Sunday Stealing

1. What shows do you like?

A. I like Rings of Power, which is based on Tolkien's world, My Lady Jane, also on Amazon Prime, was fun for its 8-episode run, and My Life is Murder on the BBC is not bad. I also watch reruns of The Big Bang Theory, MASH (when they are on), and The Gilded Age (HBO). Going back further I really liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xena: Warrior Princess, Star Trek: Voyager, and Cagney & Lacey. 

2. What’s your claim to fame?

A. I was a news reporter for about 35 years. My byline will forever be found among the morgue of the local newspaper, for however long that lasts. What I wrote years ago is now the history of my community.

3. How often do you play sports?

A. Never.

4. Are you early or late?

A. I am almost always early.

5. What quirks do you have?

A. My quirks include talking to myself, singing to myself, rehearsing conversations in my head that I likely never will have, and almost always turning the car around to make sure I have turned off the computer, curling iron, and stove.

6. How often do you people watch?

A. Not very much these days.

7. What’s your favorite drink?

A. I only drink water. But I would love to have a good A&W root beer.

8. What do you hope never changes?

A. Everything changes. Hoping things stay the same is futile. But in the spirit of answering the question, I will hope that grass stays green.

9. What’s your dream car?

A. I always thought the Toyota Avalon was a beautiful car, but alas, Toyota has stopped making them.

10. Where would you rather be from?

A. I'm happy being from where I am. I am from the farmland, the plow, the screams of old women, the ghosts of mothers who were fey, the feisty lovemaking of a miner, and the dreams of a young girl in love.

11. What songs have you completely memorized?

A. I have no idea. Hundreds of them. Not much of anything new, but the older songs from the 1970s-1990s, those I know a lot of.

12. What would you rate 10/10?

A. My husband.

13. What job would you be terrible at?

A. I would not do well at being a waitress.

14. What skill would you like to master?

A. I would like to relearn Spanish. I had it in high school but had nowhere to use it, so I forgot it.

15. What movie title best describes your life?

A. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (according to CoPilot).

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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: Summer in the City

Saturday 9: Summer in the City (1966)

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

1) Now that Labor Day has passed and kids have returned to school, summer is unofficially over. Looking back, share a highlight from Summer 2024.

A. The highlight of our summer has been drought and heat. We have mostly worried about hay, about feeding the cows, about ensuring they have water and shade. Up until the end of August, it was too hot to have a good time outside. The temperatures are more pleasant now, thankfully, but the drought has done its dirty work. 

2) Though this week's song is about summer, it was recorded in the spring, March to be exact. What's your favorite season?

A. I prefer spring or fall. Cooler temperatures and colorful. Summer would be great except for the heat.

3) Lovin' Spoonful lead singer John Sebastian sings that he's going to meet his lover on the rooftop. When were you last on the roof of your building?

A. Never. I have never been on the roof of my house. I don't remember the last time I was on the roof of any building, actually.

4) The lyrics refer to sidewalks that are "hotter than a match head." What's the last thing you lit with a match?

A. I don't light candles often, but I have some unscented ones that I use sometimes when a skunk gets too close to the house. The smoke helps alleviate the skunk stink.

5) The Lovin' Spoonful was founded by John B. Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky. When the band broke up, Zal opened a restaurant. Tell us about the restaurant you most recently dined at.

A. The most recent restaurant I was in was the Townhouse Tap House in Daleville. They have an excellent salad bar. They have their own garden and grow their own greens. I've never had a fresher salad than the one I get there.

6) John went on to have a solo career. His biggest hit was "Welcome Back," the theme to a popular 70's sitcom. The first line: "Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out . . .". Do you recall what show used "Welcome Back" as its theme?

A. Welcome Back, Kotter. It had John Travolta in it. I did not watch it much.

7) In 1964, when "Summer in the City" was popular, Americans were tuned in to Bewitched. The show centered around Samantha, a witch married to a mortal. Among her supernatural powers were flight, time travel and telekinesis (being able to move objects by twitching her nose). If you could have one of those powers, which would you choose?

A. Telekinesis would be fun. I could move the furniture without help! And then make the vacuum run and get rid of the dust bunnies under it. Or just make the dust roll out from under the furniture. Either way it would be clean.

