghans, pulled me into her lap, and rocked while she sang “Daisy, Daisy.” The chair creaked, her voice hummed, and I drifted off like it was the most natural thing in the world.

5. If I wasn’t too sick, I camped on the couch with tissues while we watched The Price Is Right, Dark Shadows, and The Guiding Light. She could pick up more channels than we could in the country, which felt like magic.

6. At 2 p.m. sharp, the house went still. That was when she talked to “Mama Fore,” and unless you were actively bleeding, you waited.

7. My favorite part of sick days was reading. She let me loose on the World Book Encyclopedias, Nancy Drew, Little House, The Silver Skates, Five Little Peppers - anything I could reach and wanted to read. I read the encyclopedia for fun, and she never once acted like that was strange.

8. She only had a fourth‑grade education, but she valued knowledge like it was oxygen. She read the newspaper front to back, even the grocery ads, and she read it aloud to me until I could read it myself at four. I’ve been reading The Roanoke Times ever since.

9. Her house ran on small rituals: Friday hair appointments at Aunt Neva’s, walking three blocks and crossing a four‑lane road like it was nothing, sometimes with us trailing behind on bikes. Wash clothes on Mondays. Change the bed linens on Saturdays. Have dinner ready for Grandpa's arrival from work by 4 p.m. on the dot. Those rituals brought comfort in an ever-changing world.

10. The rag bag in the hallway closet was its own universe. Old sheets and fabric scraps became doll blankets, superhero capes, and whatever else our imaginations demanded. Whether we put anything back is another story.

11. In the summers, I walked with her into downtown Salem. That mile and a half felt like an expedition. We kids bought balsa airplanes or paddle balls with our saved‑up change, and she always treated us to snow cones at Brooks Byrd Pharmacy. I picked blue every time.

12. She lived through losses she didn’t talk about: her parents, her husband, siblings, and later, my mother. When I was fifteen and showed up in my prom dress, she called my mother afterward and cried because I had thought to come. I was her oldest grandchild.

13. Even now, when I’m lonesome, I talk to her. She doesn’t answer out loud, but I feel like she listens. She always did. I sure wish she was still just a phone call away.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 963rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

1. Colds are viruses that make you feel miserable. They are commonly caused by rhinoviruses, not bacteria. Over 200 different viruses can cause cold symptoms. Antibiotics do not help, because they target bacteria, not viruses.

2. Adults average 2–3 colds per year, while kids can get 6–8. Kids are little snot factories, aren't they?

3. Colds spread through droplets, contaminated surfaces, and close contact. Please cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and wear a mask when you're out if you're within the first three days of your cold. You can always pretend you're an ICE agent if you don't like masks.

4. Symptoms usually start one to three days after exposure, which is the incubation period. Mine started about three days after my husband's started. We don't know where his came from, but obviously the domino effect began somewhere.

5. You’re most contagious in the first two or three days of symptoms. Since I live with my husband and he touches everything, there's not much I can do to keep from catching a cold when he gets one.

6. A cold typically lasts seven to ten days, though some symptoms (like cough) can linger longer.

7. Fever is uncommon in adults, but more common in children with colds.

8. Nasal congestion happens because blood vessels in the nose swell, not because of mucus alone. Post‑nasal drip is a classic cold symptom, often causing cough or throat irritation.

9. Handwashing reduces your risk more than any supplement or home remedy. Vitamin C doesn’t prevent colds but may shorten duration for some people. Zinc may help if taken within 24 hours of symptom onset but can cause nausea. I take zinc every day and have since Covid. Maybe I need to add Vitamin C.

10. Rest actually matters, because your immune system works better when you’re not stressed or exhausted. I don't know anyone who isn't stressed or exhausted right now.

11. A cold can trigger asthma symptoms, making breathing feel heavier or tighter. I am experiencing that a lot with this particular cold.

