The Angel

This is my husband's favorite Christmas decoration. It's an angel we purchased on a trip to Myrtle Beach in 1992 - making this a 30-year-old nearly antique.

At the time, it was unique because the wings would light up and change color. In 1992, this was a novelty.

He puts this up every year. It sits atop my curiosity cabinet, where it can reach a plug in.

The angel with the wings growing dark.

The angel with her wings growing light.

O Christmas Tree

 

The tree went up yesterday. You can also see we hung our stockings with care by the fireplace.

My husband and I agree on most things about what we place on the tree. It must have multi-colored lights, the tinsel that is stringy and that sticks to you when you walk by the tree, and a few special ornaments. He likes an angel on top. 

Now to get the presents wrapped!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What do men really want in a woman?

A. Sex and a maid, probably, although it would be nice to think they want companionship, love, and somebody to give them hugs and kisses.

2. Should marijuana be legalized?

A. It already is in some places. I don't make the laws.

3. Why did the cow jump over the moon?

A. Because she could.

4. What do women really want in a man?

A. Someone to be there to listen, understand, hold them, and love them, not necessarily in that order.

5. When you are having a really good day, what usually makes it good?

A. I'm being creative and "in the zone."

6. What can make your good day turn into a bad day?

A. No longer being "in the zone."

7. If you could "start from scratch" and turn back the clock for a re-do, what would you re-do?

A. Sigh. I really dislike this question. So, I'm just not going to answer it anymore.

8. Do you make a list when you go grocery shopping?

A. Yes, I do. On a piece of paper, using a PENCIL!

9. Do you buy more groceries when you're hungry?

A. Probably, but I've never really paid attention.

10. Coupons. Use 'em?

A. Yes.

11. Have you ever complained to the manager of your grocery store?

A. Yes. I also complain a lot on those questionnaires they send me in my email. One of the local stores is like shopping in a dungeon. Blah.

12. Do you like to buy groceries at huge chain stores like WalMart? Or do you shop exclusively at food stores?

A. I mostly shop at grocery stores but occasionally I pick something up at WalMart, although I haven't been shopping in there much since 2020.

13. What do you typically have for lunch?

A. A ham sandwich, potato chips, and a glass of water.

14. If you work outside your home, do you pack your lunch?

A. I'm retired.

15. Tell us about your last lunch date and what made it special.

A. I met an old friend for lunch back in October; I hadn't seen her in several years. We picked up right where we left off, more or less. We are both getting older.

__________

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: Broken-Hearted Girl

Saturday 9: Broken-Hearted Girl (2009)

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

 

1) In this song, Beyonce admits her feelings for a man she doesn't want to love. Do you believe we can choose who we love? Or does the heart go its own way?

A. It's pheromones. We're chemically attracted to certain people and repelled by others. I believe we can choose who we love to a certain degree, but sometimes you just love somebody because you can't help it. My answer would be we both choose and the heart does what the heart wants. It depends on the person and the situation.

2) In the video for this song, Beyonce plays with a red rose. Florists report that the most popular colors of roses are: red, white or ivory, yellow, pink, peach or orange, and lavender or purple. Do you have a favorite?

A. I like pink roses. "Pink roses symbolize femininity and tenderness. The meaning of pink roses is associated with the tenderness and the delicate nature of femininity."

3) The video was filmed in Malibu. Southern California is a popular vacation destination. Have you ever visited there? Have you ever lived there?

A. I don't recall if we made it to Malibu when I was in California in 1976. My guess is we weren't. I have never lived in California, but I have relatives who do.

 

4) When Beyonce was just 12, she appeared on the show Star Search as part of a vocal group called Girls Tyme. The girls lost, but Beyonce said the experience taught her that she wanted to be a performer for the rest of her life. Share a memory from your own junior high years.

A. We had a crazy band director. Band class was first period in the cafeteria, and the band director's name was Mr. Smith. He threw his baton at people, screamed a lot, and literally made 7th graders cry, me included and I was a top student. I played the flute and was always either first or second chair. He was a nut and had no business being in charge of a bunch of students. He expected us to sound like the Philadelphia Philharmonic or something and some of the students were lucky to get through Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

 

5) As a girl, she helped her hairstylist mom by sweeping hair at the salon. Do you have a hair appointment coming up?

A. I had one on Monday, so my next one won't be until the new year. I strongly suspect I may be taking the scissors to my hair myself in about two weeks if I have a growth spurt.

