Saturday 9: My Funny Valentine

Saturday 9: My Funny Valentine (1953)

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

1) In this song, Frank sings that his lover is his favorite work of art. Tell us about a piece of artwork you can see from where you're sitting now. (Yes, that crayon drawing by your 5-year-old nephew counts.)

A. The nearest "artwork" is my calendar, which is showing a picture of Dol Inthanon National Park, Thailand. It's a set of stairs covered in moss. It's this picture here:

2) He asks her to not change her hair. When will you next find yourself in the stylist's chair?

A. I had my hair cut on Monday, so not until March.

3) Sinatra is often photographed in hats because he began losing his hair while in his 30s. He wore "a rug" for TV, concert and film appearances but really didn't like it, considering the toupee merely part of his work attire. What do you wear when you wish to appear professional?

A. Makeup and black clothes. Or at least black plants and a lovely blouse.

4) Sinatra is best known for his singing and won an Oscar for his acting. But not many people know he liked to paint until his widow sold his paintings at auction. Do you have a secret talent?

A. Not that I am aware of.

 

5) As a kid, he was a paperboy in his hometown of Hoboken, NJ.  Tell us about one of your early jobs.

A. My earliest "job" was working the summer at my father's office, where I was a file clerk. I hated every minute of it. I also was not taught how to file correctly by someone there, I but learned that in the next year of high school.

  

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

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

A. No. We are not celebrating Valentine's Day this year.

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

A. My name of my husband of almost 40 years, of course.

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

A. I sent Valentine cards to my great-niece and great-nephew. Prior to that, I sent a birthday card to my nephew.

  

9) Sweethearts, those candy hearts with sayings like "BE MINE" stamped on them, began as throat lozenges. Are you fan of these little candies?

A. I do like those little candies. But then, I am a big fan of sugar.

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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.  

I Can See Clearly

This is my version of I Can See Clearly Now, by Johnny Nash.

I used my RC-3 Loop Station for the drums. I recorded a background rhythm track, and then went back in and did a little thump thump thing to try to give it more sound.

Not the best, I guess, but all I can do with one guitar.

Thursday Thirteen

1. Yesterday, I melted a trash can. It was in my office, and I accidentally set it in front of a space heater. I started smelling the plastic and turned around and saw the trash can. It didn't catch on fire, but had I left it much longer, it would have.

2. That trash can was at least 25 years old. I doubt I can find one just like it anymore.

3. I have another small plastic trash can in the bathroom that is at least 37 years old. No point in replacing things.

4. Many things in my home are old but still in use. My crock pot was a wedding gift, so it is 39 years old.

5. The clock on the wall in the kitchen is also 39 years old.

6. My desk is about 25 years old. It's one of those Sueter (sp) furniture put-together things (pre-Ikea). Very heavy.

7. My grandmother gave me a musical jewelry box when I was 10, and I still have it displayed. It's 50 years old.

8. I have a little pamphlet-like book called "The Book of Dreams" that I paid 35 cents for. The copyright on it is 1972, so it's 51 years old. I still look at it sometimes, but its notion of what dreams mean has never rang true to me. Fun to read, though.

9. There's a Dallas Cowboys trash can in the bedroom that is 38 years old. It's made of metal.

10. I have guitars that are older than I am.

11. Many of the pans I cook with were marriage gifts. A set of Club cookware in particular comes to mind. 

12. If I won the lottery, there are many things I would consider replacing, but many of these things I would also keep, mostly because I am so used to seeing them.

13. Will the things made today last until someone accidentally melts them with a space heater? I doubt it. Even the trash cans today are made of a lighter plastic than that trash can was.

__________________

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 794th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Playing Catch-Up

January is a horrid month, and I'm glad it's over. February isn't much better, but at least by now I have finished getting the paperwork together for the taxes and have that pain out of the way.

I have been remiss in my blog, though. I don't generally go two days and not write something. I couldn't think of anything to write yesterday that didn't make me tired when I thought about it, so I wrote nothing.

But today I'm not creatively tired, I am ready to write something.

So here goes.

Books

So far this year, I've read A Trick of the Light, by Louise Penny, which was one of the books in her series I skipped by accident, The Recovery Agent, by Janet Evanovich, which is a reworked version of a more competent Stephanie Plum with her ex-husband in Lula's role, Unf#ck Your Brain, by Dr. Faith Harper, a self-help book, Into the Glades, by Laura Sebastian, which is a young adult fantasy, and The Jasmine Throne, by Tasha Suri. 