12. Green or yellow mucus doesn’t automatically mean infection, just immune cells doing their job. The teledoc told me that when my husband was pointing out to her that my excretions were multi-colored.

13. There is no cure, only symptom management. The body clears the virus on its own. 

Generally speaking, when you get a cold, expect 10 days of blah, and then you'll feel better unless the cold created a secondary infection. Then you may need to see your doctor.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 962nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Survivor just ended its 50th season. We watched most of it. We did not watch much of Season 49, but since this was a "special" season, and Stephanie was coming back, I wanted to see it. I always did like Stephanie, even if I don't know her last name.

A recent turn of events at home, to be written about at another time, forced me to admit that I could never be a contestant on Survivor. Here are 13 reasons why.

1. I would not last an hour sleeping on dirt, sand, or pieces of bamboo. I am the first cousin to the title character in The Princess and the Pea.

2. I am allergic to fish and I won’t eat coconut. That leaves me eating nothing but rice and, I don’t know, maybe worms?

3. I am on medications that say, “do not be in direct sunlight.” Survivor is basically 39 days of direct sunlight.

4. I haven’t been swimming in 20 years. If the challenge involves water, I’m the one yelling “Y’all go on without me.”

5. I can’t even get into my bed without a step stool. How would I ever climb a rope?

6. My idea of “roughing it” is when the hotel ice machine is on a different floor. If I have to walk outside to pee, I’m done.

7. I require water that is crystal clear from a Brita Pitcher, not strained through a sock by a nasty well. And I’m not drinking it out of a bamboo cup carved by someone named “Boston Rob.”

8. I cannot function without at least three pillows arranged in a precise orthopedic geometry. A rolled‑up sweatshirt is not a pillow. It is a cry for help.

9. I would absolutely tell on myself during a challenge. “Jeff, I stepped off the beam. I know you didn’t see it, but I did.”

10. My resting face is ‘I’m judging you,’ which would get me voted out immediately. Someone would say “tribe unity,” and my eyes would betray me.

11. I would form an alliance with a hermit crab and then cry when someone stepped on it. Emotional resilience is not my strong suit.

12. I cannot whisper. Every strategy session would be me stage‑whispering, “I THINK THEY’RE VOTING FOR YOU,” and blowing up the whole plan.

13. If Jeff Probst yelled “Come on in!” I would yell back, “No thank you, I’m good right here in the shade.”  

And that would be the end of my Survivor journey.

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 961st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen #960

Today we have a list of foods that never go bad if properly stored. In short, keep moisture, air, heat, and pests away and you can keep these babies in your pantry forever. We all might want to stock up on honey and dried beans. The way things are going, that might be what gets us all through the winter!

1. Salt - A mineral with no moisture, so microbes can’t grow. 

2. Sugar - Low water activity keeps it stable indefinitely. 

3. White Rice - Milling removes oils that cause rancidity; lasts decades when sealed. 

4. Dried Beans - Extremely low moisture; safe for years (older beans just cook slower). 

5. Lentils - Same principle as beans; long-term shelf stability. 

6. Popcorn Kernels - Low moisture and protective hull keep them viable indefinitely. 

7. Soy Sauce - Fermented, salty, and acidic; lasts for years unopened. 

8. Worcestershire Sauce - Another fermented condiment with long-term stability. 

9. White Vinegar - High acidity prevents microbial growth. 

10. Maple Syrup (Pure, Unopened) - Low water + high sugar content. 

11. Distilled Liquor (40% ABV+) - Alcohol content prevents spoilage. 

12. Cornstarch - Dry starch with no protein or fat to degrade. 

13. Canned Low‑Acid Foods - Safe indefinitely if the can remains intact. 

Bonus: Honey

Honey - Low moisture, natural acidity, and antimicrobial compounds let it last for centuries. Archaeologists have found edible honey in ancient tombs. 

