Pansy and Patter

The weather has been filled with showers for the last couple of weeks but the weather has been pleasant enough otherwise. If we're not having a shower, it's warm and the sun may be peeking through. I've enjoyed it. I've been busy with company and got to play tourist a bit. I went to Cavendish, our most famous tourist area, for the first time in 19 years. I cooked huge lobster and had beer which my brother paid for so that was a nice treat. I'm now waiting for my daughter to arrive from her drive across the country. Probably more lobster and beer will be in order. I am certainly looking forward to hugging my girl.

A few new links for your ponderation:

• The Rules of Being Human
• Guidelines For Cats
• Rules of Thumb
  
• How to Get Rid of Things
• Faux Pas

I've been listening to lots of music. I know I play Bettye LaVette quite often. It's because I'm so taken with her. Here are a couple, How Am I Different and Thinkin' Bout You. They are two of my favorites.

Freed

I've had the most unexpected and fantastic day! I was perturbed to discover I had to 'go into town' for an errand before ten. It was totally unexpected and I'd had my day planned for other things. I quickly decided I would make the best of it. It turned out to be a great adventure of meeting friends, shopping, lunching and shopping again with another friend, and beating the traffic both times. Having to be in town by ten is better than having to be in by nine. The day was beautiful. Every clerk, teller, or operator had a smile as did I. I had enough chuckles, photo opportunities, wonderful moments and experiences to call this a fantastic day.

Three days off this week seems like a dream come true when I think of having two more days off right now. I need this time to get a whole lot of things done. I've been gardening each previous day off and a lot of chores have built up. The weather is forecast to be beautiful - Yeah!

Bettye LaVette is providing the music tonight. She is so unbelievably, wonderfully, incredibly, superbly, awesome. No one expresses emotion like her. First, Talking Old Soldiers, a song I'm absolutely smitten with and that describes a good part of my day and Joy, a song I was unbelievably, wonderfully...... smitten with for more than a year a couple of years ago. What an incredible talent this woman is.

Three days off in a row is like a long weekend eh?

Hot and Spicy

I had a lovely day in town with my sister-in-law, a fabulous hot and spicy lunch and I picked up some good deals as well. I needed a memory card for my camera and got a 2 GB SD card for $9.96. I bought two. I purchased my 512 MB card for $25.00 on sale a couple of years ago. Amazing, eh? I also wanted a camera bag. All the bags I was seeing were too expensive for what I was getting so I decided not to get one. Later I was in the dollar store and picked up a nifty little bag for $1.oo. It will work perfectly well for the time being.

We had rain overnight and it was 6 degrees today. Perfect snowman snow. If I'd been home I might have made one. A friend and I made a woman a couple of years ago that lasted most of the winter. She was pretty special.

Every once in a while I have a song that really moves me, becomes a favorite and I play it a whole lot. About three of four years ago it was Lucinda Williams' song Joy but the fabulous version by Bettye Lavette. Well, another Bettye LaVette song has got me by the heart again and I'm happy to share. Maybe it won't do anything for you but I find her delivery so compelling. I think she is just the greatest and wish she were more well known. She's been performing since the 60's but didn't become a household name like Aretha, Diana Ross, and a host of other 60's soul/r&b women. She's still very active and I would really love to see her sometime. The song that I am now enthralled with is Talking Old Soldiers.

Another woman I'd most like to see live is Lila Downs. Though she's half American, she dresses in traditional Oaxacan folk costume. She always has a fabulous band too as I've seen a lot of her on YouTube. I think it's only a few days ago I had Lila here but what the heck, it's a new year. What I've chosen, Pa Todo El Ano, is a live recording and easily shows why I want to hear her.

Love and Happiness

I'm enjoying a bit of a lazy day. I had no outside obligations so decided to extend that to home. I didn't walk, didn't dance, puttered at various small jobs but did nothing major. I must say I've enjoyed that. I've been online most of the day. I still will cook a delicious dinner for the boy and me though he probably won't be home till eight or nine. Good food is a must. I am having a pork, peppers and peanut sauce dish, black rice and salad.

The cd I'm making today is called Love and Happiness, something that's always good for a theme. The music is old soul music based but contains new music and covers of some of the old songs. If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys is a perfect example of a new soul song. I would have loved it if it had been around in the 70's. Thinkin' Bout You, from Bettye LaVette's 2003 album A Woman Like Me, was on my music pages before and has disappeared and is one that should be returned. I love her style with this slow, sexy ballad. An example of a cover is Al Green's Love and Happiness by Marc Broussard. It has disappeared from the pages too, I just discovered, so you get three songs today.

