January 6th, 2017

Buenas dihas!! (“Good Morning” in Chamorro to you! Chamorro is spoken in the North Marianas islands that are just east of the Philippines)

Steven was moved to hospice this Thursday. His original go-fund-me goal has almost been met but the tabulation of uninsured costs incurred by the family has also grown so the goal was raised this week. Again, thank you for your good thoughts and whatever help you have given.

Welcome to 2017. I have greeted my other 64 Januarys a little suspiciously. I found as a boy, January was when grown ups seemed to want to “turn over a new leaf” when I thought the old leaf was doing just fine. As I grew older, I learned about tax years, and medical insurance deductions starting over and so, January never seemed all that positive especially since they seem to occur at lightening speed these days. But here we all are given a chance to take stock and move forward. As always I have some ideas about that seem to be much easier to talk about than to actually do but I will put them out there anyway because you all are my friends:
This weekend, invite family and friends over for a meal. While everyone is waiting for the lasagna to finish, break out all those photos that are in all those drawers and write down the dates and who in the pictures on the back. It will be fun way to spend some time with friends and remember good times.
While you are at it write down that lasagna recipe and any other recipes that your friends and family seem to enjoy the most. This weekend I was making my Grandma Margret’s Waldorf Salad. She never wrote down her recipe so I am relying on my observations as her grape-seed-getter-outer role since I was six to guide me in making her salad.
Make sure your will, trusts and NDR information is correct and stored as appropriate.
This year put together your Evacuation Checklist. Organize your important papers, clothing, water, meds, baby and pet care things that you might need should you have to evacuate your home suddenly.

This week I learned some stuff:
• I made a great standing rib roast on new years eve. I have made praise worthy “prime rib” many times but this time was different. I did some research and found some interesting insights and tips that I incorporated into my method and the results were even better than my previous efforts.
• I learned that Amazon Prime is a monster!!! I mean the shipping is really only attractive if you buy a lot of stuff from Amazon but everything else… the movies, tv, music, books, audio books,

Website Update
• Last week for the Vocabulary Quiz!! I have gotten some good feedback about this batch…check it out.
• I added recipes for Standing Rib Roast, Pecan Pie and Waldorf Salad to the Things to Eat page

Painting Update:
• No painting this week

Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• I sent an email to Bose Support about my daughter’s Bose Soundlink Mini asking if there are any software or firmware updates for the device available. I got a response telling me that the device was no longer under warranty but I could still get it fixed for a fee by Bose! I guess I will have to call the number and pay the fee to find out the answer to my question.

Music Update:
Doing the final edits on the Music chapters of Grandpa Stories, I got to relive some of those early magic moments when I was discovering things about myself and music. This week’s selection is a nice mix for you:
• Ricks Fines — Just a Stones Throw Away – I think i sent this one out on UJT radio sometime in 2015 but this guy is such good songwriter, I hope you will give it a listen.
• Bruce Springsteen – Into the Fire – Another great but deeper cut from his amazing The Rising album. The song was dedicated to the 348 Firefighters who were lost on 9/11 in NYC. When I listen closely this one makes me cry.
• Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin and Paco DeLucia – Mediterranean Sundance (Rio Ancho) – From the Vinyl!!!! This is just an amazing acoustic battle recorded on “Live Friday Night in San Franssco”.
• The Allman Brothers – Ain’t Wasting Time No More — This version is from their Live From Filmore East recordings.
• Grateful Dead – France – From the Vinyl!!! I bet you folks never knew that the dead played Jazz Music. This one is a deep cut from their Shakedown Street album. Donna Jean Godchaux and Bob Weir harmonize these lilting lyrics and the band does this amazing fusion fade out.
• Venice – I Don’t Know Why – This one comes to us from their Brunch Buffet which let the band pay tribute to the artists that influenced their music. This one is a cover of a beautiful Shawn Colvin song.
• Jerry Garcia — Sugaree – From the Vinyl!!!! From his first solo album. “Garcia” and one of my all time favorite Jerry tunes.
• Seals & Crofts – I Will Play For You – These boys had such great harmonies and I just thought we needed more harmony around here.

That’s it… Do the best you can; Laugh every chance you get; And always remember … The best is yet to come!

As always, thank you for being my friend!

James
Under the Jacaranda Tree URL: http://www.jfmccann.com