Music

It is a beautiful, if breezy, day, about 70 degrees outside. I am listening to Elvis Presley at his "Romantic Best" as I try to get the house straightened and some chores done. Listening to these old songs, I can't help but think how lucky we were to have grown up when we did. Remember Teen Club? Every Wednesday we danced and socialized, flirted and just had a good time with our friends. I do believe that the music was simply the best.


At that time, I had never heard of the blues; now I know this was the basis for rock and roll (also jazz). What great music! Listening to it can't help but bring a smile to your face, or at least to mine. If you've never heard Roy Buchanen, John Lee Hooker, or John Hammond (wow!), I urge you to give them a listen. Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, and even the Beatles all had their roots in this early juke joint music. Cleveland's own Robert Jr. Lockwood (died last year at age 90+) was stepson to the great Robert Johnson of Crossroads fame. Lockwood sure knew how to play the 12-string guitar, taught by Robert Johnson. We were fortunate enough to hear him live several times, and even bought him a drink or two. So if you've never listened to this music, please give it a try. It can really play to and on your moods.

How did I get from being a teen and teen club to the blues? I'm not sure -- just followed my thoughts. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that, growing up, we sure did have some good music which created some good times even while we were trying to go from awkward teens to sophisticated adults.

Fall is Here

Den went to Home Depot and here I sit, listening to a Peter, Paul and Mary tribute on college radio and feeling sorry for myself. This time of year is always hard for me, but this year seems worse than usual, and that aggravates me no end. There are so many things that need doing, and I have no energy or desire to "do." Then the guilt sets in.

How many things could I have gotten done today if I had really tried? Plants need repotting, kitchen cupboards need cleaning, windows need to be washed. I could have written, either finished a story that's almost done, or worked on my book. My grandmother's quilt needs to be finished, there's the sweater waiting for me to finish knitting, and the baby bag to finish crocheting. So what did I do all day? Slept, walked the dog, dusted the pool room and watered the plants. Did I mention that I took a nap or two? I never take naps!

So what is wrong with me? Why do I feel so depressed and discontented? Can't be the weather -- it was 75 degrees outside today, with only a bit of rain this morning. It's so bad that, when I was looking through the Eddie Bauer catalog, I was wishing that I had the life the model was portraying. That's pretty sad. All I can say is, I hope this feeling goes away soon. I know I won't feel so bad when it gets colder outside, even though the days will be shorter -- go figure. But until then, I think I will go sit in the living room, listen to the blues on the radio and feel sorry for myself. I might even have a good cry.

PerchFest

Today is the start of the annual Lake County PerchFest held on the beach in Fairport Harbor. This year, Den was commissioned to carve a four foot perch for the festival. It turned out to be an absolute masterpiece! We are going there tonight to have a perch dinner and to check out where his carving is being displayed. This is the first carving he has done that did not tell me its name, and I feel bad about that. Of course, the names I gave to his other carvings usually got changed by the buyer of the piece so it probably doesn't matter. Still, it was a disappointment not to be able to come up with a name. Any suggestions?

Sister Discussion

My sister and I are having our usual, passionate, disagreement about politics. It is all by email since we live in different states. This morning, I was thinking about what we would say to each other if we were in the same room, and came to the conclusion that it is better that we have to email each other. If we were in the same room, we would both try to talk at the same time, overriding the point the other one was trying to make. Tempers would flare (of course, only one of us has a temper and it surely isn't me), and we would most likely end up in a shouting match, with one or both of us storming off in frustration because we couldn't get the other to see the light.

When we have to communicate by email, each can take as much time as we need to read the point the other is trying to make, and think through our responses; no one is shouting anyone else down and we are able to remain calm and rational. I don't believe that either one of us will change the other one's mind, but at least we are able to read the other's thoughts carefully and fully instead of going off half-cocked, thinking the other one is a total idiot. I do worry that this discussion may be pushing one of us further to the right and the other further left, but if that's the result, so be it. I also believe it is bringing us closer together as sisters, and, to me, that's the most important thing.