MelaniePenelope

Saturday 9: Rapid Roy

Welcome, welcome, one and all! (all two of you)

I guess I'll just be popping in and out irregularly. Miss y'all, though.

I don't know why I don't know much the music of Jim Croce. I mean, is this the era of James Taylor, Joan Baez, and Carole King, et al.? And if I do know a song, I wouldn't necessarily know to attribute it to him. I'm not even sure how to pronounce his surname. Is it "CRO-chee"?

Anyway, let's go:

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Saturday 9: Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy) 1972

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

 

1) The lyrics tell us that every Sunday afternoon we can find Roy at the racetrack. What are your plans for Sunday?

 

 

I wanted to go out to a park we haven't visited yet, but it'll be too cold for me tolerate (pain), so we'll stay in. Hopefully I'll paint some and finally convince Hubs to hang at least one shelf. Cross your fingers.

 

2) Roy is fearless behind the wheel of his '57 Chevrolet. But it's just natural to feel fear every now and again. What scares you?

 

 

I've got all four of these, and:

 

 

At least half of these.

 

So I'm constantly losing my balance, constantly feel like I'm on a swing or a rocking boat or something, constantly having one or both ears suddenly plug up, followed by a "screaming" tinnitus. I know I now have Neurologic Lyme Disease. And my neurologist has yet to see me for it, respond to my messages about it, acknowledge it at all. She even keeps moving my appointments later in the year. So to answer: I'm afraid my entire brain is going to be claimed by disease before anybody pays attention to my calls for help.

  

3) Roy's been photographed grinning with a toothpick in his mouth. Do you often use toothpicks? If so, do you carry them with you?

 

 

I used to use a lot of regular wooden toothpicks. But with everything else, I had an interest in reducing my carbon footprint, finding something reusable, and even saving a few pennies in the process. So I found these, which do the trick. And I clip one onto my purse zipper with that ring, so I always have one.

 

4) Legend has it Roy learned to drive fast when he ran moonshine out of Alabama. Moonshine usually refers to illegally produced whiskey. What was the last alcoholic beverage you drank?

 

 

I very rarely drink. I had a mai tai from a local restaurant about 9 (?) months ago. It was awful; I  had one sip and gave it to Rob. Usually I love a mai tai, but since I'm not supposed to drink anyway (medication cocktail supersedes alcohol cocktail; boring but eh), not a huge loss.

5) This week's featured artist, Jim Croce, attended Villanova University, where he played in a band that performed at fraternity parties. When his band was chosen to tour Africa as part of a cultural exchange program, he was excited to learn his host countries' customs. Have you ever traveled overseas? What did your trip teach you?

 

La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, by Antoni Gaudí

P|C Me, June 2008^©

 

Among many other things, I learned that Europe is far more interesting than the United States. So we set up democracy, we have capitalism, and all that. That is not the be-all and end-all of human existence. There is so much life over there. Amazing architecture. Fantastic art. Incredible food. Lovely people, oh my gosh. I could go on and on. We almost moved to Portugal instead of here. That would have been...the be-all.

 

Oh, also, I learned that when we finished our cruise in Madrid and had to get around by ourselves to find a hotel for the night, my Spanish was still pretty sparkly-shiny. I got it done.

 

6) Jim met his future wife, Ingrid, at a party. They discovered that they both loved Joan Baez and Woody Guthrie. Tell us about one of your friends, and what you two bonded over.

 

Well, I have one good friend, Stephanie, who actually kept our kids for the two weeks or so that we were in Europe way back when. Originally, and for a long time, she was our kids' babysitter when we needed one for my gigs. But she loved our kids, and kids in general, so we bonded over that, firstly. Then I started taking her with me on some of my gigs, then our family started hanging out with Steph and her husband, and eventually, she had a son of her own. And now there are four! She's an amazing mama.

 

7) Early in their marriage, while Jim was working hard to launch his music career, Ingrid helped make ends meet by baking bread and canning fruits and vegetables. Do you have any frugal cooking tips or "cheap eats" recipes to share?

 

 

Yes. I would say, if you're going on any kind of road trip, pack a cooler and a dry bag as much you can with food for each person in the car, for however many days you can. You can save so much money over stopping at a trillion convenience stores and fast food restaurants.

8) In 1972, Mark Spitz became a sensation, winning seven Gold Medals for swimming. After making money in endorsements and TV appearances, he settled into a career as a realtor in Los Angeles. Are you contemplating a change in residence anytime soon?

 

 

OMG, noooo... We all agree: no more moving! This is the LAST house we buy. (We bought our house on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in August.)

9) Random question: Which of these "top ten" lists would you prefer to be on -- the sexiest, the smartest or the richest?

I think I'd prefer to be among their ranks. Ten out of ten times.

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Well, that was fun. Thanks, Sam! Thanks to all who might stop by!

Fin.

Saturday 9: Moody Blue

Hello, weekend friends. I deserted you again, yes, for health reasons. Ugh. Let's jump right in. For 9 interesting questions jumping off from Elvis' "Moody Blue," link up with Saturday 9 HERE.

And here we go:

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Saturday 9: Moody Blue (1977)

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

1) This song was recorded in the special studio Elvis had built in the Jungle Room of Graceland. During the pandemic, have you made like Elvis and worked from home?

No longer applicable to me. I used to do various things to have multiple streams of income, but my health has depleted my ability to do any of that now.

2) Elvis sings that his girl is completely unpredictable. Which quality to you find more attractive: spontaneity or dependability?

Oddly enough, I find myself choosing "dependability." I suppose that was always what the answer was all along, but with me being Bipolar 1, when mania struck, I've always begged for a bit of spontaneity from everyone else, too. What, it's 4 in the morning? So? And?

3) He only performed the song once in concert. In February 1977, shortly after the record was released, Elvis sang "Moody Blue" live in Charlotte, NC, but had to rely on lyric sheet. Crazy Sam can sympathize because she seems to forget passwords as soon as she sets them. Do you often struggle with your memory?

I do, and it's killing me. I never did struggle, but now I seem to have no memory at all. Even what should be important things are lost in the ether. When I'm able to pull something out of my memory, even just a word, we cheer.

4) "Moody Blue" was the final hit of Elvis' lifetime, only getting to #31 in the US but reaching #3 in the UK. What's your favorite Elvis song?

Oh, man. That's a HARD one for me. I grew up with a dad who absolutely idolized Elvis. I have several and am finding it impossible to narrow down to one. May I please have two? My dad was always singing "Jailhouse Rock," so that must be a finalist.

And I'm sure "Hound Dog" must have been one of the first songs I learned to sing. With inflection and charisma and all that, even. But not with the hips and other dancing, like my dad.

5) We're focusing on Elvis this week because January 8 would be his 87th birthday. He enjoyed celebrating his birthday by renting the Memphis movie theater and watching the latest movie with an invited group of friends. What's your favorite way to celebrate your birthday?

On my birthdays, four months earlier than Elvis', I love at least dipping my toes in the water - even if it has to happen this way.

8) For his 11th birthday, young Elvis asked for a rifle or a bicycle. His mother deemed the gun too dangerous and the bike too expensive and instead gave her son his first guitar. Tell us about a memorable birthday from your youth.

I actually can't.

7) Elvis loved horses and kept them in the stable at Graceland. His favorite was a palomino named Rising Sun. To honor both horse and rider, Elvis' daughter has always kept a palomino in the stable whose name includes "sun." The current resident is Tuscan Sun. Known as "Tucky," he's lived at Graceland for more than 20 years now and is a favorite of Alene Alexander, who maintains the stable and reports he has "attitude and knows he's prettier than everybody else." Tell us about an animal who holds a place in your heart.

Shortly after we bought our house in Idaho, we adopted our kitten and named her Periwinkle. She  loved to play and have fun with the other, grown, cats, but she had such a serious expression all the time! We used to say, "Serious kitten is a serious kitten." Well, as it turns out now that Peri has grown up a bit, "Serious kitten is a serious adult!" But she's sooo soft and sleek, with her extra-large frame and tail to match. Her outer shell is velvety gray, but her inner shell is quite white.

8) Throughout his life, Elvis had trouble sleeping. As a preteen, he was a sleepwalker. As an adult, he battled insomnia. Is sleep an issue for you?

It absolutely is. Has always been.

9) Random question: Do you wear your shoes inside your house?

Nope! We have a chest by the front door called the "shoe box," which somehow never actually gets used these days, but no one comes further inside the house than that with their shoes on.

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Hey, look at that! May be ten minutes 'til four (PM), but I finished! Let's have a party.

Have a good week! Get that shot, y'all!

Fin. 

Sunday Stealing: Halloween

Hello, all you ghosts and goblins - or is that your kids and grandkids and nieces and nephews this weekend?

My three kids want to go trick-or-treating this year, all as ghosts. Mind you, they are 16, 18, and 20 years old! I'm hands-off on this one. Other things to worry about and stuff. Actually I'm pretty happy that they're getting along enough to do that together at their ages!

Let's get to it.

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Welcome to Sunday Stealing, with our host Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World."

 

Here, we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere, with hopes that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Link up here if you're playing along today! Cheers to all of us thieves!

 

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Stolen from madame writer blog

 1) Have you ever played with a Ouija Board?

I have been present when one has been used/played with. I don't recall be2ing part of the game or whatever you call it.

2) Favorite horror monster or villain?

I'm going to flip it on you a little bit, I think, and say Edward Scissorhands.

3) If you were dared to spend the night in a “haunted house”, would you do it?

 

No, I don't take dares. Like, ever. If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it anyway and don't need a dare to propel. The converse is also true.

4) Are you superstitious?

Nah, not really. I'll knock wood, but it's more as a habit than any particular belief system that it's going to do anything.

5) Do you ever see figures in your peripheral vision?

What does this question have to do to with anything?

6) Ever made a potion of any sort?

I mean, when I was in my full-on Young Living days, I made what I called potions and concoctions all the time. But nothing like what I imagine this is referring to.

7) Do you get scared easily?

Oh, yeah. Scream, jump, the whole nine.

8) Have you ever played Bloody Mary?

No. I'd never even heard of that until my daughter Chloë, the one who is now 20, came home from Kindergarten or First or Second grade (sorry I can't remember precisely, honey!) at 6 or 7 years old (?), completely traumatized by it. And she still is to this day, even hearing the name of it. So I don't ever mention it.

9) Would you ever go to a graveyard at night?

Sure, and I have. I find them peaceful and restful. Not this one, though; I believe it's in Istanbul. (Hubs has been in Turkey, but I have not!)

10) Would you rather go to a Halloween party or go trick or treating?

If Rob could rig up this costume for me in my wheelchair, I'd totally go around the neighborhood. Shoot, what time is it???

11) Whilst watching scary movies, are you the person who yells at the characters, the person with their eyes covered the whole time, or the person who falls asleep?

I don't know, I told you I refuse to watch 'em!