8) In 1964, AJ Foyt earned the second of his four Indy 500 victories. Do you watch car racing?

A. I do not watch auto racing, but my husband is a big fan of both NASCAR and the Indy series (which is called something else, but I know not what). He watches all kinds of racing, including funny cars and other different kinds. Since I live here and the house is small, I see the racing if I decide to sit in the living room with him and a book.

9) Random question: Is your big toe your longest toe?

A. I wonder if everyone else had to look like I did. My big toe and my second toe are about even, but I used the level on my phone, and it shows my big toe is a smidgeon higher.

_______________

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. 

Contentment - Day 6

I thumbed through old papers this morning, looking for a manual on a piece of machinery my husband couldn't find.

In doing so, I stumbled over an envelope full of photos. I pulled it out and began looking through them. They were pictures of me from school and a large picture of my grandmother as a young girl that I would have sworn was of my mother if not for the name written on the back. And there were pictures of my mom.

The envelope was one of the last things she gave me before she died.

It wasn't the pictures that got to me though - they were just images. What did get to me was the smell.

The envelope smelled not of old paper, but of my mother. A smell that I'd not thought of in many years, and one that even now I cannot describe.

Something like a cross between makeup, hairspray, and light perfume.

Nothing that comes from a bottle.

Just my mom.

Thursday Thirteen

I do not consider myself someone who takes good care of herself. The other day I was thinking of how much work it is to take care of your own person. It is difficult to take good care of yourself and then add caretaking of others on top of that and wow . . . that's a lot of time to put in. It also takes some skill to take care of someone besides yourself and I think this is definitely undervalued. 

My husband and I do not use the same products for everything, we are definitely a "his and hers" household.

Anyway, here are 13 things I do to take care of me and my beloved:

1. Brush my teeth and make sure we both have new toothbrushes, the toothpaste, and floss that we like.

2. Shower daily and make sure we each have our own unscented soaps we prefer.

3. Wash hair and make sure we each have our own unscented shampoos and conditioners.

4. For me, I require unscented lotion. My husband uses specific stuff on his hands in the winter when they start getting chapped.

5. Clip nails and cuticles. I don't use polish; of course I am allergic to it.

6. See the hair stylist for me. He sees a barber because he likes that hot shave on the back of his neck.

7. Go to the grocery store and (mostly) pass up the bad foods and try to purchase healthy stuff. And then fix it and eat it. This one is especially difficult for me as I dislike cooking. I suspect if I cooked better, we both wouldn't be overweight.

8. Wash clothing and keep it looking nice so as not to scare people when out in public. You feel better when you look your best if you're out. I try not to send him out in wrinkled clothes and same for myself.

9. Put on makeup where applicable. (I no longer do this because I can't find anything that doesn't make my eyes water now, but I used to do this every day.)

10. Exercise in some fashion. I walk on the treadmill.

11. Have down time to rest and regroup, whether that's through reading, meditating, or watching TV.

12. Learn new things to keep the ol' brain working.

13. Change the bed linens once a week so that everything is nice and fresh, and wash the coverings every six weeks or so, unless one of is ill in which case they get washed right away.

There are more things I could list - but it is a glorious chore being human, isn't it?

______________

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 873rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Losing the Velvet

Last week I posted photos of this buck in velvet. 

Yesterday he was back in the yard, but the velvet is starting to come off. I thought some of my readers might like to see this as it's not something that one sees everyday.

Male deer begin growing antlers in late winter/early spring. The velvet covering feeds the bone and helps keep it safe.

The bucks begin to lose the velvet in late August or early September as the velvet starts to lose its blood flow. It also indicates an increase in testosterone in the male deer. This signals the beginning of the rut, meaning the bucks soon will begin chasing the does as they hit their cycle for procreation.

Beneath the velvet is hard bone that makes up the antlers seen in white tail deer. The antlers are shed January-March, usually, and the process begins all over again.

Here is the buck with full velvet:

And here are photos of the velvet starting to come off on the left side of the deer's antlers. Note the red color of the bone as the velvet begins to shed. Eventually they will turn brown or brownish white.

You can see how much smaller the actual antler is once the velvet begins to come off as indicated in the last photo.

