Currently on this humid Wednesday evening, I'm propped up on the sofa, watching Expedition Unknown, and trying to stay awake to get a post written. My thoughts come in fragments...a sound bite of life, if you will.
It looks as if we've come to the end of our drought. It rained poured off and on most of yesterday and continued through the night. Today was beautiful, but rain is due to move in before midnight and nearly every day from now through next week is predicted to bring at least a bit of rain.
** I'm on my third book in the Tearoom Mysteries. I'm enjoying them. Mom bought them at a used book sale, so while I have 6 to read it's not the complete set. That numbers the 20's. Guidepost wants more than I'm willing to pay for the rest of the books so I'll be keeping my eyes open wherever used books are sold.
Today was a good day at work. It was my turn to plan what we would do. It's National Unusual Instrument Day so we learned about strange instruments and some normal ones. We watched some videos and then I allowed them to try some instruments. They loved it! The favorites were probably the steel tongue drum and the thumb piano.
** Our granddaughter's 5th birthday went well. We had beautiful, HOT weather for the party...always important for a pool party. For once our daughter kept it simple. There was pizza, snacks, drinks, and cake. The pool was the entertainment. Even though not everyone was able to make it, there were probably at least 30 people there with nearly half being kids. The kids had fun all afternoon in the pool and once all of us grandparents and great-grandparents bowed out all the young families were in the pool at the same time having a blast until dark.
Sunday evening our daughter was jumping on the trampoline with the kids and when she came down the ladder to get off of it, she jumped off the last rung...and felt instant pain in her heel. She went to Med Express Monday morning and they said it was plantar fasciitis without doing x-rays. She tried to tell them she's had that before and that was not what she was feeling, but they wouldn't listen. She finally went to the ER Monday evening. It took a CT scan to find it, but she fractured a bone spur on her heel. She's in a splint and on crutches. Tomorrow she sees the orthopedic surgeon to see if she has to have surgery to fix it.
** I'm feeling a bit frustrated. I'm doing okay with dieting, but am not doing so well with being active so I haven't been posting on the diet blog. I'm doing the right things, but I'm in a place where my legs are very painful by the time I get home every day. Through the day it's only painful if I sit for extended periods and then get up (and by extended periods, I mean anything longer than 5 minutes) or if I'm on my feet nonstop. I'm going to have to breakdown and call my PCP. Sigh.
Feeling more than a bit disgusted with politics these days. It seemed like after the attempt on Trump's life both sides were in agreement that it was time to bring some civility back to the game, but here we are at what, 3 weeks out, and everything is back to normal. I can't wait until the election is over.
1) In this song, Liza Minnelli acknowledges that she may be "taking a terrible chance." Have you done anything risky lately? Not that I can think of. I used to take lots of risks, but the older I get, the less risks I seem to take.
2) In 1969, when Liza recorded this song, she was 23 and her career was really beginning to take off. She was a sought-after guest on TV talk and variety shows and received her first Oscar nomination. Give us a quick overview of your life at 23. I had been married for three years and was a stay-at-home mom raising my first child. We were also living with my grandmother, which turned out to be an absolutely horrible situation.
3) Also in 1969, the first Gap store was opened in San Francisco. What have you recently added to your wardrobe? If yes, where did you buy it? I ordered a pair of Vionic recovery clogs on Amazon, but I have to send them back. For some reason, they sent me a men's size 13!
4) Liza says she always has apple juice in her refrigerator. What's something you're certain to have in your frig? Diet Coke, strawberry yogurt parfaits, lots of cheese (different kinds), eggs, and milk.
5) Liza's favorite card game is poker. What's yours? I don't have a favorite. I like poker, gin, and UNO.
6) Though Liza recorded the song in 1969, "Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)" was written way back in 1931. It has been recorded more than 50 times by artists as diverse as Bing Crosby, Andy Gibb and Bob Dylan. Before today, had you heard it? I don't think so and that surprises me. I've always liked Bing Crosby and Andy Gibb.
7) "Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)" is credited to Bert Kalmer and his partner, Harry Ruby. Another one of their hits was "Who's Sorry Now?" Do you owe anyone an apology? It's possible, though I can't think of anyone right now.
8) Together they also wrote "Hooray for Captain Spaulding," sung onscreen by Groucho Marx in the movie Animal Crackers. There were five Marx Brothers in all. How many can you name? Groucho, Chico, and Harpo are the only ones I know.
