Saturday 9: Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (1970)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
I can't believe that song is from 1970. Dang, I am old.
1) This song asks, "Does anybody really care about time?" How about you? Do you pride yourself on being punctual? Or don't you really care?
A. I am a punctual person. I am on time 99 percent of the time, and if I'm not, it's because something horrible has happened. One of the reasons my editors like to work with me is because I meet my deadlines.
2) The lyrics refer to a stranger asking the time. When is the last time you conversed with someone you didn't really know? What did you two talk about?
A. A lady I did not know recently spoke with me in the grocery store about the price of Lipton tea. I frequently have to ask strangers to help me reach things on the high shelves in the stores; they are usually obliging and I thank them profusely for the assistance.
3) According to the Top 40 tracker Tunecaster, this song knocked Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Knock Three Times" out of the #1 spot on the charts in January 1971. Are you familiar with "Knock Three Times?"
A. "Oh my darlin', knock three times on the ceiling if you want me. Twice on the pipes (clink clink) means the answer is no." Yes, I am familiar with the tune. I have played it on my guitar before though it has been a long time.
4) Chicago is not only the name of the group but also of the midwest's largest city. Chicago is the proud hometown of such luminaries as Bill Murray, Michelle Obama and Derrick Rose. Does your town have any favorite sons or daughters?
A. Wayne Newton is from my nearest city. Mary Johnston, a famous novelist from 1899 to the 1930s, is from my county. She wrote To Have and To Hold and about 30 other novels. She was also active in the suffragist movement. She was the first woman to ever address the Virginia General Assembly.
5) The group Chicago was originally known as The Chicago Transit Authority, after the city's public transportation system. When is the last time you were on a bus or a train?
A. We took a bus tour when we went to Asheville in 2008. That was the last time I was on a bus. The last time I was on a train was in 1980 when I was on a trip to Europe and I took a train from Madrid, Spain to Paris, France. Just to be complete, the last time I was on a plane was in 1993, when we flew to Orlando, Florida.
6) Four of the original seven bandmembers are still with the group … after 48 years! What's the longest you stayed at the same job?
A. I have been a self-employed writer since 1995, so that would be the longest I have worked at a single occupation. Otherwise, I worked as a legal secretary for about 12 years, but not at the same law office. I generally only lasted about two years at a law office before I had to leave before I strangled someone.
7) Lead singer Rob Lamm confessed that, at times, being in a band has been hard for him because he is by nature a loner. How about you? Are you more introverted or extroverted?
A. I am introverted. When I take the Myers-Briggs test, I am always introverted. I usually test as either an INTP (Introverted, intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving) or an INTJ (Introverted, intuitive, Thinking, Judging). I tend to be right on the line on the last part of the test, pretty even between the "P" and the "J." If you're interested in your Jungian personality, you can take a free test here. I used this in the journaling course I taught at the community college and found it to be accurate.
8) This summer, Chicago will be touring with Earth, Wind and Fire. Have you seen/will you attend any concerts in 2015?
A. I have not seen any concerts so far this year and have no plans to see any so far, though Bill Maher is coming to our area and I would like to see him.
9) Random question: What's the last mess you cleaned up?
A. A mouse got into the pantry last week. I threw away everything in the pantry, the mouse is no more, and the hole the little vermin came in through has been stuffed with steel wool and patched over. First time we've ever had a mouse in this house, and hopefully the last.
Saturday 9 is a nice little meme with no rules. Join in at the link above!
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
The Clothes We Wear
A story keeps popping up on my Facebook page about a guy who wore a Polo shirt to a meeting that the President of the United States attended as well.
I am frequently upset at the ugliness blasted by various personages toward the office of the president. These people mean disrespect to the current office holder, but they are also disrespecting the office and the position when they do that.
President George W. Bush was not my favorite president, but I was never disrespectful in my comments toward him. Because no matter how much I may disagree with the holder of the office, the person is still the President of the United States. And while we have no monarchies and we're all supposed to be equal, let's face it - that office, the person holding the title, whomever he or she may be, deserves our respect and politeness.
The poor fellow in the Polo shirt thought he was going to an auditorium full of other people, apparently, and did not realize he was having a one-on-one meeting with the President of the United States.
What would I wear to meet the President of the United States in a one-on-one? Well, nothing in my closet. I would have to go out and purchase something, as I do not own anything I consider nice enough. I would, I think, want a nice business-suit like skirt and jacket, with a bit of a frilly blouse, perhaps, preferably in black. Hose, of course, and new shoes, too. Because of my terrible ankles and flat feet, I would have to go with some kind of nice dress flat, I suppose, as opposed to heels. Heels would be better, though.
My husband would wear either a business suit or perhaps his dress blues from the fire department. I love the look of his dress blues so I would probably encourage him to wear those. I think he has earned the right to wear those in front of someone important.
Of course, now if I were going to a big crowd of people to hear the President of the United States speak, then I have things in my closet that would be okay. Skirts and blouses, or even nice pantsuits. So I understand how the guy in the Polo shirt ended up underdressed in a meeting with the President of the United States since he thought he was going into a big auditorium and not having a one-on-one discussion.
What I don't understand is (a) why it matters so much that it keeps coming across my Facebook page and (b) if it does matter so much, then why are all of these other slights and disrespectful comments not as important as wearing a Polo shirt to a meeting.
Because frankly, I hear and read comments about the current President of the United States that are appalling. Ill-mannered doesn't even begin to cover it. They are beyond disrespectful - the comments are mean, hateful, bigoted, and racist. These people have turned the sanctity of the office into a farce, and I don't know how the next President of the United States, whoever that might be, can begin to bring the décor and honor back to the office title.
We are no longer a polite society, if we ever were one. I'm afraid we reached the pinnacle of the current incarnation of humans some time ago and we're on a downhill slope now, one that will end with our doom as we destroy ourselves. It begins with me, when I don't hold the door open for a little old lady (though I normally am a very polite person) and it ends with the push of a button that sends missiles and bombs raining down on nations.
I don't see it as a stretch, really, to go from a Polo shirt to total annihilation. I think we're almost there as it is.
I am frequently upset at the ugliness blasted by various personages toward the office of the president. These people mean disrespect to the current office holder, but they are also disrespecting the office and the position when they do that.
President George W. Bush was not my favorite president, but I was never disrespectful in my comments toward him. Because no matter how much I may disagree with the holder of the office, the person is still the President of the United States. And while we have no monarchies and we're all supposed to be equal, let's face it - that office, the person holding the title, whomever he or she may be, deserves our respect and politeness.
The poor fellow in the Polo shirt thought he was going to an auditorium full of other people, apparently, and did not realize he was having a one-on-one meeting with the President of the United States.
What would I wear to meet the President of the United States in a one-on-one? Well, nothing in my closet. I would have to go out and purchase something, as I do not own anything I consider nice enough. I would, I think, want a nice business-suit like skirt and jacket, with a bit of a frilly blouse, perhaps, preferably in black. Hose, of course, and new shoes, too. Because of my terrible ankles and flat feet, I would have to go with some kind of nice dress flat, I suppose, as opposed to heels. Heels would be better, though.
My husband would wear either a business suit or perhaps his dress blues from the fire department. I love the look of his dress blues so I would probably encourage him to wear those. I think he has earned the right to wear those in front of someone important.
Of course, now if I were going to a big crowd of people to hear the President of the United States speak, then I have things in my closet that would be okay. Skirts and blouses, or even nice pantsuits. So I understand how the guy in the Polo shirt ended up underdressed in a meeting with the President of the United States since he thought he was going into a big auditorium and not having a one-on-one discussion.
