Saturday 9: Snowbird

Saturday 9: Snowbird (1971)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. (I did not know Elvis performed this song. I was only familiar with the Anne Murray version.)

1) In this song, Elvis wants the snowbird to fly away and take the snow back with her. Have you seen a measurable snowfall yet this season?

A. No.

2) Drivers in snowy climes are encouraged to keep salt, sand or kitty litter in the trunk because those items can help a car regain traction in the snow. Do you have an emergency kit in your car right now? If so, what's in it?

A. I have flares in my car, bottled water, and a blanket.

3) Back in 2007, North Dakota set the world record for the most snow angels made at one time (8,910). Do you enjoy playing in the snow?

A. I used to. I do not anymore, for I am old and prone to falling.

4) Chionophobia is the fear of snow. Astraphobia is the fear of thunder and lightening. Lilapsophobia is the fear of tornadoes and hurricanes. Do you have to cope with any of these fears?

A. No. Nature doesn't scare me. People, now that's another story.

5) Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie split her childhood between Memphis and Los Angeles, so she seldom saw snow. When she was a little girl, she was whisked her off to Denver in her father's private plane so the two of them could spend an afternoon playing in the snow. If you could take off and spend the afternoon anywhere in the world, where would you go?

A. Egypt to see the pyramids. That's given that I don't have to ride a camel or anything, and I don't have to breathe in sand, and all of my needs are cared for and I am pampered like Queen Nafertia (or however you spell it). 

6) At home and onstage, Elvis refused to wear jeans and only wore denim if a film role demanded it. This is because when he was young, classmates teased him for "dressing poor" in jeans and coveralls. What did you wear to class when you were in grammar school?

A. Dresses. At the time, girls had to wear dresses, mostly.

7) Elvis and President Jimmy Carter are distant relatives (the President is the sixth cousin of the King's great grandfather). Your turn: Tell us about one of your more interesting relatives.

A. I have a minister who owned a whore house in the family tree.

8) In 1971, when Elvis released his recording of "Snowbird," You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown was a hit on Broadway. Who is your favorite Peanuts character?

A. Snoopy.

9) Random question: You receive a gift certificate from a gourmet food company that can be redeemed for one of these three things: 1 lb. of caviar, 5 lbs. of steak or a 10 lb., live lobster. Which would you choose?

A. The steak, I guess. I wouldn't eat it, though. I would give it away. I am allergic to shellfish and I don't eat that much red meat. I've had caviar and it is not a favorite food.


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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.

Where Santa's Reindeer Take a Rest

Thursday Thirteen

I don't collect many items besides books, but I do have a collection of Christmas mice. Here are 13 of them. Some are ornaments, some are not. Most were given to me by friends.

A Santa Mouse ornament that is the first I purchased for myself. He's
 about 32 years old.

This is Santa Mouse as a reindeer. I think.

This sweet Santa Mouse is ready for bed!

A stuffed Ms. Mouse.

An ornament Santa Mouse, given to me in 2010. Bet you
couldn't guess that!

A find at a yard sale, though I have the original set as well, a
gift from my mother-in-law.

One of those really nice glass ornaments.

A fuzzy Santa Mouse.

A mouse on a snowball and a stuffed Santa Mouse.

One of the really cute ones that is not an ornament.

Technically a wizard, but he's one of my favorites.

He's rather huge, this big gray guy.

The following is the original Santa Mouse that I played with as a child. I believe my parents acquired it the year I was born and it was on their first tree. It was the only thing I asked my mother for before she died and I did not get it. I still do not have it; my brother did a few years ago but he has divorced and I don't know what became of it. Thrown out with the trash, I suppose.

The original Santa Mouse had great adventures with a sleigh and reindeer. As a child (and an adult) with an over-active imagination, Santa Mouse took on a persona of his own and swooped around the house at Christmas time.

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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 476th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. 

Nothing to Say

I am here, but having some painful days and so at the moment I haven't much to say.

I'll be posting maybe even later today but this morning I am not thinking.

Thanks for reading my blog! I appreciate you all.

Sunday Stealing: Boat Questions

Sunday Stealing: The Boat Questions
 

1. YOU HAVE 10 BUCKS AND NEED TO BUY SNACKS AT A GAS STATION. WHAT DO YOU GET?

A. A bottle of water, a Milky Way Midnight, and a banana, if they sell them. At gas station prices, I think that is about all one could afford.