12) Favorite scary book?

I remember in college, I started to read The Shining. But when I realized I was closing my eyes at all the really scary parts, I tossed it aside. I've never picked up it (or watched it) since. I did read a lot of Dean Koontz back in the day. Best I can do, I think.

13) How old were you when you saw your first horror movie?

Heh. Well.

The last movie I saw with my mother before she died was Yentl, at the theater, just the two of us. Mama passed away in April 1984, when I was a little girl. Not too scary, right?

Shortly after Mom died, within a month, Dad put Children of the Corn on HBO one night, for the three of us (my big sister, too) to watch during whatever dinner was. I couldn't leave. I had no choice but to sit there and try not to watch and just keep my head down while I ate. I was seven and sufficiently horrified.

And then... well, let me back up and say that if you told me my dad waited two full months after my mom was put in the ground to start dating, I probably wouldn't believe you. So by the time the first Nightmare on Elm Street came out in July or August 1984, he was already dating his 3^rd or 4^th woman at least - and the one who unfortunately would become my stepmother. So her two daughters (my future older stepsisters) and my sister and I were sent to the theater to watch Freddy do his thing. I was still seven, mind you. I think that was the movie where Mindy (my oldest future stepsis) put her arm in front of my face for the whole movie, or gave me her hoodie, or something, knowing I was terrified. (See, this is all one big reason why I choose not to scare myself on purpose.)

Okay, I know Porky's II isn't a horror movie (or is it?), but hear me out. Same year. I'm still seven. (!!!) Steps are over at our house. Everyone wants pizza except my father, so that's ordered, and then future stepma starts the process of making him fried chicken. Then they queue up Porky's II on HBO because, again, watching age-appropriate television was totally a huge value for my dad. So they go back and forth between dinner prep and Porky's II. Eventually, they become completely transfixed by Porky's and forget to go back to chicken. Soon, a grease fire starts. Pro tip: If you ever have a grease fire, you should throw baking soda on it, NOT flour. Dad threw a ton of flour on it, which blew it up into huge flames. 

Seeing those flames licking the kitchen cabinets and the ceiling (right above which was my bed, my room), Dad panicked and grabbed that pan to take it outside. Instead of sanely going out the front door, he went through the garage side door, to go out through the garage. But the pan handle started to get too hot for him to hold, and he was afraid that if he dropped it, he might get some of that burning hot grease on his precious classic cars in that garage. So what did Dad do? He turned around and came back in. He made it about three steps before the handle became unbearably hot for him, and then he dropped it. Right where Mindy and I were sitting. (The other two girls managed to escape the worst of it.)

I'll skip the rest of that story for now except to say that I still have the scars from that night. Some are physical.

14) What was your first Halloween costume?

I'm pretty sure I was an old lady. With the curlers. And maybe a cane.

15) If you could have a spooky Halloween pet (black cat, owl, bat, rat, wolf), what would you pick?

 

I already do! Okay, so technically this little lady, Sugarplum Yogurt Fairy, belongs to 16yo Sophia, but we all love her to pieces! She's full of nonsense, whimsy, troublemaking and mischief, but not spook. And she's soft as a motherfluffer!

 

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Look at that, y'all - I did Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing in the same weekend! I haven't done that in ages. Shouldn't there be some kind of prize? 😆😆😆

 

I hope you all have a delightful Sunday and just the kind of Hallowe'en you're hoping for. Cheerio!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Werewolves Of London

 

Hello, hello, meme-blogging fam! Every time I can't join you guys, I miss you all, and I feel like I am missing out (especially on Crazy Sam's expert questioning) -- but trust me, it's not for lack of trying or desire to play!

So, although I'm late, let me join. You too, right here:

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Saturday 9: Werewolves of London (1978)

 

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

 

 

1) In this song, Warren Zevon sees a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand. He wanted beef chow mein. If we Saturday 9ers got together for Chinese, what would you likely order?

I would probably order vegetable lo mein and a spring roll or two. I don't know. If it's a more upscale-type restauarant with more authentic food, I'd want to have a good look at their menu and see what they had that was vegan, or at least vegetarian. Now I want Chinese.

 

2) He also says the werewolf's hair was perfect. Are you having a good hair day?

 

Not yet! I haven't showered yet. I really don't know if I'm going to, but I might, so I can fiddle around with this flower headband and figure out how I want to get it where I am happy with things.

 

 

3) Linda Ronstadt was a big Warren Zevon fan and recorded several of his songs. Do you have a favorite Linda Ronstadt song?

 

Oh, I love a lot of Linda Rondstadt recordings and performances - despite (and also because of) her being a favorite of my (&%$^ stepmother - but I think my favorite was when she joined up with Aaron Neville to perform Don't Know Much in 1989. An immediately close-behind second, though, would be the theme to "An American Tail," teamed up with James Ingram.

 

 

Oh, and I sang that one with my junior high choir.

4) Warren Zevon admitted being afraid of doctors and avoided check ups. Are you scared when you go to the doctor or dentist for a routine visit?

 

Not anymore. I grew up being "allowed" to see a dentist regularly, and being "allowed" to get visual exams and wear glasses and/or contacts, but I never saw a medical doctor in my entire childhood until a week before I turned 18, was away at college, and became very ill. That was kind of... A. Big. Deal. Picture an ER doctor having to beg some kid's parents to give permission for their own kid to be treated. I didn't even remember getting to the hospital, nor did I know how it happened!

 

So my point is, I guess, that that could go lots of different ways for people in adulthood. Instead of being afraid, I guess I flipped into the extreme opposite and was like, here I am, do all the things!

 

5) In 1935, the movie Werewolf of London was released. Do you enjoy being frightened by scary movies?

 

No. Not at all. No.

 

No.

 

6) In your younger days, did you ever trick or treat while dressed as a monster?

 

I don't remember a monster. I usually kept it pretty girly, I think!

 

7) When you were a kid, what sweet treats were you happiest to receive?

 

Oh, I have had quite the lifelong sweet tooth, so there wasn't much I didn't look forward to! Mostly I was into Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Whatchamacallits. I got my daughter Chloë obsessesed with the latter when we lived in Miami, too. Now we've just found out about Whozeewhatzits. Now we're dying to try those, too!

 

8) Can you see any Halloween decorations as you answer these 9 questions?

 

 

Since we're largely still living out of boxes, there really aren't many. But we do have this Autumn wreath I recently made hanging on the front door, just below.

9) Halloween is most popular in the United States and Canada, and isn't really celebrated at all in Japan or South Korea. How would you explain our Halloween customs to a visitor from another land?

 

In these cases, I prefer not to reinvent the wheel. Also, I was taught to teach such concepts to people as though they were five years old. So I like to rely on sites like this one to help me explain all the ins and outs of Halloween in America.

 

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And that is it, folks! Thanks, Sam & thanks to y'all who visit, too! I'm hoping to hop around later this evening but for now I'm working on some cards for kids of my fellow Mama Dragons, who are needing support. ♥

 

Fin.

 

 

Saturday 9: Livin' La Vida Loca

Hey, hey, ladies and gents! Happy Saturday! Thank you, Hostess Sam, for bringing us these questions.

I'm excited for this week. Ricky Martin and Livin' La Vida Loca were a huuuuge part of the space between my college years and the doctorate. I loved it and always blasted it in the car. I didn't know Enrique Martín Morales during his Menudo days, but I've loved him ever since La Vida. ♥

Let's go.

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Saturday 9: Livin' La Vida Loca (1999)

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

1) Ricky Martin sings that he and the girl dance in the rain. Do you feel like dancing this morning?

 

 

If dancing from the hips up counts, I already have while sitting here listening to Sting and Shaggy start off with "Englishman in New York" on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert. So fun!

2) The lyrics tell us the girl prefers champagne. When did you last enjoy a glass of the bubbly?

 

 

Oh a verrrrry long time. I have three reasons for that: (1) I have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, and I kept having reactions to alcohol, even when I was down to maybe two drinks a year, so that was enough of that (and Sophia asked me to stop since the reactions freaked her out); (2) I take far too many medications that don't play well with medication; and (3) tomorrow, I'm starting disulfiram, aka antabuse, for my Lyme disease. Since it was intented for alcohol abuse, I will get a nasty set of reactions if I touch alcohol - including cough medicine or rubbing alcohol! - and that seals the deal for me.

 

3) When Ricky first heard "Livin' La Vida Loca," he imagined  the subject of the song was a "Bond girl," the glamorous love interest of James Bond in the movies. Since 1962, there have been more than 20 Bond films. Have you seen any/many of them? Do you have a favorite Bond?

 

 

I've seen 1983's Octopussy with Roger Moore (I was 7; interesting parenting choice) and 1995's Goldeneye with the sexy-as-hell Pierce Brosnan and his equally stunning co-star, Famke Janssen. I like them okay; I don't know why I haven't seen more of them. Just not a huge priority. I suppose.

 

4) Ricky tells interviewers that when he was very young, he'd sing in the family kitchen, pretending a wooden spoon was his microphone. Crazy Sam admits to lip synching into a black Magic Marker. When you gave imaginary concerts, what did you use as a microphone?

 

 

Whatever was available - usually a hairbrush

5) Ricky began working at the tender age of 9, performing in commercials. How old were you when you received your first paycheck?

 

 

I was 15 and working as a cashier at the Big M in "B'ville," in New York.

 

6) Ricky does yoga to stay in shape. Have you ever tried yoga?

 

 

Oh, sure. I had been practicing mostly "gentle" yoga - not these advanced asanas - from high schools until I got really sick, just before we moved to Boise in 2017. I still kept trying, but it became clear that my Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Hypermobile Type, among other issues, was too much for that right now. Everything is dislocating because I can hyperextend everything. I don't stretch to sooth my aching bones and joints and muscles - I hyperextend and hold that for as long as I can. So yoga is now a different animal for me.

7) Ricky is of primarily Spanish descent, with a little French mixed in. When you think of French cuisine, what comes to mind?

 

 

Oh, lots and lots of things, but lately I have had soufflé on the brain. Yum, yum.

 

8) Ricky once had his own restaurant, Casa Salsa, in Miami Beach. Have you ever worked in food service?

 

 

I have, but not a lot. While I did my fisheries internship, my co-intern and I decided to moonlight in catering at the now-defunct The C0lony Beach and Tennis Resort on Longboat Key, Florida. That lasted 10 weeks, as long as our internship, and we had a blast. I loved it, and I loved the clients. We had a lot of fun! So when I later moved up to St. Petersburg, I secured a job at the expansive Vinoy Renaissance Resort & Golf Club there. Oh, my God, it was beautiful.

 

But on my first day of actual work after orientation, I was serving in a dining room full of businessmen wearing fancy suits. We were delivering bowls of soups to their table. and I approached one particular man. As I was about to set his bowl down, my hand gave out, and I dumped the soup ALL. OVER. HIM. Holy shit. It was mortifying, and that guy stood up, using his napkin, and dressed me up and down, up and down, and up and down once again. I was so embarrassed, my pride so wounded, I went across the hall and let my captain know what happened and promptly quit.