What I don't understand is (a) why it matters so much that it keeps coming across my Facebook page and (b) if it does matter so much, then why are all of these other slights and disrespectful comments not as important as wearing a Polo shirt to a meeting.
Because frankly, I hear and read comments about the current President of the United States that are appalling. Ill-mannered doesn't even begin to cover it. They are beyond disrespectful - the comments are mean, hateful, bigoted, and racist. These people have turned the sanctity of the office into a farce, and I don't know how the next President of the United States, whoever that might be, can begin to bring the décor and honor back to the office title.
We are no longer a polite society, if we ever were one. I'm afraid we reached the pinnacle of the current incarnation of humans some time ago and we're on a downhill slope now, one that will end with our doom as we destroy ourselves. It begins with me, when I don't hold the door open for a little old lady (though I normally am a very polite person) and it ends with the push of a button that sends missiles and bombs raining down on nations.
I don't see it as a stretch, really, to go from a Polo shirt to total annihilation. I think we're almost there as it is.
Thursday, April 09, 2015
Thursday Thirteen #390
Thirteen things in my refrigerator -
1. Blackstrap molasses. This is a dark, viscous molasses. The namem is an Americanism dating from the 1870s. First known use is in a book by detective Allan Pinkerton in 1877. Unlike refined sugars, it contains significant amounts of vitamin B6 and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese; one tablespoon provides up to 20% of the recommended daily value of each of those nutrients. Blackstrap is also a good source of potassium. Blackstrap has long been sold as a dietary supplement, being touted as a health food or superfood. (From Wikipedia)
2. Hickory syrup. This is made from hickory tree bark as opposed to tapping a maple tree.
3. Blackberry Wine. I don't drink and someone gave me this bottle in 2012 when I received my masters degree. It has been in the refrigerator, unopened, ever since.
4. Bread and butter pickles. The only kind of pickles my husband will eat.
5. Peas. Green peas, to be precise, left over from supper last night.
6. Blackberry preserves. Goes good on bread or biscuits!
7. Grapes. Probably from Guatemala or someplace.
8. Eggs. They come from chickens!
9. Yogurt. I like the Fage brand best.
10. Aloe Vera Juice. I use this for my stomach. It tastes very tart and I usually drink about two measured ounces when I use it. I down it all at once.
11. Probiotic. Something to help combat the medication I take.
12. Black cherry concentrate. This is to help with my husband's gout. He says it works, though he prefers the actual juice. I keep this on hand in case he has a gout flare-up and we don't have any juice in the pantry.
13. Jasmine rice. I love the smell of this when it is cooking. However, this kind of rice is not the best for you, so we eat it sparingly. It has a high glycemic index.
You'd think I could have come up with something better for my 390th Thursday Thirteen. Oh well.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 390th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. Blackstrap molasses. This is a dark, viscous molasses. The namem is an Americanism dating from the 1870s. First known use is in a book by detective Allan Pinkerton in 1877. Unlike refined sugars, it contains significant amounts of vitamin B6 and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese; one tablespoon provides up to 20% of the recommended daily value of each of those nutrients. Blackstrap is also a good source of potassium. Blackstrap has long been sold as a dietary supplement, being touted as a health food or superfood. (From Wikipedia)
2. Hickory syrup. This is made from hickory tree bark as opposed to tapping a maple tree.
3. Blackberry Wine. I don't drink and someone gave me this bottle in 2012 when I received my masters degree. It has been in the refrigerator, unopened, ever since.
4. Bread and butter pickles. The only kind of pickles my husband will eat.
5. Peas. Green peas, to be precise, left over from supper last night.
6. Blackberry preserves. Goes good on bread or biscuits!
7. Grapes. Probably from Guatemala or someplace.
8. Eggs. They come from chickens!
9. Yogurt. I like the Fage brand best.
10. Aloe Vera Juice. I use this for my stomach. It tastes very tart and I usually drink about two measured ounces when I use it. I down it all at once.
11. Probiotic. Something to help combat the medication I take.
12. Black cherry concentrate. This is to help with my husband's gout. He says it works, though he prefers the actual juice. I keep this on hand in case he has a gout flare-up and we don't have any juice in the pantry.
13. Jasmine rice. I love the smell of this when it is cooking. However, this kind of rice is not the best for you, so we eat it sparingly. It has a high glycemic index.
You'd think I could have come up with something better for my 390th Thursday Thirteen. Oh well.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 390th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, April 08, 2015
The Storm
One of my favorite memories of my maternal grandfather involves the weather.
A storm blew up; it was probably a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, because he would have been at work otherwise.
He and I sat on the back stoop, looking out over the trim yard and at the fence and house beyond. The wind blew my strawberry-blond hair around my face, and made his cigarette smoke race away from us like a train chugging down a lengthy track.
Grandpa did not often sit with me, or spend time with us grandchildren, really. He worked hard at his job and he made money on the side as a TV repairman. He could be rather gruff and stern. I was partially afraid of him and partially in awe of him.
But this day he sat companionably with me as the storm came. The wind brought the scent of rain. Lightning began its play in the sky. We watched in silence, each of us looking at the clouds and listening for the thunder. It was then he taught me to count the seconds between the thunder clap and the lightning. "That's how far away the lightning is," he said.
A forked blast of lightning sticks in my memory. It was an unusual twist, different enough to bring a remark from my grandfather. He took my hand, then. Big fat rain drops began to fall, and he led me inside.
A storm blew up; it was probably a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, because he would have been at work otherwise.
He and I sat on the back stoop, looking out over the trim yard and at the fence and house beyond. The wind blew my strawberry-blond hair around my face, and made his cigarette smoke race away from us like a train chugging down a lengthy track.
Grandpa did not often sit with me, or spend time with us grandchildren, really. He worked hard at his job and he made money on the side as a TV repairman. He could be rather gruff and stern. I was partially afraid of him and partially in awe of him.
But this day he sat companionably with me as the storm came. The wind brought the scent of rain. Lightning began its play in the sky. We watched in silence, each of us looking at the clouds and listening for the thunder. It was then he taught me to count the seconds between the thunder clap and the lightning. "That's how far away the lightning is," he said.
A forked blast of lightning sticks in my memory. It was an unusual twist, different enough to bring a remark from my grandfather. He took my hand, then. Big fat rain drops began to fall, and he led me inside.
Tuesday, April 07, 2015
Vacant
For all of my life, the "truckstops" at Exit 150 (which once was Exit 142), served truckers as they drove up and down Interstate 81.
In November, it closed because the state took the property and buildings via eminent domain. The business was in the way of renovations to the exit.
Exit 150 is Botetourt County's main entrance. There are other ways into the county, but unless you're from these parts, you can't find them. Exit 150 is an intersection of Interstate 81, US 220, and US 11, all major highways. The exit has been a problem for all of my adult life, with traffic from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. backing upon onto the interstate and forcing traffic into one lane before they "fixed" the problem in the late 1980s-early 1990s. But the fix was only a bandage, and after the supervisors approved the installation of the Pilot station across the road, the truck traffic became a beacon of congestion. With trucks turning right and left, taking wrong turns, turning around and blocking four lanes at a time, driving at Exit 150 became nigh impossible at times.
That doesn't mean, though, that I think what the state did was right. I don't think the proposed "fix," which begins this spring, will fix the problem. The "fix" includes a roundabout on a major thoroughfare that I fear will create confusion for most drivers and cause an ambulance to be in constant attendance.
