If you live State-side, I hope you enjoy your Memorial Day in whatever way you celebrate!

Around here, people get in their campers and head out to the hills, lakes, peaceful places.

It’s not very warm today, but it’s really sunny. So that helps.

If you’re a long-time reader of this lofty blog, you no doubt recall that most of the men in my family — going back to the Revolutionary War, served in the military and usually served in one war or another.

If I wasn’t working today (a double, no less), I would at least make a trip to the local cemetery. But it’s not happening today.

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Yes!

Yesterday was my “day off”! And I got a ton of writing done. Mostly on the play, for Sandra to go over. Then some work on the TV series. Obviously, there is still a ton of work yet to do, but I was able to fall asleep last night knowing that I had gotten a lot accomplished.

Today, I won’t be writing. Today, I’m focusing on just being present. And compassionate. And emotionally flexible. The client I have later today is the one who is in the facility and rapidly declining from extreme cognitive impairment. It can get extremely challenging. (He can get combative, physical, abusive. And you never know when he will suddenly get triggered and slip into that.)

The agency told me the other day that I could remove that client from my schedule if I wanted to, but I don’t want to. He’s the one that, when I first met him, I had the profound impression that I recognized him, that I knew him from somewhere, even though I didn’t. And then HE responded, upon meeting me, that he recognized me, too. Even though he is beyond being able to recognize people from his own family.

I feel that there is a higher connection there, though, you know? That we must recognize each other for some higher reason. This deterioration has got to be so frustrating, scary, confusing for him on some deep level. I don’t want to just abandon him. I don’t want to just walk away. I want to at least be present for him on this final path of his journey.

We’ll see how it goes.

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Also, yesterday–

Perhaps you recall that, several weeks ago, the little girls from next door wanted to sell me a bunch of drooping dandelions and dead flowers because they needed $5 to buy their mom a cake…

Well, they now come around sort of “weekly”. And other kids have joined the little group. They can’t be more than 7 or 8 years old. It’s hard to say. But they come to my kitchen door around dinner time on Sundays, and they have their usual bouquet of weeds….

But now I don’t take the bouquet, I just ask them how much money they need and what they need it for.

They usually ask for $2 (even if it’s all in quarters!!). And they need it for candy, or nail polish, etc. etc.

I happily give it to them and quietly hope that they aren’t buying drugs or anything (although the pot can’t call the kettle black on that score — but I was a little older than 7 or 8 when that started going on in my life!!) (I was 12.).

At this point, I’m sure their parents have no clue that they’re getting money from me all the time now. (And I have no clue, now, who some of their parents even are.) And since I never had children of my own, I feel like this is God’s way of letting me experience giving kids their weekly allowance money!! It’s too funny.

I am curious, though, where it’s going to lead, or end… And I’m guessing I’m getting a reputation in the village for not only being a crazy cat lady, but also for being someone who’ll just give you money — all you have to do is ask!

(I can’t help it, though. I absolutely love kids.)

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Okay, here’s this!

I love this photo!! The Rolling Stones!! They did “mod” like nobody’s business!

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And here’s one of the culprits in action!!

Bettie Jo shredding the chenille bedspread just now!! (This goes on ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT!)

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And here’s this!!!

Two more great random photos of Nick Cave from Instagram. (It’s hard to just sit here and wait for the next tour to start (June 10th — Buy tickets here!!), so I guess I’ll just keep posting anyway.)

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And that’s it! I gotta scoot!!

Enjoy your Monday/Memorial Day, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Wow!

Look what’s queued up on my playlist for driving to town!!

I loved this album when it first came out!! And when I put this record on my record player for the first time (a weekday morning, I was 17 and in high school), and when THIS SONG came on for the first time, everything in my entire being soared to the stratosphere!!

I immediately called the attendance office at the school, pretended to be my mother (who was at work) and called myself in sick for the day. I had to listen to this song repeatedly!! Everything else in the world stopped.

“Miracle Man,” by Elvis Costello. From My Aim Is True, 1977. Enjoy, gang!

“Miracle Man”

You never asked me what I wanted. You only asked me why.
I never thought that so much trouble was restin’ on my reply,
I could say it was the nights when I was lonely
and you were the only one who’d come.
I could tell you that I like your sensitivity,
when you know it’s the way that you walk.

[Chorus]:
Why do you have to say that there’s always someone
who can do it better than I can?
But don’t you think that I know that walking on the water
won’t make me a miracle man?

Baby’s gotta have the things she wants.
You know she’s gotta have the things she loves.
She’s got a ten-inch bamboo cigarette holder
and her black patent leather gloves.
And I’m doing everything just tryin’ to please her,
even crawling around on all fours.
Oh, I thought by now that it was gonna be easy,
but she still seems to want for more.

[Chorus]

I hear they’re givin’ you a bad reputation
just because you’ve never been denied.
You try to say you’ve done it all before.
Baby, you know that you just get tired.
Yet everybody loves you so much, girl.
I just don’t know how you stand the strain.
Oh, I, I’m the one who’s here tonight,
and I don’t wanna do it all in vain.

[Chorus]

c – 1977- Elvis Costello