Saturday 9: I've Got Your Number

Saturday 9: I've Got Your Number (1965)

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

Chosen in memory of Tony Bennett, who passed away on July 21, 2023.
 
1) In this song, Tony sings that he recognizes his lover's insecurities because she's a lot like him. Are you unsure in social situations? Or do you meet new people easily?

A. I'm not a social butterfly by any stretch of the imagination.
 
2) While singing was his livelihood, painting was Tony Bennett's passion. What hobby do you participate in with the greatest enthusiasm?

A. Probably video games, although music would be a close second.

3) Tony was a proud son of New Jersey. Many singers hail from The Garden State, including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Frank Sinatra. What heroes, heroines or celebrities hail from your home state?

A. 8 US presidents, Sandra Bullock, Wayne Newton, Rob Lowe, Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Matthews Band, Katie Couric, Pharrell Williams, Arthur Ashe, Wanda Sykes, Patsy Cline, June Carter Cash, David Baldacci, etc.

4) Though Tony dreamed of becoming a commercial artist, he had to drop out of school in his teens to help support his family. Looking back on your teen years, what did you want to do for a living? Is that what you ended up doing?

A. While at various times I wanted to be an archeologist or a geologist (mostly in my preteen years), I also always wanted to be a writer. That is what I ended up doing. As a teenager, though, I made my spending money by playing guitar.

5) During WWII, Tony served in Germany. The first time his voice was broadcast was during an aircheck for Armed Forced Radio. For the occasion he sang "St. James Infirmary." That was Tony's first. Let's contrast it with your last. What's the most recent song you sang?

A. Sheryl Crow's Weather Channel.

6) After the War, Bob Hope saw him perform under his real name, Anthony Benedetto. Hope told him that, no matter how great his talent, his name would hold him back because it was too long for a marquee. And so, Tony Bennett was born. Tell us about a marquee in your town. Is it announcing a movie, play, or concert performance?

A. There's one announcing a walk to raise money for something along the highway. It's not exactly a marquee, it's more like a LED sign. We don't exactly have marquees out here, at least, not where I see them.
 
7) In 2006, he recorded his Duets album, partnering with a variety of singers he admired. Tony said he enjoyed working with Paul McCartney at London's Abbey Road Studios, where the Beatles created their classic recordings. If you vacationed in London, what would you be sure to visit?

A. Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and my email friend Inga, although she doesn't live in London.
 
8) "I've Got Your Number" was performed by Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore on The Dick Van Dyke Show. According to Dick, they were so believable as a married couple that he received glares from a hotel clerk while checking in with his real-life wife, Margie. What TV or movie couple do you feel had "chemistry?"

A. Shrek and Fiona from Shrek.

9) Special summertime random question: Would you have more fun at a pro baseball game or an art museum exhibit?

A. Art museum. I really like air conditioning.

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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.  

 

Thursday Thirteen

Here is a list of 13 things to be happy about. Can you add to it?

1. The feeling of accomplishment after finishing a difficult task or achieving a goal.

2. The smell of fresh flowers, coffee, or baked goods.

3. The sound of laughter, music, or nature.

4. The taste of your favorite food, drink, or dessert.

5. The sight of a beautiful sunset, a rainbow, or a smile.

6. The touch of a warm hug, a soft blanket, or a gentle breeze.

7. The company of your friends, family, or pets.

8. The joy of learning something new, discovering something interesting, or creating something original.

9. The thrill of adventure, exploration, or challenge.

10. The peace of relaxation, meditation, or sleep.

11. The gratitude of being alive, healthy, and loved.

12. The hope of a better future, a new opportunity, or a positive change.

13. The love of yourself, others, and the world.

Bing AI created the images.

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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 818th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

The Legend

While we were visiting the Virginia Fire Museum Saturday, my husband saw two trucks that he was quite familiar with.

One was not being displayed, but he recognized the rear end of it immediately. It is a type of fire truck called a Quint. A Quint served as a pumper and as a ladder truck.

My husband hated it. I can remember hearing him fuss about that truck as if it were yesterday instead of 1995. He said it was absolutely useless on a fire scene.

My man reviewing the Quint he used to ride on at Station 13.