The last book is an adult fantasy book, and like many of the fantasies I read, it takes on a political tone and examines the role of the feminine in power. The magic in the book was intriguing in that is a feminine magic - control of the Earth's soil and plants, along with another type of magic that involves telling the future. No fire wizards or things like that, although fire plays a big role in this story, wielded as a manly power. Swords and not guns. My only complaint was multiple points of views; I occasionally forgot who was talking and had to flip back to the beginning of the chapter to see whose name was on it. I recommend it if you prefer your books to have strong female characters and can imagine bucking the patriarchy one day.

The book I am currently reading is called Born with Teeth, by Kate Mulgrew. It is an autobiography (not a memoir), and I decided to read it because I try to read nonfiction and fiction alike. The last autobiography I read was Sally Field's. I prefer to read autobiographies or memoir of women, but dang if every woman who writes a memoir hasn't been raped at some point. I know that statistically something like 1 in every 3 women has been raped or a victim of incest or something, but I am not so sure that every single female in this world hasn't been manhandled at the crotch by some guy at some point. Mulgrew was robbed and raped not on a casting couch, but as she tried to fumble her way into her New York apartment with her hands full of grocery bags.

We do a poor job of raising men, if every woman is considered fair game. And apparently, we are.

The State of the Union

I did not watch The State of the Union address last night. I consider that political theater on the part of both sides. I have read varying synopses of is, and as best I can tell, some of the crazier Republicans acted like children and Dark Brandon handed them their ass on an environmentally friendly clay platter.

Since I read about the political scene almost every day, I know the state of the union without the drama and theater. I also buy groceries and gas, and listen to people, and read stuff from both sides of the aisle. The truth and the facts are in the middle. Sorting them out is a yeoman's task.

Contrary to popular belief, neither side represents me. I suspect a lot of people feel like that.

And that's all I have to say about that.

TV

I don't watch much TV, but I started a show on ABC called Alaska Daily that I want to recommend. It stars Hillary Swank and is about a newsroom in Anchorage. Very realistic and good acting. There are only six episodes available so far, but the show returns February 23. You can watch it on the ABC app.

Whose Line Is It Anyway? taped its last show last week. Since my husband and I are probably the only people left who watch the show, this is not unforeseen, but we enjoyed the interplay between the comedians. Also, it was on the CW, and I understand that channel is undergoing a revamp. The only other show I watched on that channel was Stargirl, and it's been cancelled. It had a good ending, though.

We've been watching the new version of Night Court with Melissa Rauch, but I can't decide if I like it or not. La Brae also returned on Tuesday nights. I like this show but have a feeling it's veering off into a direction that I may not like. 

On Thursdays, my husband watches Swamp People and tapes BattleBots. I read during Swamp People; once you've seen a few alligators killed, I don't need to see anymore. I like BattleBots because no one is getting hurt, you're just seeing robots fly to pieces. Too bad real-world problems can't be solved like that.

Life in General

We have re-rented the little house my mother left me, and I have high hopes for my new tenant. My husband on Saturday, on his way over there to finish some projects - every time someone leaves the house, we must spend money and time trying to fix things, replacing light bulbs, unstopping sinks, etc. - and swerved to miss a deer. He took out the mirror on his truck.

My leg is still swollen and tender, but it is no longer throbbing and purple, so it is getting better. I am unclear as to what I have - varicose veins, I think - or how to deal with it, other than stay off of my leg for a long while until things settle down. It is not my back, it's not a Charlie Horse, it's something in my veins. The fact that I am fat doesn't help, even if I did lose 15 pounds back in 2020. I need to lose a lot more.

The bird feeder is a great source of fun. We have lots of cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, etc. there, especially in the mornings. I like watching the birds. I haven't been taking pictures of them because it has been wet and damp, and like the Wicked Witch of the West, I melt in the rain.

I also still haven't found the green comet. The moon has been full, so there's a lot of light, and it may be that even though this is a rural area, there's simply too much light pollution around me now to see it. Or I just can't find it. I found Mars. I found Polaris. I found all the markers I was supposed to find, but no green comet.