 

9) Random question: What is your best quality?

 

 

Empathy. I can say that with absolute certainty.

 

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Have a swell day, y'all. Namaste. 🙏

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Cardigan

Saturday 9: Cardigan, by Taylor Swift

☼

Well hello there, S9 family! It's been a while, you could say. Months, and months, and again more months, and months. Actually, we just got into our house on August 13th. It took so long that I just kind of shut down after a while, mentally and physically, so that's why I took such a long break from things here and elsewhere after a while, until now. I'm just now getting back to life, and it feels quite nice!

So I'm just going to get into it! I do hope you are all safe and well!

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Saturday 9: Cardigan (2020)

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

☼

1) When she's feeling low, Taylor Swift compares herself to an old cardigan, forgotten under the bed. Do you store anything under your bed? Or do you try to keep that area clear (except for dust bunnies)?

We don't have our new bed set up yet (well, because the headboard hasn't arrived), but I generally do not store anything under my half of the bed. I'm kind of an out of sight, out of mind type. My husband, on the other hand, will put anything and everything under there (including my things!), extending past his half of our king-size bed, often. So I think I'm going to invest in some under-bed storage ideas for him.

2) The lyrics begin with a reference to a new phone. Do you foresee yourself getting a new phone before 2021 ends? Or are you happy with the one you've got?

Arghhhh. I already did, very recently. My Samsung Galaxy S20 recently just stopped working - completely - so Hubs and I decided I should get the S21. I did NOT want to. I was extremely resistant; my S20 was only a year old, for Pete's sake! I had tons of data on it (and the micro SD card within, and on the cloud), and I was still getting to know its capabilities. So I wasn't happy to have to switch it out. I suppose I could've just made a lateral move, but Hubs encouraged the upgrade, so I took the damn upgrade. LOL.
 
3) She sings that her lover haunts all of her "what if's." Have you recently wondered, "what if?" What were you musing about?

I have been musing, yeah. You know, I lament having had to leave Florida for the various reasons I/we did, but look at the political climate and utter chaos and nonsense going on there now. Even in Miami, geez! And then Idaho... Boise was okay, but then bought the house out in the middle of Nowheresville, an hour away, and that sealed the deal. I had to go. And look, now all the anti-trans & anti-LGBT bills, and anti-womens' healthcare and everything else, shocking no one since... it's Idaho. So while I regret fleeing the state for Maryland so quickly and without much of a plan, I sort of... don't. What if I hadn't? 

4) Taylor Swift admits that she rewinds after concerts by watching Friends reruns. What do you do to relax?

Well, I really, really want to be doing a lot of work around the house, fixing it up, decorating and furnishing, painting, etc. and I am dying to start knitting again at night to relax, but my shoulder is constantly, painfully dislocated these days (including right now). I'm having shoulder in a few weeks. I might do a little knitting anyway, but it'll frustrate me if I get started only to have to stop! So I've basically been just on my phone a lot, with a million different apps open (like my mind works), with 90 alternative things going at once.

5) Thinking of TV shows, Taylor appeared on a 2009 episode of CSI. That series was about crime-scene investigators who use forensics to solve murders. Do you enjoy crime shows?

l

I do! I love Dexter, in fact. I'm so excited it's back this year, though I haven't watched it yet. Must start soon! (I don't think our TV is unpacked yet, though!)

6) Taylor grew up on an 11-acre tree farm where she learned to ride. Her mother was a horsewoman and hoped riding was a passion they could share. When she was 12, Taylor admitted to her mother that she really wasn't that into it and wished she could spend more time on her music. Her mother was supportive. Tell us about a tough conversation you've had that turned out well.

Our youngest child, Sophia, is an equestrian, too. But first and foremost, she is a horse lover. And she recently had a talk with me, wherein she said she wanted to step back from taking English riding lessons and wanted to just do some casual trailriding instead. Why? Because she doesn't agree with the use of spurs, whips, and crops, digging one's heels into the horse's ribs to make them go, and so on. And yes, I completely support that. (Though I will miss seeing her jump!)

7) She enjoys good, old-fashioned mysteries, especially those by Agatha Christie. Are you currently reading a book?

Yes, I've got the Kindle e-book version (not audio as pictured) of A Conspiracy of Mothers by Colleen van Niekerk about varoius ways mothers are protecting their children during apartheid in South Africa, and it's a great read. It was one of the free Amazon.com First Reads choices for September, and I'm really enjoying it.

8) In 2020, the year this song was released, Jeopardy host Alex Trebek died. The search for a new host has caused interest and even controversy. Would you enjoy the job?

 

No, I definitely wouldn't, for many reasons but especially because I could never begin to fill Alex's shoes.

9) Random question: Of Superman's three superpowers -- tremendous strength, the ability to fly, and x-ray vision -- which would you choose?

I've always wanted to fly. Ten times out of 10, that is what I'd choose!

☼

It's great to be back. I've missed y'all! Have a great weekend. 

Fin.

Test

Testing, 1...2...3...

Testing, 1...2...3...

 

Is this thing on?

 

 

On The Cusp Of Adulthood

I feel like people are always telling me, almost ridiculing me for it, that I should be long "over it" by now, so I've been debating whether to even post this for days. So much do we judge ourselves that we can't even grieve right.

Anyway. On Monday, my son Robby would have turned 18 years old. A really big milestone that's giving me all the feels, even though he only lived for three days.

You see, it's complicated by the fact that his identical twin brother Jack WILL BE turning 18 on Monday. And so, once again, my mind plays the "what if" game, and I imagine what if I had two young men entering adulthood together...

Jack doesn't want to celebrate. He doesn't want cake, no candles, nothing. He's on the Autism spectrum and is very high-functioning, but when it comes down to somewhat stressful occasions like these for him, he shuts down.

The boys were born two months premature by emergency c-section, after they developed a rare rapidly-developing form of Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome. The docs moved fast, but it was too late for Robby.

So here my whole challenge becomes, I had THREE children (including older sister) who would now be my adult children, if Robby had survived. But instead I'll be like, "omg, how am I the mother of two (well, three) adult children?!!" I always wrestle with how to say these things, even to myself, even after enough years to complete a childhood!

Thanks for letting me babble a little. 🙏🏻

Fin.

Saturday 9: Ordinary People

John Legend: "Ordinary People"

☼

Hello, hello, y'all. I very nearly missed this week's questionnaire, but I pulled myself up to get it done. We've all been doing this for so long "together," and I don't want to lose that.

Happy Spring, Northern Hemisphereans! I'm so delighted. #understatement

Not much really happened here this week that I can think of; that is a good thing! Two weeks ago, my lithium levels were way too low, and I was planning on jumping off the nearest tall building. Now that the doctor has raised my dosage, I feel so, so, so much better. It was almost overnight! And I'm so thankful, so grateful to still be here.

Let's get it done. (P.S. I was just about to post this, and then my Chrome died, closing all my windows and not returning all the content I had here. So I'm aggravated now. GAH!)

☼

ORDINARY PEOPLE (2005)

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

1) In this song, John Legend sings that both he and his girl have "room to grow." What about you? In what areas would you like to improve?

Well, hard to do being here in a small hotel room (for yet another two months! Ugh!), but when we move into our new home I really want to make it a point to get out of bed and at least circulate with the family downstairs, every day. I'm in bed so much, some days I don't see anyone but Hubs. And the dogs are getting entirely too used to cozying up with  me all day. Something's gotta change, and I want to make the effort. I do not want the pain and fatigue from Lyme dictate what I do for the rest of my days.

2) He sings that when he hangs up in anger, she calls him back. Are you quicker to anger, or quicker to forgive?

Both! And quick to apologize, too. If someone apologizes to me, it's done, it's over.

3) "Ordinary People" was John Legend's first big hit. He originally wrote it for The Black Eyed Peas, but -- happily for him -- recorded it himself. Have you ever purchased a gift for someone else but then decided to keep it yourself?

Really? I love the Peas but I can't see them doing this song justice. As for me, I don't think I've ever done that, but I for sure have wished I had enough  money at that moment for a second one. Several times!

4) Ordinary People is also the title of an acclaimed novel by Judith Guest and an Oscar-winning film. Are you familiar with either the movie or the book?

Of course, I definitely knew the movie - my mother was a huge fan of Barbra Streisand. I remember that just a couple of months before she died, she took 7-year-old me and 8-year-old  Stacey (my big sister) to the movies to see Yentl. It's one of my last memories with my mom, so I cherish and love Barbra for it, too. As for the book, I don't think I had heard of it, but now it's on my "want to read" list on Goodreads. Thanks!

5) John is married to Chrissy Teigen, who gained fame as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. When is the last time you dove in? Were you in a pool, lake, river or sea?

 Atlantic Ocean in August and September when we first got here to Maryland from Idaho, but it was a while before that that I actually got in and swam. In the summer of 2017, I swam with the fam at the Boise reservoir. It was a good day, and we had fun, but then I came down with this horrid bacterial infection that left me wishing for death. I hadn't heard of that particular critter before; I guess it was a big enough deal for the county epidemiologist to call me up and interview me over the phone. Guess I lost my nerve after that!

6) John unexpectedly proposed to Chrissy on vacation, but he was afraid airport security would ruin the surprise when they went through his carry on very thoroughly. He worried she would see the ring box and he'd have to drop down to one knee right there at the airport! Tell us about one of your flights: your first, your most recent or your most memorable.

It was just really odd flying back here to the East Coast this past summer. The jets were sparsely populated instead of overcrowded, and there was no food or drink service, and we were all constantly reminded to pull up our masks here or that way or whatever. It was tense and scary on the one hand, but also just another adventure arrow to stick in our quivers, I guess.

7) John is currently a coach on The Voice. The other coaches are Nick Jonas, Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton. Of those four singers, which is your favorite? 

Gotta go with my girl Kelly! I was nursing my first newborn Chloë when Kelly competed on and won the first season of American Idol.

8) In 2005, when this song was popular, Johnny Carson died. After he retired from The Tonight Show in 1993, he traveled extensively and discovered he especially enjoyed photographic safaris in Africa. If time and money were no object, where would you go on vacation?

I'd have all the money and the time, you say?! Well sure, I'd visit all the continents in turn, thoroughly and passionately. But I wouldn't stop there. I'd say hello to Moon and then head outward for a glimpse of Mars before I hovered out around my favorite planet, Jupiter. I'll end this story of mine there, though, since it's too far-fetched even for me.

9) Random question -- In your typical day, what's the longest you usually go without saying a word to another person: all day, a few hours, an hour, or five minutes?

Right now, maybe about an hour, possibly two hours. But I've always got this little guy and his chonky sister to talk to!