The other truck, though, was Ladder 1. This was a "real" ladder truck, one that bent in the middle and had a driver in the rear.

This was a truck he loved.

My husband rode this piece of firefighting equipment. In fact, he was on the committee that designed it and was instrumental in its setup.

I'm not sure how my husband fit in that tiny little place in the back.

While we were looking at the truck, my husband struck up a conversation with one of the men helping with the museum. He told him his name, and the fellow said, "Oh, I know who you are. You're a legend at the city."

My husband has never given himself much credit for the work he did at the fire department. It was an enormous job, being a firefighter. He saved people during floods, he worked car wrecks, he put out fires, he saw things people shouldn't ever see. He rose from the bottom of the ranks to Battalion Chief, and I was ever so proud of him with each promotion. He took his role as mentor to the younger firefighters seriously, setting aside time to help them train and learn. He knew where his people were on the fire scene at all times; he never did simply "surround, drown, and burn 'em down," - his people actually put the fires out and saved people and property. They knew they were expected to do their jobs when Battalion 2 was on scene.

I was thrilled to hear someone call him a "legend" at the city fire department. I know he is highly thought of, and he left on good terms. When he hurt himself on the farm in 2014, I had to ask to the nursing staff to keep the firefighters out of the room so he could rest after his surgeries on his hand. Nearly every one of them who brought a patient to the ER wanted to come in and see how Chief was doing.

He's been retired now for three years (I can't believe it's been that long.).

They still call him Chief when they see him. Sometimes they call. "Can I talk to Chief?" they will say.

It always makes me smile.

He is a legend. They don't make them like him anymore.

Virginia Fire Museum

Saturday, we ventured off to the open house of the Virginia Fire Museum in Roanoke to see what we could see.

This is a start-up that has not yet found its footing. The collection of about 80 fire engines is significant, but not exactly historical. Two of the pieces from the City of Roanoke were purchased when my husband was working - he helped design the specs for one of them.

They have a few antiques but a lot of it is simply worn-out firetrucks. They will be antiques in a few years, though, and I know they mean something to the firefighters who used the equipment. So, I am glad these people have stepped up to save them.

Since this is state-wide, there are firetrucks from all over. I like that it doesn't simply focus on one area of the state. There have been many little fire stations, most volunteer, that have been filled with generous men and women who have wanted to serve their communities.

I'm not sure the location for the museum is the best (they're in an old warehouse that's been vacant for years) and the walking in the warehouse was difficult as the floor was covered with oil, and there was no clean walking space. I can't imagine how many kids (and parents) tracked oil into their house after visiting the exhibits.

But this is in its infancy, and I feel sure that in a few years, things will look spiffy and shiny. Time helps, as does money and awareness. I don't think a lot of people know this is going on, this saving of old fire apparatus. I hope they get a donation button on their website so people can easily send them $25 every now and then.

Here are some of the old trucks:

A quick word about the Oren trucks. Those were made locally, in nearby Vinton. Oren was purchased in 1976 by Grumman. The Oren name eventually disappeared, and has been, for all intents and purposes, replaced by KME, which moved most of its operations to Pennsylvania.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

 

Would you rather . . .

1. Live on a boat or in a treehouse? Treehouse

2. No computer use for a year or no sweets for a year? No sweets for a year

3. Have $2,000 right now or be given $100 every month for the rest of your life? $100 every month

4. Be an astronaut or an athlete? Astronaut

5. Have 50 good friends or only one best friend? 1 best friend

6. Have bright blue teeth or bright blue hair? Blue hair

7. Have the power of flight or the power of invisibility? Invisibility. (I already have that; nobody sees old women!)

8. Have a fun friend who is snarky or a boring friend who is kind? Boring and kind with a little snark on occasion.

9. Be incredibly rich but without love or be poor but have a happy marriage? Happy marriage.

10. Have a freezing cold shower every day or a pleasant hot shower once a week? Cold shower every day.

11. Be an only child or have many siblings? Siblings.

12. Quit video games forever or live in a desert for a month? Live in a desert for a month.

13. Go on a one week trip to a foreign country of your choice or a month long trip in your own country? Month long trip.

14. Celebrate your birthday every day or go on your favorite holiday once a year? Birthday every day.

15. If fish could talk, what would you ask them? This isn't a "would you rather" sort of question. But if fish could talk, I would ask them what the world looks like to them and have them describe it.

