I'm just a guy who likes the classics. I love Old Time Radio Shows. I love Classic TV. I love Classic Movies. I love songs from the "Great American Songbook". I dig songs from the first decade of Rock and Roll. Don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to newer things. My musical taste ranges from Classical to Classic Rock and Country to Rap. I love a good book and am always looking for something to read. I tend to lean toward historical fiction, biographies, mysteries, and more.
I have always believed that our past (and the things we've experienced in it) make us who we are today. That being said, after reading through some old My Space blogs (yeah, that's about how long it's been since I blogged regularly), I decided that I should once again write. Welcome to my blog. I hope you find it interesting, thought provoking, and entertaining in some way.
CONTACT ME AT - nostalgicitalian@yahoo.com
I admit that our state had high hopes for the Lions after last season. Even though the season ended without advancement to the playoffs, there is still a sense of pride in our team.
Last year, the Home Bakery in Rochester, MI created a life-size replica of Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown doing a headstand. The headstand was in celebration of his scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in November of last year. Well, this year they have done it again.
This year they unveiled a life-sized cake of Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs striking his “Spider-Man x Superman” pose, and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown hurdling over him. The St. Brown part of the cake is positioned with his arm appearing to go through the front window of the bakery. Tthe cake is modeled after the pose from Gibbs’ Oct. 20 touchdown celebration against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Talk about an amazing piece of work …
The creation of this cake took four hundred hours, 65 pounds of fondant, eight cases of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies treats and four sheet cakes! Heather Tocco, who owns the bakery, said the bakery has also done cakes for the “Barbie Movie,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Wolverine” and “Deadpool.” The consistent production of life-sized cakes makes them “pretty well-known for over-the-top window displays.”
I’ve seen some pretty amazing cakes on the show “Is It Cake?” on Netflix, but these life-sized ones “take the cake!”
I’ve been meaning to write a little recap of post-Christmas happenings, and I just haven’t had a second to do it. So here are just a few highlights.
The boys and me. That Three Stooges poster behind us was a complete coincidence.
My boys and I got together the weekend after Christmas. The Christmas holiday was spent with their mom, so we got together for lunch.
They are now both living together in an apartment and sharing the responsibilities. I hadn’t seen their new place yet, so I met them there. It’s really a nice place. Two bedrooms and two bathrooms as well as plenty of room to entertain guests. After the tour of their place and some time in conversation, we decided to go to lunch.
There is a place right down the road from them. Nice place with a nice atmosphere and good food. They both grabbed boneless wings and an order of garlic parmesan French fries (delicious), while I grabbed a good burger. It was fun to just sit and laugh with them. They aren’t little boys anymore and it was surreal to be having adult conversation with them. We’re hoping to make it a point to get together more.
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New Year’s Eve was pretty quiet. Ella stayed at Sam’s mom’s house, so it was Sam, Andrew and me at home. How did we celebrate the new year? Andrew decided to have a date night with us and chose to get some Mexican food.
What was left of my chimichangas!
Then we made a trip to Meijer! Yeah, we really hooped it up! We stopped to pick up a prescription and then walked up and down the toy aisle with Andrew. Now, instead of having us take pictures of toys to add to his Christmas list, we add them to his birthday list!
Selfie in the toy aisle at Meijer
We were in bed and asleep long before the new year arrived.
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My dad made the drive up to give the kids their Christmas gifts this past Saturday. I had taken the kids to Home Depot that morning to do the kids workshop. They built a tow truck. My dad was already in the driveway when we got back home.
Due to schedules and such, we don’t get to see him as often as we’d like. The kids really were happy to see him. They both got remote control cars and watches that have games on them. Both of the kids had to show him what Santa brought and they talked his ear off. At one point, Ella just crawled up on the couch and started snuggling with him. It was so cute.
Ella and Papa discussing the Glinda doll he brought her.
I was so glad to get time with him.
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On Sunday, Ella had a play date with a friend. So Andrew and I spent the day together while Sam slept before work. We went to the Barnes and Noble because he wanted to look at books. We spent a good chunk of time there and had a about an hour to kill before going to pick up Ella. Knowing how much he loves tools, we made a stop at Harbor Freight.
I don’t think there was one thing that didn’t fascinate him. He thought vices were cool. He marveled at the many types of drills on display. His eyes were wide when he saw the amount of flashlights on the wall. Cement mixers, generators, hammers, crowbars, and even a bicycle pump all had his attention.
At one point, his love for the Three Stooges came out as he showed me what “Moe hit Larry with”…
That’s a big wrench! I was waiting for him to say, “Spread out!”
