Thursday Thoughts

I’m forcing myself to write today. I have some funny things to share, and these are the type of things that have kept me going the last couple weeks.

Feeling … not right

When I got the diagnosis of ADHD recently and began the new medication, I had hoped that I would start to feel some things change. They did, but not in the way I expected. Now, I’m told that it takes 4-6 weeks for this new med to really do what it is supposed to do, and I have only been on half of the dose for a month. They are supposed to up the dose the next time I see them. I have an appointment with the place where I got my diagnosis this week, so I hope to get things sorted out.

I should not be feeling more depressed than I was before the medication, but I am. I am supposed to have my yearly physical next week and I am embarrassed to go in. All the weight I lost is back. Bad choices and emotional eating are to blame (ok, I am to blame, too!). There is no motivation. I have tried to psyche myself up to no avail. There is a program through work that I just stopped doing because I wasn’t feeling like myself and didn’t think it was helping. I have to go get bloodwork tomorrow and I always fret about what that is going to show.

I’m not saying meds are the answer, but something isn’t right. Here’s hoping that we figure it out.

Vet Visit

Daisy had a vet appointment today. She is 21 pounds already. The vet seems to think she will be bigger than we anticipated. “At least 100 pounds” Sam said.

She is totally puppy and chewing everything in sight. Housebreaking remains a challenge, but she starts her “Puppy Obedience” classes after Thanksgiving.

Ella went to the vet with Sam. When they got home, Sam says, “Hey Ella, tell daddy how they had to take Daisy’s temperature.” Without skipping a beat, she yells, “They used a butt thermometer!”

She’s still giggling about it.

Holiday Decor

While Sam and Ella were at the vet, Andrew and I put together the 8 foot arch that we got for out front. It wasn’t as difficult as I anticipated and I was able to get it up in about 30 minutes. Each bulb and the Merry Christmas sign have LED lights, so I cannot wait to see how this looks at night.

With the construction finally done, and our yard being semi-put back together, I need to get out and get some of the leaves out of the way. They have that hay with the netting all over the lawn so the grass will grow back, so I’m not sure just how much I can actually rake.

The majority of the holiday decorating is done, however, there are still a couple small things I need to do. I have those light nets for a couple of the bushes I need to get up and some lighted garland that I will put around the front door. Normally, when that is done, I am done. Not this year.

Sam wants to put an artificial tree out on the side porch this year. We didn’t want to buy a new one, so we kept an eye on Facebook marketplace for one. I asked a coworker if she knew anyone who was getting rid of a tree and she actually said she had one that had been sitting in the garage since they got one from her parents. At some point this weekend, there will be another tree to decorate.

Grades

Over the past two weeks, I finished up three tests for my Bible classes. This semester, we are in the books of Romans and Matthew. We are also in an Old Testament Survey class and a Preparation and Delivery of Sermons class.

I aced all three tests. They were tough. I plan on using my lunch break at work daily to watch the classes and take tests. It’s a nice, because usually no one is in the building, so it is uninterrupted.

Brotherly Q & A

My brother, who has written a couple times for this blog in a “guest” role contacted me and said he really enjoyed it. So he thought it would be cool to think of some holiday themed questions to ask each other. He sent me his, and I was surprised that I had a lot of the same questions on my list. I combined the two lists into one and we’re going to share with each other. Some of the questions are more personal or family oriented, but I may share those answers here. We’ll see.

Thanks for reading!

Tune Tuesday – I Never Cared For You

This is a song that I have always loved by Willie Nelson. Granted, I was unaware that he had recorded it many times before the album I heard it on. It was originally recorded by Willie in 1964. Waylon Jennings covered it in 1996 and Alison Krauss covered it in 2017.

The reason I love the song is because it is a man proclaiming his love for someone, but you’d never know it by the title. You see, that’s why I love it. He is singing to someone who has been told that all men are liars. So in order to proclaim his love to her, he tells her only lies.

I began listening to Willie Nelson in the late 70’s and 80’s (thanks to my dad and my grandpa). I came to love his music and the arrangements of his songs. I have always said that his Stardust album in one of my top 3 albums of all time.