☼

All right, phew, I made it and hopefully will save it in time in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Enjoy your Spring beginning, y'all!

Fin.

Saturday 9: Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral

Hello, ladies and gents and maybe those of another bent! How's it going?

I have a bit of news:

The good news: after labs were run of my psych meds and levels were found to be low, things have been adjusted, and I'm already feeling way better.

The better news: after ~7 months of hotel living, this will be coming to an end, finally... in May. We've signed a contract on a yet-to-be-built house here in Salisbury, and we're super happy with the way things turned out (except that it didn't "turn out" in, say, October!)

So cheers to better moods and not being homeless much longer!

Link up here if you want to play along with the S-9ers this weekend.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral (1944)

Selected because this Wednesday is St. Patrick's Day. Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

   

1) Bing Crosby sings that he learned this song from his mother. Can you recall a song from your early childhood?

 

 

Well, it's not like a favorite song or anything, but I remember being very little while I sat in my mother's lap. She would sing this hymn, "O Gentle Presence" when I needed calming from a nightmare or some such.

 

2) Bing was NBC's first choice to play TV's Columbo. He turned down the role because, by that time, he was in his 60s and just didn't feel like working a full week anymore. Peter Falk eventually got the part and played Det. Columbo for 10 seasons. Do you enjoy detective stories, whether on TV, in movies or in books?

 

 

Heck yeah! All the iterations of Law & Order were made expressly for me, don'tcha know?

 

3) Bing could trace his family back to County Cork. While it's said that on St. Patrick's Day everyone is Irish, can you honestly claim Irish heritage?

 

Well, and this was news and kind of a complete shock to me, according to Ancestry DNA, I can claim about 8% Irish ancestry. Never knew!

 

4) Other than St. Patrick, what is Ireland famous for?

 

 

Castles! the Blarney Stone! the amazing coastline! Guiness! Corned beef and cabbage! all those pubs! Step dancing! ...and soo, so much more. I would love to go someday.

 

5) "The wearing o' the green" is one way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Will you wear something green in honor of the day?

 

 

Eh. Green isn't really my color, and the tradition isn't that important to me. Now, things might be different if I looked as amazing as these fine lassies...

6) Have you ever had green beer?

 

 

I have. ONCE. Once was enough. In 1998, when I was 21, my friends Shannon, Melisa, and I went out drinking with some friends from the marine lab where Melisa and I worked. Or maybe they were from the catering gig where we also worked; I forget. I wasn't going to go, because drinking beer and playing isn't really my thing, but I decided to go be a joiner. I'm not even sure I had one full beer, let alone more than one, but man, later I was soooo sick! And then next day, and into the next day, too. So sick. That was enough.

7) Have you ever ordered a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's?

 

 

I cannot say for sure, but I do not think so. Maybe once, ages upon ages ago.

8) A four-leaf clover is considered good luck. Do you have a lucky charm?

 

 

No. I don't really give much credence to these types of superstitions, although I do find it fun to play along and read the fortune cookie, pick up the penny, and stuff.

9) Speaking of Lucky Charms, they are magically delicious.  What brand of cereal is in your kitchen right now?

 

 

I think right now, all we have is Cream of Wheat. My son loves that stuff! No one else does, though. Guess I've gotta go shopping.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Okay, y'all have a lovely weekend and cross your fingers my body decides it's up to taking my daughters to Assateague & Chincoteague to try and spot some wild ponies this weekend, as promised!

 

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: Clayton Questions

Heyyy, everyone.

I'm late, already afternoon on Sunday, but I've done much worse before! Getting a post in on both Saturday and Sunday in the same weekend? I'm highly impressed with myself. ;)

Link up here if you're playing along this weekend.

~*~*~*~*~ 

 

From AlecClayton

 

1. Do you put ketchup on hot dogs?

 

I don't eat hot dogs.

 

2. How many TVs in your house?

 

We own one TV. It is currently in storage, since we are not in any home of our own. Our hotel room has two.

 

3. Do you put salt on watermelon?

 

 

No, I never have. I'm not opposed to it, I would try it, but I just never have.

 

4. Can you swim?

 

 

Yes, I've been swimming since I was a baby, pretty much. I'm not winning any contests, though!

 

5. Are your parents still alive?

 

 

No. My mom died when she was very young. My father is more or less dead to me, so... close enough, I guess?

 

6. First car?

 

 

In the fall of 1993, when I turned 17, I bought a red '91 Ford Escort wagon. It's a sore subject.

7. Surgeries?

 

At this point I've had so many, I tend to forget some: three Caesarean sections; complete hysterectomy;  Roux-en-y gastric bypass with cholecystectomy; tonsillectomy w/ adenoidectomy; numerous dental surgeries; hiatal hernia repair with removal of a large amount of scar tissue on my lungs (from all the times I've had pneumonia)... and I'm certain I'm leaving something out.

 

8. What do you drink in the morning?

 

Usually Diet Coke. I usually wake up right when I have to take a fistful of medications, and those go down better for me with something very cold and carbonated.

 

9. Can you do 100 push ups?

 

N O P E

 

10. Can you change a tire?

 

I know how, but at this stage of the game, I'd rather just be there telling someone else what to do if the need arises!

 

11. Tattoos?

 

I don't have any. I don't think they are for me. I do have piercings, though.

 

12. Do you wear sunglasses?

 

 

I do. Whenever necessary,

13. Do you have a phobia?

 

Oh, henny. I'm entirely neurotic and full of phobias. Sandpaper and mustard are on that list.

14. Do you have a nickname?

 

I suppose I have a bunch, depending on who is using it, but whenever you visit this site you're using one of them, right?

 

15. Are you a picky eater?

 

Hubs used to say I was "picky." He may still, I don't know. I have valid health reasons for not being able to eat most of what I won't eat, mustard notwithstanding, so I say no.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

All righty, y'all. Thanks for stopping by! Must get back to work preparing for the week ahead. Toodles!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Birthday

Hello, cyber friends of mine! I'm glad I 'made it' this week, because I adore this song, "Birthday," by Katy Perry. In fact, it made the short list of songs I played as a soundtrack for Hubs' birthday in...  must have been 2019?

And I love Katy. What's not to love?

So if you're ready to join us this week, you'll find the link here. Wouldn't it be fun if li'l ol me brought someone new into the mix? Sure it would! Go 'head, c'mon, join us!

~*~*~*~*~ 

BIRTHDAY (2014)

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

1) In this song, Katy Perry sings that she wants to give her lover something good to celebrate every day. What is making you happy this fine Saturday?

Well, the sun is shining, so that makes it a great start! I live for sunshine. It rained much of the last fortnight.

2) The video is all about baking a birthday cake. When did you most recently enjoy something home baked? Were you the baker?

I think it would have had to be the beginning of January, when one of the things I gifted Hubs for our 20^th wedding anniversary was a local favorite here: Smith Island Cake. I didn't bake it, of course, since we have entered our 7^th month of living in a hotel (GAH!), but it was a local baker who did, not some chain. If that counts.

3) Tell us a memory from one of your birthdays.

Hmm, well, let's see. For some reason I don't know, I wanted to be 25 before I had my first child. And then Hubs and I discovered we were gonna have a wedding night baby, according to my OB and her charts and calculations. She was due October 2nd. But she didn't want to be an October baby. She wanted to damn-near-share with Mom for her birthday. And so Chloë arrived by emergency C-section on September 7^th - the day before I turned 25. Little stinker! I'd wanted to go swimming that day - and I asked during the C-section, but the surgeon just laughed and said I couldn't. Wah!

4) This week's song shares nothing but the title with a Beatles song. (Here's a video of Paul McCartney performing it live.) Can you think of another title that's been used by more than one song?

How about "Jump" by both van Halen and Kriss Kross?

5) Similarly, this week's featured artist was born Kathryn Hudson and called Katy Hudson until she changed her name to Katy Perry to avoid confusion with the actress Kate Hudson. Have you ever met anyone else with your same name?

 

Just about, yes! Of course, I've run into my share of "Melanie"s over the years, but as a kid, one of my stepsisters had a friend (who is now also my friend), whose mother was Melanie Simons - exactly mine, minus a second "m" in the surname.

6) Katy and actor Orlando Bloom became parents to a baby girl in 2020. Bloom is best known for his work in the Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Are you a fan of either of those film series?

They're so cute together. I hope they make it. But no, I haven't seen any of the movies in either of those franchises.

7) In 2014, the year this song was popular, Prince William toured the United States and attended his first NBA game (Nets vs. Cavaliers). What's the most recent sporting event that you watched?

That would have to be the Super Bowl match-up between the Chiefs (again! Woot!) and the Buccaneers. That damn Brady, y'know?

This all kinda makes me wonder: when was the last time a brand-new team sport was invented?

8) Also in 2014, Joan Rivers died. While best-known for making us laugh, she was a very successful entrepreneur, selling jewelry on QVC. Have you ever ordered anything from TV?

Off the TV? No. But I did buy these earrings (just the ones in the lobes) from a website - which also hawks stuff on TV - as part of a mystery shop I did recently.

9) Random question -- Have you ever been told you talk too much?

Ohhhh, yes. I am definitely the loquacious one! Garrulous. A chatterbox. And I have absolutely gotten in trouble for it. I remember being in 11^th grade, in our AP Chemistry class, and our teacher gave us what basically amounted to busy work while he went to his office in a back room. He came out multiple times to shush us. And then he came out and demanded: "Miss Simmons, WHY is your voice the only one I ever hear???"

And that's not an isolated incident, by any means, just one I vividly remember.

Also, this little bambina, the same Chloë mentioned in my answer to #3, has gotten the gift of gab from her mother. The two of us can talk back and forth so fast sometimes, the others don't aways know what we've said. And since I now have neuro deficits from Lyme disease, Chloë now acts as my interpreter when I can't get my messages across! Love that kiddo. ♥

~*~*~*~*~

And now, I think I need a nap. Wow, I got this posted by noon! Look at me go.

Fin,

Sunday Stealing: Coronavirus Questions

Hey everyone. 😊 It's late o'clock on Sunday evening (7:19 PM) which means, like my Saturday 9 post yesterday, very few people are going to read this. But I miss you guys and want to get back into the habit! I'm just going to be answering more briefly I usually do - this time.

Link up here if you're playing along this weekend.

~*~*~*~*~

Coronavirus Questions: Pandemic 2020-2021

In the past year have you–

1) Gone without a bra?

Yup. Matter of fact, that's my current situation.

2) Skipped making your bed?

Most of the time these days, that's the case, since I'm bedridden for the most part. (And yes, it sucks.)

3) Ordered groceries to be delivered?

Maybe once or twice? but mostly Hubs goes out and gets it.

4) Cooked a real meal?

No! And I miss it like crazy. Especially because we've been in a hotel for six freakin' months (!!!) and there hasn't been a way. I hope we figure out a permanent situation soon, because that's one of the first things I'm dying to do!

