Sunday Stealing
1. Your favorite songs.
A. I like most anything from the 1970s. According to Alexa, I have great taste. (Yes, I asked her.)
2. Your favorite bands.
A. Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stones, ABBA, etc.
3. Your favorite actors or actresses.
A. Right now anyone who is still alive on Game of Thrones.
4. Your favorite books.
A. I read a lot of fantasy. I also like mysteries, young adult fiction, and some memoir.
5. Your favorite movies.
A. Lord of the Rings (all three of them, extended versions please), Wonder Woman
6. Your favorite TV shows.
A. Game of Thrones, Supergirl, The Big Bang Theory, Survivor, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Star Trek, etc.
7. Your favorite foods/drinks.
A. I drink mostly water but like root beer occasionally. I don't eat hot spicy foods because of my ulcer but otherwise I try not to be picky.
8. Your favorite animal.
A. Deer.
9. Your favorite scents.
A. Vanilla. It's the only scent I can stand, generally speaking. Everything in my house is unscented. Unscented soaps, lotions, candles. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find unscented stuff?
10. Your hobbies/ things you do in your free time.
A. I read and play video games.
11. Your pet peeves.
A. People who agree to do something and then don't, finding a hair on my chin, and seeing a ding in my car and I don't know how it got there.
12. Things you collect.
A. I collect Santa Mouse items, lots of books, and things related to Lord of the Rings.
13. Things you like to swap.
A. I don't do swaps. I'm not even sure what this means.
14. Places you've been.
A. I've been everywhere man, I've been everywhere! Cross the desert there, man, I breathe the mountain air. Travel I've had my share, man, I've been everywhere! (That's a song. Anybody else know it?) I've been to many states in the U.S., Spain, and France.
15. Places you'd like to visit.
A. New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, Italy.
16. The songs you dislike.
A. I am not fond of rap and hip hop though I have listened to it. Some of it is tolerable.
17. The movies you dislike.
A. I'm not a fan of horror movies anymore.
18. The TV shows you dislike.
A. I don't watch any of the police dramas like NCIS, CSI or whatever.
19. Classes you liked in school.
A. English classes.
20. Classes you disliked in school.
A. Gym. I missed the A honor roll a couple of times because of gym. I mean, really? I do my best and I get a B?
21. Crafts you would like to learn.
A. Painting. I really wish I could paint and draw.
__________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.
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Saturday 9: Every Time You Go Away
Saturday 9: Every Time You Go Away (1985)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about separation. Who is the last person you said goodbye (or maybe just "so long") to?
A. Does telling my husband goodbye when he goes off to work count? Or are you looking for some kind of more permanent relationship end? I don't generally end my relationships. They sort of either dither away or the person leaves me.
2) This week's featured artist, Paul Young, was a gifted athlete during his school days and briefly played professional football (aka soccer). Sam enjoys playing tennis, though her serve doesn't give Serena Williams anything to worry about. What's something you enjoy doing, even if you don't excel?
A. Photography. While I am, by all ways of looking at it, a professional photographer, I'm not National Geographic class or anything. I get by with the help of enough knowledge to be dangerous and the automatic setting on the cameras.
3) Mr. Young and his wife Stacy were married for 31 years, until her death in 2018. What do you think is the key to a happy marriage?
A. As a member of the happily married crew of over 35 years, I would say compromise is key. If one person is always giving, or always having to win, or whatever, that relationship is likely doomed. Both people have to give in sometimes.
4) Paul Young's performance of this hit song was one of the highlights of the July 1985 Live Aid Concert. This international benefit raised more than $100 million to alleviate hunger in Ethiopia. Tell us about a charity you support.
A. I support the Roanoke Area Ministries. This is a grassroots, interfaith organization that serves as an advocate for people who are homeless and poverty stricken. RAM helps people in need through a variety of programs including emergency financial assistance, a day shelter serving a daily hot noon-time meal, providing clothing and job placement assistance. The organization aims to empower people to move from dependency to self-sufficiency to build a stronger, healthier community.
5) This song was written by Daryl Hall, of Hall and Oates. What's your favorite Hall and Oates song?
A. Sara Smile.
6) In 1985, when this song was popular, the New Coke was unsuccessfully introduced. What's the last beverage you drank?
A. A ginger ale about a week ago. Mostly I drink water.
7) In 1985, the New York Stock Exchange had to close because of Hurricane Gloria. Has a hurricane shared your name? (Find a list of recent/upcoming storm names here.)
A. I couldn't find it on that site, but a google search turned up Hurricane Anita in 1977. It reached Category 5 in late August of that year and hit northeastern Mexico on September 2, 1977, landing with winds at over 175 mph. The storm left 25,000 people homeless and dropped over 17 inches of rain, which caused flooding and mudslides. Eleven people died. I'd never heard of it before. Good question.
8) 1985 was the year that the Titanic wreckage was discovered. There have been at least 11 movies and TV shows about the fatal voyage. Have you seen any of them?
A. I saw that famous one in the 1997, directed by James Cameron, with the Celine Dion song.
9) Random question: Would you rather own and run a coffee shop or a shoe store? Why?
A. I'd rather own a coffee shop with a bookstore in it. I don't like to play with people's feet. I don't drink coffee either but at least with a coffee shop you have some chance of mixing things up and serving tea.
___________
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.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about separation. Who is the last person you said goodbye (or maybe just "so long") to?
A. Does telling my husband goodbye when he goes off to work count? Or are you looking for some kind of more permanent relationship end? I don't generally end my relationships. They sort of either dither away or the person leaves me.
