Walk - Sleep - Walk - Sleep

I've ended up shoveling enough to tuck my car back in to the spot where it was until yesterday. I parked along the side of the road last night. It's the snow on the other side of the car that I had to shovel. What you see in the photo is allowed to stay till it melts.

The favorite ex was just here and she's going home for a nap. I think do the same. I started a while ago but the phone rang then I shovelled and now I'm here. I still haven't had my walk but have a sore hip so may forego that.

For music today a couple of songs by Sia. Little Black Sandals (she's walkin' away) has nice rhythm and Sia's unique voice and lyrics make this nice. I Go To Sleep is from her too I'm taking her advice. That's just what I'm going to do.

Puppy Kisses

I live in a two channel universe. Yes, only two channels. You'd think I resided on the dark continent or somewhere remote but it's just a choice. I kick myself though, when I hear about something as exciting as the Discovery Channel's Sunday night broadcast, Planet Earth. Oprah was just promoting it and I've been hearing about it elsewhere. It's the kind of TV or movie I really enjoy. It is going to be available on DVD, a coffee table book is going to be published, and next year a movie will be released. That's good news for me because...I live in a two channel universe.

Town day today - errands and some fun too. Friends who make you laugh are worth their weight in gold. I can never let enough laughter. I had to shovel myself out at the top of the driveway and am hoping we have some melting because otherwise I have more shovelling to get down to the bottom.

I discovered Martin Sexton at the same folk festival where I first heard The Waifs in 2001. I bought his CD, Black Sheep and it is very good but it didn't do justice to his live performances. He is one of the best live performers I've ever seen just because of his personal energy. He seemed to connect with each of the audiences and was a natural percussionist with little beats here and there on his guitar. I have the cd but didn't have any on my computer. I picked up a song today which I share with you now. Here's Glory Bound. Because today I left my remote little two channel universe and headed to the big city, here's Sinead Lohan with Out of the Woods. I've direct linked them and will try to do that most days but you can find them on Page Two.

Mourning in March

My Dad as a Teenager

Reality takes another bite. I spent the morning on the phone with a friend of thirty years. Her Dad died yesterday. He had cancer and was getting sicker but they had no idea that his death was iminent. She visited him at his home on Sunday. He was in hospital less than twenty four hours. Her dad was the same age as mine and a retired RCMP officer. Another funeral for me this week and I honestly don't know if I can take that again so soon.

We didn't get a lot of snow in our storm but what we got was blown around by very fierce winds. It is still very windy today which I'm sure has caused bad road conditions with the drifting snow. Schools were closed for the day and some businesses. A day off walking and dancing. Since I spent the morning on the phone, I had other stuff to do.

Music for my friend's Dad to help him pass through or to comfort my friend is provided by Van Morrison and Bob Dylan, the most spiritual of songwriters. Across the Bridge Where Angels Dwell is from Van's album, Beautiful Vision. Knocking on Heaven's Door has Van and Bob singing live at an unnamed concert. Here's a link to Whenever God Shines his Light.

Mistica Marmelade

From Sunday's Drive

It's really, really windy but hasn't started to snow. A good excuse to stay inside, I say. I've hardly been home the last three days so it's great to be home piddling around on the web, painting, cleaning, cooking and simple things like that. There's no place like home.

My daughter needs me to do some banking for her here but it can wait till Friday. We often talk on the phone when she's commuting on busses and walking through the city. Today she took two busses and walked one stretch of 20 blocks and I'm not sure how many she'd done when we started our conversation. She certainly gets her exercise. She wants a car though. It would make it easier and save time but she'll lose out on all that exercise. I almost wrote fresh air but she lives in the middle of a city so it's probably not like the sea breezes around here.

Needless to say, this was a dancing day. A couple of days ago I had some French rap; today some Latin rap. Orishas is a European band with one member from Spain, one from France and one from Italy. Their song Mistica is good rap for dancing. If it's violent, I don't know because I can't underestand it.

I've been dancing to Patti LaBelle's Lady Marmelade since 1970. I put up someone elses version in Page One but never Pattie's. Here today, and forevermore on Page Two is Lady Marmelade by the great, Patti LaBelle.