5) Spent the day in pajamas?

Yep. Pretty much the whole time. If you want to call it that.

6) Skipped shaving your legs?

Often, yeah. I'm down to maybe twice a month. (But I am fortunate in that regard, because I'm largely hairless, and what's there isn't super visible unless you're up close and looking for it.)

7. Spent hours on Instagram or Pinterest?

Guilty, for both, but not a ton of times, I don't think.

8) Eaten in a restaurant?

Nope! But there has been a TON of take-out!

9) Skipped washing your hair?

Oh, yeah. More often than not. Speaking of which, I always had stick-straight hair. Now, at 44 years old, it's gotten extremely wavy. What's up with that?

10) Not folded the laundry?

I have not folded the laundry once.

11) Worked a puzzle?

No. But I have bought half a dozen at least, and the girls did theirs. Chloë is working on one, along with her roommate, at her apartment, too. I guess I'm just waiting for a permanent spot.

12) Had Zoom calls?

Yep. Many Zoom meanings, since I'm a raging SJW, don'tcha know? ;) 

13) Written letters?

Yep! Lots and lots - it's part of the volunteer work I'm involved with. I'll be writing some more later, too.

14) Binge watched a TV show?

Yup? I've watched many mini-series on Netflix, including TigerKing,and now I'm halfway through Season 10 of Shameless. I ♥ that show! It's so wrong, though! LOL. Do any of you watch it?

15) Gone barefoot?

Yup. Most of the time I am barefoot. I hate wearing shoes.

~*~*~*~*~

Alrighty, that's the post. Gonna go do some other things that need some attention. Have a great week, everyone!

Fin. 

Saturday 9: Cry

Welcome back, S9 friends and the world beyond (since I have such a significant following)! Am I the only one who is shocked we're nearing the end of February already?!!

Link up here if you're joining us this week.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Cry (1952)

Unfamiliar with this song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Johnnie Ray assures us we'll feel better if we cry. Do you agree?

 

 

 I totally agree! I take meds that usually inhibit my ability to cry, so when I feel like crying, and am not able to, I actually kinda feel worse. Oh, and the other day (Wednesday) would have been my mother's 70^th birthday. Since we lost her when she was 33 years old, my mom at 70 is almost unimaginable for me. I was looking at a picture of her:

 

 

... and just thinking thoughts, and the next thing I knew, I was sobbing my wee heart out. It was cathartic.

2) He also mentions waking from a dream, believing it was real. Has that ever happened to you?

 

 

YES! All.The.Time.

3) Because this record was such a massive hit, Johnnie Ray was nicknamed "The Prince of Wails." Without looking it up, do you know who is currently the Prince of Wales?

 

 

Oh, yes. No hesitation.

4) To cash in on the success of this single, 20th Century Fox cast Johnnie Ray in a big-budget musical, There's No Business Like Show Business. Today it's best remembered as a Marilyn Monroe movie. Have you seen many of Marilyn's films?

 

 

Nope. I don't think I have seen a single one. I might have to remedy that. Where should I start?

5) After graduating from high school, Johnnie worked at low-paying jobs, including bus boy and soda jerk. He found he made better tips when he began playing piano in restaurants. Have you ever worked for tips?

 

I was going to say no, but I did get a few now and then when I worked in high-end catering... and then I remembered I made MAD tips working at the ice cream shoppe on St. Pete Beach! How could I forget? By the way, José Canseco is an asshole and a non-tipper.

 

6) In 1969, Johnnie was in the news a lot again because he performed with Judy Garland during her European tour and was best man at her wedding to Mickey Deans. Tell us what you wore to the most recent wedding you attended.

 

I haven't been to a wedding since my BFF Lisa got married in 2002! I was in the wedding, and all of us girls wore different style but same maker silver bridesmaid dresses. I was still breastfeeding 9-month-old Chloë then, so I had to take that situation into account when I chose mine!

 

7) In 1952, when this song was a hit, Mr. Potato Head made his debut. It was the first toy advertised on television. What TV commercial have you seen recently?

 

 

I really had to think about this one, since I don't really watch much TV, but then I remembered the Cheetos commercial with Mila Kunis, Shaggy, & Ashton at the Super Bowl. I probably wouldn't have watched, except for the Chiefs. Hubs is from  Missouri, so two in a row?! He was lovin' it. (Except, you know, for them not winning this one, and Brady, and all that.)

 

8) Also in 1952, chlorophyll was all the rage for banishing bad breath. Colgate led the way by adding it to their toothpaste. Do you use gum, mints, mouthwash, or breath strips?

 

Very occasionally mints or mouthwash, but rarely even those. Chlorophyll?! I was not aware of that.

9) Random question -- Congratulations! You won a free three night/two day weekend for two in Las Vegas! The weather is predicted to be sunny and 65º each day you're there. It's 12:00 noon on your first day. Are we most likely to find you: a) gambling in the casino or b) having breakfast in bed or c) outside, enjoying the sun and the sights?

...or d. Taking in a show. I particularly love Cirque du Soleil - saw "O" once, years ago, there. I don't gamble and probably already did (b) by that point. I'll work on (c) after the show.

~*~*~*~*~

Okay, now that I did a thing, I think it's time for my first nap of the day. I hate these damn naps! Be well, y'all.

Fin.

*Trigger Warning* Back In MY Day...

In the summer between finishing elementary school and going off to 6th grade at Ray Middle School, my dad and stepmother received a letter inviting me to participate in the Honors program.

I don't know where we were going at the time, but we were in the car when they told me about it. Linda was driving, Dad was in the passenger seat, and I was alone in the back. When I heard about it, I was thrilled! I really wanted to take part.

That excitement was short-lived, however, because I soon found my needs and desires up against their strident arguments that being in the Honors program was going to interfere with me being able to get all my chores done. There would be too much homework and studying, they reasoned. I'd fall behind.

On the damn CHORES.

I have always had a tremendously difficult time standing up for myself -- still do -- but I was tenacious and made a stand. I remember arguing and maybe a little begging and pleading - but no crying. That was a rarity for me! In the end, I had to make many promises and agreements in order to join the Honors classes.

Was it worth it? Absolutely, in my opinion. I thrived there, all the way up through and including my 5 AP classes before graduation. But as I suspected, it did come at a price.

I got screamed at every day of my life. That is not an exaggeration (nor was it new). Every single day. Many days it was multiple discrete sessions of her screaming, face twisted in sarcasm, while I tore up the tissues into which I cried. It was always just an issue of "what will it be this time?"

But sometimes, it was particularly cruel. And believe me, I always aimed not to do and be my best, but to do and be completely perfect, in an attempt to avoid the daily screaming session. But if there was absolutely no reason to yell, this didn't bother Linda: she would just make something up! Many days, she was tearing into me regarding some pure fabrication of her mind in front of other people who knew what she was saying to be a lie. They usually didn't stand up for me, though, and I didn't expect it, as this would make them the next target.

But when I started that Honors program at age 11, it was a lot of work. I put long hours into my homework, studying for tests, making projects, and writing papers. I was already up until midnight or 1AM at that point, and I had to get up for school at 5:20 AM every day. So between school and chores and homework and studying and more chores just in case and extracurriculars, I didn't get a ton of sleep.

Linda knew all this, of course, and she took advantage. A lot of times, she'd get up early when I did, to count the minutes I was in the shower (yes, I was timed; the screaming covered way more territory than just the chores, after all), or make me late for the bus, or just leave me a crying mess for when I did get on the bus.

Or she would get me up in the middle of the night, sometimes with my dad and once or twice with my sister until I became the sole hated one, to berate me for a job not well done. Like if I had cleaned their bedroom and bathroom, top to bottom including putting fresh sheets on the bed and getting all the dust bunnies out from underneath it, I might get screamed at for an hour at 3 AM because the heat registers around the baseboards were still too dusty. She especially loved to do this the night before a big test, and so I learned to develop more and more elaborate mnemonics to remember the material, even if I was too exhausted to think. When the predator evolves to be more cunning, so must the prey become more wily.

But my personal favorite was a punishment she used if she was feeling particularly villainous, I guess. It was no secret at that point that I loved school and was a total nerd. And she probably realized it was my escape from our pretty heinous home life (what I'm telling you here is only a very mild glimpse). So I guess she just wanted to mess that up for me? Why else would she frequently rip up the homework that I'd already completed for that night and sequester all my books and supplies, in my backpack, in her locked closet for two days, on average? Who punishes a kid by taking away their homework?

In the 6th grade Honors program, we had Mrs. Mogren for both English and Math. I remember so many occasions when I bent my head down to avoid Mrs. Mogren's sharp glare, because I had to tell to tell her -- for both classes that day! -- that I didn't do my homework. And I got another goose egg in the grade book. Honestly, I can't believe I didn't develop an ulcer then.

I'm telling you all this and writing this out not for sympathy but simply because it's pouring out of me right now, but it's after midnight, and everyone here is asleep. I needed a brain dump. Sometimes the mind gets overloaded with tricky thoughts. 

My therapist in Boise and I were working on me being able to forgive myself for what happened back then, so that I could learn to love myself. My therapist wanted me to be the parent to the inner child me that I needed back then. I guess I'm finally getting started.

Love and light, y'all.

Fin.

Saturday 9: My Valentine

Hey there, bloggy friends! I hope you're doing well and that maybe your weather isn't as overcast and gloomy as ours has been the past four days or so! This next week marks six months that we've been living in a hotel - except our eldest child, 19-year-old Chloë, who is now in her own apartment - and we are all OVER IT! Home after home has fallen through, and so the search continues. Send good thoughts this way, please!

As for you, I hope you're all doing amazingly well, keeping your distance and wearing those masks. Link up here if you're playing along this weekend!

And let's get to it...

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: My Valentine (2011)

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

 

1) Paul McCartney sings that he won't let a day go by without remembering why he loves his valentine. What blessings are you thankful for today?

 

 

Well, I mentioned how frustrated we've been with our housing situation, but I have been cognizant the entire time that we are fortunate to be able to have shelter these past six months of hotel living, plenty of food, warm clothes, and all that. Our bottom three levels of needs on Maslow's hierarchy are pretty much covered, and I'm thankful for that.

2) Paul directed the video of Natalie Portman translating his song into American Sign Language (ASL), which is the third most commonly-used language in both the United States and Canada. British Sign Language (BSL), commonly used in EU countries, is very different. Do you find it easy to learn new languages?

 

 

I do, actually. I pick up accents quickly as well, and so do my daughters. In high school, one of my best friends said I should become a linguist, because I just pick up the languages so, kind of, seamlessly. At one point, I was learning several at a time (Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Arabic...), but now I am quite rusty.

 
3) The song is on Paul's Kisses on the Bottom CD, for which he won one of his 18 Grammy Awards. What compliment or accolade have you recently received?

