Husband is doing well. He is rolling about the house on a knee scooter but still spending much time with his leg elevated. Until he has it in a cast - it's in a splint and a stretch wrap right now - he needs to be very careful.
Next Friday he goes back for his post-op visit, and hopefully to get a cast on his leg. He'll feel more comfortable if he bumps it if he has a cast on it, I think.
He is getting a daily shower. This is a bit arduous and hard on me but we are managing. His appetite is a little off but he told me today he was trying not to eat much since he is not moving around a lot. So I don't know if he's not hungry or having an impromptu diet.
As for me, I'm still taking too many steps and continue to have abdominal pain. I'm also fighting a serious bout of the blues.
Yesterday I noticed an issue with a tooth and last night I took a sip of water and the tooth said, "You shall not pass." Or maybe it said, "You will suffer me." One LotR quote or the other.
The morning brought pain with cold water and sweets especially. The sugar in my morning tea was no fun.
I wondered what home remedy I might try but nothing that came up seemed appealing (put garlic on it, was one suggestion). At 9 a.m. I called my dentist's office to leave a message, and they listed emergency numbers for each dentist. I thought, what the heck, maybe I can talk to Dr. Lavinder and she'll give me an idea as to whether I need Orajel or something or know if she can see me Monday.
So I called, but her mailbox was full. I figured that was that.
She called me back about 20 minutes later, saying she'd had a call from this number. I gave her my name, which she recognized, and explained what was going on with my tooth. She asked about antibiotics and which ones I could take, and then she said that with all the medicines I am on, she didn't really want to give me an antibiotic if I didn't need one and she'd rather take a look at me. Next thing I knew, she was telling me to be at her office at 4 p.m.
On a holiday weekend Saturday.
So I went, leaving my husband alone after he assured me he would be fine. Dr. Lavinder removed an old filling and put in a new one, along with some bonding, and she thought that would fix it. If not, I might need a root canal. A few days will tell.
She really went above and beyond the call of duty to fix me up. She said I wasn't someone who called with issues and she felt like since I'd called it must really be bothering me.
What a great dentist! She interrupted her time with her family to care for me. I am so fortunate that I have found a few health care professionals who really do care about their patients. I have no idea what the charge will be for an off-hour visit, but I am grateful that she cared enough to see me like that.
Otherwise, I'm awfully stressed but we're sort of settling into a new routine for now.
Our Thanksgiving was nonexistent (we each ate a half of a butternut squash, and that was it), although we had some leftovers my brother provided the next day for lunch.
Thank you, brother.
Last night I blew up a bowl of soup in the microwave. It was hearty beef vegetable soup and it went everywhere. The inside of the microwave looked like I'd exploded a dead thing. That was quite a mess. I have no idea where I went wrong.
This morning, I fixed Cornish game hens in a cooking bag and somehow or another they didn't cook completely. We ate some of the breast (that part was done) for lunch, and then I carried the remainder out to the forest and gave it a toss.
Something will eat it. Probably a coyote.
After I finished at the dentist, I brought home pizza. I'm thinking I may never cook again and we shall live on ham and cheese sandwiches and supermarket roasted chicken.
I am very tired. Can someone tell me why?
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Saturday 9: Baby's in Black
Saturday 9: Baby's in Black (1964)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
From our archives.
1) Black is this week's signature color because Friday was "Black Friday," the day when retailers cut their prices and consumers flock to the stores. Did you score any "Black Friday" bargains?
A. I don't go to the stores but I do shop online during this time. According to J.C. Penny, I saved $264. That just tells me they're selling the stuff for too much money to begin with.
2) Feasting and football are also popular Thanksgiving weekend pastimes. Do your Thursday-Sunday plans include pigging out or watching a game?
A. Because of my husband's surgery and recovery, our plans have been nebulous.
3) At Thanksgiving dinners, Crazy Sam's homemade gravy is always a hit. (Probably because she's so generous with the cognac, which gives the gravy a nutty taste.) What was particularly delicious at your Thanksgiving table?
A.
4) Among the biggest the Black Friday advertisers are Target, Kohl's, Macy's and Best Buy. If you could have a $100 gift card to any one of those stores, which would you choose?
A. Best Buy.
5) This week's song, "Baby's in Black," is about a girl who wears black because she's in mourning. Do you find that the color you're wearing reflects your mood?
A. I wear a lot of blue. I don't know if that affects my mood or not.
6) The woman who inspired this song, Astrid Kirchherr, has been friends with Paul McCartney since he and his bandmates (John Lennon, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best) met her in Hamburg back in 1960. Tell us what you believe are the components of a strong, lasting friendship.
A. Trust, loyalty, honesty.
7) In the early days of the Beatles, Paul McCartney and John Lennon began writing a play but abandoned it. Do you have a novel, painting, play, song or poem that you're going to finish "someday?"
A. Yes.
8) When he was 16, George Harrison dreamed of moving to Canada, Australia or Malta. In just a few years, he would visit all those places with Beatles and eventually decided there was no place like home and stayed in England (though he did also maintain a home in Hawaii). Have you ever thought about moving to another country? If so, where?
A. I wouldn't mind giving Norway or Finland a try.
9) Random question: Finish this sentence -- If you want me to give you "yes" for an answer, the best time to approach me is . . .
A. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
______________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
From our archives.
1) Black is this week's signature color because Friday was "Black Friday," the day when retailers cut their prices and consumers flock to the stores. Did you score any "Black Friday" bargains?
A. I don't go to the stores but I do shop online during this time. According to J.C. Penny, I saved $264. That just tells me they're selling the stuff for too much money to begin with.
2) Feasting and football are also popular Thanksgiving weekend pastimes. Do your Thursday-Sunday plans include pigging out or watching a game?
A. Because of my husband's surgery and recovery, our plans have been nebulous.
3) At Thanksgiving dinners, Crazy Sam's homemade gravy is always a hit. (Probably because she's so generous with the cognac, which gives the gravy a nutty taste.) What was particularly delicious at your Thanksgiving table?
A.
4) Among the biggest the Black Friday advertisers are Target, Kohl's, Macy's and Best Buy. If you could have a $100 gift card to any one of those stores, which would you choose?
A. Best Buy.
5) This week's song, "Baby's in Black," is about a girl who wears black because she's in mourning. Do you find that the color you're wearing reflects your mood?
A. I wear a lot of blue. I don't know if that affects my mood or not.
6) The woman who inspired this song, Astrid Kirchherr, has been friends with Paul McCartney since he and his bandmates (John Lennon, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best) met her in Hamburg back in 1960. Tell us what you believe are the components of a strong, lasting friendship.
A. Trust, loyalty, honesty.
7) In the early days of the Beatles, Paul McCartney and John Lennon began writing a play but abandoned it. Do you have a novel, painting, play, song or poem that you're going to finish "someday?"
