Saturday 9: Me and Bobby McGee

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

1) The song begins with Janis telling us about a trip from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. Have you ever visited Louisiana? If yes, where did you go?  I've never been, but I want to visit one day. We have a niece there who married a native. She has promised all kinds of yummy Louisiana foods if we come visit.

2) She and her boyfriend Bobby hitch a ride with a truck driver and together the three of them sing "every song the driver knew." If you were to begin a singalong with strangers in a bar or at a party, what song would you confident everyone knows?  Piano Man or maybe Sweet Caroline. Most people seem to know both of those.

3) Janis had a painful time in her Port Arthur, TX, high school. She was ostracized for her looks and her taste in music. If you could give advice to your high school self, what would you say?  Don't take it so seriously. It'll be over before you know it and you really won't look back.

4) She credited the blues and Bessie Smith, specifically, for getting her through her tough adolescence. After she became famous and mentioned Bessie in interviews, Janis learned Ms. Smith had been buried in an unmarked grave back in 1937. Janis rectified the situation by paying for a proper tombstone for Smith in 1970. If money were no object, what's something you would like to do for someone else?  I would donate large sums to both Tunnels 2 Towers and Wounded Warriors as both do wonderful things for our veterans and in T2T's case, also our first responders.

5) Because of her party girl persona, people were surprised that Janis had a domestic side and enjoyed talking recipes. Thinking of cooking, what dish would you whip up for our Saturday 9 potluck?  I've been looking at a lot of pumpkin recipes lately so, maybe a savory main dish with pumpkin in it.

6) "Me and Bobby McGee" was written by the late Kris Kristofferson. Kris' life before hitting it big was varied, including time in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, focused on English literature, and serving as a helicopter pilot in the US Army. Which career path do you think you'd enjoy more: academia or the Army?  There was a time when I wanted to join the military, but these days I'm sure I'd fare better in academia.

7) In 1971, when this song was popular, the US Mint introduced the Eisenhower Silver Dollar. Think of the last thing you bought at a store. Did you pay with cash, plastic, or your phone?  Plastic

8) England's Princess Anne turned 21 in 1971 and in honor of the occasion, she had an official portrait taken by fashion photographer Norman Parkinson. Who took the most recent photo of you?  Someone at work.

9) Random question -- There's a knock at your door. Who do you expect it is?  Our daughter's family is off on vacation for the next week, but since tomorrow (Saturday) is trick or treat in our area, it might be a trick or treater....if we even get any. We haven't for a few years, other than the grands.

Thanks to Crazy Sam @ Saturday 9 for the music and questions!

Currently

It's 10:00 on Sunday evening. The weekend has come to an end. It was a lovely fall weekend. Perfect, actually. I'm enjoying the last bit of it curled up on the sofa with my kitty and watching a Hallmark Christmas movie. Ha! What says "fall" more than that?

The weather... has been a bit warmer than normal during the days and quite frosty during the nights, dipping down to freezing or very close. We have a few more warm days (80 on Tuesday!) before it begins to cool down a bit. Is this our Indian Summer? Who knows. Weather patterns here are not at all like they used to be.

Feeling... relaxed and happy. I had a good weekend with family. Saturday was shopping with our daughter and grands during the day and in the evening Tim and I took the grands to see some of the spectacular Halloween displays in town. Today Tim and I did a bit of grocery shopping and worked around home. He mowed the grass for the last time and I worked on laundry and made a chicken pot pie for dinner. We watched some television and I did a little reading.

 

"

Reading... Maggody and the Moonbeams by Joan Hess. It's part of the funny and off the wall Maggody series. I read most of the books a long time ago, but somehow missed this one.

Celebrating... Halloween, obviously. We are having fun with the grands now as they will be leaving for vacation this coming Saturday and won't return until November 3. Also, as I've mentioned before, Halloween is a HUGE deal at work. We have a costume party and a talent show where the consumers get to show off their "talents." Some are quite good, others not so much, but it is always a lot of fun. My department has been working hard to decorate the multipurpose room and each of us has a wall to do something with. The other staff went with cute. I went with zombie swamp. LOL

This photo was taken nearly 2 weeks ago. Since then I've added fairy lights to the trees dripping with moss, more tombstones on the sides, more grass and moss. I also highlighted the windows in the house a little with some yellow chalk and added a shadow man in one of the windows. I admit to being a little proud of the whole 3-D effect with the trees. I'll try to get another photo with the lights and everything.