9) Random question: Do you believe talking to plants helps them grow? There's supposed to be some science behind that, but I still don't talk to mine. I tried when I was younger and felt like a total idiot.
Thanks to Sam @ the Saturday 9 for the music and questions!
I'm finally relaxing a bit at the end of a long day.
The weather is a comfortable 73 degrees at 9:45 p.m. We've been enjoying a few days of reasonable temperatures before the mercury begins to climb again. We even had the first real rain we've had in ages last evening.
I'm watching America's Got Talent. This year's performers are crazy good!
I'm reading Tea Is for Treasure by Kristin Eckhardt. It's another book in the Tearoom Mystery Series from Guidepost. Their cozy mystery series are different in that each book in a series features the same main characters, but each book is written by a different author.
I'm thinking about work. Wednesdays are my day to plan the lesson and activities. Tomorrow is Pioneer Day according to the National Today calendar. I've decided we're going to learn about...pioneers. And to show them an example of how different things were, we are going to make butter. In a jar. I've made corn muffins so they can try the butter after we make it. I think it's going to be fun and they love anything to do with food.
I'm feeling accomplished, a bit tired, and my knees ache, so basically, normal for me. Ha!
I'm enjoying Werther's fall flavors...caramel apple, pumpkin, maple cream, and cinnamon.
I'm celebrating our daughter's 32nd birthday on Thursday and our granddaughter's birthday party is Saturday, though she won't be 5 until the 29th.
I'm giggling at...
That's all that's going on around here tonight. Enjoy the rest of your week!
1) In this song, Rick Dees begins by describing a party where he can't resist that disco beat. What's the last party you attended? Was there dancing? It was a party at work and yep, there was dancing. If there's two things the consumers love, it's dancing and food. So we usually have both.
2) While this record was a massive international hit in 1976, it got off to an inauspicious start. Rick Dees said it took him less than a day to write the song, and more than three months to convince anyone to let him record it. Tell us about a time you were tempted to give up, but were glad you didn't. I'm drawing a blank.
3) In the hit movie Saturday Night Fever, students are briefly seen learning to dance to "Disco Duck." Can you name another song from Saturday Night Fever?Stayin' Alive
4) Dees was already a top disc jockey in Memphis when "Disco Duck" was released. With the record's success, his radio career soared and he got a better job reaching a greater audience at a radio station in Los Angeles. Are there any disc jockeys you loyally listened to every day? Back in the day I always listened to Bill Cardille on Pittsburgh's 96KX. These days I listen to Laura Kay on a small local station while I'm driving to work.
5) After more than 20 years, Rick lost his regular radio slot to Ryan Seacrest. But he still shares "the hottest music on the planet" through the Rick Dees Hit Music app (available at the Apple App Store or Google Play). What app have you recently downloaded to your phone? I haven't downloaded any recently.
6) He used his favorite radio format to create a cookbook called Rick Dees All-Time Top 40 Greatest Desserts. If you could finish a delicious meal with the dessert of your choice, anything at all, what would you order? Strawberry Cheesecake
7) In 1976, when "Disco Duck" was a hit, The Bionic Woman premiered on ABC. Because of her "bionic parts," Jamie Summers could run super fast, had super-sensitive hearing, and super-human strength. If you could have one of those qualities enhanced -- speed, hearing or strength -- which would you choose? Strength
8) Also in 1976, like this year, the world got together for The Summer Olympics. Will you be following the international competition? Maybe a little here and there. I stopped being a big fan when they started allowing professional athletes to compete.
9) Random question: You're bone tired, exhausted, and you have an early day tomorrow. As you wash your face and brush your teeth before bed, one of the two bulbs in the bathroom fixture goes out. Do you 1) change the bulb before bed or 2) promise yourself to do it in a hurry tomorrow as you're rushing around in the morning or 3) decide you can live with one bulb for a while, go to bed, and replace the burned-out bulb when you get around it? Oh, I am definitely a #3.
The weather... 81 degrees at 9:45 p.m. That's a nice cool down from this afternoon's high of somewhere between 95 and 100 degrees. Tomorrow and Wednesday will be hot ones again before we cool down to the low 80's for Thursday and Friday. We had about 2 minutes of rain from a "storm" this evening. We need rain. Everything is dry and brown.