I've seen this shedding of velvet before but not often. This is the first time I recall being able to get photos of it (I took them through a glass door; the deer was about 30 feet away from me.).

Hope you enjoyed the biology lesson.

 

Contentment - Day 3

Today I am content because I made it to Food Lion and back without incident.

You never know what's going to happen to you when you step out of your door.

While I was at the store, I saw my dear friend, and we talked later in the day (because who can carry on a conversation in the checkout line?).

Also, I got a great shot of a buck still in velvet but with the velvet starting to come off. I will share that tomorrow if I remember to get it off of the camera.

September Contentment

I enjoyed the August Happiness Challenge so much that I'm going to keep on doing it in September. But I'm going to call it September Contentment.

It helps me to remember the small things that bring joy.

Today I am content because I was able to get the house cleaned up this morning and most of the laundry caught up.

And I'm really grateful for the bleach toilet bowel drop-ins. They've become expensive but the off brands work just as well.

Sunday Stealing

1. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

A. When I ate ice cream, which stopped when I was 12, my favorite was a hot fudge sundae. I don't think that's a flavor, but there you go.

2. If you could invent a new flavor of ice cream, what would it be?

A. Vampire Slayer Ice Cream. It would be covered with bits of chocolate and cherries throughout, along with little slits of pecans that look like stakes.

3. Who do you like to eat ice cream with?

A. I don't eat ice cream. My husband does, though. He likes black raspberry.

4. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would you be?

A. Neapolitan.

5. Does your family eat ice cream regularly, or just for a special treat?

A. My husband has it occasionally, usually after he's been to the doctor for his bloodwork.

6. What is your favorite treat from the ice cream truck?

A. I used to like ice cream sandwiches when I was young.

7. Does frozen yogurt taste different than ice cream?

A. I think frozen yogurt tastes different from ice cream, but it's an ok substitute.

8. If you could make a super sundae, what would it have?

A. Vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, a cherry on top, 

9. Can ice cream make a bad day better?

A. I suppose it couldn't hurt, unless like me you can't eat it without a lot of digestive issues.

10. Have you ever had homemade ice cream?

A. I have. It was very good.

11. When is your favorite time to eat ice cream?

A. I don't have a favorite time to eat ice cream, but if I could eat ice cream, then I would say that any time is a good time to eat it.

12. What is the best kind of ice cream you ever had?

A. Again, a hot fudge sundae. We had a local place called High's Ice Cream that made the absolute best hot fudge sundaes.

13. Do you prefer your ice cream in a cone or in a bowl?

A. If I ate it, I would prefer a bowl. I never cared much for cones.

14. Is there such a thing as a bad flavor of ice cream?

A. I have no idea.

15. They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. What does an ice cream a day do?

A. I guess it brings on diabetes and weight gain.

16. Is ice cream better when it’s fresh or slightly melted?

A. I always liked mine a little melted.

17. What is the craziest flavor of ice cream you’ve ever seen?

A. I have no idea, but at the moment I'm sure pumpkin spice ice cream is heating up. Yuck.

__________

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: Morning Train

Saturday 9: Morning Train (1981)

 

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

1) In this song, Sheena Easton sings about her lover, who takes a train to and from work each day. When is the last time you took public transportation? Where did you go?

A. I can't remember the last time I took public transportation. Maybe on a vacation when we took a tour in Asheville? That would have been in 2008.

2) His workday begins at 9 and ends at 5. Do your days stick to a predictable schedule?

A. No. I get up about the same time every morning and go to bed about the same time every night, but the stuff in the middle is a muddle.

3) In the evening, she sings that they may go to a movie, a restaurant or slow dancing . . . whatever she wants. Which of those would you choose?

A. A restaurant.

4) As a little girl, Sheena Easton performed at family gatherings, not just because she was talented but because she could be a bit of a ham. When you were a kid, were more often shy or outgoing?

A. I have always been shy, which considering what I have done in my life is weird. I was in a rock band, and I was a news reporter. I don't think those are high on the list of things to do for shy people.

5) In the late 1980s she was the spokeswoman for Bally's health clubs. Do you have a gym membership?

A. I do not have a gym membership.

6) In 1987 she played Sonny Crockett's love interest on Miami Vice. Were you a fan of the show?