Annoyed with... the outcome of my trip to the dentist. I had the roots of the two teeth the crowns came off of extracted just fine and he popped the partial right in. I had to take it out that night due to some bleeding. I couldn't get it back in until the end of last week due to pain in the gums. Now that I can get it in I can't stand it and have to take it right back out. It triggers my gag response something awful. I'm going to have to call. Maybe he can adjust it somehow?

Giggling at...

 

Have a blessed week, everyone!

Saturday 9: Autumn in New York

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

1) In this song, Frank Sinatra sings that autumn in New York is inviting. How are you enjoying fall where you are?  It only began to look and feel like fall in the last week, so I hadn't really been enjoying "fall" except for my beloved pumpkin spice everything. We went to a couple of festivals and I hope to make it to one or two this weekend as the experts say this is the big hoorah for the leaves. Other than that I'm just enjoying the longer evenings and my cozy, fall-decorated house.

2) He tells us the "canyons of steel" (aka skyscrapers) make him feel like he's home. What's something you love about your neighborhood?  It used to be like one big family where everyone stayed forever and knew everyone else, but as the older folks have passed and most of my generation moved away, new people have moved in (and they often only stay a few years then move on) and the family feeling is gone. I guess what I still love is that it's a safe place for my grandchildren to run and play.

3) Frank Sinatra was self-conscious about the scar on his cheek. The doctor used forceps to deliver him and left a mark. Tell us about one of your scars.  I have a scar on the bottom of my chin from playing Ring-around-the-rosie in the church parking lot when I was 4. When "we all fall down" came around, the bigger kids pretty much drug me to the ground. I remember blood. Lots of blood.

4) Frank was a creature of habit. Every time he visited Patsy's Italian Restaurant in New York he ordered the same dessert: lemon ricotta torte. Do you enjoy trying new dishes, or do you prefer to stick with your old favorites?  I am very adventurous when it comes to food and I love trying new things.

5) "Autumn in New York" was written by New Yorker Vernon Duke during a hot summer vacation in Westport, CT. Have you ever been homesick?  Not that I can remember. I've always been ready to head out on an adventure.

6) In 1947, when this recording made the Top 30, Daniel and Patricia were the most popular baby names. Are there any Daniels or Patricias in your life?  I have a coworker named Patricia.

7) Elton John was born in 1947. When you think of Elton John, what's the first song that comes to mind?  Crocodile Rock

8) Radio was America's most accessible form of entertainment in 1947 and a mystery, The Adventures of Ellery Queen, was one of the most popular shows. Do you enjoy mysteries?  They are my favorite.

9) Random question: What were you most excited about when you woke up this morning?  Well, I am answering this Friday evening so this morning I was most excited that this was Friday!

Thanks to Crazy Sam @ Saturday 9 for the music and questions!

Currently

On a Monday evening in October... it's a cool 47 degrees and the forecast says we're going down to 38 degrees before the sun rises tomorrow and warms us back up to 63 degrees for a high. Fall is finally here!

Oliver (Ollie) Twist, my bathtub dwelling kitty, still spends a good bit of time in said tub, but he's getting braver. Tonight he is sitting with me, purring loudly, and making it difficult to type. I think he wants to tell you all "hello." He's such a gentle, lovey boy. I'm glad he's coming out. I just wish we hadn't had to say goodbye to Daisy for it to happen.

Feeling... incredibly blessed as the images from the areas devastated by Hurricane Helene continue to flood the news and social media. I saw an article yesterday that showed a list someone had come up with ranking the states by the likelyhood of a natural disaster. My state of Pennsylvania came in smack in the middle of the pack. The safest state (as far as the likelyhood of a natural disaster) is Vermont. All the states along the Gulf coast are at the bottom of the list as the unsafest places to live in terms of natural disasters.

Celebrating... all those who are making sacrifices to go to the areas in Helene's path bring truckloads of supplies, hope, and muscle for the hard jobs that need doing.

The Weekend... was busy. Saturday was my employer's annual bingo fundraiser. It's our second biggest fundraiser. I took the gentleman I do companion work with and my mom and daughter went, too. My daughter won $75 on a bingo and Mike, the man I work with, won $100 on a bingo and a gift basket of fall decor and wine.