2) This week's featured artist, Paul Young, was a gifted athlete during his school days and briefly played professional football (aka soccer). Sam enjoys playing tennis, though her serve doesn't give Serena Williams anything to worry about. What's something you enjoy doing, even if you don't excel?
A. Photography. While I am, by all ways of looking at it, a professional photographer, I'm not National Geographic class or anything. I get by with the help of enough knowledge to be dangerous and the automatic setting on the cameras.
3) Mr. Young and his wife Stacy were married for 31 years, until her death in 2018. What do you think is the key to a happy marriage?
A. As a member of the happily married crew of over 35 years, I would say compromise is key. If one person is always giving, or always having to win, or whatever, that relationship is likely doomed. Both people have to give in sometimes.
4) Paul Young's performance of this hit song was one of the highlights of the July 1985 Live Aid Concert. This international benefit raised more than $100 million to alleviate hunger in Ethiopia. Tell us about a charity you support.
A. I support the Roanoke Area Ministries. This is a grassroots, interfaith organization that serves as an advocate for people who are homeless and poverty stricken. RAM helps people in need through a variety of programs including emergency financial assistance, a day shelter serving a daily hot noon-time meal, providing clothing and job placement assistance. The organization aims to empower people to move from dependency to self-sufficiency to build a stronger, healthier community.
5) This song was written by Daryl Hall, of Hall and Oates. What's your favorite Hall and Oates song?
A. Sara Smile.
6) In 1985, when this song was popular, the New Coke was unsuccessfully introduced. What's the last beverage you drank?
A. A ginger ale about a week ago. Mostly I drink water.
7) In 1985, the New York Stock Exchange had to close because of Hurricane Gloria. Has a hurricane shared your name? (Find a list of recent/upcoming storm names here.)
A. I couldn't find it on that site, but a google search turned up Hurricane Anita in 1977. It reached Category 5 in late August of that year and hit northeastern Mexico on September 2, 1977, landing with winds at over 175 mph. The storm left 25,000 people homeless and dropped over 17 inches of rain, which caused flooding and mudslides. Eleven people died. I'd never heard of it before. Good question.
8) 1985 was the year that the Titanic wreckage was discovered. There have been at least 11 movies and TV shows about the fatal voyage. Have you seen any of them?
A. I saw that famous one in the 1997, directed by James Cameron, with the Celine Dion song.
9) Random question: Would you rather own and run a coffee shop or a shoe store? Why?
A. I'd rather own a coffee shop with a bookstore in it. I don't like to play with people's feet. I don't drink coffee either but at least with a coffee shop you have some chance of mixing things up and serving tea.
___________
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.
Friday, April 26, 2019
Birds and a Squirrel
 |
| Pileated Woodpecker |
 |
| Robins |
 |
| Squirrel |
 |
| Squirrel |
 |
| Wrens? Brown Thrasher? Not sure. |
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Thursday Thirteen
Happiness is . . .
1. A kiss from my husband.
2. A warm shower.
3. New socks!
4. Chocolate.
5. A good book.
6. A great song on the radio (or whatever you listen to these days).
7. Talking to a friend.
8. Laughter over an inside joke no one else understands.
9. Writing a great line.
10. A phone call from my brother.
11. Memories of people I've loved who are no longer with us.
12. Being old enough to go phhttt to the people whose opinion no longer matters.
13. Having a blog with 601 Thursday Thirteen entries in it! That's over 11 years.
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 601th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
1. A kiss from my husband.
 |
| My husband. He's so wonderful. |
2. A warm shower.
3. New socks!
4. Chocolate.
5. A good book.
6. A great song on the radio (or whatever you listen to these days).
7. Talking to a friend.
8. Laughter over an inside joke no one else understands.
9. Writing a great line.
10. A phone call from my brother.
11. Memories of people I've loved who are no longer with us.
12. Being old enough to go phhttt to the people whose opinion no longer matters.
13. Having a blog with 601 Thursday Thirteen entries in it! That's over 11 years.
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 601th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Monday, April 22, 2019
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Sunday Stealing
Hoppy Easter!
Sunday Stealing
1. What did you have for lunch?
A. Yesterday we ate at O'Charley's and I had a terrible chicken pot pie with a side dish of horrible broccoli. I sent it back and asked for a salad. They did not charge me for either, to their credit. Today I will have a late breakfast so my lunch will probably be eggs.
2. Do you dance in the car?
A. I sing in the car and I tap on the dashboard or the steering wheel in rhythm to the music, but I find it impossible to stand up and dance in a vehicle.
3. Favorite animal?
A. Deer.
4. Do you watch the Olympics?
A. Yes.
5. What time do you usually go to bed?
A. When I am tired.
6. Are you wearing makeup right now?
A. No.
7. Do you prefer to swim in a pool or the ocean?
A. The pool.
8. What was the last thing you ate?
A. A Luna bar. I guess that was actually breakfast.
9. Bottled water or tap water?
A. I drink both.
10. What makes you happy?
A. Reading a book, spending time with my husband, playing guitar, listening to good music, being with friends.
11. Did you like swinging as a child? Do you still get excited when you see a swing set?
A. I was not a big fan of swing sets and I do not get excited when I see a swing set.
12. Do you work better with or without music?
A. Depends on what I am doing.
13. Do you make your bed in the morning?
A. Usually.
14. Do you like your music loud?
A. I like mine medium rare.
15. Do you fear thunder/lightning?
A. No. I actually find thunderstorms quite exhilarating.
__________
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, April 20, 2019
Saturday 9: Mighty Clouds
Saturday 9: Mighty Clouds of Joy (1974)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song celebrates serenity. Are you feeling peaceful this morning?
A. I am many things, but I don't think "peaceful" is ever really one of them.
2) The lyrics include allusions to sun and clouds. How does the world look where you are? Is it sunny or cloudy?
