Waiting All Day for Sunday Night

February is here! A shorter month but a nice one anyway.
I am participating in Sat 9 hosted by Sam Winters.

Saturday 9: Waiting All Day for Sunday Night (2012)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This week's Saturday 9 has a football theme because there's a big game Sunday. Will you be watching?
No.  Not interested in football or professional sports in general. Most of it is fixed anyway( do some research) and the Superbowl half time shows are ugly.  The glorification of these athletes and their over-inflated pay checks and self important views are distasteful to me.
2) The Super Bowl is a big day for food consumption in the US, second only to Thanksgiving. What's on your menu this weekend?
I think Beef Stew on Saturday. Sunday will be chicken or fish.
3) The NFL has decreed that the Super Bowl will never be played in a city that has a median February temperature of less than 50º. Would your hometown qualify for the Big Game?
My hometown would not nor is the high school stadium big enough to accommodate that kind of thing.

4) This version of the NFL theme song mentions the Steelers and the Broncos. During the regular season, which team do you root for? How did they do in 2019?
I don't cheer on any of them. Just completely not interested in any of it.Again, I find the players and their egos and the glorification of them objectionable.

5) This version of the Sunday Night Football song is by Faith Hill. She also has ties to the MLB, since her husband is Tim McGraw, son of the Mets' pitcher Tug McGraw. Which sport do you prefer -- baseball or football?
 Of the two, baseball.

6) Faith has performed live at more than one The Super Bowl in the past, performing both "America, the Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner." What's your favorite patriotic song?

The Star Spangled Banner because of it's absolutely glorious meaning. It is spine tingling.
Our flag was flying over the fort. The British demanded it be taken down and all surrender to them and their tyrannical government.  The fort was occupied by a small number of soldiers and many women and children.
The British began their evil bombing attack despite it being of no harm to them.
As the bombing continued, the people decided not to let that flag fall. So one by one they gathered round it to hold up the pole and let the flag fly as a symbol of resistance to tyrants and thugs.
Those who held it up were slaughtered, but new people took their places, one after the other until the flag was at last held up by a great , deep pile of dead patriots.  The fort was all but destroyed, people dead who were helpless against the bombs.
And the flag was still there.  It even chilled the English cold ,dead hearts to see that it was.
That is the origin of the poem which became our national anthem. Don't diss it around me! I'll kick your "ask".
7) She has a perfume line with Coty that was a big seller at CVS during Christmas 2018. What's the last item you bought at a drugstore?
Cotton wool.
8) Faith Hill is the producer of a talk show on CMT called Pickler and Ben. Is the TV on as you answer these questions? If so, what are you watching?
I shut off cable, don't have TV anymore.
9) Random question: You've got a chip in your hand and three dips to choose from -- guacamole, salsa, and onion. Where does your chip get dipped?
Onion dip or even spinach dip.. yum.
Guacamole and salsa are for tortilla chips.

Tomorrow is Sunday Stealing and i will be stealing along with the gang.

 

Nature.. Friday

Friday always arrives with anticipation of a lovely weekend, and many times that is true. I suppose it can always be true with the right attitude toward life and with an appreciation of nature around us.
Here are some  photos of nature from my neighborhood for Friday Photos and Skywatch Friday.

“Earth's crammed with heaven...But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.”
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aurora Leigh

"Everything in excess is opposed to nature.  " —Hippocrates

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. " —Lao Tzu

"Old dark sleepy pool . .  a frog leaps! Plop! Splash! " —
Basho

"Clouds come from time to time -and bring to men a chance to rest from looking at the moon."  —Basho

Tomorrow is Saturday 9

"Paul Clifford" Literary Pearls

This book''s opening line is very famous.

"It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of
wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the house-tops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness. Through one of the obscurest quarters of London, and among haunts little loved by the gentlemen of the police, a man, evidently of the lowest orders, was wending his solitary way. He stopped twice or thrice at different shops and houses of a description correspondent with the appearance of the quartier in which they were situated, and tended inquiry for some article or another which did not seem easily to be met with."
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton

This is an excerpt from English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1830 novel, "Paul Clifford"
It is the story of a man who leads a double life of aristocrat and highwayman. He is caught only to realize that the judge, who sentences him to death, is his long lost father.
You can find the book at Project Gutenberg Here. The book is considered a very culturally important work .

Do You Want To Build a Snowman? Tuesday 4

Tuesday and welcome! friends.
Here we go with another Tuesday 4:

1. Have you built snowmen, women or even entire families of snow people like little sister Tootie did in Meet Me in St. Louis?  
Did you use a carrot for the nose?   Tell us all about how it .

I have built some snowmen.  Nothing too big, nothing fancy but credible.

2. Are you hoping for snowmen to melt soon in hotter weather?  Tell us about your favorite time of year and please let us know why you love it. List some ingredient of that season that make it special for you.


