Finally!!

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Okay, gang!

I finally got all the flowers, potting soil, etc., and today I’m going to be able to get all the flower boxes filled and out on the porches.

Sadly, due to Trump’s tariffs on petunias and impatiens, the price of flowers was really high this season. So I couldn’t buy as many as I usually do.

I am of course JUST KIDDING.

But I couldn’t buy as many as I usually do, only because I usually buy flowers over the Memorial Day holiday, when they are always on sale.

But this holiday season, as perhaps you recall, the Agency had me working like a crazy person. Plus, it was cold and rainy.

Anyway, better late than never and at least I have enough to put a few flowers on each porch. And the weather today is still beautiful, so I’m excited.

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On an interesting note–

I have a husband & wife client(s) that I usually see at least twice a week.

Over the past 2 days, for very different reasons, each of them has wound up in the hospital and both are heading to rehab for the rest of the month.

Yes. That means at least 7 shifts, gone. And right before I’m taking a week off to go to NYC.

But you know what??? I mean, I’m sorry that they are both having to go through rehab (again — 2nd time for each in the past 6 months), but I am so excited to finally have some unexpected free time to get the house clean and ready for summer, plant the flowers, work on the novel and the play. AND get back over to the shooting range. It’s been a month since I’ve been able to get back over there.

I am a little bit in shock to suddenly have all this time, but I am really, really happy. Everything will finally get done around here. And I can start keeping up with my neighbors!!

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Here something that’s disturbing…

It seems that THIS place–

— has switched who they buy their fortune cookies from!! They are now just the regular kind of fortunes you can get in any Asian restaurant across the country.

Gone are the uncanny fortunes at the end of a meal!! No irony whatsoever.

Gone are the reasons to save the little fortunes, take photos of them and post them to the blog!!

It’s a good thing that the staff their is really friendly and that the food there is great, otherwise there would be no point in going there anymore…

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Okay!!!

I really don’t have much else I can post about right now. There is some major stuff happening, but it’ll be awhile before I can blog about it.

Meanwhile, I want to get started on the flowers.

So here’s this!! From my personal desktop stash!!

And 6 more days before Switzerland!!! (Buy tickets here, if there are any left in the tour!!)

And now I gotta scoot!

Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

****************

Our Daily Feature continues!

Gifts Keith Richards gave me when I was a wee bonny girl!!

Wherein I regale you with “songs Keith loved, that he would talk about in an interview in some magazine, and then I’d go out and try to find the record and then buy it with my babysitting money, and then I’d listen to it alone in my intense little room, playing it on the portable record player that my dad bought me, and the song would change my life. “

Today’s selection!! 

Although Keith has had nothing too flattering to say about the times he worked with Chuck Berry in later years, Chuck Berry was still a huge influence on Keith’s sound when he was young.

And even though it doesn’t sound like Chuck Berry was a very nice person, I loved a lot of those early songs he wrote — especially this one!! — and I know them all by heart. And it was Keith Richards that first introduced me to his music.

Chuck Berry, “Maybelline”, 1955. Enjoy, gang.

“Maybellene”

Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
You done started doin’ the things you used to do

As I was motorvatin’ over the hill
I saw Maybellene in a Coupe de Ville
A Cadillac a-rollin’ on the open road
Nothin’ will outrun my V8 Ford
The Cadillac doin’ about ninety-five
She’s bumper to bumper, rollin’ side by side

Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
You done started back doin’ the things you used to do

The Cadillac pulled up to a hundred and four
The Ford got hot and wouldn’t do no more
It then got cloudy and started to rain
I tooted my horn for the passin’ lane
The rainwater blowin’ all under my hood
I know that I was doin’ my motor good

Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
You done started back doin’ the things you used to do

[Solo guitar]

Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
You done started back doin’ the things you used to do

The motor cooled down, the heat went down
And that’s when I heard that highway sound
The Cadillac a-sittin’ like a ton of lead
A hundred and ten half a mile ahead
The Cadillac lookin’ like it’s sittin’ still
And I caught Mabellene at the top of the hill

Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
You done started back doin’ the things you used to do

c – 1955 – Chuck Berry

Holy Moly — Back Again!

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Sorry I couldn’t post yesterday, gang, but life got seriously intense.

I will go into it another day, but meanwhile — life is back on track and I am in another incredibly happy mood!

The weather is glorious, for one thing — finally feels like summer!

And I cannot WAIT until I can tell you the details of all that is going on with pre-production for the staged reading of “The Guide to Being Fabulous” in NYC. As soon as I can, I will. But I am so excited!