A. Yes.
8) When he was 16, George Harrison dreamed of moving to Canada, Australia or Malta. In just a few years, he would visit all those places with Beatles and eventually decided there was no place like home and stayed in England (though he did also maintain a home in Hawaii). Have you ever thought about moving to another country? If so, where?
A. I wouldn't mind giving Norway or Finland a try.
9) Random question: Finish this sentence -- If you want me to give you "yes" for an answer, the best time to approach me is . . .
A. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
______________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Thursday Thirteen
1. Abnormalities
2. Accomplishers
3. Bedazzlements
4. Bibliomaniacs
5. Candlesnuffer
6. Categorically
7. Decaffeinated
8. Deforestation
9. Editorializes
10. Embarrassment
11. Fallibilities
12. Fictionalized
13. Gentlemanlike
Thirteen 13-letter words.
Happy Thanksgiving!
_______________
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 632nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
2. Accomplishers
3. Bedazzlements
4. Bibliomaniacs
5. Candlesnuffer
6. Categorically
7. Decaffeinated
8. Deforestation
9. Editorializes
10. Embarrassment
11. Fallibilities
12. Fictionalized
13. Gentlemanlike
Thirteen 13-letter words.
Happy Thanksgiving!
_______________
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 632nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
What's Really Been Going On
This is a truth post.
What's really been going on is this:
My husband on Friday had an ankle fusion at Carilion Roanoke Memorial.
He is off his pain meds and doing pretty well. He has a knee scooter and is moving about the house relatively easily now.
He is not in a cast yet. He will be non-weight bearing on his foot for 8 weeks. Yes, I said 8 weeks. That is a damn long time.
Last night we figured out how to get him in the shower. He smells better. And feels better. Showers can be wonderful things.
He is watching a lot of TV because he is not a reader. This would (and will) drive me crazy. I rarely have the TV on but now it is blaring away almost constantly.
And since this is my blog, and this my blog post, I am going to talk about how it feels to be me, a person with chronic pain issues and limited mobility, trying to deal with someone who is a foot taller than I am and who weighs more than I do and who is a stubborn-headed mule most of the time.
First off, none of this was easy on me. It has been hard watching my husband practically dragging his foot after him for a good 8 months because he was too damn stubborn to go to the doctor and have it taken care of. He would get up in the morning and his hands would flutter like the wings of a dying baby bird when he first put weight on his foot. He didn't think I saw but I did, of course.
Since March, I have nagged, bitched, pleaded, and cried to try to get him to go the doctor. He did not go until the end of September.
He scheduled this for the time when it suited him and he did not once think about when it suited me. I assure you, had he asked, I would have told him "now," back in the spring or summer, and not at the holidays. Not when I have to worry about snow and ice, and driving after dark (which I can't do well since I have a little cataract forming), and when it's cold you have to worry about coats and how the cows are going to be fed (we've found people to help, the cows will be fine). I would have suggested June or August or sometime like that, but he wanted to work because that is what he does. He works. That is who is he and all he knows and what he does.
So he has greatly inconvenienced me because it will be cold out, and I can't set him outside in the sunshine for a spell, nor decorate a Christmas tree because we have a hospital bed for him in the living room, or even cook a turkey because with my health issues I can't do that without some help. But none of that matters because at least he finally has had his surgery and hopefully in 12 weeks or so (may the goddess help me), he will be back on his feet and doing his man stuff.
It's just one holiday season. Of course, you never know, it could be my last holiday season. I could choke on a cashew in just a few minutes. Stranger things have happened. And I admit it, I am selfish and would have liked to have been consulted and had my needs taken into consideration.
But I wasn't and yes, I do resent that a little bit.
As for the last week, my pain levels has skyrocketed to highs I haven't seen in a couple of years, in part because Carilion sucks as a hospital. It's parking sucks and its set-up sucks and the way it does things sucks. As a healthcare facility, it sucks.
I had to walk and walk and I can't manage more than 7,500 steps without the pain in my abdomen acting up. For five days straight, I walked over 12,000 steps. By Monday, I was a total wreck. I could barely stand up straight. My back hurt, my stomach hurt, and my stress level was higher than a freed leaf blowing in a hurricane force wind.
We had asked for home health care because we knew I would have issues and need help, if only for an hour to get him sponged off and cleaned up. Carilion Home health care did not call though we were told they would. He came home Saturday and we still hadn't heard from them. On Sunday, an RN called and showed up to "sign us up," take his blood pressure, and leave. On Monday, a physical therapist came, looked him over, and then said, "There's nothing I can do for you. Your foot is in a splint and you're healing for an ankle fusion." Well duh. What was the point of that visit? To put more money on Carilion's pocket, that's all.
On Tuesday I called the Home Health people because they said to call if there was a certain issue, in particular no bowel movement, within three days. He hadn't had one since Friday, so I called. They were as helpful as a fart in a hail storm. I finally got that worked out and taken care of myself with some appropriate over-the-counter medication and a heating pad on his stomach.
Carilion Home Health Care never followed up.
He also on Tuesday called his doctor about his pain levels and his bowel issues, and to see how much Tylenol he could take because his pain medication was gone, and we've not heard a word from the doctor's office. Today is Wednesday and it's late afternoon as I write this.
By this time, I had of course sponge-bathed him several times and Tuesday night we'd gotten him in the shower and cleaned off. We did this without help or guidance or assistance, and I was shaking with pain when we were done, and up most of the night with it (though my husband doesn't know that).
This morning an occupational therapist came, and she was helpful. She offered pointers to help him bathe and take care of himself, taking some of the pressure off of me. Then she left, never to be seen again.
I despise Carilion with everything I have. I would rather take my last breath in my bedroom and die young than let a Carilion doctor cut on me. Or any doctor in Roanoke, for that matter. Let's face it. If you're an "A" doctor, you don't come to Roanoke to practice. You come to Roanoke because some great place like John Hopkins won't have you.
The only exception to that might be if you were born and raised here, like my own personal doctor (thankfully not affiliated with either of our two hospitals), or maybe you have family here or something. Otherwise, just on principal, a doctor practicing in Roanoke isn't an "A" list doctor, I don't care how many millions the Carilion CEO donates for cancer centers.
I will probably write more about this. Things happened during his surgery while I was in the waiting room that I would like to record.
But this is enough for now. Now you know. It ain't peaches and cream.
What's really been going on is this:
My husband on Friday had an ankle fusion at Carilion Roanoke Memorial.
 |
| Left foot is his normal big foot; right foot is his Frankenfoot. He has a steel plate and screws in it. |
He is off his pain meds and doing pretty well. He has a knee scooter and is moving about the house relatively easily now.
He is not in a cast yet. He will be non-weight bearing on his foot for 8 weeks. Yes, I said 8 weeks. That is a damn long time.
Last night we figured out how to get him in the shower. He smells better. And feels better. Showers can be wonderful things.
He is watching a lot of TV because he is not a reader. This would (and will) drive me crazy. I rarely have the TV on but now it is blaring away almost constantly.