Sources

Tatler Asia: Foods with no expiration date (white rice, honey, sugar) 

AOL: 10 Foods That Never Expire (honey, salt, sugar, white rice, dried beans, vinegar) 

SavingAdvice: Foods that never expire (honey, rice, salt, sugar, beans, lentils, popcorn, canned goods, soy sauce, Worcestershire) 

FoodEzy: Foods that don’t expire (salt, sugar, honey, white rice, dried beans, vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, distilled spirits, cornstarch) 

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 960th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

This is the time of year when one of my favorite foods shows up in the stores, and this is when it tastes the best. Let's salute the strawberry!

1. Strawberries are grown in every U.S. state and are often the first fruit to ripen in spring.

2. An average strawberry has about 200 seeds, all on the outside.

3. The name “strawberry” likely comes from the Old English strewian, referring to how berries are strewn about on runners.

4. Strawberries are not true berries; botanically they are accessory fruits.

5. Each “seed” on a strawberry is actually an achene, a tiny fruit containing its own seed.

6. The cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a hybrid of two native species: F. chiloensis and F. virginiana.

7. The United States is the world’s largest producer of strawberries.

8. California alone produces billions of pounds of strawberries annually and has over 50,000 acres devoted to the crop. Strawberries are perennial plants, typically fruiting for about five years.

9. One cup of strawberries contains only 55 calories and is high in vitamin C.

10. Americans eat about eight pounds of strawberries per year on average.

11. Strawberries have been associated with foodborne illness outbreaks, including E. coli, norovirus, and hepatitis A.

12. Native Americans ate strawberries fresh and also baked them into cornbread. Ancient Romans believed strawberries had medicinal properties, using them for fever and sore throats.

13. Strawberries belong to the rose family (Rosaceae).

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Sources

SNAP‑Ed Connection: Strawberries

Clemson Extension / Home & Garden Information Center: Strawberry history & naming

College of Health & Human Sciences: Food Source Information—Strawberries
Michigan State University Extension: Strawberry plant science facts
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Strawberry (Fragaria) overview

*AI created the pretty logo at the top.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 959th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

We are having a drought here, and all the rain forecasts are no-shows. We're about 9 inches of rain short. The pastures are not doing well, and there is very little grass to cut to make hay.

I thought maybe a list of 13 songs that have "rain" in the title might help drop a little water from the sky.

1. Have You Ever Seen the Rain? by Creedence Clearwater Revival (1970)

2. Purple Rain, by Prince (1984)

3. Rainy Days and Mondays, by the Carpenters (1971)

4. Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head, by B.J. Thomas (1969)

5. I Wish It Would Rain, by The Temptations (1967)

6. Set Fire to the Rain, by Adele (2011)

7. Here Comes the Rain Again, by the Eurythmics (1984)

8. Kentucky Rain, by Elvis Presley (1970)

9. Only Happy When It Rains, by Garbage (1995)

10. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, by Bob Dylan (1963)

11. Crying in the Rain, by The Everly Brothers (1961)

12. Rainy Night in Georgia, by Brook Benton (1969)

13. Fire and Rain, by James Taylor (1970)

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 958th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

 

Because I am currently out of ideas, and because I don't want to ask AI, I present to you - 

My Facebook Feed!

1. A map of the drought in my area, courtesy of WDBJ but on a friend's post.

2. A story about some guy who watched 2000 episodes of Wheel of Fortune to discover that 15% of men who didn't use lovely adjectives to describe their wives during game play ended up divorced.

3. A story about Pam Bondi testifying - or not testifying - on the Epstein files. The story was poorly written, and I left it not knowing if she testified or not.

4. Pictures and information about somebody named MrBeast who appeared on Wednesday night's Survivor episode. I don't have a clue who MrBeast is.

5. This note from author Sharon McCrumb: "April 30th ~ This is Beltane eve, when in British folklore the veil between the worlds is said to be thin (it's the spring equivalent of Halloween), and the fairy folk ride out, taking prisoners of anyone who dares to watch them pass. Be careful out there."