I am not too  fond of people rushing through life and to me, that is what "can't wait" for the season to go away is.  We are meant to enjoy and use the time given to us and to be happy in our circumstances. Bloom where you are planted is more than just a location.
Life is short enough. We need to stop complaining about weather and get on with life.

3.Remember bundling up as a child? It took so long to do then you had to go potty and all those layers had to come off again!
Is dressing up something you enjoy doing ?  Why?

I love bundling up for winter and I love dressing up for nice occasions. Doesn't happen often enough to suit me. Why? It reminds me of the past when we dressed up to travel, go to movies, etc. No one was a sloppy and slovenly as they are today in ratty T shirts and jeans all the time.
 How you dress has a lot to do with what you are. and how you behave. That was once a proven fact, long forgotten today in an era of people who are way too laid back in so many ways.


4. In Frozen, the little girl desperately wants to reconnect with her sister and reminds her of the happy times of building snowmen.  Are you disconnected from anyone you'd love to reunite with?
What happy times with friends and siblings brings you fond memories and smiles to you?

I am not disconnected with anyone I want to reconnect with , no. They are disconnected for a reason.
All the happy times with family and friends throughout the year bring a lot of smiles and happiness.

Winter

There were thunderous ,torrential downpours for Saturday's weather but as I write this on Saturday night the rain has stopped.
Whatever the weather will be Sunday, it will be a day for stealing and I am joining in with the Sunday Stealing gang for yet another heist.
We are hosted by Bev Sykes:
" Hi! I'm your host Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!"



Winter questions stolen from Swap Bot
    How do you get past the gray skies during winter?   I don't want to get past them. I want to enjoy them. I look at things like this:  Summer skies are mostly sunny and even spring and fall are mostly sunny and warm. It's lovely to have  a change of scenery.. silver skies, not gray. White landscape. Silver and white are gorgeous together. When other seasons come you are ready to enjoy them as well. How great  it is to bundle up in wonderful warm coats and hats and scarves and a pair of lovely boots.  And when you come inside you are happy to be warm, happy to have a hot drink and meal, happy for a furnace or fire. You appreciate the indoors so much where you can be cozy and warm.  

   Do you like snow? Why or why not?
Oh, yes. It's a gift to condition soil.. to help plants grow in spring and it is so beautiful. If people learn to get around in it, and it is quite possible, there isn't too much of a problem. It gives children the joy of sledding, skating, snowmen and snowball fights.  

    What are your favorite activities to do during the winter?
Before I was disabled, they included skating and sledding and just running around in the snow in the yard.  And I love taking photos of the winter snow.  Now I am content to look at it and sometimes walk in it and of course sit in the garden and enjoy it.

    What does a perfect winter day look like to you?
Silver sky, whitened landscape, icy, blustery winds and glowing pink cheeks.

      What are your favorite meals/food you enjoy eating during the winter?
Chili, Irish stew,Rumbledethumps,  Colcannon, Italian foods.

    What is your favorite winter holiday and why?
I love the Christmas/Chanukah season with all the joy and lights. I love seeing everyone's houses lit up and looking so joyous and inviting.

    What is your favorite pizza flavor and toppings. Cheese pizza with mushrooms and roasted red peppers. There is a great kosher place where the pizza is some of the best I ever had. Just so good...!!!

 

    What are some items in your daily bag/ backpack.   In my purse: wallet, card holder, comb, tissues, lipstick.

 
    Your favorite snacks. Celery, carrots,almonds, peanut butter, apple, popcorn with no salt.

    Some foreign countries that you would like to visit  Wales , Tahiti, Portugal  

 

    What things that remind you of home

Kitchen scents, clean shiny floors, homemade afghans,pillows, tin ceilings in kitchen, Victorian woodwork, stained glass windows, needlepoint on chairs.

    If you have one, some items from your Amazon Wish list   I don't have an Amazon wish list. I don't like Amazon or anything to do with it. It makes people anti-social ("I hate crowds and people")    We are becoming an insular people who lack in social ability and getting along with others because people don't like  interacting with others anymore. Pretty soon friends, you will not find  many places to shop anymore.  It will soon be only Amazon and  that ilk etc. And you will be forced to buy cheap, shoddy foreign made products at very high prices.  Prices will soar once the competition is gone. As for a general non Amazon list: 1. a new roof 2. new sink and counter in kitchen because this one is just destroyed 3 money for garden plants this spring.

    What was your favorite Christmas gift? My favorite gifts for any time of year  are always what children made or bought for me.  

 Stop by again on Monday.