The weather has warmed, and the rain has stopped. I may have to go sit outside a spell. I suspect an early spring.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Three names you go by, other than your given name:

A. Sweetie pie, Sis, Daughter.

2. Three things you like about yourself:

A. I can think, I write well, and I am creative.

3. Three things you don't like about yourself:

A. I'm overweight, I'm too sedentary, and I have stubby little toes.

4. Three parts of your heritage:

A. English, Irish, and German

4. Three things you are wearing right now:

A. My watch, my glasses, my clothes.

5. Three favorite bands/musical artists:

A. Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, The Eagles

6. Three favorite songs:

A. I'm the Only One, by Melissa Etheridge, C'mon, C'mon, by Sheryl Crow, Desperado, by The Eagles.

7. Three things you want in a relationship:

A. Loyalty, brains, and empathy.

8. Three of your favorite hobbies:

A. Reading, writing, playing guitar.

9. Three things that scare you:

A. Running out of money, hospitals, and old white guys who think they own the world.

10. Three of your everyday essentials:

A. Honey Nut Cheerios, Extra Classic Bubble Gum, my desktop.

11. Three places you want to go on vacation:

A. Egypt, Ireland, Scotland

12. Three careers you have considered/are considering:

A. Archeology, geology, teaching

13. Three things you want to do before you die:

A. Eat a hot fudge sundae, write a book, get over myself.

14. Three things you want to do really badly right now: 

A. I need to go to the little girl's room because I've been sitting here too long; get a drink of water, and read a book.

__________

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: Beautiful

Saturday 9: Beautiful (2005)

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

 

1) In this song, Moby sings about a self-involved couple who believes others are fascinated by their glamorous lives. Tell us about the most interesting couple you know.

A. Brenda and Willie were very interesting. They traveled to all 50 states, and they went to craft shows all the time because Willie is a woodturner. They were always doing something. Brenda died in 2021, though.

 

2) This song was inspired by the proliferation of reality shows, where celebrities share their lives on camera. Does the idea of becoming rich and famous in exchange for letting a film crew into your home appeal to you?

A. It does not. For one thing, everyone would be asleep from boredom. They would better off following my husband around, filming him with cows and installing septic tanks.

3) "Beautiful" appears in the soundtrack of the movie The Devil Wears Prada, starring Meryl Streep. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance, which is no surprise because she has more Oscar nominations than any other actor or actress. Do you have a favorite Meryl Streep movie?

A. Mamma Mia! I know it was not the greatest movie, but I enjoyed Streep's performance in it. It's also the only movie of hers that I think I've seen. I have a movie deficit in my knowledge base.

4) Moby has openly discussed how Christ has influenced his life and art. Do you consider yourself religious or spiritual? If yes, how do your beliefs impact your daily life?

A. I don't consider myself to be either religious or spiritual, really. More spiritual than religious, if anything. My beliefs impact my daily life because I believe in being a good person, and that doesn't have anything to do with religion. That's just my morality.

5) His real name is Richard Melville Hall. His parents began calling him "Moby" almost immediately because they felt "Richard Melville Hall" sounded too big for a baby. When did you most recently hold a baby?

A. About three years ago, now. Pre-Covid.

6) He began shaving his head when he was in his 30s. It was at the request of a girlfriend, who said she liked bald men. Would you change your appearance to please your lover?

A. I have let my hair grow longer because my husband likes it long. But then I cut it again when it becomes burdensome.

7) Moby's house was once owned by Marlon Brando and was later rented to The Beatles. What do you know about the previous residents of your home?

A. We built our house, so there were no previous residents. However, the farm is part of my husband's legacy, dating back to 1859 in his family. At one point, the house closest to where we live was owned by a tanner.

 

8) In 2005, when "Beautiful" was released, actress Ruth Warrick died. She began her career in radio, made her film debut in Citizen Kane, and she was best known as matriarch Phoebe Tyler on All My Children, a role she played for 35 years. What's the longest you stayed at the same job?

A. I have been a freelance writer since 1985 and started doing it full time in 1994. So that one would be the longest.

9) Random question: Without looking, do you know how much money is in your checking account right now?

A. Not to the exact penny, but yes, I know how much is in there.

_______________

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.  

Thursday Thirteen

Since pain in the calf of my leg is something I'm currently dealing with, I thought I'd offer up some information on it. This comes from cleavelandclinic.org.

Calf muscle pain can have a variety of causes, including:

1. Claudication: Narrowed arteries can prevent your calf muscles from receiving enough blood, which deprives them of oxygen. Intermittent claudication can cause muscle pain when you exercise or walk. It’s especially common in people who smoke or who have diabetes or peripheral artery disease (PAD).

2. Contusions: A direct blow to a muscle, such as a kick in the calf, can damage your muscle tissue without breaking your skin. Calf contusions usually cause bruising and soreness. Severe contusions can lead to compartment syndrome, a dangerous condition that prevents blood from getting to your leg muscles.

