Last weekend I took a ride to the beach. Yes, it was cold and windy but I just needed to breath the salt air. So off I went ipod and down vest in hand. I stopped at the chocolatier on the way to see if they had any chocolate bunnies from antique molds , no luck. ( I am working on an Easter vignette !) I drove by my favorite fried clam place but did not pull in. What good was the walk going to do me if I ate fried foods? So on I went and pulled down the street with the beach lot on it. As I got closer I noticed the lot was packed with cars. I had to creep around looking for a spot and I am wondering what the heck is going. It is cold & windy and although the sun was out , it was definitely not a beach day. I walked down the path and saw that it was low tide, plenty of beach to hunt for treasures. A kite surfer flew by on the sand, no doubt a beginner trying to get his "sea-legs". As I got past the dunes, I saw all the people down by the water. Some in waders out in the water, some on the beach with rakes and buckets..what were they up to? Clamming? Yes, hen clamming !! They were digging up buckets full of those big, juicy clams. There were all kinds of people , men and women with kids and dogs. What fun ! I walked along , looking for treasures and listening to all the jabbering and laughing. Newbies asking others for advice, dogs barking and chasing balls, kids running and collecting shells. I found a large peice of quartz and thought it would make a great paperweight. Unfortunately one of the dogs there thought it would make an even better ball to chase and was not going to leave me alone until I threw it . So no treasures, no luck finding sand dollars. I sat down for a bit and closed my eyes and took deep breaths and listened to all the wind-whipped voices. Almost felt like a summer day. (Almost, it was like 30 degrees with the wind) I stayed until my ears were numb and then headed for the car. There were plenty of people still walking from the lot with buckets and rakes, blankets and kids & dogs in tow. Headed for a fun afternoon at the beach and then home to make a hearty clam chowdah, no doubt. A just reward for braving the cold & wind. I headed home to settle in and have a nap..dreaming of a warm June day that is just around the corner.
Peace.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
!@#$%^*.....They say it's your birthday ........
Ok, so it is well known around these parts that I think my birthday is pretty special. In years past I think I have let anyone I talked to in the month of March know just what day they should be calling to wish me well. I come by this feeling honestly, though, because my father's BD was the day after mine and it also happened to fall on St Patty's Day, which is a special day all on it's own. So there was alot of hoopla on those couple of days. We always planned a double BD party for the Sunday before or after with two cakes, lots of family, wearing of the green , etc. So, I kind of got used to having a grand celebration with lots of attention and presents and cake. After my dad passed away, I just kept it going. I was so used to my birthday being a big deal that I assumed everyone else thought so ,too. So it came as a shock to me that this year I just didn't feel the same excitement. I was pretty sad about it, too. It was like losing a friend, to be honest. It has been so much fun over the years to make a big deal about my birthday and why not, it is a big day for me. I just think I have hit a wall with my age..I don't want to go any further really. I mean , I want to live a lot longer..I just feel like I want to stay right here..fifty- something. Life is good.
So on THE day first thing ,my sister L calls me to say stop by the store she has a card fo rme. So in I go and there are two of my sisters L & B, my nephew, my brother in law, my niece all wishing me a happy birthday. I started to feel a wee bit better. On the ride into work three of my grandchildren ,my son & daughter in law get on the phone to wish me a happy birthday and to hint of the fun planned later at their house. Starting to feel pretty good.
I get to work, climb the stairs and looked at all the goodies on my desk. There is a white mum in a pot dressed up like a leprechan, a big package of green Peeps, a note explaining that S took off for a meeting with the cake still in his truck (a cake that his daughters had made for me) two nice handmade cards from S's daughters and a big , flattened box with happy birthday written on it with a hand drawn cake. Everyone in the plant had been informed of my special day and all stopped by my desk to say happy birthday throughout the day.
During the day, the rest of my kids called, and my two other grandchildren , O & M, called. I got many mesages on Facebook from friends & family all over the country ( some of these were very funny) and a bunch of emails. Wow, cheered me right up !!
Right after work headed to my son T's house and what a great BBQ we had, complete with cake AND my daughter in law K had made my very favorite pie, got beautiful PRESENTS and some cute cards the kids made me !! We played pin the tail on the donkey and danced, too. After the party I headed for home feeling pretty warm & fuzzy.
But wait there is more.......This past Saturday, my daughter R came down to visit and we went out for a belated birthday lunch with a bunch more of my family (a dozen of us) and more cards & presents, too.
So, I ended up having quite a birthday week after all. And you know, I still feel pretty good. If all my next hundred birthdays mean I get to be treated like Queen Bee for a day (or a week) , then bring on the birthdays !!!!