Also, closing the truckstop has created a new problem as truckers now gather at the Pilot station, which has much less land and space. Now tractor-trailers back up on US 11 and the police are issuing tickets to force truckers to move on. But truckers are under federal restrictions as to how much they can drive and for how long. They're caught in a bad situation.
The county is losing tax revenue, as well, though it is *not* the vast amounts of money that some citizens believe it to be. Even so, it is some, and in this day and age, every dollar matters if services are to be continued.
Improvements at Exit 150 have been talked about for 30 years. I hope this time the construction work is more than the bandage that long-ago design proved to be.
Monday, April 06, 2015
Random Q&A on a Monday
1. What movie has the most surprising ending ever?
A. The Return of the King doesn't have a surprise ending, but it actually has three endings, which was a big of surprise.
2. What are you currently angry at?
A. Myself for not being able to read my body signals better.
3. What do you have issues with?
A. I have issues with the way the political sphere in the U.S. has turned. I find much of what is going on to be very scary. I do not understand how people can be so intolerant of others. I have a hard enough time controlling my own life, so I don't know how these people think they have time to control someone else's. Leave people alone and we would all be better off. Stay out of everyone's bedroom and let women control their own bodies.
4. There is a nuclear war and your fallout shelter has room and supplies enough for two. No one knows about the fallout shelter but you. Who do you choose to take in (Remember, the person you choose is the only person you will know in 5-15 years when you can come above ground again)?
A. The obvious answer is my husband, but I would hope I would be noble enough to give up both of our places and place a young man and a young woman in there. They may be the last hope of the survival of the human race, and I cannot have children.
5. Do you have any fillings?
A. Yes.
6. Are you afraid of a global nuclear war?
A. I am. I think anyone who watches politics should be afraid that some leader will decide to use nuclear weapons in some form, leading to retaliation.
7. If there was a global nuclear war would you expect to be a survivor?
A. No. I can barely survive now as it is.
8. Have you ever swam in the ocean?
A. Many times.
9. Have you ever built a sandcastle?
A. Many times.
10. What would be the best season of the year to get married?
A. Whenever you're in love and you want to do it.
11. What are 2 things that the perfect doctor would do?
A. Listen, and spend as much time with you as you need.
12. If someone you loved was seriously miserable for a long period of time what would you do to help cheer him or her up?
A. I would listen to the person, spend time with him/her, offer hugs, and try to be there. I would accompany him/her to the doctor if necessary, go with him/her on a trip if that would help, and check on him/her frequently to be sure the person was okay.
13. What was the best year of your life so far?
A. I really don't know. Probably sometime between 1996 and 1999.
14. Does the weather affect your mood?
A. Yes. It also gives me migraines.
15. If you were on death row (if you don't feel evil enough to really ever get there, imagine that you have been wrongly accused and wrongly convicted) what would you want your last meal to be?
A. Shrimp and a hot fudge sundae. I love shrimp but have developed an allergy to it. If I'm going to die anyway, I may as well eat something I haven't had in a while. I also don't eat milk products; hence the sundae.
16. Do you eat red meat?
A. Occasionally. Maybe three times a month.
17. Is truth sometimes stranger than fiction?
A. I have found that to be the case. As a news reporter, I occasionally ran across stories that certainly were stranger than fiction.
18. Have you ever looked in anyone's wallet that wasn't yours?
A. Only my husband's, and that was when he asked me to fetch something out of it.
19. What is one thing that will happen to you less than 24 hours from now?
A. I will have lunch with a friend.
20. What age would you want to stay forever?
A. I am well past that age, but I think 35 was a good age. I was relatively healthy but old enough to have wisdom.
A. The Return of the King doesn't have a surprise ending, but it actually has three endings, which was a big of surprise.
2. What are you currently angry at?
A. Myself for not being able to read my body signals better.
3. What do you have issues with?
A. I have issues with the way the political sphere in the U.S. has turned. I find much of what is going on to be very scary. I do not understand how people can be so intolerant of others. I have a hard enough time controlling my own life, so I don't know how these people think they have time to control someone else's. Leave people alone and we would all be better off. Stay out of everyone's bedroom and let women control their own bodies.
4. There is a nuclear war and your fallout shelter has room and supplies enough for two. No one knows about the fallout shelter but you. Who do you choose to take in (Remember, the person you choose is the only person you will know in 5-15 years when you can come above ground again)?
A. The obvious answer is my husband, but I would hope I would be noble enough to give up both of our places and place a young man and a young woman in there. They may be the last hope of the survival of the human race, and I cannot have children.
5. Do you have any fillings?
A. Yes.
6. Are you afraid of a global nuclear war?
A. I am. I think anyone who watches politics should be afraid that some leader will decide to use nuclear weapons in some form, leading to retaliation.
7. If there was a global nuclear war would you expect to be a survivor?
A. No. I can barely survive now as it is.
8. Have you ever swam in the ocean?
A. Many times.
9. Have you ever built a sandcastle?
A. Many times.
10. What would be the best season of the year to get married?
A. Whenever you're in love and you want to do it.
11. What are 2 things that the perfect doctor would do?
A. Listen, and spend as much time with you as you need.
12. If someone you loved was seriously miserable for a long period of time what would you do to help cheer him or her up?
A. I would listen to the person, spend time with him/her, offer hugs, and try to be there. I would accompany him/her to the doctor if necessary, go with him/her on a trip if that would help, and check on him/her frequently to be sure the person was okay.
13. What was the best year of your life so far?
A. I really don't know. Probably sometime between 1996 and 1999.
14. Does the weather affect your mood?
A. Yes. It also gives me migraines.
15. If you were on death row (if you don't feel evil enough to really ever get there, imagine that you have been wrongly accused and wrongly convicted) what would you want your last meal to be?
A. Shrimp and a hot fudge sundae. I love shrimp but have developed an allergy to it. If I'm going to die anyway, I may as well eat something I haven't had in a while. I also don't eat milk products; hence the sundae.
16. Do you eat red meat?
A. Occasionally. Maybe three times a month.
17. Is truth sometimes stranger than fiction?
A. I have found that to be the case. As a news reporter, I occasionally ran across stories that certainly were stranger than fiction.
18. Have you ever looked in anyone's wallet that wasn't yours?
A. Only my husband's, and that was when he asked me to fetch something out of it.
19. What is one thing that will happen to you less than 24 hours from now?
A. I will have lunch with a friend.
20. What age would you want to stay forever?
A. I am well past that age, but I think 35 was a good age. I was relatively healthy but old enough to have wisdom.
Sunday, April 05, 2015
Sunday Stealing: More or Less
Happy Easter if you celebrate.
From Sunday Stealing
The More Or Less Meme
Three things (more or less) . . .
. . . you cannot live without.
My husband, though he is not a "thing," water, and food.
. . . you CAN live without, but cannot seem to part with.
Chocolate, books, and music.
. . . you wish to accomplish this COMING week.
Physical therapy/exercise, lunch with a friend, and working on my flower bed.
. . . you have accomplished this PAST week.
Physical therapy/exercise, cleaning house, and paying bills.
. . . on your holiday (or non-holiday) 'wish list.'
A trip to the Grand Canyon, visiting the pyramids in Egypt, and exploring England, Scotland, and Ireland.
. . . you would like to change about yourself.
My weight, my chronic pain, and my fingernail-chewing habit.
. . . you like about yourself.