Saturday evening Tim and I, along with our daughter's family, went out to dinner. Sunday we had the grandkids all day and had a ball with them. 

Work... is a bit of a Murphy's Law kind of deal right now. Every department continues to be short-handed and it will only get worse as lots of people have scheduled vacations and time off during the next couple of months. I did not get offered the supervisor position. They decided they want someone from outside with a degree in social work (not really sure what benefit that will be in what we do, but there you go). I don't mind. I really don't think I'd want the job. Too many headaches and duties for not much more pay.

Excited... (kind of) about going to the dentist tomorrow. Back at the beginning of the year I lost 2 crowns. Both took some of the tooth with them. There isn't enough tooth under either of them to put new crowns on. My dentist is an expert at dental implants and pushes them. I told him I didn't think my insurance would cover it (few do) and asked about a partial plate. He wasn't thrilled but told the girl to run the insurance and let me know. 

Well, the months dragged on and I heard nothing. They finally called...to tell me implants were not covered and the cost would be $4000/tooth. I said that would not be happening and asked what the insurance said about the partial. I was told they didn't get an answer (I'm guessing that wasn't submitted) but she'd get right on it. A couple more months went by and they finally called to say what my cost for the two extractions and the partial would be. I let them know I was fine with the cost and we scheduled an appointment to have my mouth scanned so the partial could be created. A month later and I'm finally going to get what's left of the two broken teeth removed and my partial. So, I'm not looking forward to the dental work, but I am looking forward to not having gaping holes in the side of my smile...chewing will be easier, too.

Laughing at...

Currently

Reading... I'm not. I've been in a slump for a couple of weeks. I picked up a new Christmas paperback today so hopefully I'll start that this week.

Listening... to more Doo Wop music than I care to. The gentleman I do companion work with is hyper-focused on it and an online radio station that plays it. I don't hate Doo Wop, but he never wants to listen to anything else and he listens at make your ears bleed volume.

Watching... still Hallmark movies for the most part, but I'm looking forward to watching the vice presidential debate on Tuesday.

Loving... that Oliver, my bathtub dwelling kitty, is slowly figuring out that Daisy is no longer in the house and therefore not a danger. He is coming out into the rest of the house more and more, though he still remains timid of anyone other than me.

Thinking... I really need to get off my duff and get my fall decorations out before it's time to put them away. I've never been this late getting to it before.

Feeling... m'eh. It's a really gray, dreary day that does nothing to inspire. Plus, we went to a huge fall festival with friends yesterday and we walked and walked and WALKED. I don't feel too bad, but Tim, who had just had his first cardio therapy session Friday (it kicked his butt) and then did yesterday, is hurting a good bit today and just lying on the sofa.

Celebrating... nothing much here at home. Oct. 2 is our son's birthday, but since nothing has changed there... At work the big bingo fundraiser is this coming Saturday so there's excitement about it. Also, we have a huge Halloween party/talent show every year and it falls on my department to decorate, plan and execute it all. The consumers are already into the Halloween spirit and I'm kind of fueling it with themed crafts, movies, and such.

Grateful... we had a good day with our friends at the festival yesterday. They've been asking us to go for probably 20 years, but Tim was always working. It was very nice in spite of being chilly and wet. Lots of good food, plenty of crafts and other vendors. I bought two big bags full of stuff and a new noodle board for the stove. I also got a big, snuggly Hocus Pocus sweatshirt for myself. But the biggest thing...we were physically able to do it. We were hurting a lot by the end, but we did it. Tim admitted he was worried if I'd be able to walk that much before we went. Our friends were in the same boat...actually the wife was in way worse shape than the rest of us. I was worried about her.

It was rainy, chilly, and windy when we first got to the 
festival. These cute little piggies were trying to keep warm
by snuggling up to their Highland cow buddy.

Enjoying... all my favorite fall flavors, the return of savory dishes, the smells, and yes, even that it's getting dark earlier.

When fall rolls around, the Eat'n Park Smile
cookies become monster smiles. The kiddos
enjoy Frankenstein cookies after dinner.

Making me laugh...

Currently

I am...