PS- I have finished On Folly Beach by Karen White. I thought it was a good story, not sure about the style of writing. I kept thinking I was reading a script for a B movie. So I am on the fence about recommending this one. Please stay tuned.
So on THE day first thing ,my sister L calls me to say stop by the store she has a card fo rme. So in I go and there are two of my sisters L & B, my nephew, my brother in law, my niece all wishing me a happy birthday. I started to feel a wee bit better. On the ride into work three of my grandchildren ,my son & daughter in law get on the phone to wish me a happy birthday and to hint of the fun planned later at their house. Starting to feel pretty good.
I get to work, climb the stairs and looked at all the goodies on my desk. There is a white mum in a pot dressed up like a leprechan, a big package of green Peeps, a note explaining that S took off for a meeting with the cake still in his truck (a cake that his daughters had made for me) two nice handmade cards from S's daughters and a big , flattened box with happy birthday written on it with a hand drawn cake. Everyone in the plant had been informed of my special day and all stopped by my desk to say happy birthday throughout the day.
During the day, the rest of my kids called, and my two other grandchildren , O & M, called. I got many mesages on Facebook from friends & family all over the country ( some of these were very funny) and a bunch of emails. Wow, cheered me right up !!
Right after work headed to my son T's house and what a great BBQ we had, complete with cake AND my daughter in law K had made my very favorite pie, got beautiful PRESENTS and some cute cards the kids made me !! We played pin the tail on the donkey and danced, too. After the party I headed for home feeling pretty warm & fuzzy.
But wait there is more.......This past Saturday, my daughter R came down to visit and we went out for a belated birthday lunch with a bunch more of my family (a dozen of us) and more cards & presents, too.
So, I ended up having quite a birthday week after all. And you know, I still feel pretty good. If all my next hundred birthdays mean I get to be treated like Queen Bee for a day (or a week) , then bring on the birthdays !!!!
PS- I have finished On Folly Beach by Karen White. I thought it was a good story, not sure about the style of writing. I kept thinking I was reading a script for a B movie. So I am on the fence about recommending this one. Please stay tuned.
Monday, March 14, 2011
A few books and a good movie........
I have been a reading fool the last three weeks !! I have read three Elin Hilderbrand books. My friend M passed on a stack of four, one of which I had already read. It was almost like a challenge getting that many at once. Hildebrand writes what she knows , which is Nantucket Island... the romance, the twists of fate, the landscape or should I say seascape. So in this stack that I devoured was:
The Blue Bistro, Season of Love and Beach Club. I love it when author intertwines novels..like when you read a good book and you wish it didn't have to end. Well, these Nantucket novels all have a familiarity that puts you in the middle of a community of people, and in every house on the island, there is a story. Anyway..I recommend all of the above by Elin Hilderbrand.
I also read Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. It was the story of two sisters growing up in China in the 40's and 50's and how their lives were brutally turned upside down when war broke out. I read about 1/2 to 2/3 of this book and then skimmed the rest. I started to lose interest (which doesn't happen to me very often). It just felt too much like See's other novel Snowflower and the Secret Fan. So if you liked See's first novel, you may like her second or you may feel like I did -that the style and susbstance were too similiar.
I picked up another Annie Proulx book called Close Range. (she wrote Shipping News, which I really liked)A book of short stories about life in Wyoming. They were really good short stories. One in particular called Brokeback Mountain. Yes, that movie that won awards was based on a short story. I had never seen the movie, and was I surprised to see that short story in her book. I am so glad I read it before seeing the movie. It was THE most powerful story I have ever read. When I read the last sentence, I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me, it was that good. Then I rented the movie and every line from the story is in the movie. Of course they had to embellish the home lives of these two cowboys so that the movie could go beyond 45 mins, but the two screen writers did a good job. One of the screenwriters was Larry McMurtry, who is one of my favorite writers. I HIGHLY recommend that you both read the story and see the movie, in that order . It was a powerful and poignant love story.
I am now almost halfway through Folly Beach by Karen White ( new author for me) , so I will be reviewing that in a week or two.
Spring is definitely in the air, so sooner than we think we will laying on the beach with a good book !! Peace.
The Blue Bistro, Season of Love and Beach Club. I love it when author intertwines novels..like when you read a good book and you wish it didn't have to end. Well, these Nantucket novels all have a familiarity that puts you in the middle of a community of people, and in every house on the island, there is a story. Anyway..I recommend all of the above by Elin Hilderbrand.