3. Cramps: Leg cramps occur when the muscles suddenly contract (shorten), causing a painful muscle spasm. A calf cramp is often called a “charley horse.” Cramps can be the result of dehydration or overexertion. A cramp might last for just a few seconds, but your muscle can feel sore for hours afterward. Leg cramps and calf muscle pain at night are very common.

4. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): In rare cases, what seems like calf muscle pain can actually be DVT. This is a serious condition that causes a blood clot to form in your lower leg. It can lead to a pulmonary embolism, which is life-threatening.

5. Strains: A pulled calf muscle, or a calf muscle strain, occurs when you overstretch your calf muscles. Severe overstretching can cause a torn calf muscle.

6. Tendonitis: Tendons attach your calf muscles to bones in your leg. Tendonitis (tendon inflammation) can put pressure on your calf muscle or make it painful for the muscle to work.

7. This is my own addition: a superficial vein thrombosis (SVT), because I've had those.

CARE AND TREATMENT

You can usually treat mild calf muscle pain at home using the RICE method:

8. Rest: Avoid walking or running with calf muscle pain. Don’t push through pain, which can make the problem worse.

9. Ice: Put an ice pack or cold compress on your calf muscles for 20 minutes every two hours. Don’t apply ice directly to your skin.

10. Compression: Apply a compression bandage or wrap to your calf. Compression helps reduce blood flow to the painful area and minimize swelling.

11. Elevation: Lift your leg into an elevated position, preferably above the level of your heart. Support the entire length of your leg with pillows, blankets or cushions.

12. If you have sore calves from a muscle cramp or feel a painful knot in your calf muscle, it may help to gently stretch your calf.

13. Other things that may help: pain relievers, physical therapy, soft cast or boot to immobilize your lower leg in the case of a strain or tear.

Additional information:

If your healthcare provider determines your calf muscle pain is the result of claudication, treatments may include:

Diet modification to reduce your intake of sodium (salt), cholesterol, saturated fat and sugar.

Exercise.

Medications to manage high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.

Medication to prevent or treat blood clots.

Medications to improve blood flow in the legs.

Quitting smoking and using tobacco products.

__________________

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 793rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Health Update

The blood work came back as not showing any sign of a clot, so that's good news.

The bad news my calf is remains swollen and there is a tangible knot there. It's also painful. 

It most likely is a varicose vein.

It's nothing life-threatening, anyway. Just something else to deal with.

Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement. You're a fine bunch of gentle readers!

Hunting the Green Comet

The green comet, formerly known as comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), comes closest to Earth today, moving in to 26 million miles of this ol' round ball we call home.

A comet is a celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and, when near the sun, a “tail” of gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun. Halley's comet is probably the most famous one, as it makes a tour of our solar system every 75 years or so. It was last here in 1986, and I honestly don't remember seeing it although I'm sure I made an effort to do so. The one I remember best was Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997. It comes around about every 3,000 years.

The green comet last came through about 50,000 years ago. 

The comet is thought to look green because of the type of gases coming off of it, along with radiation from the Sun.

 

It if was as dim as it is today, I doubt the humanoids who were around 50,000 years ago even noticed. If one of them did, he or she had spectacular eyesight.

I have been trying to see this green comet on the few clear nights we've had but have been unsuccessful in finding it. Mostly, that is because we've only had two clear nights, and we have cloud cover today that is supposed to last all night.

I took this star trail photo whilst trying to find it. I actually left the camera outside and went inside; at some point, the tripod moved. Maybe a gust of wind? At any rate, the wiggle is visible.

But the comet isn't.

Cardinals

 

A DVT? or a SVT?

I had a visit with my primary care doctor this morning. I had tried to see her Friday, but couldn't get in.

While I have been having issues with earaches (apparently dry ear canals?), the main reason for the visit was a pain in the calf of my leg.

Wednesday night as I was preparing for bed, I felt something go in my calf. It felt like a razor blade ripped up my leg, actually.

I'd felt this before, and it was an SVT, or a Superficial Vein Thrombosis. This has occurred twice before. Both times I'd gone for the Doppler ultrasound, and it was negative, but it was also at least a week to 10 days after it had occurred.

This time I was trying to get on top of it quicker. My primary care doctor hadn't seen me the first time; I'd seen her nurse practitioner. The second time I waited about two weeks before I finally went in to see my PCP and the knot had disappeared though it was still painful. 

