Bittersweet

I find this day bittersweet. Today my Mom would have turned 88. Noisemakers' Dad would have turned 100. Yesterday, my stepson turn 43! I have a few days left, whereby I am closing in on the same age as my height! Too boot with that, I have long since passed my bust size. Lord have mercy on my soul.

On the happy side of life, I recall a night I spent entertaining my Mom and my Auntie Annie. I played them John Prine. My Aunt listened to the words, she cried - hell - everyone cried. The song was Hello In There ~ John Prine.

To which we all have memories, to me ~ they all warm my heart.

All I Want To Do...

ah, too funny - all I want to do is laugh. I had such a good day yesterday - cooking supper, listening to Ed Sullivans' PBS program. I had mikes I had never used before. Salt and Pepper Shakers, a pink spatula, - dancing in the kitchen abounds!

I had heard on the news about Sarah - oh Sarah. That woman must get educated, fast, in order to serve. I was wondering if her time living in Alaska and seeing all those northern lights has not put some brutal wave lengths on her mind.

Yes, I am still trying to fine a digital camera...nothing comes easy on the mountain side. There is not a Walmart, a box store in near a 2 1/2 drive...and I wonder - why do I live here?

oh, alas, I know - yep - Everyone Wants To Know - how long it takes for 'snow to turn to water'.

:)

Birthday Greetings!

Happy Birthday to two
You both know who you are
Keep me laughing
Because I am younger than you

Best Wishes - hope your special day is as special as you.

What A Morning It Has Been

At 12:30 a.m. we were awaken by near a bomb going off in our home, the downstairs fan blew a spoke. Noisemaker fixed what he could fix in the darkness and a first light, he went to investigate further.

While he was fixing, I was out on the porch in -30 weather, (many curse words) that is cold, cold, weather - having a cigarette. I got this song in my head, an irish jig.

Donald, where's your trousers...
let the wind blow high
let the wind blow low
lalalalala

I danced! I laughed, I thought of Lydia - she would love Donald without his trousers!

After settlement of the fan explosion, I figured I may as well bake up some Nuts and Bolts. In cutting up the butter - I was thinking and wiggling to ...Donald, where's your trousers - not paying attention to where the knife was situated - I slit a good portion of my index finger on the right hand off. Oh my, did it bleed. It was bleedsmucksville. If I lived near a clinic - yep - I would have a stitch or two, 3, 4...5?

Do you know how hard it is to type, with an invalid, right index finger.

Do you know - do men wear underwear under those kilts?

Donald, where's your trousers...
let the wind blow high
let the wind blow low

Kick up the kilt in the summer - Donald.
Lydia will be waiting.

Donald Where's Your Trousers - Andy Stewart
Reference to Donald and Lydia - John Prine

Welcome

Welcome, akwaya100 ~ nice, that you are now one of the flock of doves. Sit a spell, do not fall off your perch.

"the dove of love, fell of the perch" ~ John Prine ~ The Missing Years

A Winter Wonderland?

Some folks would call where I live a winter wonderland, I call it he*l on earth. It snowed 4" overnight and the wind is 16 strong winds not Four Strong Winds. I was out to shovel, well, as best as I could - lord, it hurts my wrists lifting that snow filled shovel. I neglected to put my long johns on the first time around; oh my how I paid. I have allergy to cold, I break out in hives. As soon as I felt it coming on I raced down the path and got my long john attire on, rested and headed back out.

I walked up to the roadway and here comes the plough boys, I cursed under my breath. He is a gentleman, the driver ploughboy - he yelled at me, Sorry. I waved, smiled, and cursed under my breath again.

Our local weather forecast says we are going to receive five days of snow and near -25 degrees. I am will probably freeze in the white stuff while shovelling it.

ah, but tomorrow night is Lotto Max night, I bought a ticket - now could you all lotto pray for me, please! Oh, while you are praying for that - pray to the god of cold and snow - tell him to cease and desist!

Living on the Mountain Side

On Monday, Noisemaker and I made a two hour drive to shop at Wally World. Good lord, I near hit the brink. Let me try to explain what it is like to shop with Noisemaker (he is worse than any woman I know). First you have to get the biggest shopping cart there is; he proceeds up and down every aisle there is -- well, except for one - he skips the feminine hygiene aisle. I can do about three aisles and then I have had it. I am not one for shopping. I enter a store, I have a list - I get what is on the list and get the heck out. ah, not Noisemaker. He loves to shop.

I left about aisle four and stepped outside. I came back - geez, he is still on the same aisle. He is stuck on some dishcloths, that was on the list. He wants microfibre ones (will add to this when we get to the automotive aisle).