I'm smart, loyal, and funny.
. . . you should be doing right now instead of what you ARE doing.
Cleaning the house, reading a book, or shopping.
. . . in your life that could use a little more organization.
My closets, my office files, and my use of time.
Join up with others at the link above to read more Sunday Stealing answers.
Saturday, April 04, 2015
Saturday 9: Easter Parade
Saturday 9: Easter Parade ("In Your Easter Bonnet") (1933)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about a special Easter hat to be worn with your "Sunday best." Will you be getting dressed up this weekend?
A. I don't think so.
2) Sam is not crazy about hats because she cannot stand "hat hair." Do you have a lot of hats or caps?
A. No. I have a few ball caps but I seldom wear them. When I was in high school, I had a horrid leather hat that my mother hated that I wore. And I married in a hat instead of a veil. I refused to be married in a veil.
3) This song was inspired by New York City's Easter Parade. Does your community host a similar event?
A. The local parks and recreation department has an easter egg hunt, and some of the churches have events. I am not aware of any easter parades.
4) On April 6, President Obama and Michelle will host lucky children for the 137th White House Easter Egg Roll. Which are your favorite eggs: colored hard-boiled eggs, chocolate marshmallow eggs, or plastic eggs with coins inside?
A. Actually, my favorite is the original Cadbury crème egg.
5) How about Peeps? Would you rather have yellow chicks or pink bunnies?
A. I don't like Peeps.
6) The biggest chocolate Easter egg was made in Italy, measured 34 feet tall and weighed a staggering 15,000 lbs. Do you thinks it's possible to have too much chocolate?
A. Yes, I'm afraid it is. A diet consisting of mostly chocolate would be quite unhealthy. Even I couldn't even 15,000 lbs of it. Though I might give it a try.
7) Jelly beans are also popular this time of year. A 2013 poll tells us that red is by far the favorite jelly bean color, with yellow a distant second. Do you have a preference?
A. I don't like jelly beans, either.
8) We've been talking a lot about sweets this morning. The only holiday that generates more candy sales is Halloween. When do you eat more candy: Easter or Halloween?
A. I have no idea. I've never considered it.
9) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated?
A. A good sleep. Interestingly, hard work well done can also make me feel rejuvenated. Or at least tired but happy.
Check out the link at the top to read other Saturday 9 players' answers. Join in, if you like! The more the merrier.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about a special Easter hat to be worn with your "Sunday best." Will you be getting dressed up this weekend?
A. I don't think so.
2) Sam is not crazy about hats because she cannot stand "hat hair." Do you have a lot of hats or caps?
 |
| Me with my bridal hat. |
A. No. I have a few ball caps but I seldom wear them. When I was in high school, I had a horrid leather hat that my mother hated that I wore. And I married in a hat instead of a veil. I refused to be married in a veil.
3) This song was inspired by New York City's Easter Parade. Does your community host a similar event?
A. The local parks and recreation department has an easter egg hunt, and some of the churches have events. I am not aware of any easter parades.
4) On April 6, President Obama and Michelle will host lucky children for the 137th White House Easter Egg Roll. Which are your favorite eggs: colored hard-boiled eggs, chocolate marshmallow eggs, or plastic eggs with coins inside?
A. Actually, my favorite is the original Cadbury crème egg.
5) How about Peeps? Would you rather have yellow chicks or pink bunnies?
A. I don't like Peeps.
6) The biggest chocolate Easter egg was made in Italy, measured 34 feet tall and weighed a staggering 15,000 lbs. Do you thinks it's possible to have too much chocolate?
A. Yes, I'm afraid it is. A diet consisting of mostly chocolate would be quite unhealthy. Even I couldn't even 15,000 lbs of it. Though I might give it a try.
7) Jelly beans are also popular this time of year. A 2013 poll tells us that red is by far the favorite jelly bean color, with yellow a distant second. Do you have a preference?
A. I don't like jelly beans, either.
8) We've been talking a lot about sweets this morning. The only holiday that generates more candy sales is Halloween. When do you eat more candy: Easter or Halloween?
A. I have no idea. I've never considered it.
9) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated?
A. A good sleep. Interestingly, hard work well done can also make me feel rejuvenated. Or at least tired but happy.
Check out the link at the top to read other Saturday 9 players' answers. Join in, if you like! The more the merrier.
Thursday, April 02, 2015
Thursday Thirteen
Happy April, and happy spring! I don't know what to write about today, so let's see what comes out, shall we?
1. I don't like spiders, snakes, and mice.
2. I'm not fond of stink bugs, ants, or roaches, either.
3. I do like puppies, baby calves, and fawns.
4. I like the idea of leprechauns, unicorns, and griffons.
5. I think the hidden object video games that are currently popular, particularly the ones with a story line and additional puzzles, are rather like those old King Quest's video games. Does anyone remember those?
6. I dislike it when people lie to me. If you can't tell me the truth, then say nothing at all.
7. The grass is not greener on the other side. It's just greener where the fertilizer has been spread.
8. April showers bring May flowers that we like to pick. Here the rain drops on the roof top. You can hear it drip drop drip drop drip! That is a song from elementary school that I remember singing. Do they still have music classes?
9. A friend recommended that I try some cream called Two Old Goats for aches and pains. Yes, really. That's what it is called. My husband and I have had some laughs over that title. He wants to go into the store and ask "Do have any cream for two old goats?" and point at himself and me.
10. The most interesting thing on my desk right now is a bottle of Bach Rescue Remedy. This is homeopathic tincture that is supposed to relieve stress. It is made of flower essences and brandy. I strongly suspect it is the brandy that actually relieves the stress.
11. The best book I have read so far this year is The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert.
12. We hope to have a small garden again this year, but so far we are moving slowly with the prep work. For one thing, my husband can't get the tiller to start.
13. A large forest fire is burning in the northern portion of my county. Windy conditions have hampered firefighting efforts. Be careful out there!
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 389th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. I don't like spiders, snakes, and mice.
2. I'm not fond of stink bugs, ants, or roaches, either.
3. I do like puppies, baby calves, and fawns.
4. I like the idea of leprechauns, unicorns, and griffons.
5. I think the hidden object video games that are currently popular, particularly the ones with a story line and additional puzzles, are rather like those old King Quest's video games. Does anyone remember those?
6. I dislike it when people lie to me. If you can't tell me the truth, then say nothing at all.
7. The grass is not greener on the other side. It's just greener where the fertilizer has been spread.
8. April showers bring May flowers that we like to pick. Here the rain drops on the roof top. You can hear it drip drop drip drop drip! That is a song from elementary school that I remember singing. Do they still have music classes?
9. A friend recommended that I try some cream called Two Old Goats for aches and pains. Yes, really. That's what it is called. My husband and I have had some laughs over that title. He wants to go into the store and ask "Do have any cream for two old goats?" and point at himself and me.
10. The most interesting thing on my desk right now is a bottle of Bach Rescue Remedy. This is homeopathic tincture that is supposed to relieve stress. It is made of flower essences and brandy. I strongly suspect it is the brandy that actually relieves the stress.
11. The best book I have read so far this year is The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert.
12. We hope to have a small garden again this year, but so far we are moving slowly with the prep work. For one thing, my husband can't get the tiller to start.
13. A large forest fire is burning in the northern portion of my county. Windy conditions have hampered firefighting efforts. Be careful out there!
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 389th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
An April Fool
Looking back over my half-century of living, I try to recall what might have happened to me in previous Aprils.
