MelaniePenelope

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: On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe

Hello, my lovelies. It's another Saturday morning, and this time we have Judy Garland singing a tune I have not heard before. I'm going into YouTube momentarily to rectify that. You should, too.

Meanwhile, I have had a busy week, medically speaking. Monday had me at a new cardiologist (I liked him, and now I'm wearing a Holter monitor); Tuesday I visited my pain management specialist, who was in rare spirits; Wednesday I missed my primary care appointment out of exhaustion (it's tough being a spoonie, I tell ya); Thursday, I tore something horribly in my right shoulder; and Friday, I saw my psychiatrist, and I scheduled surgery on my left shoulder. And behold, it was good.

It's a thrilling social life I lead. Apart from that nonsense, we have S9. Please link up here if you're joining us today! Let's do it.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe (1946)

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

 

1) In this song, Judy Garland sings about the train whistle and wheels. What sounds make you happy?

 

Children laughing. Especially my children laughing and getting along. I like the sound of happy little birds twittering and tweeting. And I absolutely love the sound of waves crashing on the shore - together with all the other ocean sounds. Be still, my heart.

 

2) She tells us that, since she loves dreaming of train travel, she must have "a little gypsy in her heart." How about you? Do you often dream of visiting faraway places?

 

Absolutely:

 

 

I've got that itch to go see more of the world again, so we've been considering doing something like a Rhine River cruise, or

 

 

perhaps a trip to Bermuda. Nary a decision has been made at this point.

 

3) Judy sings about a future when she's "old and gray and settled down." At what age do you consider a person is old?

 

When they start acting old, feeling old, and tell me they're old.

 

4) This song is from the movie, The Harvey Girls. Filming was a time of stress for Judy. She was appearing before the cameras by day (she sprained her ankle in a scene where she slips down a hill), recording the soundtrack by night, and dealing with lawyers regarding her divorce from composer David Rose. Yet watching the movie, none of the tension shows. Do you work well under pressure?

 

 

These days, with #SpoonieLife, not anymore. But prior to my body deciding it didn't know how to act anymore, yeah, I was great at that.

 

5) Judy relaxed on the set by knitting and would make blankets and caps for the children of crew members. Do you knit?

 

 

It's been a good while since I knit - since before I got too sick. Look at that clavicle! I love it. That's very motivating for me. Oh, and the knitting, too.

 

6) Judy admitted she had a problem with tardiness. Do you strive to be prompt?

 

Yes, I hate being late. Sometimes I am, and I spend a week apologizing (give or take), but I absolutely hate it.

 

7) In 1946, when this song was on the radio, cigarette cases were very popular. Since these metal cases were standard issue in the Army during WWII, many soldiers got into the habit of using them and continued to after the war ended. Women often carried fabric or leather cigarette cases that closed with a clasp like a coin purse. In the 1940s, elegant cigarette cases were a fashionable gift but today, they are largely forgotten. Did you ever carry one? Do you know anyone who did?

 

 

I never did - never a smoker - but my grandmother always had one. Always. Always. Always. Until she died on oxygen, grandma was a smoker, God rest her soul.

 

8) Also in 1946, bikinis appeared for the first time on runways in Paris. How often did you don swimwear during 2022?

 

 

Not many. Two, three? Fewer than a handful of times and far fewer than what I'd like!

9) Random question: Thinking of your past romantic involvements, were you truly in love with one of them, some of them, or all of them?

 

Some of them. Many of them. But definitely not all of them. And that's a fact.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Welp, that's a wrap! Have a spectactular week on purpose, folks.

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Just Because

Howdy-ho, neighbors! This weekend's post focuses on this song, Just Because, by Elvis Presley.  This is significant to me because I grew up with a dad who absolutely idolized the man (and, I'm sure, still does) and could do a mean impression of him as well. My dad could sing well, could do the moves, and even had some of the requisite attire to make the whole thing convincing. Of course, I've heard every Elvis song ever, 50,000 times over, backward and forward... right?

I had not ever heard this song before.

So, my friends, link up here if you want to join us this weekend. Read on for my answers. Thank you, Crazy Sam, for dusting this one off for me (okay, us)! Let's hit it:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Just Because (1956)

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

1) In this week's song, Elvis complains that his girl has confused him with Santa Claus. This time of year, Santa is prominent. Did you more recently hear Santa referred to in a song, see him in a holiday decoration or ad, watch him in a film or TV show, or maybe even met him in person, ringing a bell or asking kids if they have been naughty or nice?

Yes, we've been listening to a lot of Christmas carols lately as we work through the activities in our Advent calendar. Santa features prominently in these, of course.

2) Finally Elvis just can't take it anymore and breaks up with her, just because. Is there anyone in your life who has a way of pressing your buttons and getting on your nerves?

That's probably true for everyone, I'm guessing.

3) "Just Because" is one of the last songs Elvis recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis. TripAdvisor recommends a Sun Studio tour as one of the top things to do in Memphis. Have you ever been to Memphis? If yes, what did you do?

I've only ever driven through Memphis, and also Nashville, and also half a dozen times Chattanooga. I have stayed in Gatlinburg. Memphis would be an interesting trip, though.

4) Elvis left Sun for RCA, a much bigger record label. As part of the deal, RCA negotiated for the rights to all his unreleased Sun songs. "Just Because" is one of them, and it was included on Elvis' first RCA album. Have you gotten a good deal on anything lately?

I get a good deal on just about everything. Like the SodaStream I got for Chloë for Christmas, I paid nowhere near full price, nor did I pay full price for the flavors for it, nor will I ever! And she'll be so thrilled to have it, so win-win!

5) In 1956, when "Just Because" was released, non-stick cookware was first introduced. Do you have any Teflon in your kitchen right now?

No way in hell!

6) Elvis thought peacocks were beautiful and commissioned stained glass peacock panels for his living room. Do you have any stained glass in your home?

No, but I certainly do wish! It's so beautiful.

7) He tried to keep peacocks at Graceland. One of the birds saw its reflection in Elvis' gold Cadillac and started pecking, ruining the car's expensive paint job. Elvis donated the peacocks to the Memphis Zoo. Have you ever had a bird as a pet?

Well not exactly pets, but we used to keep chickens when we lived in Idaho for the eggs, and the five of us each had "our" specific chickens that we felt we belonged to and were particularly attached to. I loved those chickens. Here, we're not allowed to have any because of our HOA rules, even though the town would allow three, which makes me want to be a scofflaw and keep ducks. They don't say anything about ducks.

8) Elvis decorated the long Graceland driveway for the holidays with blue lights. His father teased that with the airport nearby, pilots might confuse their driveway with a runway. What airport is nearest your home?

I believe the nearest major airport is Baltimore International, although we have tons of regional ones between there and here.

9) When Elvis was alive, he kept the holiday lights up until January 9, the day after his birthday. That tradition continues at Graceland today. Conventional etiquette tells us Christmas decorations should go up the day after Thanksgiving and come down before January 6 (the 12^th day of Christmas). Do you think it's ever too early, or too late, for Christmas decorations?

Well, for stores and other commercial enterprises, yeah, I kinda think there is a limit for too-early/too-late. But for private families and people, I think, who gives a rat's behind? Let people do what makes them happy! So what if Joe Schmoe at the end of the block likes to keep his lights up until the end of March and put them up again after Halloween? What's it to me? I don't pay his light bill and it's honestly kind of pretty. I'm of more of a laissez-faire kind of mind about that for private citizens.

~*~*~*~*~

Welp, that's all folks! Back to wrapping presents with Chloë, my eldest! Seems like the job will never be done, but that's not a complaint! I'm grateful for the abundance, always grateful.

Have a wonderful week on purpose, everybody! ♥

Fin.

Saturday 9: Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

Hey everyone! I was up late doing volunteer work that I do here at home, and I crashed and burned right in the middle of it. So it's after noon on Saturday, now, that I'm getting into S9. As a result, I'm sure I'll be getting dead last. No worries, though; I'll be glad to be getting in at all.

This week we have Lesley Gore teed up for you. I was surprised I know a number of her songs. I mean, I know her name, and I know these songs, but I didn't know these songs were hers. So now I've got YouTube doings its thing and hitting me in the eardrums with the vocal stylings of the late, great Lesley.

If you'd like to join us this weekend, be sure to link up here. Away we go:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows (1965)

 

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

1. In this song, Lesley Gore sings that sunshine is wonderful. It's hard to argue with that. Is it sunny where you are today?

 

It's sunny as hell, but decidedly not warm.

 

2. Tootsie Roll is the world's #1 manufacturer of lollipops, and cherry is their most popular flavor. Do you have a sweet tooth? If yes, what's your favorite sweet treat?

 

 

I always have love for Ferrero Rocher chocolates - who doesn't? - and Lindt chocolate truffles. Recently, we were in Michaels for some supplies, and we discovered these Peppermint Cookie milk chocolate truffles, and they are so amazing. YUM. Big yum. Get yourself some.

 

3. According to myth, you'll find a leprechaun's pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. If you suddenly, unexpectedly came into $100,000, what is the first thing you would buy?

 

 

You mean I can't pay bills? Okay, I'd buy some travel plans for Hubs and me. Two of the kids are grown, and one is all-but. I'd schedule the travel for when they're all grown. There. No guilt. I'd love to go to Japan and then more of the Asian continent.

 

4. She feels brighter than a lucky penny. Abraham Lincoln was the first person to appear on a U.S. coin, when the 1909 penny was struck in honor of his 100th birthday. Thomas Jefferson is on the nickel, George Washington is on the quarter, and John F. Kennedy is on the half dollar. Without looking, do you know which President is on the dime?

 

I want to say Jackson? I'm going to have to go look now, b/c I feel like that's wrong. Going to look... Oh, wow. I was way off. Really, FDR? I completely forgot that information. Thanks for making me re-learn! Jackson must be on the tenner then, right? Please say yes. (Answer: No, that would be Hamilton; Jackson is the 20.)

5. Lesley Gore was very popular in the 1960s, with 11 Top Ten hits. Most people don't know that, while she was making records, she was also attending Sarah Lawrence College and graduated with her BA in 1968. What's something most Saturday 9ers would be surprised to know about you?

 

In 2oo4, after an infant loss the year prior, I established a modest non-profit. But the things is, I'm extremely frugal and didn't want to spend the money to have a CPA or a tax attorney do the paperwork for our 501(c)(3) (nontaxable) status with the IRS. So I looked and I learned and I read and I studied, and I did it all (pages and pages, y'all!) myself. We were awarded our 501(c)(3) status right from the beginning! I was so proud of that.

 
6. She performed "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" in the movie Ski Party. Do you plan to ski this season?

 

 

Ohhh nooooo. I used to be able to cross-country ski. Never downhill. Neither, anymore.

 

7. This song was written by Marvin Hamlisch, who would go on to win three Oscars, four Grammys, three Emmys, a Tony, and a Pulitzer Prize. That's quite an impressive list! But we believe our Sat 9-ers are impressive, too. So give yourself an award this morning. (For example, Crazy Sam is now Meme Mistress of the Year.)