This time, my PCP could feel the knot in my leg. That, along with swelling, made her suggest another Doppler ultrasound, but I countered with the D dimer blood test instead. After some thinking, she agreed.

Now it's just a matter of waiting for the blood test results. I think it is a vein issue, like a varicose vein thing, maybe, or perhaps mild phlebitis (which is inflammation of the veins).

The last time I had this, I drank beet juice to try to help, but I haven't had any of that in a while. As far as natural remedies go, beet juice is the only thing I've found. There really aren't any natural cures for what ails me.

Just time.

I do hope it's not a DVT, though. A deep vein thrombosis would not be good.

Something . . .

Something in the way I feel
Tells me I need to see my doctor.
Something in the way my ears hurt.
I don't want to leave my house
I don't want to see her now.

(Music refrain)

Something in my eyes just shows
That I don't really feel well
Something in my eyes tells husband
That I need to go today
to the doctor right away

(Music refrain)

You're asking me if I could know
What's going on, what's going on?
If I knew then I would say, 
I would say and not see someone today.

(Music refrain)

Something in the way I feel
And all I have to do is make a call
Something in the things I am feeling
I don't want to leave the house
I don't want to leave the house

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. When did you last sing to yourself?

A. I sing to myself all the time. So like, a minute ago.

2. If you’re male, would you ever rock black nail polish? if you’re female, would you ever rock really really short hair?

A. I don't want really short hair.

3. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?

A. Probably my marriage, followed by my work with the newspaper. Somewhere in those thousands (maybe a million?) of words, there must be some truth someplace.

4. What is the first happy memory that comes to mind, recent or otherwise?

A. A hug from my brother on Christmas Eve, even though I was sad and crying at the time.

5. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living?

A. Probably not.

6. Do you have a bucket list? if so, what are the top three things?

A. I don't have a bucket list.

7. How do you feel about tattoos and piercings?

A. I don't care what other people do to their bodies.

8. Do you feel you had a happy childhood?

A. Nope.

8. When did you last cry in front of another person?

A. Not that long ago.

9. Who in the world would you most like to receive a letter from and what would you want it to say?

A. I'd like to receive a letter from somebody rich telling me they've decided to share their fortune with me. Oh, wait, I get those in my spam folder all the time. How about a letter from just anyone telling me I did a good job when I wrote for the newspaper? The compliments were few and far between.

10. What is your nighttime routine?

A. I go to bed.

11. When was your last 3am conversation with someone, and who were they to you?

A. That would have been my husband on Wednesday night.

12. If you were about to die, and you could only say one more sentence to one person, what would you say and to whom?

A. Knowing me, I would say I'm sorry, because I am always apologizing even if I don't know why.

13. What is your opinion on brown eyes?

A. I don't have an opinion on them.

14. Pick a quote and describe what it means to you personally.

A. "Jesus wept." It's from the Bible. It means Jesus cried. Personally, it is tied to a memory. When I was 12, my brother was hurt in a farm accident. As my father drove home from the hospital with me in the car (my mother stayed with my brother), my father said, "I'm sorry you had to see your ol' dad cry." And I responded, "That's okay, Daddy. Jesus cried too."

15. What would you title the autobiography of your life so far?

A. Eye of the Lionness: A Survivor's Story

__________

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: On the Atchison, Topeka & the Santa Fe

Saturday 9: On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe (1946)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
 
1) In this song, Judy Garland sings about the train whistle and wheels. What sounds make you happy?

A. The sound of my husband's voice, the chirping of birds, and the notes from my guitar.
 
2) She tells us that, since she loves dreaming of train travel, she must have "a little gypsy in her heart." How about you? Do you often dream of visiting faraway places?

A. I dream of it, but I have no illusions of getting there.

3) Judy sings about a future when she's "old and gray and settled down." At what age do you consider a person is old?

A. Apparently now. Almost 60.

4) This song is from the movie, The Harvey Girls. Filming was a time of stress for Judy. She was appearing before the cameras by day (she sprained her ankle in a scene where she slips down a hill), recording the soundtrack by night, and dealing with lawyers regarding her divorce from composer David Rose. Yet watching the movie, none of the tension shows. Do you work well under pressure?

A. I was very good at meeting newspaper deadlines.

5) Judy relaxed on the set by knitting and would make blankets and caps for the children of crew members. Do you knit?