And, meanwhile, I have a ton of stuff to take care of around the house before I leave for a week in NYC in early July — leaving a very good-natured cat sitter in charge of many kittens and thousands of cats.

But yesterday, my favorite 94-year-old Japanese man and I ran a couple of quick errands –including stopping off and buying most of my flowers to put out on my porches!!

I’m almost there, gang. My little happy paradise in the Hinterlands.

***********

Today, he and I are going out for sashimi and sake! (Or sushi and sake, if hell freezes over again…)

And here’s this!! We uncovered it the other day while looking through really old photos — his dad, doing a pilgrimage climb up Mt. Fuji in the early 1930s:

We also found a 71-year-old handwritten letter in MINT condition, which my client’s mother had written to him from Tokyo while he was in Divinity School in Kansas in 1954!!!

Entirely in Japanese. A very fragile letter, on that old-fashioned “Air Mail” stationary. Incredible! It was in such good condition.

*************

And here’s this!!!

Wendy and Kara and I had dinner here, in Granville, on Monday evening:

I got this on the internet– I don’t know the person in the photo

And I wore one of my new sundresses and it was a HUGE hit, gang. It really was:

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And here’s this!

Taken yesterday — Bobbie Jo, Bettie Jo, and Billie Jo.

Billie Jo, the grey one, is the one who is missing her 2 back feet. She’s still really tiny but she does great getting around — except that she can’t climb.

And here’s this!! (But don’t tell Little Blackie!!)–

I’ve finally chosen a local vet — only 15 minutes away, instead of 45. This is where Little Blackie will get spayed as soon as it’s safe for her to get it done (yes, you know you’re in the hills when you see a vet’s office that looks like this):

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And here’s THIS!!! Yay!!

It is finally available to view for free in the USA (click the LINK to watch it on YouTube):

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds LIVE – Accor Arena, Paris – ARTE Concert (2 hrs 31 mins):

And only 7 more days before Nick Cave’s Solo Tour of Europe (with bass player) gets underway in Switzerland!!

Most shows on the tour are sold out but buy remaining tickets here!

And here’s this!!

Another fave “yesteryear” photo of Nick Cave from my desktop stash!!!

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And other than that — every spare moment I can find, I am going over my unpublished novel from 1998, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder, in preparation for its possible home with a small press in Pennsylvania.

And just FYI:

Fall 2001: The Curse of Our Profound Disorder, Top 10 Winner (4th Place) New Century Writer Awards
 
The Curse of Our Profound Disorder, Finalist, novel-in-progress, William Faulkner Writing Competition, New Orleans

October 1998: Honorable Mention in the 5th Annual Writer’s Network Screenplay & Fiction Competition: Curse of Our Profound Disorder, Chapter One

Okay!!

I gotta get ready to head to town.

Have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting!

I love you guys. See ya!

***********

Our new Daily Feature continues!

Gifts Keith Richards gave me when I was a wee bonny girl!!

Wherein I regale you with “songs Keith loved, that he would talk about in an interview in some magazine, and then I’d go out and try to find the record and then buy it with my babysitting money, and then I’d listen to it alone in my intense little room, playing it on the portable record player that my dad bought me, and the song would change my life. “

Today’s selection!! 

(And FYI — Little Richard blew my wee bonny little mind!! I loved him!! And here’s a cool story — when I finally found my birth father, he told me a story about being 15 and how he and his older brother Earl, jumped a freight train in Greenfield, Ohio, and went to a small club by the railroad tracks in Cincinnati to see Little Richard. They had to sneak into the club because they were underage. And then they hopped a freight train back home, in the wee small hours, and never got caught. My dad said that Little Richard was incredible. The club was packed. And Little Richard was totally flying, totally fucked up, and at one point he even threw up on his piano keys but kept right on playing!!)

Okay!!

Little Richard, “Good Golly Miss Molly”, 1958. Enjoy, gang!!

“Good Golly Miss Molly”

Good Golly Miss Molly, sure like to ball.
Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like to ball.
When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’ can’t hear your momma call.

From the early early mornin’ till the early early night
You can see Miss Molly rockin’ at the house of blue lights.
Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like to ball.
When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’ can’t hear your momma call.

Well, now momma, poppa told me: “Son, you better watch your step.”
If I about Miss Molly, have to watch my dad myself.

Good golly, Miss Molly, so like to ball.
When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’ can’t hear your momma call.

Good Golly Miss Molly, so like to ball.
Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like to ball.
When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’ can’t hear your momma call.