2. IF YOU WERE REINCARNATED AS SOME SORT OF SEA DWELLING CREATURE, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?

A. I don't want to be a sea creature. But I suppose I would be a bioluminescent octopus. (The link goes to pictures.)

3. WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE REDHEAD?

A. I don't know. Lucille Ball?

4. WHAT DO YOU ORDER WHEN YOU'RE AT A DINER?

A. A chicken salad sandwich.

5. LAST BOOK YOU READ?

A. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Doug Adams

6. DESCRIBE YOUR FAVORITE PAIR OF UNDERWEAR?

A. I don't have a favorite pair. They are underwear.

7. DESCRIBE THE LAST TIME YOU WERE INJURED.

A. I had a paper cut earlier in the week. It bled.

8. ROCK CONCERT OR SYMPHONY? LAST SEEN?

A. I don't get out much so either would be fine. My last rock concert would have been Elton John about 15 years ago. My last symphony would have been about the same time, I guess.

9. IF SOMEONE WERE TO BUY YOU A GIFT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE?

A. Whatever they believe I would like. If they care enough to buy me something, I am not going to orchestrate their purchase.

But I would buy myself more books, even though I don't have room for them.

10. WHAT TYPE OF SHIRT DO YOU BEST IN?

A. A T-shirt.

11. IF YOU COULD USE ONLY ONE FORM OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

A. A car, I guess, if we're not counting walking. Otherwise I would like to keep my legs, thank you very much.

12. WHAT IS YOUR DEADLY SIN?

A. Gluttony, I suppose, since I am an emotional eater.

13. MOST RECENT MOVIE YOU'VE WATCHED IN A THEATER? RATE IT.

A. The last movie I saw in a theater was Stars Wars: The Force Awakens. It was OK and I liked that the movie featured a heroine, even if she was short-changed in the advertisements. Last night on HBO I watched Batman v. Superman and that was one weird show. I really wanted to feel something at the end, but I didn't. Wonder Woman made a great appearance, though, and I am looking forward to that movie in 2017. (The link goes to a movie trailer - check it out if you haven't.)

14. IF YOU COULD INVENT ONE THING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

A. A better health care system.

15. NAME AN ACTOR/ACTRESS YOU'VE HAD THE HOTS FOR?

A. I am too old and too long married for "the hots" for any actor. I liked Orlando Bloom as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings but don't really care for him in other things (same with Viggo Mortenson, who played Aragorn).

16. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE CITY? LAST TIME THERE?

A. I don't have a favorite city.

17. WHAT'S THE FIRST WORD THAT COMES TO MIND RIGHT NOW?

A. Silly. That's how I feel answering these questions at 7:00 a.m. on a Sunday because I forgot to do them yesterday.

18. WHAT TYPE OF PET DO YOU HAVE?

A. I have a herd of cows. Otherwise I do not have pets.

19. WHERE HAVE YOU LIVED THE LONGEST?

A. Where I am now. We have lived in this house for 29 years.

20. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON THAT SPENT $100 ON YOU?

A. Probably myself, although with Christmas coming that could change to my husband.

21. WHAT'S THE LAST PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU BOUGHT?

A. A pull-over short-sleeved sweater that was on sale at J.C. Penny's for $10, regular cost $52.

22. WHAT WAS/IS YOUR FAVORITE JOB?

A. Being a news writer.

23. WHO MAKES YOU LAUGH THE MOST??

A. My husband.

24. WHAT ARE YOU CRAVING?

A. Breakfast.

25. WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

A. I have a list of things to try to do today and I hope I feel well enough to get them done. I also have the Shrek version of Leonard Cohen's song Hallelujah stuck in my head as an earworm.


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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Take My Breath Away

Saturday 9: Take My Breath Away (1996)

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

1) When were you last breathless?

A. I have asthma, and recently we've had bad air quality from multiple fires (poor Gatlinburg). So I have had to haul out my inhaler a couple of times. That is the literal kind of breathless. But the other kind of breathless, as in, something emotional? Probably the evening one of my close friends told me she had a terminal illness.

2) This is the love theme from Top Gun, and the romance was between a pilot and his instructor. Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?

A. No. I liked my teachers, but I didn't have crushes on them. However, in the 4th grade, for some reason other girls thought Mr. Kinzie was a dreamboat and they would sigh over him during lunch. He was okay, but he was old.

3) The pilots in Top Gun all had cool nicknames -- including Maverick, Goose, Merlin, Cougar and Stinger. Give yourself a cool pilot name.

A. I think I'll go with Gandalf. Yes? No?

4) The actress who played the instructor, Kelly McGillis, owns Kelly's Caribbean Bar/Grill and Brewery in Key West. It's known for its cheese and beer dip appetizer, served with warm pretzels. What's one of your favorite between meal snacks?

A. Chips. Cheese ball with crackers. Something chocolate.

5) The group who recorded this week's song is called Berlin, but they're really from Southern California. Have you ever been to Berlin? How about Southern California?