I also read Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. It was the story of two sisters growing up in China in the 40's and 50's and how their lives were brutally turned upside down when war broke out. I read about 1/2 to 2/3 of this book and then skimmed the rest. I started to lose interest (which doesn't happen to me very often). It just felt too much like See's other novel Snowflower and the Secret Fan. So if you liked See's first novel, you may like her second or you may feel like I did -that the style and susbstance were too similiar.
I picked up another Annie Proulx book called Close Range. (she wrote Shipping News, which I really liked)A book of short stories about life in Wyoming. They were really good short stories. One in particular called Brokeback Mountain. Yes, that movie that won awards was based on a short story. I had never seen the movie, and was I surprised to see that short story in her book. I am so glad I read it before seeing the movie. It was THE most powerful story I have ever read. When I read the last sentence, I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me, it was that good. Then I rented the movie and every line from the story is in the movie. Of course they had to embellish the home lives of these two cowboys so that the movie could go beyond 45 mins, but the two screen writers did a good job. One of the screenwriters was Larry McMurtry, who is one of my favorite writers. I HIGHLY recommend that you both read the story and see the movie, in that order . It was a powerful and poignant love story.
I am now almost halfway through Folly Beach by Karen White ( new author for me) , so I will be reviewing that in a week or two.
Spring is definitely in the air, so sooner than we think we will laying on the beach with a good book !! Peace.
Friday, February 25, 2011
The fields breathe sweet, the daisies kiss our feet......
As the snow comes falling from the sky today, heavy & wet and piling up an inch or two an hour, I am looking up information on the Portland Flower Show. Starts Thursday March 10th, in the old yacht services building on Fore St.
" Some years you need to see flowers and green grass more than others, ya know ? "
You may recall in the last blog that I was afraid that I would have to be layed off from my great job. I was feeling pretty down about it, as one might expect. It looks like that is not going to happen, but for some reason though, I cannot take that big sigh of relief. I have been under this stress for well over a month and I was hoping it would lift instantly. I think it shook me so much that I just want to get further down the road from it, just like I would a bad dream.
So, I am looking forward to going to the show for all of the above reasons..I need to add a little "spring" in my step, so to speak. I have been to the show many times as a vendor and only once as just a member of the public there to admire all the displays. I have not been for quite a few years now. I love the old building. There we are among some beautiful old sail boats, all put away for the winter, moving around underneath them like the rolling seas usually do in summer. That fact is not lost on me. I think they can smell the flowers too and know that pretty soon they will be back on the water, doing what they were meant to do. Can't ignore the wooden floors and just the general history of the building and Phinney Sprague walking around like he owns the place, making sure all goes well and runs smoothly. He is a great host. One year when I was there as a vendor, he found out it was my birthday and announced on the loud speaker that everyone in the place needed to stop by my booth and say Happy Birthday..and ya know, I think everyone did. ( oh, by the way, Phinney Sprague does own the place !!!)
I hope my gal pals can all make it too, because there is a lot of pleasure in sharing the experience with friends.The same friends that I go out to the beach with after work on summer nights to walk & talk and breathe salt air and collect sand dollars & other treasures, if I am lucky enough to find some. I will have to email all the details and I know I won't have to talk anyone into it. We are all ready for winter to end and for Spring to begin.
I just thought of something, just this minute. I may have just realized why I have stayed away from the show for so long. About twelve years or so ago, when I was working as a vendor at the Flower Show, I came home from the opening night gala and found that my ex-husband had packed up & moved out. Left a note in the sock draw.. after 25 years & raising four kids & all the richer/poorer stuff , a note in the sock draw. Can you believe it? It seems funny that I have no feeling about that now. No anger, no resentment, nothing. Well, I did suspect that this blog might become like therapy sometime , and today it certainly has !
I will be going to the Flower Show with a spring in my step and a light heart. Who's with me?
PS- I have just finished reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I had never read it as a kid. I was browsing through my Kindle free books and there it was ,so last weekend I began reading it, only took a few nights. I am sure you all know the story. Orphaned girl goes to stay with depressed rich uncle who has crippled son. She discovers a secret garden and it cures all of them.
It really was a lovely story and I for one am hoping the very public garden at the Flower show does the same for me !!
I also read Elizabeth Gilberts new one, Comimtted. I loved Eat , Pray , Love and expected nothing less for the new book. I wanted it to be a real sequel full of the love story of Liz and Felippe. It was more of a history of the institute of marriage and got quite boring in places. Now, I hear her ex-husband has written a book of his own about their mariage. That should be interesting !!
I have just started this morning (at 5 am), another free Kindle book Letters of a Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart. I have only read a few chapters (or letters) by it is very good. True story about a widow who heads west to build a home. More on it /her later.