And since this is my blog, and this my blog post, I am going to talk about how it feels to be me, a person with chronic pain issues and limited mobility, trying to deal with someone who is a foot taller than I am and who weighs more than I do and who is a stubborn-headed mule most of the time.
First off, none of this was easy on me. It has been hard watching my husband practically dragging his foot after him for a good 8 months because he was too damn stubborn to go to the doctor and have it taken care of. He would get up in the morning and his hands would flutter like the wings of a dying baby bird when he first put weight on his foot. He didn't think I saw but I did, of course.
Since March, I have nagged, bitched, pleaded, and cried to try to get him to go the doctor. He did not go until the end of September.
He scheduled this for the time when it suited him and he did not once think about when it suited me. I assure you, had he asked, I would have told him "now," back in the spring or summer, and not at the holidays. Not when I have to worry about snow and ice, and driving after dark (which I can't do well since I have a little cataract forming), and when it's cold you have to worry about coats and how the cows are going to be fed (we've found people to help, the cows will be fine). I would have suggested June or August or sometime like that, but he wanted to work because that is what he does. He works. That is who is he and all he knows and what he does.
So he has greatly inconvenienced me because it will be cold out, and I can't set him outside in the sunshine for a spell, nor decorate a Christmas tree because we have a hospital bed for him in the living room, or even cook a turkey because with my health issues I can't do that without some help. But none of that matters because at least he finally has had his surgery and hopefully in 12 weeks or so (may the goddess help me), he will be back on his feet and doing his man stuff.
It's just one holiday season. Of course, you never know, it could be my last holiday season. I could choke on a cashew in just a few minutes. Stranger things have happened. And I admit it, I am selfish and would have liked to have been consulted and had my needs taken into consideration.
But I wasn't and yes, I do resent that a little bit.
As for the last week, my pain levels has skyrocketed to highs I haven't seen in a couple of years, in part because Carilion sucks as a hospital. It's parking sucks and its set-up sucks and the way it does things sucks. As a healthcare facility, it sucks.
I had to walk and walk and I can't manage more than 7,500 steps without the pain in my abdomen acting up. For five days straight, I walked over 12,000 steps. By Monday, I was a total wreck. I could barely stand up straight. My back hurt, my stomach hurt, and my stress level was higher than a freed leaf blowing in a hurricane force wind.
We had asked for home health care because we knew I would have issues and need help, if only for an hour to get him sponged off and cleaned up. Carilion Home health care did not call though we were told they would. He came home Saturday and we still hadn't heard from them. On Sunday, an RN called and showed up to "sign us up," take his blood pressure, and leave. On Monday, a physical therapist came, looked him over, and then said, "There's nothing I can do for you. Your foot is in a splint and you're healing for an ankle fusion." Well duh. What was the point of that visit? To put more money on Carilion's pocket, that's all.
On Tuesday I called the Home Health people because they said to call if there was a certain issue, in particular no bowel movement, within three days. He hadn't had one since Friday, so I called. They were as helpful as a fart in a hail storm. I finally got that worked out and taken care of myself with some appropriate over-the-counter medication and a heating pad on his stomach.
Carilion Home Health Care never followed up.
He also on Tuesday called his doctor about his pain levels and his bowel issues, and to see how much Tylenol he could take because his pain medication was gone, and we've not heard a word from the doctor's office. Today is Wednesday and it's late afternoon as I write this.
By this time, I had of course sponge-bathed him several times and Tuesday night we'd gotten him in the shower and cleaned off. We did this without help or guidance or assistance, and I was shaking with pain when we were done, and up most of the night with it (though my husband doesn't know that).
This morning an occupational therapist came, and she was helpful. She offered pointers to help him bathe and take care of himself, taking some of the pressure off of me. Then she left, never to be seen again.
I despise Carilion with everything I have. I would rather take my last breath in my bedroom and die young than let a Carilion doctor cut on me. Or any doctor in Roanoke, for that matter. Let's face it. If you're an "A" doctor, you don't come to Roanoke to practice. You come to Roanoke because some great place like John Hopkins won't have you.
The only exception to that might be if you were born and raised here, like my own personal doctor (thankfully not affiliated with either of our two hospitals), or maybe you have family here or something. Otherwise, just on principal, a doctor practicing in Roanoke isn't an "A" list doctor, I don't care how many millions the Carilion CEO donates for cancer centers.
I will probably write more about this. Things happened during his surgery while I was in the waiting room that I would like to record.
But this is enough for now. Now you know. It ain't peaches and cream.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Losing More Trees
Thursday we lost more trees. The last of the blue spruce (dying of fungus) was removed along with some dead or dying bull pines.
I don't know what this machine is called. Some kind of excavator hoe or something.
This blue spruce was the last to catch the fungus that killed the others, and it was not as dead-looking as they were. However, the fungus weakens the trees at the roots, making them susceptible to blowing over.
I had thought we might keep this one a little longer but my husband decided it could fall into the garage roof.
The other trees were farther from the house, but all of these changes have certainly changed my line of sight. In some instances I don't mind the new view, but I do dislike the changes that leave me looking at my neighbor's homes.
We will plant something back in the spring.
I don't know what this machine is called. Some kind of excavator hoe or something.
This blue spruce was the last to catch the fungus that killed the others, and it was not as dead-looking as they were. However, the fungus weakens the trees at the roots, making them susceptible to blowing over.
I had thought we might keep this one a little longer but my husband decided it could fall into the garage roof.
The other trees were farther from the house, but all of these changes have certainly changed my line of sight. In some instances I don't mind the new view, but I do dislike the changes that leave me looking at my neighbor's homes.
We will plant something back in the spring.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing
1. You can breathe underwater or be able to fly. Which one would you choose and why?
A. I used to think I'd want to fly, but after seeing Jason Mamoa in Aquaman, maybe being underwater wouldn't be so bad. Hubba Hubba!
2. What's your go to order at a café?
A. A chicken salad sandwich and water.
3. Where do you feel the safest?
A. In my house.
4. What is the one book or book series you could reread without getting bored for the rest of time?
A. The Lord of the Rings
5. You will receive ten million dollars, but you need to spend one million dollars in 24 hours to receive the other nine million tax free (and you can’t tell anyone what you’re doing). What do you spend it on?
A. 200 acres of farmland @ $50,000 an acre. That's $1 million gone right there.
6. What was your favorite vacation to date?
A. I'm still waiting on that to happen.
7. Is there any scent that reminds you of a specific memory? What is the scent and what does it remind you of?
A. Chocolate chip cookies always makes me think of my grandmother.
8. What is your favorite TV series? Do you have just one or more?
A. Right now I like Supergirl. I also like some of the occasional series on HBO. I'm watching His Dark Materials; it is quite good.
