Scoo, bee, doo, be, dooo, bee, dooo.

I'm stuck in nostalgia this morning.

I was fortunate to grow up in an era where beautiful songs were written, lyrics told a story, generally love stories.  They were slow, and I swayed back and forth as I hummed them in my head.  Song writers were magicians, their words and music weaved a spell, we walked through a room of smoke and mirrors until we became the song.

This morning a particular song has been weaving in and out of the smoke filled recesses of my brain. At this moment I don't even recall its name, but here are the words I recall so far..."just a passing glance, just a brief romance,...might have ended.....da, da, da.

Dang it!

It was probably written for a Broadway play, maybe back in the '30's or 40's.  Maybe by Gershwin, or maybe Berlin.  I know I'm not going to be able to move on to something else today until I find this song on the Net, read it, find out who wrote it and sing it either in my head or out loud (which won't be pretty...that's for sure).

I've always appreciated the songs from the '30's, 40's and even several from the '50's...then something happened, we started listening to songs about blueberry hills, hound dogs and heartbreak hotels.  Oh, they were clever, and we were still able to memorize the words and sing along, it was still okay.  But, over the decades since I have to confess I find songs written today for the most part are repetitious and not really even sung...but shouted...very, very loudly.  Sigh, I don't even turn on my radio to listen to music, but play old tapes and CD's.  I know, I know I'm old...and nostalgic.

Dang it!

I'm good with letting the 'young folk' have their music, I'm thankful I don't have to listen to it, and who knows, maybe somebody in their late teens and early twenties today in another five or so decades will be sitting at some kind of newfangled technology saying to themselves...'what was the name of that song...Scoo, bee, doo, be, dooo, bee, dooo?  I bet ya' fifty cents it didn't tell a beautiful story, like the one below.

Nat King Cole – Fascination Lyrics

It was fascination

I know

And it might have ended

Right then, at the start

Just a passing glance

Just a brief romance

And I might have gone

On my way

Empty hearted

It was fascination

I know

Seeing you alone

With the moonlight above

Then I touch your hand

And next moment

I kiss you

Fascination turned to love

It was fascination

I know

Seeing you alone

With the moonlight above

Then I touch your hand

And next moment

I kiss you

Fascination turned - to - love

Songwriters: OAKEY, PHILIP/CALLIS, JO /

Fascination lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 

Peerrmusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group

Oh, how I wish something like that had happened to me.  A balcony, crickets singing, slight summer breeze, gardenias in the air...a silhouette standing in the open French doors...a gentle tap on my bare shoulder..."then he touched my hand and next moment he kissed me, fascination turned to love."

Sigh! 

This blog is...

...about the Bible, so, if this subject offends you, this is the place to stop reading.  That's your right and I respect that.

Over the years, and on my own I've studied the Bible a lot.  I've read it cover to cover twice.  Both times I learned many things but I always felt something was missing.  So, I mentioned that to my Bible Study mentor, saying "I know what happens in the Bible, but I don't really know the 'people' in the Bible, I wish I could learn about the people."

To my absolute delight the next week she showed up with one of their publications called "Imitate Their Faith".  And, over the year we learned about the Bible figures Abel, Noah, Abram, Ruth, Hannah, Samuel, Abigail, Elijah, Jonah (my favorite), Esther, Mary and Joseph (Jesus earthly mother and father), Martha an finally Peter (my second favorite). Oh, I can't wait to meet them in paradise...the questions I want to ask.

Sadly, last week we finished the book, we have the conclusion to go which we are going to try to stretch out to at least two or maybe three weeks.  Then we are hoping we might be privy to a miracle and a new book comes out with additional personalities in the Bible.  I hope, I hope.

I can't tell you just how much I've learned from these historical people, and how much I want to spent the rest of my life imitating their faith.  For instance I learned from Peter when he asked Jesus how many times he was required to forgive someone who sinned against him...the law of at the day said "only three", Peter wanting to sound generous asked Jesus, "Up to seven?"  Imagine his surprise when his Lord replied, "Not up to seven, but up to seventy-seven times."  See how we've strayed from what is expected of us?  We can barely admit we've made a mistake much less forgive even once.