Mamas

Isabelle's funeral was a lot harder than I thought it would be. The fact that it was the aniversary of my Mom's death I had considered. My undoing was hearing the priest say those same words they all say at a funeral. I'd forgotten about that part. I spent the afternoon with lots of people I hadn't seen in a long time, which is the only good part of funerals.

As predicted, we've not seen the end of snow. It's beautiful today but tomorrow we're supposed to get a few centimeters in flurries blown around by strong winds. Nothing startling to hear when living on an island in the Atlantic, I guess.

Music today is again for Isabelle and for my Mom. A song from Page One called Mama's Chant by Nil Lara. My Mom loved Johnny Cash so the wonderful song, When I Stop Dreaming is by him. I Still Miss Someone is by Johnny and Bob and that is dedicated especially to my Mom.

Folk Music Day

We are blessed today with beautiful weather that is continuing through tomorrow. I was in town running errands today so did my walking that way instead of out here in the beautiful countryside. I purposly park my car far from doors now and don't drive from one end of the mall's parking lot to the other to visit other stores. I walk.

I have a friend coming to stay for three days next week. She reacts to paint fumes and her husband is going to paint so she's coming out for an annual visit to the country. Her husband paints something at least once a year. If he doesn't, we pretend he did.

I'm not finished with spring music. I know it's been beautiful weather and all but we will still have some cold weather and maybe even some snow. It is still March after all. Spring Is Just Around the Corner is a great number from Sasha Dobson's album Modern Romance. You know how much I like Greg Brown. He does a great song called Spring And All that is pretty cool. I love his simple songs and original phrases. In this one I like the "two bourbon twilight, fall from God's cigar." It's a folk music day.

The Circle Of Life

This is my friend's horse, about to foal. I talked to my sister this morning and she was talking about her new calf with another coming any day. Spring and rebirth.

It's also a time for dying. I spent the afternoon with a friend whose mother died yesterday. Mine died nine years this coming Tuesday and another friend's Mom died eleven years on Tuesday. The end of March and early April is a time with many birthdays.......so many Aries. Always there are these dichotomies in our lives.

It was a nice day for driving around. I stopped at a little waterfall dam for a couple of photos. The snow is pretty much gone with bits here and ther at edges of woods or in ditches.


My friend's mom, Isabelle, was of Irish parents. I believe they immigrated when she was a baby. Music is dedicated to her today. From the Irish singer, Mary Black, is Lay Down Your Burden. I met Isabelle in the seventies long before I met her daughter who was to become my friend. She was a fine woman, a mother of eight and had a constant smile on her face. She will really be missed in her community and in her family. Another song for Isabelle is In The Great Unknown by Mary Fahl. Rest in Peace, Isabelle.

Sat ur day

Every time I walk to the beach I see this screw hook imbedded in the pavement. Yesterday I took a photo of it. Such excitement in my life! It was colder today with a north wind so I didn't walk. I guess I'm wimpy though because the favorite ex walked down here for a visit. She said it was nippy.

This photo of Clarke is very popular at Shutterchance today. It's at the top of the Movers and Shaker's list. Last Saturday a photo of Kenz was also very popular. I think I'll be sure to put photos of cats up on Saturdays.

I am having a yawn fest at the moment but 4:46 is too late for a nap. I'll soon go prepare supper and hopefully that will wake me up.

Music: Something a little different today - French Hip Hop. This song is called La Tribu de Dana and is from Manau. It has the standard hiphop beat thus it may be something my kids like but has an orchestra which is different than the standard. A song from Gotan Project is something I like. Confianzas is definitely worth a listen. I sure do love this band.

***Update: I was quite taken by the Manua song and looked up the band on Wikipedia. This is a paragraph about the song uploaded today. "The band set to work on their new single, La Tribu de Dana and it was released in May 1998. The song rocketed to the top of the charts, selling a huge 1.7 million copies^{[citation needed]} to date, 1.5 million of them in the first few months after its release. "La tribu de Dana" means "the tribe of Dana," and is the name of an Irish tribe described in L'épopée Celte." The rest of the article is here.

Spring Has Sprung!!!

This was yesterday on the pond. Today the ice is but gone....just about a foot clinging to the shore. It is six degrees, sunny and spring has come to PEI! It was so beautiful that I took two walks today instead of one, ninety minutes in all. A wonderful, wonderful day.