A. I have tried it. I managed a few scarves, but it honestly is not my thing.
 
6) Judy admitted she had a problem with tardiness. Do you strive to be prompt?

A. I am almost always on time. If I'm late, I generally have a good reason - car trouble, for example.
 
7) In 1946, when this song was on the radio, cigarette cases were very popular. Since these metal cases were standard issue in the Army during WWII, many soldiers got into the habit of using them and continued to after the war ended. Women often carried fabric or leather cigarette cases that closed with a clasp like a coin purse. In the 1940s, elegant cigarette cases were a fashionable gift but today, they are largely forgotten. Did you ever carry one? Do you know anyone who did?

A. I never carried a cigarette case, nor do I know anyone who did. Although for all I know, one of my grandparents did.
 
8) Also in 1946, bikinis appeared for the first time on runways in Paris. How often did you don swimwear during 2022?

A. I never donned swimwear in 2022.

9) Random question: Thinking of your past romantic involvements, were you truly in love with one of them, some of them, or all of them?

A. I was only in love with the one I married.

_______________

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.  

Sunset Poems

 A ChatGPT poem about sunset:

The sun dips below the horizon,
A fiery orb of orange and red,
The sky a canvas painted in hues
Of pink, purple, and deep blue spread.

The world is bathed in a golden light,
As day turns into night,
A symphony of colors play
In the sky, a natural sight.

The clouds, like cotton candy swirls,
Add texture to the scene,
A peaceful calm descends upon us
As the world is bathed in serene.

The chirping birds bid us adieu,
As they seek their resting place,
The gentle sway of trees,
Adds grace to this peaceful space.

As the last rays of sunlight fade,
We bid farewell to the day,
But the memories of this sunset,
Will forever here stay.

My poem about sunset:

The fiery orb paints a swath

of pink and purple as clouds

populate the darkening sky.

Evening begins with spectacular promise

as the gold of the day 

grows dim and sublime.

You take my hand in yours

its warmth like the sun in my palm.

I surrender as you move close

for a kiss.

So, which is better? I won't be upset if you say the AI poem. I took all of five minutes to write mine, after all.

Thursday Thirteen

1. So far, I have determined that my word for 2023 is not calm or peace or anything like that. It is tired. As I told a friend yesterday, I have been tired since our adventure at Christmas, followed by the burst pipes at my little piece of rental property, and the shocking shower episodes. Follow this with my efforts to try to get stuff in order to take to the tax man, add to that what seems to be some kind of lingering sinus thing, my chronic pain issues, some family worries, and not sleeping well, and you get, well, tired.

2. I do hope that is not going to be the speed and mantra of this entire year. If it is, I will be a worn-out frazzled old lady in another month.

3. Earlier, I was reading that there have been Sasquatch sightings in my county. I found a listing for one in the northwestern part of the county (Buchanan for the locals) in 2003. Virginia doesn't have many visits from Sasquatch, although the thing I was reading earlier insisted that an entire family of them lives close by and offers us gifts, if we're on the same frequency.

4. Of course, reading about Sasquatch made me wonder about UFO sightings. Couldn't find but one in my county (over in the same area, in 2005), but lots of folks in the nearby city apparently see odd things in the sky. I saw a UFO once when I was a child, but I've not seen anything since.

5. I have seen ghosts, though. I've seen lots of ghosts. The Googler lists loads of sightings in Virginia, but none in Botetourt. I find that hard to believe. We're an old county. We just had our 250th birthday! Sure, there are ghosts here. (I know, because I've seen them!)

6. But I'm moving off into wackadoodle territory, so let's step back and start this odd musing for Thursday Thirteen over again. Like, where does the word wackadoodle come from? Apparently, it originated in the mid-1800s and meant someone you didn't take seriously. The word ultimately comes from wacky. Calling someone a wackadoodle is an insult, but it's milder than calling a person an idiot, though they basically mean the same thing.

7. Tuesday night, I went out into the cold to look for the green comet. I could not find it. It may be that we had too many high clouds, though I could see the brighter stars. Or it may be that my rural area is no longer as dark as it once was. As a child, I could see the Milky Way at night, but I haven't seen it in some time when I've been out stargazing.

8.  A few minutes ago, I learned about the OASIS Scale, which measures anxiety. It's free and you can find it here. I have anxiety and have experienced panic attacks. I've been known to leave a shopping cart in the middle of Walmart and walk out. Grocery stores are difficult for me, for some reason.