A. As I am writing this we have been under tornado warnings all day, and one touched down in a nearby county, sending my husband's fire department out for search and rescue duty. We had at least 5 inches of rain, so there has also been flooding.
3) This week's featured artist, BJ Thomas, is in the Grammy Hall of Fame for another hit record that uses weather as a metaphor, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head." Make up a Hall of Fame that you believe you should be inducted into. (For example, Crazy Sam has inducted herself into The Meme Mistress Hall of Fame for her service to Saturday 9.)
A. I shall be inducted into the Introvert's Hall of Fame.
4) When Crazy Sam hears this song, she always sings along . . . loud. Is there a song you simply cannot resist singing along with?
A. Bohemian Rhapsody, American Pie, Band on the Run, Dancing Queen
5) BJ Thomas has performed this song at The Grand Ole Opry. The Opry has been broadcast on the radio every week since 1925, nearly 95 years ago! Of course, back in the 1920s, radio was the only broadcast media. Today we have other choices. Is listening to the radio part of your daily routine?
A. I listen to music through Alexa, mostly, and tend to listen to songs from the 1970s and 1980s, although I also favor music by Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge.
6) Though their dress code is lenient, country music fans who attend the Opry for a live show are warned: "Just remember, there's one rule we take very seriously here at the Grand Ole Opry -- you must wear something." Easter Sunday is a day many of us dress up. What will you be wearing today?
A. Probably sweats and a t-shirt. I don't have plans.
7) Easter is recognized as the start of the spring season. What are you looking forward to this spring?
A. Getting over the allergic part of it, for one thing. Also, I am having a wedding reception/baby shower for my nephew and his new wife. They eloped back in January and I thought they should have a party. I am looking forward to that and I am looking forward to the birth of my great niece.
8) Lilies are popular at Easter. Do you have a favorite flower?
A. I like irises. Mine have just started blooming, although they may be drowned from today's weather.
9) Which would rather find in your Easter basket: yellow marshmallow chicks (aka Peeps) or a plastic egg filled with pennies?
A. How about a plastic egg with a big check for $1 million in it? No? Then I'll take the pennies. I don't like Peeps.
___________
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.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song celebrates serenity. Are you feeling peaceful this morning?
A. I am many things, but I don't think "peaceful" is ever really one of them.
2) The lyrics include allusions to sun and clouds. How does the world look where you are? Is it sunny or cloudy?
A. As I am writing this we have been under tornado warnings all day, and one touched down in a nearby county, sending my husband's fire department out for search and rescue duty. We had at least 5 inches of rain, so there has also been flooding.
3) This week's featured artist, BJ Thomas, is in the Grammy Hall of Fame for another hit record that uses weather as a metaphor, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head." Make up a Hall of Fame that you believe you should be inducted into. (For example, Crazy Sam has inducted herself into The Meme Mistress Hall of Fame for her service to Saturday 9.)
A. I shall be inducted into the Introvert's Hall of Fame.
4) When Crazy Sam hears this song, she always sings along . . . loud. Is there a song you simply cannot resist singing along with?
A. Bohemian Rhapsody, American Pie, Band on the Run, Dancing Queen
5) BJ Thomas has performed this song at The Grand Ole Opry. The Opry has been broadcast on the radio every week since 1925, nearly 95 years ago! Of course, back in the 1920s, radio was the only broadcast media. Today we have other choices. Is listening to the radio part of your daily routine?
A. I listen to music through Alexa, mostly, and tend to listen to songs from the 1970s and 1980s, although I also favor music by Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge.
6) Though their dress code is lenient, country music fans who attend the Opry for a live show are warned: "Just remember, there's one rule we take very seriously here at the Grand Ole Opry -- you must wear something." Easter Sunday is a day many of us dress up. What will you be wearing today?
A. Probably sweats and a t-shirt. I don't have plans.
7) Easter is recognized as the start of the spring season. What are you looking forward to this spring?
A. Getting over the allergic part of it, for one thing. Also, I am having a wedding reception/baby shower for my nephew and his new wife. They eloped back in January and I thought they should have a party. I am looking forward to that and I am looking forward to the birth of my great niece.
8) Lilies are popular at Easter. Do you have a favorite flower?
A. I like irises. Mine have just started blooming, although they may be drowned from today's weather.
9) Which would rather find in your Easter basket: yellow marshmallow chicks (aka Peeps) or a plastic egg filled with pennies?
A. How about a plastic egg with a big check for $1 million in it? No? Then I'll take the pennies. I don't like Peeps.
___________
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.
Friday, April 19, 2019
Sing a Song
Volatility is the word of the day. We've had tornado watches and warnings all over, with strong storms moving through and a tornado touch down in Franklin County, only 40 minutes away. Scary stuff when you're home alone and you have no basement.
The song that comes to mind today is Weather Channel, by Sheryl Crow.
Weather Channel
By Sheryl Crow
Sunny morning
You can hear it
Siren's warning
There is weather on both sides
And I know it's coming
Just like before
There's a black dog
That scratches my door
He's been growling my name saying
You better get to running
Can you make it better for me
Can you make me see the light of day
Because I got no one
Who will bring me a
Big umbrella
So I'm watching the weather channel
And waiting for the storm
It's just sugar
Just a pill to make me happy
I know it may not fix the hinges
But at least the door has stopped it¹s creaking
I got friends
They're waiting for me to comb out my hair
Come outside and join the human race
But I don't feel so human
Can you make it better for me
Can you make me see the light of day
Because I got lab coats
Who will bring me a panacea
While I'm watching the weather channel
Waiting for the storm
You won't want me
Hanging around the birthday pony
Even though it's just a game
You know we are the same
But you¹re the better faker.
