The other day I was thinking about how there are quite a few songs about specific women, such as Michelle, Louise, and Clementine. That got me to wondering what songs do I know that are about particular men. It wasn't easy. I didn't want to Google the answer, so the Husband ( My Guy ) kindly helped me come up with this list. Johnny Angel The Boy from Ipanema Johnny B. Goode Wedding Bell Blues (Remember Bill?)  When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again Go Down Moses  Hit the Road Jack Rocky Raccoon Louie Louie Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Frere Jacques Shaft John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt  There sure are a lot of songs about particular John's. What's that all about? If I look up Shaft, will I find out his real name is John. To check out other bloggers with lists of 13, head to Thursday 13 . P.S. John Shaft, by golly!

1. I hear rain beneath the jazz channel playing on the TV downstairs.  2. The ornamental pear tree is dancing with white flowers.  3. I had to give in this afternoon and change from shorts to long pants.   4. Jamie Raskin!  5. I'm verily impressed with the House Impeachment Managers. They delivered their points, facts, and proof succinctly, comprehensively, and in easy to understand terms. How well will Trump's lawyers convince us Trump's alternative facts are true?  6. Our doctor's office, a provider of the COVID-19 vaccine in our county, called an hour ago to say our age group is now up for the shots. The Husband and I have an appointment for next week.  7.  This morning, I drove around town with four huge bags of potting soil sitting in Eliza Does-a-lot's back seat. There used to be five, but the other day I asked the Husband to pull out a bag so I could plant the potatoes. We bought the soil on Monday.  8. I made broccoli and pine nuts mac & cheese for today

  The other day a friend asked me what was healing like after the hysterectomy I had a few years back. I was surprised that I couldn't recall anything other than what the doctors and the Husband told me. The Husband said that Dr. Gyn-Oncologist & Dr. Gynecologist marched into the waiting room with big smiles and triumph on their faces when all was said and done.  I do remember how anxious I got the next day of the surgery; if I didn't pee a certain amount by mid-afternoon, I was stuck in the hospital for another night. (Fortunately I met the deadline.) I also remember the day after I got home, a good friend brought me delicious homemade brownies, and a few days later I told another friend to leave because his negative beliefs about the world was bringing me down.  I recall now that the Husband and I slept downstairs in L Studio for about two months. I had to laugh that I couldn't remember my recovery period. Details may pop up later. Or not. Does it even matter

I was wondering why I like answering questions about myself and my thoughts and opinions. The analytical self answered that the questionnaires (fun or serious) help me clarify my beliefs, as well as reinforce my sense of being and my history. And, I sometimes remember cool, and the not so neat, things I'd forgotten. That said, here's a bunch of random questions from today's Sunday Stealing . 1. Can you eat with chopsticks? Yes. Sometimes when I want to slow my eating pace, I use chopsticks. Most times it works.  2. Could you tell real money from counterfeit? I can definitely tell the difference between real money and play money. 3. What do you think about school uniforms? I may have liked them when I was a kid because I wouldn't have to think about what to wear to school. Today, no opinion. 4. What ancient civilization would you most like to visit? I'd like to check out the ancient civilization of the Philippines, where most of my ancestors lived. 5. What would m

Happiness Delight Gladness Blissful Glee Cheer Pleasure Good-spirits Jollity Good Will Wonder Contentment Satisfaction Thursday 13 is the meme today. Come check out other bloggers with me.

I took this photo from the passenger seat while the Husband and I waited for our turn to safely cross to the other side. Just think if our reality is to ignore the rules and plow right through the intersection because we don't believe we have to wait for anyone.  Yeah.  I like this photo. So much so that I painted it with Photoshop art filters in various ways. Hello, Mosaic Monday . :-)

This week Sunday Stealing , hosted by Bev Sykes, has participants musing over questions taken from Upstream Life . 1. Name 5 people you admire and why. • Daddy. Family was important for him. He took his responsibilities seriously. He made sure his children got the opportunities for a good life. • Mama was resolute, stoical, full of love and cheeriness, but oh so sad. Also full of spirit, spit, and vinegar, Mama didn't let her misery keep her down. She had more than her share, including living through war and losing two children.  • The Husband. My gosh. I'm not an easy person to live with. • Winifred, my mentor, my writing partner, my friend. She took a chance on me (#6). Winifred was an amazing, gifted, and giving person who taught me how to develop and create educational materials that respect and teach the learners. • Kathy, a friend from grammar school days. I love her humor, her wit, her intelligence. For years, she went back and forth, several times a year to visit her pa

Cheers to another year of celebrating the brave and bold actions of our country's founding fathers to sever ties with Great Britain!  Hope you all had a joyful and safe celebration. Until the fireworks started, we had a pleasant Fourth of July. Surprisingly, all was quiet with an occasional vroom of motorcycles in the distance.  Because of the pandemic, thousands of bikers haven't descended on our small community this Fourth of July for the sometimes annual biker rally commemorating the day bikers went wild downtown in 1947.  The actual bar in which a biker drove through still thrives today. The 1950s movie "The Wild One" with Marlon Brando is loosely based on the incident. Nightfall was a different story. It was a steady diet of  KAPOW, rat-a-tat-a-tat, pow-pow-pow, bang-bang-BANG, and long-whistle BOOM from 7:30 p.m. to nearly 12:30 a.m. I felt like we were on an island caught between two feuding factions. I do not want to imagine what a war z