During my school years, this would have been the time when I ventured outside with classmates. There I would have watched them race about and have a good time while I sat in the shade with a book until a teacher forced me to "go play."
Or maybe it would be the year I was 11, sixth grade, I think, and Ann Jones and I would be singing while we sat on the swings. Our favorite song to sing together? Seasons in the Sun. "We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun, but the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time."
Now it's my freshman year of high school, and as I approach my bus, a girl steps out nowhere and accuses me of stealing her boyfriend. He has asked me to the prom. I tell her I didn't know he was seeing anyone else. She slaps my glasses off my face and they skid across the parking lot. I hit back, and the next thing I know we are in a fight, punching, kicking, hair-pulling, the whole bit. Kids gather in a circle, urging us on, until two bus drivers pull us apart. Some nice girl I do not know hands me my glasses, now scarred and scratched. My attacker apologizes the next day, apparently having had a discussion with the boy in question, and informs me that I packed quite a wallop when I punched her in the stomach.
Now it's my junior year of high school, and me and my band are jamming it out on a Friday night, playing at some moose lodge or another. Too young to drink the beer, but old enough to entertain.
A year later, and I'm thinking about graduation. I'm an honor student, graduating 4th in my class, and chosen to be a student speaker on this most auspicious day. I'm worrying about upcoming tests, lazing about on the front school yard on a nice day with Advanced Placement English Class, vying for English honors as well as overall honors. I get them, too.
It's 1982, and I am dunked in the lake at Camp Fincastle as I am baptized into the Church of the Brethren. The water is freezing.
Now it's 1983. I'm dating this fellow I met the previous October, wondering what he is waiting on. I'm taking night classes at the local community college and working part-time at a law office. I've recently recovered from a bad case of mononucleosis.
A year later, and that fellow and I've been married a few months. Our main goal: get out of this freezing four-room old summerhouse we spent the winter in. We luck out and move into one of his grandmother's rentals.
Now it's 1987. We've found house plans we like. Interest rates are 13 percent and the economic gurus say "they will never be lower" (shows what they know, eh?). We take out a loan. Construction begins.
It's 1989. There's pain in my abdomen, again. I go in for another surgery. The odds of us having children dip. Surgery will follow surgery for the next several consecutive years, until 1992, when a hysterectomy ensures I will be childless.
Now it's 1993. I'm finishing up at Hollins College, the first in my family to obtain my B.A.
It's 1995. My husband is working hard at his three jobs - farming, firefighting, and septic tank installation. His dad has had a heart attack, but he keeps working. I start freelancing from home.
Four years later, my mother takes a trip to France. Upon her return, she complains of stomach pains. We think it's from being overseas.
The following year, in 2000, my mother is living via a feeding tube, having had a surgery to remove cancer from her pancreas. The chemotherapy isn't working. The cancer spreads; she dies that August.
It's 2007, and my maternal grandmother is in a nursing home, having progressed from assisted living. She's had a few small strokes, and sometimes she doesn't know me when I visit. She dies in June.
Two years later, my editor at the newspaper I've written for since 1985 calls me and asks to come to see me at my home. He tells me the newspaper is in financial trouble; I no longer have any work from him. We sit in my living room in a silence palatable with grief.
Another year passes. It's 2010. My father-in-law's health has declined; he's on oxygen. I see a black swan on the pond and wonder if it is an omen. My father-in-law dies in July.
Two years later, I'm once again preparing for a graduation. This time I will receive my masters degree from Hollins University (same school but it underwent a name change). I am studying hard and wondering what, exactly, I will do with this degree.
It's 2013, and I am dreading turning 50 in a few months. Something in my heart tells me it won't be my year. I have lunch with an old friend, a former teacher from my high school years, who listens to me whine about growing old.
And now here it is, April 1, 2015. I'm almost two years recovering from what was supposed to be a simple surgery in July 2013. I walk with a cane; I can't lift heavy objects or vacuum my own house. I still write some, but I move around frequently, unable to sit or stand for long spells. Up and down, up and down, that's how my day goes. My time is now spent in the physical therapist's office. I do a lot of reading.
This April I am grateful, though, that I have what health I do, that I have good and loving friends, and that two of my healthcare providers are working with me to improve my health. My husband of 31 years has recovered almost 100 percent from a horrific farm machinery accident last summer, something for which I am very thankful. My brother has proven to be a great ally, and I am grateful for that, as well.
So if you must play jokes on me, April, then play away. I have survived 51 Aprils. I can hardly wait to see what this April has in store.
During my school years, this would have been the time when I ventured outside with classmates. There I would have watched them race about and have a good time while I sat in the shade with a book until a teacher forced me to "go play."
Or maybe it would be the year I was 11, sixth grade, I think, and Ann Jones and I would be singing while we sat on the swings. Our favorite song to sing together? Seasons in the Sun. "We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun, but the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time."
Now it's my freshman year of high school, and as I approach my bus, a girl steps out nowhere and accuses me of stealing her boyfriend. He has asked me to the prom. I tell her I didn't know he was seeing anyone else. She slaps my glasses off my face and they skid across the parking lot. I hit back, and the next thing I know we are in a fight, punching, kicking, hair-pulling, the whole bit. Kids gather in a circle, urging us on, until two bus drivers pull us apart. Some nice girl I do not know hands me my glasses, now scarred and scratched. My attacker apologizes the next day, apparently having had a discussion with the boy in question, and informs me that I packed quite a wallop when I punched her in the stomach.
Now it's my junior year of high school, and me and my band are jamming it out on a Friday night, playing at some moose lodge or another. Too young to drink the beer, but old enough to entertain.
A year later, and I'm thinking about graduation. I'm an honor student, graduating 4th in my class, and chosen to be a student speaker on this most auspicious day. I'm worrying about upcoming tests, lazing about on the front school yard on a nice day with Advanced Placement English Class, vying for English honors as well as overall honors. I get them, too.
It's 1982, and I am dunked in the lake at Camp Fincastle as I am baptized into the Church of the Brethren. The water is freezing.
Now it's 1983. I'm dating this fellow I met the previous October, wondering what he is waiting on. I'm taking night classes at the local community college and working part-time at a law office. I've recently recovered from a bad case of mononucleosis.
A year later, and that fellow and I've been married a few months. Our main goal: get out of this freezing four-room old summerhouse we spent the winter in. We luck out and move into one of his grandmother's rentals.
Now it's 1987. We've found house plans we like. Interest rates are 13 percent and the economic gurus say "they will never be lower" (shows what they know, eh?). We take out a loan. Construction begins.
It's 1989. There's pain in my abdomen, again. I go in for another surgery. The odds of us having children dip. Surgery will follow surgery for the next several consecutive years, until 1992, when a hysterectomy ensures I will be childless.
Now it's 1993. I'm finishing up at Hollins College, the first in my family to obtain my B.A.
It's 1995. My husband is working hard at his three jobs - farming, firefighting, and septic tank installation. His dad has had a heart attack, but he keeps working. I start freelancing from home.
Four years later, my mother takes a trip to France. Upon her return, she complains of stomach pains. We think it's from being overseas.
The following year, in 2000, my mother is living via a feeding tube, having had a surgery to remove cancer from her pancreas. The chemotherapy isn't working. The cancer spreads; she dies that August.
It's 2007, and my maternal grandmother is in a nursing home, having progressed from assisted living. She's had a few small strokes, and sometimes she doesn't know me when I visit. She dies in June.
