Ten Things Tuesday

* Borrowed from Kwizgiver 

Ten things I have too much/many of...

1. Planner stickers

2. Blankets/throws

3. Sentimental knick-knacks 

4. Socks

5. Shirts I don't wear

6. Journals (I haven't been writing like I used to)

7. Kitchen stuff (because I know as soon as I get rid of it I'm going to need it)

8. Craft supplies and unfinished crafts

9. Snack foods

10. Extra pounds

Currently

The weather...is a brisk 34 degrees with clear skies. Tomorrow's high will be close to 50 with some windy weather ushering in rain and slightly warmer temps for Tuesday. In fact, it should remain in the 50s through Thanksgiving (big change from a couple of days ago when the forecast for the big day was low 40s with a mix of rain and snow flurries in the morning). The cooler temps are supposed to start moving in on Black Friday. 

Reading...still slogging through Anxious People. I don't know why I'm having such a hard time reading this one. Oh, life is busy, but that doesn't usually stop me if I like a book. It's really not bad. I love Fredrik Backman's writing, but for some reason this one is just not gripping me like his other books.

Watching...I just finished watching Planes, Trains, and Christmas Trees on Lifetime. It wasn't the best Christmas movie I've seen, nor was it as good as Planes, Trains, and Automobiles...but it was enjoyable enough.

Listening to...one of the local all Christmas stations in the car. Yes, I know it's early, but between the movies, the grandkids, a coworker who channels Will Farrell as Elf, and the fact that we are already working on Christmas at work...I am super in the mood already!

Loving...how helpful my daughter is being when she herself doesn't feel great (this week's trip to the ER gave her a diagnosis of pancreatitis). I try to help her with the kids as much as I can and she is trying to help me get the house cleaned and organized before the new refrigerator comes tomorrow and before Thanksgiving since everyone is coming here. It's been a blessing as my leg hurts so much lately that it keeps me awake at night and at times I can barely stand to sit, let alone walk. I am hoping it truns out to be an inflamed IT-band (the large tendon or whatever it is, that runs from the hip to the knee and stabilizes the knee). When I worked at the nursing home I had that issue in the other leg and had to go to physical therapy to get over it. I have some exercises I can do at home, but this time is much worse so I want to know it's really that before I do something and make it worse.

Thinking...about Thanksgiving, what to make for sides, how much there is to get done, and about how it will all play out since I've invited a blind gentleman from work to join us. I don't think he has any intellectual disabilities. If he does, they are very mild. I think he is just...quirky...and at 70, a bit set in his ways and demanding as men of that age can sometimes be. Don't get me wrong, on the whole he is a sweetheart.

Also about the fact I've been drafted to be the narrator for the church's Christmas program. Me. Ugh!

Feeling...maybe not quite content, but happy.

Celebrating...Thanksgiving, the Christmas season, our anniversary...so much really.

Grateful...there is no chance I'll have to work in the document destruction part of my work any time soon (or maybe ever again). With my leg as it is there is no way I would be able to do it.

Enjoying...the absolutely gorgeous sunrises and sunsets we've been having. The heavens have been dressed in all their finest colors!

Looking forward to...Thanksgiving and being off work for 4 days. I never call off or call in sick as so many of my coworkers do and I neeeeed a break. I actually have two PTO days I can use before the end of the year, but everyone is trying to use theirs up so the list of days we can't ask to be off is very long. Add to that the fact that we are very short staffed. Since I just earned my two days (I'll get my full 12 for next year in January) the only days left to ask for are a couple of Mondays, Tuesdays, and maybe a Wednesday or two. I asked for a Monday and Tuesday in December, but the boss says she will try but can't promise. I guess if all else fails I can just take them at Christmas so I get paid for the days we are off.

That's it for now. I really need to get off of here and get to bed. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!

Saturday 9: Last Train to Clarksville

Hey everyone, sorry to have been missing in action but it's a busy time of year and there's been some other stuff going on. I promise I will catch up soon! In the meantime, take a trip down memory lane on the Last Train to Clarksville!