9. They say that in life you need to try everything. Are there things you will never try?
A. Yes. Some things are blatantly idiotic so there is no need to try them.
10. If I ask you to close your eyes and remember a picture of you, what do you see ?
A. A girl in blue jeans with long hair and glasses, in the 7th grade.
11. What was your childhood bedroom like?
A. I had a white bed set with a canopy for a while. And a bean bag. And beads hanging in the doorway, along with an "I Am Me" poster. That's actually my teenager bedroom, I suppose.
12. Are you a GoodWill, or any second hand store customer?
A. No. Generally those stores smell very musty and the dust makes me sick.
13. How do you feel about the death penalty?
A. I do not believe in the death penalty. However, I also don't believe in giving someone a life sentence to sit in a cell. I think prisoners should work.
14. If you could live in any fictional world, where would it be?
A. At this point, I believe I need to go to Rivendell in Middle Earth and stay there a very long time.
15. Do you believe in ghosts/spirits & have you had any experiences with them?
A. There are things we don't know, and yes, I have had experiences with them. That is why I know we don't know.
__________
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.
1. You can breathe underwater or be able to fly. Which one would you choose and why?
A. I used to think I'd want to fly, but after seeing Jason Mamoa in Aquaman, maybe being underwater wouldn't be so bad. Hubba Hubba!
2. What's your go to order at a café?
A. A chicken salad sandwich and water.
3. Where do you feel the safest?
A. In my house.
4. What is the one book or book series you could reread without getting bored for the rest of time?
A. The Lord of the Rings
5. You will receive ten million dollars, but you need to spend one million dollars in 24 hours to receive the other nine million tax free (and you can’t tell anyone what you’re doing). What do you spend it on?
A. 200 acres of farmland @ $50,000 an acre. That's $1 million gone right there.
6. What was your favorite vacation to date?
A. I'm still waiting on that to happen.
7. Is there any scent that reminds you of a specific memory? What is the scent and what does it remind you of?
A. Chocolate chip cookies always makes me think of my grandmother.
8. What is your favorite TV series? Do you have just one or more?
A. Right now I like Supergirl. I also like some of the occasional series on HBO. I'm watching His Dark Materials; it is quite good.
9. They say that in life you need to try everything. Are there things you will never try?
A. Yes. Some things are blatantly idiotic so there is no need to try them.
10. If I ask you to close your eyes and remember a picture of you, what do you see ?
A. A girl in blue jeans with long hair and glasses, in the 7th grade.
11. What was your childhood bedroom like?
A. I had a white bed set with a canopy for a while. And a bean bag. And beads hanging in the doorway, along with an "I Am Me" poster. That's actually my teenager bedroom, I suppose.
12. Are you a GoodWill, or any second hand store customer?
A. No. Generally those stores smell very musty and the dust makes me sick.
13. How do you feel about the death penalty?
A. I do not believe in the death penalty. However, I also don't believe in giving someone a life sentence to sit in a cell. I think prisoners should work.
14. If you could live in any fictional world, where would it be?
A. At this point, I believe I need to go to Rivendell in Middle Earth and stay there a very long time.
15. Do you believe in ghosts/spirits & have you had any experiences with them?
A. There are things we don't know, and yes, I have had experiences with them. That is why I know we don't know.
__________
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, November 23, 2019
Saturday 9: Enough is Enough
Saturday 9: No More Tears (Enough is Enough)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This lyrics use weather as metaphor for romance. Here at Saturday 9, we're more literal. How do the skies look where you are this morning?
A. As I write this, it is mostly cloudy with a few breaks of blue sky. The air is dry and it's a bit chilly.
2) According to Merriam-Webster, "enough is enough" is what you say when you want something to stop because you "can no longer accept or deal with it." When did you recently say -- out loud or to yourself -- "enough is enough."
A. Mostly I say this to myself, and it would mostly concern my husband and whatever he happens to be into. Lately he's been trying to fulfill a 35-year-long honey-do list, and while it's good he's getting some of these things done, he's overdoing it with the catch-up phase.
3) Grammy winner Luther Vandross began his career as a background singer and performed on "No More Tears." Tell us about one of your early jobs.
A. I worked as a "parts manager" for a tool and machine shop when I was out of high school. I sold parts for things like Coats tire changers and welders. There were four other women there and everyone else was male. It was dirty and not my thing, and I lasted there about 18 months.
4) Both Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand made slight changes to their first names. Summer was christened "LaDonna," while Streisand's parents spelled her name the more conventional "Barbara." When she was in high school, meme mistress Samantha Winters went from "Sammy" to "Sam." Did you ever make a similar change to your first name?
A. I had a family nickname that I dropped in the second grade, at the insistence of my teacher. Some people still call me by that name but most honor my request to use my formal name.
5) Hair was higher maintenance in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Streisand and Summer are both sporting styles that would require chemical treatment, like a perm or relaxer. Today's looks are less rigidly styled and tend to be smoother or slightly messy. How often do you change your look?
A. Not very. I did the perm thing in the late 1980s and I have hopefully destroyed every photo of myself from that time period.
6) In 1979, it seems every kid was asking Santa for Star Wars toys. Some things don't change, since the Star Wars franchise remains popular with children and toymakers after more than 40 years. What book or toy did you love as a child that remains popular today?
A. Slinky. I always loved a Slinky. Although I don't know if they are still popular today. I certainly haven't seen a commercial for one.
7) Thinking of things that endure . . . In 1979, the #1 show in the ratings was 60 Minutes. It's still on, every Sunday night, and in the summer of 2019 it came in at #4 in the Nielsen ratings. What's the most recent show you watched? Was it news, sports or entertainment?
A. Entertainment.
8) In 1979, the price for a dozen eggs averaged 85¢. Today, it's about twice that. Are you more likely to use eggs to prepare a main course (like an omelet or Eggs Benedict) or as part of a recipe (anything from a cake to a meatloaf)?
A. I usually scramble eggs for breakfast, or use them in recipes.
9) Random question: You’re alone in your car, driving through your neighborhood on a bright, sunny day. You get a flat tire. You have a spare and a jack in your trunk. Would you fix it yourself or call for help?
I would call for help (and by that I mean husband, brother, father, cousin, nephew) and then try to fix it myself. I know how to do it, I'm just not sure I would have the strength to make the jack work.
______________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This lyrics use weather as metaphor for romance. Here at Saturday 9, we're more literal. How do the skies look where you are this morning?
A. As I write this, it is mostly cloudy with a few breaks of blue sky. The air is dry and it's a bit chilly.
2) According to Merriam-Webster, "enough is enough" is what you say when you want something to stop because you "can no longer accept or deal with it." When did you recently say -- out loud or to yourself -- "enough is enough."
A. Mostly I say this to myself, and it would mostly concern my husband and whatever he happens to be into. Lately he's been trying to fulfill a 35-year-long honey-do list, and while it's good he's getting some of these things done, he's overdoing it with the catch-up phase.
3) Grammy winner Luther Vandross began his career as a background singer and performed on "No More Tears." Tell us about one of your early jobs.
