February 13th, 2020

“Уа, Шьыжьы бзиа (Ua, Š’yž’y bzia)!” or “Good Morning” n Abkhaz, a North West Caucasian language spoken mainly in Abkhazia, an autonomous republic within Georgia.

It is good to have our grilling capability again! I had almost forgotten how much grilling enhances flavor in so many dishes.

It’s tax time again, oh boy!!! I use TurboTax and it seems to be getting more complicated. In the past I just clicked on the link and it took me to the TT for Mac download. Not the year! I ended up having to call them up to sort it out but I got it downloaded. I have begun the painful process of documenting just how much I will be contributing to the degradation of the American democracy and tRUMP’s golf outings. I am pretty good citizen in a wonderful country so I pay my taxes without bitching too much but paying them with this evil moronic Bozo in office, just chaps my ass!

This week I learned some stuff:
• I am still studying up on doing stained glass. I am also trying to find used sources for the tools and the best pricing for the materials I will need. But I excited to get started.
• I learned that eating 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables can serious impact your pasta and meats intake. It’s all I can do to get them in between my grapefruit, tangerines, spinach, kale, green beans, broccoli, asparagus … and so it goes.
• February 13th is the 44th day of the year (leaving only 317 days till Christmas!). On this day in 1633, Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome for his trial before the Inquisition; A jury in Flemington, New Jersey finds Bruno Hauptmann guilty of the 1932 kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby on this day in 1935; In 1990, the German reunification agreement is reached on a two-stage plan; Today in 2004, the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics announces the discovery of the universe’s largest known diamond, white dwarf star BPM 37093. Astronomers named this star “Lucy” after The Beatles’ song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”; In 2008, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd makes a historic apology to the Indigenous Australians and the Stolen Generations; For the first time in more than 100 years the Umatilla, an American Indian tribe, are able to hunt and harvest a bison just outside Yellowstone National Park, restoring a centuries-old tradition guaranteed by a treaty signed in 1855; on this day in 1885, Bess Truman, 35th First Lady of the United States was born; Tennessee Ernie Ford, American singer and actor was also born today in 1919; in 1933 Kim Novak, American actress was born and took the stage for the first time; Peter Gabriel, British singer-songwiter and musician was born today in 1950; We lost Waylon Jennings, American singer-songwriter and guitarist on this day 2002; Kim Jong-nam, North Korean politician was assign anted in Malaysia on this day in 2017.

Website Update:
• Week 2 for the Vocabulary Quiz.
• A “New” Trivia Quiz Yeaaahhh!
• I added a very nice Thai Chicken Salad recipe and a new (to me) potato recipe that was inspired by something Barbara, my watercolor’s instructor gave me.

Writing, Ceramics and Painting Update:
• Back at class. Finished painting my thank you cards and a birthday card for a certain fossil who was born very close to my Dads birthday(which is why I remember it most years). I am also making progress on my ceramic totem, that is to say that my first piece is almost dry enough to fire. I am begin work on my 2nd piece as well.
• Grandpa Stories is still not re-published.

Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• I developed most of my, “Pain in the butt” skills as a fairly young child who hated to take naps. I just knew the coolest, most bestest things were certain to happen while I was asleep and that I would miss them totally! I would use every excuse to delay the inevitable, negotiate for better terms and stubbornly refuse to lay still and close my eyes until actually lost control and slept like a napping pain in the butt. Oh how things change in this wonderful life of ours!!! I am now a power napper!! I nap with all my might several afternoons each week. Perhaps, I am just bored with myself conscious and need more variation, I don’t know but I do know that every time that I think, “I think I will take a nap” it sounds like a great idea. In any case, like having a dog, good napping skills are reported to have a healthy effect. I want to be come a Jedi Napper! I recommend it highly.

Music Update:

Another tiptoe though the archives to share some things you might missed or never have heard or at least not heard recently.

This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• Quicksilver Messenger Service — Mona — I always thought that John Cipollina was kind of unsung in the rock and roll guitar world. He would do amazing things and this song provides some insight in to his abilities as it was one of my favorites in high school.
• Jakob Dylan and Eric Clapton — Questions — This another great song from the Echo in the Canyon film. This is a really cool cover of the old CSN&Y song.
• Don Felder – Southern Bound — The the great ex-Eagle guitar player still has his chops as this song will attest. This one is from his solo effort, “ Road to Forever” released in 2013. I understand that Don has released a new album but I haven’t heard it yet.
• James Gang — The Bomber — From the Vinyl!!!! Back in the day there was this little 3 piece band out of Detroit… This one is from their second album, “James Gang Rides Again” released in 1970, featuring Joe Walsh’s version of Bolero.
• Rush — XYZ — My youngest brother, Michael turned me on to this amazing piece of music. I remember Rush from back in the day but totally missed this album, ‘Moving Pictures, released in 1981.
• Jimmy Buffett – Biloxi — This is a deep cut from his “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” album. It should have been provided to you from the vinyl, but apparently some yahoo, with a bit too many Tequila Sunrises as inspiration, managed to scratch this cut on the record so this is an electronically sourced version for you. It’s a wonderful ballot, that makes you feel the warm southern Mississippi sun on skin salted in the Gulf. A poem of gratitude to the universe for days just like this one.
• Steely Dan — Doctor Wu — This one is just a Miami song. I can close my eyes and see the Cuban gentlemen playing backgammon in the park smoking their stinky cigars and laughing. Great percussion and Phill Wood’s sax is special on this one. This one is a sound track for too much cocaine and weirdness that came to us from their, “Katy Lied” album released in 1975.

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!