I also watched finally, the movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges, Colin Farrell , Maggie Gyllenhall and Robert Duvall. Well, I thought the movie was good, music fantastic and I am totally in love with Jeff Bridges. He can sing and so can't Farrell. I think they should do an album. I have loved Robert Duvall ever since Lonesome Dove ( I highly recommend the book & movie), and even though he has a small part, loved him in it. Gyllenhall was ok, I just didn't get the warm & fuzzies from her. I think she over-acted the part. It was a love story, plain & simple. Please movie producers..more of Mr Bridges.
'Til next time...peace.
" Some years you need to see flowers and green grass more than others, ya know ? "
You may recall in the last blog that I was afraid that I would have to be layed off from my great job. I was feeling pretty down about it, as one might expect. It looks like that is not going to happen, but for some reason though, I cannot take that big sigh of relief. I have been under this stress for well over a month and I was hoping it would lift instantly. I think it shook me so much that I just want to get further down the road from it, just like I would a bad dream.
So, I am looking forward to going to the show for all of the above reasons..I need to add a little "spring" in my step, so to speak. I have been to the show many times as a vendor and only once as just a member of the public there to admire all the displays. I have not been for quite a few years now. I love the old building. There we are among some beautiful old sail boats, all put away for the winter, moving around underneath them like the rolling seas usually do in summer. That fact is not lost on me. I think they can smell the flowers too and know that pretty soon they will be back on the water, doing what they were meant to do. Can't ignore the wooden floors and just the general history of the building and Phinney Sprague walking around like he owns the place, making sure all goes well and runs smoothly. He is a great host. One year when I was there as a vendor, he found out it was my birthday and announced on the loud speaker that everyone in the place needed to stop by my booth and say Happy Birthday..and ya know, I think everyone did. ( oh, by the way, Phinney Sprague does own the place !!!)
I hope my gal pals can all make it too, because there is a lot of pleasure in sharing the experience with friends.The same friends that I go out to the beach with after work on summer nights to walk & talk and breathe salt air and collect sand dollars & other treasures, if I am lucky enough to find some. I will have to email all the details and I know I won't have to talk anyone into it. We are all ready for winter to end and for Spring to begin.
I just thought of something, just this minute. I may have just realized why I have stayed away from the show for so long. About twelve years or so ago, when I was working as a vendor at the Flower Show, I came home from the opening night gala and found that my ex-husband had packed up & moved out. Left a note in the sock draw.. after 25 years & raising four kids & all the richer/poorer stuff , a note in the sock draw. Can you believe it? It seems funny that I have no feeling about that now. No anger, no resentment, nothing. Well, I did suspect that this blog might become like therapy sometime , and today it certainly has !
I will be going to the Flower Show with a spring in my step and a light heart. Who's with me?
PS- I have just finished reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I had never read it as a kid. I was browsing through my Kindle free books and there it was ,so last weekend I began reading it, only took a few nights. I am sure you all know the story. Orphaned girl goes to stay with depressed rich uncle who has crippled son. She discovers a secret garden and it cures all of them.
It really was a lovely story and I for one am hoping the very public garden at the Flower show does the same for me !!
I also read Elizabeth Gilberts new one, Comimtted. I loved Eat , Pray , Love and expected nothing less for the new book. I wanted it to be a real sequel full of the love story of Liz and Felippe. It was more of a history of the institute of marriage and got quite boring in places. Now, I hear her ex-husband has written a book of his own about their mariage. That should be interesting !!
I have just started this morning (at 5 am), another free Kindle book Letters of a Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart. I have only read a few chapters (or letters) by it is very good. True story about a widow who heads west to build a home. More on it /her later.
I also watched finally, the movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges, Colin Farrell , Maggie Gyllenhall and Robert Duvall. Well, I thought the movie was good, music fantastic and I am totally in love with Jeff Bridges. He can sing and so can't Farrell. I think they should do an album. I have loved Robert Duvall ever since Lonesome Dove ( I highly recommend the book & movie), and even though he has a small part, loved him in it. Gyllenhall was ok, I just didn't get the warm & fuzzies from her. I think she over-acted the part. It was a love story, plain & simple. Please movie producers..more of Mr Bridges.
'Til next time...peace.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Waiting to exhale.........
We all know that life has ups & downs. If you made a graph of your life most likely it would look like hills and valleys equally spread over your lifetime. Even those people that we perceive as "lucky"...their graphs would look like all the rest. My hills & valleys are very personal to me and yours to you. You could look at my "problems" and deem them frivolous compared to yours. It's all relative.