In 1989, he released an album entitled A Horse Called Music. I Never Cared For You is on this album, and it is this version that I heard first. Willie get’s you immediately with the opening guitar and the first line. I love the minor key that the song is in and it really fits the lyrics.

Here is the version I was familiar with, I hope you enjoy it.

I’m not sure, but this may be the original. It is off The Essential Willie Nelson. I feel like the 1989 version is much better.

This version is similar, from his Me and Paul album.

In 1998, Willie recorded it again for his Teatro album with piano and a longer intro.

The sun is filled with ice and gives no warmth at all
And the sky was never blue
The stars are raindrops searching for a place to fall
And I never cared for you

I know you won’t believe these thing I tell you
I know you won’t believe
Your heart has been forewarned all men will lie to you
And your mind cannot conceive
Now all depends on what I say to you
And on your doubting me
So I’ve prepared these statements far from true
Pay heed and disbelieve

The sun is filled with ice and gives no warmth at all
The sky was never blue
Stars are raindrops searching for a place to fall
And I never cared for you

And the sun is filled with ice and gives no warmth at all
The sky was never blue
The stars are raindrops searching for a place to fall
And I never cared for you
I never cared for you
I never cared for you

Decking the Halls

Ok, technically, I’m not decking the halls. I’m not decking them with boughs of holly either, but I did get a few more things done over the weekend.

We have one of those fake electric fireplaces at our house. The heating element went a year or so ago, and we never did have it looked at. However, we’ve always wanted to do something with the mantle. This year, we found some really nice garland that lights up and it fits the mantle perfectly. We also got new stockings for every one and hung them up a little lower than years past. My wife just loves the way it looks.

As you may recall from a blog or two ago, we bought a new kitchen table to eat at. The old one remains in the basement where it has been for some time. When I was going through the Christmas decorations, I found some placemats we had bought when we first got together. I was finally able to put them out and used a little Christmas tree that we used to put up on the mantle as a centerpiece. I may need to throw some decorations on it.

I went to let the puppy outside and it really wasn’t too cold, so I put jackets on the kids and let the pup roam around the yard and I put the lights up on the side porch. It’s very different from last year, as the railings are no longer there. I ran lights up and down the posts and hung the big Christmas bulbs.

Since they tore up our front yard, I figured I would skip the front yard this year, but Sam had other plans. Our porch is small, so getting the lights on it is no issue at all. I have some lighted garland that I will drape over the front door. The newest addition is on the way to the house. She ordered it from Sam’s Club. It’s a huge 8 foot arch!!

I think it will look cool, even though the yard looks bad. When it snows, it will look great! This should be arriving mid-week. It is supposed to be a bit warm, this week, so I hope to be able to get it up and done before it gets too cold.

Now, just what I am going to do with this big thing in the off season, I have no idea!!

It’s That Time of the Year …

Followers of this blog know that my wife can listen to Christmas music all year round. She will put her Pandora stations on shuffle when she is in the shower and Christmas music will play often. Well, this week Sirius XM launched quite a few Christmas music channels. I thought I would jot them all down for her so that she program them in her car.

Last night when I got home, I sat in the driveway and just punched from channel to channel writing down the Holiday channels. As I did this I stumbled on stations I didn’t know existed. To be fair, I have all my stations preset and have been listening to more books in the car so I haven’t really channel surfed in a while.

One of the stations I found has the potential to make car rides more pleasant. It is called Moonbug radio. It is basically nothing but toddler songs. The Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Rain Rain Go Away are all songs that Ella and Andrew love to sing along with. It isn’t something that I would listen to, but if the kids are in the car – I will be putting it on!

As I continued to surf, I came across another channel that was cool. It is Disney Hits.

It plays songs from Disney movies and Disney shows. As a matter of fact, I heard a song that my older boys and I used to love from the Phineas and Ferb TV show – Gitchee Gitchee Goo. They sang that all the time when they were younger. I actually sat and listened to the whole thing and smiled as it took me back to days on the couch watching the show with them.