 

MOST BREAKS TAKEN BY A BLOGGERESS: MELANIE PENELOPE

 

8. In 1965, when this song was on the charts, I Dream of Jeannie premiered. This supernatural sitcom, about an astronaut who finds a genie on a beach, competed for viewers with Bewitched, which was about an advertising executive who marries a witch. Do you prefer Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie?

 

 

I enjoyed them both, but I prefered Jeannie just because I always found Barbara Eden sooo beautiful.

9. Random question -- Which would you rather have, tacos or pizza?

 

 

Oh, that's an easy one. Nine times out of 10, I'm picking a (vegetarian) pizza.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

I finished within an hour! That's something of a miracle!

 

Y'all have yourselves a good week now, y'hear?

 

Fin.

 

 

Saturday 9: Forever Your Girl

Hi everyone! First, do we like the new blog design, or no? I'm not so sure. I might let it grow on me for a week or more before I make any decisions. I'm not (ever) happy about summer ending and autumn being here, but this year I decided to just try to let that go and embrace things as much as possible.

Second, I love me some Paula Abdul! I had this album back in the day and still remember most, if not all, of the words. I was soo happy to see her perform at - what? Billboard Music Awards? - a couple years ago. She was fantastic, especially considering her age and physical health. So two thumbs up from me for this week's choice!!

Which gets me to that. Link up here if you're playing along this week, because here. we. go!

~*~*~*~*~

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

Saturday 9: Forever Your Girl (1989)

1) In this song, Paula Abdul tells her boyfriend he's got to remember, she's forever his girl. How's your memory? Do you remember things easily or do you leave yourself notes and reminders?

My mind used to be pretty much like the proverbial steel trap, to the delight of many a professor and the chagrin of my husband, because I made heavy use of mnemonics and other memory devices and 'games.' But that is no more. My ability to remember my mnemonics - or even to use them at all - has weakened greatly, and I'm not only forgetting exactly what I needed to remember, but sometimes, that I needed to remember something. I mostly blame the combo of Lyme/fibromyalgia/lupus. They've done some mighty damage.

2) Paula reassures her lover that she can't be swayed by another man, even if he gave her diamonds or pearls. Tell us about a piece of jewelry that means something to you.

Well, Chloë gave me that "mama" bracelet and matching "mama" ring for this past Mother's Day, along with the other bracelet, which she had engraved with sentiments of the occasion. She may have given me the anklet with hearts on it, but - eek! - I can't recall!

3) Paula is best known as one of the original judges of American Idol. Without looking it up, can you recall the men who sat on either side of her?

Sure, but no picture, since I can't look it up: Simon Cowell & Randy Jackson

4) Paula has been dancing since age 8 and moves very well in heels. Tell us about your favorite shoes.

First, I'll tell you what I really want to get - a pair of Keens like these:

I do have a similar pair with similar colors from a different brand, and I'd show and tell except that it's downstairs and I can't remember. Of course. So I'll show and tell about the Jambu Jsport Regatta shoes that I have, which are semi-similar and which I wear often and really like:

Really comfortable no matter what I'm doing, easy to put on, and especially convenient if I haven't painted my toenails! ahahaha

5) A lifelong dancer, Paula admits she's not a trained singer. For this record, she worked with producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who won accolades for his work with singers including Madonna, Kelly Clarkson, Toni Braxton and Janet Jackson. Who is your all-time favorite female singer?

 If you had asked me this about 5 years ago, I would have told you:

But this young human continues her growth in that space, and  I think someone has finally managed to edge out Whitney in that spot for me:

Jewel came very close, too. I don't know, I love a lot of female singers. But I may be borderline #obsessed with Billie Eilish's voice.

6) She advises young girls to "keep the faith and don't lose your gut instinct." How about you? Are you more logical or instinctive?

I think with me, they both vie for attention, so there's an equal rise over run, resulting in a 1:1 slope. #mathnerd

7) Paula is excited that Richard Branson has chosen her song, "Straight Up" as the theme for his Virgin Galactic Spaceflight company. Would you like to orbit above the earth?

Hell, yeah, I would!! No qualms there. No ifs, ands, or buts, either. It just occurred to me: if I'm asked to go straight up into space, and I say "hell yeah," there's some irony there, is there not? I know, I'm so clever these days.

8) In 1989, when this song was a hit, the Sears Holiday Wish Book was big on bathrobes. Men and women alike were tempted with brightly colored, belted robes with hoods and patch pockets. Tell us about your bathrobe.

I don't currently have one, although I would love one. So instead, here is 21-year-old Chloë on our recent trip to the Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, wearing the robe they provided to her in our hotel room. She loved it and said it was so cozy. I thought about buying her one for Christmas, but she must have smelt my wheels churning, because she reminded me she already had one, perhaps two!

9) Random question: What do you consider your best quality?

For better or for worse, I am an extreme empath. And a deep feeler. So when I'm empathizing with someone, it often physically hurts (if what they're feeling are negative emotions). I can't turn that off, so sometimes I have to completely avoid the situation to save myself some "spoons" (see "Spoon Theory," for the uninitiated). I hate doing that, though, because that sends the opposite message. I'd rather be there for someone no matter what it takes from me in the short or long run: it's my superpower.

~*~*~*~*~

Take care folks, and if you're in Florida, I'm sending all my positive vibes, very best throughts, prayers, and good juju your way. Likewise if you've been in the path of Ian in states north of Florida - we're getting some hard rains right now, ourselves. To everyone: be safe, remember what's important to you in the world, and nurture that.

Fin.

Saturday 9: In And Out Of Love

Hey, party people! What's the haps? It saddens me to say that this will be our last meeting of Summer 2022. It's Bike Fest weekend down at the beach right now; some 100,000+ motorcycles are deafening the wildlife in Ocean City right now, so I'll have to wait until that's over to attempt one last summer beach trip down there. Cross your fingers for me?

One thing I feel like I must address: some of you may have noticed some "off" comments on some of my posts. I'm being cyberstalked, cyberbullied, harrassed, you name it, all of the above. I don't know who the person is, but on many other platforms as well as this one, they are leaving unkind, often lewd messages for me. I unpublish them as soon as I see them, but please don't pay them any mind. I do not know who the person is, and I don't want to give them any more attention than I have to. Thanks!

Moving forward, let's get to today's song, which I just listened to for the first time. Link up here if you're playing along, too!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: In and Out of Love (1967)

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

1) In this song, Diana Ross is disappointed that she hasn't yet found lasting love. Do you think you can fall out of love? Or do you believe that if you fell out of love, it wasn't true love to begin with?

 

 

I believe for sure you can fall out of love. If you can fall INTO love, you can fall out. Love is something you have to work out, you have to nourish and tend to. But both parties have to commit to doing so, and if one isn't, then it's possible the love will be neglected and wither away.

2) When is the last time you literally fell, tripped, or stumbled?

 

 

Probably today. I have balance issues, so I fall or nearly fall daily!

 
3) This record was a hit with American Bandstand viewers. For weeks it was voted the song they most wanted to dance to. Did you watch American Bandstand?

 

 

Hmm. My sources tell me it ran until 1989, which would have made me 13, but I can't specifically remember watching it. I was a fan of Dick Clark and know I watched him on Pyramid, listened to his various countdowns on the radio and watched the annual New Year's Eve one, but I can't remember watching Bandstand.

 

4) This is one of the last Supremes songs that featured the most successful hit-making line-up: Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard. Florence's great-nephew, Christian Ballard, was a football star at University of Iowa and briefly played pro ball for the Vikings. The 2022-23 NFL season just kicked off. What team do you root for?

 

 

I don't really have a horse in the race when it comes to pro foot ball. Everyone knows my team is NCAA level. Soo, I root for the team Hubs roots for: Patrick Mahomes. I mean Kansas City Chiefs. But they're doing pretty well together, so it's fair to say.

 

5) Mary had a connection to sports, too. She donated her time and talent to raising money for Figure Skaters of Harlem, an organization that helps young people train for the Winter Olympics. Tell us about a charity you support.

 

 

One that is near and dear to my heart is the Center for Biological Diversity. Biodiversity on Earth is a critical measurement of how healthy life on Earth, in general, is. So it's critical to support rehabbing those species whose numbers are dwindling and on their way out, as well as those whose numbers are approaching that line. Remember, humans are animals too (yes, we are), and what affects them also affects us.

 

6) There's a children's playground in New York's Central Park named for the last surviving member of this trio, Diana Ross. It has swings, slides, a rope bridge, and a fountain that kids are welcome to splash in. If you were suddenly little again, which would you play on first?

 

 

That's Chloë a week ago on our birthdays (hers is on the 7th, mine is on the 8th) in Love Park, in Philadelphia - in the fountain park area. I'm just like her; I'd go for the splash park first, 10 times out of 10, if I was a kid. Hell, if I wasn't in a wheelchair, I still would!

 

7) Diana owns an estate in Greenwich, CT, with lush gardens, a tennis court, and a pool. While the grounds are spectacular, she maintains the house itself is "nothing special" because the kitchen hasn't been renovated in more than three decades. Could your kitchen benefit from a makeover? Or are you fine with it as it is?

 

 

Heh. crickets. Our kitchen is smallish, and generally untidy. I don't think I've taken a single picture of it since the day we moved in. And since we're STILL unpacking and moving in, kinda, a  lot of the boxes and packing materials end up around it, making things look generally awful. Makeover? I don't know about that. I'm eager to do something to it, once I can see it, maybe.

 
8) In 1967, when this song was popular, the best-selling camera was The Polaroid Swinger. When did you most recently take a photo? What was it of?

 

 

On Thursday, I took my son hamster shopping, and there was this one little dude just hunkered in his little habitat, looking chill but also looking at us like, "You wanna piece o' me? Eh? You wanna piece o' me?" So I took a picture because I did not, in fact, want a piece of him.

 
9) Random question: Come clean! Are there dirty dishes in your sink right now?

 

Absolutely. But Rob is actually doing them right now.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Welp, that's the week that was. And now the water closet is calling my name. See y'all!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: No Roots

Hey everyone! I'm just back from a whirlwind 3-day trip to Philadelphia with my birthday sorta-twin, my eldest kiddo, Chloë. She turned 21, so yes, there was alcohol. She wanted more cocktails, but that will come in due time, I'm quite sure. Meanwhile, she's 4'9", so I gave her plenty of information on how to make sure she stayed safe while drinking!

I love this week's song and have since it came out. Perhaps because I identify, perhaps the beat, perhaps Merton's voice alone? Maybe everything. I think everything. Link up here if you're joining us today!

~*~*~*~*~

No Roots (2017)

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

1) This song is about a woman who has moved a lot and is always packing boxes. Do you have packing materials (boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape, etc.) in your home right now? Do you have them on hand to ship things, or are you preparing for a move?

Yes to all of that: boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape (bonus points for wadded-up newspaper?). Also yes to ship things, but mainly these items were from a move. No, moves. Probably at least three: Virginia to Florida, Florida to Idaho, Idaho to Maryland. There will be NO more moves.