A. Not really. I watched it a few times but it wasn't "must see" TV.

7) This weekend is a good reason to have a picnic or barbecue. The best-selling barbecue sauce flavors are sweet, spicy, and smoky. What's your favorite?

A. I don't eat barbecue often so I do not have a favorite.

8) Labor Day weekend may offer a golden opportunity for napping and sleeping in. Do you snore?

A. Sometimes I snore. My husband calls them "kitty cat" snores.

9) Labor Day traditionally marks the beginning of the fall. Will you be adding any new fall clothes to your wardrobe?

A. Adding new clothes to my wardrobe is not planned but it is something I need to do. 

_______________

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. 

Happiness - Day 30

Today I am happy because I didn't break the camera.

Yesterday, we had a lightning storm. More lightning than rain, with lots of thunder. I could see bolts of lightning out of my office window.

We generally can't see lightning where we live. It tends to hit behind us where the power lines run. So when I realized it was streaking in the front of the house, I grabbed the camera and set it on "record" to see if I could capture a streak or two.

I have never photographed a lightning bolt. Doing it with the video recorder is not the way to go about it, but I wasn't thinking clearly.

At any rate, about 11 seconds into recording, KA-BOOM! I thought the lightning hit the house across the way, and I wasn't sure it didn't hit something on our house because I heard a weird noise.

When I played back the video, I didn't have the lightning strike. I had a green streak running across the video in the camera from where the electricity made the video a bit wonky.

Too close for comfort, that one was.

But it doesn't seem to have damaged the camera. Whew!

______________________

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Thursday Thirteen

Virginia is a state where one does not have to register with a party to vote in a party primary or general election. Many people do register with one party or the other, but because I was a journalist and never wanted to be viewed as "taking sides," I have never registered with any particular party. Some journalists don't even vote, but I think that's taking it a little far. Voting is one of the most important things a person can do.

Here are 13 reasons why someone may want to consider themselves a moderate or independent voter, and not register with any particular party in the United States:

1. Frustration with the policies and strategies of both major parties.

2. Preference for voting based on individual candidates and issues rather than party lines.

3. Emphasis on evaluating policies on their merits rather than party affiliation.

4. Discomfort with the increasingly polarized political climate.

5. Valuing independent thought and decision-making.

6. Holding centrist views that don’t align fully with either major party.

7. Preference for a non-partisan approach to politics.

8. Belief that no single party represents all their views.

9. Greater emphasis on local issues and candidates.

10. Avoiding the pressure to vote along party lines.

11. Desire for politicians to appeal to a broader base of voters.

12. Aligning voting choices with personal beliefs and values rather than party platforms.

13. Belief in the importance of compromise and bipartisanship and feeling that independents can better represent a diverse range of interests and perspectives.

______________

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 872nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Five Point Buck in Velvet

 

He brought a long a friend, too.

Happiness - Day 26

Around 3 p.m., my husband came rushing in the house to tell me he'd lost his cellphone. I tried to call his number, and it went straight to voice mail.

In the past when he's lost his phone in the field, we could call it and find it by the ring.

But there was no ring this time.

I jumped into the utility vehicle with him so I could be a second set of eyes and we started going over all the places he'd been on the farm.

About a half-hour later, we spotted it in some cut grass along the side of a bank.

It was so hot, it nearly burned him when he picked it up, he said. It had been sitting in the 90+ degree sun for almost 2 hours. (He has a flip phone, still.)

It also wouldn't turn on.

We returned to the house. After a recharge and a cool down, the phone began functioning again. Whew!

So today I am happy that my husband's phone is working, and I didn't have to make an emergency run into the city to get him something to use.

______________________

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Sunday Stealing

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU . . . 

1 - Handwrote a letter to a friend?

A. I haven't written a letter by hand in many, many years. However, I do type letters and sign my name. Maybe that counts for something.

2 - Cried?

A. About three weeks ago I was trying to get in touch with my doctor. I called and the receptionist put me on hold, and then the call died. I tried to call back and received a weird message about leaving a message in the doctor's voicemail. I couldn't get back through and I started to cry out of sheer frustration. Sometimes something that should be easy becomes so difficult I can't stand it.

3 - Fell over?

A. It has been a while since I fell.

4 - Bought a present for someone?

