Currently

I am

Reading... The Surgeon, book one in Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli & Isles series.

Watching... American Idol

Listening... to the washing machine, the dishwasher, and...the furnace. We've gone from 85 degrees yesterday to 32 right now. So unfair!

Eating... trying to be a bit healthier. I had a fruit/yogurt/granola parfait for breakfast, an apple for a snack, and a salad for lunch. Go me! I caved for dinner, though, and had an Arby's beef and cheddar with fries.

Thinking... about my daughter. She is doing fairly well, but today was her first day back at cyber schooling with the kids and she found it more than a little overwhelming. Her husband was supposed to help, but he is terribly sick. A trip to Urgent Care showed he has an upper respiratory infection, infected ears, and something else all going on at the same time. I'm checking in every so often, but trying to avoid spending time so we don't catch anything here.

Feeling... good, happy, energized.

Celebrating... I went back to work today after being off for 3 weeks. It felt good to get back to my normal life and it was good to see everyone. The welcome back from the consumers was so sweet. They missed me!

Enjoying... a quiet evening all to myself. Tim had to get up at 1:00 this morning and left for work by 2:00 and tonight he was in bed by 6:00.

Weather... we've had it all in the last 24 hours: sun, wind, rain, temps in the 80s, temps falling into the 20s, snow flurries, ice pellets...

Giggling...

 

Saturday 9: London Town

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

1) Have you ever visited London?   No, never.

2) In this song, Paul sings of encountering a London street musician playing the flute. Are there street musicians in your town?  No. My town isn't that big. We have plenty of places to go hear local musicians, but not on the street.

3) It's raining as he wanders around London. How is the weather where you are today?  Well, it's Friday night as I'm answering and the thunder is booming outside. I believe it's supposed to move out by tomorrow.

4) "London Town" is one of a handful of songs credited to Paul McCartney and Denny Laine, his bandmate in Wings from 1971 to 1981. They became fast friends in the mid-60s when Denny was with The Moody Blues, the band who opened for The Beatles on their final UK concert tour. Paul has acknowledged Denny's outstanding vocals and guitar playing, as well as his humor and generosity. Share the good qualities of one of your close friends.  Loyal, supportive, funny, and always willing to get up to shenanigans.

5) Wings broke up in 1981 when Paul decided he was weary of touring. His kids were in school, his Beatle bandmate John Lennon had been murdered, and he simply felt more comfortable staying put and working in the studio, rather than performing live. Denny believed this would mean his role, and his financial compensation, would diminish so he quit Wings. Tell us about why you left one of your jobs.  I had a completely miserable boss who treated everyone poorly, but seemed to especially dislike me.

6) Linda McCartney also wrote and performed with Wings. In addition to music, she is known for her photography and cookbooks. Of these three – music, photography and cooking – which do you enjoy most?  I love listening to music and can't imagine life without it, but I have zero talent for it. I used to enjoy photography with a 35mm camera and later with a digital one...not so much with my phone. I still like cooking and am pretty good at it, but I'm usually tired and don't want to.

7) Paul's first car was a 1964 Aston Martin DB5. He selected it himself before The Beatles went off on their first world tour and it was waiting for him when he got home to London. He drove it when he shouldn't have, as he didn't get his license until spring of 1965. When did you get your driver's license?  I didn't get my license until I was 23 or 24. My son was in his car seat while I took my test. The state trooper giving me the test was younger than I was. My mom always jokes that he gave me a pity pass.

8) Speaking of driver's licenses ... Last year someone bought one of Paul's expired driver's licenses at auction for $20,000. When you get a new license, passport, or state issued ID, what do you do with the old one?  Cut it up and throw it away.

9) Random question – Which do you have more of: dirty dishes in the sink or dirty clothes in the hamper?  Dirty clothes in the hamper. For the last 3 weeks I've been off work to take care of my grandchildren and I've done very little laundry...just enough to keep my husband in work clothes and maybe an emergency load once or twice for me. To say the laundry is taking over is no exaggeration.

Thankful Thursday

There's just one thing on my list today.

My daughter came home today!

Thank you, Jesus!

Top 3's

This is an oldie, but a goodie, that I found in the archives.

Three things that make a lot of sense to me.

    1. Requiring ID to vote.

    2. Skipping the college route unless you are pursuing a career 

    that truly requires a degree...like medicine or engineering, 

    for example.

    3. Good manners and showing EVERYONE a basic amount 

    of respect.

Three things that don't make sense to me.

    1. Blaming every wrong in the universe on President Trump.

    2. Resorting to calling anyone who disagrees with you racist 

    or a Nazi out of frustration.

    3. Adult children cutting all ties and communication with

    parents and other family. The numbers are staggering.

Three things I'd like to explore.

    1. Boston

    2. The Library of Congress

    3. Plymouth, Mass.

Three things I have no interest in.

    1. Trying to impress anyone.

    2. Celebrity gossip.

    3. All the clickbait on Facebook.

Three things I have more than enough of but always want to buy.

    1. Books/journals.

    2. Craft supplies.

    3. Pens/markers.

Three things I am always in search of.

    1. Things to do with the grandchildren.

    2. Shoes that feel good, give support, and aren't ugly.

    3. Ways to simplify life.

Things I've recently checked off my to-do list.

    1. Clean the craft room (the cupboard that houses all the 

    beads is a chore all by itself).

    2. Got my car washed.

    3. Paid the bills.

Things I've had on my to-do list forever.