A. I worked as a "parts manager" for a tool and machine shop when I was out of high school. I sold parts for things like Coats tire changers and welders. There were four other women there and everyone else was male. It was dirty and not my thing, and I lasted there about 18 months.
4) Both Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand made slight changes to their first names. Summer was christened "LaDonna," while Streisand's parents spelled her name the more conventional "Barbara." When she was in high school, meme mistress Samantha Winters went from "Sammy" to "Sam." Did you ever make a similar change to your first name?
A. I had a family nickname that I dropped in the second grade, at the insistence of my teacher. Some people still call me by that name but most honor my request to use my formal name.
5) Hair was higher maintenance in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Streisand and Summer are both sporting styles that would require chemical treatment, like a perm or relaxer. Today's looks are less rigidly styled and tend to be smoother or slightly messy. How often do you change your look?
A. Not very. I did the perm thing in the late 1980s and I have hopefully destroyed every photo of myself from that time period.
6) In 1979, it seems every kid was asking Santa for Star Wars toys. Some things don't change, since the Star Wars franchise remains popular with children and toymakers after more than 40 years. What book or toy did you love as a child that remains popular today?
A. Slinky. I always loved a Slinky. Although I don't know if they are still popular today. I certainly haven't seen a commercial for one.
7) Thinking of things that endure . . . In 1979, the #1 show in the ratings was 60 Minutes. It's still on, every Sunday night, and in the summer of 2019 it came in at #4 in the Nielsen ratings. What's the most recent show you watched? Was it news, sports or entertainment?
A. Entertainment.
8) In 1979, the price for a dozen eggs averaged 85¢. Today, it's about twice that. Are you more likely to use eggs to prepare a main course (like an omelet or Eggs Benedict) or as part of a recipe (anything from a cake to a meatloaf)?
A. I usually scramble eggs for breakfast, or use them in recipes.
9) Random question: You’re alone in your car, driving through your neighborhood on a bright, sunny day. You get a flat tire. You have a spare and a jack in your trunk. Would you fix it yourself or call for help?
I would call for help (and by that I mean husband, brother, father, cousin, nephew) and then try to fix it myself. I know how to do it, I'm just not sure I would have the strength to make the jack work.
______________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Thursday Thirteen
Thirteen random thoughts from a book called Shift Your Thinking, by Dean Del Sesto.
1. Wisdom is saying enough to prove your point, not your existence.
2. Stress is a choice. (Really?)
3. The thirst for knowledge is a good thing until it starves life.
4. Trying to quit something before you have something else to replace it with is futile.
5. Matters left incomplete leave you and others feeling incomplete.
6. Do you have integrity, or selective virtue?
7. Encouragement has the unique ability to improve everything in a matter of seconds.
8. Move at the pace of appreciation.
9. Life gets really interesting when the acronyms are after you!
10. Let's not kid ourselves . . . the skeletons in our closets have a heartbeat . . . ours!
11. To be anxious is to wait longer.
12. Don't confuse being a visionary with the ability to bring forth a vision.
13. We fear what we're unwilling to manage.
What do you think? Are these true, false, or somewhere in between?
_______________
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 631st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
1. Wisdom is saying enough to prove your point, not your existence.
2. Stress is a choice. (Really?)
3. The thirst for knowledge is a good thing until it starves life.
4. Trying to quit something before you have something else to replace it with is futile.
5. Matters left incomplete leave you and others feeling incomplete.
6. Do you have integrity, or selective virtue?
7. Encouragement has the unique ability to improve everything in a matter of seconds.
8. Move at the pace of appreciation.
9. Life gets really interesting when the acronyms are after you!
10. Let's not kid ourselves . . . the skeletons in our closets have a heartbeat . . . ours!
11. To be anxious is to wait longer.
12. Don't confuse being a visionary with the ability to bring forth a vision.
13. We fear what we're unwilling to manage.
What do you think? Are these true, false, or somewhere in between?
_______________
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 631st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
The Promise of a Rainbow
Yesterday on the way home, after spending a rainy day in the city, the sky cleared and a rainbow appeared.
The rainbow and landscape was prettier a ways back down the road, but my husband, even after all these years, has yet to figure out that, "I want to take a picture of that," means, "Stop the car," until I actually say to him, "Stop the car!" By then it is usually too late. (If I just say, "Stop the car," he panics and thinks something is wrong, so I cannot win this one.)
Oh well.
Yesterday we spent most of the afternoon at the Breast Care Center. I had a call back on a mammogram and this was the date they scheduled for the two-hour re-do and sonogram. Turns out I have cysts, so nothing to worry about, but it was not exactly how I wanted to spend my 36th wedding anniversary.
We went to lunch before the exam visit, so we did not go out to dinner.
Consider this a reminder to do your self-exam checks and your check-ups and all of that stuff that women (and men) need to do to stay healthy. You just never know what really is at the end of that rainbow.
The rainbow and landscape was prettier a ways back down the road, but my husband, even after all these years, has yet to figure out that, "I want to take a picture of that," means, "Stop the car," until I actually say to him, "Stop the car!" By then it is usually too late. (If I just say, "Stop the car," he panics and thinks something is wrong, so I cannot win this one.)
Oh well.
Yesterday we spent most of the afternoon at the Breast Care Center. I had a call back on a mammogram and this was the date they scheduled for the two-hour re-do and sonogram. Turns out I have cysts, so nothing to worry about, but it was not exactly how I wanted to spend my 36th wedding anniversary.
We went to lunch before the exam visit, so we did not go out to dinner.
Consider this a reminder to do your self-exam checks and your check-ups and all of that stuff that women (and men) need to do to stay healthy. You just never know what really is at the end of that rainbow.
Monday, November 18, 2019
36 Years
Today is my anniversary. We've been married for 36 years.
That's a very long time.
We have grown old together, though it doesn't seem like 36 years. That's a lot of time together and adventures with one another.
Big events? Building a house. Multiple surgeries for me. My mother's death, his father's passing. The birth of nephews and a niece. Promotions for him, college degrees for me. His hand getting caught in the hay baler tends to stand out as a an unforgettable moment. Vacations in Myrtle Beach (most of them), Pigeon Forge, the Poconos, Charlottesville, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg.
The stuff of lives.
We've done all right.
That's a very long time.
We have grown old together, though it doesn't seem like 36 years. That's a lot of time together and adventures with one another.
Here we are a couple of years ago. Actually I think almost 9 years ago, now. Sheesh.
Here we were 36 years ago. Yes, I would say we have aged. Oh my. (I have always liked his smile in this picture. He looks like the cat who ate the canary.)
Big events? Building a house. Multiple surgeries for me. My mother's death, his father's passing. The birth of nephews and a niece. Promotions for him, college degrees for me. His hand getting caught in the hay baler tends to stand out as a an unforgettable moment. Vacations in Myrtle Beach (most of them), Pigeon Forge, the Poconos, Charlottesville, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg.
The stuff of lives.
We've done all right.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing
1) What is your favorite TV show (currently)?