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

Saturday 9: You'd Be So Nice

Saturday 9: You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To (1943)

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

1) In this song, Dinah Shore goes on about listening to the breeze. Is it windy, breezy, or still where you are today?

A. It is hot but there is a nice breeze. The humidity is high but not as bad as the day before. The skies are partly cloudy, the blue up there is a light baby blue today. The haze from the fires in Canada is not so bad so I can see the mountains.
 
2) The August moon is bright in Dinah's musical fantasy. Let's look at your calendar. Is anything special coming up in August (birthdays, anniversaries, vacation getaways . . . )?

A. Friend have birthdays but we ourselves have nothing special happening in August.
 
3) Dinah was one of TV's pioneers. Her first show was a 15-minute variety show that ran two nights/week in 1951. What's the most recent show you watched?

A. Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime. It's an intriguing series if you're into spy/government stuff.

4) She followed that in 1956 with the Dinah Shore Chevy Show. It was an hour long and sponsored by the car company. At the end of every show Dinah encouraged her viewers to "see the USA in your Chevrolet ..." Today Chevrolets are still the most popular cars manufactured by General Motors. Tell us about your car.

A. I have a white Toyota Camry. We bought it in 2014 and it has less than 60,000 miles on it.

5) From 1970 to 1991, Dinah hosted daytime TV talk shows and found tremendous success, winning 6 Emmy Awards and repeatedly appearing in the Gallup Poll of America's most admired women. Do you remember her?

A. I remember her. I didn't make a point of looking for her or anything, but I remember her.
 
6) Dinah was such an avid golfer that, in 1972, she founded one of the LPGA's major tournaments. Though now officially titled The Chevron Championship, it's still often referred to as "The Dinah Shore" in her memory. Do you golf? If not, would you like to learn?

A. I do not watch golf. It might be fun to learn.

7) In 1943, when "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" was popular, so were tablecloths. It was common to have cotton tablecloths for everyday use, fun and festive ones for 4th of July and Christmas, and linen for formal occasions. Do you use tablecloths in your home?

A. The only time I put a tablecloth on the table is Christmas, and then it is part of the holiday decorations, used to make it feel more festive.
 
8) Beatle George Harrison was born in 1943. Which of the Fab Four is your favorite?

A. I don't really have a favorite, but I will go with Paul McCartney.

9) Random question: Would you rather live on a houseboat or in a trailer?

A. I'd rather live in neither, but of those choices, a trailer at least would be on solid ground.

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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 Baked

 

The garden is starting to produce well now. This is the first garden we've had in several years. The fresh veggies are nice to have, except for times like now, when everything comes in all at once.

I have already made two loaves of zucchini bread; one is in the freezer (we ate the other).

This time I wanted to try a different recipe for zucchini muffins. It was supposed to make 12 muffins, but the author of this recipe must make HUGE muffins. I made 12 muffins plus something we'll call a small zucchini cake from that batter. I could have made 18 muffins easily, had I been more muffin-inclined.

Since I seldom follow recipes, I can't send you, dear reader, to a link. It wouldn't be what I made. But I can give you the recipe as I prepared it (which is not the same as the recipe on Simply Recipes, which is where I found a recipe for zucchini muffins that I then changed.)

Anyway, here goes nothing:

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups grated zucchini (I put mine in the food processor and chop it up that way)

3/4 cup melted unsalted butter (this works out to 1 full stick plus all but 1 tablespoon of a second stick. That's what I used, anyway, I'm not sure of my math. I melted it in the microwave.)

2 3/4 cup self-rising flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

9 ozs raisins

Preheat oven to 350 F.

I used muffin cups in my muffin tins. If you don't use cups, then you'll have to spray them with Baker's Joy or something.

Mix eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Add in flour, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir in, then mix with mixer until it starts getting a little stiff. Add in zucchini, stir with spoon, then stir with mixer for 30 seconds or until well mixed. Stir in raisins.

Spoon into muffin pan. Cook for 20-25 minutes. They're done if they bounce when you touch the tops and/or toothpick comes out dry.

Makes 18 large muffins.