I am going to the corner, gonna buy a diamond ring.
Would you pardon me a clip if it’s a ting a-ling a-ling
Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like a ball.
When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’ can’t hear your momma call.

Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like a ball.
Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like a ball.
When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’ can’t hear your momma call.

c – 1958 – John Marascalco, R. Blackwell

“I’ve heard that thing about a day making a difference and all, but this is like night & day…”

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Wow, gang!!

I slept great. My wee bonny peepers didn’t pop open until 5:28 AM!! The sun was coming up! It felt incredible, knowing I didn’t need to spring out of bed; didn’t need to go anywhere or do anything today unless I wanted to…

And it turns out — I want to!!

Me and Wendy and Kara are meeting up in Granville, later, to either have a late lunch or an early dinner and I am so excited!!

Downtown Granville

Not only because I get to hang out with them (yay!!), but also the weather is going to be fantastic!! Sunny. Upper-70s Fahrenheit. Which means I get to wear one of my new sun dresses. And sandals. So I’m finally going to paint my toenails!!

I usually keep them painted from May through September, but it’s been so cold and rainy this Spring, that I haven’t bothered. Until today… Yay!

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Okay.

A Happy Heavenly Birthday to Charlie Watts!!

I know people really like Steve Jordan, and I know Keith loves playing with him a lot. I have nothing against Steve Jordan, but for me, it’s just not the Stones sound without Charlie.

**********

Another happy thing about today, gang — I’m gonna go outside for a bit and pull some weeds, and then get the pots and stands and flowerboxes out of the barn and ready for when I buy the flowers and put them all out on the porches.

One step closer, gang! It makes my heart sing.

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Oh, and speaking of making my heart sing…

The other day, when I was in Rural King, there was a guy working the register that I’d never seen before, but it was clear he’d worked there a long time, just not on the register.

I was going to his lane but the customer in front of me had a lot of items, so I moved to the next lane, instead. But his lane freed up right away, so he actually called me back over.

“Come on, ” he said, waving. “I’m free.”

You don’t usually see that kind of enthusiasm in a checkout lane, least of all from a guy. So I went right over.

Let me say here that I am absolutely 100% old enough to be his grandmother… but, wow, was this guy totally my type.

The kind of long-haired, tall, dark, skinny guy that you can tell is nothing but trouble when he’s not on the clock. The kind of guy who would have driven a race car way too fast back in the old days. While smoking. You know, a wild thing.

And when he asked me what my “rewards” number was, and I told it to him, he stared right at me, while entering the numbers into the register — he never had to look down at the keyboard once and he got it completely right. “Marilyn?” he said. And then he sort of flirted with me … but not too much.

And , yes, my heart sang!

Shit! I couldn’t believe God still made guys like him!!! Wow. What a great day at the Rural King.

[Tom Petty & the Heart breakers, “Wild Thing ( You Make My Heart Sing)”, 1982]

***************

Nick Cave sent out a really beautiful Red Hand File this morning, affirming the value of having children, regardless of the state of the world at any given time. In part, he said:

“...I think that if we are to attribute any value to the future of the world and invest in its continuance, we must keep on populating it. Children are indicators of our faith in the world itself, they are emissaries of optimism, charging into the future with their pockets full of hope…“

You can read it in full here.

***************

And what finally happens one week from tomorrow???

That’s right!! A mandatory meeting at the Agency to get new uniforms NO!!! Nick Cave’s Solo Tour of Europe (with bass player) begins!! It is mostly sold out, but buy those few remaining tickets here!

And here’s another one from my desktop stash of fave photos of Nick Cave!!

And I think that’s going to be it for now.

I turned in all the revisions to Peitor yesterday afternoon and until I hear back from him, I get to sit here and work on my novel!! Yay!!

Honestly, such a great day around here. So different from yesterday.

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***************

Okay!!!

Our new Daily Feature continues!

Gifts Keith Richards gave me when I was a wee bonny girl!!

Wherein I regale you with “songs Keith loved, that he would talk about in an interview in some magazine, and then I’d go out and try to find the record and then buy it with my babysitting money, and then I’d listen to it alone in my intense little room, playing it on the portable record player that my dad bought me, and the song would change my life. “

Today’s selection!! 

Howlin’ Wolf, “Little Red Rooster”, 1962. Enjoy, gang!!