2) She sings that she moves from place to place, collecting memories. Would you rather travel light and travel often, or put down roots?

YES.

3) She can recall all the gates and house numbers of all the places she's lived. Does your current residence have a fence and gate? Did your previous one?

The previous one did; the current one does not - yet. It was just built; finishing touches were still being put on it as we completed our final walk-through before moving in as the ink dried a year ago. Can we put in one like this, honey?? ("No." - HOA)

4) This week's artist, Alice Merton, moved often as a child as her father's job took the family from Germany to the US to Canada to England back to Germany ... She wrote this song to help her deal with feelings of loneliness and longing. When you're feeling overwhelmed, how do you work through the feelings?

They must've been Army. Relatable. We're Navy (were?). 

Feelings. Well, I had a horribly traumatic upbringing with no healthy outlet for feelings, so I have severe mental illnesses (medicated well) like Bipolar 1 Disorder and C-PTSD, etc, and will be in therapy for the rest of my life. Inwardly I cry a lot, so I'd say that's how I work through my feelings, but my meds prevent the crying. So I try to use humor as much as possible. I write, I talk and tell funny stories and try to pester my people as little - or maybe as much - as possible with them, and...  I'll be in therapy for probably the rest of my life.

I hope for a better outcome for my kids, but I also know bipolar disorder can be heritable and that trauma can change one's DNA.

5) Alice is still on the move. Soon she'll be performing throughout Europe. Have you ever had a job that required you to travel? If yes, did you enjoy it?

Yes, I did. I mystery shopped my way from hotel to hotel, resort to resort, high-end restaurant to high-end restaurant (and everywhere in between), in multiple states, back when the kids were much younger. It's tricky navigating that sort of job with three littles, pets, and a husband who usually who has to stay at home, but I did it and was really sought after until I got sick. I love traveling, whether by car, ship, or plane, so I think handling the kid end of things was easier on me.

6) "No Roots" is a favorite of Kelly Clarkson's, who has performed it on tour and on TV. When you think of Kelly, is at as a singer, a judge on The Voice, or as a talk show host?

I think of her - and love her! - in that order. I watched her win that first American Idol, so it seems natural that way.

7) In 2017, when this song was popular, Faye Dunaway made Oscar history by announcing the wrong winner for the biggest award of the night, Best Picture. It wasn't her fault as she was given the wrong envelope, but she's one who made the on-screen flub seen around the world. Have you recently had an embarrassing moment?

Wait a minute, how come I never heard about that, but I heard plenty about that time a similar thing happened to Steve Harvey, and that was just a beauty pageant? Sketchy.

Anyway.

This was me in our hotel in Philly. It's called the Ritz-Carlton, you know it? Well, because of my illness, I usually take baths and not showers. I have issues with balance and fatigue among other things, so it's better for me to do that stuff sort of lying down. Well, my hair is freshly colored, and this brand tends to wash out and wash out until it's just time to dye it again. So I have to take a bath. In that. Which isn't great, but there it is. And then the tub. won't. drain. And we had to have an engineer come to the room and fix the now-pink bathtub. And because of my autoimmune/thyroid issues, I lose a lot of pink hair, too, so how much was in the drain? I don't even know. That wasn't the reason that it wouldn't drain, though, because Chloë and I tried to drain some multiple times before I even got in (it was too hot). Cringe!

8) Wonder Woman was 2017's most popular movie. She was originally introduced in a 1941 DC comic book. Comic books remain a big business. Have you ever been to a comic book store?

I actually have not, except as, y'know, transported there in shows such as The Big Bang Theory and other such gems we all ate up over the years. I should, if only because my oldest and youngest are both into manga, but I get most of what I buy for them on the used online book store, Thriftbooks. Check it out, you won't be disappointed. Everything is always in much better condition than I'd even hoped.

9) Random question: Is your skin itchy this morning?

My, that is random, Crazy Sam! No, it's not, but I'll be sure and report back if that status changes!

~*~*~*~*~

Take care and have a lovely Saturday on purpose, y'all!

Fin.Phil

Big, Bad John

Hellew, everyone. I hope you are well. Missed you last week.

Nothing new in my neck of the woods (same ills, same story), so nothing worth reporting. My younger two kids are enjoying the summer visiting friends, with the youngest having a flurry of sleepovers there, here, there, here, so much we've forgotten whether she's coming or going. And our oldest, out in the world, has gotten herself a promotion to crew trainer, and a nice raise. We're so proud of her:

So without further ado, let's jump in:

~*~*~*~*~

August will be devoted to story songs. Here's the first.

Big, Bad John (1961)

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

1) This song tells the story of a stern, enigmatic miner. None of the other miners knew much about him. When people first meet you, do you think they see you more as mysterious or straightforward?

Haha, well, just like here, I'm an open book. Since I have a number piercings above the neck, the biggest mystery for people seems to be whether I have any more.

2) During a serious accident, many of the miners panicked. But not John. Think of your family, friends and acquaintances. Who would be the most dependable in a crisis?

Oh, definitely Rob (Hubs). He's cool and level-headed for that, whereas I am tailor-made to go into full-blown panic mode every.time. Plus, he's extremely well trained for crisis and survival, so if something were to happen, I would absolutely look to him to lead us through it.

3) His heroism allowed 20 miners to escape, but cost John his life. According to the lyrics, there's a marble slab on site of mine that honors him. Is there a memorial to a local hero in your town?

Oh, I'm sure there are other memorials here in our newish-adopted home town, but the one I'll mention here is a historical marker put up last year to memorialize three young Black men who were victims of lynching in the 1900s. It was time history paid them their due notice, although one of them is "uknown," sadly.

4) This song was written and performed by Jimmy Dean. He began composing it on a flight from New York to Nashville. How do you amuse yourself while traveling?

Well, it partly depends on how long the flight is, partly on where I'm going and with whom, and partly on what I'm going there to do. Sometimes I'll read a book or magazine. Sometimes I'll watch the in-flight movie. But you know what often entertains me? Reading the Sky magazine (or whichever, whatever) in the back of the seat in front of me. I freakin' love Hammacher Schlemmer!

5) Jimmy Dean hosted a long-running variety show on CBS, which is best-remembered today for introducing Jim Henson's puppets -- especially Rowlf, a dog who sang and told jokes. While Rowlf didn't make it to Sesame Street, he was a recurring character on the Muppet Show. Are you a Muppet fan?

I was a little kid watching the Muppet Show, and I was a huge, huge fan, along with my sister. And then as a young mom, it was fun to see them revived while my kids were little. But now, they've done so many iterations of the show and movies, I feel like it's time for them to step back and take a deep breath.

6) Jimmy found success in business with The Jimmy Dean Sausage Company. He sold the company to Sara Lee in 1984 for $80 million. Today Jimmy Dean breakfast products are still popular in grocery stores all over the country. What's your favorite breakfast?

Hard to say. I eat to keep my blood sugar level more often than not. Sometimes I'll eat frozen waffles with sliced strawberries on them. Sometimes I'll eat Special K Vanilla Almond cereal, with extra sliced almonds and almond milk. Usually it's one of those.

7) In 1961, when this song was popular, Vogue asked if fashion sense is inborn or if could a woman could learn to be chic. What do you think? Do you think style is either something you have, or you don't?

I think one (any gender, any sex) is born with a gene that, if turned on, enables one to learn to be fashionable. It's not really about fashion sense being genetic, though, is it? An eye for color, for texture, for patterns, and so on. I myself do not possess this gene, just so you know.

8) Also in 1961, Ernest Hemingway took his own life. Did you read Hemingway in English class? Can you recall any other novels you read for school?

I'm horrified to report that I never read any Hemingway novels in school, although I did read An Old Man and the Sea in my last semester as an undergrad. I'll have to rectify that. (I have, however, visited Hemingway house at least three times, been back and forth past it at least a dozen or two times and am intimately familiar with the six-toed cats there, and tossed back a drink in Sloppy Joes with Hubs in Key West. Plus, we moved to Idaho. See? This all counts, right?) I can remember countless novels and short stories. No one ever seems to remember reading a short story by Eudora Welty. I think the story was about a path, in the woods? But I'll have to go back later and look this up. My favorite short story, of course, is "The Lottery," by Shirley Jackson. Good stuff. Heh.

But of course, you asked for novels. We definitely read To Kill a Mockingbird. More than once, at least. Night, by Elie Wiesel. (I own that book now; he was a professor at University of South Florida in St. Petersburg, while I lived there and was attending USF, but in Tampa, before he died. I never got to meet him but would have loved to have met this hero.) Lots of Tennessee Williams and Shakespeare, but again, novels, not plays. Let me get back to you! Ha.

Edit: I also own To Kill a Mockingbird. Didn't want Harper Lee over there feeling left out.

9) Random question: Think about the last "white lie" you told. Was it to make your own day easier or spare someone's feelings?

Maybe it was both? I don't know?? My short-term memory is pretty obliterated as a result of everything I've got going on, so I have an extremely hard time remembering day-to-day conversations. Maybe I can find something in a text. Stay put...

...I couldn't discover anything of this nature, and Rob was no help in telling me what was the last white lie I told. Imagine. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it was probably to easy-on-up my own day. Those are rough enough, and I probably needed it. But don't get me wrong, I'm a strong empath and would do what I could for someone's feelings in a New York Minute.

~*~*~*~*~

Well, I got done here right on the dot of noon o'clock. Taking out all the pictures and illustrations was definitely faster, but also -- weird! I miss it.

Raining cats and dogs here, folks; how's by you?

Fin.

 

Saturday 9: Give A Little Love

Hello, friends. Well, a sad week is upon us S-9ers, that's for sure. I bet I'm not the only one who could say I grew up with the Judds on the TV now and then. RIP, Naomi.

I've battled this same demon for years and years myself, and so far, I've won every battle. Fingers are crossed I'll win every single one to come, and if any of you are along in the same boat, you'll win yours, too.

If you need help:

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE: 800.273.8255

or text "STRENGTH" TO 741-741

or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org 

Let's do this. Link up here if you're yakking along with us this week:

    ~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Give a Little Love (1988)

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

In memory of Naomi Judd (1946-2022)

1) In this week's song, the Judds tell us they aren't impressed by diamonds or foreign travel. If you had your choice, would you prefer a $1,500 diamond pendant or a $1,500 voucher from United Airlines?

 

 

Ten times out of ten, I'd rather go somewhere.

 

2) In the video for this song, the Judds are shown having fun on the beach. Do you have any trips to the beach planned for the upcoming summer months?

 

 

Most definitely! We only live about 30-40 min from the ocean, so I've been biding my time for the RIGHT time. Sophia (our youngest)  wanted to take me there for her Mother's Day gift to me, but it ended up being cold & rainy, like it was for a whille before then, like it's been ever since... But as soon as the day is right, That's what we'll be doing!

 

3) Early in their career, this mother-daughter duo performed in clubs venues around San Francisco, where they called themselves The Hillbilly Women. Have you recently been to a bar or restaurant with live music?