I bring this up because I may be on the verge of losing my job. Our company has run into some problems and may have to close. I am definitely in a valley. I have worked here for over ten years, everyone here has become my second family. The problems we are having are out of our control and at first it was frustrating and now it is just plain scary. I don't want to lose my job, my means of support. I have been on my own for over ten years now, after my divorce. I used to worry all the time whether I could meet my monthly bills and felt so much relief after my rent was paid at the end of the month, even if I only had two dollars to rub together at the end of that week. I had made it another month! That fear went away quite awhile ago as I got more comfortable in my job and decided that I was valuable to my company. I feel that I have been grateful enough for my job. We all complain , no matter how good our job is, right? I realize that there are alot of peole out of work and struggling and have had ample empathy for them. But now, it's personal, now it's my life about to be turned upside down.
So, I am in a valley. I haven't been in one for a while. Back in 1996 & 97, I lost my parents, one after the other. In 98, my marriage died. So I was in a scary place for a long while. Talk about abandonment issues !! But then , by taking one day at a time, one problem at a time, I began to climb the hill. And when I got halfway up , I turned around and looked down to see how far I had come. That inspired me to keep going and I haven't had to look back since. Until now.
I know I am lucky. My kids are all doing okay, in spite of having me for a mom. They are pretty good citizens of the world. Two are now married with children of their own, and they both married really great people. Apples of my eye, all of them. I have plenty of family & friends and they show me luv all the time. ( in their own sarcastic way , of course)
I have been giving myself pep talks, like the old days. I know that if I lanquish in pity, I won't find solutions. I have learned that life does just keep bumping along, that when one door closes , another door opens. I have this little plaque in my house that says" After a storm, the birds always sing". How true. I am a big believer in Karma and I think I have been a pretty good child of the universe. I am not even close to perfect but I have learned that I am good enough. Finally.
So, I guess I will know in a few days or maybe in just a few hours whether I can EXHALE or not. And I expect that if I hear bad news, that I will cry and feel pretty awful for a bit. But at some point I know, I will pick myself up, dust myself off and start up another hill. As a matter of fact, I think I better get out and buy a good pair of walking shoes this weekend. Peace.
PS: I have read a couple of books since we last talked. I read two by Jennifer Weiner. Good in Bed & Certain Girls. (The latter a sequel) I liked the first enough to read the second. Talk about hills & valleys in a life. Alittle bit of comedy, alittle bit of tragedy..throw in a movie star friendship and some personal success, and you have a good read.
I also read Eat, Pray Love..after I saw the movie. I did really like the movie. I know it didn't get great reviews but I thought it was really good. I liked it enough to read the book. I thought the movie did a good job portraying Liz Gilbert's life and what an interesting life Ms. Gilbert is living !! I will be reading her new book, Committed. I read a sample of it on my Kindle and I will definitely be downloading it soon. Stay tuned.
I bring this up because I may be on the verge of losing my job. Our company has run into some problems and may have to close. I am definitely in a valley. I have worked here for over ten years, everyone here has become my second family. The problems we are having are out of our control and at first it was frustrating and now it is just plain scary. I don't want to lose my job, my means of support. I have been on my own for over ten years now, after my divorce. I used to worry all the time whether I could meet my monthly bills and felt so much relief after my rent was paid at the end of the month, even if I only had two dollars to rub together at the end of that week. I had made it another month! That fear went away quite awhile ago as I got more comfortable in my job and decided that I was valuable to my company. I feel that I have been grateful enough for my job. We all complain , no matter how good our job is, right? I realize that there are alot of peole out of work and struggling and have had ample empathy for them. But now, it's personal, now it's my life about to be turned upside down.
So, I am in a valley. I haven't been in one for a while. Back in 1996 & 97, I lost my parents, one after the other. In 98, my marriage died. So I was in a scary place for a long while. Talk about abandonment issues !! But then , by taking one day at a time, one problem at a time, I began to climb the hill. And when I got halfway up , I turned around and looked down to see how far I had come. That inspired me to keep going and I haven't had to look back since. Until now.
I know I am lucky. My kids are all doing okay, in spite of having me for a mom. They are pretty good citizens of the world. Two are now married with children of their own, and they both married really great people. Apples of my eye, all of them. I have plenty of family & friends and they show me luv all the time. ( in their own sarcastic way , of course)
I have been giving myself pep talks, like the old days. I know that if I lanquish in pity, I won't find solutions. I have learned that life does just keep bumping along, that when one door closes , another door opens. I have this little plaque in my house that says" After a storm, the birds always sing". How true. I am a big believer in Karma and I think I have been a pretty good child of the universe. I am not even close to perfect but I have learned that I am good enough. Finally.