“Little Red Rooster”

I have a little red rooster
Too lazy to crow for day
I have a little red rooster
Too lazy to crow for day
Keep everything in the barnyard
Upset in every way

Oh the dogs begin to bark
And the hound begin to howl
Oh the dogs begin to bark
Hound begin to howl
Ooh watch out strange kind people
Cause little red rooster is on the prowl

If you see my little red rooster
Please drag him home
If you see my little red rooster
Please drag him home
There ain’t no peace in the barnyard
Since the little red rooster been gone

I have a little red rooster
Too lazy to crow for day
I have a little red rooster
Too lazy to crow for day
Keep everything in the barnyard
Upset in every way

c- 1961 – Willie Dixon

What Is It About June??

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Or perhaps I should ask, “What is it about September?”

Is it a particularly frisky month? Because I know more people who have birthdays in June than in any other month of the year.

Well, I don’t actually “know” all of these people — but still.

A very happy birthday today to Wayne Lewis!! A previous husband and a dear friend!

These photos are kind of how I still think of Wayne — in the kitchen! We were both really good cooks and had dinner parties all the time. He’s in the kitchen in our apartment on West End Avenue here, preparing for a Christmas dinner party, early 90s (photos by moi!):

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And a very happy 78th birthday to Ronnie Wood!!

Officially, the first song he played on with the Rolling Stones was in 1974, “It’s Only Rock & Roll (But I Like It)”. And his first live song with them was on May 1st, 1975, “Brown Sugar.”

But here’s one of my favorite Ronnie Wood songs — with Rod Stewart and The Faces. (I think I posted this song here on his birthday last year…)

It is so hard to believe that I was listening to this stuff back in 1973 (and earlier)… I was still just a girl. But I didn’t feel as young as I was. Anyway, back then, music was my life.

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Okay!

I am moving really slow here today. I think I’m actually depressed. I am just ridiculously overworked these days. And I can’t keep the house clean, and haven’t even planted my summer flowers yet that I put out on my various porches every year. And that alone really depresses me.

I feel like I don’t have time to stop and focus, or enjoy my own life because of all these caregiver jobs that take so much out of me. And this is, allegedly, only part-time!! Because I’m semi-retired!! Whatever the fuck that means. Anyway.

It won’t last forever, but for now, I need the work.

Peitor’s expecting me to send him over the revisions of Acts 1, 2 and 3 of Episode 2 of the TV project by noon, and I still have about 15 more pages to edit, so I better scoot.

*************

But first!

I think I should have an entire category called “My absolute favorite Nick Cave photo of all time” because I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one photo–

So here’s another “absolute favorite of all time”!

Okay, enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

*************

Meanwhile…

Our new Daily Feature continues!

Gifts Keith Richards gave me when I was a wee bonny girl!!

Wherein I regale you with “songs Keith loved, that he would talk about in an interview in some magazine, and then I’d go out and try to find the record and then buy it with my babysitting money, and then I’d listen to it alone in my intense little room, playing it on the portable record player that my dad bought me, and the song would change my life. “

Today’s selection!! 

Jimmy Reed, “I Ain’t Got You”, 1960. Enjoy, gang!

“I Ain’t Got You”

I got a Eldorado Cadillac
Wit’s a spare tire on the back
I got the charge account at Goldblatt
But I ain’t got you

I got a tavern and a package store
Don’t matter where I go
You keep the ring in my nose
But I ain’t got you

I got a tavern an’a package store
I hit the numbers, four-forty four
I got a mojo and don’t you know?
I’m all dressed up, no place to go

I got a-women to the right of me
I got a-women to the left of me
I got a-womens all around me
But I ain’t got you

I got a-women on the right of me
I got a-women to the left of me
I got a-women all around me
But I ain’t got you
But I ain’t got you
But I ain’t got you
But I ain’t got you

c – 1960 – Calvin Carter

Home Again!!

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About 11 years ago, (3 houses ago), one of my feral kittens, Doris, accidentally got out of the house. She was “missing” for almost a week and it broke my heart.

I put signs up in the neighborhood. No one had seen her.

Doris, in this current house, back in 2020

I found a Facebook group back then that was all about cats. And they had the most accurate advice imaginable.

They said that since Doris was a house cat and had never been outdoors before in her life (she was born in my basement), she hadn’t gone far from the house. She was likely out hiding in the bushes, too scared to even move.

What my yard at that house looked like — she could of been hiding anywhere. I looked, but couldn’t find her:

They recommended I go outside at 4AM, with some food for her (tuna, so that she could easily smell it) and that she would come out of hiding.

For some reason, it had to be around 4AM. I think that was the time that most of the other critters (racoons, etc.) went back to their little nests.

Anyway. They were absolutely right. Doris had not gone far, even though she was gone for a week.