Excuses, Excuses

I feel a bit guilty about not keeping up with this blog after being so faithful with daily posts for so many years. I would if I could but I just can't. I now read only about a quarter of the blogs on my blogroll because I don't even have the time for that. My photos are in disarray, not being put in proper folders. In other words, this all adds up to I just don't have enough time to devote to the computer, as much as I would like to.

One more shift at work then two days off. We've had rain for two weeks. The sun came out yesterday and is still shining and would you believe it, it's going to rain tomorrow again. I have no commitments in town so really wanted to go to the beach or something nice like that. Oh well, the house could use a cleaning.

It's funny and wonderful that Al Green's sound is still the same as it was in the 70's. He is instantly recognizable. These songs are from his 2008 album, I Can't Stop. Here's the title song I Can't Stop and What More Do You Want From Me. The second song is really quite reminiscent of the 70's Al Green. Just realized I had this up last week but here it is again. I Can't Stop by Bettye LaVette is a favorite of mine and I'd be happy to play it every week. It's a different song than Al's; it just shares the same name.

Different

I'm still alive. I took my new medication and survived the night. I'm not sure where this fear of medications come from other than having studied pharmacology, I know what can happen. I have a reverse side effect syndrome with most meds. If a medication is supposed to make you sleepy, I should take it in the morning as it will stimulate me and keep me from sleeping. It's kind of a joke to my doctor as she is aware of this so advises me differently than anyone else. I've never been able to take cold medications before bed. They're supposed to make you sleepy and let you sleep through the night. They make me as speedy as can be. My eyes aren't even able to shut.

The same idiosyncrasy happened with my kidney tumour - it was hard to identify as this type of tumour is supposed to grow slowly and remain small. Mine grew rapidly and was large.

When linking songs the other day for the Daughter's Day CD I discovered that the Bettye LaVette song How Am I Different was no longer on the music pages. I'll remedy that today as it fits today's post. I love Bettye LaVette and particularly that song . I love her version of Don Henley's You Don't Know Me At All and that's the second song for today.

I got only two out of six numbers in the lottery last night. Oh, well. I thought someone wishing me a win might sway the gods.

Hold Yourself

This photo is deceiving for a day like today as I wanted something bright and have only dark photos that portray pure wind. We have had a huge wind storm for the last couple of days and it is still blowing a gale. Though it is sunny, the furnace is running full time to keep us warm. The rest of The Maritimes are above zero but not here. It is only minus four now but was very cold for much of the day.

I'm feeling fine but no one told me of the dangers of laughing or sneezing. Movements of the body have to be calculated. I had to take pain medication after talking to my daughter last night. She was telling me hilarious things that I was saying through hallucinations after surgery. I can't remember very much of it but I guess I kept the kids entertained. And as for sneezing, I have officially given up pepper.

Songs: I Can't Stop and Let Me Down Easy by Bettye LaVette, and the James Taylor classic, Something In the Way She Moves. This is not to be confused with The Beatles song.

Wet Night

We had incredible rain yesterday and overnight. There was widespread basement flooding and I was not spared and got eighteen inches of rain. I find that ironic as I put up Ian Tyson's great song, Eighteen Inches of Rain as the last song yesterday when the flooding hadn't started.

Click to Play:
Let It Rain - Tracy Chapman
The Rowing Song - Patty Griffin
Cry Me A River - Bettye LaVette
If I Had a Boat - Holmes Brothers

Soul and Soul Again - Bettye LaVette

Click to Play:
Choices - Bettye LaVette
Little Sparrow - Bettye LaVette
Joy - Bettye LaVette
Down to Zero - Bettye LaVette
I Can't Stop - Bettye LaVette

Mojo

We've had a really lovely day today, partly pearly clouds, partly blue skies. I went walking and it was marvelous, filling me with a great energy but tiring me at the same time. I swear walking is like medicine.

The photo is of the pond today. Three weeks ago it was a huge solid sheet of skating ice. Here it is from that day. Today there are two pairs of ducks in it, happy to have some water to swim in. The pond is different every day of the year and that's why I love it so. The sky is like that too, though it can change by the moment.