Saturday 9: Last Train to Clarksville (1966)

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

 

1) When did you most recently take a train?  It wasn't exactly a train to anywhere, but we did take a short ride to a pumpkin patch on a vintage steam engine train in October. It was a fun day with our daughter's family.

2) The lyrics promise "coffee-flavored kisses and a bit of conversation." Have you more recently had coffee, a kiss, or a chat?  It would have to be the kiss. Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. 39 years!

3) The record opens with a guitar riff inspired by The Beatles' "Day Tripper." Can you play guitar?  No. I love music but there isn't a drop of musical talent in me.

4) The lead vocals are performed by Micky Dolenz. He is the only surviving member of the Monkees. Without looking it up, can you name his bandmates?  Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, and of course Davey Jones.

5) The Monkees starred in an award-winning sitcom for two seasons. In Season 2, Micky surprised fans by appearing with a curly perm. Do you curl, straighten or color your hair?  My hair is naturally curly so other than to try and tame the curl into doing what I want it to do, I've never had to "curl" it. I colored it for years, but my hair grows pretty fast and once my natural color became gray, I was having to color every 2 weeks to cover it. The closing of EVERYTHING for Covid was the perfect excuse to let the color grow out and go with the gray. I do, however, straighten my hair every day. This is the most recent photo I have of my hair.

6) Micky also did a stint at WCBS radio in New York. He spun the oldies every morning and helped his listeners get ready for work. Do you turn on the radio or TV when you first wake up?  I don't turn either on on work days until I'm in the car and on my way. Then I listen to the local oldies station (it's still depressing that the music of MY youth is now oldies).

7) Micky's daughter, Ami, followed her father into show business, appearing in several movies and a recurring role in General Hospital. If you followed your father into his profession, what would you have done for a living?   Something with wildlife. Dad was a deputy with the PA Game Commission and the assistant manager of one of their pheasant farms before leaving that to manage a private wildlife preserve. I actually did want to go to school for something in that field, but Dad found a reason to veto every school I applied to that offered the required courses.

8) In 1966, when this song topped the charts, miniskirts took the fashion world by storm. What have you recently added to your wardrobe?  A new pair of sneakers.

9) Random question -- You order chicken noodle soup and a packet of saltines arrives with the bowl. Do you: 1) break the crackers into pieces and stir them into your soup or 2) squeeze them in your hand and sprinkle the crumbles into your soup or 3) leave them untouched?  I'm a 1 and a 2. It depends on my mood, I guess.

Thanks, as always, to Sam for the music and questions!

Join in the fun here.

Saturday 9: P.S. I Love You

Saturday 9: P. S. I Love You (1953)

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

 

1) In this song, a man fills his lover in on what's going on in his daily life, including that he was in bed by 9:00 PM. Do you have a regular bedtime?  No, I have horrible sleep habits. I really should try to get on a regular schedule and do all the things they say will help you sleep better, but I never do.

2) He reports that yesterday it rained, but all in all, he can't complain. Do you often find yourself discussing/complaining about the weather?  We go over the calendar, news, and weather everyday at work with the clients so I discuss it at least that much. Other than that, I don't discuss it all that much...just if I have plans that are depending on the weather.

3) This song was recorded many times, by artists as diverse as Rudy Vallee (1934) and Bob Dylan (2017). It's endured because the theme -- reaching out and staying in touch across the miles -- is universal. Is there anyone in your life with whom you regularly correspond? If yes, do you prefer cards/letters, emails or texts?  I used to write tons of letters to everyone...until everyone quit writing letters. Then I met my biological father and it turns out he is a letter writer and absolutely loves writing back and forth.

4) This 1953 version was a hit for The Hilltoppers. The band members met at Western Kentucky University and took their name from the nickname of their school's athletic teams. What was the name of your school's team?  My high school teams were the Trojans and my college teams were the Indians. The college has since changed to something more pc, but I forget what it is.

5) The Hilltoppers always performed in W sweaters, for Western Kentucky. Do you own any sweaters, caps or jackets that celebrate your alma mater?  My mom gave me back my letterman's jacket a few years ago. It hung in the closet until last year when I decided it wasn't something I needed to keep so I donated it to Goodwill.