A. Supergirl. I know, I know. But it's a good show. Lots of morality in the storyline, and it touches on many contemporary issues and concerns.
2) Would you like to be a child again?
A. Hell no.
3) Has anyone ever told you that school times were the best period of his/her life? Would you say that to someone? Why?
A. Yes, people have told me school was a good time of life. I think more people find that true of college than the lower grades, though. I would not say that school was the best time of my life. I have enjoyed adulthood more than childhood. Childhood was hard.
4) How's the weather?
A. Overcast, cold, and gray.
5) Do you like camping?
A. Not particularly. I haven't been since I was a child.
6) Do you believe in paranormal phenomena?
A. I think there are things that go on in this world that we have not yet learned to comprehend or understand, yes.
7) If you would create a holiday, what would it be called and how would we celebrate it? When would this holiday be?
A. National Musical Day! And everywhere you went, people had to break out in song and dance. At the checkouts, in the office, etc. People would just sing and dance all day. For example, "Oh it's time now to write my blog! I must say, it looks like smog! Oh dear, I must say, that regulations should have been here to stay!" And then dance on top of the desk.
8) What word(s) do you dislike? Can you tell why?
A. Evil. I don't use this word and I don't like it. I think it is used incorrectly and should be reserved for only the most vile of actions, like hacking someone to pieces and eating them or something. Stealing isn't evil, for example. It's just wrong.
9) What color do you dislike? What do you associate with it?
A. I am not a fan of orange. It makes me look horrid, for one thing. I associate it with Halloween, but I like Halloween.
10) Do you believe in otherworldly creatures, eg. ghosts, etc.?
A. Isn't that the same as question #6? Same answer.
11) Pick two of your favourite fictional characters. Where are they from (what movie, book, etc?) and why are they your favorite?
A. Aragorn, from Lord of the Rings. He embodies good, strength, and virtue. Kinsey Milhone from Sue Grafton's Alphabet mysteries series. She embodies curiosity, inquisitiveness, and female power.
12) If you could change anything or add anything to your body would you? (this can be interpreted however, but, think, would you like to have fins or extra hands?)
A. I'd be thin and not fat and I'd make the sick parts healthy. I'm not interested in interchangeable body parts.
13) What are some family traditions you have/had growing up? Do you still continue them, if yes, why, if no, why not?
A. We always went to my grandmother's for the holidays. We stopped doing that after we became adults. My mother still went, but I had in-laws and such after I married.
14) What do you think of tattoos? Do you have any?
A. I don't think about tattoos very often, but to each his/her own. I do not have any.
15) What is the most disgusting habit some people have?
A. Smoking. I think that is a horrible habit because it forces itself upon other people (who must inhale the smoke if they're nearby).
16) If you could bring back one TV show that was cancelled, which would it be?
A. Cagney and Lacey.
17) What was the most unsettling film you have ever seen?
A. A Clockwork Orange is tied with Rosemary's Baby.
18) What book has impacted you the most?
A. The Chicago Manual of Style. (Wasn't expecting that one, were you?), Becoming a Writer, by Dorothea Brande, and If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland.
19) You're on Death Row and get one final meal: What is that meal and why do you choose it?
A. Chocolate cake, brownies, chocolate covered cherries, chocolate pudding, and a cherry. Why not? I'm going to be dead soon anyway. My triglyceride levels won't matter anymore.
20) What is the first profession you remember wanting to become as a child?
A. I wanted to be a geologist or an archeologist at one time, I think before I knew that writing was a profession. I collected rocks for a while but lost interest after I socked a pile of them away in a hole near the creek and then could never find them again. Somewhere there is a pile of quartz rock, if the water didn't wash it away.
__________
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.
1) What is your favorite TV show (currently)?
A. Supergirl. I know, I know. But it's a good show. Lots of morality in the storyline, and it touches on many contemporary issues and concerns.
2) Would you like to be a child again?
A. Hell no.
3) Has anyone ever told you that school times were the best period of his/her life? Would you say that to someone? Why?
A. Yes, people have told me school was a good time of life. I think more people find that true of college than the lower grades, though. I would not say that school was the best time of my life. I have enjoyed adulthood more than childhood. Childhood was hard.
4) How's the weather?
A. Overcast, cold, and gray.
5) Do you like camping?
A. Not particularly. I haven't been since I was a child.
6) Do you believe in paranormal phenomena?
A. I think there are things that go on in this world that we have not yet learned to comprehend or understand, yes.
7) If you would create a holiday, what would it be called and how would we celebrate it? When would this holiday be?
A. National Musical Day! And everywhere you went, people had to break out in song and dance. At the checkouts, in the office, etc. People would just sing and dance all day. For example, "Oh it's time now to write my blog! I must say, it looks like smog! Oh dear, I must say, that regulations should have been here to stay!" And then dance on top of the desk.
8) What word(s) do you dislike? Can you tell why?
A. Evil. I don't use this word and I don't like it. I think it is used incorrectly and should be reserved for only the most vile of actions, like hacking someone to pieces and eating them or something. Stealing isn't evil, for example. It's just wrong.
9) What color do you dislike? What do you associate with it?
A. I am not a fan of orange. It makes me look horrid, for one thing. I associate it with Halloween, but I like Halloween.
10) Do you believe in otherworldly creatures, eg. ghosts, etc.?
A. Isn't that the same as question #6? Same answer.
11) Pick two of your favourite fictional characters. Where are they from (what movie, book, etc?) and why are they your favorite?
A. Aragorn, from Lord of the Rings. He embodies good, strength, and virtue. Kinsey Milhone from Sue Grafton's Alphabet mysteries series. She embodies curiosity, inquisitiveness, and female power.
12) If you could change anything or add anything to your body would you? (this can be interpreted however, but, think, would you like to have fins or extra hands?)
A. I'd be thin and not fat and I'd make the sick parts healthy. I'm not interested in interchangeable body parts.
13) What are some family traditions you have/had growing up? Do you still continue them, if yes, why, if no, why not?
A. We always went to my grandmother's for the holidays. We stopped doing that after we became adults. My mother still went, but I had in-laws and such after I married.
14) What do you think of tattoos? Do you have any?
A. I don't think about tattoos very often, but to each his/her own. I do not have any.
15) What is the most disgusting habit some people have?
A. Smoking. I think that is a horrible habit because it forces itself upon other people (who must inhale the smoke if they're nearby).
16) If you could bring back one TV show that was cancelled, which would it be?
A. Cagney and Lacey.
17) What was the most unsettling film you have ever seen?
A. A Clockwork Orange is tied with Rosemary's Baby.
18) What book has impacted you the most?
A. The Chicago Manual of Style. (Wasn't expecting that one, were you?), Becoming a Writer, by Dorothea Brande, and If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland.
19) You're on Death Row and get one final meal: What is that meal and why do you choose it?