 

Nah. We did a LOT of that in Miami, I think lastly in Key Largo, but none of that in Idaho and none yet here in Maryland. I hope to. But we left Florida in March 2017, so it would be at least 5 years since we listened to live music.

 

4) They moved to Nashville in 1979 in search of greater success. During the three years it took them to score a record contract, Naomi supported the family as a part-time nurse and occasional model. She enjoyed the flexibility so her schedule could accommodate auditions. Do you like having a pre-planned schedule? Or would you rather keep things loose?

 

 

Okay, bear with me on this journey for just a moment. In 7th grade, my English teacher was Mrs. Trainham. And one day, Mrs. Trainham explained that some people were very much like a box in their thinking. In the box, always. They were boxy folks. Others people might be squiggles. Like, you could never pin down, never predict where they might be - maybe even while asking them, such out of the box thinkers they were. And then Mrs. Trainham explained we also can have boxy squiggles and squiggly boxes. I literally have spent my entire adulthood-plus going back and forth on which of those last two I am.

 

So anyway, for some things, for me, pre-planned is absolutely the way to go. But for many others, I love being unscheduled and having the freedom to do what I want. It's perfect... or it would be, if only I had the good health to take advantage of it.

 

5) Wynona sang the Elvis classic "Burning Love" in 2002 Disney movie Lilo and Stitch. What's the most recent Disney movie you've seen?

 

 

Chloë, Hubs, and I watched Turning Red most recently. I want to watch it with Sophia now.

 

6) In 2011, Wynona wrote her first novel, Restless Heart, about a country singer struggling with the price of fame. Have you ever tried your hand at writing fiction?

 

It's funny, I much prefer to read fiction over nonfiction, but I almost always write nonfiction.

 

7) Kid sister Ashley Judd is the only woman in her immediate family to not change her first name. Naomi was born Diana, and Wynona was originally Christina. Do you like your first name?

 

I did not, growing up. But as an adult, I have definitely come to love my name. I still don't like my middle name, Ann!

 
8) In 1988, the year this song was popular, Sonny Bono went from entertainer to politician when he was elected Mayor of Palm Springs. Have you met the mayor of your town?

 

 

Pffft. His name is Jake Day of Salisbury, Maryland, and no, I have never met him nor any other mayor of any place I've lived. Should I add it to my Bucket List?

 

9) Random question: Were you a member of the Columbia House Record Club?

Oh, you know I was - at least twice over! So funny. I haven't thought about that in years!

~*~*~*~*~

Have you guys watched "Bling Empire" on Netflix? I'm watching it now - it's great! Totally binge-worthy. Check it out.

Fin.

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:

~*~*~*~*~

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.

~*~*~*~*~

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

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.

~*~*~*~*~*~

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.

 

 ~*~*~*~*~

 

Have a swell day, y'all. Namaste. 🙏

 

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.

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.

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: Work Hard, Play Harder

Hello, my friends! I hope this Labor Day weekend finds you well and planning some kind of fun and enjoyment. The girls and I plan to go look at someof the houses we have saved on our list, among other things. Can't wait!

As of now, we're in a hotel in Ocean City, Maryland, so tonight we visited the singular house in OC that we had saved to our list.

Y'all. It is a mansion surrounded by other mansions. It is beautiful.

Could we afford it? Yes, definitely. Could we fit in there? That's a whole 'nother ball of wax.

Plus, my oldest kiddo, Chloë, is turning 19 on Monday, so I'm sure we'll have special fun for that day as well.

As for the present, let's dive into S9, shall we? Link up here to play along this weekend!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Work Hard, Play Harder (2009)

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

1) We're celebrating the last holiday of summer by going country. Who is your favorite country music artist?

 

 

Not a huge country fan, but one band I do love are The Chicks. Listening to their 2020 song "Gastlighter" again right now.

2) Gretchen Wilson sings that on Tuesdays, she gets up before dawn. This morning, did you awaken on your own, or did you need an alarm clock?

 

 

Oh no. I didn't wake up this morning, period. I'm  such a night owl. My younger daughter, 15-year-old Sophia, woke me up at around 1 pm to take my "morning" meds. Oops.

3) She tells us that she doesn't waste her time on manicures or spay tans. How about you? Have you recently spent any money at the salon?

 

 

Oh no, definitely not. Although my daughters may go do some fun spa things for Chloë's birthday if I can find somewhere observing safe enough protocols.

4) She sings that she's the first to clock in at work. Have you ever worked a job that required you to punch a time clock?

 

Oh yes, many a time clock in my history.

 

5) Gretchen Wilson says she is a big fan of McDonald's and tries to eat there once a day when she's on tour. In terms of sales, America's 3 most popular fast-food lunch destinations are McDonald's, Starbucks and Subway. If you could choose a gift card to one of those three, which would you select?

 

 

All three of us girls say Starbucks would be most welcome right now.

6) Gretchen has endorsed Redneck Riviera Whiskey. What's your favorite adult beverage?

 

 

I like a pretty, well-built mai tai or rum runner with fresh, elaborate garnishes. Piña colada made right is also a good one for me, margarita, strawberry daiquiri, any kind of delicious fruity mixed drinks. Doesn't even matter now that I'm allergic to alcohol and can't drink a lick anymore!

Since this Monday is Labor Day, the holiday established to celebrate the American worker … 
 

7) Approx. 10% of Americans are self employed. Have you ever been your own boss?

 

 

I spent many years evaluating businesses as an indepedent contractor for various companies, essentially being my own boss and having an EIN. I also audited and merchandised some as well, then. Additionally, I owned myt own cake and dessert baking business.

8) According to Monster.com, 50% of workers have left a job to get away from a boss. Are you one of the 50%?

 

 

I don't think so...? I have left a job to get away from another employee, but I don't think I've ever run away from my boss before.

9) Farmers feel the impact of extreme weather events. Have you ever had a job that required you to be outdoors most of the time?

 

 

(Note: This is not my picture, and I do not own the rights to this photo. Also, I don't know who this woman is, but here's a PSA: you should, never, ever, ever pick up the sea animals when you are SCUBA diving, snorkeling, or the like. Look, but don't touch! Many are very fragile, though they may seem hardy enough to handle. Your body chemistry could ruin theirs, for one thing... /PSA)

 

I've had several mostly-outside jobs. When I worked and did my Fisheries internship at Mote Marine Lab, I was out on the water a lot.  The catering job I worked at during that same period was often outside on the beach. And when I moved back to Miami, I worked at a Keys dive shop that required a lot of time out in or near the water. I'm sure there are more, but that's what's coming to me off the top of my head.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

So now it's 5:10 PM on Saturday, and I completely forgot to come finish the last two questions earlier today. OOPS!

 

The girls and I looked at that Ocean City house last night that I thought we were going to rule out, but we have most definitely ruled it in. Also, we visited the house that was at the top of my list a little while ago, and we have most definitely ruled that one out. Surprise, suprise!

 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and are safe from COVID-19, natural disasters, and being a Trump supporter. Hee.

 

Fin.

 

Saturday 9: I See Love

Welcome back, kids of all ages! This week I'm coming at you from Salisbury, Maryland, in complete confusion about where I am and where I actually belong. This isn't a bad thing. It's that necessary reset that happens whenever we find ourselves in new surroundings that are at once familiar and completely unknown.

So because of the crazy of the last few days (my girls and I flew in on Wednesday), I totally forgot it was Friday and there were questions to answer. Must get into it. Link up here to play along this week!

~*~*~*~*~

I See Love (2010)

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

1) This is the theme from Mike and Molly, a TV show that ran from 2010 to 2016. Were you a fan?

I wasn't a fan; I wasn't a non-fan. It was the kind of show I call "filler," something I watched if nothing else was on.

2) Molly was played by Melissa McCarthy. Today she's one of Hollywood's best-paid actresses, but when she began her career, she was barely scraping by. She recently recalled the time when, as a struggling actress, she was rejected at the ATM because it only gave out $20s and she didn't have even that much in her checking account. How often do you visit the ATM? Several times a week? Several times a month? Never?

It's probably been close to a year and a half since I've gone to an ATM, but it was monthly or so before that.

3) When she was broke, Melissa couldn't afford blueberries and avocados. Now she savors them. When you're a few bucks ahead, what do you splurge on?

We're not that different. Even my daughters agreed, "food," when I asked them what we splurge on if we can. That may be when I get organic produce, concentrating especially on EWG's Dirty Dozen.

**** INTERMISSION while I fall asleep and then forget I didn't finish this until 2:42 PM EST (oops!) ****

4) Mike was played by Billy Gardell. He was working at a comedy club, cleaning the bathrooms and answering the phone. He used to crack jokes with other employees and finally one of his coworkers dared him to go onstage on "open mic night." A comedy career was born. Tell us about someone who pushed you to make the right move.

Honestly, there aren't many such instances. Maybe people realize that I'm just going to do what I want to do no matter what they say? I don't know. But the one push I needed, after multiple attempts to cut my dad out of my life over the years, came from the man himself. He said, on Facebook, "Oh, just leave me alone!" and I haven't talked to him for a year and a half. It feels great. I don't miss him. WE don't miss him. And we definitely don't need him.

5) On the show, Mike's best friend was his fellow officer, Carl McMillan. Carl was not especially motivated and still lived with his grandmother, well into his 30s. How old were you when you moved out of the house for good?

I was 17 when I finally escaped the hellish torture chamber that was my house in Baldwinsville, New York, for good. I graduated high school one day and moved out of New York the next.

6) Mike's and Molly's mothers are different as night and day and frequently did not get along. Have you ever had in-law trouble?

Things have not always been easy.

7) This week's song was written by Keb Mo. He switches among several different guitars when he works -- electric, acoustic and resonator. Can you play guitar?

No way. I wish!

8) In 2010, when this show premiered, Apple introduced the iPad. Do you use a tablet?

No. I really don't feel the need. I have my celly (Samsung S20 Ultra), my desktop, and now I have a laptop (ASUS VivoBook). The kids each have a Samsung tablet, though. We defected from Apple a while ago.

9) This week's random question gives you an opportunity to brag: What's something you do better than most people?

Oh, I don't know that I could say I do anything better than anybody, but I'm not bad with sticks and string, and I'm a pretty good "hooker," too. I'm trying to get my mojo back. I've been saying that for a while...

~*~*~*~*~

Okay. I've been coughing pretty badly lately, but I've got to try to get up and get out of this hotel today. No promises, children (mine, not you guys).

See you all on the flip side.

Fin. 

Sunday Stealing: Friday Five Theft

Hiya! Once again, I'm dodging my responsibilities and playing along with Sunday Stealing. Here's today's post, if you're inclined to join us.

Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World" is our lovely host. Welcome to the joint! Here, we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

~*~*~*~*~

1) What makes it easy to talk to someone?

If  they're interested in what you're saying, and vice-versa, that helps.

2) Have you ever had a great conversation with a complete stranger?

Sure. I remember this one mystery shop I was doing at a very high-end boutique restaurant in Miami. I ended up talking to the women's bathroom attendant for quite a long time. We really bonded. At the end, we hugged and maybe cried a little. I have no idea what we talked about, now, but that women isn't paid enough!