Songwriters: SHERYL CROW
© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
For non-commercial use only.
_____________________
Linking up with Kwizgiver's April Challenge. You can find the prompts here.
The song that comes to mind today is Weather Channel, by Sheryl Crow.
Weather Channel
By Sheryl Crow
Sunny morning
You can hear it
Siren's warning
There is weather on both sides
And I know it's coming
Just like before
There's a black dog
That scratches my door
He's been growling my name saying
You better get to running
Can you make it better for me
Can you make me see the light of day
Because I got no one
Who will bring me a
Big umbrella
So I'm watching the weather channel
And waiting for the storm
It's just sugar
Just a pill to make me happy
I know it may not fix the hinges
But at least the door has stopped it¹s creaking
I got friends
They're waiting for me to comb out my hair
Come outside and join the human race
But I don't feel so human
Can you make it better for me
Can you make me see the light of day
Because I got lab coats
Who will bring me a panacea
While I'm watching the weather channel
Waiting for the storm
You won't want me
Hanging around the birthday pony
Even though it's just a game
You know we are the same
But you¹re the better faker.
Songwriters: SHERYL CROW
© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
For non-commercial use only.
_____________________
Linking up with Kwizgiver's April Challenge. You can find the prompts here.
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Thursday Thirteen
Wisdom from the candy wrappers:
1. Embrace optimism.
2. Cherish the blossoms.
3. Be happy.
4. Be you.
5. Embrace new beginnings.
6. Feel the sunshine.
7. Enjoy spring flowers.
8. Spring is a promise of new hope.
9. Spring into spring.
10. Take time to smell the flowers.
11. Spring has sprung.
12. Take a deep breath & exhale.
13. We're all stories in the end; just make it a good one.
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 600th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
1. Embrace optimism.
2. Cherish the blossoms.
3. Be happy.
4. Be you.
5. Embrace new beginnings.
6. Feel the sunshine.
7. Enjoy spring flowers.
8. Spring is a promise of new hope.
9. Spring into spring.
10. Take time to smell the flowers.
11. Spring has sprung.
12. Take a deep breath & exhale.
13. We're all stories in the end; just make it a good one.
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 600th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Notre Dame in Paris
Yesterday I returned home from an errand to learn that Notre Dame in Paris was on fire.
The structure lost its spire and the roof but the stone parts remained mostly intact after a long night's work by firefighters. They saved the cathedral's main structure and two towers of the cathedral.
This structure is nearly 900 years old. Construction began un 1160 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and was largely complete by 1260. It was modified frequently throughout the centuries and it houses priceless artifacts and history. In 1804, the cathedral was the site of the Coronation of Napoleon I as Emperor of France, and witnessed the baptism of Henri, Count of Chambord in 1821 and the funerals of several presidents of the Third French Republic.
After Victor Hugo published The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, interest in the church renewed, and the building underwent major restorations between 1844 and 1864. During this time, the iconic spire, which collapsed during yesterday's fire, was added by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who had supervised the restoration. Throughout the last two centuries the structure has undergone several renovation and cleaning projects.
Millions visit Notre Dame every year.
In 1978, I was one of those visitors. I have only two photos to show I was there, small polaroid's taken outside. At that time, cameras weren't allowed inside, if I remember right. Most historic places did not allow pictures to be taken inside. I have only vague memories of my visit there, conjured up as I watched images of the structure burning.
It is too an important event not to note it in my blog. History matters, and I have to wonder if mankind today is capable of constructing the kind of architecture that made Notre Dame so lovely and endearing. Has that kind of craftsmanship has gone the way of the telegraph machine?
May the rebuilding of Notre Dame be the beginning of something great, a phoenix rising from the ashes of what was, and may it prove my earlier statement wrong by bringing out the best of humanity in the restoration efforts.
The structure lost its spire and the roof but the stone parts remained mostly intact after a long night's work by firefighters. They saved the cathedral's main structure and two towers of the cathedral.
This structure is nearly 900 years old. Construction began un 1160 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and was largely complete by 1260. It was modified frequently throughout the centuries and it houses priceless artifacts and history. In 1804, the cathedral was the site of the Coronation of Napoleon I as Emperor of France, and witnessed the baptism of Henri, Count of Chambord in 1821 and the funerals of several presidents of the Third French Republic.
After Victor Hugo published The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, interest in the church renewed, and the building underwent major restorations between 1844 and 1864. During this time, the iconic spire, which collapsed during yesterday's fire, was added by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who had supervised the restoration. Throughout the last two centuries the structure has undergone several renovation and cleaning projects.
Millions visit Notre Dame every year.
In 1978, I was one of those visitors. I have only two photos to show I was there, small polaroid's taken outside. At that time, cameras weren't allowed inside, if I remember right. Most historic places did not allow pictures to be taken inside. I have only vague memories of my visit there, conjured up as I watched images of the structure burning.
It is too an important event not to note it in my blog. History matters, and I have to wonder if mankind today is capable of constructing the kind of architecture that made Notre Dame so lovely and endearing. Has that kind of craftsmanship has gone the way of the telegraph machine?
May the rebuilding of Notre Dame be the beginning of something great, a phoenix rising from the ashes of what was, and may it prove my earlier statement wrong by bringing out the best of humanity in the restoration efforts.
 |
| My polaroid from 1978. This is the bell towers and main entrance. You can see the spire in the middle. |
 |
| A little better shot of the bell tower and spire. |
 |
| Firefighters putting out the fire last night. |
 |
| The structure ablaze. |
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing
It's always nice when my husband holds my hand.