If my husband liked cranberries, which he doesn't, I would have used cranberries instead of raisins. You could also add nuts. Or go crazy and do cranberries, raisins, and nuts. You could also add nutmeg (the original recipe called for nutmeg, not cloves), but I am not a nutmeg fan so I substituted cloves.

Also, the Simply Recipe directions said prep time was 15 minutes. It took me about 40 minutes just to get this all together and into the oven. Just something to keep in mind, especially if, like me, you're not a cook and don't have everything on hand or handy.

Thursday Thirteen

One of my blogging pals (here's looking at you, Gal), called herself a "spinster" in her response to one of my recent posts. That got me wondering what else an older woman may be called.

I actually consider myself to be a crone, now. Not in the derogatory sense, but in the "I'm old and wise" sense. Most women probably wouldn't like to be called that, I imagine.

Anyway, I looked up words for older women in the thesaurus and have included their definitions.

1. Matron: An older woman who is dignified, respectable, and often associated with being married and having a family. This is not a word I see often and seldom hear used in speech.

2. Dowager: A widow, especially an elderly one who holds a title or property inherited from her deceased husband. This is another word I don't hear often. I see it in books.

3. Grandmother: A woman who is the mother of one's parent, often associated with warmth, love, and wisdom. I called both of my grandmothers "Grandma," but I know today grandmothers often prefer to be called something else, like Mimi or whatever. I think this is common usage.

4. Matriarch: A highly respected and influential older woman who is the head of a family or community. My mother-in-law is the family matriarch. I have heard this in conversation occasionally, but not often.

5. Crone: A derogatory term for an older woman, but sometimes used in folklore to describe a wise and elderly woman with magical knowledge. No one I know uses this word in speech, and I see it mostly in fantasy or mythology books.

6. Elderly lady: A polite and respectful way to refer to an older woman, emphasizing her age and experience. I have seen this in writing and heard it spoken. I personally don't think it's that polite to call someone "elderly" and would prefer "older" myself. Even "seasoned" sounds better to me than "elderly."

7. Senior citizen: A term used to describe an older person, often associated with receiving benefits or discounts related to their age. (I stopped using this in my news reporting after someone complained about it making him sound old. After that, I just said, "Jill Schmoo, 74, still climbs on her roof to fix her shingles," or whatever. Not "Senior citizen Jill Schmoo still climbs on her roof."

8. Golden girl: An affectionate term for an older woman who exudes grace, elegance, and charm with age. (This comes from the TV show, of course.) I can't imagine calling someone this, personally.

9. Sage: A wise and knowledgeable older woman who is respected for her wisdom and advice. I don't hear this as a noun very often. I usually see it accompanying the word "advice," as in "sage advice."

10. Grande dame: A woman of great dignity, sophistication, and often belonging to a high social class. I would have to be speaking about someone of nobility or high rank to use this term, I think.

11. Veteran: An older woman who has extensive experience or service in a particular field or profession. I would use this as an adjective more so than a noun. As in, she's a veteran nurse who has served for 40 years, or something like that.

12. Elder: A term used to denote an older person, suggesting their seniority and life experience. I usually see this in conjunction with religion. "She's an elder in her church," meaning she holds some position there, and has been at it a long time.

13. Old-timer: An informal term for an older woman, often used in a friendly or nostalgic manner. I generally see this use more in describing men than women. I can't recall ever seeing it used to describe a woman, actually. (I was getting low on words.)

Please note that some of these terms may carry different connotations and cultural contexts, so it's essential to use them with sensitivity and respect.

*Bing AI Image*

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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 817th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

The Wet and the Dry

For months now, we have watched the rain go around us.

It went along the mountain ranges to our north and west and missed us almost entirely. We had a dribble here and there, but not enough to make a difference in the growth of the hayfields.

While the northern part of the county has been dealing with flooding, we've been in a drought since the first of the year, more or less.

Our first cutting of hay was only half of what it should have been.

The second cutting, which should be underway, so far has been skimpy.

My husband started the second cutting last week and finished up two fields. On Sunday, the forecast was for no rain until Wednesday, so he cut 5 acres.

It rained Sunday night. Here! At our place!

And then it rained Monday. Here! At our place!

