“ Dobroho ranku”, or “Good Morning!” in Ukrainian, an Eastern Slavic language spoken mainly in Ukraine. I have decided that the UJT will remain focused on Ukraine until we can all rejoice in the end of hostilities. It has been 271 days since Russia attacked Ukraine.
This week I learned some stuff:
• We (admittedly, mostly the contractors) spend most of last week clearing out, demolishing the damaged drywall and floor and listening to the fans run in the sealed up area
• The Prostate Adventure continues with my first week hormonally imbalanced. We took some baseline blood work so my doctors can monitor progress as we get ready to start radiation treatment. Thank you for all the kind thoughts and wishes. I feel pretty much the same as before – maybe a little more sluggish. So far so good.
• November 24th is the 328th day of 2022 and 2022’s Thanksgiving Day! Just 31 days till Christmas! Today in 1429, Joan of Arc unsuccessfully besieges La Charité; The Texas Provincial Government authorizes the creation of a horse-mounted police force called the Texas Rangers (which is now the Texas Ranger Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety) today in 1835; On this day in 1859, Charles Darwin publishes On the Origin of Species; Also today in 1911, nine members of the Milwaukee Police Department are killed by a bomb, the most deaths in a single event in U.S. police history until the September 11 attacks in 2001; In 1963 on this day, Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy, is killed by Jack Ruby; Today in 1971, during a severe thunderstorm over Washington state, a hijacker calling himself Dan Cooper (aka D. B. Cooper) parachutes from a Northwest Orient Airlines plane with $200,000 in ransom money. He has never been found; Today in 1974, Donald Johanson and Tom Gray discover the 40% complete Australopithecus afarensis skeleton, nicknamed “Lucy” (after The Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds ” ); Zachary Taylor, American general and politician, 12th President of the United States was born today in 1784; Scott Joplin, American pianist and composer was born today in 1868; Dale Carnegie, American author and educator born today in 1888; Born today in 1897, Lucky Luciano, Italian-American mob boss; William F. Buckley, Jr., American publisher and author, founded the National Review was born today in 1925 as was Simon van der Meer, Dutch-Swiss physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate; Born today in 1941, Pete Best, Indian-English drummer and songwriter and musician as was Donald “Duck” Dunn, American bass player, songwriter, and producer; Lee Michaels, American singer-songwriter and musician was born today in 1945;Ted Bundy, American serial killer was born today in 1946; Bob Burns, American, drummer and songwriter for Lynyrd Skynyrd was born today in 1950; Julieta Venegas, American-Mexican singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer was born today in 1970; Doris Miller, American sailor and chef, Navy Cross recipient was killed in action aboard the USS West Virginia saving other sailors during the attack on Pearl Harbor; arack Obama, Sr., Kenyan economist and academic, father of Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States passed away today in 1982; We lost Freddie Mercury, Tanzanian-English singer-songwriter, lead vocalist of Queen, and producer today in 1991; And lastly,Pat Morita, American actor (AKA Mr. Miyagi ) passed away today in 2005.
Website Update:
This week:
• Week two for our Vocabulary Quiz
• Last week for our Musical Trivia Quiz
• This week I did not add any new recipes. However, we are test driving a new side dish with our non-traditional Thanksgiving ham. My Roasted Broccoli will be published next week if it is as good as I hope.
• The Home Page quote this week is from George Bernard Shaw. Irish playwright, critic, political activist and Nobel Laureate. He said, “Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society. The optimist invents the airplane, the pessimist invents the parachute.”.
Writing, Ceramics, Bonsai Trees, Stained Glass and Painting Update:
• I worked on my painting this week. I made zero progress on my stained glass project.
• I am continuing my streak of slacking off on the paper edits of Grandpa Stories. I just haven’t carved out any time for more chapters.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
Living with high volume fans blowing 24 hours a day for days and days is no bueno. When they were removed on Tuesday, it was almost frightening being able to converse without yelling at one another. I am actually enjoying the absence of TV (packed away with the rest of the family room stuff) in my world. My audiobook with headphones has been a great alternative.
Music Update:
This week I am celebrating my good fortune with some remarkable music.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• Vargo — The Moment — Another wonderful tune that found its way to me mysteriously. But I truly love the music these folks are making. It’s just so damn romantic!!! You can almost feel the salt drying on your skin in the sun. This is from their Andalucía Chill – Rumbo Sur, Vol. 4 released in 2016. I hope you enjoy it.
• CSN&Y– Almost Cut My Hair — This is another great cut from their Déjà Vu album, released in 1970. “… I feel like I owe it to someone … “
• Eric Clapton — I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine — Eric’s version of this wonderful song from Bob Dylan is just so sweet and subtle. I am not sure who is playing the accordion, but they do a great job of giving this version a swampy sound. This comes from Eric’s most recent solo album, “I Still Do” released in 2016.
• Atlanta Rhythm Section — Spooky — Listening to this is a sweet flashback to a sweeter time when we were all young and pretty. Did you have your own versions of “Spooky” in your life? I did and learned a lot:) This is from their “Underdog” album released in 1979.
• David Pack — Elisabeth — This is just a beautiful chunk of music. I think he wrote it for his wife Beth. I love the guitar work but the whole thing is smoothly mastered. This is from his, “The Secret of Movin’ On” released in 2006. This album has an impressive cast – Bernie Taupin, Steve Perry, Ann Wilson..to name a few.
• Stanley Clark — School Days — I first ran into Stanley when he was playing bass as a child with Chick Corea and Al Di Meola in Return to Forever before he cut this album in 1976. This is the title cut from his first solo gig. If you cannot get your head around fusion jazz then just click next. I love this stuff.
That’s it… Do the best you can; Laugh every chance you get; Always remember… The best is yet to come! As always, thank you for being my friend!