3) Do you like to argue?

If you mean like the angry, loud kind of conversation, then no, not really. I do like having a really good, constructive discussion about ethical and moral issues and such.

4) Some people like to talk about things, and some people like to do things. Which are you?

Pre-disabilities, I was both. Say what I was going to do, or wanted to do, and then go get it done. These days I'm more of a delegator.

5) Who is easier to talk to – men or women?

Historically, I've always had a lot more guy friends than girls. Now that I'm much older, most of my friends are women.

6) What is your favorite place?

♥ My favorite place isn't a geographical spot on any map but rather wherever this guy is, in his arms. ♥

7) What is your favorite place in your home?

Probably our master bath. It's so relaxing and luxurious there, and I've spent a lot of time in it. Hopefully our new house in Maryland - or wherever we land - will bring something competitive!

8) Would you most want to live in a city, a suburb or the country?

My favorite place is a city by the sea, like here in Split, Croatia. (I haven't been there. I have been to Dubrovnik, but not Split.)

9) What is special about the town you live in?

I can't think of anything. And that's why I've gotta leave.

10) How much time do you spend in nature?

Right now? Practically none. I used to spend all my time in nature. I've gotta remedy that.

11) Do you make up a dinner plan for the coming week?

I really tried to get into doing that, but I found it too restrictive. After we get settled into whatever new house we own, I'm going to try again.

12) Do you make up a grocery shopping list and stick to it when shopping?

Oh yes, most definitely. I am the queen of lists... as opposed to this, RuPaul's list of queens.

13) What is one thing that you always buy, but never write down on a list?

Milk. I'm forever buying milk. My kids drink a ton of it.

14) Is there anything that you always think you are out of and come home with it to discover you already have a year’s supply on hand?

Hmm, not really, because of those afore-mentioned lists. Probably one of the things I might be guilty of over-buying is rice. No idea why.

15) Do you get your groceries delivered?

Nope. I mean, we did that once or twice when we lived in Boise, but nothing delivers out here. Nothing.

~*~*~*~*~

All right, y'all, I've got more travel plans to make. Be well!

Fin.

Hey Crab Cakes: Here We Come!

Oh, my goodness. Moving is just so complicated. Then you factor in that it's another (almost) coast-to-coast move. Then you add three teenagers. You add two dogs, four cats, and two rabbits. And tons of health issues. During a pandemic. When school is starting.

It's pretty monumental.

But, the girls and I are probably flying out to Maryland ahead of the boys this week, leaving them to wrap things up here, and I could not be more excited to leave a state behind. Oh, Idaho, I hardly knew ye.

Now it's your turn.

I participated in Six Word Saturday many years ago when it was on Show My Face, but they decided to retire the gig and now it seems to be run by Debbie over at Travel With Intent. Link up this weekend on this post of hers here, if you wish!

Lots of us break the numeric rule and share many more words, so the key rule now is to have a post title of six words, and then create around that the post that you desire - perhaps in bunches of 6 words if you’re really feeling inspired.

To join the challenge, put a link in your post to the URL of this post. Then go back and leave a comment. (If you have any problems with linking, just put your own URL into the comment.) Feel free to socialize digitally – tweet, instagram, flickr, etc. with the hashtags #SixWordSaturday and #6WS.

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: League Of Extraordinary Penpals

Hey there, hi there, ho there, thieves! I'm watching the documentary series "Diagnosis" on Netflix right now - and of course, now my husband and I are going, "You need to get on that!" regarding all of my health issues - so forgive me if my answers become disjointed from distraction. I have a habit of going back later and finding I've done that!

I trust you are all well.

Link up here if you want to steal some shhhh--- today! Let's go:

~*~*~*~*~

1 What are your plans for August?

Well, August is kind of a big month. We bought this big, beautiful, modern house last June. It's in a very small town in nowheresville, Idaho. I love the house. I do. I love my freakin' house. But I hate where it is. I've tried for 14 months to just be okay here for the sake of everybody else, but I just cannot do it anymore. I've got to GTFO of this state.

So, four of us are moving into an extended-stay hotel in Boise on Monday. Chloë, who will be 19 next month, is moving out into a place of her own and staying here. (Not gonna lie, I'm having a very hard time with that.) Rob's hiring movers that will come in and pack us up, then we'll have a move-out cleaning, and then the realtor who sold us the house is going to put it back on the market for us.

The average time for a home in our area to be on the market is 9 days, so I'm crossing my fingers for good luck like that. (Please cross yours, too!)

As soon as that happens, we're paying off the remainder of our car loan and gifting the car to Chloë. Then we'll hop a plane to Maryland.

Watch for what happens next...

2 Review the first half of 2020:

🔼🔼 There you go. 🔼🔼

3 A place you’d go if money were no object:

Oh, I'd definitely go on a space flight and realize my childhood dreams.

4 Who was your childhood best friend?

Well, it seemed like in elementary school I had a different best friend every year. Victoria... Thea... Shannon.... Ellie... different Shannon...

But from 6^th grade on, I had a group of friends that pretty much stayed together. I count two of them (Lisa & Shana) as my best friends to this day. I'm lucky to have them. ♥

5 The city or town you love most?

Can I just say the entire Miami-Dade County? There are soooo many things there that I love, I couldn't pick just one municipality! Of course, I love my alma mater in Coral Gables. Then there's South Beach, of course. Then Coconut Grove... the quick drive to the Keys. I love everything about Miami!

6 How do you spend hot days?

That depends... am I still in Miami, or am I stuck in Idaho? Is it a COVID year, or just an El Niño year? Given my druthers, I'd be at the beach every day, all day.

7 Are you a skilled cook or baker?

Well, I'm no expert, but I do all right. I used to have a baking business when we lived in Virginia Beach, but after one exceedingly frustrating disappointment on an order I worked terribly hard on, I kinda just... stopped.

8 One thing you wish you could currently do:

Hmm... Speaking of Virginia Beach, I wish I could go to the Oceanfront there right NOW! Where's King Neptune when you need him?

9 A time when you learned your lesson:

Oh, I definitely learned my lesson from buying this house here in Mountain Home: no matter how much you love the house, if you hate the town, it's not the perfect house. There are some things you just can't compromise on. So now I have my eye on this house (center, foreground) in Maryland...

10 What consistently makes you laugh?

My husband, an old sailor, has an endless supply of filthy jokes. I try to act shocked, but he knows I'm amused.

11 Routines that bring you calm and peace:

Communing with nature

12 Who annoys you the most?

It's definitely this husband of mine - but I'm sure it's mutual!!

13 Describe some of your favorite household items.

Last September, we drove up to Washington to visit Great Wolf Lodge for Chloë's 18th birthday. Here are our three kids' wristbands from their first visit to Great Wolf Lodge - in Williamsburg, Virginia - over a decade earlier. ♥ (Our orally-fixated pup, Tapioca, has since eaten one of them.)

Here are all the pet tags from all the dogs and cats we've had who are no longer with us. ♥

Here is the tape of "Wonderful Tonight" that my friends from graduate school, Heather and Mason, rearranged and did on guitar and vocals. They gave it to us at our wedding reception. I have got to get it re-recorded digitally! ♥

And finally, here is just a small fraction of the pennies we've pressed over the years. We press pennies everywhere we go and have many books full of them! ♥

14 What have you gotten better at?

I mean, what was the starting line? I've gotten a whole lot better at walking and talking since I started about 43 years ago, I'll you that much!

15 Share a random memory.

When I was very young, probably under three years old, my family visited a zoo of some sort. We stopped at a kiosk somewhere, and my mother bought herself a drink. She was carrying me on her hip, so when she took a sip, I begged for a sip, too. It was delicious!!! Today I might describe it as sort of a virgin piña colada. When Mom got near the bottom of the cup, she said I could have the rest of her drink. I was so excited. Then, as soon as I had the cup in hand, Mom pivoted away from the camel pen we were standing right next to. I had the cup in my hand, and then suddenly it was snatched away from me! I looked back in shock to see the camel not only finishing my drink, but eating the cup to boot! Oh, how I sobbed. That is the only thing I remember from that day.

16 How many pairs of shoes do you have?

Oh, maybe about a dozen, give or take. I'm really not sure. I do know that more than half of those are Crocs, though!

(I need those green and turquoise pairs!)

17 Who do you go to for encouragement?

It depends on what I need encouragement for. I have a team!

18 References you make that others don’t get.

Well, if I told you about them, you would get it, and then they wouldn't really be inside jokes anymore, right?

19 What are 10 things you consider essential for you?

a Erin Condren Lifeplanner

b colorful Tul pens

c Versace prescription glasses

d Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

e Mint & Argan lip balm from Grove Collaborative (it's seriously the best)

f inhaler, definitely

g lotion, always gotta have lotion

h hairbrush, especially now that Sophia's making me grow it out long

i some kind of hard candy, because I go hypoglycemic fairly often

j jewelry - always have a necklace and hoops of some sort on at least!

20 Is there any accent you wish you had?

Australian. I tend to pick up accents and languages fairly easily, but I cannot for the life of me do an Australian accent. I just can't!

~*~*~*~*~

Okay, I'm posting this really late because I was at the ER all morning, so no one will probably read it. But if ya did, thank you and have a great week!

Fin.

 

Saturday 9: The Love Boat

What's going on, my friends? Anything exciting and new with you?

Here, we have decided to sell the "perfect" dream house and move back to the city. Frankly, it's me. I can't take it out here in the sticks. Small town = small minds. I've always known that, yet I thought I could "handle it." I couldn't. So, our house is officially going up for sale. On the one hand, I hate it, because I absolutely love this house. On the other hand, every time we go into Boise, I get a little giddy inside about coming back, so I know it's the right thing to do.

So let's love us some boat, shall we?

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: The Love Boat (1977)

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

1) The Love Boat ran from 1977 to 1987. It was in the Top 10 for seven of those 10 seasons. Are you familiar with the show? Were you a fan? 

I was young then. I remember it was on, and I remember watching it. I remember very few details from the show, though.

2) Every week, viewers followed The Pacific Princess as she set sail to a glamorous destination. Have you ever taken a cruise? If so, where did you go? 

 I have, and I absolutely love cruising. So far I've done these:

• In 1991, at 14, I took my cruise with my family on the new Carnival Ecstasy. We went to San Jan, Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas, and the Bahamas.
• I did a series of scientific cruises - shout out to the Coral Reef II crew - in college and grad school, but I'm thinking those don't count here.
• Also in grad school, my grandpa took family on a Princess cruise. I went to Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, the Cayman Islands, and Panama.
• In 2006, Rob and I took the kids to Disney World and then on a short Carnival cruise. We only went to the Bahamas.
• In 2008, Rob and I went on a Mediterranean Cruise aboard Holland America's ms Zuiderdam. We started in Barcelona and also visited France (Nice and Eze), Monaco, Italy (Lucca, Pisa, Civitavecchia, Rome, Sicily, Venice) three stops in Greece, and Croatia (Dubrovnik), before finally ending up in Madrid, Spain.
• We were going to go on an Alaskan cruise this September, but the pandemic had other plans!