Reading... just finished Sticks and Bones by Carolyn Haines. I enjoyed it enough that I ordered a used copy of the first book in the series. When it arrives it will probably be my next read.
Watching... the Republican National Convention. I also just watched Hannity's interview with J.D. Vance. I like him and approve the nomination.
Thinking... about all the work I need to do in our bedroom before our new bed is delivered on Saturday. Sadly, our room tends to be the catch-all room, the one in which we dump everything we don't know what else to do with. Plus, the Sleep Number bed will have to be torn down Saturday morning so they can haul it away...and Tim is, of course, going to be working.
Feeling... better. I called off work on Friday. When I woke up I was feeling a bit dizzy and as soon as I stood up my legs started cramping from my hips to my toes. I have a lot of things for cramps around here and I tried all of them. Nothing worked. The cramps didn't subside until around lunchtime. I'm thinking I must have been dehydrated.
Enjoying... a bit of extra time this week. The older man I do some companion work with is off at a summer camp until next Tuesday.
Celebrating... nothing this week, but next week we have our daughter's birthday and our granddaughter's birthday party. Can you believe Leah will be 5?! Time has flown by so quickly. She was born in 2019 while we were on a cruise.
And lastly, some giggles because these days we really need to laugh.
1) In this song, Nat King Cole sings about enjoying "soda and pretzels and beer." Which of those three would we find in your kitchen right now? I think Tim has a couple of bottles of Corona in the refrigerator so right now you would find all three.
2) The lyrics mention a romantic movie. Which movie couple do you believe had onscreen chemistry? I love Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman in While You Were Sleeping. I'd be sad to learn there wasn't at least a little bit of something between them.
3) He wishes "summer could always be here." How has your summer been so far? Ungodly hot and too much work with not enough fun.
4) According to the song, a great warm weather meal includes sandwiches and weinies. Tell us about your perfect sandwich or, if you prefer, what you believe is the ideal way to dress a hot dog. My two favorite summer sandwiches are a simple tomato and mayo sandwich and a BLT.
5) Nat was a big baseball fan. Growing up in Chicago he played sandlot games and listened to Cubs games on the radio. As an adult he was a season ticket holder at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Do you enjoy playing/watching baseball or softball? I was on the girls' varsity softball team in high school, but I haven't played since. I don't enjoy watching baseball or softball. Too much down time.
6) The lyrics of this week's song were written by Charlie Tobias, who wanted to create a sense of nostalgia for summers gone by. Share one of your special summer memories. Gosh, so many to choose from...I guess I'll go with my birthday present to my mom on her 72nd birthday.
Mom grew up near Conneaut Lake Park and back in the day its roller coaster, the Blue Streak, was the biggest baddest coaster between New York and Chicago. Mom wanted to ride it so much, but her mother forbid her. In later years her younger sisters were allowed to ride and when I came along I, too, was allowed to ride (with much lecturing about not standing up). Mom never did ride the BlueStreak.
Once she went home for a family reunion and told the story. A cousin said you're here, the park's open...and off they went. Mom purchased her ticket and was ready to ride when the coaster broke down. It never reopened that day. The park went into bankruptcy in the 1990's. Since then it has been a constant fight to keep it open. The fight wasn't always successful and last year it finally closed for good.
Eight years ago I decided it was high time she got to ride the Blue Streak and off we went...praying the rain would stop by the time we reached the park 3 hours away. The weather cooperated and Mom finally got to ride. Did she want to go a second time? Nope.
7) In 1963, one of the best-selling books was Happiness Is a Warm Puppy by Charles Schultz. The cover showed Lucy giving Snoopy a big hug. Name another character from the Peanuts comic strip. Charlie Brown, Sally, Linus, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Sherman, Violet, Schroeder...
8) Also in 1963, men were wearing thin, solid-color ties. Later in the decade, ties would become wider, patterned and more colorful. Where do you turn to keep up with fashion trends? Nowhere. I just wear what I like and/or what's comfortable.
9) Random question: Would you rather be a cowboy or a pirate? A cowboy. I like horses.
I'm off to spend the day with my biological father today. We'll probably get back in the early-ish evening. I hope to get around to visit then. Have a wonderful Saturday!