My son just called from university. Mumps are going around the school and he has been exposed. I just called him back after talking to public health and he and his roommate are on their walk to the health center. He'll let me know if he has to be re-immunized or have a globulin product or what the procedure is.

My other son and his family are off to the Dominican Republic for a family vacation. Lucky dogs! My three year old grandson is remembering last year's southern vacation and mostly wants to play in the sand. That was the definite highlight for him.

Last night was really fun, the food was good, all the world's problems are solved but I'm tired. I had another weird sleep making three this week. I need to get back to the proper schedule!!!

Music to celebrate spring is in order today. Spring by Richard Shindell is Celtic/flolk and very nice. Another Spring is by The Waif's label-mate, John Butler Trio.

Blue Shadows

This photo taken a few weeks ago is hopefully a last look at snow in my driveway. The plow guy has only been here once or twice this year so it's been a bit of a savings for the winter budget. The rise in oil prices absorbed that pretty quickly though so I'm no further ahead.

I have scallops marinating, the concoction I'm basting the salmon with is melding, the salad is finished, and everything else is all planned out so that I can sit with my guests with just a bit of kitchen work to attend to. Everything but the rice (and salad) is being cooked in the oven.

I'm kind of tired though because my sleep was interrupted. I got back to sleep eventually but I'm off, to be sure. I wish my body would allow for a bit of leeway in the amount of sleep I need.

I was surprised that Stephanie Edwards was the singer to be booted from American Idol. I liked her a lot.

There's no theme to today's music other that I like it and you might too. First is Salala from African singer Angelique Kidjo dueting (is this a word?) with Peter Gabriel. It's a song I include in my playlists for dancing. The second song today is an oldie but related to the African beat and good for dancing. I'm not sure if it's from the fifties or sixties but I remember it from back then. Give a a listen to Iko Iko from The Dixie Cups. It reminds me of the old skipping songs and clapping games of childhood.

Winds and Blue Water

I just cleaned my glasses and still can't see what is in this thumbnail in my photos but I saved it from the walk around the pond on Monday. Ah ha, the dam. Water rushing over a rock with some blue from the sky reflection. My lovely little world.

Having a little dinner party tomorrow. The food will be good; I'm having scallops and salmon. The company will be even better. A fun group of friends. We'll figure out the answers to all the world's problems in the first hour, laugh for the second, have dinner and blissfully go into the night.

We had wicked, wicked winds overnight. A huge windstorm with, again, about a centimeter of snow that disappeared as soon as the sun came out. Poor man's fertilizer as it's known around here. I've experienced the wonderful benefits of having that moisture sinking into the ground rather than running off. Anyway, a huge industrial sign at my neighbour's was damaged from the wind. I don't wake easily but the roaring woke me last night. Really wild!

It's the first day of spring today isn't it? I was just saying to my friend today how green the grass is. Even with earlier springsthe last few years, the grass had died off in the winter but it didn't this year. It's still green here.

Some music from Peter Mulvey.....mellow at it's best. Out Here and You Meet the Nicest People In Your Dreams are kind of fitting.

Off to the Races

We are having the weirdest weather today. We had major flurries this morning that left about a centimeter of fluffy snow on the ground. The temperature went up, it sprinkle-rained a little bit and now the sun is shining brightly. It was too yucky to go for my walk at the usual time so I think I'll go now instead. More traffic this time of day is the only drawback.

Because of the bright sunshine this afternoon, Van Morrison's Whenever God Shines His Light seems like an appropriate song. Van has a song that's appropriate in any situation doesn't he? This one is not for the occasion but it's a favorite Van Morrison song of mine....Steal My Heart Away. I get flutters hearing it right now. Whew! Oh, it does have the line, "Like the sunshine after rain" so it fits in nicely.

Off to walk.

A River of Hormones

Red Water Because of the Wind and the Weekend's Rain

Something truly amazing is the range of, and really the whole story of, the hormonal changes a woman passes through from puberty through menopause. In every fourteen day period (but in truth every twenty-four hour period) a huge change happens and every twenty-eight days a complete cycle of these constantly changing chemicals occurs. Add pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, lactation, and menopause and it is awe-inspiring.