Go Where My Baby Lives

Hi friends,
 The week having sped by quickly, brings us to the end and to Saturday 9.
Saturday 9 is brought to us by our host Sam Winters:
"Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!"

click to visit 

Go Where Baby Lives (1957)

Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

1) The lyrics tell us that the girl of his dreams lives up on a hill. Is there a hill near your home? Or is the terrain pretty flat where you are?
There are hills around me in places here. .Overall, the NJ shore is very flat while the rest of NJ is not and we have the Appalachian mountains, the Kittatinny, the Ramapo Mountain range, the Palisades  and the Watchung Mountains.

Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey

Kittatinny mountains , NJ

Ramapo Mountains, NJ

Lower Manhattan seen from the Watchung Mountains in New Jersey

Appalachian Trail in New Jersey

New Jersey Palisades that separate New York  and New Jersey. That's the Hudson River.

2) Another clue to her whereabouts is that she's about a mile from town. Will you be staying close to home this weekend, or will you be traveling a mile or more?

I don't have any travel plans but I I would love to go out. It's been a long while and I am suffering from cabin fever.

3) Sam admits she's crazy about the sax solo. Is there a particular musical instrument that you love to listen to?

There are a lot of them that I like. Violin, classical guitar, piano, pipe organ to name a few. 

4) This is the only record The Strollers made for States, a company based out of Chicago. States was only in existence for five years (1952-57) and this was the 63rd or 64 records released before they went out of business. Tell us about a business in your neighborhood that recently closed their doors.

 There is a boat sales place that seems not to be there anymore. The place looks deserted for a while now. Our local Merle Norman  store owner closed so she  could retire. No one took over the business though she did a really very profitable business here.

5) More than 60 years after its initial release, this song enjoyed new popularity when Xfinity used it in commercials for their WiFi. What company is your internet service provider? Are you happy with it?
Comcast Xfinity. No, I am not happy with them as service is spotty and poor. But you get charged for times it is down , which is often. And, adding to that, they are   s   l   o   w .  Nope, not happy at all.
Sick of the internet monopoly too. No choice.  Also their deals are scams and your bill creeps up higher and higher each month.  I got rid of TV because of  that. Without cable we get zero reception here at all on television because of our unique position. Even before cable people living here could not really receive reception even from NYC or Philadelphia stations without a super powerful antenna.
 
6) In researching this week's song, Sam googled "strollers" and was surprised to discover how many different types of baby buggies are available today. When did you most recently push a child in a stroller?
Only 8 years ago.

7) In 1957, the year this song was released, President Eisenhower celebrated his second inaugural with a parade featuring more than 50 marching bands. The mercury never quite reached 45º that day. How's the weather outside your front door?

Today (Friday late  afternoon) it has just begun to rain and rain is expected through tomorrow.


8) One of the best-selling books of 1957 was Peyton Place. This steamy saga of small town life launched two films, two television series, and several made-for-TV movies. Is there a book that you

David Nelson, Hope Lange in Peyton  Place 1957

enjoyed that was successfully turned to a movie?
I am not a big reader of novels like that as I prefer to see the movie. I've seen all the Peyton Place movies,not in their time but as reruns on TV or on YouTube,etc.  I really enjoyed the Peyton Place ones.  
So I don't know if Peyton Place was true to the novel.
I think the Spenser For Hire was a good job with interpreting the books as is the Jesse Stone series. I also think most of the Jane Austen movies were very well done and true to the novels. A Christmas carol is another book that translated well in movie form.

9) A Peyton Place-inspired question: Can a man be physically unfaithful to a woman, but still love her?
Sure, of course. And vice versa for a woman. 
Of course it depends on the situation and the person. 
Look, we all do things we  should not do.  
 Some people's sins are more visible than others, some more hidden but everyone has done things they should not do both big things and small things.  
Some people are weak in some ways but it does not mean they are incapable of love.  If you think it over a person can absolutely not love you at all and be very faithful to you anyway.  People are complex beings.
So.. now turn this around a bit.  If someone says they really do love you and yet cheats.. can you forgive?  That may be a bigger test of love.


Tomorrow is Sunday Stealing. Will you be stealing with us?

Friday Photos and Skywatch

A cold week has flown by amazingly fast.
I spent much of it studying the real history of King Arthur, Artorius Rex in Wales in the dark ages.
 I am up too late tonight hearing a lecture and studying. I am very sleepy but, this is too good.
For Friday Photos and Skywatch Friday.
Here are some photos  outside ....

sunset over the phragmites

And Inside.....

my mother's Hummels

In the middle of setting the table for company.Not done yet...

Eventide lamp light

The kitchen has changed a bit, but not much over all.

Saturday 9 is coming up.
If you didn't read yesterday's post.. maybe  you would like to scroll down and see it.

Being Thankful

How does one be thankful or grateful when things are not going well in life? 
Is it by focusing more on things that are right and keeping them ever present in mind?

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
 Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. —Psalm 100