So, I guess I will know in a few days or maybe in just a few hours whether I can EXHALE or not. And I expect that if I hear bad news, that I will cry and feel pretty awful for a bit. But at some point I know, I will pick myself up, dust myself off and start up another hill. As a matter of fact, I think I better get out and buy a good pair of walking shoes this weekend. Peace.
PS: I have read a couple of books since we last talked. I read two by Jennifer Weiner. Good in Bed & Certain Girls. (The latter a sequel) I liked the first enough to read the second. Talk about hills & valleys in a life. Alittle bit of comedy, alittle bit of tragedy..throw in a movie star friendship and some personal success, and you have a good read.
I also read Eat, Pray Love..after I saw the movie. I did really like the movie. I know it didn't get great reviews but I thought it was really good. I liked it enough to read the book. I thought the movie did a good job portraying Liz Gilbert's life and what an interesting life Ms. Gilbert is living !! I will be reading her new book, Committed. I read a sample of it on my Kindle and I will definitely be downloading it soon. Stay tuned.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Music to My Ears.....
I am not musically gifted. Tried taking trumpet lessons when I was in second grade, but that was only because Eddie Santoro was taking lessons and he was so cute. That and my uncle T actually had a trumpet that I could use. The only thing I truly loved was the red velvet lining of the trumpet case. Growing up, one of my friends took piano lessons and I would go over to visit and she would try & teach me a song on her piano. I think there was a song called Hiawatha that she eventually did get me to learn. I would say that I discouraged her from ever becoming a music teacher.
I can't sing a note..well I can sing a note but only neighborhood dogs can hear it ! But boy, do I LOVE music. The first record I ever heard was at my friend Kathy's house. It was her brother Coffee's 45 of Jingle Bell Rock. They had one of those consoles with a TV (black & white) and a turntable that rolled out when you pressed a button. How modern ! We played it while her brother wasn't home, he would have killed us if he knew. I don't have alot of music memories until I was 11-12 when the Beatles invaded. Oh, I had a portable record player, and my mom would buy a record that she liked once in a while and we would play them. I have a very clear memory of playing Elvis' Wooden Heart and the Righteous Brothers' Ebb Tide. Then came Meet the Beatles. My friend Kathy & I played that album over & over until we wore it out. I dreamt of marrying Paul...I had a Beatle wig and boots. Loved those boots, fake alligator with a big heel and chain on the side. I jingled all the way to my sixth grade classes.
In my high school years, we had an eight track at home and on Sundays my dad would play Johnny Cash and show tunes. Fiddler on the Roof, Pirates of Penzeance, Carousel. I would spend some weekends at my cousins, and my aunt M would be playing Tex Ritter, There's Blood on the Saddle. (I can still sing a few of the lyrics) My aunt M was a soprano and she could SING. I learned to appreciate Jimmy Hendrix from my sister K, and BB King from the "hippies" in my senior year art class.
Over the years my music tastes have evolved and at this point in my life, I don't think there is a type of music that I haven't listened to and appreciated. Now, mind you, I don't love it all. I am a big fan of Funk, hip-hop and rap, but not gansta rap. I think Eminem is a talented guy, but don't care to listen to alot of his lyrics. Miles Davis, John Coltrane...I love smooth jazz, but be-bop not so much. I do still like a show tune, I can actually sing along with most of them . Carousel being one of my faves, Walk On is a big tear jerker. Classical, yes, love DeBussey's Arabesque #1. Still love to dance to Thriller, imitating some of Jackson's great moves. Can't Moon Walk though.
My kids grew up with albums , eight tracks & cassettes of the Moody Blues, George Clinton, Earth ,Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang. Also Barry Manilow, Carole King and Carly Simon. I am a big Michael Jackson Fan.. How great was the Thriller album? I have my son T on super 8 film singing Joel's Big Shot, complete with mike.And I am so glad to see that they like all kinds of music, too. Both girls like a little bit of country..didn't get that from me. My grandchildren are being brought up on Metallica, Funk, Hip Hop, Black Eyed Peas and Billy Joel, Taylor Swift, and Rich Charette's I Love Mud. (The kids concerts are priceless)
I can tell you , as I get older and actually slow down enough to really listen, I hear all kinds of other music. I love being on the beach and listening to the surf. I love sitting in my living room and listening to the birds chirping away at the feeder. I love being in the middle of a family outing and hearing all of the family talking at once. I love it when my grandchildren sleep over and I listen to their sleeping noises and their soft rhythmic breathing. I love putting a shell up to my ear and "hearing" the ocean. I love to hear the wind blow across the tall grass outside our offices.I love to visit my friend M and hear the water going over the dam by her house. I have developed a real appreciation for ALL things musical. All of these things are now music to my ears, and you can hear it too, if you just take time to really listen.
