December 16, 2021
“Myttin da”, or “Good Morning” in Cornish, a Celtic language spoken mainly in Cornwall in the UK. These phrases are in Common Cornish (Kernewek Kemmyn).
It’s Christmas Time! Our house broke out the hot coco, the decorations and the Holiday music channel. We are all singing along as we place the holiday stuff all over the house and operate this year’s Santa’s Workshop. It feels good after a tough year.
Grandpa Stories is another step closer to republication. The physical read through of GPS is tedious work intermixed with spikes in blood pressure whenever I find an error. Progress is continuing but slower now that we opened Santa’s Workshop on Hayford Rd.
Our elderly feline, developed fairly serious dental disease. He had to have 4 teeth removed. I now call him, “Toothless”, We are looking into kitty dentures.
This week I learned some stuff:
• It suddenly got all wet here!!! Water falling from the sky. I vaguely recall we had a word for it but it’s just been too long since we got wet like this. It felt good but was a little spooky. It must be winter.
• We had a guy come out and do the assessment for our new Tesla Powerwall batteries. I had no idea they were sooo big. Each one is over 350 lbs and span over 63 inches wide. We are getting two mounted on the outside wall of the house near our HAVC system.
• December 16th is the 350th day of 2021. Just 9 days till Christmas! On this day in 1773,Boston Tea Party: Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians dump hundreds of crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act; On this day in 1777, Virginia becomes the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation; In 1907, the American Great White Fleet begins it’s circumnavigation of the world; Today in 1965, General William Westmoreland sends U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara a request for 243,000 more men by the end of 1966; Kazakhstan declares independence from the Soviet Union today in 1991; Ludwig van Beethoven, composer was born today in 1770; Jane Austen, English novelist, was born today in 1775; Today in 1899, Noël Coward, English actor, playwright, and composer, was born; Margaret Mead, American anthropologist and author, was born today in 1901; Born today in 1938, Liv Ullmann, Norwegian actress, director, and screenwriter; Lesley Stahl, American journalist and actress, was born today in 1922; Tony Hicks, English singer and guitarist for The Hollies, was born today in 1945; Billy Gibbons, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer, was born today in 1949; Robben Ford, American guitarist and songwriter was born today in 1951;William Perry, “The Fridge” American football player and wrestler, was born today in 1962; Lee Van Cleef, American actor, passed away today in 1989; And finally, Dan Fogelberg, American singer-songwriter and guitarist, passed away today in 2007.
Website Update:
This week:
• Week twoocabulary Quiz ..Yeah!!!!
• Last week for Musical Trivia Quiz
• I have no new recipes for you this week. We did try some Peruvian dishes with mixed success.
• The Home Page quote is a ancient Chinese proverb, ”The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it”.
Writing, Ceramics, Stained Glass and Painting Update:
• No change on the painting or stained glass front this week.
• Grandpa Stories is once again making progress towards being republished (See above).
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• I finished the last episode of “Get Back” with a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. I miss John and George a lot. It was so much fun watching the boys come together to create some of their best songs. It was fun watching London’s Bobbies trying to figure out how to deal with an impromptu Beatles concert from the sky. It strange but watching I felt like i was right back there in the time when life’s wonderful surprises were plentiful and the music, ah, and the music, was truly grand.
Music Update:
Once again, yours truly takes you on another meander through the dusty cobwebs of my music library.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• Alannah Myles — Love Is — This lady has something that just takes hold. Oh yeah and that voice !!! This one is from her 1989 release, “ Alannah Miles”
• The Police — Every Thing She Does Is Magic — If you want to feel truly old, go to You Tube and search for this video. The technology is incredible. They made those 3 guys look like kids! This is a great tune. It features a really nice piano and synthesizer. This maybe the first one I heard written by Sting. It comes from their iconic, “Ghost in the Machine” album released in 1981.
• Jerry Jeff Walker — Little Bird — This is a pretty little song that comes from one of my favorite albums, “Mr. Bojangles” released in 1968
• Tracy Chapman — Fast Car — This is the first song I ever heard by Tracy. It’s a haunting lyric about lost dreams. It comes from her debut album, “Tracy Chapman”.
• War – Why Can’t We Be Friends> – This song always makes smile. I always thought it was a damn good question! It is the title from their 1975 release, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”.
• Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – This song was a huge cross over (R&B to pop) song when it came out as a Stax Records’ single in 1967 right after Otis’ death in a plane crash. It is cowritten by guitar and producer great, Steve Cropper. It was amazing when it came out.
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!