It doesn't occur in men and that explains the main difference in the sexes, why women are considered emotional and men not so. Nobody can tell you about these changes, really. They can't because every woman's cycle and her body's reaction to it is so individual. You just have to experience it all. Fun, fun, fun!!!

The weather is warm and sunny but very, very windy. I went for a walk around the pond with my camera in the morning then for my regular after lunch walk but the north wind was fierce. Even though this time I had the proper hat for the conditions, I think my face got resurfaced . You must always find that positive aspect.

I haven't had any Bob Dylan up in a while. A long, live version of Watching the River Flow is worth a listen, as is the under three minute, Wind Blows on the Water. Find these on Page Two. Pure Bob!

Update: After I said there hasn't been any Bob Dylan up in a while, I uploaded and found that the last two songs were Bob Dylan songs. A couple of links too....Johnny Cash with Four Strong Winds and another from Bob, Blowin' In The Wind.

Zzzzzz.....

My favorite-ex (sister-in-law) and I often discuss sleep. My sleep must be very regular and any change can easily and profoundly affect my day. She's an insomniac. Today is one of those profoundly affected days.

We got home from the movies at midnight, two hours past my bedtime. I went straight to bed and slept in a half hour till six and I am completely wrecked. You would swear I was hung over but I had only one beer last night. I have about as much energy as a dead battery and even my movements are slow. My daughter and her friend lauged and laughed at me. They got up at ten and twelve, respectively. I don't understand why I am that way. Most people can change their hours easily but I can't at all.

My daughter is gone back out west. I miss her already. She is a real presence in a house and it's remarkably quiet and dull when she's not here. I'll next see her at the end of May at her brother's university commencement but just for the one day.

Music: With my low energy it will again be links today. Sorry. Listen to some great rhythm from Bettye LaVette with Sleep to Dream. For the girlie, gone again, here is After You've Gone by Loudon Wainwright III. Two great songs in my opinion.

Day of the Green

Funny how Kenz likes to help me blog most days. I type with my arms around her, pushing and manipulating her body so that I can see and use the keyboard. Every once in a while it annoys me but not very often.

My daughter is downloading movies on her laptop with my wireless connection so it's using up the upload/download juice. Took a long time to get this photo up. I'll probably not attempt any new music today but link some songs instead.

We're going out to supper and to a movie tonight which will be fun though I didn't ask what movie everyone wants to see. I only watch comedies so we may be in different movies which has happened many times before. It's going to be sad to see my girlie go back out west.

One music link for St. Paddy's day is Whatever Gets You True from Paddy Casey. Couldn't think of a name more appropriate for the day. The man from Belfast has to be featured too, of course. Someone Like You, a beautiful, beautiful song from the one and only Van Morrison is my wish for the top of the day to you all.

Happy Ninety-Second Birthday

My friend and former neighbour, Billy is ninety-two today. I'd say he looks even better than he did a year ago when this photo was taken. He's looking down at my present, the usual bottle of whiskey I always give him for occasions. He drinks very responsibly so it's alright for him to have it in the nursing home. He's quite a character and we've been friends for twenty three years, not all of them smooth. He's perfectly lucid with an excellent memory which is great. His eighty-two year old roommate is beginning to have memory problems and Billy helps him out.

It is a tradition in the Maritimes to have a St. Paddy's Day storm and one is forecasted for this year. A Nor-easter with snow, ice pellets and freezing rain before all is said and done. Only bad part is it could prevent daughter time. With the sharing business, she is coming back tomorrow and if it's storming........

A couple of songs for Billy today. Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away by Al Green and Lyle Lovett, as well as, Long As I'm Movin' by Ruth Brown kind of fit his situation.

Noise and Laughter

The house was filled with my daughters friends last night....even small, little, wee friends. Nice to have the noise and activity. You don't think you'll ever miss noise but you do. I won't see a whole lot of her because she has a pretty heavy social schedule in her short few days. I have to share.

Our snow is gone except small piles where there were drifts such as along the edges of fields against the woods. We'll get more but the frost has come out of the ground and any snow will now sink right in. PEI's famous mud season has officially begun.