3) Gavin MacLeod played Captain Steubing. Born Allan See, he came up with the stage name by combining the first name of a fictional character he admired, and the last name of a teacher who influenced him. Using his formula, give yourself a stage name. For example, Sam would be Hermione Hart (Hermione from Harry Potter; Hart for her Kindergarten teacher).

Alrighty, I'll be Katniss O'Toole.

4) After the series ended, Fred Grandy (aka "Gopher") went on to become a Congressman from Iowa and then CEO of Goodwill Industries. If you had a bag of gently-used items to donate, where would you take them?

We would absolutely take them to ReStyle thrift shop in Boise, which benefits animal shelters and humans alike. We've donated many times there, and we've shopped many times as well.
 
5) Ted Lange is best known for his role as the ship's bartender, Isaac. But he began his career performing the classics, and appeared at Colorado Shakespearean Festival and London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Let's class up this joint. Give us a little Shakespeare. 

My favorite has always been "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and my favorite character was Puck, that mischievous sprite. I'll say it simply: "Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

6) Bernie Kopell played the ship's doctor, Adam Bricker. Kopell first appeared on TV in 1961 and was a regular on Get Smart and That Girl, and he's still acting today. But Love Boat was, by far, his favorite role. Working on the show was "absolute heaven" because he was paid to travel the world and meet his acting idols, like Oscar winners Greer Garson, Joan Fontaine and Eva Marie Saint, who appeared on the show. When you think of the best job you have ever had, what made it so good: the pay, the location, the people you met, or the work itself?

I probably have a definite favorite, but I can't pinpoint it at this moment. I'm extremely shy and introverted until I get to know people, but somehow working in customer service turns me rapidly extroverted, and I love talking to and helping customers. So I think an amalgamation of my customer-oriented jobs would be my "favorite" at the moment. I worked in an ice cream parlor, Larry's Scoop Shop, on St. Pete Beach before I entered graduate school. I think all of the above - the pay, the people, the job itself, and definitely the location - were pretty sweet at this job. I met José Canseco - which I keep forgetting whenever we have one of those "most famous" questions - and, by the way, he was a real asshole and a non-tipper.

7) Lauren Tewes played Cruise Director Julie McCoy. Today she lives in Seattle, appearing in local theater and -- between acting assignments -- working as a chef for a catering service. Have you hosted dinner for more than 8 people? If yes, do you remember what you served?

No, I haven't. I'm not really "host"material; I get too flippin' nervous. I really am a pile of neuroses. But I did work in catering - often in a tuxedo, sometimes on a ship - at Longboat Key's now-demolished The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort. It was very high-end and fancy back in the '90s, and then sometime between my working there and my going back years later to show the fam, I found it had been abandoned. But that was a great job, with lots of fancy foods for fancy people.

8) For the first nine seasons, the theme was sung by Jack Jones. The Grammy-winning singer says one of his career highlights playing Sky Masterson onstage in Guys and Dolls. In his late 50s at the time, had had to go outside his comfort zone, dancing and acting as well as singing before a live audience. Tell us about something new you tried recently.

Really? Are people doing new things right now? I'll be interested to find out. About the only new thing for me was getting an infusion of the latest-and-greatest migraine biologic, Vyepti, on Wednesday. My doctor has great hopes for this for me. So far, I'm not thrilled.

9) Random question  -- Which would you rather receive as a gift: one $500 wristwatch, or five $100 wristwatches?

You know, I really had to think about this. I don't ever wear a watch, except for this Seiko dive watch I bought secondhand for twenty bucks back in 1998, after I became a SCUBA diver. It runs on my own motion, so of course, it still runs. So I thought, well, would I like to give five people a decent watch, or would I like to give one person a pretty nice watch? In the end, I decided that one person would appreciate his or her watch a bit more than the five people would combined, and for me, that meant fewer precious resources being used and possibly wasted if those watches don't get worn. So I'll take one if I may gift it, please.

~*~*~*~*~

All right, folks. Don't have too much fun quarantined in your bunkers, now. I've gotten some new wool, so I am hoping to get a bit of knitting done this weekend - but don't hold me to it.

Fin.

Saturday 9: Beautiful People

Howdy, folks. Here we are, another Saturday, another 9 questions thunk up by our gracious hostess with the mostess.

I've had a pretty tough week and am on my 11th day of an intractable migraine with everything under the sun thrown at it, but I'm plugging away. I had a televisit with my Lyme doctor yesterday, and I love him so much for being willing and able to help me. So there is hope.

As usual, I hope you all are still well and avoiding COVID-19.

Link up here to play along this weekend! I love the two artists highlighted, as well as this song.

And let us begin:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Beautiful People (2019)

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


1) This song is about the fantasy of being one of the "beautiful people," but how hollow the reality can be. Do you often find yourself envying others for what they have?

Maybe not what people have, but I'm a bit jelly of what some can do.  I want to travel the world and see everything there is to see, but money (and children, of course) are an issue. I'm fortunate to have done some traveling, but not nearly enough. I'm hoping to get more stamps on my passport before this one expires - reckon it's still going to be accepted now that my dog has snagged it from my purse and used it for a chew toy?!

2) Ed Sheeran sings that he and his girl don't fit in well because they're "just ourselves." Who among your close friends do you find it easiest to be "just yourself?"

Well, aside from my husband and kids, probably my BFF Lisa. Unfortunately, she's clear across the country from me, so we don't get to visit in person too often. Fortunately, since we graduated high school in 1994, whenever we do manage to get together we manage to click right back into place. ♥

3) The lyrics refer to Hummers and Lamborghinis. What's your dream ride?

Well, it depends. Ideally, it would be an all-electric, zero-fossil fuels-consuming vehicle that can seat my whole family, plus some gear, and probably plus the dogs. Maybe the Volkswagen EV Microbus would fill that need?

However, now that the kids are pretty far grown, a Tesla Model X would do the trick?

Honestly, though, I've had a crush on the red Mazda Miata convertibles for a looooong-ass time. Decades, even.

4) Ed believes in giving back. One cause he supports is No Cold Homes, which helps ensure that everyone in the English city of Bristol has the fuel needed to keep their homes safe and comfortable. Here in the United States, he's raised funds for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Is there a cause that's near and dear to your heart?

As a marine biologist, I've known all about biological diversity and how critical it is to survival of our own race and the species within it that we care about the most. It's important to protect the species that humans don't care about, too, because by losing them we'd lose important parts of our climate, ecosystem, food chain... and things could easily collapse. So I've recently changed my Amazon Smile designation, which gives a percentage of every order you place through http://smile.amazon.com/ to the vetted non-profit of your choice, from Heifer International to the Center for Biological Diversity. If you head to that Smile link, you can pick something near and dear to your heart, too, and it won't even cost you anything extra.

5) Ed's arms are covered in tattoos, so clearly he doesn't suffer from trypanophobia, or a fear of needles. How about you? Do you look away when the doctor gives you a shot?

Oh, yes. See? Look at what a weeny I am: I've recently gotten my third round of the standard American childhood vaccines, because I didn't get them then. I also have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, which causes me to have odd reactions to anything and everything all the time, so every two weeks, I get infusions of  Xolair to support my failing immune system. I have certain chronic vitamin deficiencies, so Hubs injects me with Vitamin B-12 every month. I have intractable migraines that don't respond to ... pretty much anything lately ... so Rob gives me Sumatriptan injections fairly frequently.

Additionally, I get frequent migraine cocktail infusions at my neurology office, and will get the new biologic migraine med Vyepti there on Wednesday. Cross your fingers for me! Plus, I suffer from hypoglycemia, so I get finger pricks all the time to check my blood sugar. I'm probably forgetting some things, which is crazy, but yes! I always HAVE to look away for shots and IVs. Total wuss here!

6) One of Ed's tattoos is a bottle of Heinz Ketchup. What condiments would we find if we peeked into your refrigerator this morning?

Here's what's currently taking up space in the doors, but I'm betting there would probably be more if you looked on shelves in the main compartment.

7) Ed is a natural redhead, a trait he shares with only 2% of the population. Does red hair run in your family?

My daughter Chloë and I have kind of dark brownish/auburn hair (hers is very curly, like her Dad's; mine is stick-straight). My younger kids Jack and Sophia are straight-haired blondes (well, except right now Sophie is more purple & blue).  Rob's hair is a curly medium-dark brown (well, and white; very, very white). But our niece Hanna, the younger of my sister's two soccer-playing daughters - this one's a goalie -  has naturally red hair from her daddy. So pretty! ♥

8)  In 2019, when this song was released, the FDA recommended the approval of a drug for treating peanut allergies in children. Do you suffer from any food allergies, or sensitivities?

Oh, yes, yes, yes. Like I said, I have a lot of reactions from my Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. Sometimes they're mild, sometimes they're not. I had to use my Epi-Pen three times in the last three weeks, even with the Xolair (and so, so many others I can take at home) I'd mentioned. Having that many anaphylactic or near-ana events is pretty crazy. I learned in Miami that the trifecta of shellfish, any tomato-based foods, and wine is the perfect storm for me. That's how I later ended up getting the MCAS diagnosed finally, here in Idaho!

My allergy/asthma/immunology specialist wanted me to get blood tests in order to do that, but the key was, I had to go in the middle of a reaction. Two weeks went by (this was a couple of years ago) without a reaction, so I finally decided to "force" one with some wine and shrimp cocktail. Guess what? Nailed it.

9) Random question: What of these do you think is the biggest contributing factor to success -- hard work, luck or talent?

I would say lots of hard work combined with heavy doses of enthusiasm, and I know this for sure from personal experience and observation.

~*~*~*~*~

After I played this week's song on YouTube, I eventually was led to listen to more "Tiny Desk Concerts" from NPR on that platform, including one by Khalid. Do you guys ever watch/listen to these? They're fantastic. I just finished the one by Steve Martin and his Steep Canyon Rangers, and now I'm on the one by Natalie Merchant. I've love them all, even the acts I'd never heard of. Give them a listen, won't you?

Take care, my friends.

Fin.

Saturday 9: The Rain, The Park & Other Things

Hello, friends. I trust you're all alive and well, but in this insane year that is 2020, that is certainly nothing to be taken for granted. So tonight, I'd like to take the opportunity to express how much I appreciate each of you, from Crazy Sam who writes the question, to all of you who join in answering them.

Today, on the fourth anniversary of the Pulse massacre in Orlando, 45's administration announced they are further rolling back protections for trans and other LGBTQ+ individuals. They have just announced a change in the date of their Tulsa rally from Juneteenth - chosen during the current Black Lives Matter protests, of all things! - to the next day. At least they are listening to their own constituents of color?! But please vote, vote, vote them out.

On to the quizzionnaire; link up here to play along:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: The Rain, The Park, and Other Things (1967)

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

1) The Cowsills were a family band who had three hit singles. Can you name another group of popular singing siblings?