Oh, that is a rare bird to be sure.
It's a sure sign of the apocalypse when people deny their own best interests out of stupidity, racism, jealousy, or whatever emotion is ruling them.
Are we having chicken again??!.
My heart is in a million pieces but my husband shelters them all.
Do you believe in magic? I do!
I'm a gypsy living in a cyclone of fury racing through the meadows with my traveling cloak flying behind me.
I was listening to the sounds coming from the stars and the voices I heard told me that the universe is laughing at the earth.
The people go crazy and act like they're possessed when the moon is full.
When we kiss, oooo . . . Fire!
Game of Thrones is the best!
Underneath it all, one finds the absurdity of life and the cold hard truth is that reality is nothing and everything all at once, and what is is not and what will be will not be.
Oh! And thanks for nothing, certain people who are not helping me out when they should be and a few others who have hurt my feelings recently. Here's a gift for you - my middle finger.
And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching TV and finishing a book, tomorrow my plans include watching Game of Thrones and Sunday (which is tomorrow, so what's up with this question?), I want to start a new life! One that won't make me sick. One that won't make me nervous, wondering what to do. One that makes me feel the way I feel when I'm . . . oh geez, I'm channeling Huey Lewis & the News.
__________
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.
It's always nice when my husband holds my hand.
Oh, that is a rare bird to be sure.
It's a sure sign of the apocalypse when people deny their own best interests out of stupidity, racism, jealousy, or whatever emotion is ruling them.
Are we having chicken again??!.
My heart is in a million pieces but my husband shelters them all.
Do you believe in magic? I do!
I'm a gypsy living in a cyclone of fury racing through the meadows with my traveling cloak flying behind me.
I was listening to the sounds coming from the stars and the voices I heard told me that the universe is laughing at the earth.
The people go crazy and act like they're possessed when the moon is full.
When we kiss, oooo . . . Fire!
Game of Thrones is the best!
Underneath it all, one finds the absurdity of life and the cold hard truth is that reality is nothing and everything all at once, and what is is not and what will be will not be.
Oh! And thanks for nothing, certain people who are not helping me out when they should be and a few others who have hurt my feelings recently. Here's a gift for you - my middle finger.
And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching TV and finishing a book, tomorrow my plans include watching Game of Thrones and Sunday (which is tomorrow, so what's up with this question?), I want to start a new life! One that won't make me sick. One that won't make me nervous, wondering what to do. One that makes me feel the way I feel when I'm . . . oh geez, I'm channeling Huey Lewis & the News.
__________
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, April 13, 2019
Saturday 9: April Love
Saturday 9: April Love (1957)
Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.
1) In this song, Pat Boone sings that April love is a wonder reserved for the very young. Do you think the sensation of falling in love changes as we grow older?
A. Love changes as you age but I don't know if the initial sensation is different. An old love, like mine, is more like an old sneaker, well-worn and well-loved, while new love is heady, giddy, and like a pair of dance shoes. I don't know if that is any different if you are older. I suspect not.
2) "April Love" reached #1 on the charts. Between this song and "Love Letters in the Sand," Pat Boone had a career year. Only one artist sold more records in 1957: Elvis Presley. When you think of Elvis, what's the first song that comes to mind?
A. My Way.
3) Pat was extremely busy in high school. He wrote for the school paper, ran track, and acted in school plays. Share a memory of your extracurricular activities during high school.
A. I played in the band, where I sat through cold football games and in overheated gyms for basketball games, all so we could play the fight song.
4) It was his track coach who introduced Pat to the new girl in school, Shirley Foley. Three years later Pat and Shirley married, and remained man and wife for 65 years, until her death earlier this year. Who is the longest married couple you know?
A. Some of my friends are near their 40th year of marriage. Most of the other folks I can think of are widowed now.
5) Pat has lived in the same house for more than 60 years. He once received an offer to sell it for $18,000,000 but turned it down because it's the Boone family home and he simply doesn't want to leave. Do you plan on moving in the foreseeable future?
A. No.
6) Pat has a warm friendship with his neighbors, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. Pat has mentioned in interviews that he has enjoyed bike rides around Beverly Hills with Sharon. Tell us about one of your neighbors.
A. My neighbor Lanetta is about 78 years old, give or take a year or two, and she is a farmer. She was the athletic director at my alma mater for a long time and was quite instrumental in instituting Title IX athletics for women in Virginia. Here's a video about her. She has been named to four halls of fame for women’s lacrosse: Hollins, the University of Richmond, US Lacrosse, and Virginia Lacrosse. The Virginia Umpiring Award for Service and Devotion to the game is known as the Lanetta T. Ware Award. Additionally, The Blue Ridge Board of Officials offers The Lanetta Ware Service Award to the individual who has demonstrated a lifetime of service to sports through umpiring. Ware was an internationally rated lacrosse umpire, working for 28 years at the collegiate level, and is a recognized authority on field hockey, having officiated in a number of national and international field hockey competitions.
7) Mr. Boone was very critical of Barack Obama, enthusiastically supports Donald Trump, and has appeared on Fox News to express his views. How do you feel about celebrities talking politics?
A. They have a right to express their opinions just like the rest of us. Unfortunately, too many people are unable to differentiate between opinion and fact anymore.
8) In 1957, the year this song was popular, Dr. Ian Donald pioneered the use of ultrasound technology. Today ultrasounds are commonly used by doctors in diagnosing conditions affecting the eyes, blood vessels, kidneys, gall bladder and more. Have you ever had an ultrasound?