Oh, I'm the most guilty of all.  How long did I hold a grudge against Bird Lady?  And, who was I really hurting by doing so?  Certainly not her. And, surprisingly once I let go of the grudge and forgave her the weight was lifted from my heart and life was good again.

So, you see, I have learned a great deal from all the people in the Bible, they were human, they had frailties, some were reluctant to do the job God set forth for them to do. Some had to endure hardship, some acted totally out of love for their fellow man. I want to spend the rest of my life becoming a better Christian and imitate the faith of my Bible brothers and sisters...I don't think the road will be easy, I don't think it's supposed to..I don't think I want it to...I think I will learn to be a better person by making some mistakes along the way.

Ooops

Sometimes things happen totally out of anybody's control.  All you can do is see the humor in it, and move on.  My next door neighbor's daughter is staying with them for a while.  She has two dogs. Their yard is very small, so I said they could use my back yard for a little more space for them to roam.  So far it's been working pretty well.  Sometimes they give Zorro a fright when I put him out not realizing they are out as well, and they come bounding over to my little garden fence to say hello. (I put the fence there to keep Zorro from making unexpected visits to her kitchen to munch her kitty's kibble.) Though the dogs are both friendly, they are quite a bit larger than my pooch, and mine being such a chicken around other dogs, high-tails it to my sliding door.

Anyway, as I say this routine has been working well, when they want to use my back yard they politely open and close my little garden gate each and every time.

Ooops, night before last something went a-miss. I have a little garden of shrubs running along the wall of my morning room and while my neighbor's daughter's dogs were out for their final 'business run', one of them saw some creature (probably a mole) tunneling in the garden.  Now, no dog in its right mind could overlook a temptation like that, and he worked, (dug) mightily to catch the creature. In the meantime, dirt and ground cover went helter-skelter.  Oh, that dog had a high old time!

Yesterday morning when I opened my drapes I noticed my neighbor had made alterations to her deck gate making it impossible for anybody or thing to get on or off the deck.  I was very curious.  It happened I saw her as she was getting ready to leave for work and inquired if there was a problem of some sort, as it was strange her deck gate was closed...it never is.

She proceeded to tell me about the 'dig', and said she couldn't really talk but that she had written me an e-mail to explain.  Overcome with curiosity I turned on my computer and read her note.  Oh my, she was so apologetic, and embarrassed that her dog had done damage to my garden.

Now I was even more curious and made a beeline to check out the garden. Oh...my...goodness. I started to laugh...her dog had had one heck of a good time digging.  He followed the creature's trail all along the outer edge of the garden for quite a distance.  It was a very neat dig...there weren't piles, the dirt was evenly distributed along the dig.  Seriously, there was no way I could have been angry or upset about what the dog had done, his work was as professional as though a construction worker had dug a trench. Matter of fact considering how hard he had worked at digging I wish he would have caught whatever it was, he should have enjoyed the fruits of his labor.

Also, on the up side of this ooops, that soil sure got a good aeration, since I never think of taking a hoe and loosening the soil in any of my gardens, ever.

So it was sometime yesterday afternoon my neighbor placed the dirt back where it belongs.  She did a darn good job, too.  I might lose a little of the ground cover, but it was overgrowing the garden anyway, so I don't much care about the loss.

I guess since I'm older things like a dog's dig, or a stupid, frail bamboo fence attached to my white vinyl one with 'floral wire' don't bother me a bit.  Heck, "...a trouble's a ton, or a trouble's an ounce, or a trouble is what you make it"...and a bit of dirt flung hither and yon by an exuberant pup, for me is not a trouble at all.

50 things!

Since I've been looking at retirement complexes for Rambling Old Women, I happened to check into a popular company that advertises they will help a person find 'a place for mom'.  I'm getting e-mail from them.  Don't get me wrong, so far every place I've checked into has been wonderful, and since I am a novice at this business I appreciate all the information I've been receiving by phone, e-mail and 'snail mail' as well.  Truth be told, I'm loving this experience.

But, I'm starting to digress...again.

Anyhoo!