I don't know why, but I first thought of the Neville Brothers: Aaron, Art, Charles, Cyril, & Ivan. And I know it wasn't performed as a group act, but the first thing I thought of was Aaron Neville singing, "Don't Know Much" with Linda Ronstadt. Always a classic.

2) This was their first hit, and it reached #2 on the Billboard charts. It was kept out of the #1 slot by the Monkees and "Daydream Believer." What's your favorite Monkees song?

It would probably be either Daydream or the Monkees Theme Song; I remember watching a lot of that on, I think, Mtv in the 80s!

3) After seeing the Cowsill brothers perform with their mother and sister, TV producers were inspired to create the sitcom, The Partridge Family. Did you ever watch it?

Uhh, not intentionally, ever. I think that's one of those things that it was on while I was in the room plenty of times, but I never sat down and put it on or kept it on intentionally. One or more of my sisters certainly did, though, and I was bottom of the pecking order so I never had a say.

4) In the song, the narrator takes a flower from a girl in the park. Are there flowers in your home right now?

There's not. We rarely have fresh flowers in the house. I did tell my husband I'd rather have live plants growing outside than cut ones displayed inside way back when we got married, but there's another element here. We have so many animal companions in the house, and each species may encounter some danger depending on which plants and flowers we have in the house. The risk of a bad combo along with the time and care we already devote to taking proper care of the animals means that we don't often have the opportunity for plants. I hope to change that soon, and I've been doing my research. In the meantime, this faux tulip bouquet I found in the Etsy shop ACdecorshop, would be really at home here.

5) He isn't sure if the girl was real, or if he dreamed her. Tell us about a recent dream you had.

The PTSD medicine I take, prazosin, keeps me from perceiving my dreams at all - good and bad. So I'll throw a shout-out to former astronaut-cum-oceanographer Kathy Sullivan. She's gone to space and has now recently gone to Challenger Deep, the deepest part of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean (near Guam!). And then these two surfaced and called the ISS! Many exciting firsts for her; that is the real dream.

6) At the height of the Cowsills' popularity, they were hired by the American Dairy Association to promote drinking milk. If we were to peek into your refrigerator right now, would we find any milk?

Yes. My teenagers haven't bought into the the whole vegan/vegetarian movement despite my aggressive parenting in that direction, so I usually buy them half a dozen gallons of cow's milk at a time. I usually have a few different kinds of vegan milk - as above - for myself, but what I have been able to eat lately myself is really limited. And that ain't it.

7) After the band stopped performing together, John Cowsill went on to become a back up musician for the Beach Boys. His job has kept him on the road much of the time. When you travel, do you enjoy staying in hotels, or would you rather stay with friends/family?

We've done both many times. I prefer to stay in a hotel, especially since we're usually traveling with kids and sometimes even the dogs. It saves money to stay with friends and family, sure, but when you're tired and want to retreat for a while, you're still there! Sometimes I just need a break from being "on."

8)  In 1967, the year this song was popular, Elvis married Priscilla in Las Vegas. Have you attended any weddings yet this year? Are there any weddings in your future?

No weddings. I feel pretty bad for anyone having a wedding or any big milestone event in 2020. Everything is just wrecked. You can only do so much on Zoom.

9) Random question: Are the bottoms of your feet ticklish?

That's the most ticklish spot on my very ticklish body. Shh! Don't tell the kids. And please don't ever henna-tattoo my soles. I can't even tolerate a pedi!

~*~*~*~*~

Thanks for stopping by, y'all.

Now I've got to stop watching "Next in Fashion" on Netflix and help my son choose some new glasses online. This should be fun...

Be kind to each other.

Fin.#

Saturday 9: When Love Goes Wrong, Nothing Goes Right

Heyyy, there. I don't know about you, but here in the US, we've been watching and/or participating in the many protests around the nation, precipitated by the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. It's been frustrating to me to once again be physically unable to join in person, where I feel I need to be. I don't want to be just a keyboard warrior. But as that is where I am able to be right now, so I must act.

I'll be compiling a list of links to read, to donate to, to act on, in the coming days. Whether you read it or not, please don't ignore this very important fight.

Let's get busy.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: When Love Goes Wrong (Nothing Goes Right) 1953

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

1) This is from the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Have you seen it?

In fact, I have not.

2) The lyrics tell us that, when love goes wrong, "a match won't light." When did you most recently light a match?

Oh, recently enough, I'm sure, as our son and younger daughter both recently had birthdays. Matches suck, though, so I ended up buying this Zippo flex lighter for their cakes. Ah, much better.

3) The duet is performed at a French sidewalk cafe, where Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe are (literally) sharing a cup of coffee. With whom did you most recently have coffee?

I don't really drink much coffee, much less with someone. When we lived in Miami, though, we discovered the girls and I shared a fondness for Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccinos, so now it's like, I'll go get a grande or vente one for me to "share" with them, and then often just hand it over with even taking a sip for myself. This holds true even though they like the way I have it made - with coconut or almond milk and other such subs.

4) The tune was written by prolific composer Hoagy Carmichael. He was influenced by his mother, who earned extra money for the family playing piano during silent movies. Who in your life influenced your career choices?

I can't say that anyone I've personally known influenced me to go into biology as a career. But I fell in love with the work of Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin as I learned about them, and more than anyone, I'd say the two of them provided that influence.

5) Jane and Marilyn shared something beyond movie stardom. They were both married to Hall of Famers. Marilyn Monroe was married to Joe DiMaggio, who was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. Jane was married to quarterback Bob Waterfield, inducted into the football Hall of Fame in 1965. Which sport would you rather watch: baseball or football?

It depends on who is playing, to be completely honest.

6) Jane and Bob Waterfield were high school sweethearts at Van Nuys High. The Southern California school was used as a set for the 1982 movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Tell us something about your high school.

Well, speaking to current events, I went to a very upper-class school in an excellent school district, and I graduated very near the top of my class. But it was not a diverse district, and I think I graduated with probably fewer than five minority students. I didn't even know that there were so many Black people in nearby Syracuse, New York, until I met someone from there. I was astounded. So I was very sheltered, very naïve. I think that has changed considerably.

7) Marilyn and Joe DiMaggio met on a blind date at a Hollywood restaurant called Villa Nova. Have you ever arranged a blind date? If so, did the couple hit it off and end up dating?

I don't remember setting up anyone else on a blind date, ever, even though I myself have been on several (and married one of those). Speaking of blind dates, I just finished binge-watching Netflix's Love is Blind when I needed a mental escape from the pain and heartbreak our chaotic nation is experiencing right now. What a continuous roller coaster!

8) In 1953, when Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was released, a tornado did severe damage to Waco, TX. Tell us about a major weather event that you endured (tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, etc.).

Oh geez. I've been through several hurricanes, the Blizzard of '92 in Central New York, earthquakes, and so on - but the one natural disaster that really stands out to me is Supertyphoon Pongson'a, which hit Guam (where we were living) on December 8th, 2002. I was pregnant with the twins and also had a 15-month-old daughter. The supertyphoon, which was the worst on record at the time, didn't stop with just the storm. This really high-lighted what a third world island this US territory was and still is.

Not only was there no electricity, but the ports were all on fire and so gas was also extremely limited. We once stayed in a line of cars for 4+ hours (husband, pregnant wife, and tiny toddler) to try and fill up our car. We couldn't cook. We had no refrigeration. We had no ability to do laundry. We had to take ice-cold showers and baths. We were fortunate enough to be able to afford a generator eventually, but many were not. Electricity was not restored for months unless you were lucky enough to live on base. It was really a rough time, though we were some of the lucky ones.

9) Random question: You see a filthy puddle. Floating on top are cigarette butts, a leaf, and a $1 bill. Would you bend over and rescue the dollar?

Of course. I wouldn't waste a penny! And I'd probably through away those butts, too. Eww.

~*~*~*~*~

Arrighty, I'm watching Queer Eye Season 5 while I write my Paper Hugs, and so I must get back to it.

BlackLivesMatter

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: Fill In The Blanks

Howdy, y'all. Welcome back.

Make sure you link up here if you're playing along with the rest of us this weekend!

This week, Bev's got us doing some fill-ins, so prepare yourself. I have played a lot of Mad Libs as a kid. (Wait, what? It's not supposed to be as ridiculous as possible? Well then, you've probably come to the wrong blahg.)

Let 'er rip.

~*~*~*~*~

 

Stolen from Friday Fill-ins

1) Right now I'm listening to iHeartRadio, and I gave a rare thumbs-down to the last track. Not a fan.

2) Apologizing for everything, constantly is my well known quirk. I'm working on it!

3) "Are you serious?" (I didn't know what to do with this one, exactly, so I chose to make it be something I say ALL. THE. TIME.)

4) Brush your teeth first, then come say good-night to me! (I swear, I will be telling my kids this until I'm in the grave!)

5) Okay, kids, listen to Aunt Melanie on this one! I had emergency c-sections with ALL my kids; they were all high-risk pregnancies. After the last kiddo (the afore-mentioned Sophia), I was raring to go to lose a bunch of weight. You're supposed to weight SIX FULL WEEKS to exercise or get frisky. I felt like pfft, been there, done that, and I feel fine. So I started doing yoga and pilates after about ten days. I felt great! (Not so with that first slice-and-dice operation, omg.) Well. After about four days - so two weeks post-partum - I stopped in the middle to use the bathroom. When I pulled my pants down, my guts came with it. I had split my incision right the F open! That's why you wait the six weeks. Ahh, so.

6) The Dukes of Hazzard is (was) one of my favorite tv shows ever! Picture my 5-year-old self having a crush on Bo!

7) (BET meme used because um, it is Sunday.) And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to (pass, it's already Sunday), tomorrow my plans include (pass, it's already Sunday), and Sunday, I want to organize everyone's comings and goings in my planner for the coming week & make sure I'm set for payday Friday!

8) If I could go anywhere on a road trip, I'd go to Yellowstone National Park. Some of it's in Idaho, but I'd want to venture into Montana to get to see Old Faithful. Google Maps tells me it's only 6 hours' drive from here.

9) Spatial relations is something I don't understand. (Well, that's not entirely accurate; I understand it. I just really struggle with applying it!)

10) Thanksgiving makes me think of pie. Specifically, apple pie.

11) Lying in a hammock on the beach in the Caribbean is the best way to relax! (I first did this on Blue Lagoon Island at age 14, and I knew I had found my bliss. I've since done it with Rob & the kids on various beaches in Miami, and with Rob in Mexico. Obviously not enough!)

12) It looks like Autumn in Australia. Wait, right?

13) Pea falafel is one of my favorite healthy snacks. (OMG, I seriously love it!)

14) The smell of tobacco - NOT cigarette smoking, but like a pouch of tobacco -  makes me think of my grandfather. Grandma smoked More cigs, but Grandpa smoked a pipe. And he had many pipes, including some Turkey Meerschaum ones like this one. One day, he went to the dentist, who told him he was "working on the big C," in Grandpa's words. He quit smoking his pipe that day and threw away all those pipes. I think that was even before his major heart attack requiring a sextuple bypass, so I must have been 11 or 12, but whenever I catch a whiff of that sweet tobacco, I think of him immediately.