 

6) In 2009, when this song was popular, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg unsuccessfully tried to buy Twitter. Elon Musk acquired Twitter last month. What social media sites do you spend the most time on?

A. I visit Facebook and Twitter about twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening.

 

7) Also in 2009, Sony sold floppy disks at most retailers. But things change fast in the world of tech and by 2011, Sony quit producing floppy disks altogether. Floppies were replaced by flash drives, which have been replaced by cloud storage services ... Do you still have any floppy disks?

A. I am pretty sure there are still 5 1/4 inch floppies in my closet. I know there are 3 1/4 inch ones in there. And I still use a local hard drive for backup and USB flash drives. I am not a fan of cloud storage services, mostly because I have such slow internet and the backups would take forever.

8) In 2009, Michael Jackson died. Do you have a favorite Michael Jackson song?

A. Thriller. It's so well done and imaginative. 

 

9) Random question -- We're having a Saturday 9 potluck lunch! What will you bring?

A. Fudge, bottles of water, a tray of veggies, and veggie dip.

_______________

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

A Retirement

My friend's husband retires today.

Many people retire and go quietly into the night, but my friend's husband is a local celebrity. He was voted Roanoke's Sexiest Man in The Roanoker magazine for umpteen years way back in the early days of his career.

He was the weatherman for WDBJ7 up until five years ago, when he moved over to anchoring the 6 p.m. news.

His mustached face was on billboards all over the city for many years. Everyone knew Robin Reed. One might even say he has been the face of WDBJ7 for the last 40 years.

He has a calming, soothing presence on screen (and off), and he's always ready to help. He educated as he gave out the forecast, talking about various cloud formations and what they meant, or why this clipper system was coming down out of Canada to dump snow on us.

I remember watching him on November 5, 1985, when Roanoke suffered the worst flooding of its history. What I didn't know at the time - what no casual viewer knew at the time - was that his wife and small child were being evacuated as their home flooded, while he was busy alerting the rest of the area to the hazards befalling multitudes as 11 inches of rain dumped itself on us.

My husband and I tuned in nightly to watch the weather - to watch Robin Reed. My husband cursed him sometimes when the forecast was off - being a farmer means one needs to know for certain if it will rain - but my man was not actually cursing the weather guy, just the forecast.

Our favorite missed forecast was the "dusting" of 1993, I think it was, when instead of the predicted light March snow we had about 28 inches of the white stuff and no electricity for 10 days. It's so well-remembered that on last night's broadcast, the current head of the weather department teased him about it.

Little did I know that one day I would become friends with his wife, and that we would spend countless hours on the phone. The fact that I was a lower-level colleague of sorts helped. I understood the issues that come with journalism and with being in the public eye. Fortunately for me, hiding behind a byline in a newspaper does not make one a celebrity. I may have been in 20,000 people's homes at various times, but I wasn't on their television set. People might know my name, but they didn't know my face.

Still, I know the pressure wanting to get the story right, of trying to tell the truth in the face of falsehoods, of hoping not to mess it up too badly.

He and his wife, Teresa, are lovely people. When my husband caught his hand in the hay baler in 2014, it was Teresa who held me up, sat with me through one of the surgeries, and made sure I ate something while I was fretting over my guy. She is my closest friend, and while I honestly don't know her husband as well because he's always been at work, I know he's a gentleman, a very nice fellow, and I consider him a friend.

He couldn't have done what he did without his wife's superior and unyielding support. All good men know that no one does it alone.

I will miss his soothing presence on the TV screen, and his calm voice alerting us to dangers, seen and unseen. The TV station has, rightfully so, made a big deal of his retirement, showing excerpts from old shows, interviews with colleagues who worked closely with him, even interviews with his family and how it was for his two boys to grow up with a locally famous dad. Some of the interviews have brought me to tears.

They have been retrospectives but also hopeful. It gives me hope to see that the younger journalists are honoring this older fellow who is walking out of their lives, but on his own terms and with, I feel sure, an invitation to call him anytime they need to talk. The younger generation has done a good job of ensuring that we, the viewing public, understand that not only does Mr. Reed deserve to be honored for his longevity in the business, but also for his legacy. For he leaves, obviously, a long trail of love and devotion, and it has been heartwarming to see these moving tributes to this man.

Tonight, he will light the city's Christmas tree, and leave from there for home. It will be his last time on TV for WDBJ7 as a regular newsperson, but not his last work. He is also a professor at Virginia Tech, and he will continue to teach the next generation of journalists and newscasters. He will show them caring and love.