PS- I read The Shipping News last week. Hadn't read anything by Annie Proulx before and have seen this book around for quite a while and just never picked it up. It was one of the staff's picks at my local library, and I am glad I read it. I will be looking for another of Ms Proulx's books, for sure.
I also ordered from NetFlix, Pillars of the Earth, the Ken Follett book turned into mini series. I did not have high expectations that it would do the book justice. It was such a great story. I think the movie flowed along pretty well, but the acting was not very good. The book was so gripping..the actors were so bland. I did not even finish watching it. Instead I may re-read the book and it's companion, World Without End. They were both spectactular!!
Please stay "tuned".
I can't sing a note..well I can sing a note but only neighborhood dogs can hear it ! But boy, do I LOVE music. The first record I ever heard was at my friend Kathy's house. It was her brother Coffee's 45 of Jingle Bell Rock. They had one of those consoles with a TV (black & white) and a turntable that rolled out when you pressed a button. How modern ! We played it while her brother wasn't home, he would have killed us if he knew. I don't have alot of music memories until I was 11-12 when the Beatles invaded. Oh, I had a portable record player, and my mom would buy a record that she liked once in a while and we would play them. I have a very clear memory of playing Elvis' Wooden Heart and the Righteous Brothers' Ebb Tide. Then came Meet the Beatles. My friend Kathy & I played that album over & over until we wore it out. I dreamt of marrying Paul...I had a Beatle wig and boots. Loved those boots, fake alligator with a big heel and chain on the side. I jingled all the way to my sixth grade classes.
In my high school years, we had an eight track at home and on Sundays my dad would play Johnny Cash and show tunes. Fiddler on the Roof, Pirates of Penzeance, Carousel. I would spend some weekends at my cousins, and my aunt M would be playing Tex Ritter, There's Blood on the Saddle. (I can still sing a few of the lyrics) My aunt M was a soprano and she could SING. I learned to appreciate Jimmy Hendrix from my sister K, and BB King from the "hippies" in my senior year art class.
Over the years my music tastes have evolved and at this point in my life, I don't think there is a type of music that I haven't listened to and appreciated. Now, mind you, I don't love it all. I am a big fan of Funk, hip-hop and rap, but not gansta rap. I think Eminem is a talented guy, but don't care to listen to alot of his lyrics. Miles Davis, John Coltrane...I love smooth jazz, but be-bop not so much. I do still like a show tune, I can actually sing along with most of them . Carousel being one of my faves, Walk On is a big tear jerker. Classical, yes, love DeBussey's Arabesque #1. Still love to dance to Thriller, imitating some of Jackson's great moves. Can't Moon Walk though.
My kids grew up with albums , eight tracks & cassettes of the Moody Blues, George Clinton, Earth ,Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang. Also Barry Manilow, Carole King and Carly Simon. I am a big Michael Jackson Fan.. How great was the Thriller album? I have my son T on super 8 film singing Joel's Big Shot, complete with mike.And I am so glad to see that they like all kinds of music, too. Both girls like a little bit of country..didn't get that from me. My grandchildren are being brought up on Metallica, Funk, Hip Hop, Black Eyed Peas and Billy Joel, Taylor Swift, and Rich Charette's I Love Mud. (The kids concerts are priceless)
I can tell you , as I get older and actually slow down enough to really listen, I hear all kinds of other music. I love being on the beach and listening to the surf. I love sitting in my living room and listening to the birds chirping away at the feeder. I love being in the middle of a family outing and hearing all of the family talking at once. I love it when my grandchildren sleep over and I listen to their sleeping noises and their soft rhythmic breathing. I love putting a shell up to my ear and "hearing" the ocean. I love to hear the wind blow across the tall grass outside our offices.I love to visit my friend M and hear the water going over the dam by her house. I have developed a real appreciation for ALL things musical. All of these things are now music to my ears, and you can hear it too, if you just take time to really listen.
PS- I read The Shipping News last week. Hadn't read anything by Annie Proulx before and have seen this book around for quite a while and just never picked it up. It was one of the staff's picks at my local library, and I am glad I read it. I will be looking for another of Ms Proulx's books, for sure.
I also ordered from NetFlix, Pillars of the Earth, the Ken Follett book turned into mini series. I did not have high expectations that it would do the book justice. It was such a great story. I think the movie flowed along pretty well, but the acting was not very good. The book was so gripping..the actors were so bland. I did not even finish watching it. Instead I may re-read the book and it's companion, World Without End. They were both spectactular!!
Please stay "tuned".
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sleigh bells ring, can YOU hear them?