And it rained last night. Here! At our place!

The good news is it appears that the systems that had the rains passing us by have cracked, and we are now getting rain.

The bad news is, we've lost 5 acres of hay. Once it's soggy, it's (a) hard to bale and (b) the animals won't eat it because it molds.

It will be baled as soon as it dries up but put aside. Maybe it can be used as a place for the babies to lay when it snows, but that's about all it is good for.

Bing AI image

Being a farmer is weather dependent, and with climate change, it's scary. We have no way to gauge what is going on, really, because the weather isn't like it used to be. The fronts are coming in from strange directions. We have smoke-filled skies from Canadian fires, so smoky that we can't even see the clouds to judge if they're up there or not. Sometimes it's so hazy it's like the sun has been veiled.

All we can do is roll with it, and hope that this second cutting of hay perks up with the rain, and we get more than we lost on the 5 acres that is now too wet to bale.

Be Kind

Bing AI image

One of the trends of today that has upset me is the lack of kindness in the world.

Specifically, I see people at my local county leaders' meetings being jerks. And not just jerks, but mean jerks. They talk to my local supervisors as if they are not people, as if they aren't human, instead of public servants who are doing the best they can in a weird world that doesn't function like it did even 10 years ago.

My supervisors make about $8000 a year - maybe $10,000 if you're nominated chairman. None of these people are in it for the money. Yet, I hear people stand up there and say, "My tax dollars are paying for you to be here!" 

Well, no. My vote is why they are there, or at least, one of them. I can't vote but in one of the five districts in the county, the one I live in. So, you only have one representative, but they vote on everything that goes on in the county. If we had at-large voting, I guarantee you we'd have representatives who all came from the southern end of the county, where most of the growth is. And then people would be really mad.

Anyway, for years now - since about 2017, and I don't need to tell anyone what happened then - I've listened to the "public" turn out at meetings and become more and more rancorous. They demean the supervisors. I wouldn't talk to a dog the way some of these people talk to their supervisor. They have "othered" them to the point where I can see the spittle coming out of their mouths in their anger over some emotional topic.

They seldom get upset about anything important, these people. They go to meetings to complain about removing a Confederate monument. That died down, and they started complaining about books in the library, which is the current issue. In between, there have been other smaller concerns, all of them parroting the lines of the major national pushers of idiocy who send these semi-crazy people out to do their dirty work.

It is beyond appalling for someone to address my elected officials as horribly as I have heard these people do. I despised the former president of the United States, but if I had had the misfortune to be introduced to him, I would have called him, "Sir," and said, "Yes, Sir," and perhaps, "I respectfully disagree." 

This is because I would have been honoring the office of the presidency, not the man. And I expect the same at the local level. I expect people to honor the office of an elected official - or even an appointed one - because it is worthy. And what the office stands for is important. The office stands not for that one person, but for the 6,200 people they represent here locally.

I do not expect people to treat my supervisors with disdain and talk down to them. I do not expect to hear them be condescending, arrogant, and profess superiority when I can tell just by listening to them that they haven't a clue what government is about, nor understand what it is they are trying to talk about.

I know what government is about. I am pretty sure I have been to more meetings than any of these people. I have covered government at every level, even federal (though with a local slant). I also paid attention when I was a kid and learned a lot from School House Rock. I know how a Bill is made in Congress. And I know how the law reads in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I know what the supervisors can and can't do here.

When you write about it for 35 years, you figure it out.

The meetings have been so contentious that I wouldn't be surprised if someone doesn't get hurt at one of them. 

It's a bad look. It's a bad look for the county as a whole, and it's an incredibly bad look for the people who are whining, moaning, yelling, screaming, and shaking uncontrollably because they are so emotionally invested in something that, in the long term, does not matter. 

If people want to get upset about something, be upset about poverty, greed, climate change. Fuss because people don't support local businesses. We have a small shop closing in the county seat because it can't stay afloat. We have local farmers who are struggling because half the county has had too much rain and the other half hasn't had any. Be upset about that, if you must be upset.

Maybe you should wonder why there isn't a fire and rescue structure in the most populated area of the county and go fuss about that. That is something to be concerned about. Or say something when the supervisors are looking to okay apartments. Not because you don't like apartments, but because we don't have a ladder truck here that would reach the top floor and people will die if there's a fire because it will take 20 minutes to get a truck here from the neighboring county. That's something to be upset about, I think.