A. Yes, I have had numerous ultrasounds, mostly when I was trying to conceive a child and suffering from severe endometriosis that kept creating massive cysts on my ovaries that would then twist and become septic, forcing a surgery. I had 9 abdominal surgeries before they finally did a hysterectomy because I was young and because as a woman I had no say over my own body and couldn't just say, "Give me a damn hysterectomy." They wouldn't because, "you might get lucky and have a child" even though the odds were like 1 in a 1000 that would happen. I finally had the hysterectomy when I was 29. Still paying for the problems with scar tissue issues, thank you very much all you stupid doctors who wouldn't perform a hysterectomy when I was 24 years old and writhing in pain and begging for one.
9) Random question: You're sitting alone in a restaurant, waiting for a friend. The waiter brings you a drink and the compliments of a member of the opposite sex seated at the bar. What's your reaction? Are you flattered, shocked, embarrassed, intrigued or annoyed?
A. I would be afraid I was being set up to be robbed, because who pays attention to an overweight old lady? Nobody. Maybe they want my iPhone.
___________
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. (#280)
Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.
1) In this song, Pat Boone sings that April love is a wonder reserved for the very young. Do you think the sensation of falling in love changes as we grow older?
A. Love changes as you age but I don't know if the initial sensation is different. An old love, like mine, is more like an old sneaker, well-worn and well-loved, while new love is heady, giddy, and like a pair of dance shoes. I don't know if that is any different if you are older. I suspect not.
2) "April Love" reached #1 on the charts. Between this song and "Love Letters in the Sand," Pat Boone had a career year. Only one artist sold more records in 1957: Elvis Presley. When you think of Elvis, what's the first song that comes to mind?
A. My Way.
3) Pat was extremely busy in high school. He wrote for the school paper, ran track, and acted in school plays. Share a memory of your extracurricular activities during high school.
A. I played in the band, where I sat through cold football games and in overheated gyms for basketball games, all so we could play the fight song.
4) It was his track coach who introduced Pat to the new girl in school, Shirley Foley. Three years later Pat and Shirley married, and remained man and wife for 65 years, until her death earlier this year. Who is the longest married couple you know?
A. Some of my friends are near their 40th year of marriage. Most of the other folks I can think of are widowed now.
5) Pat has lived in the same house for more than 60 years. He once received an offer to sell it for $18,000,000 but turned it down because it's the Boone family home and he simply doesn't want to leave. Do you plan on moving in the foreseeable future?
A. No.
6) Pat has a warm friendship with his neighbors, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. Pat has mentioned in interviews that he has enjoyed bike rides around Beverly Hills with Sharon. Tell us about one of your neighbors.
A. My neighbor Lanetta is about 78 years old, give or take a year or two, and she is a farmer. She was the athletic director at my alma mater for a long time and was quite instrumental in instituting Title IX athletics for women in Virginia. Here's a video about her. She has been named to four halls of fame for women’s lacrosse: Hollins, the University of Richmond, US Lacrosse, and Virginia Lacrosse. The Virginia Umpiring Award for Service and Devotion to the game is known as the Lanetta T. Ware Award. Additionally, The Blue Ridge Board of Officials offers The Lanetta Ware Service Award to the individual who has demonstrated a lifetime of service to sports through umpiring. Ware was an internationally rated lacrosse umpire, working for 28 years at the collegiate level, and is a recognized authority on field hockey, having officiated in a number of national and international field hockey competitions.
7) Mr. Boone was very critical of Barack Obama, enthusiastically supports Donald Trump, and has appeared on Fox News to express his views. How do you feel about celebrities talking politics?
A. They have a right to express their opinions just like the rest of us. Unfortunately, too many people are unable to differentiate between opinion and fact anymore.
8) In 1957, the year this song was popular, Dr. Ian Donald pioneered the use of ultrasound technology. Today ultrasounds are commonly used by doctors in diagnosing conditions affecting the eyes, blood vessels, kidneys, gall bladder and more. Have you ever had an ultrasound?
A. Yes, I have had numerous ultrasounds, mostly when I was trying to conceive a child and suffering from severe endometriosis that kept creating massive cysts on my ovaries that would then twist and become septic, forcing a surgery. I had 9 abdominal surgeries before they finally did a hysterectomy because I was young and because as a woman I had no say over my own body and couldn't just say, "Give me a damn hysterectomy." They wouldn't because, "you might get lucky and have a child" even though the odds were like 1 in a 1000 that would happen. I finally had the hysterectomy when I was 29. Still paying for the problems with scar tissue issues, thank you very much all you stupid doctors who wouldn't perform a hysterectomy when I was 24 years old and writhing in pain and begging for one.
9) Random question: You're sitting alone in a restaurant, waiting for a friend. The waiter brings you a drink and the compliments of a member of the opposite sex seated at the bar. What's your reaction? Are you flattered, shocked, embarrassed, intrigued or annoyed?
A. I would be afraid I was being set up to be robbed, because who pays attention to an overweight old lady? Nobody. Maybe they want my iPhone.
___________
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. (#280)
Friday, April 12, 2019
A Perfect Day
Waking with sleepies in my eyes
my heart soft from a dream
where people were nice, friendly, calm
life is good.
Shower is hot, bacon is warm, eggs scrambled
like a jigsaw puzzle in a box
a little exercise Tai Chi in the grass
just to be good.
Reading on a novel where the heroine is moving
forward to become a better someone
because character building is what it takes
to make a novel good.
Sipping on a cool glass of water
hearing turkeys gobble in the distance
watching a deer graze in the field
this is good.
Hearing from a friend someone who loves me
regardless of who I think I am because that is
not really who I am
because I am good.
A soft kiss, a quiet sigh, holding hands
in the twilight watching the sun sink below
North Mountain, catching the first glimpse of starlight
oh it is good.