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Sunday night was a challenge. They had to be back in bed at their normal time because they had to be back to school. They were not too happy (or awake) when I woke them up. Honestly, I wasn’t happy or awake either!
The legendary Earl Scruggs was born on this day in 1924. Even people who don’t listen to bluegrass music have probably heard him. Have you ever heard the theme song to the Beverly Hillbillies? If so, you’ve heard him.
Photo from earlscruggscenter.org
He was a master banjo player. He is responsible for what is referred to as the “Scruggs style” of playing. His three-finger style of playing was radically different from the traditional way the five-string banjo had previously been played. according to wiki this new style of playing became popular and elevated the banjo from its previous role as a background rhythm instrument to featured solo status. He popularized the instrument across several genres of music.
He started playing in Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys. Bill had a heck of a touring schedule and Earl needed to slow down. He retired from the group. Lester Flatt also resigned from the group and teamed up with Scruggs.
They recorded Foggy Mountain Breakdown in December 1949 and released in March 1950. Thanks to the movie Bonnie and Clyde, it became a hit again in 1967. It also received two Grammy Awards.
Here it is the first Monday after the holidays. The kids are back in school and it is back to work for us working folks. It is not an easy day for much of the country.
With that being said, it is appropriate to pick a song that fits the mood. So it is back to 1947 we go…
“Stormy Monday,” originally “Call It Stormy Monday,” (not to be confused with “Stormy Monday Blues”) was written and recorded by T-Bone Walker in 1947 and released as a single on the label Black & White. Like many blues songs, it’s about a guy who wants his gal back. Needless to say, every day of the week he’s hurting.
Many artists were influenced by the song. Van Morrison covered it in 2017 and said the song has had a connection with him for a long time.
(From songfacts.com:)
“That would be 1963 when I first heard that. Bobby “Blue” Bland. I never heard the T-Bone Walker version until later. Hearing that song was a pivotal moment for me. There was a black GI who brought a 45 over from America. He was in the army and he played that song for me. It was one of those Eureka moments. It probably changed everything.”
BB King said it was the song that inspired him to play electric guitar:
“My greatest musical debt is to T-Bone …’Stormy Monday’ was the first tune. ‘They call it Stormy Monday’, sang T-Bone, ‘but Tuesday’s just as bad’. Yes, Lord! The first line, the first thrilling notes, the first sound of his guitar, and the attitude in his voice was riveting. I especially loved ‘Stormy Monday’—and I still sing it today.”
(From Wiki:) “Stormy Monday” is one of the most popular blues standards, with numerous renditions. As well as being necessary for blues musicians, it is also found in the repertoires of many jazz, soul, pop, and rock performers. The song is included in the Grammy, Rock and Roll, and Blues Foundation halls of fame as well as the U.S. Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.
Here is another example of my reading a book simply because the title intrigued me – Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated by James Goodhand.
This book was just fantastic. That isn’t always the case when you start reading knowing nothing but the title. However, as the story began, I connected with the characters (Especially Ray) and was hooked with the series of events that fall into place.
Let’s look at the Goodreads Synopsis:
A lifetime ago, Ray “Spike” Thorns was a well-regarded caretaker on a boarding school’s grounds. These days, he lives the life of a recluse in a house rammed with hoarded junk, alone and disconnected from family or anyone he might have at one time considered a friend.
When his next-door neighbor drops dead on Spike’s doorstep, a case of mistaken identity according to the police, the hospital, the doctors—everyone—Spike is dead. Spike wants to correct the mistake, really he does, but when confronted with those who knew him best, he hesitates, forced to face whatever impression he’s left on the world. It’s a discovery that brings him up close to ghosts from his past, and to the only woman he ever loved.
Could it be that in coming face-to-face with his own demise, Spike is able to really live again? And will he be able to put things straight before the inevitable happens—his own funeral?
This is the best kind of feel-good it’s deeply affecting but full of clever mishaps and enough laughs along the way. It takes the message from Dead Poets Society and mixes it with the tragedy of It’s a Wonderful Life and tops it off with an ultimately lovable guy like in A Man Called Ove. The result is a heartbreakingly beautiful look at life and what we would all do if given a second chance.
I absolutely love the description of Dead Poets Society, It’s a Wonderful Life, and A Man Called Ove. It really describes what you can expect from the book. I found myself jotting quotes from the book down on paper as I was listening to it.
This book follows the common format of moving back and forth between time. We see the main character as an old man, as well as his younger self. How do the actions and events of the past play into who he is as an old man? It’s that kind of thing.