Two years later, my editor at the newspaper I've written for since 1985 calls me and asks to come to see me at my home. He tells me the newspaper is in financial trouble; I no longer have any work from him. We sit in my living room in a silence palatable with grief.
Another year passes. It's 2010. My father-in-law's health has declined; he's on oxygen. I see a black swan on the pond and wonder if it is an omen. My father-in-law dies in July.
Two years later, I'm once again preparing for a graduation. This time I will receive my masters degree from Hollins University (same school but it underwent a name change). I am studying hard and wondering what, exactly, I will do with this degree.
It's 2013, and I am dreading turning 50 in a few months. Something in my heart tells me it won't be my year. I have lunch with an old friend, a former teacher from my high school years, who listens to me whine about growing old.
And now here it is, April 1, 2015. I'm almost two years recovering from what was supposed to be a simple surgery in July 2013. I walk with a cane; I can't lift heavy objects or vacuum my own house. I still write some, but I move around frequently, unable to sit or stand for long spells. Up and down, up and down, that's how my day goes. My time is now spent in the physical therapist's office. I do a lot of reading.
This April I am grateful, though, that I have what health I do, that I have good and loving friends, and that two of my healthcare providers are working with me to improve my health. My husband of 31 years has recovered almost 100 percent from a horrific farm machinery accident last summer, something for which I am very thankful. My brother has proven to be a great ally, and I am grateful for that, as well.
So if you must play jokes on me, April, then play away. I have survived 51 Aprils. I can hardly wait to see what this April has in store.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
The Dolly on the Stove
When I was about four years old, I had a huge stuffed cloth doll that I carried around with me. I don't remember her name or even really what she looked like, now. I recall only that the doll's leg had stripes and the hair was yellow.
She was mine and I loved on her and played with her frequently.
What I do remember is that one day the neighbor's dog attacked my dolly and tore up her leg. Apparently the dog mistook the doll for a chew toy. My mother took the doll and sat her on the kitchen counter, saying she would fix her later. Then she left the room.
In my mind's eye I have a vision of watching in fascination as my little brother, who would have been about one and probably not long in walking, began pushing a chair over to the stove. With great effort, he managed to climb up on the chair. His goal was to retrieve the doll, which he could not reach.
Somehow he turned on the oven eye, and the doll's leg was near the oven eye . . . and I'm sure you can see where this is going.
The doll's leg flamed up, and I screamed for my mother, who ran into the kitchen and threw the doll into the sink and extinguished the blaze.
My brother was chastised for turning on the oven and told not to ever go near the thing again (maybe this is why he is now a wonderful chef, as we've always had a tendency to do the very thing we shouldn't, he and I), while I sobbed about my now-dead dolly.
I doubt the dolly was repairable after all of that, the poor dear. To be first eaten on by a dog and then set aflame does not bode well for a long life. Even if my mother did fix the doll, I doubt I ever played with her again. As far as I was concerned, that dolly was dead.
After that, as you may imagine, I did not play too much with stuffed dolls.
She was mine and I loved on her and played with her frequently.
What I do remember is that one day the neighbor's dog attacked my dolly and tore up her leg. Apparently the dog mistook the doll for a chew toy. My mother took the doll and sat her on the kitchen counter, saying she would fix her later. Then she left the room.
In my mind's eye I have a vision of watching in fascination as my little brother, who would have been about one and probably not long in walking, began pushing a chair over to the stove. With great effort, he managed to climb up on the chair. His goal was to retrieve the doll, which he could not reach.
Somehow he turned on the oven eye, and the doll's leg was near the oven eye . . . and I'm sure you can see where this is going.
The doll's leg flamed up, and I screamed for my mother, who ran into the kitchen and threw the doll into the sink and extinguished the blaze.
My brother was chastised for turning on the oven and told not to ever go near the thing again (maybe this is why he is now a wonderful chef, as we've always had a tendency to do the very thing we shouldn't, he and I), while I sobbed about my now-dead dolly.
I doubt the dolly was repairable after all of that, the poor dear. To be first eaten on by a dog and then set aflame does not bode well for a long life. Even if my mother did fix the doll, I doubt I ever played with her again. As far as I was concerned, that dolly was dead.
After that, as you may imagine, I did not play too much with stuffed dolls.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Dear Guitar
To my dear guitar,
I just wanted to let you know how much you mean to me, my Takamine beauty. You have a wonderful sound and I use you for more than the classical music you were made for.
With your versatility, I can jam and rock out all I want. It helps, of course, that no one is listening, but even so, you hold a special place in my heart because you allow me a different mode of creativity.
My Takamine, you are also the first guitar that I picked out for myself. Prior to you, my guitars had been given to me by others, but you, my dear, were my choice. I remember sitting down in the Fret Mill in downtown Roanoke over 20 years ago and playing you. Your neck felt good, I loved the feel of the nylon strings, and I even liked the fact that as a classical guitar you lacked the little neck markings of a western. That meant I'd really have to learn the fret board if I wanted to play you well. I loved the smaller body and your gorgeous sound.
Over the years, you've developed a little bend in the neck and the strings do not lay quite so well near the guitar body as they once did, slowing the action of the neck, but that only shows you've aged well. You're not marred with scars or other markings because I've taken good care of you, though there are places where I've played you so much that you can see where I've touched you. I've given you polish and shine, changed your strings, and lovely caressed you, much as I might caress the cheek of a lover.
My fingers find their places on your neck without my thinking of it, and then sound rings out softly or strongly, depending on my mood and my song. You have hummed quietly while I worked out the chords to a new song, or attempted a different strumming rhythm. You've patiently sat there while I wrote the words to my own songs, few though they are.
You have caught my tears when I've sang Starry Starry Night, a Don McLean tune that always makes me cry. You've felt the beat of my heart as I've driven home the last refrains of Stairway to Heaven. You've winced, I'm sure, as I've attempted Sweet Home Alabama and never yet successfully figured it out.
My dear, sweet, lovely guitar, you have and continue to bring me much joy. You sit patiently, sometimes for months, until I remember you, and you are always there. Sometimes you've gone a little moody on me and are a little out of tune - weather will do that - but with a twist of a key, you forgive me and the sounds again sing out.
You know, my dear little guitar, that I am not and never will be, the most accomplished of players. I am dabbler, a jill-of-all-trades, but I love you as an instrument and as an extension of my soul. I hope, my little Takamine, that you have enjoyed your time with me, and will continue to be my darling little guitar, always.
I just wanted to let you know how much you mean to me, my Takamine beauty. You have a wonderful sound and I use you for more than the classical music you were made for.
With your versatility, I can jam and rock out all I want. It helps, of course, that no one is listening, but even so, you hold a special place in my heart because you allow me a different mode of creativity.
My Takamine, you are also the first guitar that I picked out for myself. Prior to you, my guitars had been given to me by others, but you, my dear, were my choice. I remember sitting down in the Fret Mill in downtown Roanoke over 20 years ago and playing you. Your neck felt good, I loved the feel of the nylon strings, and I even liked the fact that as a classical guitar you lacked the little neck markings of a western. That meant I'd really have to learn the fret board if I wanted to play you well. I loved the smaller body and your gorgeous sound.
Over the years, you've developed a little bend in the neck and the strings do not lay quite so well near the guitar body as they once did, slowing the action of the neck, but that only shows you've aged well. You're not marred with scars or other markings because I've taken good care of you, though there are places where I've played you so much that you can see where I've touched you. I've given you polish and shine, changed your strings, and lovely caressed you, much as I might caress the cheek of a lover.