I may have to go back and watch those shows again. It was SO good.

Anyway, the holiday channels are programmed now and I will tune in when I am ready to get in the spirit. It’s never too early, right?

Book Recommendation: The Keeper of Hidden Books

This was a book that I added to my list because of its title and because it is based on a true story. I have never read anything by Madeline Martin, but I think I will visit some of her other stories after this one.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.

With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.

But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families—and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left—literature.

I know I had read about Hitler destroying books and replacing them with “approved” books instead, but I hadn’t realized there were so many people who worked to save the ones the Nazis were trying to get rid of. These librarians played such an important role in saving great literature.

I was also aware of the destruction of Warsaw, but had no idea of the group of people who fought back against the Nazis. This fictional story that is woven into real historical events includes real people and those who were created based on real people. It is a story that serves as a reminder of just how terrible things were and how badly people were treated. I found myself engulfed in these characters and felt their emotions, too, as I read.

The author really makes you feel the cost of the occupation and it makes The Keeper of Hidden Books a tough story to “enjoy”. As another reader put it “I would recommend it to everyone, but I would also recommend choosing a moment when you’re ready to experience some angst and heartache.” When you finish this book, you cannot help but feel grateful for the freedom and peace that we enjoy as you are reminded what that freedom cost.

Another Test

So much testing is happening with our little guy. Yesterday, Sam took him in for the Barium Swallow study. He’s been choking a lot and while it may be because of low muscle tone, they wanted to see it in more detail.

Next test is his EEG to check out the Neuro stuff. One of the things they told us was that he needed button up pajamas for the study. Sam found a few pair and I’m not going to lie – I think they look cute on him! Of course, the slippers and my reading glasses make him look like a little old man!

He was handling things pretty well and is loving having his own backpack. He and mommy are playing with playdough, coloring and snuggling.

Hoping for good news after these tests. Next up – MRI.

We appreciate your thoughts and prayers. It means so much to us.

Oh, before I forget, Dave asked for more puppy pictures. So here is Daisy in a totally weird sleeping position …

Tickling The Ivories

Today is World Pianist Day, so I thought I’d share a guilty pleasure piano song with you.

The Piano has been an instrument that has provided music and melodies for centuries. It has figured prominently in all genres of music and some very talented people have been known for the instrument.

Frederic Chopin, Ludwig Von Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Franz Liszt are all well known classical pianists.

Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Nat King Cole, and Count Basie are all well known jazz pianists.

Fats Domino, Little Richard, Billy Joel, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, and Freddie Mercury were all well known pop/rock pianists.

PDQ Bach, Tom Lehrer, and Victor Borge were all known for incorporating the piano into their comedy.

Otis Spann, Billy Preston, Charles Brown, Dr. John, and Ray Charles all offered up some great blues piano tunes.

Then, of course, there was Liberace … who played everything.

When I was young, I learned how to play the Hammond Organ. I wish I had learned how to play piano, though. Over the years, I have come to appreciate how talented piano players are. I can’t imagine playing one riff with one hand and a melody on the other.

The guilty pleasure song I wanted to share today features the piano and is played by a guy who I have written about before. TV and movie star Hugh Laurie had an album out a few years back called “Let Them Talk.” On this album, he plays the song Swanee River. The song was written by the great Stephen Foster back in 1851!

Hugh’s version is an amazing boogie woogie romp that you cannot help but tap your toes to. It is one of those “pick me up” songs. I find myself listening to it when I am feeling down. So for World Pianist Day, I apologize to the legendary pianists I mentioned early on, and offer up – Mr. Hugh Laurie.

Tune Tuesday – Hand Clappin’

Yesterday, November 6, was National Saxophone Day. It is celebrated on November 6, on the birthday of Antoine-Joseph ‘Adolphe’ Sax, the inventor of the saxophone. This soulful instrument has a rich history and musical range. It was prominent in many rock and roll records in the early 50’s; it always seemed to be featured as a solo instrument in the Big Band songs of the 40’s; and what would Wham’s Careless Whisper be with out the sax?