Restless Farewell is one of my favorite Bob Dylan songs. I found a version of it at Keep The Coffee Coming a few weeks back. So here's Bob's version and one by Norman Blake from the album, Nod To Bob, a Bob Dylan Tribute album.

The Latest Look

Not much time to blog today so here's a couple of links.

Sneaker Freaker - I don't wear sneakers. I have a pair of skateboarder type sneakers that I bought in 1996 that I still wear if I have to but when I came across this site, I wished I did wear them because of all these cool lacings.

Dark Roasted Blend - In-flight photograpy is their simple description. I have always loved the views from an airplane and this site shows some wonderful photos taken by a pilot/photographer.

Simpler to link a couple of songs than upload some so here is Spectacular Surprise One and Delightful Surprise Two.

No Crow About It

Spring is in the air. A couple of warm days at this time of year can make a great difference in your mood. It feels hopeful and I love it, love it, love it. My walk today was delightful though I forgot my camera. I have daffodils just peeking through and the cats have spent most of the day outdoors. They love it too.

My daughter is coming home tomorrow. I'm pretty excited. I'm hoping my son will come home for the weekend too. I need hugs!

In the Pines is an old song from the 1870's. The Wikipedia entry for the song is pretty interesting, if you're into that sort of thing. If you're just interested in hearing the music go on over to Page Two where I've uploaded versions by Leadbelly and Dave Van Ronk. I've always loved this song. There was a huge art exhibit on the history of the song a few years ago at the Confederation Center of the Arts. It was very good with lots of old photos and handwritten lyrics etc. My friend who moved to Newfoundland in the fall does a great version of it.

Icy Clean Up

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There was a large fire in downtown Charlottetown on Friday. There is a crane there today tearing down the buildings. I stopped for a few photos. It was warm yesterday and today but on Friday and Saturday supposedly there were huge icicles everywhere - even on the firemen.

The photo in the middle with the frozen couch is of Rose's Barber Shop. My boys always had their haircuts from Rose when she worked for someone else and a couple of years ago she branched off on her own. My youngest had his first haircut from her. I believe four businesses were burned out and neighbouring businesses had water damage. All very sad.

I have my reservations to go to see my grandkids and my aunts next month. I am a surrogate daughter to one aunt and uncle who never had children. I talked to them for an hour yesterday and told them I'd call today with the dates and times. They were so excited. After I'd hung up after today call, my uncle called just to say goodbye again. They're very eccentric and I'm absolutely crazy about them. They're such fun!

Music today: In playing with the Latin dance music yesterday I was reminded of the Thalia version of La Vie En Rose. Grace Jones also does a fabulous dance version. Check them out on Page Two. Here are Page One links to the Madeleine Peyroux version as well as the first we came to know by Edith Piaf. These are dedicated to Rose from Rose's Barber Shop.

It's Sunday Again

My ears and my eyes are buggy. I've been burning music and making playlists all day long. I had other plans but kind got into what I was doing and here I am, still into it at almost four thirty. I got up this morning at the new five-thirty. Ah Ha!!! I just figured out this minute why I've been waking at four and four-thirty for the last couple of weeks. My weird little body time clock takes very good care of me. It has been anticipating this time change without my conscious knowledge. I've been waking an hour or an hour and a half early for the last couple of weeks. This morning it was at the exact right time. Wow, body/brain/timeclock!!

I have been trying to make a DVD of latin/african dance for my daily workout. For some weird reason, it is wanting to burn all the songs in alphabetical order. That won't work at all. I have eleven songs from Gotan Project, for example, but want them spread out. I'll probably just keep with cd's if this can't be remedied. This is ironic (and funny) because my big complaint is I would like to be able to sort my music page alphabetically for ease of trying to find songs I am looking for.

Since Latin/African dancing is the last part of what I am into today that is what the music will be. There's so much to choose from. I realized I don't have much Susana Baca on the music page though I listen to her a lot and there are only a few Lila Downs there and I listen to her a whole lot.