6. A notice about the local farmer's market reopening on Saturday. 

7. A mention from someone in Eagle Rock that their Little Free Library has been restocked.

8. Pictures of a friend's daughter's wedding that took place in Kentucky.

9. This little English Lit meme:

10. A friend posting "PRAISE THE LORD ITS RAINING" apparently yesterday, when it actually did rain a little.

11. An article from The Roanoke Times asking the very appropriate question: "The United States is less reliant on foreign oil than at times in the past. Why, then, have gasoline prices gone through the roof at America’s pumps?"

12. Another larger drought map that shows the drought all up and down the east coast.

13. And of course, it wouldn't be my feed if there wasn't something a little political on it:

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 957th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Since I just saw Melissa Etheridge in concert, I thought I'd take a look at some of her guitars. She has quite a collection. In fact, there's even a graphic novel about her guitars (although I haven't seen it).

1. Ovation Melissa Etheridge Signature 12‑String Acoustic‑Electric. This is the guitar most people picture when they think of her: big, ringing, and built to fill a room. That's the guitar she's playing in the photo I took Tuesday night.

2. Ovation Melissa Etheridge Signature 6‑String Acoustic‑Electric. This is companion model to the 12‑string, with the same stage‑ready electronics and that unmistakable Ovation shimmer.

3. Gibson ES‑347 (1979). This is one of her road guitars, a semi‑hollow with enough bite to cut through a band mix. 

4. Fender Jaguar (1979). This is another touring favorite, all offset swagger and bright surf‑rock attitude.

5. Chet Atkins Country Gentleman (early 1980s). This is a warm, resonant hollow‑body she’s taken on the road.

6. Jerry Jones 12‑String (mid‑1990s) is a guitar that was custom‑built for her, jangly and unmistakably ’90s in tone.

7. Gibson L‑5. This is a jazz‑box beauty she’s been photographed playing at Norman’s Rare Guitars.

8. Ovation Adamas 1598‑MEII 12‑String. This is her go‑to writing and performing guitar; she’s played Ovations since she was fourteen.

9. Ovation Melissa Etheridge Model USA. This is a premium U.S.‑built signature model she’s used in both studio and live settings.

10. Stella Acoustic Guitar. This was Etheridge's first real guitar, given to her at age eight. Every musician has that one instrument that starts the whole story.

11. Custom 1982 Gibson Les Paul. This is her favorite electric, full of weight and sustain.

12. Ovation OP‑Pro Studio–equipped Stage Guitars. Several of her touring acoustics use this preamp system, part of her signature sound.

13. Badminton Racket. Before the Stella, she “played” this while pretending to be in The Archies. We’ve all been there, one way or another.

For a bit more on Melissa Etheridge and her guitar, you can find articles here, here, and here, or just do a search and you'll find many other articles.

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Sources

Equipboard: Melissa Etheridge gear list (signature Ovations, ES‑347, Jaguar, Country Gentleman, Jerry Jones 12‑string, Gibson L‑5, OP‑Pro stage guitars).

Premier Guitar: Melissa Etheridge: Guitar Storyteller (Stella guitar story, badminton racket anecdote, custom 1982 Les Paul, Ovation 1598‑MEII as her primary writing guitar).

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 956th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen #955

Things that happened (mostly) in Virginia on April 16 -

1. 1780: The General Assembly relocates. On April 16, the Virginia legislature formally moved from Williamsburg to Richmond, shifting the political center of the Commonwealth inland during the Revolutionary War.

2. 1862: Peninsula Campaign tensions rise. Mid‑April saw Confederate forces withdrawing toward Richmond as Union troops advanced. April 16 marked a day of repositioning and uncertainty in the early stages of the campaign.

3. 1862: The Confederate Conscription Act takes effect. April 16 was the date the first national draft in American history went into force, requiring white men 18–35 to serve. Many Virginians were swept into the war by this law.