I suppose I should take down the Christmas decorations. (I do not like that word should) My decorations are so pretty, and I only put up a few things, I want to keep them up for a while longer. What's the harm? If I lived in a manse, I would have a room that was all Christmas all the time. I would sneak into that room and take it all in , at least once a week. It seems that I have never lost that magical feeling for Christmas, that childhood feeling. When the Polar Express movie came out, I finally understood why I felt that way. I want to always "hear" the jingle of sleigh bells.
We had magical Christmases when I was a kid. We always wrote letters to Santa and my dad would take them over to the stove and light them up because he said the smoke would go all the way up to the North Pole and Santa would know exactly what we wrote. My dad took on extra work so that my mom could put on a big layaway at ChildWorld, the local toy store. She always went way overboard, and the neighborhood kids would always want to come over after Christmas to see what we got. There was always such a pile of toys ! On Christmas day, after we opened a million presents at home (there were six of us kids, so it always looked like a million) we would pile into the wagon and ride up the street to my grandmother's house and again, there was a huge stack of gifts. We usually had dinner right there, the best dinner. We didn't need to hurry back home because we had so many new toys to play with right there.
We always got new dolls, all of the girls anyway. My brother got GI Joe's, which I guess is the same. The year I was 14, I asked for a baby doll & crib. Got them & loved them dearly. Always loved the baby dolls, had quite a large "family" of them. (Unfortunately later that year , we had a house fire and to this day I can remember seeing my dolls out on the lawn all melted. Terrible sight)
Lucky for me, I had two girls of my own, so I was able to buy dolls again for Christmas ! For the boys, Masters of the Universe & Star Wars figures. I tried to keep my own children's Christmas magical, because it was such a big part of my own life growing up. I did the best I could to get everything on their lists and then some. What a pile of gifts on Christmas Eve, under the tree, just waiting for the big rush down the stairs. And all four of them squealing, "Just what I wanted, just what I always wanted". I have granddaughters and grandsons now and once again, I can buy dolls & Star Wars figures. Of course that has never stopped me, I have plenty of dolls & toys to play with...right at my own house. I hope I "hear" the jingle of sleigh bells for the rest of my life.
So, I think I will leave up the decorations for alittle while longer. I want to feel "Christmasey" for a little while longer. I want to sit and remember the good stuff, just alittle while longer. I hope I "hear" the jingle of sleigh bells for the rest of my life.What's the harm?
PS- I read a Richard Russo novel last week. That Old Cape Magic. Could not put it down. The way people's lives twist & turn, Russo writes that so well. Please stay tuned......
We had magical Christmases when I was a kid. We always wrote letters to Santa and my dad would take them over to the stove and light them up because he said the smoke would go all the way up to the North Pole and Santa would know exactly what we wrote. My dad took on extra work so that my mom could put on a big layaway at ChildWorld, the local toy store. She always went way overboard, and the neighborhood kids would always want to come over after Christmas to see what we got. There was always such a pile of toys ! On Christmas day, after we opened a million presents at home (there were six of us kids, so it always looked like a million) we would pile into the wagon and ride up the street to my grandmother's house and again, there was a huge stack of gifts. We usually had dinner right there, the best dinner. We didn't need to hurry back home because we had so many new toys to play with right there.
We always got new dolls, all of the girls anyway. My brother got GI Joe's, which I guess is the same. The year I was 14, I asked for a baby doll & crib. Got them & loved them dearly. Always loved the baby dolls, had quite a large "family" of them. (Unfortunately later that year , we had a house fire and to this day I can remember seeing my dolls out on the lawn all melted. Terrible sight)
Lucky for me, I had two girls of my own, so I was able to buy dolls again for Christmas ! For the boys, Masters of the Universe & Star Wars figures. I tried to keep my own children's Christmas magical, because it was such a big part of my own life growing up. I did the best I could to get everything on their lists and then some. What a pile of gifts on Christmas Eve, under the tree, just waiting for the big rush down the stairs. And all four of them squealing, "Just what I wanted, just what I always wanted". I have granddaughters and grandsons now and once again, I can buy dolls & Star Wars figures. Of course that has never stopped me, I have plenty of dolls & toys to play with...right at my own house. I hope I "hear" the jingle of sleigh bells for the rest of my life.
So, I think I will leave up the decorations for alittle while longer. I want to feel "Christmasey" for a little while longer. I want to sit and remember the good stuff, just alittle while longer. I hope I "hear" the jingle of sleigh bells for the rest of my life.What's the harm?
PS- I read a Richard Russo novel last week. That Old Cape Magic. Could not put it down. The way people's lives twist & turn, Russo writes that so well. Please stay tuned......
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