A. Back in June I bought presents for people who have birthdays.

5 - Had a pajama day?

A. I can't remember. Maybe in 2013 when I had my gallbladder removed.

6 - Watched a movie that you wouldn't have gone to the cinema to see?

A. Most any movie I watch would be one I wouldn't have seen in a theater. I can't remember the last movie I watched.

7 - Stayed up all night?

A. September 25, 2010. We drove to Myrtle Beach, found the hotel accommodations lacking, couldn't find another room, and turned around and came back home. Myrtle Beach is a 7-hour drive.

8 - Bought something on eBay?

A. It's been at least 8 years or more.

9 - Colored in a coloring book?

A. I went through my coloring book phase in 2016-2017. I don't think I've done much of it since then.

10 - Told someone you love them?

A. Today.

11 - Kissed someone?

A. Today.

12 - Went to the doctor?

A. Three days ago.

13 - You traveled by train?

A. 1978 when I took a train from Spain to France.

14 - Screamed because you were scared?

A. Not long ago. My husband came in and I didn't know he was home and startled me.

15 - Visited your hometown?

A. I never left my hometown.

16 - Went on vacation?

A. My last vacation was September 2019.

17 - Finished reading a book?

A. Yesterday.

18 - Went to a church service?

A. A while ago.

19 - Wore a hat?

A. A while ago.

20 - Turned off your mobile phone? 

A. Last night.

__________

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.

Happiness - Day 24

This should have been yesterday's notation, but here goes.

Last night we went to my father's to visit with my cousin and his wife who were in from California.

They live in Chico, near the Park Fire. They came in last weekend but went to Myrtle Beach with my father and stepmother, so I did not get to see them until last night.

We had a good time sharing memories of differing childhoods, one on the west coast, and my brother and I on the east coast.

Kids are kids though. I also heard stories about my cousins that I hadn't heard before. I have always been a little sad that I don't know my father's side of the family that well. They moved to California when I was 6 months old. My dad and mother stayed here.

At any rate, we all had tacos, made by my cousin who wanted to cook, and enjoyed an evening on the deck telling tales.

Everyone but me: from left, my cousin Steve, my
brother's girlfriend, Steve's wife Lisa, my stepmother,
my father, my husband, and my brother.

______________________

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Saturday 9: Sh-Boom

Saturday 9: Sh-Boom (1954)

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

1) Seventy years ago this month, the Crew Cuts were singing that life could be a dream. When you awaken, can you recall your dreams?

A. Sometimes. I used to have a reoccurring night terror that I remembered in great detail; it involved a bathtub full of blood, crows, and a mangled garden. But I haven't had that dream in some time. Now my dreams are more about being lost or unable to find something.

2) The lead singer refers to his girl as "darling," "sweetheart" and "baby." Have you used an affectionate endearment lately? If yes, who were you speaking to?

A. I generally only use terms of endearment with my husband. I occasionally call my nephew, "son," but not often. I may sometimes call a friend a "sweetheart" if she has done something especially nice. Speaking of terms of endearment, I was taken aback by the use of such terms from children to a parent when I was reading Kate Mulgrew's book, How to Forget, recently. She called her mother "darling" and "sweetheart" as did her brothers and sisters. And they used them a lot. I would not dream of using those terms with my parents.

3) Two members of this Canadian quartet are brothers, born 15 months apart. Do you have siblings? If yes, how close in age are you?

A. I have a brother who is three years younger than I am, almost to the day. Our birthdays are three days apart.

4) A hit in Toronto, the Crew Cuts traveled by car to appear on TV in New York. How are your wheels? Would you give your vehicle a tune up before embarking on a 1,000-mile (500 miles each way) road trip?

A. My husband generally checks the fluids and tires before we venture out.

5) In '54 and '55, they had five Top 10 hits. Then the Crew Cuts fell off the charts. Founding member Rudi Maugeri suspects it's because they were a "teen act" and teenage music tastes can change fast. Who did you listen to when you were in high school? 

A. I listened to Fleetwood Mac, REO Speedwagon, Bread, The Captain and Tenille, The Doobie Brothers, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, the Bee Gees, Olivia Newton John, and anybody else who was on America's Top 40.