4. 1864: Battle of Plymouth (North Carolina) begins. Though just across the state line, many Virginia regiments were involved. April 16 marked the opening movements of a battle that would ripple through Tidewater communities.

5. 1906: Norfolk’s streetcar system expands. April 16 saw the announcement of new electric streetcar lines, part of the region’s shift from horse‑drawn transit to modern infrastructure.

6. 1912: The Titanic’s sinking reaches Virginia papers. On April 16, Richmond and Roanoke newspapers carried the first full reports of the disaster, including the names of Virginians aboard.

7. 1947: Shenandoah National Park reopens Skyline Drive sections. Winter closures lifted around April 16, marking the unofficial start of spring tourism in the Blue Ridge.

8. 1951: Richmond’s Byrd Airport expands service. April 16 brought new commercial routes, part of Virginia’s post‑war aviation boom.

9. 1963: Civil rights organizing intensifies in Danville. Mid‑April, including April 16, saw planning meetings that would lead to the Danville Movement’s major demonstrations later that summer.

10. 1978: The James River floods recede. After days of heavy rain, April 16 marked the beginning of cleanup efforts in communities from Botetourt to Richmond.

11. 1993: Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium expansion approved. On April 16, the university announced plans that would eventually transform the stadium into the powerhouse venue it is today.

12. 1996: NASA Langley begins wind‑tunnel tests for the X‑33 program. On April 16, engineers at Langley Research Center started a major testing phase for the X‑33, part of Virginia’s long-running role in aerospace research and experimental flight.

13. 2007: Virginia Tech. The deadliest school shooting in U.S. history unfolded in Blacksburg. Many of us remember exactly where we were, what the news looked like, and how the numbers kept rising. It remains a day that sits heavily in Virginia’s collective memory.

*An AI tool helped me with this list.*

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 955th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

April Thoughts

1. The way redbuds hold their color like they’re not quite convinced it’s time to commit.

2.  A cardinal perched on the shed roof, giving that clear, insistent tseeer it uses when the air feels like rain.

3. The annual negotiation with the pollen: you again. Achoo! Somebody hand me a tissue.

4. The first evening you realize that it is still light at 8 p.m. Longer days, more sunshine.

5. The small, stubborn pleasure of finishing a task you’ve been circling for days. Taxes are in the mail!

6. The kind of silence you only get when the ground is thirsty and even the insects seem to pace themselves. We're in a drought; you can see the cracks in the dirt make the uneven land look like a 3-D jigsaw puzzle.

7. A stack of envelopes that all want something, and the quiet satisfaction of telling them they can wait. Or maybe they can all be dealt with online.

8. The particular blue of the sky that only shows up between fronts.

9. A Wordle solved in a way that makes no sense to anyone but you.

10. The dogwood buds that look like they’re holding secrets. And then that wild spectacular white when they finally bloom!

11. The relief of a sentence finally landing the way you meant. And then the wondering if that ever really happens.

12. The smell of the ground warming, that odor of leaf mold and damp bark, and the particular scent of something green thinking about becoming greener.

13. The steadiness that comes from naming what’s here, not what’s missing.

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 954th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen: Space Edition

Last night around 6:35 p.m., Artemis II blasted off into space, taking with it four people who will orbit the moon.

It's a feat not attempted in over 50 years.

So here are some space facts to acknowledge this mighty and exciting adventure.

1. Artemis II will be the first crewed mission to leave low‑Earth orbit since 1972. Low‑Earth orbit (LEO) is the zone close to Earth where the International Space Station circles. Humans haven’t gone beyond it since Apollo 17 launched on December 7, 1972, and returned on December 19, 1972.

2. The crew will ride inside the Orion spacecraft. Orion is NASA’s new human‑rated capsule. It’s the part that holds the astronauts, keeps them alive, and brings them home. Artemis I flew it without people; Artemis II is the first time it carries a crew.