Maybe it is the “band geek” in me, but I love cool instrumentals. Today’s Tune Tuesday song features a fantastic saxophone player and basically one big sax solo. The song is called Hand Clappin’ by Red Prysock.

Red was born in 1926. He served in the US Army in World War II, where he learned how to play the saxophone. According to Wikipedia, he gained recognition by playing lead saxophone in Tiny Bradshaw’s band in 1952. He went on to lead his own band and in 1954 signed with Mercury Records. It was there that he had his biggest hit, our featured song, in 1955. That same year, he joined a band that played at DJ Alan Freed’s (the man who coined the phrase “Rock and Roll”) stage shows.

Speaking of “DJ’s,” many used Hand Clappin’ as their “Theme Song” throughout the 50’s and early 60’s. It is definitely what Jerry Lewis’s Nutty Professor character would call a “toe tapper.”

My dad is the one who introduced me to this one. We were out with my grandma one day garage sailing. My dad found the Mercury 45 in a bin of records and was amazed to have found it. He was so excited about it. We went home and he immediately put it on the turntable. It was like nothing I’d ever heard before. Give it a listen and let me know your thoughts.

Weekend Business

My last blog was a “throwaway.” I’ve had a lot going on, yet I was struggling to find something to write about. I stepped away for a couple days and now I have a few things worth sharing.

We Have a Street!

They finally blacktopped the street this weekend! They finished the driveways and sidewalks a couple weeks ago. They were out yesterday laying the final coat.

Of course, every one of us now has that “hay” on our lawns in hopes that it will grow into grass by next spring. They better be back to lay our walkway bricks back down. They took them out to dig up our yard and they are still stacked next to our porch.

Puppy VS Table

Those who have been following this blog know that before Ella was born, we turned our dining room into her room. The huge dining room table was moved to the basement for a bit. We brought it up for a short time, but with all of the toys and such in the living room, we took it back downstairs.

The kids have a little picnic table they eat at. Well, the puppy can jump up and grab all their food, so I mentioned that the old table should come back upstairs so the pup couldn’t jump up there. Sam reminded me of how big that table was and how we hardly have room, so we went out and bought a smaller table, which works fine and doesn’t take as much room.

Putting that table together was project #1 this weekend. Naturally, it is all put together with those Allen wrenches. The instructions said not to use power tools to put the table and chairs together, but I did anyway! I cannot stand what those wrenches do to my hand!

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like ….

My wife decided that since Halloween was over, it was time to put up the Christmas tree. So I dug through the boxes and such in the basement and found the tree. I drug it upstairs and put it together. No ornaments yet, but I did string the lights.

With the puppy, the cats, and the kids, I had to find a way to keep them away from and out of the tree. Sam reminded me that her dad bought us this play pen type thing that is meant to keep babies in when you’re outside. The tree fits perfectly!

Book Ordered

Finally, Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges gets a book! My pal, Geoff Dale has completed it and it is now available. Larry, Moe, and Curly all have books, and I cannot wait to read this one. He was, as the title proclaims, much more than a stooge! He starred in many solo shorts and appeared in many Abbott and Costello movies. This should be a very interesting read!

Testing, Testing

I haven’t talked much about it because I’d been so busy with other things (a poor excuse), but I have been back in my Bible classes. Over the past week and a half, I worked on tests for two classes. I was so glad to see that I passed both of them. Just started a third test today, and will chip away at it over the next day or two. Praying for similar results. I won’t be but a couple more weeks and I move on to the next semester.

Upcoming

The next Turntable Talk topic has been selected and I will be participating in it again. I’m not quite sure what angle I am going to take, but hope to know soon.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Thanks for reading

Fall Funny

Writer’s block today. Interestingly enough, November is National Novel Writing Month. This reminded me of one of my favorite Monty Python recordings, entitled “Novel Writing.”

I love how they take a thing like writing a novel and do a play by play and commentary for it. I hope you get a laugh or two from this…