There were some funny moments, some moments where you were are on the edge of your seat waiting to see what is going to happen, and moments that warm your heart and fill your eyes with a tear or two. It was really a great read. Some reviews said that the ending was predictable, but I didn’t think so.
I felt like the ending was a culmination of all I had read up to that point and then presented a wonderful surprise that had me smiling and holding back a tear. This didn’t fall into the “mystery/thriller,” “Historical fiction,” or “Based on a True Story” categories. It was simply a lovely story that deserves to be shared.
I had meant to post this photo last Friday, but posted a Christmas recap instead. I know that we are into the new year, but it is too cute not to share.
This is Ella in 2020. She’d be 9 months old here. I remember that I bought a Santa hat that read “My First Christmas” for her. However, by this time, it had gotten too small for her.
This was during Covid and it was a very weird Christmas. I love that reindeer shirt she is wearing. It is cropped out of the picture pretty much, but the big plastic thing behind her was the indoor swing we bought for her. She spent so much time in there.
It’s funny to see the Christmas tree in the corner. I don’t remember but one or two years that it was there. Most of the time it is in front of the big living room window. We must have been very trusting here because the gate that we had put up to keep Ella and the cats away from the tree is not up. Maybe we took it down to get to presents? I really don’t know.
It is amazing to look at her baby face. You can see little features that she still has today and features that have sadly faded away with growth. I miss her being this tiny.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.“ II Corinthians 5:17
January 1, 2026
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus,
As a new year begins, I come to You thankful for the old year and all that I learned from it. Thank You for the good times shared with family and friends. Thank You for the trials and tribulations that helped me to be grateful and patient. I pray that I will continue to build patience and understanding in the year ahead.
Thank You for Your Word, Lord. I ask that You help me to read, understand and apply it to the details of my life. Allow it to guide me through the various situations I will face in the coming year. Help me retain Your word in my heart and soul so that I will always have it at the forefront of my mind.
As I read Your word, help me to remember Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Let me take those words and have them renew my mind and my thinking. Help Your word to guide me through each new day.
Help me to be an example of Your love and Your grace. Help me to be a light to others. Help me to be a loving husband and father. Help me to be a trustful friend to all. Help me to be the voice of reason during conflict. Help me to be bold in proclaiming the gospel to others.
As each new day dawns, let me rejoice in another day of life. Let me focus on the many things that You have blessed me with. Help me to avoid focusing on the things that bring me down and take my focus away from You. Your word helps to adjust my thinking. As Your word plainly states:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8
May all I do in the new year be in line with Your will for me and for Your glory.
For us here on earth, we begin another year of 365 days. Our concept of time and Yours is so very different. As II Peter 3:8 says: “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” None of us knows just how much time we have here on this planet. Please help me to use each second wisely.
As I look at the things I want to make happen, I ask for Your help. This year I want to:
Spend more time in Your word
Spend more time in Prayer
Practice more kindness and to be less selfish
Let go of past hurts and extend more empathy and forgiveness to others.
Avoid negativity and be more positive.
Have more time with family
With Your help, I know that it can be done. With You all things are possible.
Thank You for Your unconditional love. Thank You for the gift of Salvation through Your death, burial and resurrection. Thank You for a new year and new possibilities.
2026 rang in as I was in Dreamland. The ball dropped in New York City – unseen by me. The new year was three and a half hours old when I opened my eyes.
Andrew tapped me and wanted to know if it was still night time. I assured him it was and encouraged him to go back to sleep. It wasn’t long before we were all up. Which led to Mabel hearing us.
Once she heard us, she wanted outside. I dressed and took her out in the cold so she could wander the yard and eventually offer up poops #1 and #2 to the new year. When we got back inside she wants to play and I want to sleep.
Once she settles, I try to sleep. However, 20 minutes in the cold has now got me pretty much awake. So her and I go out to the living room.
The new year is just over five hours old. My first meal of 2026 was a bowl of Lucky Charms. Mabel is laying next to me on the couch as I write.
I’m sure there will be a much deeper blog later, but for now here is a great quote:
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
As we begin the journey of 2026, may it be full of 365 “best days.”
Here we are – Day 365. As the final hours of 2025 tick away, I find myself looking back. It’s always been interesting to me that some events seem like they happened yesterday, while others seem like they happened more than a year ago!
I spent the last couple days looking back at the year. It was a year full of wonderful memories.
January
Sitting through a three hour dance recital to watch Ella for roughly 6-9 minutes – worth it completely!
Until Ella, I had only only dealt with boy stuff. Watching my little girl in her first recital was so fun. Those little kicks and simple moves brought so many smiles.