A. Chocolate cake, brownies, chocolate covered cherries, chocolate pudding, and a cherry. Why not? I'm going to be dead soon anyway. My triglyceride levels won't matter anymore.
20) What is the first profession you remember wanting to become as a child?
A. I wanted to be a geologist or an archeologist at one time, I think before I knew that writing was a profession. I collected rocks for a while but lost interest after I socked a pile of them away in a hole near the creek and then could never find them again. Somewhere there is a pile of quartz rock, if the water didn't wash it away.
__________
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, November 16, 2019
Saturday 9: Judy Garland
Saturday 9: Judy Garland
Today's meme is a list of Judy Garland songs that she sang at Carnegie Hall.
Song #1: "When You're Smiling." What made you smile this week?
A. The Cella's chocolate covered cherries are on the shelves at the stores. Yay.
Song #2: "Almost Like Being in Love." We've all had many crushes, but love is rare. How many times have you fallen in love?
A. Just once for the go-get married kind of love. That said, I love a lot of people. My brother, my father, my mother-in-law and other in-laws, my niece and nephews, and a multitude of friends.
Song #3: "This Can't Be Love." This Rodgers and Hart song was introduced in the play, The Boys from Syracuse. Syracuse is the county seat of Onondaga County, NY. What county do you hail from?
A. Botetourt. Our county seat is Fincastle.
Song #4: "Do It Again." What's something you'd do again, if only you had the time or money? (A book you'd like to reread, a recipe or pattern you'd like to make again, a vacation destination you'd like to revisit, etc.)
A. I am watching His Dark Materials on HBO; I read the books about 15 years ago. I would like to reread them. I also would like a very long vacation to someplace I've never been. Maybe to Texas to spend time with my aunt or something, I don't know.
Song #5: "You Go to My Head." Judy forgets the lyrics, but gamely keeps going. Tell us about a recent moment when you chose to keep going, no matter what.
A. When the doctors told me my belly was full of scar tissue, and that it had invaded my abdominal muscles creating a constant pain loop of cramping, my options were to stay in bed all the time or try to work the scar tissue out. I chose the latter and have been in physical therapy off and on now for six years, trying to keep moving. Some days are harder than others. It's pretty much a choice every day as to whether I get up or not. I almost always get up, but it's still a choice.
Song #6: "Alone Together." Is anyone there with you as you answer these questions, or are you alone?
A. I'm alone in the room, but my husband and his helper are on the roof putting sealant on the chimney in hopes of keeping it from leaking while husband is home recuperating from his surgery that is scheduled for late next week (may the Force be with me).
Song #7: "Who Cares?" This song was written by brothers George and Ira Gershwin. They had a lesser known brother, stockbroker Arthur. Are you more creative and artistic, like George and Ira? Or more analytical and methodical, like Arthur?
A. I tend to be a combination, I think, although I lean toward creative. However, I can also analyze a situation and sum it up well. That is what made me a good reporter, lo those many years ago.
Song #8: "Puttin' on the Ritz." Judy sings that The Ritz is the place in New York "where fashion sits." If we wanted to see everyone "all gussied up" in your town, where would we go?
A. Hotel Roanoke, I suppose, when they were having some kind of event. This is not exactly a tuxedo kind of town. I know the upper crust have symphonies and things are the art museum and a few other places, but little ol' people like me don't attend those, generally.
Song #9: "How Long Has This Been Going On?" Judy sings about discovering how glorious romance can be. Have you made any new discoveries lately? It doesn't have to be as groundbreaking as Judy's. A new podcast or a faster route to work counts, too.
A. I have discovered that I really like the electric guitar better than the acoustic for a lot of songs and for practicing. For a long time I couldn't lift my electric guitar and then back in September I found a lightweight one and purchased it, and while it is still heavier than my small acoustic, I can manage it.
If you're wondering why there are no Garland hits here . . . these are her first numbers in the order that she performed them. She saved her better-known songs for the end of concert. Who am I to second guess Judy?
______________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Today's meme is a list of Judy Garland songs that she sang at Carnegie Hall.
Song #1: "When You're Smiling." What made you smile this week?
A. The Cella's chocolate covered cherries are on the shelves at the stores. Yay.
Song #2: "Almost Like Being in Love." We've all had many crushes, but love is rare. How many times have you fallen in love?
A. Just once for the go-get married kind of love. That said, I love a lot of people. My brother, my father, my mother-in-law and other in-laws, my niece and nephews, and a multitude of friends.
Song #3: "This Can't Be Love." This Rodgers and Hart song was introduced in the play, The Boys from Syracuse. Syracuse is the county seat of Onondaga County, NY. What county do you hail from?
A. Botetourt. Our county seat is Fincastle.
Song #4: "Do It Again." What's something you'd do again, if only you had the time or money? (A book you'd like to reread, a recipe or pattern you'd like to make again, a vacation destination you'd like to revisit, etc.)
A. I am watching His Dark Materials on HBO; I read the books about 15 years ago. I would like to reread them. I also would like a very long vacation to someplace I've never been. Maybe to Texas to spend time with my aunt or something, I don't know.
Song #5: "You Go to My Head." Judy forgets the lyrics, but gamely keeps going. Tell us about a recent moment when you chose to keep going, no matter what.
A. When the doctors told me my belly was full of scar tissue, and that it had invaded my abdominal muscles creating a constant pain loop of cramping, my options were to stay in bed all the time or try to work the scar tissue out. I chose the latter and have been in physical therapy off and on now for six years, trying to keep moving. Some days are harder than others. It's pretty much a choice every day as to whether I get up or not. I almost always get up, but it's still a choice.
Song #6: "Alone Together." Is anyone there with you as you answer these questions, or are you alone?
A. I'm alone in the room, but my husband and his helper are on the roof putting sealant on the chimney in hopes of keeping it from leaking while husband is home recuperating from his surgery that is scheduled for late next week (may the Force be with me).
Song #7: "Who Cares?" This song was written by brothers George and Ira Gershwin. They had a lesser known brother, stockbroker Arthur. Are you more creative and artistic, like George and Ira? Or more analytical and methodical, like Arthur?
A. I tend to be a combination, I think, although I lean toward creative. However, I can also analyze a situation and sum it up well. That is what made me a good reporter, lo those many years ago.
Song #8: "Puttin' on the Ritz." Judy sings that The Ritz is the place in New York "where fashion sits." If we wanted to see everyone "all gussied up" in your town, where would we go?
A. Hotel Roanoke, I suppose, when they were having some kind of event. This is not exactly a tuxedo kind of town. I know the upper crust have symphonies and things are the art museum and a few other places, but little ol' people like me don't attend those, generally.
Song #9: "How Long Has This Been Going On?" Judy sings about discovering how glorious romance can be. Have you made any new discoveries lately? It doesn't have to be as groundbreaking as Judy's. A new podcast or a faster route to work counts, too.