One of the really, really essential songs is the version of Joy by Bettye LaVette. It was my favorite song of '05 or '06, whenever it came out. Lucinda Williams' version is still there and so is Ruthie Fosters' though it is a different song, same name. Since I get another how about Got My Mojo Workin' by Clarence Gatemouth Brown.

It's very strange. I am on song 100 on Page One today after it being 500 songs for so long. At least it's all (kind of) still working. It's the only reason I'm here.

It's a Whew!

It's been a busy but wonderful day. I went turkey shopping and errand running this morning and walked a two hour hike this afternoon. At twenty-one degrees, it was warmer for hiking than my usual morning time but there was a nice breeze at certain parts. I walked a part that I'm a bit unfamiliar with and got us lost twice but knew I wasn't really lost. After a hundred feet or so I would realize that this just wasn't the right road, so would turn around. I had a very trusting walking partner who knew I'd get us out alive. LOL

I'll sleep well tonight. My walking partner is a very fast walker and in really good shape. I was out of breath a few times but soldiered on. I could have a nap now but won't because I'm cooking a curry for supper and then making pies this evening. A couple of pumpkin and maybe an apple are on the list though I may bake the apple tomorrow because I can't really pick apples in the dark and I need to rest right now. I also have to make cranberry sauce and get things prepared for dressing. It's a little overwhelming that I have to organize and get all these things done with such little notice. I should pay more attention to things like the calendar sometimes. I pay close attention to other things but can't do it all. I wanted to make a special cd for tomorrow's dinner too. We'll see. Food first.

Music: Bettye LaVette is so darned fabulous! I listen to her a lot. She is so, so soulful. I think all of her songs are covers and most, she does a better job than the writer of the song, An example is Lucinda Williams' Joy. Here's Bettye with a cover of Tracey Chapman's Down to Zero and I Can't Stop. Those songs seem to fit with Thanksgiving dinner on short notice prep.

Just realized there is more hacking/fooling around with the music pages host. Now it seems the name of the file is unable to be saved. I tried twice. My pages information is back online. Who knows?

Sour Grapes

Twice today there were Island-wide power outages. The first one only lasted a second but knocked out the Aliant server for half the morning. When the server came back, I restarted the computer, made a cd, printed out the playlist, and decided to uninstall a printer that my daughter had borrowed for a week but never uninstalled. It said you must restart the computer to finish the uninstall. It was restarting when the power went off again - this time for 10 - 15 minutes. Aaarrrrgggghhh! It takes a good ten minutes to restart my computer because I have Norton 2007 and it has to do it's long-lasting thing every time. So that is three times this morning which is enough to make a person very frustrated.

I made a cd for my aunt and uncle who had a gift hand delivered to me a few weeks ago. Since I am going to be seeing another aunt who will then be seeing them, I will have her hand deliver something for me. It's all easy listening latin like Pink Martini and the Gilbertos and such.

That's not the music I'm giving you today though. I'll play the association game. Sour grapes reminds me of I Heard It Through The Grapevine. Here it is by the wonderful Bettye LaVette. That song reminds me, and probably you, of Gladys Knight. Here she is with If I Were Your Woman. It's an easy game that I play most days to choose the music that I put up here.

Joy in a Beautiful World

I'm still putting flowers in vases. I went walking and when I came back went for another walk, this time with scissors. Lupin season is upon us and I needed a couple more vases done. I got some yesterday when I was driving and came upon a really nice field of them. Here are some photos of last year's: I always do a vase for outside. They are so pretty up close. I also cut some wild carrot, columbine and more lily of the valley for more vases. There now isn't a bare spot in the house to place another vase.

I wanted to save today's photo to show one of the same view as yesterday's but later in the day. Thunderstorms continued all around and didn't touch us. The sky was incredible all day and I got some pretty awesome photos. It's cloudy today but warm. The sun has come out since I sat here.

Music: If you've read this blog for a while you know I love Bettye Lavette's version of the song Joy. Here is Lucinda Williams'. It seems like a good song for today with endorphins flowing from walking and flower arranging. Beautiful World by Colin Hay is a good choice for today for those same reasons.

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.

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.

Housekeeping 2

Was just looking something up in my archives and discovered that on March 28th (in a post entitled Housekeeping), I planned to put up a couple of songs that somehow never made it. There were lots of problems getting on Putfile in the past or I could very well have forgotten. Here's the description copied over so I don't have to type it again.