6) A well-maintained crew cut should be trimmed every 2-4 weeks. Is there an appointment with a hairstylist on your calendar?

A. Not at the moment, no. I just had it cut Monday.

Let's look at the summer of 1954.

7) Seventy years ago, Chicago Bears great Walter Payton was born. Today more than 1200 students are enrolled in Chicago's Walter Payton College Preparatory High School. Was your high school named after anyone?

A. My high school was named after Lord Botetourt, Norborne Berkley, who was governor of Virginia from 1768 to 1770, when this land was a colony and not a state. The county I live in is also named after him. He was a popular governor at the time.

8) J.R.R. Tolkien's Fellowship of the Rings was published. It's the first of three volumes in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Have you read the books and/or seen the movies?

A. I think The Gal lobbed me a softball here. I have read the books and seen all the movies, and I have puzzles, cards, pictures, etc. I reread The Lord of the Rings perpetually, as it stays on my phone and is the book I read while I am waiting somewhere. I am somewhere amongst The Two Towers portion (the second book in the trilogy) at the moment. I would know better where I am in a real book, on the Kindle I have a hard time keeping up with the page numbers. 

9) Sports Illustrated was first published. As a special promotion, the premier issue included baseball cards. With the introduction of online communities and trading apps, collecting baseball cards continues to grow in popularity. Are there any card collectors in your life?

A. No one collects baseball cards. My husband has a collection of NASCAR racing cards, and I have a few Lord of the Rings cards (they are actually playing cards, not trading cards). I also have a full set of Xena: Warrior Princess trading cards. As best I can tell, none of them are worth much.

_______________

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

I am currently reading Kate Mulgrew's second autobiography, called How to Forget. It is not so much about Mulgrew as it is her parents and their passing and how she handled those events in her life.

Here are 13 facts about Kate Mulgrew:

1. Her full name is Katherine Kiernan Maria Mulgrew. She was born on April 29, 1955, in Dubuque, Iowa.

2. She showed an interest in acting at the age of 12 and joined a summer acting school. She attended the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting in conjunction with New York University but left after a year.

3. Her first major role was as Mary Ryan on the daytime soap opera Ryan’s Hope.

4. She is best known for her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager.

5. She reprised her role as Janeway in the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy.

6. She played Galina “Red” Reznikov on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black.

7. Mulgrew has won a Critics’ Choice Award, a Saturn Award, and an Obie Award.

8. She is an active member of the Alzheimer’s Association National Advisory Council. (Her mother had Alzheimer's.)

9. She wrote another memoir titled Born with Teeth, where she shares stories from her life and career. (It doesn't include Orange is the New Black, it was written prior to that show.)

10. She was the second of eight children in an Irish Catholic family.

11. She gave up her first child for adoption in 1977. She has since reconnected with that child.

12. She was born with a full set of teeth.

13. She continues to act and has appeared in recent TV shows like Mr. Mercedes.

______________

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 871st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Happiness - Day 21

Today I went back to the dentist, having been there on Monday, so she could do her thing to create a crown for a front tooth.

I initially balked at this, because I didn't think the problem needed that kind of solution. I was having what I considered "high sensitivity" in a front tooth. I just wanted a little cement to make it go away. So, Monday she did what she called a "fluoride varnish," which wasn't cement, and it did absolutely nothing for the sensitivity issue I was having. 

I called late Tuesday and reported that the fluoride treatment had not helped. This morning the office called me back and said dental assistant said they had a cancelation, and I should come in this afternoon.

When I arrived, I made the dental assistant and the dentist show me all of the X-rays and explain to me like I was 5 why I needed a crown. She said all of the enamel was gone from the back of the tooth and it needed a crown to stop the sensitivity. The tooth had two fillings, one on each side, which I did not realize. I thought it just had one filling. She said the tooth could not handle more filling.

That knowledge made a big difference, so I stopped balking and let her go on and do her dentist work.

It took a very long time and at one point there was smoke coming out of my mouth, but the hard part is done and now there's nothing left but the waiting for the ceramic crown. I have a temporary crown in the meantime, and you can't even tell I had anything done. I can tell, but just to look at me you can't tell a thing.

I am happy that I have a dentist I trust and who is patient and good with me.

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Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.