_____________________
Linking up with Kwizgiver's April Challenge. You can find the prompts here.
my heart soft from a dream
where people were nice, friendly, calm
life is good.
Shower is hot, bacon is warm, eggs scrambled
like a jigsaw puzzle in a box
a little exercise Tai Chi in the grass
just to be good.
Reading on a novel where the heroine is moving
forward to become a better someone
because character building is what it takes
to make a novel good.
Sipping on a cool glass of water
hearing turkeys gobble in the distance
watching a deer graze in the field
this is good.
Hearing from a friend someone who loves me
regardless of who I think I am because that is
not really who I am
because I am good.
A soft kiss, a quiet sigh, holding hands
in the twilight watching the sun sink below
North Mountain, catching the first glimpse of starlight
oh it is good.
_____________________
Linking up with Kwizgiver's April Challenge. You can find the prompts here.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Thursday Thirteen
It's National Poetry Month. Here are 13 stanzas from some of my poetry. These are actually unfinished. Some I hadn't looked at in years. They were in my poetry folder on my computer.
---
The day the harpoon
cut my hand in half
I was clinging to you
like a mollusk to a hull.
You flung me ashore,
no water, no food,
left me bleeding in salty
tangy water, with sharks
circling all around.
----
Dawn breaks down the darkness
sending sunshine trickling
like water over rocks,
gems glistening on sandy beaches.
Dawn beams down on earth
warming soils, bringing growth
to sprigs of trees,
petals to flowers,
soft like clouds.
Dawn shines over mountaintops
sending shadows on towns.
Children quiver, close their eyes,
thank God, they see
a light.
----
See, the zebra had stripes
with spots and sprinkles
but God, Almighty, looked,
laughed, and lightly sent Angels
to correct His mistake.
The God, Almighty, neglected
to mention His errors
to the writers of His Ways,
those dudes who wrote that Bible.
Like Paul and Peter, the one
with Pumpkins, who splattered and bled
all over some town.
While God, Almighty, watched
Sonny & Cher on a big screen.
----
Deer bathe serenely in sunlight
Acorns at their hooves.
Autumn comes.
Leaves turn dull brown
flung to the earth
by ruthless winds.
Rains slash skies,
gray, dark, light dimming
like a mother
drowning love.
Autumn comes.
Guns bark out death
while leaves fall
and I leave you.
----
Jezebel jerks and whirls
a spinning top, telling
tales, mothers’ wail,
waves swell, water falls
people fall, buildings tall
hear the cries
turn of eyes
hearts of sighs
no goodbyes.
----------------------------
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 599th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
---
The day the harpoon
cut my hand in half
I was clinging to you
like a mollusk to a hull.
You flung me ashore,
no water, no food,
left me bleeding in salty
tangy water, with sharks
circling all around.
----
Dawn breaks down the darkness
sending sunshine trickling
like water over rocks,
gems glistening on sandy beaches.
Dawn beams down on earth
warming soils, bringing growth
to sprigs of trees,
petals to flowers,
soft like clouds.
Dawn shines over mountaintops
sending shadows on towns.
Children quiver, close their eyes,
thank God, they see
a light.
----
See, the zebra had stripes
with spots and sprinkles
but God, Almighty, looked,
laughed, and lightly sent Angels
to correct His mistake.
The God, Almighty, neglected
to mention His errors
to the writers of His Ways,
those dudes who wrote that Bible.
Like Paul and Peter, the one
with Pumpkins, who splattered and bled
all over some town.
While God, Almighty, watched
Sonny & Cher on a big screen.
----
Deer bathe serenely in sunlight
Acorns at their hooves.
Autumn comes.
Leaves turn dull brown
flung to the earth
by ruthless winds.
Rains slash skies,
gray, dark, light dimming
like a mother
drowning love.
Autumn comes.
Guns bark out death
while leaves fall
and I leave you.
----
Jezebel jerks and whirls
a spinning top, telling
tales, mothers’ wail,
waves swell, water falls
people fall, buildings tall
hear the cries
turn of eyes
hearts of sighs
no goodbyes.
----------------------------
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 599th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
A Place I've Never Visited
Maybe the grass is maroon
glowing brightly in darkness
beneath two moons that skim the mountains
made of mushrooms
with a horizon the color of a brilliant sword
honed to the finest point.
Maybe the trees walk in that bright moonlight
clasping hands and greeting each other
old friends with many things and nothing
to say as the long drawn out evening wears on
because this place has no sunshine
not really
only a hazy glaze that brightens into twilight
a shimmer that fades quietly away.
Maybe the animals talk and there are no people
not people like we think of people, anyway
and the beings that inhabit this place do not
destroy or create hierarchies or consider one
better than another because they know
true equality exists only when you can see
that the planet will outlast you
and you're only an ant, if they have ants.
Maybe this place exists in the Delta Quadrant
far away in another galaxy
light years and generations away
a place I will never see
or maybe it is on the dust mote
beneath my feet and I am the shadow,
my sneakers the moons
my heartbeat the rhythm,
the only sound of this world.
_____________________
Linking up with Kwizgiver's April Challenge. You can find the prompts here.
glowing brightly in darkness
beneath two moons that skim the mountains
made of mushrooms
with a horizon the color of a brilliant sword
honed to the finest point.
Maybe the trees walk in that bright moonlight
clasping hands and greeting each other
old friends with many things and nothing
to say as the long drawn out evening wears on
because this place has no sunshine
not really
only a hazy glaze that brightens into twilight
a shimmer that fades quietly away.
Maybe the animals talk and there are no people
not people like we think of people, anyway
and the beings that inhabit this place do not
destroy or create hierarchies or consider one
better than another because they know
true equality exists only when you can see
that the planet will outlast you
and you're only an ant, if they have ants.