My fingers find their places on your neck without my thinking of it, and then sound rings out softly or strongly, depending on my mood and my song. You have hummed quietly while I worked out the chords to a new song, or attempted a different strumming rhythm. You've patiently sat there while I wrote the words to my own songs, few though they are.
You have caught my tears when I've sang Starry Starry Night, a Don McLean tune that always makes me cry. You've felt the beat of my heart as I've driven home the last refrains of Stairway to Heaven. You've winced, I'm sure, as I've attempted Sweet Home Alabama and never yet successfully figured it out.
My dear, sweet, lovely guitar, you have and continue to bring me much joy. You sit patiently, sometimes for months, until I remember you, and you are always there. Sometimes you've gone a little moody on me and are a little out of tune - weather will do that - but with a twist of a key, you forgive me and the sounds again sing out.
You know, my dear little guitar, that I am not and never will be, the most accomplished of players. I am dabbler, a jill-of-all-trades, but I love you as an instrument and as an extension of my soul. I hope, my little Takamine, that you have enjoyed your time with me, and will continue to be my darling little guitar, always.
 |
| My sweet little guitar. |
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Sunday Stealing: The Dirty Dozen
From Sunday Stealing
The Dirty Dozen Meme
Stolen from: The Archives
1. This weather is really . . . like a three-year old boy throwing a temper tantrum because he lost his favorite toy truck.
2. You think you've seen it all, you should see me . . . walking through an April forest, my eyes alight with Spring and the beauty of the trillium and may apples.
3. I'm sure you would still love me even if . . . you found out that I am as scarred and battered as a beat-up ol' 1963 pick-up truck.
4. I think I have finally realized . . . that joy is not found in shopping bags.
5. Since the last time we linked up . . . I have worked hard at my physical therapy, attended a government meeting, seen a chiropractor, and lost two pounds.
6. I get super embarrassed . . . when all eyes are on me as I stand in front of a group of stuffed shirts who are only thinking of themselves.
7. I really thought by now . . . the world's people would have figured out how to be humane and more like a Star Trek episode than a cruel and vicious dump for humanity.
8. If I thought no one would read it, I would write about . . . the secret thumpings of my heart and the pulsing of my blood rushing in my ears when my passion calls my name.
9. I knew I was in the wrong place . . . when the guy offered me drugs and the world turned sideways and upside down, and the buildings began to walk on water.
10. I am so not above . . . cleaning the toilets at my house.
11. Let's pretend . . . that Jeremiah was a bullfrog, and happy creatures are dancing on the lawn.
12. Just you wait . . . until I get my mojo back. Then you'll all be wondering just who you've been reading all of this time.
The Dirty Dozen Meme
Stolen from: The Archives
1. This weather is really . . . like a three-year old boy throwing a temper tantrum because he lost his favorite toy truck.
2. You think you've seen it all, you should see me . . . walking through an April forest, my eyes alight with Spring and the beauty of the trillium and may apples.
3. I'm sure you would still love me even if . . . you found out that I am as scarred and battered as a beat-up ol' 1963 pick-up truck.
4. I think I have finally realized . . . that joy is not found in shopping bags.
5. Since the last time we linked up . . . I have worked hard at my physical therapy, attended a government meeting, seen a chiropractor, and lost two pounds.
6. I get super embarrassed . . . when all eyes are on me as I stand in front of a group of stuffed shirts who are only thinking of themselves.
7. I really thought by now . . . the world's people would have figured out how to be humane and more like a Star Trek episode than a cruel and vicious dump for humanity.
8. If I thought no one would read it, I would write about . . . the secret thumpings of my heart and the pulsing of my blood rushing in my ears when my passion calls my name.
9. I knew I was in the wrong place . . . when the guy offered me drugs and the world turned sideways and upside down, and the buildings began to walk on water.
10. I am so not above . . . cleaning the toilets at my house.
11. Let's pretend . . . that Jeremiah was a bullfrog, and happy creatures are dancing on the lawn.
12. Just you wait . . . until I get my mojo back. Then you'll all be wondering just who you've been reading all of this time.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Saturday 9: Thinking Out Loud
Saturday 9: Thinking Out Loud (2014)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This week's featured artist, Ed Sheeran, was discovered by Elton John. Tell us your favorite Elton John song.
A. Gosh, I don't know if I can name only one. Candle in the Wind, Your Song, Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man . . . he's had a lot of hits. He was the last singer I saw in concert, and that's been 10 years ago or more.
2) Ed's arms are covered in tattoos, so clearly he doesn't suffer from trypanophobia, or the fear of needles. Do you get nervous when the doctor gives you a shot?
A. Not when I get a shot, but I have tiny, rolling veins and the blood vampires have a terrible time drawing blood or installing an IV. Once it took 10 tries to get an IV in me. I looked like a pincushion.
3) One of his tattoos depicts a Heinz Tomato Ketchup label. What condiments are in your kitchen right now?
A. Heinz Ketchup, which is the only kind my husband will use, French's mustard, Miracle Whip, Duke's Mayonnaise.
4) Spotify named Sheeran the most-streamed artist in the world for 2014. Do you use Spotify? Pandora?
A. I use Pandora. I also listen to the old-fashioned radio stations that still play music around here.
5) Ed celebrated his success by purchasing a farm near Suffolk, England. Would you prefer to live in a rural, suburban or urban area?
A. I live in a rural area and generally like it, but as I age I think I will need to move closer to services. That 45-minute drive to the city gets old.
6) In this song, Ed sings about kissing "under the light of one thousand stars." Were you able to see the stars last night? Or was it it too cloudy or overcast?
A. It was partly cloudy and breezy, so I could occasionally see a twinkle.
7) Ed is a natural red head, a trait he shares with only about 2% of the population. Does red hair run in your family?
A. No, it does not.
8) One of Clairol's most popular shades is a red (Nice 'n Easy Natural Light Auburn). Have you/would you dye your hair?
A. I highlighted my hair a time or two but I react to the chemicals so I have simply allowed the gray to come on through. I call it a "soft white" gray and it blends in with my lighter brown.
9) Random question: Look at the windows in the room you're in. Are they covered in curtains or blinds?
A. I have a valance with a blind over each window. The valance for the color, the blind because the sun shines straight in one window in the morning and straight in the other in the evening.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This week's featured artist, Ed Sheeran, was discovered by Elton John. Tell us your favorite Elton John song.
A. Gosh, I don't know if I can name only one. Candle in the Wind, Your Song, Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man . . . he's had a lot of hits. He was the last singer I saw in concert, and that's been 10 years ago or more.
2) Ed's arms are covered in tattoos, so clearly he doesn't suffer from trypanophobia, or the fear of needles. Do you get nervous when the doctor gives you a shot?
A. Not when I get a shot, but I have tiny, rolling veins and the blood vampires have a terrible time drawing blood or installing an IV. Once it took 10 tries to get an IV in me. I looked like a pincushion.
3) One of his tattoos depicts a Heinz Tomato Ketchup label. What condiments are in your kitchen right now?
A. Heinz Ketchup, which is the only kind my husband will use, French's mustard, Miracle Whip, Duke's Mayonnaise.
4) Spotify named Sheeran the most-streamed artist in the world for 2014. Do you use Spotify? Pandora?
A. I use Pandora. I also listen to the old-fashioned radio stations that still play music around here.
5) Ed celebrated his success by purchasing a farm near Suffolk, England. Would you prefer to live in a rural, suburban or urban area?