 

 

Well, dismissing the obvious typo, this Chinese fortune cookie seems to think I've done something worthy.

4) Paul is an honorary NYPD detective. He was given this designation for performing a charity concert after 9/11. Do you know anyone in law enforcement?

 

 

Yeah, in college I had a boyfriend who was a security guard, and we met when he was assigned to the store where I worked. He's now a member of the Miami PD. We keep in touch here and there on Twitter.

5) Bob Dylan has said of Paul, "I'm in awe of McCartney. He's about the only one I'm in awe of. He can do it all. He never lets up. He's just so effortless." Tell us about someone whose talent you admire.

 

I really admire our youngest child, Sophia. She excels at whatever she decides to put her mind to, whether it's art, music, horseriding, or whatever. She's got a talent for being talented, that one!

 

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

6) The holiday is also known as The Feast of St. Valentine. Do you have a special meal planned for February 14?

 

 

Dudes, we're living in a hotel. Would you settle for a feast of St. Taco Bell?

 

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

 

 

That's the one!

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

 

 

A baby dragon. ♥ I'm a member of the Paper Hugs group in the Mama Dragons, which is an affirming and supportive group for moms of LGBTQIA+ children. Most of the Paper Hugs I'm assigned to send are for the kiddos that need support or are having a birthday or just need a kind "hello." I think I sent out seven yesterday, and I love being a part of this program so much.

9) Men buy and send more roses on Valentine's Day than women do. What's your favorite flower?

 

 

Tiger lilies are my absolute favorites, but since they're not always readily available, yellow roses or any color of tulip would delight me.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Well, then, back to the house-hunting search I go. Ughhhh. Come on, Maryland. Give up some addresses!

 

Have yourselves a lovely week, and if you don't have a loved one to throw all your affection toward tomorrow, make that person be yourself! You deserve it.

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Heyyyyyy, everybody! Long time no... read? Type? Meme? Blog? You get the picture.

Happy 2021! Link up here if you aren't already meming along with Crazy Sam and the rest of the gang, and with that, I'm gonna dive right in:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (1973)

Unfamiliar with this song? Hear it here.

1) Bette Midler sings that the bugle boy wakes up Company B every morning by playing Reveille. What awakened you this morning (phone, alarm clock, sunrise, etc.)? Or did you wake up on your own?

 

 

I almost never wake up to an alarm, or on my own, or when the sun shines. It's ridiculous. I'd be Rip van Winkle if I didn't have Hubs here to rouse me. It's really a pain in the neck sometimes - but probably even more for him than for me!

2) This single was produced by Bette's arranger/piano player, who went on to have a successful singing career of his own. Do you have a favorite Barry Manilow song?

 

 

Hmm, I used to be mildly obsessed with "One Voice," that's for sure.

3) Bette was named after Bette Davis. Her sisters, Susan and Judy, were named for Susan Hayward and Judy Garland. So now we know who Mother Midler's favorite actresses were. Who are yours?

 

 

I have a lot of favorite actors, including these two: Winona Ryder and Parker Posey. Love! ♥

4) Bette has been married since 1984 to artist Martin von Haselberg. She was 39 years old, already a star, and had never married before. Yet within six weeks of meeting him, she was so sure Martin was "the one" that they tied the knot. Have you found that love takes time, or, like Bette, have you fallen in love quickly?

I suppose "quickly" is the answer to this question for me! Two months from the time Hubs and I met online until we eloped... and we just had our 20th anniversary, so it was definitely a case of "when you know, you know"!

 

5) When their daughter Sophie was growing up, it was Martin who taught her to cook. What was the last thing you prepared in your kitchen? Did you use the microwave, stovetop, convection oven, blender, coffee maker ...?

 

 

I haven't done any cooking in quite a while, myself, and I miss it like crazy. After five months of hotel-hopping, I just bought us one of these Hamilton Beach air fryer toaster ovens, which the kids broke in with a frozen pizza. Not sure what's next to be cooked. Maybe some Easy Mac? Real haut cuisine, you know?

 

6) Bette says that listening and compromise have been the key to their happy marriage but adds, "Compromise is hardest of all." On what have you compromised recently?

 

Seems like lately it's nothing but, so I'd be hard-pressed to tell you what the latest one was. And I'm in pain, so thinking is out. I'll tell ya later. ;)

 

7) Bette and Martin have a farmhouse in upstate New York. She enjoys feeding the chickens (whom she has jokingly named The Kardashians) and puttering in her garden. Do you have a green thumb?

I don't. I really wish I did, but I do not. I'm going to keep trying, though! Mostly with succulents... At least they took longer to die.

8) In 1973, the year this song was popular, actor Neil Patrick Harris was born. He's best known as Barney on How I Met Your Mother, which ran from 2005-2014. Were you a fan?

 

 

On and off - casual fan. I wasn't glued to it, and I never did learn how "he" met his mother. (I know "he" wasn't NPH.) But it was entertaining when nothing else was on. 

9) Random question -- How often do you put crackers in your soup: Always, often, seldom or never?

I would have said "sometimes," but I'll go with "often" as it's one of the choices. That, up there, is some vegan bean soup that Hubs has made for me a few times. Delicious - even better with Nooch It, which is like a vegan Parmesan cheese but made out of cashews. Delish!

~*~*~*~*~

Well, y'all have a great weekend, and hopefully I'll swing through and make the rounds. I have some studying up to do as I'll be lobbying with the Maryland Sierra Club next week, but I'll need downtime as well! 

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: (Better Late Than Never!) 2021 Miscellaneous Questions

Hey, y'all. Belated happy new year to you all! What a way to begin, eh? 

I hope you've all been well in every way. ♥ I have missed you guys and have thought of you often. Hopefully I'll be able to begin making this a regular habit again!

Link up here if you're playing along today folks!

~*~*~*~*~

1) Which is more romantic: an expensive, glittering bouquet OR flowers that were hand picked as they grew beside the parkway?

 

 

The wild and spontaneous nature of the roadside flower-gathering wins this one for me.

2) Do you know yourself well enough to understand why you feel the way you do?

 

 

I've always been pretty ridiculously self-analytical, so I usually know what's eating me.

3) Which do you do more often: let movies, songs and books put your feelings into words for you or put your feelings into words by yourself?

 

 

Pretty much both. A health combination of each.

4) Do you believe celebrities when they are endorsing a product?

 

 

No... I only believe they were paid well enough to do it.

5) What kind of movies do you wish were made more often?

 

 

I don't  know, I guess I miss the days of rom-coms when Meg Ryan still looked like Meg Ryan. And just comedies in general. I miss going to the theater and laughing so much I wish I'd worn a diaper.

6) Does fashion matter to you?

 

 

Fashion only matters to me to the extent that I'm aware I'm not really achieving much! I wasn't blessed with the body to show off beautiful clothing. That being said, I do love the boho/hippie style.

7) Should politicians be held to the same legal standards as everyone else?

 

 

Yup. Absolutely.

 

8) If you became president, whom would you invite to sing at your inauguration?

 

 

I'd love to have Khalid and Billie Eilish perform for me. So much talent there. And if repeats are allowed, please send me Amanda Gorman. She's brilliant in every way! I was captivated by her performance at last Wednesday's Inauguration.

9) Do you try to write/say what you are feeling in a true and simple way?

 

 

I write what is truest and simplest for me, yes, but I swear I don't know how to be succinct!
 

10) What is your worst daily habit?

 

 

I still consume too much caffeine - probably more in an average year than several small island nations. Or something.

11) If you had your choice which one TV show would you have canceled?

 

 

Oh, I don't know. I'd say Real Housewives of Anywhere, but I have never watched any of those to know.

12) Do you like the taste of sweet or salt?

 

 

Both. Also cilantro.

13) Are you very precise about what words you use to describe your feelings and thoughts?

 

 

I feel like I sorta kinda answered that with Question #9, so here is a Bernie meme.

14) What do you feel the most guilty about?

 

 

Currently, I feel awful that we're still living in a hotel after more than five months in Maryland! I could go on and on about how sh*tty I feel about it and why.

15) Do you meditate?

 

 

I've tried on and off over the years. I'm very impatient, though, and give up early. I know it would be good for me.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

I started this post on Sunday morning, and now here it is Monday evening! Oops. That's part of the reason I haven't posted a lot with y'all lately. I keep wanting to, but then I know my posts would end up being two days late. And I hate being late.

 

So, we'll see if this catches on with me. In the meantime, sayonara!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Black

Hi, everyone. Haven't been feeling too well, so I had to take a bit of a sabbatical. I'm not going to do much of a prelude here today, either, lest I run out of steam and not complete this one!

So link up here if you want to join in, and thank you for visiting!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Black (2016)

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

1) This song was chosen because yesterday was Black Friday, the traditional day of sales. Have you begun your Christmas shopping?

Yeah, I started back in about August, I guess. I usually start socking away things here and there that I know they'll love, when I see a good deal, but between Coronavirus, being sick and moving cross-country, it didn't really go as usual. I think I'm making up for it!

2)  Was there an adult beverage served with your Thanksgiving feast?

No feast for us in the hotel room, and none of us can even remember eating, let alone what it was. And no, no alcohol.
 
3) Did any pets enjoy scraps from your Thanksgiving table?

Well, no, but they got their own treats from Barkbox!

4) Are there any Thanksgiving leftovers in your refrigerator right now?

No... but, uh, I think there are a few chalupas and bean burritos in the mini-fridge?

5) Football is a popular Thanksgiving weekend pastime. Will you be watching any games over the next few days? If yes, which team(s) are you rooting for?

Nope. No football. Hurricanes aren't playing. Oh and, even though they've been doing fairly well, I haven't been watching too much.

6) This week's song is by Dierks Bentley. He wrote it for his wife, Cassidy Black, who appears in the video. They met in eighth grade, dated on and off, and then eloped when they were in their late 20s. Has anyone ever surprised you by going off and suddenly getting married?

Yeah! This girl did! Me! I met my husband online and eloped with him two months later. We'll be celebrating our 20th anniversary verrrrry soon. Sometimess these things work out!

7) 2016 was a good year for Bentley. This song was one of three hits he had that year, he co-hosted the CMAs and was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year. As 2020 winds to an end, do you feel it's been a successful year?

.

No. Not in any way.

8) In 2016, David Bowie died. Do you have a favorite Bowie song?

I think his duet with Mick Jagger for "Dancing in the Street" is my absolute favorite with Bowie.

9) Also in 2016, CBS telecast reran How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the 50th time. What's your favorite Dr. Seuss story?

I always loved the Sneetches. And the Lorax. You know, the ones with feel-good messages, even when I was very little. I've always been into warm fuzzies.

Well, I don't know if anything is going to show up in that space there, but the settings are all off now. Weird! I hope you all have a great weekend, stay safe, and stay healthy.

Fin.

Saturday 9: Lights

Hello again. Welcome back.