3. The rocket that launches Orion is called the Space Launch System (SLS). SLS is NASA’s heavy‑lift rocket. Think of it as the muscle that gets Orion off Earth. Once its job is done, it falls away and Orion continues the journey.

4. Orion’s heat shield is the largest ever built for a human spacecraft. It has to survive re‑entry from lunar speeds, which are about 25,000 mph. That's far faster than anything returning from low‑Earth orbit.

 

5. The Moon is slowly drifting away from Earth. About 1.5 inches per year. Over millions of years, that adds up to real distance. 

6. NASA’s Deep Space Network can hear signals weaker than a refrigerator light bulb from billions of miles away. Three giant antenna complexes, one each in California, Spain, and Australia, keep spacecraft talking to Earth long after they’re tiny specks in the dark.

7. The International Space Station orbits Earth every 90 minutes. Astronauts see 16 sunrises and sunsets a day. Their internal clocks do the best they can.

8. Voyager 1 is so far away that its radio signal takes more than 22 hours to reach Earth. And it’s still sending back data, albeit slowly, faintly, and stubbornly.

9. The Moon has moonquakes. Some come from tidal forces, some from meteor impacts, and some from the lunar surface expanding and contracting as it heats and cools.

10. A spacesuit is basically a one‑person spacecraft. It controls pressure, temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and waste. It’s life support wrapped around a human body.

11. Artemis aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon. This is a deliberate shift in who gets written into exploration history.

12. Earth’s atmosphere is astonishingly thin. If Earth were the size of an apple, the atmosphere would be about as thick as the skin. Everything we breathe and depend on is in that fragile layer.

13. Every footprint left on the Moon is still there. No wind, no rain, no erosion. There's just dust and time. They’ll remain for centuries, maybe longer.

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 953rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Reasons Physical Therapy Can Be Helpful

1. It teaches you how your body actually works. It's a marvelous miracle, full of mechanics and patterns, and there are habits you didn’t know you had that affect many things.

2. It builds strength in the places that quietly hold everything together, not just the obvious muscles.

3. It helps restore movement you didn’t realize you’d lost. Small changes in range of motion can make a big difference and make daily life easier.

4. It gives you tools to manage discomfort, not just endure it.

5. It helps you relearn trust in the part of your body that’s been hurting, which is its own kind of healing.

6. It breaks big problems into small, doable steps. Being able to do something with a body part that wasn't working properly can be a relief when reaching for the peanut butter feels overwhelming.

7. It encourages consistency over intensity, a rhythm that often fits real life better.

8. It helps correct imbalances that build up over years, the ones you only notice when something finally complains.

9. It supports recovery after injuries or surgeries by guiding movement safely and gradually.

10. It improves stability and balance, which can give you confidence to do everyday tasks.

11. It helps prevent future issues by strengthening weak spots before they become problems.

12. It offers a structured space to pay attention to your body, something most of us rarely do.

13. It reminds you that healing is active, not passive. It is something you participate in, not wait for.

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 952nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Things that happened on March 19:

1. In 1687, La Salle was killed. René‑Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, was a French explorer who claimed the Mississippi River basin for France and named it Louisiana. On his final expedition, after missing the river’s mouth by hundreds of miles, his exhausted and starving men mutinied and shot him. His death marked the collapse of France’s most ambitious North American colonial dream.

2. In 1815, The Battle of New Orleans officially ended. However, the War of 1812 was already over on paper, as the Treaty of Ghent had been signed months earlier. News traveled slowly. Andrew Jackson’s ragtag force of regulars, militia, free Black soldiers, and Jean Lafitte’s pirates defeated the British anyway. The victory turned Jackson into a national hero and reshaped American identity, even though it changed nothing diplomatically.

3. In 1831, the first U.S. bank heist occurred when thieves broke into City Bank on Wall Street and stole $245,000. It was an astronomical sum at the time. Most of the money was recovered, but the heist exposed how quickly the young nation’s financial system was growing, and how unprepared it was for modern crime.