    1. Clean out and organize the pantry.

    2. Go through all the closets and cabinets and get rid of 

    (trash, donate, or sell) everything we don't use.

    3. Go through the whole house and get rid of anything we 

    don't use or love. Sad fact of life is that the next generation

    doesn't value the things we did. They are not at all senti-

    mental about the majority of family heirlooms.      

Currently

I am

Reading... Livingood Daily: Your 21-Day Guide to Experience Real Health.

Watching... the final season of Rizzoli & Isles.

Listening... to the wind. It sounds like a jet or train going by. We've been under a high wind advisory all day and it doesn't lift until tomorrow morning (Monday). So far, no damage here. Friday's wind left our apple tree lying on the lawn. We were lucky, it missed the corner of the house. We also never lost power. Some still don't have power today.

Eating... We had cheddar cheeseburgers for dinner tonight.

Thinking... about what a full week this will be. My son-in-law works daylight this week so I have to be over there before 6:00 and I will be on my own with cyber schooling both grands. Also, my daughter should be released to come home on Thursday. The kids and I will likely be the ones to go get her.

Feeling... relaxed. I got to go to a basket bash fundraiser today. The only thing I won is a signed Ducks Unlimited decoy. It was really nice to get out and away for the day, though.

Celebrating... that my daughter comes home this week and I will go back to work next week.

Thankful... my stepdad is hanging in there. We still don't know about his leg or if he's going to have to go to a nursing home and he is still sedated, but there haven't been any bad spells and Mom says there are minor improvements.

Enjoying... the longer days.

Weather... I covered the wind, as for the rest...rain tomorrow with falling temps and possible snow overnight and into Tuesday. Tuesday's high is predicted to be 28.

Giggling...

I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover

Selected in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

Play along here.

1) This is one of the songs included in Willie Nelson's Rainbow Connection album. He named it after his daughter Amy's favorite song when she was a little girl. She'd been asking him to record "The Rainbow Connection" for 20 years and finally, in 2001, he came through for her. Think of something you had to wait for. Was it worth the wait?  I think it can go both ways. Sometimes when you have to wait you build a thing up so much in your mind that the real thing can't live up to your expectations. But sometimes, life surprises you and the thing is all you thought it would be and maybe more. My first trip to Chincoteague Island was like that. I read Misty of Chincoteague in 4th grade and dreamed of going to the island until I was in my late 20's. It didn't disappoint and it has become my happy place. I used to feel that way about Disney World, too, back before the crowds got to be so huge.

2) Willie can trace his family tree back to the Revolutionary War. Are you interested in genealogy?  Yes. I'm lucky in that all the branches of my family have valued roots and kept amazing records. I know my roots all the way back to when my ancestors first arrive in America (all were before the Revolution).

3) Today Willie is legendary performer, but as a child, he was very uncomfortable in front of crowds. He recalled that during his school days, reciting in front of his class made him so uncomfortable he suffered nose bleeds. When did you most recently have a bloody nose?  I don't think I've had one since I was a kid.

4) During the 1990s, Willie had problems with the IRS. His management team set up illegal tax shelters and he ended up owing millions in back taxes and penalties. This year's IRS filing deadline is Wednesday, April 15. Will you be early, on time, or will you need an extension?  On time.  

5) In "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover," Willie sings about appreciating something he has previously overlooked. Is there anything positive in your life you feel you may take for granted?  I don't think so. I'm very aware that what is here today may very well be gone tomorrow. 

6) Four leaf clovers and shamrocks are considered good luck. Do you have a lucky charm?  No 

7) "The wearing o' the green" is one way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Will you wear something green in honor of the day?  Yes. I have a pair of leggings with shamrocks down the legs and a matching shirt covered with shamrocks.

8) According to Irish folklore, if you catch a leprechaun he must either give you his pot o' gold or grant you three wishes. Would you choose the gold or the wishes?  I would take the wishes. I could use two for important things and with the third ask for my own pot of gold.

   

9) Traditional Irish stew is made with mutton or lamb, though here in the US beef is also very popular. What's your favorite soup/stew?  Plain, old, vegetable beef stew or for soup I'd choose ham, cabbage, and potato.

A brief update for those who have been following the rough patch my family is experiencing at this time:

Our son-in-law is going tomorrow (Saturday) to see our daughter at the facility she's been at for the past 2 weeks. They have to meet with her therapist for a joint session. Their marriage may hinge on this meeting. I will be keeping the grands so Mom and Dad will have more freedom to talk.

As for my stepdad, nothing is changed. He is still in ICU. He's on ventilator because they have him heavily sedated to keep him still. He did not wake up at all today (Friday). No word yet if the surgery saved his leg.

Please continue to pray.

More on My Plate

Please add my mom and stepdad to your prayers for us, if you would. While the doctor says it had been brewing for a few days, my stepdad only told my mom yesterday morning that his foot was purple. Mom took him to see his doctor, of course, and the doctor sent him straight to the ER.

They ran tests all day and determined he had a blood clot and an "aneurysm-like" thing behind his knee. At 6:00 or so they took him to do a procedure to take care of it. By 7:00 they said it didn't work and they'd had to put pressure on his groin where they'd gone in for the procedure...for 45 minutes. After that, the vascular surgeon was called in and he was taken to surgery at 8:00. It was around 1:00 before they finished.

The surgeon said she'd cleaned up the hematoma, put a stitch in it, and taken care of the clot. Now he is in ICU and it is a waiting game. The surgeon says it typically takes up to two days to know if it's going to save the leg.

So that's what's new here.