6) By 1960, The Hilltoppers' records weren't selling anymore. But they continued to perform and in 1970 they became the house band at The Holiday Inn in Fort Walton Beach, FL. They were so popular with tourists that they played at that Holiday Inn for years. When did you last stay in a hotel, motel or airbnb?  It was in August when we went to Erie for my family reunion that I didn't get to attend because I got sick and slept the whole time at the hotel.

7) In 1953, the year this recording was popular, the Eisenhowers moved into The White House. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower was known for her down-to-earth style. For example, she often shared her recipe for Million Dollar Fudge, saying that since it's easy to make and foolproof, she recommended her fudge as the perfect hostess gift. When you're invited to someone's home, do you bring a hostess gift?  Sometimes. It really depends on the situation. 

 

8) Also in 1953, radio personality Arthur Godfrey made news for having one of the nation's very first hip replacements. Have you/would you ever be part of a clinical trial, either for a new drug or medical procedure?  I never have been and I don't know if I'd volunteer. I'd probably have to be sort of desperate. 

 
9) Random question -- Do you fold your socks or roll them?  Roll.

Thanks, Sam, for the music and questions!

Join in the fun here.

Currently

I am...

Reading...The Road to Christmas by Sheila Roberts.

Watching...A Dash of Christmas on GAC.

Listening to...pretty much everything, but a client and I were listening to big band music yesterday, mainly Glenn Miller and the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

Loving...being totally into the holidays already.

Thinking...all that needs to get done before Thanksgiving.

Feeling...happy.

Celebrating...the arrival of Lindt Lindor's Christmas truffle flavors...snickerdoodle, white chocolate peppermint, and chocolate peppermint cookie.

Grateful for...my coworker's aunt owns the train that runs at the mall during the holidays and he gave me free tickets for the grandkids today.

Enjoying...Leah's personality. She is a little dynamo and with a fantastic imagination. Man, I hope no one ever squashes that.

Looking forward to...watching Colton and Leah on Saturday. We're going to go shopping to fill the Operation Christmas Child boxes and take that train ride at the mall.

The weather...clear and 43 degrees right now and dropping down into the 30's tonight. Mid-60's for tomorrow.

Giggling at...

Ah...the no man's land of the kiddie table.

Sunday Stealing: ABC

It looks like I won't be making it to church in the morning so I'm going to jump in with the gang at Sunday Stealing today. 

Feel free to join in the fun here.

A - Ambition:  At my age I don't really have any career ambitions, but I suppose my number one personal ambition is to lose weight. Again. 

B - Birthday:  August 15 

C - Computer:  I have an HP laptop. 

D - Dream:  If we're talking about dreams in my sleep I rarely remember them and when I do it's because they are real doozies. If we are talking about a dream I have in life...I guess it would be that some day our son will realize cutting everyone from his life but his wife and her family isn't the answer. 

E - Exercise:  Not nearly as much as I should. I do get a bit every day with the consumers at work, but it's pretty mild and probably the only good thing about it is that it's better than none at all.

F - Favorite Food:  Seafood in general. Shrimp specifically. Just call me Bubba Gump. I love any kind of shrimp.

 

G - Garden:  I don't have a garden these days. I have a yard and even it is kind of neglected and badly in need of some TLC.

H - Hobby:  Reading, playing around online, pinning crafts and recipes on Pinterest I will never actually do, power napping...

I - Idol:  There are people I admire, but I don't have an idol.

J - Job:  I'm a direct care worker at the County Blind Association. I work in the adult training facility with consumers who are either blind or have intellectual disabilities (some have both). My job is kind of a combination of nursing aide and teacher.

K - Kids:  I have two. My son is 37, married with 2 (possibly 3) children. He hasn't spoken to us or any family members in over 3 years. My daughter is 31, married with 2 children, and she and her family live next door to us. We see them nearly every day.

L - Location:  A recliner in my living room, that's in my house, that's in Latrobe, that's in Pennsylvania.