I can't think of a better way to go out of a job, and I can't think of a better second act. How honored I am to know this man, and how grateful I am for the friendship he and his wife have shown to my husband and me.

You can read a bit more about Mr. Reed and hear a podcast on his final thoughts about his career at this link. Enjoy.

Thursday Thirteen

1. I always thought Christine McVie, the pianist and singer/songwriter for Fleetwood Mac, was underrated in the music world. She was a rare talent and a gift musician. When I listen to her piano notes on songs like Silver Springs and others, it makes me shiver. She passed away yesterday.

2. Many women musicians are underrated, so I thought I'd see if I could find others. Next up would be Melissa Etheridge, who to my mind doesn't get credit for her songwriting ability and her ability to play guitar and piano.

3. Bonnie Raitt had her moment in the spotlight, but it took her years to get there, and she's a fabulous blues guitarist, probably one of the best.

4. Chrissy Hynde of The Pretenders is seldom mentioned as a guitar player, but she is a good one, and her vocals are terrific.

5. Nancy Wilson was the guitar player for Heart; generally, people think of Ann Wilson, who was the singer, but Nancy was the driving force behind the band.

6. Sheryl Crow writes good lyrics and is a decent guitar player. I don't rank her up there with Melissa Etheridge as far as playing goes, but she's a great musician and definitely overlooked.

7. KD Lang has a beautiful voice and can really belt out a song - why she wasn't more popular is beyond me.

8. Janis Ian's hit, "At Seventeen," seems to be her only song, but I've heard some of her other music and she's also a fine musician and underrated.

9. Joan Jett could rock out with the best of them, and she certain gave me chills when she was playing the guitar.

10. Sister Rosetta Tharpe is someone I discovered only about 10 years ago, and boy did I miss out watching this woman play. Watching her play guitar stuns me every time - especially when I realize this great musician was doing her thing in the 1940s.

11. Joni Mitchell may be well known for her folk songs, but it is the alternative tunings of her guitar that land her in this list. Many folks don't realize that she was innovative in her guitar style, developing alternative tunings unheard of until she came along.

12. Vicki Peterson was the guitarist for The Bangles, and it was her sound that kept that band in the charts.

13. Mother Maybelle Carter was an early guitar player who invented many of the licks country musicians still use today. 

What female musicians would you add to 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 784th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Christine McVie

Sleep well, Songbird. I cried when I learned you had passed away today. You made lovin' fun and kept me believin' in tomorrow. Thank you for the music.

RIP Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac.

Toilet Paper Hair

My mother used to wrap her hair in toilet paper before she went to bed.

I don't know why this has come to mind, unless it's because I had a haircut yesterday. The image of my mother readying herself for bed, though, won't leave me, so I thought I'd write about it and see if that'd send the thoughts on their way.

At some point, she must have removed her makeup, because she put it back on every morning, but I have no memory of seeing her go through a removal process. I do remember watching her "put on her face," as she called it, many mornings. Or prior to going out on a Saturday night with my father.

She had freckles, and she used cover-up liberally, so I suspect she was rarely out of her face, and I wonder how frequently my father saw her without makeup, except for the occasional Saturday when she was more interested in having a housecleaning session than how she looked.

Her hair was teased within an inch of its life, for all of my life, anyway. Her hair was curly and if she didn't tease it, it rolled around itself in cute little ringlets. She might have had an interesting sexy cut with the right stylist, but she went to a woman named Jane who cut hair in her basement at least until I reached adulthood.

The toilet paper was to keep the tease from going flat in the night, although I have never understood this concept. How does wrapping your head in something for your bottom result in perfect hair the next morning?

She knew something I didn't, though, because most mornings, unless she washed her hair, all she had to do was push her hair around with a comb-like hair pick thing (I am as useless with fashion as I am with cooking), and poof, her hair looked as good as it had the day before.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What mythical creature would improve the world most if it existed?

A. Let's go with a gorgon. I can think of lots of folks whose hearts are already stone, so the rest of them may as well match, don't cha think?

2. What inanimate object do you wish you could eliminate from existence?

A. Guns and other weapons of war.

3. What is the weirdest thing you have seen in someone else’s home?

A. I don't visit other people that much, so this is a hard one. My great aunt had a huge collection of salt and pepper shakers - it took up the entire garage/patio area. I'll go with that.