A. I have been to California. Berlin's beyond my means.
I've also been through Oklahoma, and I always wear blue jeans.

I found true love in Memphis, and I lost my heart in New Orleans.
My life is now a circus, and you all know what I mean.

But I still get up in the morning, 'cause the eggs don't cook themselves
and I keep my heart wide open, instead of stuck up on some shelf.
When you see me in the city, tell me it's time to love myself.

Okay, somehow I started writing a country song there. Sorry.

6) Lead singer Terri Nunn has a weekly radio show, Unbound on KCSN. How often do you listen to the radio? Do you tune in for music, comedy, news or talk?

A. I listen to music when I shower, so I listen to it almost every day. Depending on the time of day, I might also hear the news or the DJs being silly.

7) In 1986, when this song was popular, PeeWee's Playhouse premiered. While ostensibly for children, PeeWee Herman's show had many, many adult viewers. Do you watch still watch any kid's shows?

A. No. Can't say that I do. I would, maybe, if I could find them on the satellite.

8) Robert Pattinson, the actor who played Edward the vampire in the Twilight series, was born in 1986. Have you read the Twilight books? Seen the movies?

A. No and no. The last vampire series I became intimately involved with was Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

9)  Random question: In an alternate universe, which of these professions would you like to find yourself in -- United States senator, Ivy League professor, or imminent psychiatrist?

A. I will be an Ivy League Professor. I teach Creative Writing, and have published 20 books of fiction, two books on writing, and one book on keeping a journal for self-discovery. My students love me and my creative writing classes always have waiting lists. Since I've been teaching for 25 years, I have a long list of alumnae who keep in touch with me, sending me Christmas cards every year and copies of their books.

Apparently my imagination is simply going crazy as I answer these questions.


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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.

Fantasy R Us

Do not anger dragons,

 for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

 

 

Remembering Lakeside

Last night the local PBS had a documentary on Lakeside Amusement Park in Salem, VA.

I visited the amusement park many times as a child and a teenager. I think the last time I went, I was 19. Then this area had a major flood in 1985 and the amusement park went underwater. It never recovered and now the land houses a retail area.

The park opened in 1920 with a large football-sized segregated swimming pool. In time, it changed hands and ride attractions were added, such as a roller coaster (there were two; I only knew the last one, The Shooting Star).

These were the times when my mother could drop us off with my 14-year-old uncle (I would have been nine) and let us roam free. The uncle (her brother) would of course ditch me, my brother, and my other young uncle as soon as he could, leaving us to fend for ourselves amongst the rides and the pavilion.

I suppose it was here that I learned to love cotton candy and the huckster games that one finds at carnivals.

I recall riding The Shooting Star only twice. I was never a fan of the rides that made me sick. I was more of a Merry-Go-Round or bumper cars type of kid.

I did like the skyline, though, which circumvented the park. The long trip around the complex was relaxing, if not a little scary, and it was as if you could see the world from up there. That was a big deal when you were a kid.

After I received my driver's license, I would go to Lakeside with friends (even when I wasn't supposed). We loved to sneak into concerts and there I heard Juice Newton, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn (I think) and many other country and pop stars. We were under age but security apparently was not that good, because we never had any trouble getting into the shows. They were held in a pavilion area.

The documentary should be available for purchase at the local PBS station at some point. They were hawking it last night during the show, so I assume it will be available to the general public.

Thursday Thirteen

Things to do by yourself to make the holiday time a little less crazy.

1. Make a terrarium, create a garden, or care for a plant.

2. Cook something spectacular.

3. Spend time at a museum or library.


4. Meditate.

5. Make lists of things you want to do or feel, or create a vision board for your life.

6. Read.

 


7. Go for a walk in the woods or visit somewhere new in your city.

8. Watch a movie.

9. Go for a long drive.

10. Listen to music. Dance like no one is watching.

11. Clear out some clutter.

12. Paint, draw, sketch, color.

13. Write in your journal, send a handwritten note to a friend, blog, or work on a writing project.






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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 476th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. 

My Grandmother's Living Room

Last night I dreamed of my grandmother's house in Salem.

Small for a family of six, the three-bedroom, full-basement structure probably encompassed about 1200 feet, if that. My grandfather had it built when a small subdivision sprang up along The Roanoke River.

The basement flooded at least three times.

The living room housed a couch, my grandfather's recliner chair, a rocking chair, a television, a dry sink, and an upright piano. The room never seemed crowded to me, but looking back on it, it must have been. I don't think the room was bigger than 12 x 14, if that.

The foyer held a bookcase and another smaller moveable shelve set that held the telephone. The bookcase held a cherished set of World Book Encyclopedias.