I just can't believe how fast Fridays are rolling around lately. The time from Friday to Friday seems like a blink, even though the time we've spent here in Ocean City hotels (nine weeks?) seems interminable. Weird how these things work. I guess Einstein might have something to say about it.

Link up here if you want to join in with us this week!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Lights (2011)

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

1) This song was inspired by a young Ellie Goulding's fear of the dark. What scared you when you were a kid?

 

 

My family. Everything. Every G*d-d*amned thing.

 

2) She thinks back to the room where her brother and sister slept and she felt safe. Did you share a room when you were growing up?

 

I shared a room with my sister until I was about 6½ and we moved to a new house. It was never so sweet as one like this, though!

 

3) Ellie Goulding grew up in public housing and worked her way through the University of Kent in Canterbury. Back in those days, her favorite job was theater usher because it offered her the perk of seeing plays for free. What's the most recent "freebie" you scored? (This includes a buy one/get one deal, extra points on your credit card, etc.)

 

 

I actually just redeemed for a free large Caramel Frappe for my son, from the McDonalds app. He's been digging those lately.
 
4) Even though today she is an international music star, Ellie still lives modestly. She describes herself as "still in university mode," and limits herself to $10/day for lunch. Where do you economize?

 

 

Oh, everywhere I can. I'm pretty frugal. I've been teaching the kids how to avoid waste since Day One. I use coupons whenever possible. I use every restaurant and retailer's loyalty program to stock up on their points or whatever it is they use. We've got three kids (well, one's grown now, sigh) and have always had a menagerie of pets, so in order to provide for them and the occasional "nice" whatever, being frugal has been essential.

5) Ellie has proclaimed herself "a cat lady" and often posts pictures of her cats to her Instagram account. What's the most recent photo you took?

 

 

I took a couple pictures of this pocketwatch, which I recently bought on Etsy and gave to my daughter, Sophia.

6) Ellie appeared on Sesame Street. She, Elmo and Abby thanked clouds for raindrops, lakes, and the water we drink. Would you be thankful for a little rain this weekend?

 

 

Probably not. Tomorrow (Sunday), we're looking at this house that's out in the woods a bit, and I'd rather have a sunshine-y day for that!

7) In 2011, the year "Lights" was a hit, Prince William married Kate Middleton. Ellie not only attended the wedding, she sang Elton John's "Your Song" for the couple's first dance. Tell us a song that reminds you of a romance in your life.

 

Well, it may not be super-romantic in the traditional sense, but "If I Had a Million Dollars" by the Barenaked Ladies (imperative to watch/listen, if you don't know it!) brings me back to the beginning of this 20-year romance I've shared with Rob. I can't believe we're actually rounding the corner on completing two decades together and when he played this song for me the night he put a ring on it!

 

8) Also in 2011, AT&T abandoned their attempt to buy T-Mobile. Which company is your cell phone carrier? Are you happy with them?

 

 

We switched to AT&T way back when we still lived in Virginia Beach. I guess it's okay; we're still using 'em. I figure we're on the line between no signal and not so huge of a bill (which we had with T-Mobile), and a great signal and a huge bill (which I haven't wanted to bite the bullet on and join Verizon). So we have a crappy signal and a huge bill.

9) Random question: What recent experience made you feel old?

 

We're in the middle of a feeling-old hat trick, I think: We just celebrated Chloë's 19th birthday, moved her out into her own apartment, and she'll be voting in her first Presidential election soon. Doesn't take much more than that!

~*~*~*~*~

Alright, y'all. I seriously need to go grab a shower, and then hopefully I'll still have enough energy afterward to delve into Sunday Stealing. (Shower's wear me OUT.)

Fin.

Saturday 9: Vision Of Love

Hey, friends.  I hope you are doing well. We're in something like our 9th week of hotel-living, and I can tell you, we are so over it!!!

But, the sale of our Idaho house is going well, and we should be closing at the end of the month. I'm thrilled it was picked up so quickly. Now, I just hope we can find a new one here in Maryland (or possibly Delaware) at such a great pace!

Link up here if you're playing along with us this week!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Vision of Love (1990)

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

1) The lyrics refer to "sweet destiny." Do you believe in destiny?

 

I don't really know what I believe there. But like this meme here, I tend to think it's some parts chance and some parts making intentional moves.

 

2) This week's artist, Mariah Carey, has something to fall back on. She studied cosmetology and worked as a hair sweeper in a salon. When you get your hair cut, do you socialize with the stylist?

 

At first, as little as possible. I have to be comfortable with someone before I can get chatty; I'm an extroverted introvert. When my sister gets ahold of my hair (she's a stylist in New York; that's her up there in the purple), then of course it's a non-stop chatterfest.

 

3) She isn't likely to turn to cosmetology any time soon. Mariah is currently on the best seller list with her autobiography, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. Was the last book you finished fiction or non-fiction?

 

 

I've got White Fragility still in my laptop bag, and a few others I really need to get started on.

 

4) So far, more than 800 people have reviewed Mariah's book on Amazon. Do you review products/services online?

 

 

I really don't do that many reviews, and when I do, I find I usually do write more negative ones - the really negative experiences - than positive ones. So I've been working on changing that. I don't know how often I'll get to the middle-of-the-road reviews, though!

5) When she was a high school student, she was nicknamed "Mirage" because she skipped class so often. Did you ever play hooky?

 

School and work? Almost never, if not never. I never played "hooky" unless being too sick to go counted. But now that I'm sick, I'm completely unreliable. And I hate it.

6) Mariah doesn't apologize for spoiling her dogs, who have been known to travel by limo. Do you know anyone who treats their pets like people?

 

Oh, yeah. Like, my 19-year-old daughter treats her cat here, Pepper, like her son. He's her absolute baby. She lives for that boy!

7) In 1990, the year this song was popular, Martina Navratilova won the Wimbledon Women's Singles Tournament. How's your tennis game?

 

 

I liked playing, but I was never very good. I've got poor depth perception. Pretty important for tennis!

8) Also in 1990, Pope John Paul II toured Mexico. Have you ever visited our neighbor south of the border?

 

 

Yes. Twice. The first, time, I was on a cruise, and my grandfather took me aside when we were in Cozumel. I don't remember anything about the location (other than that it was beautiful), because he took me to a pharmacy or two to get cheap drugs. Heh. I was a poor, struggling graduate student then, and Grandpa knew I had no health insurance but needed a lot of  meds. He'd learned that you could get them cheap in Mexico, and so he bought me a year's supply. (He seriously was the greatest.)

 

The second time, Hubs and I were on a retreat to somewhere, shortly after his brain surgery. We had a lot of semi-relaxed fun, drank a lot, and enjoyed each other's company. I know we were in Mexico, but I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the resort or the region!

9) Random question(s): There are Gofundme campaigns for many purposes. Have you ever solicited funds online? Would you?

Yes. For my kid's art supplies for a great class she was taking, of the Masters. (Hat tip to Sam.) Otherwise... it hasn't always gone well. I'm out of that game.

~*~*~*~*~

Hope you all have a pretty decent weekend! I'm hoping we get to look at a couple houses and maybe take a day trip somewhere. Where will the road take you...?

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: Interesting Confusions...

Hey there, guys and dolls! Welcome back to SSA. I've missed you! I'm hoping that by the end of November, we'll finally be in our forever home here on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

And I'm hoping that it will finally feel like home, not just our house.

Ya dig?

Keep your fingers crossed for us, you fine folks, will you?

As I'm sending good vibes to all of you as we work through fires and storms and COVID-19 and head into winter... <sigh>

Link up here to play along this weekend!

~*~*~*~*~

Stolen from various web sites...

1) Can you cry under water?

I'm not sure I could. Underwater = my happiest happy place.

2) What is the fattest thing you’ve ever done?

Admittedly, I don't entirely understand the intent of this question, but...

Oh, I definitely have a sweet tooth, so I have had trouble cutting out the sweets since they became a big problem for me. The worst is when any of us have a birthday. Rob likes a plain, unfrosted chocolate cake for his birthdays, but most of the rest of us like Carvel ice cream cakes for ours. Since Chloë's birthday is the 7^th of September, and mine is the 8^th, we often have... kind of a lot of it. I get sick on it every time, but does it stop me??

3) If you’re going to be arrested, what do you want your crime to be?

I've never been arrested, but I admit, I've sort of half-jokingly put it on my Bucket List. If it happens, I want it to be for some kind of protest, whether it be political or, preferably, an environmental cause.

4) When they say dog food is “new and improved” who tastes it?

Well, first of all, I've always had issues with that phrase, "new and improved." If it's new, then what could have been improved upon if it didn't exist before? If it's improved, then it's something old they made better, so how could it be new? 

Anyway. I figure, if they're going to find out if dog food is better, they'd better ask the experts: dogs!

5) What’s the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen?

My stepmother was always sarcastic, always sneering, in this unique way that I've only ever seen one other person in my life do. Very much like Cinderella's evil stepmother, here. It was an awful expression that could drain the blood from my face in an instant, because I knew that whatever was coming next would be worse than whatever led up to that point. I don't miss that b**ch.

6.) Why doesn’t glue stick to its bottle?

So there you go!

7) What historical event do you wish you’d witnessed?

Oh my gosh, there are so many things I could have thought of, but the first one I thought of was the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta when Kerry Strug did her vault with a broken ankle. That whole Dream Team was amazing. I would love, love, love to attend the Olympics some day!

8) Who has had the best influence on your life?

I've thunk hard on it, and I keep returning to the one inevitable answer: my husband. No one else in this world has made me look inside myself and really try to be better for someone else and not just for my own sake.

9) Would you rather go into space or to Antarctica?

Space! Although I'd always accept a trip anywhere, almost anytime - pandemics excluded.

10) Would you rather sleep with no pillow or no blankets?

I'd rather live without the pillow. I don't care how hot I am, I need to have certain portions of me covered with a blanket - and I can always use part of it for a pillow!

11) What's your favorite rain memory?

Oh, whenever it rained in the summers in Virginia Beach, when Sophia was two, three, four, five years old... we would go out and jump in the puddles! That little bitty was so excited and happy when she was jumping up and down in those puddles. She was just the the picture of pure joy.

12) If you were elected president, what is the first thing you would do?

First thing I would do is declare a moratorium on fossil fuels. No more coal mines, fracking, oil drilling, none of that. Our reliance on fossil fuels has long overstayed its welcome, and it's killing all of us. That shit's got to end.

13) If you had $3 to spend in the dollar store, what would you buy?

If I have an occasion like a birthday, the supplies there can't be beat for a buck! Ribbons, tissue paper, gift bag? Done!

14) What’s the most annoying sound in the world?

I can't stand to hear other people chewing and smacking their lips while they're eating. I have to tell my son to stop doing it constantly. Drives me crazy!

15) What natural disaster scares you the most?