4. What would be the absolute worst name you could give your child?

A. Child.

5. What would be the worst thing for the government to make illegal?

A. Logically and in the current climate, the answer is birth control, but I can foresee a day when even breathing is illegal if you haven't paid the appropriate corporation for the right to do so.

6. What are some of the nicknames you have for customers or coworkers?

A. I don't have coworkers. Or customers, for that matter. 

7. If peanut butter wasn’t called peanut butter, what would it be called?

A. Smooth creamy stuff (unless it's chunky, then it would be called chunky stuff).

8. What movie would be greatly improved if it was made into a musical?

A. I have no idea. Gone with the Wind?

9. What would be the worst “buy one get one free” sale of all time?

A. Buy one dozen rotten eggs and get a second one free!

10. What is the funniest name you have actually heard used in the real world?

A. Hasenpfeffer. 

11. What sport would be the funniest to add a mandatory amount of alcohol to?

A. I don't think that would be funny in an situation. Sorry.

12. What would be the coolest animal to scale up to the size of a horse?

A. None of them. Horses are scary.

13. What set of items could you buy that would make the cashier the most uncomfortable?

A. Condoms and KY Jelly, I suppose. But really, wouldn't a cashier not be uncomfortable with anything sold in the store after a while? After all, it's just stuff.

14. What is something that you just recently realized that you are embarrassed about that you didn’t realize earlier?

A. I have no idea.

15. What are some fun and interesting alternatives to war that countries could settle their differences with?

A. Arm wrestling, checkers, poker, football (or soccer), darts.

__________

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: Two Black Cadillacs

Saturday 9: Two Black Cadillacs (2011)

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

1) This week's song is about two women who share a very dark secret. Are you good at keeping secrets?

A. Generally speaking, yes. As a news reporter, I was constantly told things, "off the record," and I kept those quiet until I either confirmed it with a second party or it became more public knowledge. I also grew up in a house full of secrets.

2) Carrie Underwood's favorite author is Stephen King. In fact, she credits King's Christine as an inspiration for this song. Have you read much Stephen King, or seen movies based on his books?

A. I have read some of his books, but I stopped after Cujo. I know I saw Carrie but I am not sure what other movies of his I have seen without looking at a list.

3) Carrie first came to America's attention when she won on American Idol. Prior to competing on that show, she'd never been on an airplane. Crazy Sam takes at least one round-trip flight every year and pays using the miles she accumulated from credit card purchases throughout the year. Do you try to earn miles, points, or cash back when you make purchases?

A. It is not in the forefront of my mind. I have cash back credit cards and I know that, but I don't go out of my way to pick up Pepto Bismal at CVS instead of Food Lion because I have it set for drug stores instead of groceries, or whatever.

4) Black is this week's signature color because November 25 was Black Friday, when retailers historically have slashed their prices and the holiday shopping season begins. Have you begun your gift shopping?

A. I have almost all of my gifts purchased. I do not have a nice present yet for my husband because I have no idea what he wants.

5) Black Friday began as a local event initiated by store owners in Philadelphia back in the early 1960s. When you think of Philadelphia, what comes to mind?

A. Elton John singing Philadelphia Freedom.

6) Black Friday always comes after Thanksgiving, a day of feasting. What was the best dish at your holiday table this year?

A. The steak.

7) Thanksgiving is also a big day for watching football. Did you watch any games?

A. I did not.

8) What are you thankful for this year?

A. A warm house. It is cold outside. I am also thankful that my husband's hip surgery was successful, and he is free of pain and able to do what he wants.

9) Random question: You're in a public restroom and have a choice between paper towels and a hot air hand dryer. Which do you choose?

A. Paper towels. I've read that the hot air hand dryers are full of germs. I don't know if that is true or not, but I'd just as soon not test it out. I do use the hot air hand dryer if it is the only thing available.

_______________

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

A Different Sort of Thanksgiving

Yesterday, we had my mother-in-law over for Thanksgiving.

This was a different sort of Thanksgiving for us. I didn't spend all day cooking a turkey.

Instead, we opted for rib-eye steak, baked potato, salad, a roll, and a piece of pecan pie.

It made for an easy day, the steak was good, we didn't overeat, and I didn't have to worry about leftovers.

While it certainly wasn't traditional (I did miss the turkey a tiny bit), it was so stress-free that I think we may have started a new tradition, for us, anyway.