15) (Actually, that's really genius, Bill Gates!) When I am feeling lazy I edit photos or read email. If I'm lazy and tired, I nap.

16) When I look to the left, I see far too many Erin Condren accessories that are meant to get me organized; clearly I haven't really started yet!

17) The girls' bedrooms & all the downstairs rooms are the ones that have the best view in my home.

18) Our wedding (both the elopement and, later, this little one on the beach with family) was done dirt cheap!

19) Voting is a responsibility that all qualified citizens must share. (For the love of GOD, please vote!)

 

20) If you have any Tylenol, feel free to share it with me. These headaches are endless.

~*~*~*~*~

Whee, look at me! I got 'er done on the right day. Y'all should be so proud of me.

Have a great week, everybody!

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: The Winter Questionnaire

Hey, folks! Welcome back. I'm on my husband's piece of crap Toughbook laptop with the missing "p" key, making all my years-long keyboarding skills basically useless, so I'm trying not to start out this meme already grumpy!

Also - Hey, Bev! Whither the opening Sunday Stealing foto? I had to go back four posts just to copy one! Anyway, link up here if you'd like to play along this weekend!

~*~*~*~*~

How do you get past the gray skies during winter?

It's actually really bad for me this year. I mean, unspeakably bad. We've moved to this rinky-dink little town in the middle of Idaho with NOTHING to do to take my mind off the misery of being here. I'm not doing well at all. We've recently discussed moving and narrowed it down to Guam or southern Portugal. Money is what stopped us.

Do you like snow? Why or why not?

Good lord, no. I grew up mostly in (well, outside of) Syracuse, New York, and was there for the Blizzard of '93, aka "the Storm of the Century" (above). Our house was up atop quite a steep slope. Thing is, once all that beautiful white snow falls, the plows come through. And then the cars, so that it all turns a disgusting brown and black speckled dirty color. And it melts and refreezes and melts and refreezes, turning your entire sloped driveway, and the lawn, and many streets to sheer ice. And let's not even get into how much I despise being cold!

    What are your favorite activities to do during the winter?

Hibernate and wait for it to be over.

    What does a perfect winter day look like to you?

This. It looks like this.

    What are your favorite meals/food you enjoy eating during the winter?

I'm actually really not enjoying eating this winter, but lately Rob has been trying to make it work for me. He's been making me the vegan version of this Italian white bean and sun-dried tomato soup, which is really quite good!

    What is your favorite winter holiday and why?

Oh, it's definitely Christmas. I love giving gifts I hope they'll love to the people I adore!

    What is your favorite pizza flavor and toppings?

Oh, the first thing I have to do when I step out of Grand Central Station onto the streets of Manhattan is get a slice of a local pizzeria pie! Plain cheese is great for me, but I do love some pineapple on my peez, too.

What are some items in your daily bag/backpack?

Well, here are just some of the things I dumped out of my Vera Bradley crossbody purse: Aside from the cash, I see my oft-used asthma inhaler, and the passport that our heavy-chewer doggo, Tapioca, fished out of my purse for a nibble once or twice. There's the bouquet of hair doodles my daughter Chloe gave me for Christmas, knowing the three of us "girls" are always searching for a ponytail holder. I have a small tube of SPF 28 (so random) facial moisturizer from MyChelle Dermaceuticals, one of my favorite skincare companies.

I have some Thieves hand sanitizer and a Savvy Minerals Poppy Seed Lip Scrub, both from Young Living. I have a tiny tube of Cerave moisturizing cream, which works great in the winter! The Hello charcoal-infused floss, which I ordered from Grove Collaborative, really makes my teeth feel clean and refreshenated. (What, it's a word.) I bought the peppermint-infused C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint at Bath & Body Works, and this, I love. (I have several others, but I'm not sure where they've gotten to. Maybe Tapi ate those, too?) I've got some Scandaleyes waterproof mascara from Rimmel - the only cosmetics I'm really using these days - and some q-tips to blot my inevitable mistakes. And finally, I keep a variety of my beloved TUL pens handy. Note: I NEVER write in black ink, unless I absolutely have to.

    Your favorite snacks?

I don't do a ton of snacking these days. Maybe a banana, or a handful of Wonderful pistachios.

Some foreign countries that you would like to visit?

You know, the only things stopping me from visiting every country are the world are money and my poor health. So my answer? All of them.

What things remind you of home?

Don't you know? I don't really feel like I have a physical home. Home, for me, is wherever these guys are.

If you have one, some items from your Amazon Wishlist?

Well, I really want - no, need - this book.

There's this olive oil dispenser I don't remember putting there, but I probably did because I am absolutely EVOO-crazy.

And, there are these disgustingly adorable hedgehog planters, because the girls and I have gone succulent-crazy lately.

What was your favorite Christmas gift?

I loved everything I received, especially the eco-friendly produce bags Chloe gave me... but I think my absolute favorite was Rob renewing my Mensa membership. I'd gotten it way back 20 years ago and have long since let it lapse. I wanted it mostly for the card to look at when I'm feeling especially dumb, but I'd lost that. I'm thrilled!

~*~*~*~*~

Well, Rob and I are back to searching for Lyme-literate MDs near and far, 'cause, y'know, I'm trying not to die. That would be nice. Or would it?

Take care, y'all.

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: The Queen's Meme

Hi everyone! Welcome back. I'm seriously not feeling well right now, so it's anyone's guess whether I'll be able to finish this post. Worth giving it a shot!

Link up here if you want to play along this weekend.

~*~*~*~*~

Stolen from The Queen's Meme

January usually has ample amounts of snowfall in parts of the world. Did you ever make snow cream as a kid?

The only time I ever did was in my senior year of high school, when we made it one day in my AP Biology class (must have been right before Christmas break, or something). I've made it with my kids, too, while we were homeschooling.

January is one of the months with 31 days. What are you going to do with that extra day?

I've never really considered that an extra day. That day is payday, so I'll be looking at the budget and checking off boxes that day, I guess.

What is your favorite magazine?

Growing up, my grandmother had a stash of Reader's Digest back issues here, there, and everywhere. Eventually, I think I read them all during visits. I think I have the current issue on my night table right now. She also bought the Star, Enquirer, and I think a third tabloid every week, too, and People - all of which I also read when I was there. I still read People, but Martha Stewart Living is currently my favorite. I love her!
 
If you live to be 99 years old, what would you like your life to be like in that last decade??

With Lyme, I really don't think I'll live that long. But if I do, I'd like my mental faculties to be intact, and I would like to be free of this constant, agonizing pain.

The great world of Wikipedia tells me that scientists claim 99% of all documented species are extinct. Which remaining species in the 1% category would you really like to see extinct?  And which species in the 99% category would you like to bring back?

I would love for ticks and mosquitos to be eradicated - but that would also be a bad thing (at least the skeeters). I would love to see a mammoth! (Also I had the The Far Side book this particular cartoon was in; and also, I had the weiner dog one. So funny!)

On January 14, 1986 motorists were required for the first time to wear seat belts? Do you always buckle up? Why or why not?

Man, I remember when that changed. My father pitched a fit - and he still doesn't wear them! I always wear them, and if I'm driving, the car doesn't go until everyone is buckled up. Why? Because I appreciate their purpose and also the data that backs up the fact that they save lives.

Why did the cow jump over the moon?

I don't know - to get to the other side?

Have you said anything in the last 24 hours that you regret?

Not this time! Ask me tomorrow.
 
Have you ever written anything on your blog that you wish you could take back?

No... There have been some interesting moments after a few things I've posted, but I wouldn't take any of it back. All of the past stuff has been mostly written and forgotten. When we lived in Miami and Chloë started reading it, she would exclaim over this or that that I wrote. It was fun reliving some things!

Are you the blabber or the blabbee? Tell us your most embarrassing blabbermouth moment.

Oh, I'm definitely a blabbermouth with NO filter. I've had a ton of "oops, I shouldn't have said that" moments. Probably a lot of them happened with my mother-in-law. I've always been certain that our baby, Sophia, who looks just like me and nothing like Rob - unlike Chloë, Jack, and presumably Robby (Jack's identical twin) - has been suspected of having a different father by my in-laws. I've always wanted them to request a DNA test, because I KNOW he is the father. No one else could be. Once, on the phone with my MIL, I joked, "Just do a DNA test! I have no fears! Besides, she's the wrong color if she did have a different dad!" ...crickets...

How important is a cell phone in your life?

Once upon a time, there were no cell phones... Yeah, I depend on it pretty hard. Right now my phone isn't holding a charge, and I can't get it above 8% or so. It's frustrating because most of what I do is on that phone! I've got to trade up PDQ, I guess.
 
A "cuisine" is typically influenced by and named after geographical regions and cultures. Pretend your blog is a country. What is the name of your cuisine?

Crazy Fusion cuisine

You are the Blog Paparazzi! Which blogger's real photograph are you most interested in getting?

Hmm. Well, all of you, since we've been doing this thing together for so many years, but I think I've been following the blog 5 Minutes for Mom the absolute longest. I'm "friends" with Janice and Susan on Facebook, and Janice and I have chatted a few times. Maybe when we sail out of Vancouver, B.C. for our Alaskan cruise in September, she'll meet me at the airport for a selfie?!

Are you always on time or just a tad late?

I'm usually early. Before I got married I was always very prompt. I still abhor being late. In the Navy (and I presume with every other branch of the military), being 15 minutes early is "on time," and being on time is considered late. So with that in mind, and having four kids in 3½ years, we learned to s.c.r.a.m.b.l.e. for appointments!!

Can you think of a time when you were late for something and it was REALLY a big deal?

Well, yeah. Lots of times. For choir, we obviously had to be at the school - or wherever our performance was - dressed and ready to go well before showtime. My stepmother made it a point to screw with me, trying to destroy everything in my life that was important to me. She screamed at me every single day for something - even things she had to invent if there was nothing she could see. On concert days, she screamed about three times as long, to make sure I not only walked in extremely late, but I'd be a mess from crying, and everyone was staring at me. And I hated attention.

If you were on your way to work and had five minutes to get there, would you stop in the road to rescue a crossing turtle?

Sure, and I have done this many times - especially in Tampa when I was on my way to one of my grad classes or teaching the lab.

When you are having a really good day, what usually makes it good?

Hmm. Usually it's a productive day, with many things crossed off my to-do list. (By the way, here's the rest of that list, above; it's worth a read.) Maybe I got a nice compliment that carried me through the day. Or maybe a good package came in the mail. But productivity is pretty key!

What is the most annoying Christmas song?

Growing up, my dad always got a big kick out of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." Now I hate it.

You are Snow White. Which dwarf is your favorite and why?

I hate to be cliché, but I think Dopey. He's sweet, and he tries really hard!

~*~*~*~*~

Well, y'all, speaking of productivity, I have a few things I'd like to do before my brain shuts down and tells me it's time for the first nap of the day.

I hope you're all having a great weekend!

Fin.