Is it just me or are the days flying by? We're already a third of the way through July, just about halfway through the summer, and Walmart has the summer stock on sale and the back-to-school supplies are beginning to fill the shelves. Give it another two or three weeks and the Halloween decorations will be making an appearance. But more than anything, this summer seems to be driving home the fact that I'm now the older generation as I watch our daughter and the grandchildren run here and there with friends and other family. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was the young mom (even younger than our daughter) who was busy, busy, busy.
As Kenny Chesney sang...
Okay, shedding my funk and moving on.
The weather... is a comfortable 72 degrees after reaching a high of 95 this afternoon. The remnants of Hurricane Beryl brought us overcast skies and a lot of wind that will be with us for at least part of the night. The rain stayed to the north. Not really a good thing. We need rain. A good, long, soaking rain. Tomorrow, at least, will be a bit of a break from the unusually hot weather before the mercury climbs right back up there on Friday.
Watching... the unfortunate **** show this election cycle has become. That these two are all we can come up with doesn't speak well for the future of this country. I'd stop watching, but I can't. I've always been interested in politics. I ran for campus offices in college and was working on a minor in political science.
Reading... fun and easy mysteries, one after the other, like potato chips.
Feeling... confident in my own skin and my abilities. Lately my attitude has been one of "I've got this." I'm still doing my best with the healthier diet and being more active, but less junk in my diet has meant I have less inflammation. That would be a good thing except that now I can feel the bone-on-bone arthritis that was hidden before.
Looking forward... to driving north to visit my biological father on Saturday. Just because of busy schedules it may be the only time I get up there this year before he heads back to Texas in November. We are going to go with him and his wife to Old Settlers Day in Townville, PA. It's just a small town event with music, food, games, tractor pulls, etc. They like to go and we can avoid eating my father's (not so great) cooking.
Also to our new mattress being delivered next Saturday. Yes, I finally got my long-complaining husband to go mattress shopping and he actually tried them out for once. We ended up buying a Sealy hybrid and an adjustable frame. Have you ever slept in a bed with a zero gravity setting? Oh my word, was that setting comfy. I can't wait!
Thinking... about all we have to do out in the yard since our daughter has invited everyone to a birthday party for our granddaughter that will be in our yard and my mom's yard at the end of the month. With busy jobs, super hot weather, and Tim's health issues yardwork has been minimal this summer.
Having fun... playing with the new AI image generator on Facebook. Check me out!
... because Thursday was the 4th of July and we're still celebrating!
Unfamiliar with this Whitney's rendition? Hear it here.
1) Whitney Houston originally performed this in front of over 73,000 at the 1991 Super Bowl. What's the biggest crowd you have ever been in? A Christian youth thing on the mall in Washington, D.C. There were close to 100,000 people at that.
2) Whitney's version of The National Anthem was released 10 years later, after 9/11, and the proceeds went to support New York's first responders. It was her last Top Ten single. What's your favorite Whitney Houston song? I never really listened to her so I guess I'd choose the one you still hear everywhere...I Will Always Love You.
3) Whitney's friends recall she loved lavender -- both the color and the scent. What's your favorite color? What's your favorite scent? I seem to be leaning toward blue and purple these days for color. As for scent, I love the smell of fresh, ripe, just-picked Concord grapes.
4) Whitney had a sweet tooth and loved Fruity Pebbles. If you reached for a snack right now, would it be sweet or salty? Right now...probably sweet, though I usually prefer something salty. In a perfect world I'd have both together, like watermelon with salt, or salted caramel chocolates, or chocolate covered pretzels.
5) Whitney's grave marker bears the words, "I Will Always Love You," so clearly her family is proud of her best-selling recording. How would you like to be remembered? For doing what I could to make life better for others.
6) Going back to 1991, when this recording was first popular, consumers who had a cell phones likely had flip phones. Technology has come a long way, hasn't it? What did you most recently use your cell phone for? (Calling, texting, looking something up, taking a photo, posting on your blog or social media ...) Most recently? A phone call, but I used it for ALL of those things today.
7) In 1777, Colonists celebrated July 4 with the firing of cannons and muskets, followed by a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. What did your neighborhood to to celebrate the 4th of July? My neighborhood didn't do anything. My town had a big parade, a carnival, concerts in the park, a car show, a Miss Fourth of July contest, a 5K run, and fireworks. Also, my county has one of the top 100 arts festivals in the country over the 4th of July weekend every year.