Noisemaker diddles along; I found a bunk so I sat down figuring I cannot win this shopping situation, so I will rest. There seems to be a trio of important Wally World people doing something. They rather peered at me while I was sitting on the end bunk - ask me did I need help. I told them - yep, I do - I need you to go over there to that man in the black jacket and tell him to speed up, wife is tired...all they did was laugh at me!

Hours pass by. I can hear my stomach, I need something to eat and I proceed to go and find Noisemaker. I am strolling around and pass the automotive aisle - there he is! He has found some microfibre rags, a big huge bag of them! He thinks he has found the mother lode. I am thinking -lord, have mercy on my soul. I tell him, oh yes, these will be great, direct them to the cart so we can get the heck out of there.

We return to the mountain side in one heck of a storm. There is big wind, freezing rain mixed with snow and myself in general irritation. We have to unpack. I am thinking to myself, I have to walk in the snow, I am so afraid of falling, I am terrified. I went very slow, did two loads and then went inside to unpack everything. All went well.

That night, the next two days, the power goes off...comes back on...then goes off. We have spent hours like this, however, life goes on. Noisemaker decides to look at the microfibre so called dish cloths (rags) he has purchased.

Too damn funny, he opens the bag up - there is an assortment of colors, varying in size, and truly I had no words. The next day I did laundry and included all these cloths. Today, I tried one - let me tell ya - these cloths are the next best thing since me and sliced bread!

Neil Young - Long May You Run - The Illustrated History

Neil Young
Long May You Run
The Illustrated History
Daniel Durchholz & Gary Graff

Yes, I continued to read this book and continue to thank my brother for purchasing it for me. About a week ago I was reading page 83 and it continued me to page 91.

No problem. Let me type out the last line of page 83 -

quote
"Young concluded, "Nineteen-seventy-four was the swan song of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young for me."
end quote

I had noisemaker check to be certain, I am not derailing.

I continue on to page 91 - here is what is written on the page

quote
"was crumbling, too, and he asked that she vacate the ranch."
end quote

I go back to noisemaker and repeat - ah, and oh alas - we agree! Happy Days!

Now as for Mr. Durchholz and Mr. Graff - I have been searching for them. Also the editors Ibister and Pernu to no avail.

It is stated on the back page of page 3 - the legal page (I can't remember what they call that page..?).

quote
"This publication has not been prepared, approved, or licensed by Neil Young, his management, or any affiliated entities or corporations."
end quote

Last wording on the page
quote
"Printed In China"
end quote

Happy Birthday Neil!

My, my - hey, hey

Neil Young is 65 today!

I was just over to visit thrashers wheat - see:

www.thrasherswheat.org/

holy smucksville - I'm scrolling down and there is an advertisement for Bruce Springsteen. I search frantically thinking ~ where's Johnny.

Cheers, Neil.

Lydia

My dear Lydia has been packed away for the winter. She had a trying spring; summer was faded, and fall was delightful. Donald came to visit several times throughout the seasons. Unfortunately, Donald will never make it to visit her in the snow.

Lydia's attire faded fast, the sun was blistering. Her blue flannel shirt was white, her once blue jeans were also white, when she was laid to rest. ah, but do not worry - she will rise up again like the mighty Phoenix! Donald - will once, again be behind the woodshed - praying he never gets caught.

Personally, I pray I can walk in this white sh*T. I was hanging onto the walking stick like - well, I have no description - yesterday when I made it from home to the mailbox/return - and I did not break anything - Smucksville! I am terrified of walking in snow. Truly, I cannot afford to break anymore bones. Two nose breaks, one wrist break, one tendon break - and living on the side of the mountain - yep - that is enough for me...and I so miss the digital. :(

Happy Birthday, Brett

Oops, sorry and apologies for being one day late. Due to power bumps and outages, I dare not linger to long on the internet.

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday Dear Grampa
Could you sing me a Prine song
Real soon

Happy Birthday, Brett
Happy Birthday to my brother, Bob

Photo Credit - Gramma Ferguson

The Shameless Flirt!

We had to travel to the village yesterday, the van had to be repaired and we had to get some groceries. Coupon heaven, I was in. I love my coupons. I try hard to stretch that dollar as far as it will go. Sometimes the cashiers are truly amazed at my coupons. Many times the folks behind me in line are frustrated; thinking to themselves - ah, this stupid woman and her coupons. It does take all kinds to make the world go around.

While grocery shopping, two men winked at me! That is right - me! I could not believe it; I have not been winked at in years. I wrote it all down as a good hair day and the progress of man!

...then the coal company came with the worlds' largest shovel

and they tortured the timber and left all the land

well, they dug for their coal til the land was forsaken

then they wrote it all down as the progress of man

and daddy won't you take me back to Mulhenburg County

down by the Green River where Paradise lay

well, I am sorry my son - but you're too late in asking

Mr. Peabody's coal train has hauled it away

John Prine - Paradise