Maybe this place exists in the Delta Quadrant
far away in another galaxy
light years and generations away
a place I will never see
or maybe it is on the dust mote
beneath my feet and I am the shadow,
my sneakers the moons
my heartbeat the rhythm,
the only sound of this world.
_____________________
Linking up with Kwizgiver's April Challenge. You can find the prompts here.
Tuesday, April 09, 2019
How Turkeys Mate
This morning I saw a first - I saw a gobbler catch his hen and have his way with her.
It started out odd. The hen was on the ground in front of the gobbler, almost like she'd bowed down to him. Then he climbed on top of her. I was watching from a window and I confess my first thought was, "What the hell is going on?" and then I realized, as I watched the gobbler start to thrust, that they were having sex.
I had not given much thought to how turkeys have sex.
It went on long enough for me to leave the bedroom and into my office to grab a camera and get back to the window in time to take about 35 photos. I mean, how often do you get to see this?
Like, next to never.
This is from a science website:
"If the female turkey is receptive to his advances she will lower herself in front of the male. The male hops up on top of the female to mate with her. Sperm is transferred from the male's cloaca to the female's cloaca. The cloaca is the name for the vent that leads to the turkeys' sex organs. The turkeys place their vents next to each other in order to allow the transference of sperm."
So that is what I was watching in scientific terms.
Holy cow. Or maybe "totally turkey."
It started out odd. The hen was on the ground in front of the gobbler, almost like she'd bowed down to him. Then he climbed on top of her. I was watching from a window and I confess my first thought was, "What the hell is going on?" and then I realized, as I watched the gobbler start to thrust, that they were having sex.
I had not given much thought to how turkeys have sex.
It went on long enough for me to leave the bedroom and into my office to grab a camera and get back to the window in time to take about 35 photos. I mean, how often do you get to see this?
Like, next to never.
This is from a science website:
"If the female turkey is receptive to his advances she will lower herself in front of the male. The male hops up on top of the female to mate with her. Sperm is transferred from the male's cloaca to the female's cloaca. The cloaca is the name for the vent that leads to the turkeys' sex organs. The turkeys place their vents next to each other in order to allow the transference of sperm."
So that is what I was watching in scientific terms.
Holy cow. Or maybe "totally turkey."
Monday, April 08, 2019
Things in Common
I have several people whom I consider best friends, but my very best friend is my husband.
He and I are two very different people, and sometimes I wonder how it is that we've remained married and friends for 35 years. After such a long time, one might think two very different personalities would be sick of one another.
However, we have a few things in common. We both have a great sense of humor. While he tends more toward what I call "garbage" humor, as in, say, Monty Python or bathroom jokes, I am more sardonic and my humor is more of an off-the-cuff variety. However, my husband has taught me the value of a good laugh at a great fart joke (or a great fart), because after you live with someone for so long, you're just going to fart in front of one another. At some point, you may as well laugh about it. And now that I've read somewhere that smelling farts can keep one from having dementia, we have now nicknamed farts the anti-dementia gas. Go figure.
We also both love the rural life, although I like to look at it and take pictures of it from inside the house while he prefers to be out in the fields riding around in a tractor. Still, I'd rather look at fields of orchard grass than the backside of someone else's house. We both embrace the wildlife, me with my camera and he with his shotgun sometimes, but even so, we have a mutual respect for the land and what Mother Nature has given us to care for. For a time we had a garden, but between fighting off the deer and other animals and aging, we've given up on that for the most part. Even so, there are days when I enjoy having my hands in the dirt of my flower bed, while he enjoys having the dirt all over him. How's that for something in common?
Another thing we have in common is that we're both rather, um, thrifty. We don't spend money on stuff unless we have to. We have stuff around here that's 30 years old. So long as it still works, it will still be here another 30. However, we will spend money on important things, like nephews and nieces and home improvements and stuff like that.
And that's my thought for the day.
_____________________
Linking up with Kwizgiver's April Challenge. You can find the prompts here.
He and I are two very different people, and sometimes I wonder how it is that we've remained married and friends for 35 years. After such a long time, one might think two very different personalities would be sick of one another.
However, we have a few things in common. We both have a great sense of humor. While he tends more toward what I call "garbage" humor, as in, say, Monty Python or bathroom jokes, I am more sardonic and my humor is more of an off-the-cuff variety. However, my husband has taught me the value of a good laugh at a great fart joke (or a great fart), because after you live with someone for so long, you're just going to fart in front of one another. At some point, you may as well laugh about it. And now that I've read somewhere that smelling farts can keep one from having dementia, we have now nicknamed farts the anti-dementia gas. Go figure.
We also both love the rural life, although I like to look at it and take pictures of it from inside the house while he prefers to be out in the fields riding around in a tractor. Still, I'd rather look at fields of orchard grass than the backside of someone else's house. We both embrace the wildlife, me with my camera and he with his shotgun sometimes, but even so, we have a mutual respect for the land and what Mother Nature has given us to care for. For a time we had a garden, but between fighting off the deer and other animals and aging, we've given up on that for the most part. Even so, there are days when I enjoy having my hands in the dirt of my flower bed, while he enjoys having the dirt all over him. How's that for something in common?
Another thing we have in common is that we're both rather, um, thrifty. We don't spend money on stuff unless we have to. We have stuff around here that's 30 years old. So long as it still works, it will still be here another 30. However, we will spend money on important things, like nephews and nieces and home improvements and stuff like that.
And that's my thought for the day.
_____________________
Linking up with Kwizgiver's April Challenge. You can find the prompts here.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)