My grandmother rocked the piano sometimes, when she thought no one was listening. When we were outside playing on our bikes, maybe, or on the swings. But I would come to the door and hear her. She had no formal lessons that I am aware of; she played by ear and with passion. She sang, too, though the songs she sang when she was at the piano were not the lullabies she whispered in her grandchildrens' ears when she tried to calm them or help them sleep.

They were songs from the 1940s, from her childhood. And I don't remember any of them, I'm afraid.

A few months before my grandmother died, she was in the hospital. She kept hearing music. She would ask if we heard it when we visited and wanted to know when the City of Salem began piping music all over the land. I always told her I heard the music, and sometimes asked her if she could sing along with it.

Once or twice she did, singing old songs I didn't know, floundering with the words and then stopping. It was better to listen than sing then, she said.

My grandmother's house had a divider between the kitchen and living room. It served as a place for us grandchildren to run around on rainy days. We chased each other in circles until she couldn't stand it anymore and sent us to the basement. Down there we played with balls or read comic books in a half-light, while she, at least, had a little quiet upstairs.

I don't know why I dreamed of my grandmother's living room last night. I haven't seen it since about 1987. She moved into another home with my aunt after that, and the old house was sold. It still stands, though I think it is one of the few left along that part of The Roanoke River Greenway.

I wish I had a picture.

Is That You, Raj?

Down is up
sideways is reverse
changing lines crisscross,
run parallel, arrange themselves
perpendicular, move to form
irregular quadrilaterals.

Maybe I am in Sheldon's 2D universe,
a holographic theory,
I see only the sides of obtuse triangles
and I don't even like math.

Sunday Stealing: Silver Thanksgiving

From Sunday Stealing

The Silver Thanksgiving Questions



This is a turkey butt.

1. How many Thanksgivings do you attend?

A. Generally just one, although there have been years where my husband and I have had a mini-Thanksgiving and then attended a big feast at my in-laws, due to work schedules (my husband is a firefighter and my brother-in-law is a police investigator).

2. Where do you attend Thanksgiving(s)?

A. This year it was at my house. In the past, I have attended Thanksgiving at my mother-in-law's house, my parents' house, and my grandmother's house.

3. What is your favorite dish?

A. I like good stuffing with gravy on it.

4. What is your least favorite dish at Thanksgiving?

A. Anything with coconut in it.

5. What, if any, are your Thanksgiving traditions?

A. They are changing as we age. I think the main tradition is we eat at 6 p.m.

6. Name your FAV thing about Thanksgiving.

A. I don't really have one. To be honest, I'd just as soon skip the holiday.

Run turkeys, run!

7. Do you make anything for Thanksgiving? If yes, share what and why.

A. This year I cooked the turkey, made candied yams, stuffing, cooked kale, rolls, and baked a pie. In past years I have mostly been responsible for the turkey, but this year I did everything.

8. Out of everything you eat at Thanksgiving, what can YOU cook the best?

A. All of it.

9. What do you drink with your Thanksgiving feast?

A. Water. I only drink water. Although I confess around 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving day, I would not have turned down a big drink of liquor.

10. Has there ever been a feud during your Thanksgiving?

A. When I was young, my parents fought every holiday.

11. Do you have appetizers before your Thanksgiving meal?

A. No.

12. How many people attend your Thanksgiving(s)? If yes, who?

A. This year there was only three of us: me, my husband, and my mother-in-law. In years past, we have had large gatherings with me, my husband, my MIL and FIL, my SIL and her husband, her two boys. At my parents house, prior to 2000 when my mother died, we had my husband and me, my parents, my brother, my SIL and their three kids.

13. Have you ever missed a Thanksgiving?

A. No.

14. What kind of pie/cake/dessert do you eat for dessert?

A. This year we had apple pie.

15. Do you ever play games at Thanksgiving?

A. No.

16. Name 3 things you are thankful for.

A. Blue Skies, music, and tomorrows.

17. Is there anyone who has normally attended Thanksgiving, that will not be there this year? Who?

A. My nephews were absent this year.

18. Name the funniest person at your Thanksgiving this year and tell us more.

A. Usually that was one of the boys.

19. Which person eats the MOST?

A. I don't keep track.

20. Which person eats the LEAST?

A. I don't keep track, sorry.

21. Do any animals attend Thanksgiving dinner?

A. Just the dead turkey on the platter.

22. If so, do they get Thanksgiving scraps?

A. No.

23. Who carves the turkey?

A. I do.

24. Have you ever had to make Thanksgiving all on YOUR OWN?

A. I did this year, yes.

25. Do you get along with the people you have thanksgiving with?

A. I try.

26. Is your Thanksgiving formal, or do you just do whatever?

A. We are winging it, so to speak, as circumstances change. It is what happens as children and parents age.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.