Or maybe you should worry about the amount of pollution that the cement plant and the truck manufacturer in Greenfield are both dumping into the air. You and your kids are breathing that crap. I'm breathing that crap. But I don't see you jumping up and down over that.

No. I see you yelling about relocating a statue. Or worrying about some imaginary kid possibly picking up a book you disagree with that contains things your god doesn't condone. That's not worth it. That's just using emotional crap to take up time and to keep people from doing anything beneficial for their community.

Whatever you want to say to your elected official, try saying it with kindness. Try to remember they are people, too. They are not from some other planet. They are your neighbors. I don't agree with them a lot of the time, either.

But I am not going to shriek at them while the spit flows from my face because I don't have control of myself. I am going to politely state my point and move on.

Get a grip, people. Pick better battles.

A Catch-Up Post

Healthcare

Thursday, I saw my cardiologist for a follow-up on my echocardiogram. I am fine, except for "old age" issues. I have a right ventricular valve that's doing a little splashing about, which has caused the new heart murmur sound that had my primary care doctor concerned.

But the cardiologist was like a different person. He was nice when I saw him the first time. But this time, he was, frankly, a jerk. As soon as I asked one question about statins - how did they mix with medications I am already on - he immediately said I wasn't interested in taking them so there was no point in discussing it. I told him my PCP had suggested Zetia and he waved that away as if it were nothing. Then he went on to say that if I weren't going to take whatever drug he offered me, there was no point in my returning to see him. I could try diet and exercise and good luck to me. He wouldn't discuss "diet" either, as in, what I should or shouldn't eat. He didn't even offer a handout with diet information on it. 

He was rather combative, actually, and I was appalled.

This is why I dislike dealing with the Carilion Health Care system in Roanoke. I do not get good care there. This surprised me because my husband was with me and usually, I am treated better when he is there, but not this time. Of course, he didn't speak up, either.

There are many medications I cannot tolerate. I haven't tried statins for about 20 years, and I couldn't take them then. I have no idea what may or may not have changed in 20 years, but he certainly wasn't going to discuss it.

So I left without any drugs for my high cholesterol (I don't think it's *that* high myself, although I know the doctors do). I mean, if this were 1983, my cholesterol would be considered low. But it 2023, and so it is considered high.

Even red rice yeast makes me feel bad. I take a little of that, along with flax seed oil, to try to help with my cholesterol but I have to be careful with it. It makes me have brain fog and I like to think properly.

My father and brother both also have cholesterol issues, so I am sure this is hereditary. I am not going to worry about it too much. Maybe I should, but I honestly think the numbers are more about selling drugs than making people healthy.

Sunday

Sunday began ok, with us sleeping in for a change. Then my husband spilled his sugar with a little coffee in it (he drinks it like it's a syrup), and that was a sticky mess. Then he went to check on his mother and discovered the thermostat on her air conditioning unit wasn't working, so he had to call the repair people.

While he was over there with her, I saw a huge coyote come from the direction where the cows are, so I called him and asked him to go check the cattle as soon as he could.

He discovered a dead calf, which he then had to bury.

Aside from the coffee/sugar cleanup, this was stuff that affected him more than it affected me, but I still found it a stressful day. Losing a calf is always hard, and this was another newborn. Not only does that make me sad, but it's also a financial hit. Selling the calves after they've been weaned is how we make money raising cattle. No calf, no sale.

Plus, we have to watch the mom cow now to make sure she doesn't go into mastitis or develop an infection. 

When the cattle roam over a large acreage, we can't keep an eye on them constantly, and with predators like coyotes and vultures roaming around, it's a certainty we're going to lose calves now and then.

And besides, what affects him also affects me. How could it not after almost 40 years of marriage?

*Bing AI produced the images.*

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What are the 3 most important things everyone should know about you?

A. I'm loyal, I'm smart, and I'm kind.

2. What is the strangest thing you believed as a child?

A. I don't know if it's strange, really, but at one time my life goal was to fly in airplanes until I was taken in the Bermuda Triangle so I could learn what it really was.