And at 4AM, when I brought out some tuna for her, she materialized from the bushes — absolutely starving and terrified and full of fleas.

So, long story short–

As much as I was freaking out yesterday about Saffie, one of the grown foster cats, getting out of the house and not coming back. And even though I looked for her everywhere, I knew she wouldn’t have gone far; she’d never been outside before. I knew she was nearby and scared and would not come out of hiding until dark.

So this morning, at 4AM, I got out of bed, brought a bowl of food for her, went around to the front of the house — and there she sat; on the ledge of my neighbor’s front porch. Scared, hungry, ready to come back home.

Saffie, a few minutes ago, back in her favorite spot in the linen closet:

What a relief.

I really can’t tell you how stressful it is around here with all these cats.

To think that there was once a time when I had 3, and it seemed like a lot. Most days, I just try not to think about it.

************

Okay.

I’m at long last making progress revising the revisions of the revisions of the first 2 acts of Episode 2 for the TV series. I should be caught up by tomorrow. Then, only about 30-ish more new pages will be needed to complete the episode.

So we’re almost there. Two episodes will be complete, and we can focus on the pitch deck — but to be honest, gang, we have gotten such an incredible reaction from producers so far (in Europe) without anything close to a pitch deck yet. (We do have tons of backstory and 3-season character and story arcs, though. We have mounds of material, just not a pitch deck. Yet.)

************

And yesterday, I spoke very quickly with Sandra while on my shift, and was then able to formally put in for time-off in July to go to NYC to begin pre-production of the staged reading of “The Guide to Being Fabulous”!!

That felt incredible, gang. One step closer to it being real. Wow.

************

And here’s this!! In honor of the 50th anniversary of Ronnie Wood joining the Rolling Stones–

The Folio Collection, by Ronnie Wood, is now available for sale! A limited printing of 200. I cannot even fathom what the price is on this (my guess is that it’s already sold out) (40 seconds):

Back in the early 80s, when Ronnie was making a lot of solo albums, I bought a signed lithograph — a limited printing, based on art from one of his album covers.

Obviously, if I was able to buy it in the 1980s, it was not outrageously expensive.

I loved that print but I have no clue what happened to it. The last time I recall seeing it was around 2015. I can’t imagine what it would be worth these days.

It was from this era — 1981:

***************

Anyway.

I’m out of time here so I gotta scoot!

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world!! (I know I will, because by midafternoon, 7 shifts will be behind me!! What a week…)

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys.

See ya!

*************

Okay!

Our new Daily Feature continues!

Gifts Keith Richards gave me when I was a wee bonny girl!!

Wherein I regale you with “songs Keith loved, that he would talk about in an interview in some magazine, and then I’d go out and try to find the record and then buy it with my babysitting money, and then I’d listen to it alone in my intense little room, playing it on the portable record player that my dad bought me, and the song would change my life. “

Today’s selection!! Even though I obviously knew who Elvis was by then, a lot of his early songs were brand new to me.

Elvis Presley, “Heartbreak Hotel”, 1956. Enjoy, gang!!

“Heartbreak Hotel”

Well, since my baby left me
Well, I found a new place to dwell
Well, it’s down at the end of Lonely Street
At Heartbreak Hotel

Where I’ll be, I’ll be so lonely baby
Well, I’m so lonely
I’ll be so lonely, I could die

Although it’s always crowded
You still can find some room
For broken-hearted lovers
To cry there in their gloom

They’ll be so, they’ll be so lonely baby
They get so lonely
They’re so lonely, they could die

Now, the bell hop’s tears keep flowin’
And the desk clerk’s dressed in black
Well, they’ve been so long on Lonely Street
They’ll never, never look back

And they get so, they get so lonely baby
Well they are so lonely
They’re so lonely, they could die

Well, now, if your baby leaves you
And you got a tale to tell
Well, just take a walk down Lonely Street
To Heartbreak Hotel

Where you will be, you will be so lonely baby
Well you will be lonely
You’ll be so lonely, you could die

Although it’s always crowded
But you still can find some room
For broken-hearted lovers to cry there in their gloom

Where they get so, they get so lonely baby
Well they’re so lonely
They’ll be so lonely, they could die

c – 1956 – Elvis Presley, Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden

What a morning

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During the night, one of the fully grown foster cats tore a huge hole in the screen of the dining room window.

3 cats escaped. 2 came back.

At 4AM, I was out in the dark in front of my house, searching for a cat. I’m guessing she will find her way home when she gets hungry enough, 🙏🙏🙏

So between all that angst here this morning and revising the opening pages of Episode 2 of the TV series YET AGAIN, I now seriously gotta scoot and head to town.