Lila is popular on the music page with Quisas, Quisas, Quisas receiving more than twenty plays every month and the Cumbia del Mole getting more than twenty plays between the English and Spanish versions. Of course, her wonderful version of Besame Mucho is the most popular. Here is something very different from Lila. This sounds like American jazzy blues but is sung in Spanish. Have a listen to Quinto Patio and experience the cross culture of Lila Downs. That's exactly what she is too, an American with a Mexican mother who took to the music of her mother's land after she had studied music at an American university. For a selection of Susana Baca I have Encciende Candela. The drums and call-back on this song are fabulous. Both are good for dancing.

Music Stats For Feb./ Mar

We needed some colour in the photo department for a change. The photos have been filled with winter colours. On the one post this week that showed some colour, the day of my haircut, if you clicked you still saw grey. LOL

The music stats for this month are in. The most interesting thing to me is that a large number of songs didn't get a single play. There are always a few per month but this month there were many.

• Songs that were not played at all: Diana and Ray's version of You Don't Know Me, Aznavour and Piaf's Besame Mucho, Johnny's version of Sunday Morning Coming Down, Mairzy Doats, Ausencia by Goran Bregovic, People Gonna Talk by James Hunter, Whatever Gets You True by Paddy Casey, Ollabelle's All Is Well, and I Aint Gonna Worry My Life Away by Merry Clayton. Most of these have long song titles....coincidence?
• Ella's Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, Lila's Quisas, Quisas, Quisas, and Nina's Feelin' Good got between 20 and 24 plays this month.
• Lila's Besame Mucho and The Pussy Cat Song were played 25 to 29 times.
• How Am I Different by Bettye LaVette and John Mayer's Waiting For The World To Change got between 30 and 34 times.
• The phenom, Don't Lie, got 186 plays this month.
  

Page Two

Went to one of my previously cancelled dinner parties last night. We had Japanese food and saki, and it was very interesting, meeting new people in the community but knowing they have all the background info and work for your ex-husband. It's never completely fresh when you live in a small community.

I've made Page Two in Putfile. Songs 500 to 1000 (oh my) will be found there.

The first song I ever uploaded on Page One of Putfile was Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby by Renee Olstead. The third song I uploaded was the same song by it's composer Louis Jordan. I love both versions. Funny thing is, I first heard the song and fell in love with it through Joe Jackson's 1991 album, Jumpin'Jive. I love, love, love that album. He did it as a tribute to his father and it's soooo different from any other Joe Jackson album before or since. It seems fitting that the first song I upload to Page Two should be that song but by Joe Jackson....kind of coming full circle.

My kids grew up on this album and will all know these songs from driving in the car. Jumpin' Jive was a staple cassette in my car stereo with others such as Famous Blue Raincoat, To Long In Exile, The Rose Vaughan Trio and many others. Jumpin Jive is by far the oldest and I love it!! I chose this second song to sample for my kids. They liked this one, Jack, You're Dead.

Just Thoughts

International Women's Day made me dig this photo out of my files. It is a five generation photo taken in 1983. My sister and niece are in this photo but there are some of me taken on the same day as well, with my daughter an enlarged bump in my dress. My son was at home in PEI.

• I have five nieces, two great nieces and one nephew.
  
• Twenty-four years ago my grandmother didn't have grey hair.
  
• My mother didn't either when she died at sixty.
• My mother was an only child, as was my father's mother. Both wanted and had big families.
• My father had four sisters. I am extremely close to two of them though they live far away.
  
• Few families get a chance to have five generations, let alone ones with all women.
  
• My grandmother in the photo is still alive. She will be ninety-one this month.
• I have one daughter and one grand-daughter. My daughter is on a plane for Boston right now and will be here next week.
• She's telling me in a few days what she'd like me to cook for her when she's home.
  

Anyway, today I salute all the women in my family.....and in yours.

I've changed my musical selection from what I had planned. There is still a Waifs song but one that tells about love for a mother. Here's Gillian. Also, a powerful voice from an international woman. Chevala with L'lorona. I love these second, shorter introductions.

Haircut

My hair is five inches shorter today. It was waking me in the middle of the night because I had to adjust it after turning over. My head would turn over and my hair wouldn't or something like that. I'm not clear on the details but I was losing sleep and that is not good. I get it cut to the same length each time and my hairdresser, who has known me for 29 1/2 years is always amazed at how much it grows. The five inches of growth is from August but I think it's a half inch shorter this time so lets say it grew 4 1/2 inches since August. Pretty awesome! Fast growing hair and incredibly dense bones......I'm not sure what that says other than - healthy in my middle age.