3. Thinking of school classes, which were your favorite and least favorite?

A. My favorites were definitely Algebra I, II, and Trig in high school. My favorites in college were English and Sociology. My least favorite shall always be Physical Education. 

4. What is your favorite fast food?

A. A cheeseburger.

5. What song comes closest to how you feel about your life right now?

A. Comfortably Numb, by Pink Floyd.

6. Have you ever taken martial arts classes?

A. I went to one once to observe to see if I could do it. I decided I could not.

7. Does your life tend to get better or worse or does it just stay the same?

A. It stays at a low-grade blah level, mostly.

8. What arts and crafts have you tried and decided you were bad at?

A. I am bad at drawing, knitting, and making paper.

9. What is the truest thing that you know?

A. We do not know what we think we know.

10. Are you more of a giver or a taker?

A. I hope I'm a mix, but I suspect different people would answer that differently about me.

11. Do you make your decisions with an open heart/mind?

A. I try to. But I am judgmental about a few things. Fascism, for example.

12. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you?

A. Abdominal surgery.

13. What is the most emotionally painful thing that has ever happened to you?

A. Some things are better left unsaid.

14. What is your favorite line from a movie?

A. What's 'taters, Precious? What's 'taters, eh? Po-ta-toes. Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew. - from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

15. Can you eat with chopsticks?

A. I don't know that I have ever tried. But probably not.

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

Saturday 9: Touch Me in the Morning

Saturday 9: Touch Me in the Morning (1973)

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

1) In this song, Diana Ross sings that nothing good lasts forever. Do you agree?

A. I guess everything has an end, even a rock. "Good" is so subjective anyway. We assign goodness to many things, but most likely they are neither good nor bad. They just are.

2) She sings about a happy past with her lover, and the strength she'll need to face tomorrow alone. Do you find yourself more often remembering the past or anticipating the future? 

A. I try to stay in the here and now, but I do remember a lot of things from the past. I don't have a lot to look forward to at the moment, something I am trying to rectify.

3) In the 1970s, Diana Ross had young daughters. To spend maximum time with her girls, she would sleep all day when they were in school. That way she could have dinner with them, bathe them and put them to bed before going to the studio and recording all night. Have you ever worked the night shift? 

A. Not exactly. I had very late meetings to report on sometimes - they could go until midnight, and I always stayed until the end, when I was younger. But it wasn't exactly a shift. Just a very long day.

4) Diana has five children altogether. There's a 16-year age difference between her oldest daughter, Rhonda, and her youngest son, Evan. Studies have shown that when there's a big gap between siblings, parents consider the older kids "built-in babysitters." In your family, were the older kids ever in charge of the younger ones?

A. :::raises hand:: Older sister here. Yes, I was in charge of my brother. He was three years younger than I, and I feel like I practically raised him. Bless his heart.

5) She says her favorite sweet treat is Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies. Do you have a favorite cookie?

A. Chocolate chip, but I prefer homemade Nestle's Toll House. I will eat Chips Ahoy if I have to eat a premade cookie, and the Pillsbury Dough cookies aren't bad.

6) Around the time she recorded this song, Diana Ross considered making a movie called The Bodyguard. She was to play a singer who received death threats, and Steve McQueen would portray the man hired to protect her. Scheduling conflicts prevented the movie from being made. It wasn't filmed until 1992, and then with different stars. Without looking it up, can you name stars of The Bodyguard?

A. Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. "I Will Always Love You."

7) In 1973, when this song was #1, Norman Mailer was atop the best-seller list with his controversial biography of Marilyn Monroe. Do you often read biographies and memoirs?

A. I wouldn't say often, but I do read them. I have read several this year, including Jennifer Grey's book, Out of the Corner. This was an honest memoir, I thought. She's apparently working on some kind of Dirty Dancing sequel.

8) Also in 1973, another Motown singer, Stevie Wonder, was injured in an automobile crash and still has a scar on his nose to show for it. Have you ever been in a car accident?

A. Yes, but I was not seriously hurt. I had a huge contusion on my knee from hitting it against something, and I received whiplash, but I was otherwise fine.

9) Random Question: What's the last thing you borrowed or lent?

A. I borrowed a guitar pick from my father.

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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.