A. I have discovered that I really like the electric guitar better than the acoustic for a lot of songs and for practicing. For a long time I couldn't lift my electric guitar and then back in September I found a lightweight one and purchased it, and while it is still heavier than my small acoustic, I can manage it.
If you're wondering why there are no Garland hits here . . . these are her first numbers in the order that she performed them. She saved her better-known songs for the end of concert. Who am I to second guess Judy?
______________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Big Girls Don't Cry
All I want to note here is that Hillary Clinton went through hours of testimony and BS for Benghazi and her email fiasco and who knows what else, and the lady from Ukraine testified this morning, even as #45 sent intimidating tweets during the hours she was in the chair, and neither one of them cried, or sobbed, or said anything remotely hysterical.
Feeling intimidated because the President of the United States tweets about you as you testify seems a perfectly logical feeling to me. And it was said with a little bit of exasperation and astonishment.
But not hysteria.
And then there was Bret Kavanaugh, who slobbered all over himself.
"They" say women are too hysterical to lead or rule.
Actions speak louder than words, ladies and gentlemen. And it is not the women who dissolve into tears in the political arena.
Feeling intimidated because the President of the United States tweets about you as you testify seems a perfectly logical feeling to me. And it was said with a little bit of exasperation and astonishment.
But not hysteria.
And then there was Bret Kavanaugh, who slobbered all over himself.
"They" say women are too hysterical to lead or rule.
Actions speak louder than words, ladies and gentlemen. And it is not the women who dissolve into tears in the political arena.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Thursday Thirteen #630
1. Someone called me a perfectionist. Moi? Yes. I am one of those people. I try to get everything right. It's exhausting.
2. Funny thing, though. I've decided that there really is no right or wrong about many things. There are only a few absolutes. You shouldn't kill people, for one. I consider that an absolute. You should be nice. While I consider that an absolute, I strongly suspect most people disagree with that one.
3. Cold weather brings out the worst in me, I think. I'm not a fan.
4. I also am not a fan of super hot days. Virginia used to have two seasons that suited me: spring and fall. But those two seasons seems to be vanishing as we go from summer to winter and back to summer again in quick succession.
5. This has been a busy week. Lots of errands and running around. I need downtime. I'm an introvert. Books and pillows are my friends.
6. I skip over the politics a lot of Facebook. I'd much rather read the pages from NASA or Atlas Obscura. Something slightly educational.
7. I received a letter from my insurance company that one of my medications, Synthroid, which is used for thyroid issues, was now a "step" drug. That means I have to try the generic first. I did that back in May and it did not go well. I have asked my doctor to step in and see if that can count as my "step" so I can stay on the brand name. FYI, this drug used to cost me about $3.00. Now it costs me $56 and according to the label, my insurance saves me another $48. How can a drug this old cost so much to make? What caused this inflation of price? I have many friends on this drug and not a single one can take the generic. There is something wrong with the generic.
8. Actually, there is something wrong with a lot of generics. Think about recent recalls. That's only a little bit of what is really going on. I have trouble sometimes with my medications when my pharmacy swaps one generic brand for another. Not even the generics work the same from company to company. My doctor believes me - she can see it in my bloodwork! But the pharmacists all say, "Oh, it's all the same." Like I'm imagining it or something. I have a good imagination, but come on.
9. Last night on Survivor, a show I watch and don't know why, there was a big issue about sexual harassment and inappropriate touch. I thought it quite informative, not only in the producer's reaction, (steps were taken to mitigate) but also in the reaction of women of various ages. Older women bristled and took umbrage and one tried to protect the younger women, who had complained to her about this one fellow. But after it became an issue, the younger women brushed it off, as if the inappropriate touch was nothing. Inappropriate touch is never nothing, but we as women are taught to ignore it or to pull it inside. Now that I am older, I don't take that kind of crap off of anyone. But we need to teach our daughters better about how to stand up for themselves, and how to say that big nasty word, NO.
10. No is one of the first words we learn, and it's pretty much the same in all languages, but it so very hard to say.
11. My husband shot his deer earlier in the week, during the muzzleloader season, so he will go into surgery for his ankle satisfied that he's put meat in the freezer. I don't know why that matters to him as I won't eat it, but there you go. A freezer full of deer meat.
12. I have not purchased the first Christmas present. I guess I need to get to it.
13. Maybe I could give people deer meat.
________________
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 630th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
2. Funny thing, though. I've decided that there really is no right or wrong about many things. There are only a few absolutes. You shouldn't kill people, for one. I consider that an absolute. You should be nice. While I consider that an absolute, I strongly suspect most people disagree with that one.
3. Cold weather brings out the worst in me, I think. I'm not a fan.
4. I also am not a fan of super hot days. Virginia used to have two seasons that suited me: spring and fall. But those two seasons seems to be vanishing as we go from summer to winter and back to summer again in quick succession.
5. This has been a busy week. Lots of errands and running around. I need downtime. I'm an introvert. Books and pillows are my friends.
6. I skip over the politics a lot of Facebook. I'd much rather read the pages from NASA or Atlas Obscura. Something slightly educational.
7. I received a letter from my insurance company that one of my medications, Synthroid, which is used for thyroid issues, was now a "step" drug. That means I have to try the generic first. I did that back in May and it did not go well. I have asked my doctor to step in and see if that can count as my "step" so I can stay on the brand name. FYI, this drug used to cost me about $3.00. Now it costs me $56 and according to the label, my insurance saves me another $48. How can a drug this old cost so much to make? What caused this inflation of price? I have many friends on this drug and not a single one can take the generic. There is something wrong with the generic.
8. Actually, there is something wrong with a lot of generics. Think about recent recalls. That's only a little bit of what is really going on. I have trouble sometimes with my medications when my pharmacy swaps one generic brand for another. Not even the generics work the same from company to company. My doctor believes me - she can see it in my bloodwork! But the pharmacists all say, "Oh, it's all the same." Like I'm imagining it or something. I have a good imagination, but come on.
9. Last night on Survivor, a show I watch and don't know why, there was a big issue about sexual harassment and inappropriate touch. I thought it quite informative, not only in the producer's reaction, (steps were taken to mitigate) but also in the reaction of women of various ages. Older women bristled and took umbrage and one tried to protect the younger women, who had complained to her about this one fellow. But after it became an issue, the younger women brushed it off, as if the inappropriate touch was nothing. Inappropriate touch is never nothing, but we as women are taught to ignore it or to pull it inside. Now that I am older, I don't take that kind of crap off of anyone. But we need to teach our daughters better about how to stand up for themselves, and how to say that big nasty word, NO.
10. No is one of the first words we learn, and it's pretty much the same in all languages, but it so very hard to say.
11. My husband shot his deer earlier in the week, during the muzzleloader season, so he will go into surgery for his ankle satisfied that he's put meat in the freezer. I don't know why that matters to him as I won't eat it, but there you go. A freezer full of deer meat.
12. I have not purchased the first Christmas present. I guess I need to get to it.
13. Maybe I could give people deer meat.
________________
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 630th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
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