I hope you have a better Friday out there, wherever you are in the world.

I will return tomorrow!!

Thanks for visiting. I love you guys. See ya.

The Joy Doesn’t Quit, Gang!

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Just keep a bunch of 7-week-old kittens closed up in your bedroom/office 24/7, and see what it does to the joy factor in your living space!

Although a couple of them are really, really wanting to go out into the hallway now, so I have to be careful when I open the door.

And a couple of the fully grown cats out in the hallway really, really want to know what the heck is going on in here.

But since Mommy (Little Blackie) still ferociously attacks all the other cats in the house (she got out once), I’m not ready to start introducing everyone yet.

But meanwhile, the frolicking in here never stops. (I can’t even get a decent photo anymore because they don’t stay still long enough — unless, for a nano second, they’re sleeping.)

***********

There’s not much to post about today. I spent yesterday afternoon/evening, working on pages that Peitor had sent over.

Although I did manage to get some yoga done, too. Yay. And it was during that nano second when all the kittens were asleep, so I was actually able to focus on the yoga (and relax) and not on trying to not step on any kittens. So, double yay.

Oh, and the interesting thing that happened yesterday — my favorite 94-year-old Japanese man did NOT want to go out for Japanese food.

This is a first, gang. He always wants to go out for lunch. But he said he just wasn’t up to going anywhere, which alarmed me a little bit. But we still had a great afternoon, chatting, laughing, uncovering the meaning of vodka martinis Life…

***********

Overall, I’m just kind of a little overwhelmed here. Mostly with stuff pertaining to the TV series project.

Mostly because, every time I find a moment to sit at my desk and get some edits done to Episode 2, Peitor sends over more edits to the edits-in-progress. So I have to stop everything and start over.

I don’t think he has a “pause” button… if he does, it’s broken.

But anyway. I am trying to find a way to balance everything. So far, I’m feeling kind of lucky that at least I’m still waking up in the morning. So we’ll start with that — Square One.

***********

Okay, here’s this!

*************

And here’s this!

A fave photo from my desktop stash, as we await the passage of 13 more days before the next Nick Cave tour begins (buy tickets here! I think there are maybe 4 tickets left…)

Blixa and Nick from yesteryear:

******

And that’s it for today. I gotta scoot and — yes — call the Honda dealership!

They texted me yesterday to say they had discovered that I need 2 different filters and a windshield wiper blade replaced. I don’t know about you, but I’m thinkin’ that sounds like a 15-minute fix, right???

Here’s hoping it won’t take another 3 fucking hours. I like the guys at the Honda dealership but, like, not THAT much.

But we shall see. (My car is leased, so anything that needs fixing, I gotta fix. That way, when I trade it in for a new lease, the value remains really high. And the payments on the next lease go really low…)

Meanwhile, enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

**********

Our new Daily Feature continues!

Gifts Keith Richards gave me when I was a wee bonny girl!!

Wherein I regale you with “songs Keith loved, that he would talk about in an interview in some magazine, and then I’d go out and try to find the record and then buy it with my babysitting money, and then I’d listen to it alone in my intense little room, playing it on the portable record player that my dad bought me, and the song would change my life. “

Today’s selection!!

Robert Johnson, “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom”, 1937. Enjoy, gang!!

“I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom”

I’m gointa get up in the mornin
I believe I’ll dust my broom
I’m gointa get up in the mornin
I believe I’ll dust my broom
Girlfriend the black man you’ve been lovin
Girlfriend can get my room

I’m gonna write a letter
Telephone every town I know
I’m gonna write a letter
Telephone every town I know
If I can’t find her in West Helena
She must be in East Monroe I know

I don’t want no woman
Wants every downtown man she meets
I don’t want no woman
Wants every downtown man she meets
She’s a no good dooney
They shouldn’t allow her on the street

I believe, I believe I’ll go back home
I believe, I believe I’ll go back home
You can mistreat me here babe,
But you can’t when I’m back home

And I’m gettin up in the mornin
I believe I’ll dust my broom
I’m gettin up in the mornin
I believe I’ll dust my broom
Girlfriend the black man you been lovin
Girlfriend can get my room

I’m gonna call up Chiney
See is my good girl over there
I’m gonna call up China
See is my good girl over there
I can’t find her on Phillipine’s island
She must be in Ethiopia somewhere

c – 1937 – Robert Leroy Johnson

Good Morning, Good Morning!!

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Yes, I am up! I’m outta bed!!

