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.

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!

Getting On With It - A New Year

We had snow earlier today but rain took over by mid afternoon. We will be left with slush after the temperature rises as is forecasted. It looked pretty while it lasted. The photo above is from last year and is an animal track I saw on my way to the beach during a mid-winter walk. I like the deep shadow.

I've been surrounded by good friends who love me. I just pass it on. I've had a long list of phone calls to make to celebrate the new year with friends from all over the world. I've been making at least one of these phone calls per day; sometimes more. They are all similar in that the person is glad to hear from me and we catch up on a year's activities in each of our lives. There has been a lot of laughter, a few tears, always acceptance and compassion for each other's situations and most of all, love that has spanned the years. What more can a person ask for?

I heard today that Oprah is having a concert one day soon of Mary J Blige, Carly Simon and Corinne Baily Rae, who I mentioned last week is new to me. I'll definitely be tuning in.

The new year has begun in earnest. I made quite a few pairs of earrings today and have several paintings from last year prepared to varnish tomorrow. I feel like painting, at this point, so will start some base-coating tomorrow. I find it therapeutic and look forward to it.

Music: I really like Mary J. Blige and really like this song, About You featuring Will-I-Am, that has samples of Nina Simone in it. Also up is Not Gon' Cry (good advice) by Mary as well. She's been a wonderful example of finding joy in dark places.