M - Military:  I've never served. My husband was in the Marines and there have been many in my family tree who have served.

N - Name or Nickname:  My husband calls me Ace and the grands call me Nanny.

O - Optimist or Pessimist:  I think I'm more of an optimist, but I do have my down days just like anyone.

P - Pets:  These days just Daisy, a bossy little Toy Poodle.

Q - Quote:  Something I remind myself about all the time when I am tempted to take on someone else's trouble..."Not my monkeys, not my circus."

R - Reads:  It totally depends on my mood, but I do seem to read more mysteries and rom-coms than anything else.

S - School:  I went to college for 2 years as a journalism major, but I left when I got my MRS.

T - Travel:  I would love to travel, but we haven't done very much and right now I don't suppose it would be the best idea even if I could get my husband to go. Israel, Egypt and Greece have always topped my list of places I want to see.

U - Unfulfilled ambition:  Being a world famous globe-trotting reporter.

V - Vacation spot:  Chincoteague Island, VA has always been my happy place.

W - Wardrobe:  Pretty casual...jeans, leggings, t-shirts, and a few nicer things for church and special events.

X - X-tra facts about me:  I can't think of anything I haven't shared before.

Y - Years online:  I think we got our first computer and dial up service back in 1998 or 99. I've been blogging since 2001.

Z - Zodiac sign:  Leo and my Chinese sign is the dragon.

 

Saturday 9: True

Saturday 9: True (1983)

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

 

1) In this song, lead singer Gary Kemp tells us he's overwhelmed by his feelings as he and a girl dance "toe to toe." What song did you most recently dance to?  I have no idea. It might have been something at work or with the grandkids or just me at home. I just don't remember.

2) Falling in love makes him want to listen to "Marvin all night long," a reference to Motown great Marvin Gaye. What's your favorite love song, and who sings it?  Me Too by Toby Keith

3) This song was inspired by Kemp's feelings for singer Clare Grogan. When they first met, they discovered a shared love of literature and for his birthday, she gave him a book she thought he'd enjoy. Who received the most recent birthday gift you gave, and what was it?  My mom. We share the same birthday. My husband took us out to dinner and I gave her a card with money in it.

4) Despite the popularity of the song it inspired, the Kemp-Grogan romance never really took off. Gary was involved with another woman and Clare was seeing other men and reluctant to settle down. The timing just wasn't right for them. Do you believe luck plays a big part in romance?  Not really. If someone is important to you, you make a commitment to them and find the time for them. If you aren't willing to do that then they aren't all that important to you. That's choice, not luck, in my book.

5) The cover art was created by Kemp's friend, David Band. David sketched it after seeing a man startled when a bird flew too close to him as he entered a pub. To Kemp, it represented how surprised he was by the sudden intensity of his feelings for Grogan. Band went on to become a world-renowned artist, with his work exhibited in galleries and museums in Australia, New Zealand, England and the United States. What museum have you most recently visited?  I think it was the Carnegie Natural History Museum in Pittsburgh when our grandson was a baby so it's been around 7 years.

6) In 2020, Kemp and bassist Guy Pratt launched their podcast Rockonteurs about the stories behind popular songs. Do you regularly listen to podcasts?  No. I never really got into the habit. I watch one every now and then on YouTube, but nothing regularly. Maybe it's because I've never been able to like talk radio, either.

7) Super Mario Bros. debuted in 1983. Without looking it up, can you name gaming's most famous siblings?  Mario and Luigi?

 

8) Also in 1983, for the first time, London's Abbey Road recording studio was open to the public. Visitors were treated to a multi-media presentation called The Beatles at Abbey Road. During the two months it was open, more than 22,000 tickets were sold. What's the most recent ticket you purchased?  It was for a train ride to a pumpkin patch with our daughter's family.

9) Random question -- At your favorite restaurant, a genie will grant you one of these two wishes: 1) you can eat whatever you want without gaining weight or 2) you can order whatever you want for free. Which do you choose?   To eat what I want without gaining weight and I hope the wish is good forever and not for just one meal.

Thanks to Crazy Sam for the music and questions!

Play along here.