And — NO!! — it wasn’t anywhere near 4AM.

It’s seems like 5AM is the best I can really do right now. So why fight it??

Okay, gang. Things just get better and better. Even though I had to wait 3 HOURS (!!) at the Honda dealership after my shift yesterday, so basically my entire day was a washout…

I did get a very quick update yesterday from the small press that has agreed to read my unpublished novel from 26 years ago, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder, with an eye toward perhaps publishing it — and she said that just after having read the opening sentence of the novel, she was VERY interested. [Her caps, not mine.]

Yay!

This still doesn’t mean a “book deal” — she’ll have to read the whole thing. But it made me feel fantastic, gang. (When her email came through, I was up to my eyeballs, trying to find out why the nurse hadn’t come to see my client last FRIDAY to see if she had a UTI. And we needed someone to come out and see her ASAP. The last time she had a UTI, she was in rehab for over a month.) Anyway. Many phone calls. Trying to be polite. Not wanting to bite anyone’s head off because I know everyone, including the quite comely but rapidly aging moi, is so fucking busy right now…

Anyway. The mobile urgent care was on its way as I was clocking out.

So that email just made me feel so happy, gang.

And then, while sitting for an eternity in the Honda waiting room… the Agency texted me and said that the wife of my client who’s in the facility with deep cognitive impairment issues, can no longer afford us so he is no longer on my schedule, at all.

Even though it’s a difficult situation for his family, and I really like him, that news suddenly and quite wonderfully freed up FIVE HOURS of my schedule, indefinitely!!! Yay!!

Because I of course received many many WhatsApp texts from Peitor yesterday, needing me to look over many many edits on Episode 2. (And I did finally get to sit down at my desk last night, after dinner. And the edits were GREAT.)

And I’ve decided to start illegally acquiring Adderall in order to get all of this stuff — revise a novel, revise a play for Off-Broadway, write a television series — DONE! Yay!

[I am, of course, totally kidding. Who the fuck has time to be addicted to Adderall right now??]

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Okay!!

Here’s this!!

Yesterday, I discovered a playlist of ALL my favorite songs from 2024!! So I thought, hmmm, and I hit the play button and drove off to town.

Wow, so bittersweet. So amazing. Most of the songs were the songs I’d listen to while driving back & forth to see my dad last year, during the final year of his life.

When THIS song came on, my heart hit the moon!! I immediately remembered how much I not only LOVE the sound of Johnny Depp’s voice, but this song, specifically, means so much to me. I loved Jim Carroll so much. He was such a big part of NYC for me in the 1980s.

The Hollywood Vampires’ version of “People Who Died”. (Song written by Jim Carroll, who, as fate would have it, died.)

I don’t really know what Johnny Depp is up to. The last I saw on Instagram was this (not smoking, but at least drinking…so, yay!):

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And here’s this!!

Just coz I’m not sure how he thinks we’re supposed to wait 14 more days before he goes on tour again for 912 months… (most shows are sold out already, but buy tickets here!!) Another personal fave photo from my desktop stash!!

And speaking of Nick Cave…

He sent out a quick Red Hand File yesterday, wherein he revealed that he and I have only ONE movie in common on the “favorites” list. He chose Living In Oblivion as the “movie that makes him laugh”.

[I love this movie, gang. I have seen it I don’t know how many times!!}

Anyway. You can read Nick’s favorite films in various categories HERE.

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From James Tabor — A Young Christian Believer Asks Dr Tabor Four Questions about Paul (47 mins):

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And that’s it! I gotta scoot and drive 30 miles to see my favorite 94-year-old Japanese man!! We’ll be going out for either sashimi and sake, or sushi and sake today. We’ll see what he decides.

Have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

************

Okay!

Our new Daily Feature continues!

Gifts Keith Richards gave me when I was a wee bonny girl!!

Wherein I regale you with “songs Keith loved, that he would talk about in an interview in some magazine, and then I’d go out and try to find the record and then buy it with my babysitting money, and then I’d listen to it alone in my intense little room, playing it on the portable record player that my dad bought me, and the song would change my life. “

Today’s selection!!

Hank Williams, “Honky Tonk Blues”, 1952. Enjoy, gang!!

“Honky Tonk Blues”

Well I left my home down on the rural route
I told my Pa I’m going steppin out and get the
Honky tonk blues,
Yeah the honky tonk blues
Well Lord I got ’em,
I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues.

Well I went to a dance and I wore out my shoes
Woke up this mornin wishin I could lose
Them jumpin honky tonk blues,
Yeah the honky tonk blues
Well Lord I got ’em,
I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues.