George Floyd ought to be on every American's mind, don't you agree? I don't know anything about the man other than he died by the hands of four police officers. Brutes, really. Thugs.  As the cops knelt on his body for more than eight minutes, Floyd showed no resistance and repeatedly told them that he couldn't breathe. The death scene was disgusting. It was horrifying, and it was sad. It didn't have to be! I am glad that since Floyd's death, on May 25, 2020, systematic racism and its perpetrators have been put on notice.  1. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights (June 2, 2020) filed a civil rights charge against the Minneapolis Police Department, along with investigating the department for systemic discriminatory practices and abuse of force. 2. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison upgraded the murder charge against Chauvin from third to second degree. In addition,  Attorney General Ellison charged the three other police officers (Thao, Kueng,

Thirteen years ago, I would've replied "Nooo. Really?" should future me had reached into the time spectrum to tease me about my today. Never ever would I have thought 13 years ago that I would actually do these things. One. Taking 15 years for us to move the Husband's parents' belongings from a rented storage locker to our garage. Two.  Buying artist's and crafter's paints. Three. Tending to all sorts of flowers on what was once Mama's lawn.  Four. Mulling over the possibilities for curtains I'll sew for the bedroom, L Studio, and living room windows.  Five. Interrupting a task to play Scrabble with the Husband, and knowing that I'll finish the task when we're done with the game.  Six. Painting a mural. Seven. Being told by a specialist that he can't straighten my leg. Crooked? That was news to me. Eight. Receiving my social security benefits! Nine. Being loved by Molly the Cat. Ten. Meeting many ki

1. The Husband made pancakes. They were the big Y, a.k.a YummY! 2. Molly the Cat kept the Husband company while he cooked. They were so darn cute. 3. Instead of strictly following the instructions on the box, the Husband used 1 cup of water instead of half-a-cup. He liked that the pancakes were less dense. I added, "And more!" 4.  Whenever we talk about his functional cooking skills, The Husband likes to say that he can make tasty scrambled eggs. I'm still waiting after 23 years. In the meanwhile, I'm very happy with his pancakes. Mmmm. 5. I cut several big branches off the Messy Tree, formerly known as the Miracle Tree. Long story short, I was afraid certain branches might fall on the roof should the wind pick up. 6. We've been having a steady rain the last 24 hours or so, from sweet and gentle plops to fast and furious patter. I love it all! 7. What shall I do after I publish this post? Bring in all the boxes marked XMAS Decorations in t

Molly and I are joining forces today because of whatnot and this. Maybe it'll be a regular thing. We shall see.  Missy Girl wants you to know that today's post is also her Molly's Monday #15. Molly the Cat: Speaking of seeing, Missus Lady watched a hummingbird in the front yard yesterday. Szzzzz. Szzzzzz. I love watching hummingbirds, but I missed out because I was napping. "You snoozed, you lost," Missus Lady said when she wouldn't let me go out as she was coming in the front door. Speaking of snoozing, this is what I found when I got back to my desk yesterday evening. The Husband wondered why Missy Girl just didn't go under the table if the light was too much for her. Zzzzzzzzzzz. Did I Say You're a Troll? Molly the Cat: The other day I overheard Missus Lady telling Hero Man about a post she was following at a local Facebook group. There was one part that was miao, miao.  Human #1: Of course you won't believe me. You already think

I suspect that I may not ever have been spontaneous.  I've done the all-of-a-sudden turn onto an unfamiliar road to see what's there and where it takes me. I've walked into a salon on a whim and got my hair cut or permed. I've suddenly decided to go somewhere, generally never far. But never ever have I been truly spontaneous. Don't ask me what that is? I don't know because I haven't done it. When I was a teenager I thought about running away. Mainly, I contemplated what to stuff into my knapsack. Should I bring a change of clothing? Change of underwear at least. My notebook, of course. Should I bring a pencil and a pen? Two pens, maybe several. Food to get me to my next destination. Money, which would probably be $20, if even that. Do I want by guitar? What I never thought about was where to go. I didn't want to run away, did I? Today, the Husband and I are in Oakland hanging out with his college buddies. (Yesterday was when I wrote this.) Will we h

Need I say more.  Cheers to one and all! I'm linking up with the monthly photography meme Wandering Camera hosted by Soma Acharya of Whims and Fancies . Click here to learn more about the meme and to check out other participants.

I wanted five children. It didn't matter if they were all girls, all boys, or some kind of combination. I like to think that's happening in a parallel universe. I wonder what their names are. Even today, I'll come across a name that I think is a nice candidate for one of my would've been kids. Maeve, Emmie, Sophia, Emerson, Benjamin James. . . . I like strong, happy names. So, here I am, seven months shy of receiving Medicare, childless. Every time I thought I was pregnant, several days later, hello menses. I had an irregular cycle, so I tried fertility drugs as well as acupuncture to help get my reproductive system going. The acupuncture was a trip. When all the needles were inserted, I instantly felt like my spirit sprung out of my body and tap danced on the ceiling. In the early 1990s, during the first week of vacation in Washington, I took a home pregnancy test. Yes, by golly! The First Husband and I went immediately into let's-take-care-of-me-and-the-fet