8) The Revolutionary War still raged during that summer of 1777. General George Washington allowed his soldiers to celebrate with a double ration of run on July 4. Do you know anyone who is serving in the military this 4th of July? No. All of our family and friends are now out of the military. 9) Celebrity chef Rachael Ray says she considers mini-hamburgers, or "sliders," the All-American food. What will/did you dine on to celebrate the 4th of July? We had hamburgers and hotdogs cooked on the grill, pasta salad, potato salad, and watermelon.
I've always loved the Fourth of July. Growing up the holiday was a really big deal for my family. Dad was an aficionado of parades and our town had a huge July 4th parade. After that, our neighborhood always got together for a picnic, swimming, games, tons of food, and back then the trees were small enough we could sit in the yard when it got dark and see our town's fireworks without having to fight the crowds.
I still like the day, though it isn't like it used to be. I still like a good parade, but since Dad died, I've found that no one else does and I can't ever get anyone to go. We took our kids and grandkids a few years back and there was so much complaining..."It's hot. I'm thirsty. I'm hungry. How much longer? I'm bored." Our youngest grands have never been to the parade. I'd love to take them, but there is no way I can handle all that walking right now.
The neighbors have died, grown up, and moved away. They've been replaced by new people who are probably very nice, but it's not a "family" anymore and everyone is busy with their own thing.
This year is particularly challenging. Watching the news and the election shenanigans makes it hard to be proud of our country right now. It can sometimes seem like we've all gone off our rockers. Then my mom announced she and my stepdad would not be getting together to picnic as she scheduled a colonoscopy for July 4 and will be prepping for it on the 4th.
Today Tim stayed home from work saying he thought he had the flu. I asked our daughter to check in on him since I had to work. She called me later in the morning to say they were at the ER. I guess she really pushed him and got him to tell all he was feeling and she called his doctor. They told her to take him to the ER. She said he was not looking very good and they were thinking it was either a kidney infection or sepsis. Yikes! I got permission to leave work and headed to the hospital.
Three hours later, after all the tests came back negative and the sonogram and chest x-ray didn't show anything, they said they were going to give him an antibiotic and ibuprofen and send him home. Basically, they don't know what's wrong with him. They said he's "presenting" like he has an infection but nothing is showing up. They sent a culture to the lab to see if bacteria grows in it, but said it's also possible he has a viral infection and it has to run its course. He's mostly been sleeping since he came home.
Obviously, we aren't going to be doing any partying. Our daughter and her kids will be around (her husband has to work afternoon shift) so we'll throw some burgers and hotdogs on the grill, maybe swim in the pool (rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast), or I told the kids if the weather is bad we can go see a movie. Tim didn't want to see that anyway.
Friday it's back to work for both of us. Well, Tim says it is. He's insisting he has to go no matter how he feels, but that he can put his guys to work and stay in his office trailer.
Wherever you are and whatever you're doing tomorrow, I hope you have a safe and happy Fourth!
The weather... calm and a comfortable 68 degrees. It's going to be good sleeping tonight.
Reading... I finished Marguerite, Misty & Me yesterday. It was excellent, but I've been a fan of Marguerite Henry, Misty, and Chincoteague Island since I was 9 years old. It might not speak to everyone the way it spoke to me. Today I began reading Torn Asunder, the latest installment in Barbara Ross's Maine Clambake series.
Watching... Jack Ryan on Prime Video.
Feeling... pretty good. I started back on the 16-hour fasting today. It wasn't as tough as I feared it would be. The hardest thing is drinking water. Blech.
Thinking... about Wednesday. We have something special going on a work, but it's still my day to have some activities. I think I'll do some grammar in the morning. One of the consumers has been asking me to do so. It's just tough when I'm working with those with intellectual disabilities. The majority of them are not as high functioning as the one asking. I think I found some simple things we may be able to have fun with. When we go to the park I'm going to bring along a craft I've been waiting to do with them. We're going to paint watercolor pictures with squirt guns!
Celebrating... Independence Day, of course! Also, the older gentleman that I do companion work with celebrates his birthday on July 4. The special thing we are doing Wednesday is a surprise birthday party at the park.
Looking forward... to having an extra day off (though it would be nice if we had Friday off, too) and later this month to going to visit my biological father.
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