Reading... Nothing. There just hasn't been time in the last week or so. Or maybe it's more accurate and honest to say that 9 times out of 10 when I sit down in the evenings, I fall asleep.

Watching... A lot of Hallmark and Great American Family. Tim and I did find a couple of older comedies to watch on Prime over the weekend. One was a Tim Allen film I'd never heard of. Yes, I stayed awake through those, but I wasn't just sitting there. I did other things as I watched like folded laundry.

Loving... The new attitude Tim has had since his heart cath. I know he is feeling better and it shows. He is not a terrible grump any longer. He said the men at work have told him the same thing.

Thinking... About my Daisy. She hadn't been eating like normal for a little while, but I thought she was being picky because she never said "no" to people food and when I'd try something new she'd eat it a time or two before turning up her nose. It turns out her liver was failing. She went across the Rainbow Bridge today. I wasn't able to take another day off work so my daughter had to take her. I feel guilty about that, but I didn't want her to suffer just so I could be there.

Feeling... Tired and sad.

Celebrating... My favorite time of the year...the Ber months...Fall.

Grateful... Tim is doing so well and doing all he's supposed to be doing, that my daughter was able to stand in for me at the vet's, and for my son-in-law who dug the hole in our rock-hard yard (no rain).

Enjoying... My favorite time of year. I love the colors, the sights, the sounds, the tastes, and the smells.

A quote I want to share... It's actually a prayer a friend shared with me on Facebook and I found it very comforting.

Lord, you have embraced a good friend and loving companion.

While we mourn what we have lost, we do celebrate what we had...

and in saying goodbye, we renew our pledge to love and care

for any creature you entrust to us for its time of life.

Thank you, Lord, for the joy this loved one gave us and for making it

possible for us to have made this friend's life a good one.

Saturday 9: Minute by Minute

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

1) It's easier to keep track of the minutes if your timepiece has a second hand. As you answer these questions, are you wearing a watch or can you see a clock that has a second hand?  No and no. I think I have a watch or two around here somewhere, but I haven't worn a watch since I stopped driving a school bus. Like so many, I use my phone for that, too. We don't have any clocks in the house with hands at all. Do they even teach kids how to tell time with an analog clock these days?

2) In this song, Michael McDonald admits he knows his girl has lied to him. Do you suspect any one of your friends/family has fibbed to you recently?  Mmm...maybe Tim in telling us what the doctors have said or what they allow him to do. He is a terrible patient.

3) McDonald's big break came in 1973 when he joined Steely Dan's touring band. What do you consider your first professional success?  I don't really think I have one. Until now I've never really had what I considered a profession...just a series of jobs. I am looking at the possibility of being named the supervisor of my department in the next week or two. I guess that would be a success if it happens.

4) In 1975 he joined The Doobie Brothers. He was originally supposed to be a temporary replacement for Tom Johnston, but he ended up working with the band uninterrupted for seven years. Tell us about something that's happened to you that turned out better than you anticipated.  That would be years ago when I volunteered in youth ministry. I got involved in that very reluctantly, but my years doing that were some of the best times of my life.

5) In 1986 he guest starred on an episode of The Young and The Restless. Have you ever been hooked on a daytime drama?  Back in the day I never missed an episode of Days of Our Lives. Bo and Hope, Patch and Kayla...swoon!

6) Michael and wife Amy raised their family near Nashville, where they had their own pond and a garden they lovingly tended. Do you enjoy yard work?  I used to. I haven't really been able to do much of it the last few years thanks to arthritis pain.

7) In 1979, when "Minute by Minute" was popular, movie star John Wayne died. In 2004, the US Postal Service honored him with a stamp. What was in the last envelope you stamped and dropped in a mailbox?  I have no idea. We get lots of mail, but I rarely send anything out.

8) In 1979, the most popular new car was the Oldsmobile Cutlass. Ads promised drivers the Cutlass could make it easy to get in and out of tight parking spots. Are you good at parallel parking?  You'd think I would be after driving a school bus all those years, but you'd be wrong. I could parallel park a bus with ease, but I'm not so good with my personal vehicle.

9) Random question: Did you know your great-grandparents?  I knew two of my great-grandmothers on my mom's side. Not well, though, as one passed when I was 5 and the other when I was 7.

Thanks to Crazy Sam for the music and questions!

Play along here.