We seldom purchase steak, and the rib-eyes were not as expensive as I expected them to be.

All of the fixin's may have been missing, but it was a nice meal anyway. And I sure liked the stress-free part.

Thursday Thirteen

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are enjoying your holiday.

Since this is a day to give thanks, here are 13 things I am thankful for:

1. My beloved husband, who isn't a thing, of course, but is a wonderful partner and delightful human being. He has his moments, of course (he can be a stubborn fellow), but he is my guy.

2. My brother, who is a good fellow. He stays in touch, and we know that we have a bond that we do not share with any other. As my only sibling, he has a special place in my heart.

3. My father, stepmother, and mother-in-law, who are all interesting folks to have in my life. They are the older generation and still have knowledge to impart.

4. Mama T. keeps me straight (sort of) and offers up encouragement. Our near-daily phone calls are uplifting and helpful in many ways.

5. Cathy B. who keeps me working a little bit and is a nice person to know. She's been a good friend for nearly 20 years.

6. Leslie, who has been my friend for almost as long as I've been married, is one of the smartest people I know. She's a dear.

7. All of the many other people I won't list by name but who are special to me for whatever reason. I may not see you or talk to you often, but I know you're there!

8. I am thankful for this blog and the space it gives me to reach out and to look in. It's been a creative outlet for me that has also helped me make friends. I am grateful to all of you who read my blog. Thank you!

9. My home and the things inside it are bountiful compared to some, and I am grateful for all of my "things," even the ones I can't remember having.

10. I have food to eat and water to drink. Many folks don't have that, so I am blessed.

11. I am grateful for medicines that keep me alive, and the doctors and nursing staff who take care of me.

12. My eyes and ears still work, and I can walk. I am grateful that I am able to read, listen, and move enough to do what I need to do.

13. Lastly, I am thankful for this big blue ball that we live on, and for its resources and the things we learn from it every day. Mother Earth is the best blessing of all.

__________________

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 782nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

I Hunt with the Camera

 

Fly Me to the Moon

My name and my poem are both up in outer space, flying around the moon today.

We even went on the Dark Side of the Moon!

I first wrote about this back in August, but the launch was scrubbed and didn't happen until last week. It took the rocket 5 days to reach the moon and now it's circling our heavenly satellite, taking pictures as it goes.

It's been about 81 miles from the surface of the moon. Exciting stuff! Check out nasa.gov for more information if you're interested.

I've always been disappointed that we didn't pursue the space program more fully than we did, so I am glad to see forward movement. I know many people think this is a lot of money spent for nothing, but many inventions come from the work done to make this happen.

At least, you know, once upon a time, there was Tang. And ink pens that wrote upside down.

And that cellphone that never leaves your hand is a result of the space program, too.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What’s your favorite childhood memory?

A. I don't know that I have a favorite. I remember one time when I was 5 or 6, I was sitting on the porch with my grandmother. She had on shorts. I was tracing the varicose vein lines in her legs. Suddenly, I looked up at her and said, "Grandma, you're cracking up!" She burst out laughing and told everyone that I said that about her. I guess you had to be there.

2. Do you sing in the shower?

A. Of course. Great acoustics in the shower.

3. What is the best gift you’ve ever received?

A. My engagement ring, I suppose. But a close second would be a camera tripod that my brother gave me about 35 years ago. It's called a Slik Stick and I still use it. Best tripod ever.

4. Do you prefer being indoors or outdoors?

A. I love the outdoors, but I am allergic to everything out there. Inside I can better control the environment.

5. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?

A. My husband. I called to tell him the US Weather Service had issued a wind advisory for our area.

6. What do you keep in your bag or handbag?

A. The usual. Cellphone, wallet, asthma inhaler, store discount cards, medication, tissues, an ink pen.

7. Can you knit?

A. Yes, but I don't do it well.

8. How many hours do you sleep each night?

A. I go to bed at 10 and am usually awake by 6:30 or earlier, and I get up at least once in the night. Whatever that all adds up to.

9. Who is your role model?

A. I don't have one. There are people I admire, but few I wish to imitate.

10. Who was your first ever pen pal?

A. My grandfather who lived in California. After I married, I wrote to him frequently. He always wrote back. 

11. What has been your favorite job so far?

A. Being a news reporter for the local weekly paper.

12. What is your favorite go-to recipe for mid-week meals?

A. I don't have favorite recipes. I hate to cook.

13. How often do you eat in a restaurant?

A. We used to eat in a restaurant once or twice a week. Since March 2020, I have eaten in a restaurant 3 times. We get takeout about twice a month now.