Fire. We had a fire in the house I grew up in, and I still have scars on my legs from that. I've lived through that, tropical storms and hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes, a supertyphoon... but nothing scares me like fire. I don't want to die that way.

~*~*~*~*~

On that pleasant thought...! I've got some work to do for this nonprofit project I'm working on, and then make a list for some shopping. Maybe I'll even get some knitting accomplished. Not necessarily in that order.

Cheers to all of you and let's hope no one's in any natural disasters today!

Fin.

 

Saturday 9: One Night Standards

Hello, y'all. Another weekend has snuck right on up on me. I missed last weekend entirely, seems like.

If I didn't tell you here, we put our Idaho house on the market, and within hours we had an offer for the full amount of our request. So that was exciting. Once we close on that, we can start looking for our new home here on the Eastern shore of Maryland. Woot!

Hope y'all are doing well. ♥

Link up here if you're playing along with us this weekend.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: One Night Standards (2019)

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

1) The video for this song takes place in a motel and the story is told from the point of view of the desk clerk. Have you ever worked in a hotel, motel, or bed-and-breakfast?

I have not. But I used to have this fantasy of owning and running a boutique bed & breakfast in St. Pete Beach or Sarasota, Florida.

2) Ashley McBryde sings that she's not Cinderella, a reference to the fairy-tale heroine warned to return from the ball before midnight. When did you recently stay up until the wee small hours of the morning?

Today! I can't help it. Try as I might to get myself on a "normal" human, diurnal schedule, my body just won't comply. I always end right back up on a nocturnal schedule, try as I might to fight it.

3) Ashley had been working hard as a singer/songwriter for eleven years before she was discovered and proclaimed one of County's best new artists. What was your life like 11 years ago?

Oh, it was busy! By then I had a 4-year-old daughter, a 6-year-old son, and an 8-year-old daughter. I was a stay-home mom, but we were rarely at home. I think I had started my bakery by then and was getting orders fairly frequently; I was also still running my 501(c)(3) in memory of my living son's twin. Hubs was still Active-Duty Navy, so we mostly scheduled everything around that. I hated our house in Virginia Beach, but I loved living there - it was a great location!

4) Ashley is from Mammoth Springs, AR. One of the most popular stops on Main Street -- for locals and tourists alike -- is Spring Dipper Ice Cream. More than 20 flavors are made right there on the premises, from Jamoca Almond Fudge to French Vanilla. When confronted with such a wide selection, do you tend to order your familiar favorite or try something new?

It's kind of a toss-up on that.  I love pistachio ice cream, but I rarely find it anymore. So if I see that, I'm probably getting it. If it's not there, I have to look at and evaluate each and every single other flavor to see what there is. I know what I'd like and what I wouldn't. And so I whittle down my choices until I reach my answer: wait a minute! I can't eat ice cream!

5) In 2007, she moved to Nashville to pursue a music career. Have you ever relocated for a job?

Well, you didn't specify that it had to be my job (although I have done that, too), so yes: in 2002, we moved to Guam on the other side of the world for Rob's next station in the US Navy. Chloë was a baby, and I was early in my pregnancy with the twins. We had a dog and a cat who flew separately from us and got lost, then were found and had to quarantine for a month or so. This all cost a pretty penny, and seemed like it was soooo much flying with a 13-month-old! So imagine how thrilled we were when we had to do it again and go back to the States four months later! (At that time I was about six months pregnant, but it was twins, and I had the same polyhydramnios - excess amniotic fluid - that I'd had with Chloë, so the flight attendants were eyeing my belly like, "Are you sure you're allowed to be flying right now?!"

6) Whenever Ashley hears a Carpenters song, she thinks of her mother, who loved Karen Carpenter's voice. Tell us a song that reminds you a loved one.

My mother loved the song "Hey There, Georgy Girl" and used to play it, almost daily, on her organ in our house in first Monroe, then Baldwinsville, New York. I just thought of it, and listened to it, now for the first time in years. I could see her so joyfully playing the organ and singing along, smiling, sounding beautiful. She had a lovely voice and was so talented.

7) In 2019, the year this song was recorded, Notre Dame Cathedral was damaged in a fire. Have you ever visited Paris?

No, not yet. The closest I've come was the flower market in Nice. And on that same 2008 trip, we also went to Eze. Beautiful!

8) Also in 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (aka Harry and Meghan) had a baby boy. Is anyone in your life expecting a baby?

Wow, I don't think so. If anyone I know is pregnant, I do not think I am aware of it yet. Been a long time since I could say that!

9) Random question: Do you always want to hear the truth about yourself?

I would like to say yes, but I am afraid that answer is actually no, not always. I'm just too sensitive. I don't know. Can I say "maybe"??

~*~*~*~*~

Well, kids, I'm off to take my brood for a spin in my new wheels. We're going all the way to the post office. Exciting!

Have a lovely!

Fin.

Saturday 9: Do You Want To Dance?

Hello, hello! Welcome to Crazytown. Since the last time I "saw" you, my husband, son, and our pets (kind of a zoo) have arrived in Ocean City. Househunting is still very much under way, but we've found a few favorites. Meanwhile, our realtor is still working on priming and prepping our house in Idaho for sale, which should go live this coming week. I. Cannot. Wait!

Let's get into Sat 9. Link up here if you're playing along today!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Do You Want to Dance? (1972)

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

This week, we're inspired by The Divine Miss M's plea for a definitive answer. Here are nine random "yes or no" questions. Naturally you're welcome to elaborate, but if you want to zip through with a "Y" or an "N," that's fine, too.

 

1) Do you check your cellphone first thing in the morning?

 

 

Yes, I usually do. I always have a million notifications.

 

2) Are there dirty dishes in your sink right now?

 

 

There are five of us. Someone's always eating or just getting done eating. Like the laundry, the dishes are never fully done.

3) Have you laughed yet today?

 

 

Yep. I'm watching the appropriately-named Shameless on Netflix, and it causes me to erupt in all kinds of laughter and shock. Sometimes both at the same time.

4) Have you written a check in the last week?

 

 

No. That's so 20^th century; I hardly ever write a check anymore.

5) If you met someone who shared all your strengths and weaknesses, would you like him/her?

 

 

I doubt it. I don't know anyone with the amount of neuroses I have, and I'm glad... And that's just for starters!

6) Is a bride ever too old to have a big wedding?

 

 

No? Yes? How should I know? Hubs and I happily eloped, and while it's sometimes fun to daydream about a big wedding I might have had, then I add up the bills of that wedding and am seriously glad we chose elopement all over again.

7) Do you put potato chips in your sandwich to make it crunchy?

 

 

Yes, but while I have been known to do so, I can't remember the last time I ate an actual sandwich.

8) Have you ever taken a nude photo of someone (not a baby)?

 

 

Now we're talking 21^st century. Yes, of course I have. Ha!

9) On Monday, will you be playing Bud and Mimi's cool new meme, Monday Madness? (Our last shameless plug, I promise.)

 

 

I cannot commit to that. I might? I will try if I remember, but remembering is a weak point for me these days.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Well that was fun, y'all! Thanks, Crazy Sam. ♥ Back to Shameless for me, while I contemplate Team O's next move. Over and out!

 

Fin.

Hey there, guys and dolls. I'm still shacking up with my lady children (wait, that sounds wrong) in a fine hotel in Ocean City, Maryland, while our guys are still back in Idaho finishing up the packing and the minor repairs.

We have been suddenly hit with all the feels missing our menfolk and furfolk this week. Maybe it's because Chloë's 19th birthday was on Monday and my birthday was on Tuesday, but we really just needed those guys this week something awful. Rob is hoping to get on the road very soon and let the realtor handle things from there. Fingers are tightly crossed!

I have mad love for Whitney Houston, so I'm glad to see that she's the start of S9 this week. Link up here to join in the fray!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: So Emotional (1987)

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

1) Whitney sings that she keeps her lover's photo beside her bed. What's on your bedside table?

Well, it's kind of a mess right now, since Chloë and I are sharing the hotel night table. We've got the hotel phone, my ubiquitous Diet Coke can and a toothpick (I'm never without), some Tree Hut Sugarlips lip scrub, both my Versace prescription glasses and my toric contact lenses for some reason, my noise-cancelling headphones, our UV sanitation bag/box/thingy, facial cleansing wipes, travel-size deodorant, cocoa butter lotion from Alba Botanica... you get the picture, right?

2) She's getting frustrated, waiting for the phone to ring. If your phone were to ring right now, who would you expect to be on the other end?

At this stage of my life, it would probably be either a doctor's nurse or a doctor's billing department.

3) The video was filmed at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, PA. It seats 6,200. As the nation reopens from Covid-19, would you feel comfortable sitting knee-to-knee with a stranger in an arena like this?

Not a snowball's chance in hell!

4) This week's featured artist, Whitney Houston, appeared on the daytime drama As The World Turns. She played herself, performing with Jermaine Jackson at the Miss Cinderella contest in the fictional town of Oakdale. Have you ever been hooked on a soap opera?

Yeah, back in my youth my older sisters watched plenty of soaps, so if I wanted to watch TV, that's what I watched, too. And when no one else was home, I was "required" to watch and then update them when they got home.

5) Whitney had a sweet tooth, and her favorite breakfast cereal was Fruity Pebbles. Do you often eat cereal for lunch or dinner?

I very rarely eat cereal at all anymore, even though I love it. My GI tract rejects it entirely. My favorite cereal is Frosted Mini Wheats, and I miss them!

6) At Whitney's wedding to Bobby Brown, her bridesmaids all wore lavender dresses and the groomsmen had custom made alligator shoes. Have you ever "stood up" for a friend or relative? If so, do you remember what you wore?

I wore a little pastel pink dress when my dad married my stepmother. I forget what I wore when my sister got married. (Sorry, Sis!!) and I wore a silver gown for my best friend Lisa's wedding. I remember the bosom area had to be let out, because I was breastfeeding 9-month-old Chloë at the time.

7) In 1987, the year this song was popular, Cher won the Oscar for Moonstruck. Her most famous line was, "Snap out of it!" When you think of Cher, do you first think of her movies, her TV show, or her music?

When I think of Cher, my first thoughts go immediately to her music in the 80s and 90s - and the costumes that went with it!

8) Michael Douglas won the Oscar that year for Wall Street. His most famous line was, "Greed is good." His character goes on to say that, "Greed in all its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of all mankind." Do you agree?

No, absolutely not.

9) Random question: When you woke up this morning, were you ready to get out of bed? Or do you wish you could have snoozed for a bit longer?

No, I was glad to finally wake up today. Chloë had been trying to wake me up for a while, and I was stuck in night terror the entire time. Guess I gotta up the PTSD meds tonight to keep that from happening again. #OverIt!

~*~*~*~*~

It's weird, because I haven't even been awake all that long, and yet I'm already exhausted. Really had wanted to go to the beach today! We'll see. Take care, folks.

Fin.