9. The book I found this information in is called Unf#ck Your Brain, by Dr. Faith G. Harper. Her website has some free .pdf downloads for various things if you're interested. I am listening to the book, which is a mistake. The book has good information in it, but it is full of curse words, for one thing, which I didn't think I would mind but frequency of curse words becomes irritating after a while, and for another, the author is the reader, and she doesn't know why she placed periods at the ends of her sentences when she wrote them. I may have been better off to have read this book instead of listening to it.

10. Since listening to this book, I have been rethinking my own use of foul language. I swear a lot, by my own standards, but I generally just say f#ck. I don't use many other words, but I think after listening to this book, I am going to try to limit my own use of profanity. We can consider that a New Year's goal, maybe.

11. Do you ever wonder what we're on this earth for? If it is to learn a lesson about something, then do we die as soon as the lesson is learned? If we have free will, why do we need to learn lessons? Or are we just here?

12. I have always had issues with the laws of attraction (especially as laid out in The Secret), because it indicates that one invites disasters into his or her life. For example, if a plane crashes, everyone on that plane had some secret desire to be in a plane crash. Really? Do all of these people who are shot have some secret attraction to bullets? Really? While I can see that it might be valuable to seek out others who think like you, or who have similar interests, I don't think that much of what life throws at you are things you have attracted. Sometimes sh*t is just sh*t, and it stinks (and sometimes a bad word is the best word that works).

13. Growing old is nature's joke on humanity. Or maybe it is payback for the hell we have wrought upon this old Earth. It certainly isn't fun, or funny, though.

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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 792nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Where the Deer Rest

In the front of my house is a small glen, hidden from the road and everything else save for the front of my house.

Since we generally are no threat, the deer like to hang out there.

General Update

The Shower

We seemed to have fixed the issue with the shower. It is no longer shocking us, anyway. We had the power company out, and it still shocked me that night but not my husband. We also removed the stainless steel handheld body washer and replaced it with the original brass-covered one, which seemed to help. Finally, we replaced the water heater elements, even though the ones we had in it were new. We had put them in just before Christmas, but I suppose new things don't always work properly.

Whatever it was, the electricity in the shower has stopped. It was a slightly terrifying to step off the bathmat while soaking wet and naked to touch something, though.

Husband's Health

Husband went to the doctor last week for blood work. It was posted to his chart over the weekend. If my bloodwork was that good, my doctor would moonwalk. He has great cholesterol/lipid numbers, his blood sugar issues are under control, and except for the stuff that indicates gout, he is doing great.

Rental House

Our tenant had let one of the pipes burst during the bad freeze over Christmas. I say "let" because he had chosen not to purchase propane to heat the house, even though we'd reminded him since October not to let the pipes freeze. He did. He is moving out at the end of the month. We have new folks lined up to move in mid-month. I have concerns about the two or three weeks it will be empty, as far as keeping it heated so the pipes don't freeze again, but we will figure something out.

What I'm Reading

I'm listening to Unf#ck Your Brain, by Dr. Faith G. Harper. A good reminder of things I already know, although this is the first book I've listened to that is so full of curse words that I found it distasteful after a while. I don't mind cursing occasionally - I curse myself - but she uses it too much, especially for a book. It might not be so bad if I were only reading it.

I'm reading The Jasmine Throne, by Tasha Suri. This is a fantasy, with multiple narrators, and a complex world. I've already discovered I need to read on it every day or I forget who is who doing what.

How I Am

I learned a new cover song, so that's one New Year's goal down. You can hear it here if you haven't listened to it already. 

My chronic pain issues continue; I suspect I need to go back to physical therapy soon. I haven't been since 2019.  My weight is stable, but I am not losing (I haven't been making an effort at that anyway, at the moment, but at least I am not gaining). My ulcer seems healed finally, although certain foods do not agree with me (tomatoes and chocolate, still, are issues). The January blues are hovering around, but I try to chase them off when I notice them. I am cranky around my husband. He's been retired for two years, and I still haven't adjusted to having him home all the time.

My ears have been giving me trouble for months. They hurt, and I have been using a homeopathic mixture, which helps with the pain and has had the benefit of sometimes helping my tinnitus. Since Christmas, when we had no power and the house was very dry, I've had a sinus issue. It's not an infection, but every now and then stuff drains down my throat and I nearly choke on it, and then I hack up a wad of bloody mucus. Since I don't feel bad I haven't checked with my doctor, but this is not normal for me. Dr. Google says its sinusitis. The ear pain may go along with it. Maybe I need to send my doctor a note and ask about it.