My hairdresser mentioned dyeing my hair again but I have a really personal aversion to the practice. On Oprah this week it was stated that the number one way for a woman to look younger is through hair dye. I don't give a sweet ****. What is wrong with looking, being happy with, being proud of, and celebrating your real age? I could go on and on and on about this and have to all my friends who dye their hair and suggest I do too.

My hospital appointment today was much different than my friend's. I was in and out on time, then had to wait at the hair place. I'm up on the decorating magazines now as well as the current affairs.

Music for today would have to be this song by my beloved Waifs. It's a live version of Haircut from their latest album. I prefer their studio version but this one is has all the words and the melody with the added bonus of an appreciative audience. The Waifs are recording a new album this winter and spring (to them, summer and fall) and I'll be first in line at the record store, you can be sure. I'd better add the Scissor Sisters for a haircut post and tomorow for Int. Women's Day, there will be another Donna Waif song.

What's Good For the Soul

No Squirrels!

Took a friend to the hospital today for a medical procedure that required anaesthetic thus she couldn't drive. Her appointment was 12:30 and she got in around 3:00. I'm up on current events now thanks to Time, MacLeans, Reader's Digest and Chatelaine. Usually waiting rooms have very old magazines but this waiting room had current ones. Waiting rooms are the only time I read magazines. I don't think I've bought one since I was a pre-teen though for years I had a subscription to National Geographic.

Books are another story but I won't get started on that other than it is absolutely impossible for me to fall asleep unless I read. I remember camping a few years ago and I'd forgotten to bring a flashlight or lantern. I laid there all night, then had to drive all the next day, then laid there all night the next night. I was completely wrecked....all because I couldn't read.

We are having very cold temperatures and wind for the next few days then moderating, above freezing temperatures for the weekend.

Music will be links again. With all that I've been reading on the music blogs, the music page may have to go. It is a wait and see situation. I don't have much new music, only old nostalgic songs, so it may not be as important to the forces that be. You Don't Know Me by Ray and Diana ( I can shorten it because I've introduced it properly before) and Maria Lando by Susana Baca - for your soul (or mine, anyway).

Counting Down

Well, I think the squirrel problem has been taken care of this time. My wildlife guy got two more this morning and no more have appeared. It seems that I had trapped these two in when I blocked their entrance. This is the hope. If more appear, they have another entrance. They knocked a bunch of canning jars off a shelf this morning, breaking three.

The girls are absolutely no help in the situation. If you remember the photo from last week, they sit with the squirrels, keeping them company while they eat the bird seed. I keep them for their other qualities but have been telling them all weekend that they're supposed to earn their keep and take care of rodents about the house.

Trying to finish up some paintings in case I need the studio soon for glass work. Started varnishing a bunch of pieces today. I've been fairly productive overall and haven't had a lot of frustrating or clumsy days. I always find painting very therapeutic, maybe because I have to sit still for a bit.

Link music today; easier for you. For what I hope is the situation with the squirrels, the Bette LaVette version of Down to Zero and Toots Thielman's version of Over The Rainbow for the wonderful colours of paint.

Small Housekeeping Chore

One of my favorite blogs that I've linked since the beginning has ended. Xenmate of Spy's Spice has ended his blog for the time being. I'm very sad. I visited daily and his links were the best, always a bit weird and wonderful. I'll leave the link up for his archives. I'll miss feeling like I'm in Spain for a bit every morning.

I've also added a new blog to the links. Confessions of a Pioneer woman has a huge readership and is certainly worth a look. It's become a favorite in about a month.

Taking Requests

This is the first time I've had a request for a photo. I was just talking to my daughter and she wanted a photo of her put up rather than the one of the cats I had planned. He boyfriend asked for one of him as well, so here is one of the two of them....the only one I have. Cute aren't they! He has the flu and she's taking care of him today and having her cousin over for a roast beef dinner. I'm having roast beef too.

Not a nice walking day today and I did't dance....a day off exercise. It's warm but very windy. The eclipse was fantastic last night but I don't have an adequate lens for good photos of the moon and especially with the low light of an eclipse.