Hosting my own “feature” was fun to do. It was a bit more work than I anticipated and difficult to schedule so it didn’t overlap with other monthly features hosted by other bloggers. It was interesting to see which books struck a chord with my other blogger friends.
February
Believe it or not, Ella is already excited about this coming year’s Daddy/Daughter dance! She found out that Wicked is the theme.
Last year it was all about Barbie. There was plenty of pink around. There were fun activities and photo ops that she loved to do, like this one.
It was a lot of fun to do an interview with my friend and actor Eddie Deezen. We’ve been social media friends for some time and he has so many wonderful stories. I sent him a bunch of questions and told him he could answer a few or however many he felt he wanted to. He answered them all!
Normally, I’d send him a Christmas card, but this year, we didn’t send any.
For Ella’s 5th birthday, we went to Build-Bear. She got to pick whatever she wanted, and chose a kitty cat. She has such a wonderful day.
March
I tried again to host my Share Your Nostalgia feature. This time it was about Cartoons or Cartoon Characters. With the variety of participants and where they are from, there were quite a few neat submissions.
Some have asked me to do another round. I really haven’t found a topic that I felt might be worthy of doing. There’s always a possibility of one popping up soon.
April
I stepped out of my comfort zone in April and said I would coach Andrew’s soccer team. Not knowing a lick about the sport, luckily I had someone to help.
I had a lot of fun, but I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.
Ella did T-ball. Sadly, I never had the chance to see her because of my work schedule. They days that I did take off to do so, things were cancelled because of weather.
May
The start of one of the biggest fiascos of the year happened in May. Our dryer stopped working and I thought it would be an easy fix.
Getting all the parts to repair it, I replaced it all with YouTube’s help. However, it still didn’t work.
This led to us ordering a new dryer, sending that back and a long wait for the correct one to show up!
This year marked my 55th birthday. Since then, I’ve noticed my back hurts more than it used to.
June
A second dance recital for Ella. Watching her pop out of a bathtub that was turned into a yellow submarine was just one of the highlights.
For Father’s Day, I had a day with all my kids. The highlight was dinner at Applebee’s and ice cream afterwards.
I feel like I have lost track of hospital visits and surgeries between the kids over the past couple years. In June, Ella has to have tonsils out. She was such a brave girl and we got matching hats.
July
The new dryer finally arrived. As I attempted to install it, I ran into the normal “Keith” problems. Thankfully I had a guy at the local hardware store to explain how to flang the gas line for hook up.
No more trips to the Laundromat!
Another hospital visit – this time an MRI for Andrew. He has brought about more medical questions that I care to remember. Thankfully, the majority of his test results over the years have been good
August
How do you make a parent feel old? Start Kindergarten. Time will do nothing but speed up from here.
She loves school and is super smart. So proud of her.
We did our best to take advantage of days off during the summer, but work schedules and doctor visits made it hard. We did get to spend time at the zoo, however.
September
School means any type of extra activities just make life busier. Ella loved seeing Andrew play soccer, so she wanted to do it too.
She had fun, when she was on the field. I think she enjoyed socializing with her peers more.
Who doesn’t love the Homecoming parade?! Ella got to walk with her school. I wound up carrying her on my shoulders for the majority of the parade.
October
Andrew started preschool and is doing much better than we had hoped. He can spell and write is full name. His teachers love him.
My brother came up for a Halloween visit. We had a real nice day with the kids in Frankenmuth.
Ella and Andrew were invited to a fri nds birthday party. They had it at a bowling alley. Ella had only bowled once and this was Andrew’s first time. They both had a blast.
We did a couple Trunk or Treats this year, and then walked the neighborhood. He was a member of the SWAT team, and Ella was a fairy princess.
I remember the days where the person at the door just put the candy in your bucket. It seems like a lot of them offer voices now. I used to be able to go in and swipe the candy they didn’t like for myself. This year – not one Almond Joy because they never picked them. Grrrr
November
We had our first snow before I had the leaves raked up.
Despite my hesitation, Sam brought home Mabel. She is out St. Bernadoodle. She’s so much fun and is truly mom’s pup.
December
No family pictures this year due to a conflict, but kids got to visit Santa!
The ridiculous elf came to work with me and reeked havoc.
Andrew can’t get enough of his riding mower
Ella LOVES her American Girl doll
A rare Christmas visit from my brother
And soon the year is over.
I hope you are able to look back at the year and smile at the wonderful memories made.
I seem to use this quote every year but it is true…
“Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.”
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 