This morning I got an e-mail from one of these places that suggests I read their article titled something like 50 things to do to stay young.  I thought, "what the heck", and clicked on the article. Yep, there it was a list of things to do.  I began to scroll down through the list.

I was surprised to see there are some I've already done, like try an unusual food, frog legs and escargot for instance.  Also, since I frequently work with paper while doing art work, I tend to color and doodle while waiting for inspiration to wop me upside the head.  I also tend to make paper airplanes from the scraps of doodled paper, some of which easily sail all the way across my living room.

Of course, there are more normal things I've done, and do as well, such as eat cookies with milk, watch sunrises and sunsets, and play hide and seek with Zorro...I got him good one day last week.

There was on the list a few things I know I won't do, like ride in a hot air balloon (I've seen what happens when a ride goes bad).  I also will not go on a boat ride (water terrifies me).

Surprisingly, there are some items on the list I want to do, like, write words to a song and make up a secret code.  I want to wear a funny hat in public...perhaps one of those I made a couple years ago.  I'd like to (actually) get out of my comfort zone and try something scary...perhaps climb a ladder and sit on the peak of my roof.

Then again, I guess I don't need a list.  I've got plenty going on in my daily routine what with Frankie, Zorro and CC living with me.  I never know what to expect day by day.  Or, like my daughter and I say "Age is just a number."  They come, they go. Today is the oldest I've ever been and I feel quite lucky because this morning I woke up on the up-side of the sod.

Tick-tock, tick-tock

It's 1 AM.

Frankie is already  in bed, I've finished work on the computer and trying to play a game of Hearts. Things are not going well...stupid Queen of Spades.  I decide it's time I hit the sheets as well.

Me: "Mumble, mumble, mumble, gripe, sputter, mumble, mumble."

I'm walking through the house.  It was a beautiful day, I had the windows open as well as the sliding door, and (apparently) I forgot to close some of the windows when it got dark and the house had gotten quite cold. So, as I'm getting ready for bed, I'm heating up my rice socks to warm my cold tootsies. This time of year I keep the socks on top of my refrigerator 'just in case'.  I've already heated two of them, but when I reach for the third my fingertips hit nothing but the top of the fridge, I feel around....the third and fourth socks are not where they (dum, dum, dum) should be. I'll be dang, two of them are missing,

As I've mentioned before (frequently) I can't multi-task anymore, and I figure I must have put the missing two socks down (somewhere) as I went through the house closing windows hence:


Me:  "Mumble, gripe, sputter, mumble."

By now I'm not being quiet about this whole business, I'm slamming doors and kitchen drawers.

Me:  "Where the heck did I put those two socks?"

Zorro has joined the search.

Frankie:  (Scratching her butt and yawning.)  What's ya' doin'?"
Me:  "My socks, I can't find two of my rice socks.  I must have put them down somewhere and now I can't find them."

Frankie is full of useless questions, did I check here, did I check there?

Me:  "Yes, yes, yes, yes....yes."
Frankie:  "Do you really need all four? Can't we look for the other two tomorrow morning?"
Me:  "Of course we could, but I don't want to.  I want those socks and I want them NOW."

Ever practical Frankie suggests perhaps I absent mindlessly slipped the cold ones between the sheets along with the heated ones.  I look at her like she's nuts, but we head to the bed to look.  Nope, only the two heated ones were there, doing a dang good job too, I might add.

We're checking all the rooms (again), even the ones neither Frankie or I had visited during day. We got 'nuttin'...I confess I'm ready to give up and decide Frankie is right, in the morning with a clear head, I will find the missing socks.  I'm distressed, I hate leaving a job undone. But, I brush my teeth, turn off the bedroom heat and slip into bed.

Me:  "Sigh!"

I get comfortable, Zorro eases himself under the covers beside me and CC decided to join us.  She wants to settle on my chest, but since I'm working a crossword puzzle I need that space myself and straighten out my legs so she can lay there.

My foot touches some kind of a lump.  "What the heck is THAT?"  I say in a rather loud voice.

Frankie comes running into the room.

I secure the object between my feet and pull my legs up toward my chest till I can physically grab the lump.