I thought my squirrel problem was over but it is not. There is still one in here. I have to call my wildlife man again tomorrow. No business is taken care of around here on a Sunday with the older generation. I'm ok with it; last Sunday I went to see about a glass job. Farmers would never hay or dig or do any visible work like that on a Sunday. The thing is they probably do book work or repairs but nothing that the public could see. I was admonished one time for painting a step on a Sunday.

It seems as though I can't really change the music page yet. I would need two accounts and have to sign in and out between the two and find that to be a pain because I do it with Google for this account and another. Five hundred songs is rather bulky and I wanted a second page where everything would be quicker. It takes a long time to find songs when I want to link them because they can't be sorted in there and a long time in the day to day uploading and saving since it has 500 songs to go through in a save. Each song must be uploaded individually then saved individually.

Today there was a new notice about uploading copyrighted material so it's possible changes will be made eventually. Until then I'll keep adding music though I'd like to find another way. Also, I may just link existing music rather than add something new every day....like today. Here's some Sunday music. Depending on how you were feeling this morning, you could have been involved in either activity, Church or Coming Down.

Five Hundred Songs - Whew!

Well, I've been put to shame. I've just returned from a walk with the favorite ex and I'm sweating and near exhaustion. I don't think her rate of breathing even increased. Whew!

My battle with the squirrel in my basement is over thanks to a rat trap. I found his entrance and took care that none can get in again. Whew!

The big storm that paralyzed New England, Ontario and Quebec was very mild here. We got a couple of cm. of snow, some wind and today the temperature is very warm and everything is melting like crazy. Whew!

I have a friend coming over for the afternoon and am looking forward to that. If we were having a big storm no one could be on the roads and I'm happy that's not the case. Whew!

Music for today: Tonight the Maritimes are in a perfect position to see the lunar eclipse. We haven't a cloud in the sky right now and hopefully it will remain clear this evening. Here are some moon songs for the occasion. No Moon At All by Jeri Southern, Wish I Was the Moon by Neko Case, Eryka Badu with Orange Moon and here's a link for Lamya's Pink Moon. For song number five hundred, we have Blossom Dearie's Moonlight Saving Time. Changes to the music page tomorrow. Whew!

Marching On

Four different friends have dropped in today. Must be a sign of a long winter. The last two were raving about the smells when they came in. I'm making black bean soup and ofered up bowls but they had plans for supper and didn't partake. I have my bowl cooling now.

Little yappy dog was inside today at walk time today, much to my delight. I've walked five of the last seven days on the regular walk and the two days I did not do that route, I still walked. It is wonderful that the weather moderated. We are on storm watch however, with the big storm that has already hit Ontario and Quebec, on it's way here.

Music: Today we have some songs from a long time ago. Riley Puckett does Nobody's Business which is a great song for the times and for now. I think some of these old lyrics are very precious in their understanding of the times. Sometimes, a bit of propaganda sneaks in. They're always worth a careful listen. When I Die by the Watson Family is another old gem that has good harmonies and a message.

Just realized it would be my 33rd wedding aniversary today. Time does march on. Well, off to that soup.

Cancellations

My medical appointment was cancelled today because of the huge number of hospital staff out with the flu. I had been invited to dinner at a friend's tonight. It too was cancelled because of the flu. A Saturday evening dinner party has been cancelled as well........because of the flu. I've been knocking wood and taking my immune boosters like clockwork.

I had to go to town anyway even though my medical appt. was cancelled. I had other things to do. It was a fun kind of day where I had time to do what I wanted. I did plan to attend an art exhibit opening this evening but have come home because it is snowing. It is also probably best to stay away from public events anyway, when trying to avoid the flu bug. There would have been lots of hugs and close contact at this event so I think I made a smart decision. Trading hugs for health.

I've got some old and some newer music to share. What brings this up on the same day are the titles. You all know Billy Paul's Me and Mrs Jones. It happens to be the first song I ever downloaded from Napster that many years ago. I have a great love for this song because of a duet sung for me by my best friend and boyfriend for my birthday in 1973. The newer music is from Amy Winehouse's album Back to Black. Me and Mr Jones is from Amy.