A. I live in a rural area and generally like it, but as I age I think I will need to move closer to services. That 45-minute drive to the city gets old.
6) In this song, Ed sings about kissing "under the light of one thousand stars." Were you able to see the stars last night? Or was it it too cloudy or overcast?
A. It was partly cloudy and breezy, so I could occasionally see a twinkle.
7) Ed is a natural red head, a trait he shares with only about 2% of the population. Does red hair run in your family?
A. No, it does not.
8) One of Clairol's most popular shades is a red (Nice 'n Easy Natural Light Auburn). Have you/would you dye your hair?
A. I highlighted my hair a time or two but I react to the chemicals so I have simply allowed the gray to come on through. I call it a "soft white" gray and it blends in with my lighter brown.
9) Random question: Look at the windows in the room you're in. Are they covered in curtains or blinds?
A. I have a valance with a blind over each window. The valance for the color, the blind because the sun shines straight in one window in the morning and straight in the other in the evening.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Thursday Thirteen
Last week I did bad habits, so I thought this week I'd see if I could come up with 13 "good" habits. I strongly suspect I will find this more difficult.
1. I shower daily. You might think, so what, but if you've ever been around someone who doesn't, then you know this is kind of important.
2. I moisturize. This is important for good skin health. I use a jojoba oil on major body parts. It is odorless and I am allergic to most fragrances.
3. I care about others. I don't have a huge cadre of friends, but I have a fair number, and I worry about them all. I also worry about people I don't know and make donations to worthy causes that I have investigated and found to be helpful to others.
4. I am honest. Of course I am going to tell you that you look good in that horrid puke green, but little white lies like that don't count. Aside from common courtesy like the example above, I am an honest and decent soul.
5. I have a good work ethic. If I say I'm going to do something, 99 percent of the time, it will get done. If it doesn't get done, you can be assured I have had a car breakdown or experienced some other major inconvenience that kept me from doing my work.
6. I am punctual. Being late is not something I find attractive in myself or others. I am usually five minutes early, and will sit in the car listening to an audio book to be right on time.
7. I like learning. I enjoy learning new things and having my brain challenged. Once you stop learning, you might as well stop living, is my motto. So I try to learn something new all the time.
8. I keep a clean house. This has become harder since my health issues but I still try to keep the place as clean as I can. It isn't up to my standards at the moment but it is the best I can do right now.
9. I try to eat healthy foods. Well, aside from chocolate. I have a terrible time with chocolate. But otherwise, I do okay. I don't eat fried foods hardly at all, and I don't indulge in cookies and cakes and such very often. Even so, I am overweight and while I know some of this is caused by a hormone issue, it is still frustrating.
10. I exercise. Right now that too is limited by a health issue, but I am doing my physical therapy exercises and that counts. I need a cane on uneven ground which means walking around the farm is out for the moment, but maybe things will improve. I keep hoping.
11. I kiss and hug my husband. I think touch is something vital to our well-being and in the U.S., people don't get enough of it. We're not a touchy-feely people but I think we need to be. There is healing in the hands of everyone.
12. I am grateful for what I have. I try very hard not to want more than I need and be grateful for all I do have. My health makes me grumble but even so I am still standing upright and not bedridden, so it could be worse. We are not millionaires but we are paying the bills. I am grateful for all that I do have and try to remember to be thankful daily.
13. I respect the environment. I don't litter, I recycle, and I plant things. We practice best methods of farming on the farm, and have worked hard to improve the water quality and run-off issues that come from having cattle on hilly pastures. I also complain about pollution issues and write my legislatures (which is a useless endeavor because most of mine are Republicans but I do it anyway) about the things that concern me.
Not as hard as thought it would be. Had to puzzle out the last few but there you go. It is good to remind myself that I have my good qualities. How about you? What are your good habits?
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 388th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. I shower daily. You might think, so what, but if you've ever been around someone who doesn't, then you know this is kind of important.
2. I moisturize. This is important for good skin health. I use a jojoba oil on major body parts. It is odorless and I am allergic to most fragrances.
3. I care about others. I don't have a huge cadre of friends, but I have a fair number, and I worry about them all. I also worry about people I don't know and make donations to worthy causes that I have investigated and found to be helpful to others.
4. I am honest. Of course I am going to tell you that you look good in that horrid puke green, but little white lies like that don't count. Aside from common courtesy like the example above, I am an honest and decent soul.
5. I have a good work ethic. If I say I'm going to do something, 99 percent of the time, it will get done. If it doesn't get done, you can be assured I have had a car breakdown or experienced some other major inconvenience that kept me from doing my work.
6. I am punctual. Being late is not something I find attractive in myself or others. I am usually five minutes early, and will sit in the car listening to an audio book to be right on time.
7. I like learning. I enjoy learning new things and having my brain challenged. Once you stop learning, you might as well stop living, is my motto. So I try to learn something new all the time.
8. I keep a clean house. This has become harder since my health issues but I still try to keep the place as clean as I can. It isn't up to my standards at the moment but it is the best I can do right now.
9. I try to eat healthy foods. Well, aside from chocolate. I have a terrible time with chocolate. But otherwise, I do okay. I don't eat fried foods hardly at all, and I don't indulge in cookies and cakes and such very often. Even so, I am overweight and while I know some of this is caused by a hormone issue, it is still frustrating.
10. I exercise. Right now that too is limited by a health issue, but I am doing my physical therapy exercises and that counts. I need a cane on uneven ground which means walking around the farm is out for the moment, but maybe things will improve. I keep hoping.
11. I kiss and hug my husband. I think touch is something vital to our well-being and in the U.S., people don't get enough of it. We're not a touchy-feely people but I think we need to be. There is healing in the hands of everyone.
12. I am grateful for what I have. I try very hard not to want more than I need and be grateful for all I do have. My health makes me grumble but even so I am still standing upright and not bedridden, so it could be worse. We are not millionaires but we are paying the bills. I am grateful for all that I do have and try to remember to be thankful daily.
13. I respect the environment. I don't litter, I recycle, and I plant things. We practice best methods of farming on the farm, and have worked hard to improve the water quality and run-off issues that come from having cattle on hilly pastures. I also complain about pollution issues and write my legislatures (which is a useless endeavor because most of mine are Republicans but I do it anyway) about the things that concern me.
Not as hard as thought it would be. Had to puzzle out the last few but there you go. It is good to remind myself that I have my good qualities. How about you? What are your good habits?
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 388th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Turkeys in the . . . Front Yard
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| Turkey Dance |
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| Turkey Tail! |
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| You talkin' to me? |
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| You never listen, anyway. |
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| Turkey love |
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| Turkey Gangsters! |
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| Turkey Strut! |
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| Turkey Indignation. |
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
Working the Cows
My husband corralled the cows yesterday so he can "work" them this morning. Working the cows means giving them the shots required by the state in order to sell them and putting tags on them so we can keep track of them. Some will be hauled off to market this morning, as well. That is how it goes on a farm.
I took these shots last night when we stopped by to make sure the animals had plenty of water. I was using my "car camera," which is a Nikon Coolpix S3200 that I picked up for about $50 on a Black Friday sale several years ago. It's a tiny little camera but very handy for having something to take pictures with when my good cameras are at home.
I took these shots last night when we stopped by to make sure the animals had plenty of water. I was using my "car camera," which is a Nikon Coolpix S3200 that I picked up for about $50 on a Black Friday sale several years ago. It's a tiny little camera but very handy for having something to take pictures with when my good cameras are at home.
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