14. Are you close to your family?

A. I am close to some members of my family.

15. Which phone app could you not live without?

A. I could live without all of them. I did before, so I could do it again.

16. If you could afford to volunteer full time for a charity, which would it be?

A. Something to do with literacy, I suppose.

17. Do you have any siblings?

A. I have a brother who is very good to me. He's been there for me during some difficult times, such as when my husband has been hurt or had surgery.

18. Who is your favorite YouTuber?

A. I like to watch Gabriella Quevedo play guitar on there.

19. Have you ever been a bridesmaid or a groomsman?

A. I honestly am not sure. I don't think so, but I have played other parts at weddings. Guest book signer person, photographer, and such.

__________

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: Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows

Saturday 9: Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows (1965)

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

1. In this song, Lesley Gore sings that sunshine is wonderful. It's hard to argue with that. Is it sunny where you are today?

A. The sun is shining but it is very cold; 28-degree F last time I looked.

2. Tootsie Roll is the world's #1 manufacturer of lollipops, and cherry is their most popular flavor. Do you have a sweet tooth? If yes, what's your favorite sweet treat?

A. I do have a sweet tooth. Chocolate is my favorite sweet treat, but I don't eat much of that anymore because of acid reflux. 

3. According to myth, you'll find a leprechaun's pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. If you suddenly, unexpectedly came into $100,000, what is the first thing you would buy?

A. I would hire someone to come in and declutter my house.

4. She feels brighter than a lucky penny. Abraham Lincoln was the first person to appear on a U.S. coin, when the 1909 penny was struck in honor of his 100th birthday. Thomas Jefferson is on the nickel, George Washington is on the quarter, and John F. Kennedy is on the half dollar. Without looking, do you know which President is on the dime?

A. It's either Roosevelt or Eisenhower.  I googled; it's the former.

5. Lesley Gore was very popular in the 1960s, with 11 Top Ten hits. Most people don't know that, while she was making records, she was also attending Sarah Lawrence College and graduated with her BA in 1968. What's something most Saturday 9ers would be surprised to know about you?

A. I doubt there is much they don't already know. But maybe they don't know that I worked varied jobs at temp agencies for a while. I hated it.
 
6. She performed "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" in the movie Ski Party. Do you plan to ski this season?

A. I have no plans to ski ever.

7. This song was written by Marvin Hamlisch, who would go on to win three Oscars, four Grammys, three Emmys, a Tony, and a Pulitzer Prize. That's quite an impressive list! But we believe our Sat 9-ers are impressive, too. So give yourself an award this morning. (For example, Crazy Sam is now Meme Mistress of the Year.)

A. All Hail CountryDew, First of Her Name, Greatest of Guitar Players, the Warrior of Writers, Queen of J&A Farms, Housewife Hooligan, and Elvenar Empress.

8. In 1965, when this song was on the charts, I Dream of Jeannie premiered. This supernatural sitcom, about an astronaut who finds a genie on a beach, competed for viewers with Bewitched, which was about an advertising executive who marries a witch. Do you prefer Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie?

A. I liked them both, but I think I preferred Bewitched just a little bit over I Dream of Jeannie.

9. Random question -- Which would you rather have, tacos or pizza?

A. Pizza. I haven't had a pizza for over two years.

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

Got You on My Mind

Today's my wedding anniversary. We're at the big 39 years - wow. One more year until the big 40.

Some days we look at each other and say, "Weren't we just married 3 weeks ago?" because we have no idea where the time has gone. Here he is retired from one job as a battalion chief with the nearby city's fire department, while still farming and installing septic tanks, and I've managed to obtain three college degrees and a have a career as a news writer.

In a blink, it seems a distant memory. In my dreams, it catches up to me and I see it unfold like a roll of cloth, each turn revealing a different pattern. Good, bad, beautiful, ugly.

The minutia of two lives entwined.

While our marriage has been sturdy, I think how fragile it all is. Had we each made different decisions early on - like, not having gone to a high school football game where we met - we may never have known one another and lived entirely different lives. I am reminded daily, especially now that we're older, that it can all change from calm to chaos in a second - all it takes is a fall, a cut, an illness, an accident - and our lives are not the same as they were.