It's one of the missing socks.  (Color me meek, flustered and very, very embarrassed.) Yes, apparently I had forgotten to remove them from the bed when I made it in the morning.

Frankie is darn near hysterical, rolling around on the bed hugging her sides.  I hate when she does that.  Not only do I have to fess up to pulling a stupid stunt, I have to endure the humiliation of Frankie's glee...yes, glee.  She loves it when something happens that I can't blame on her.

Eventually she gets done with her giggles and goes back to bed, while I trudge back out to the kitchen.  Oh, you bet ya'...I'm not going to throw those missing socks on top of the fridge...I'm warming those suckers up...they're going to bed with me.

It's 1:30 AM.

When all at once...



...I saw a crowd of golden daffodils.

I'm not sure why every year it comes as such a delightful surprise, but it does.  Those golden daffodils...starting as green sword shaped leaves pushing themselves through the earth.  When they do I know spring is getting close, and as they get taller and taller I scrutinize each patch looking for buds. It seems each year there are not going to be any. Then one morning I see bulges at the ends of some of them, and day by day they crook over and I know something wonderful is going to happen.

This morning, I can barely wait.  The bulges have grown and are turning yellow, there are dozens of them.  Come golden daffodils...hurry...fast.  I planted the bulbs years ago, and I've done nothing to encourage their growth, yet on their own they've multiplied, so that in a week or so my front yard flower garden will be filled with sunshine yellow. There are enough this year I'm even willing to share some of them so that slugs can have a picnic.

It's strange, no matter how cold, how warm, how wet or how dry the winter is those charming bulbs know exactly what to do and when to do it.  All I have to do is practice patience,  and impatiently wait for the miracle to happen.  Oh, and it will...it is.

I hope my golden blooms bring joy to my neighbors, too, as they walk or drive by. It's my gift to them, and here's a gift for you...I know you saw this coming....

Daffodils

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed--and gazed--but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.  

William Wordsworth
1770-1850

Something weird...

has happened.

I've been exercising for about five and a half months now, it's been hard because basically...well...I'm a lazy person.  Physical activity is not something I take to easily. I kicked, I screamed, I tried to bribe my doctor.  Eventually we made a deal.  If I was still exercising after six months, she had to buy something from my store (of course I'm not going to hold her to that...and I'm sure she does not even remember the deal), anyhoo, here I am into my exercise program to the extent that if  I have a day I don't exercise I feel guilty.  Is that nuts or what?

Anyway, I'm at the point that I've added ankle and hand weights to my program every day.  I can't believe I'm admitting this...I like it, I can feel my muscles coming back to life.  I hadn't realized just how much they have until a couple of nights ago when I happened (for what ever reason) to glance at my left forearm.  I saw this thing...this funny looking thing stretching from my wrist all the way up to the inner side of my elbow.  What the heck?

I pushed on it, it gave a little under the pressure of my fingers, but stayed in place, what was this?  I pulled up my sleeve and checked out my upper arm as I curled it up I discovered there was a bump there too.  Holy crap!

A jumble of emotions flowed through me.  I was getting muscle tone!

Here's the thing.  I didn't realize it was gone.  Boy...was it gone.  When did it go? Why hadn't I noticed it was gone?  How come I apparently didn't care that it was?
I felt a little sick to my stomach. I also felt ashamed, because as I inspected these odd looking new shapes, they seemed not to fit my body anymore, especially since old age flab still hung loosely along the bottom side of my arm.  I felt embarrassed as well that I had allowed my body to become in such deplorable condition...shame on me.

On the other hand, I felt surprise, delight and pride, in only five short months I can see the physical results that exercise works.  Don't get me wrong, is new program is not easy, there are days I want to say 'screw it' and go back to my normal, lazy, do nothing life style...ahhh, those were the good old days.  You've no idea how much I hope that doesn't happen because indeed something weird has happened.  I feel better.  I've more energy.  I breathe better.  I sleep better.  I've more strength in my arms and legs.  I don't want to stop this program.

Oh, I'm realistic enough to know the odds are nil to none against me doing this for the rest of my life, but I want to continue, I really, really do.  Lord willing and if the creek don't rise maybe, just maybe I will.