I am trying to finish up the taxes for 2022; then I need to reevaluate where I am.

Aside from this blog, I am not writing.

It's the Year of the Rabbit, and I'm a Rabbit. So, it should be time for me to get hoppin'!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Pretend you are back in high school . . . what are you doing after school?

A. I am going to band practice. I played guitar in a garage band, and we rehearsed after school several days a week.

2. Do you do homework early or late? Do you really study?

A. I always did my homework. I was a straight A student, graduating 4th in my class. (In college, I graduated with honors.)

3. Do you go to the games? Football? Basketball? What is your favorite to attend?

A. I was in the high school band, so we attended most of the football games. I hated them because it was cold. We occasionally went to the home basketball games but not as often. I seldom attended a game unless I was in band, although I did go back for a home football game in October 1982, a year after I had graduated. I met my husband at that game.

4. Do you go to the dances? Prom? (what'd you wear?)

A. Once or twice, my band played the high school dance, so I was up on stage playing my guitar. I went to prom when I was a sophomore, and I wore a blue gown. I made my date take me by my grandmother's house so I could show her how I looked. My mother told me later that my grandmother cried because I chose to do that. I never went to my own prom.

4. Lunch! What are we having today? What is your favorite lunch?

A. I don't recall school lunches in the 1970s being much to brag about. In elementary school, there was always a little container of milk to drink. In high school, it was pretty much the same. We had not yet reached the point where you could have pizza or pick things from a cart. You went through a line and took whatever they offered, and you ate it or went hungry.

5. What kind of music do you like the best?

A. I like disco, even though most people don't. I also like soft rock, and southern rock. By that, I mean bands like the Eagles, the Allman Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Bread, Air Supply, etc.

6. Does the radio play in your car and if so what station or kind of music plays?  Does music play in your home often?

A. In high school, I always had my radio on and it was tuned to whatever station played the Top 40 with Kasey Kasem. I listened to music in my room a lot, usually albums or cassettes that I made by copying the tunes from America's Top 40 Countdown.

7. What do you think of the music played in restaurants or stores? Do you find it relaxing or annoying?

A. Today, much of the music played in stores is the music of my high school years and I enjoy hearing it.

8. What part has music played in your life? What kind of music played at your wedding or at parties you have been to?

A. At my wedding, my brother sang, and the songs were Longer, by Dan Fogelberg and The Wedding Song (There is Love), by Peter, Paul, & Mary. A friend of my husband's played guitar. 

9. Is the farm for you? How about a ranch, a village or a city? Which is your choice and why?

A. I grew up on a farm and continue to live on a farm. I'm not sure it was a choice, exactly. The farm kind of came with the fellow I married.

10. A short auto trip for the weekend with friends or a long vacation? Where would you go?

A. Are we still in school? I'm confused with the time period of these questions. Right now, if I could, I would love to take a two-week vacation to Ireland, Scotland, and England.

11. The quiet life at home with a cuppa and TV or a good book or a night out with friends? Which sounds good today?

A. I generally go with the book, but my friends seldom ask me out anyway, nor do I ask them. We're all old homebodies.

12. You have a choice of dinner and a movie or a game of cards and snacks at the neighbors. Where are you going tonight?

A. Dinner and a movie.

13. Is there a hero or character on TV, in a book or a movie . . . or even on all three, that you are especially like? What do you find attractive about them?

A. I liked Supergirl when it was on, but it has ended its run. Kara Danvers, aka Supergirl, was strong yet empathetic and tried to do the right thing. At the moment I am watching Alaska Daily on the ABC app. It's about a journalist trying to uncover why indigenous women go missing and no one follows up on the cases. I empathize with the journalist, although as portrayed by Hillary Swank she's a bit on the brusque side and overconfident.

14.  Was there a book that was better in movie form? How about a movie you thought didn't live up to the book?

A. I think the Lord of the Rings movies by Peter Jackson are better than the books, but generally I try not to compare books with their movies. They're different methods of telling a story, so of course they are not going to be the same.

15. When you choose a book, program or movie which subject it is most likely to be: science fiction, mystery, romance, comedy, documentary, etc.? What draws you to a particular book or movie?

A. I read fantasy, particularly those that have strong female heroines. I also enjoy cozy mysteries, such as Sue Grafton's books. I have read all of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books except the last one, but they've become terribly formulaic. I like Louise Penny's books, too. I am drawn to books that have strong females in them. I always have been, ever since I began reading Nancy Drew books.

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