We are heading into the twilight years now, I guess. Still pushing, still working, still trying to be our best selves for one another and for this ol' planet we call home. We consider ourselves caretakers of the little land we manage, as we're only borrowing it for our lifetime.

Thank you, my best beloved, for these terribly beautiful 39 years. I'm looking forward to the remainder of our lives together.

When we were young, beautiful, and clueless.

Thursday Thirteen

My wedding anniversary is coming up, so I thought I'd list 13 things I love about my husband.

1. Big heart.

2. Loyal.

3. Gentle.

4. Understanding.

5. Smart.

6. Patient.

7. Informed.

8. Interesting.

9. He has the best giggle when he laughs.

10. Big hands with a soft touch.

11. Active.

12. Strong.

13. Handsome.

Isn't he handsome? I do miss that uniform since he retired.

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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 782nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus, or ringing of the ears, is a problem many think is found only in older adults. About 20% of the population has tinnitus, and while many indeed, are older, it's not just the seniors who have this issue.

I've had it for as long as I can remember.

When I was young, it was a high pitched "E" sound. I thought it was what a quiet room sounded like until the 4th grade. That was when, during a spelling session that included the words "quiet" and "silence" that my teacher asked what "quiet" sounded like. As I was an "A" student, she asked me first, and I told her it sounded like "EEEEEEE." 

The other kids laughed and I was told to stay after class. My fourth-grade teacher had a way of embarrassing me many times, this being one of them. She was angry at first, accusing me of being sassy, but after I explained that this was what I heard in a quiet room, she let me go without another word.

Not long after, she met with my parents in a PTA session. My mother asked me later if I had trouble hearing. I said I did not. She didn't ask about the noise. By then, of course, I'd figured out the noise was in me, even if I didn't know what it was called.

I thought it meant I might be crazy, so I didn't mention it again.

Thus, my "quiet room" noise continued unchecked. I noticed as a teenager that certain things would make it worse - Tylenol in particular.

I listened to music to drown it out, even as I went to sleep. In my teens, I wore out my Bread album falling asleep to it every night. As I grew older, I used a fan turned against the wall for a while, and eventually my husband and I switched to an air purifier that we run on "high fan" at night. The noise helps me sleep. 

Over the years, the sounds in my ears have changed. Sometimes the sound is scratchy, sometimes it is like 10,000 crickets all trying to be heard over one another. Sometimes it's that piercing "E" sound. (I used to use it to tune my guitar.)

This morning, though, for a brief period, my tinnitus was . . . gone.

I've had an ear infection and the doctor gave me drops for it, which my husband has dutifully put in my ears twice a day in spite of my howls of pain as each drop went in. The pain in my ears cleared up, and apparently, at least for a few hours, so did the tinnitus.

Moments without my constant ear sounds are rare. This is not the first time it's happened, but it is the first time in a long while.

Now the "EEEEEEE" sound is back, and I'm once again in my quiet room.

It beats the scratchy crickets that were visiting in my head last night!

Another Day, Another Shooting

Yesterday I woke to the news that three football players at the University of Virginia had been shot, and two others injured, by gunfire.

The alleged murderer was known to the campus and the local police, apparently, and he was eventually captured, about 12 hours after the murder.

The last I read, motive was unclear. Maybe there wasn't a motive.

Sometimes people are simply crazy, or bloodthirsty, or violent.

It pains me to admit that I've become somewhat nonchalant about the news of shootings. They happen EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. It may not be a mass shooting, but somebody, somewhere, is shot. Yet, I still watch those around me when I go out. I look for people who are acting "off" or suspect. I duck at loud noises.

In 2020, over 45,000 - yes, thousand - people died from gun-related deaths in the United States. We've already had over 37,000 gun deaths this year, and the year isn't over.

One guy has some blow-up stuff on the bottom of his shoe at an airport, and we all take our shoes off to get on an airplane, but we have thousands die from guns every year, and we do nothing.

Somebody found a few problems with Tylenol a long, long time ago, and suddenly medicines were put in plastic shrink wrap and made tamper-proof. Thousands die from guns every year, and we do nothing.

A child dies from a defective crib, and there's a recall. Thousands die from guns every year, and we do nothing.

A car crash indicates the air bags don't work, and there's a recall. Thousands die from guns every year and we do nothing.

I know the response - guns don't kill people, people kill people, blah blah thoughts and prayers. But guns are made for killing.

That is their sole purpose. To kill, or at least to maim.

I am a gun owner, and I am in favor of stricter gun control laws.