4. In 1863, The SS Georgiana sank. This state‑of‑the‑art Confederate cruiser, loaded with munitions and medicines, attempted to slip through the Union blockade. She ran aground and was destroyed on her maiden voyage. The wreck, found exactly 102 years later, became a touchstone for Civil War maritime archaeology.

5. In 1865, The Battle of Bentonville began. This was one of the last major battles of the Civil War, fought in North Carolina as Confederate General Joseph Johnston tried - and failed - to halt Sherman’s march. It was a final, desperate attempt to slow the inevitable end of the Confederacy.

6. In 1918, the U.S. standardized time zones and adopted Daylight Saving Time. What began as a wartime energy‑saving measure became a permanent reshaping of American timekeeping. Railroads had pushed for standardization for decades; Congress finally made it law.

7. In 1920, the U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles again. President Wilson wanted the U.S. to join the League of Nations. The Senate refused - twice - choosing isolation over internationalism. The decision shaped American foreign policy for the next two decades and arguably helped set the stage for World War II.

8. In 1931, Nevada legalized gambling. In the depths of the Great Depression, Nevada took a gamble of its own. Legalizing casinos was meant to boost the economy; instead, it transformed the state’s identity and eventually created Las Vegas as a global symbol of spectacle and excess.

9. In 1941, The Tuskegee Airmen’s 99th Pursuit Squadron was activated. The first Black military aviators in U.S. history began their service under segregation, scrutiny, and doubt. Their combat record in WWII helped dismantle racist assumptions within the military and paved the way for desegregation in 1948.

10. In 1962, Bob Dylan’s debut album was released. The album was mostly traditional folk songs, recorded quickly and cheaply. It barely sold. But it introduced a voice that would reshape American music, politics, and protest culture within just a few years.

11. In 1979, the U.S. House began formal consideration of the ERA extension. Congress had already passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972, but not enough states ratified it by the deadline. In 1979, lawmakers debated extending the deadline to 1982. It still fell short. Where it stands now: Nevada (2017), Illinois (2018), and Virginia (2020) eventually ratified it, reaching the required 38 states. Legal and procedural disputes mean the ERA remains unrecognized at the federal level.

12. In 1991, NFL owners stripped Phoenix of the 1993 Super Bowl. Arizona voters had refused to establish Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a state holiday. The NFL responded by pulling the Super Bowl, a rare moment when a sports league took a public stand on civil rights. Arizona reversed course in 1992.

13. In 2003, The Iraq War began. The U.S. launched airstrikes on Baghdad, beginning a war justified by claims that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. Those weapons were never found. The conflict reshaped U.S. foreign policy, destabilized the region, and continues to influence global politics and veterans’ lives today.

Sources include the National Archives, the U.S. Senate Historical Office, the National Park Service, Encyclopaedia Britannica, the Nevada State Museum, the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, and contemporary reporting from the New York Times and BBC News.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 951st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen #950

Things that March teaches you -

1. Patience, because the ground thaws when it’s ready and not a day sooner.

2. Timing, because there a narrow space between too early and too late. Plant too early, you lose your seedlings. Wait too long, and the heat will burn them.

3. When to wait, especially when mud or weather would only punish you for pushing ahead. Take a tractor through a muddy field and you'll pay for it later when you have to mow.

4. When to act, catching the small openings March gives you before they close again. That means grabbing a warm day to clear the weeds from the garden or a wet day to catch up on reading.

5. How to read mud, because its color, its pull, all tell a story about the week that was and the week that will be.

6. How to read sky, noticing which clouds mean “go” and which mean “wrap it up.” Stay too long and you'll find yourself in an early thunderstorm.

7. How to read yourself, the places where winter still lingers in your body. You'll know it by the ache in your bones.

8. The value of a good list when everything feels half-started. It's so easy to forget that you've already bought zucchini seeds.