Today features a super version of Tracey Chapman's Down to Zero by Bettye LaVette.

Also, I've put up a song that I've loved since these boys wrote it for prom a few years back. It features Robbie, one of the Chucky Danger Band, Eric, my nephew, Miles, a neighbour and I think Colin, who is also from Chucky. Robbie gave me permission long ago to spread it around. He can't actually remember how the song goes even though he wrote it and sings and plays piano on the piece. I don't know which is the band name vs. the song name. Here's Changes - Better In The End.

I've been getting lots of new music lately and have been having a great time listening, grooving and dancing. The weather has not been conducive to walking the last couple of days but the dancing is always available. I'll share some of the new, as always, but wanted to get these old ones up. Changes - Better In The End has never been released anywhere so it's very rare stuff. It was written for a prom and forgotten about except by me.

Lovin' the Music

We have a dusting of snow and we're going to minus 5 this afternoon....probably just enough weather to cause icy roads. I followed the salt thuck home last night. I have no idea why they were spreading salt. I didn't find the roads slippery once I passed it. A mystery.

I still do not have glaucoma and that is very good news. My grandmother had it and was blind because of it as there were no treatments. They found one more early sign or risk factor in yesterday's exam. The test I mentioned yesterday is next week but does not require the dreaded drops in the eyes.

Music: Bettye LaVette is still turning my crank. I didn't know her in the sixties but I sure like her now. I'm not the biggest fan of her 50's music but have been able to find lots of great cuts from later. If you liked her version of Joy, here's a couple more good songs. I love her slow ballads best, of course, but I also like the Joy-type, soulful songs like, How Am I Different. Here's a slow, sexy ballad, Thinkin' About You. Whew!

Free at Last

Kenz At Night

I'm officially unemployed. My feet and legs are very happy and plan to thank me next week when it will no longer hurt to walk. Now, I have to get ready for Christmas. A bit of baking, a trip to the attic for decorations, cleaning and shopping should do it. I'm attending a dinner party tomorrow so will go in early and take care of the groceries and shopping and the rest, I just have to get at it. Time is drawing near.

We blew second round in trivia last night after placing first in the first round. It goes without saying though, that we had lots of fun. We are not going next week even though there is trivia. We'll all be busy eating leftover turkey.

Music: Let Me Down Easy by Bettye LaVette and Bruce Springsteen's Long Time Comin'

Helping Her Pack

I was hurrying to finish a post yesterday when we had a power outage. It was a nice nostalgic look at my daughter who is leaving the nest in just a few days. It's starting to hit me. I want her to go and have a life away from home but I will miss her terribly. She, more than anyone I know, has a great joie de vivre that makes her a huge presence in any room.

Music: I can think of so many songs for her; songs she likes, songs that remind me of her, songs with a message. I'm her mother so I definitely have to get a message in there. Way Out West (isn't that ironic) has a message in Don't Forget Me and Joy by Bettye LaVette says it all for my girl who brings joy. I just have to think of rainbows rather than the rain when I think of her being so far away so today's link I will visit often...rainbows.

Napping Predicted

Been awake since 3:45, a pain to be sure, but I'm not stressing about it today because......it's my day off and when I get tired I can go have a nap. I don't know what's up with the new wake time. Five thirty has always been my time and I'm fine with that but three forty-five and four are just a little tooooo early.

The weather has been fantastic - sunny with temps 22 - 24. On Saturday the forecast was that the trend would continue through Monday but on Sunday, Monday's forecast changed to cloudy and showers. I'll nap through the showers. Ha!

I have several versions of September Song that I was going to upload this month but here it is half way through and I've not put one up yet. Today, I'll put up two and leave it at that unless some day in the next few weeks I can't come up with anything more interesting. This is not likely though because I have lots and lots of more interesting music than September Song. These versions I've picked because of the contrast......James Brown and Nat King Cole. They are so far apart on the musical scale and their versions of the song show just how far. A couple more today are Warm Bed by Jamie Fox though at this stage I prefer a cool bed with the window open wide and wind blowing a gale into the room. A fun little number by Bettye LaVette is Sleep to Dream. I've got a couple of numbers by her and like her Macy Gray type voice. She sounds more fun than Macy though. I will put her version of Down to Zero up someday. It's great!