Well I stopped into every place in town
This city life has really got me down
I got the honky tonk blues,
Yeah the honky tonk blues
Well Lord I got em,
got the ho-on-ky tonk blues.

I’m gonna tuck my worries underneath my arm
And scat right back to my Pappy’s farm
And leave these honky tonk blues,
Yeah the honky tonk blues
Well Lord I got ’em,
I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues.

c – 1952 – Henry B. Glover, Shep Sheppard, Bill Doggett, Billy (usa) Butler, Clifford Scott

It’s Gonna be that Kind of Day!

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Yes, just when I thought today was going to be an easy one.

To town and back. One client. A really sweet lady who is (generally) easy to take care of. Get home in the early afternoon, get some more work done at my desk on Ep. 2 for the TV series project. Do some yoga. Have a quiet dinner in the kitchen, sitting in front of one of my all-time favorite shows (I only watch the old ones, with John Nettle in them):

Then off to bed, to study French, then Chinese, then read a little more from James Tabor’s great new (re-issued) book:

Then…

Alas.

Coming home from my evening client last night, one of those things you never enjoy seeing — a dashboard warning light pops up on the beloved Honda Civic Sport while tootling along on the freeway.

So, today is all about driving to my client’s house in town.

Dashing over to the mall to pop in at Rural King then at Aldi’s, to do some quick grocery shopping, since I will suddenly be over there. Then over to the Honda dealership, to get the oil changed, the tires checked and rotated. And SIT in the (albeit, really nice) Honda waiting room….forever.

Then drive home in rush hour traffic.

Maybe get a TINY bit of work done on the TV script — after dinner.

(I’m not going to mention any of this to Peitor because he’s already freaked out by my intensely overloaded schedule this week.) (He’s over in his part of the world, working like a crazy person on Ep. 2 because so much stuff is happening right now regarding our TV Pilot script.) (Whereas, I’m just a crazy person.)

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Okay!

I just want to mention a little bit about that client last evening, that I had posted about yesterday.

It went very well — partly because his daughter popped in to see him right when I got there and her visit left him in really good spirits. Plus, it was a gorgeous afternoon, so I was able to take him out into the garden for a while before dinner, and he loved being in the sun and looking at all the flowers.

I was working very hard to keep him in good spirits after dinner. Trying to avoid anything that could trigger him. I tried to keep the “conversations” going, in whatever direction they veered off to, since I generally have no clue what he’s talking about at any given moment.

And when my replacement came, and I was getting ready to go home, I went over to say goodbye to him, and in a really quiet voice (so quiet that I had to lean in really close to hear him), he said; “Why are you trying to save me?”

Wow.

Of course, I have no clue if he even knew he had said it. But, wow.

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Okay. So here are a couple of Nick Cave photos from my own really huge, non-Instagram stash!!

And this is a photo from 5 or 6 years ago, when Kara had bought me this really cute photo holder, specifically to put this photo in, because it’s probably my favorite Nick Cave photo from yesteryear:

I have to say, Kara always buys me the best gifts!!

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All righty.

I gotta scoot and get this insane day underway.

Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

*************

Okay!

I think I’m starting a new daily feature:

Gifts Keith Richards gave me when I was a wee bonny girl!!

I am, of course, referring to songs Keith loved, that he would talk about in an interview in some magazine, and then I’d go out and try to find the record and then buy it with my babysitting money, and then I’d listen to it alone in my intense little room, playing it on the portable record player that my dad bought me, and the song would change my life. Here’s one!!

Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home”. 1967. Enjoy, gang.

“Sing Me Back Home”

The warden led a prisoner down the hallway to his doom
I stood up to say good-bye like all the rest
And I heard him tell the warden just before he reached my cell
“Let my guitar playing friend do my request.” (Let him…)

Sing me back home with a song I used to hear
Make my old memories come alive
Take me away and turn back the years
Sing Me Back Home before I die

I recall last Sunday morning a choir from off the street
Came in to sing a few old gospel songs
And I heard him tell the singers “There’s a song my mama sang
Could I hear it once before you move along?”

Sing me back home with a song I used to hear
Make my old memories come alive
Take me away and turn back the years
Sing Me Back Home before I die

Sing Me Back Home before I die

c- 1967 Merle Haggard

Happy Memorial Day!

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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.

Beautiful Ohio!

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.

*****************

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.)

***********

Okay, here’s this!

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

*********

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!)

*********

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!

********

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

The world of author Marilyn Jaye Lewis