9. The value of ignoring that list when the day rearranges itself. Take the time to forget the list and watch the sunset. There's enormous value in that soft beauty.

10. What’s predictable: the same gates, the same low spots, the same chores returning on cue. They're rather endless on a farm. Actually, they're endless in life, they just change their shape.

11. What never is predictable are surprises, equipment breakdowns, fast-brewing storms that rewrite the day.

12. What returns, like green grass, birdsong, light in the evening, and the sense of a year beginning again.

13. What doesn’t return, like the birds that nested in the tree that fell over during the ice storm, and how to keep working with what remains, like what to do with those broken limbs.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 950th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

I used to play guitar in a cover band in high school from about 1978 to 1981. We went out on weekends and played in bars, Moose lodges, VFW halls, volunteer fire department buildings - wherever. That was how we made our money as teenagers instead of working at fast food places that really weren't in existence in our area then.

We had a great time. Sometimes I hear songs come across Alexa and remember that we did them. 

We had a set list of over 40 songs with a good rotation - usually two disco/dance songs, a slow dance, then two disco/dance songs, etc. Our sets were about 45 minutes long, or about 10 songs a set, with four sets during the evening, usually. 

Here are 13 songs that I remember we played:

1. Lyin’ Eyes, by the Eagles. This was one of those songs that settled the room before the real dancing started. Easy harmonies, steady rhythm, and a warm way to open a night in a Moose lodge or VFW hall.

2. Reunited, by Peaches & Herb. This was a guaranteed slow‑dance moment. Couples drifted out, arms around each other, and the whole hall softened into that late‑70s glow.

3. I Will Survive, by Gloria Gaynor. The women always hit the floor first for this one. The band locked into the groove, and I sang harmony like muscle memory. I still like to play this song.

4. Tragedy, by the Bee Gees. This was a song I sang lead vocals. It was an ambitious song for a high‑school band. Those falsetto peaks were a thrill and a challenge every time.

5. Do Ya Think I’m Sexy, by Rod Stewart. This was another song I sang. I only sang maybe 5 of the 40; the lead singer did most of the work with me singing backup and harmony. This song was playful and a little cheeky. I remember we played in front of the intermediate school and we did this one, and my former English teacher took me aside afterwards and said she couldn't believe I could belt out a song like that.

6. Heart of Glass, by Blondie. This song was a perfect blend of rock and disco. The beat kept the dancers happy, and the guitar‑and‑keys mix made it fun to play. Mostly I had the vibrato up on the guitar and hit the low E string a lot.

7. Bad Girls, by Donna Summer. The bass player’s whistle made this one unforgettable. A tiny prop, but it turned the song into a moment, and it was the kind of thing people remembered and laughed about later. I can still hear him blowing on that whistle and trying for the higher note with it at the end.

8. Babe, by Styx. This was a sentimental slow dance that gave everyone a breather. Our keyboardist sang this song; I think it was the only one she sang. The lead singer and I would have harmonized with her. "You know it's you, babe." We played it soft, steady, and right in the pocket.

9. Play That Funky Music, by Wild Cherry. This one always took a lot out of me because it is a lot of fast guitar movement. But it was a floor‑filler every single time. The groove was simple but satisfying, and the whole band got to lean into it.

10. Hot Stuff, by Donna Summer. This was disco with a rock edge and perfect for a live band. We could push the tempo a little, and the dancers loved it.

11. Another One Bites the Dust, by Queen. This is when the bass player shone. That opening line alone could pull people to the floor, and the whole room felt the pulse of it.

12. My Life, by Billy Joel. This song was bright, upbeat, and a nice change of texture in a mostly disco‑leaning set. A song that kept the energy up without overwhelming the room.

13. China Grove, by The Doobie Brothers. This was my best lead‑guitar song. It was fast, tight, and full of those riffs that feel good under the fingers. A rock anchor in the middle of all that disco heat, and the song I always prayed I didn't mess up because the guitar was prominent in it.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 949th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.