July 18th, 2019
“Bundì” “Good Morning!!!” in Friulian, a Romance language spoken in northern Italy.
We had a lovely 46th Anniversary celebration – Champagne, wonderful dinner and evening. Thank you for all the well wishes!
This week I learned some stuff:
• Today is 3Fer!!! Today is National Hamiltons Day, Today is the day that we recognizes that face on the $10 bill and what it can purchase. It is also NATIONAL SOUR CANDY DAY, the lip puckering, eye-watering flavors enjoyed by children and adults alike are celebrated on this holiday! Lastly, its NATIONAL CAVIAR DAY when we recognize a seafood delicacy with roe on toast. So take your Hamiltons out and by some sour candy and caviar!
• I am rocking great Amazon Karma! First, I ended up with 2 new phone cases and a $15 credit when the phone cases were delivered without the stylus in the picture. Then later in the week, Amazon delivered a package that wasn’t meant for us. I told their customer service folks what happened. They thanked me for being so honest and told me to keep or donate the item. So BJ is now the proud owner of 2 new muscle t-shirts!
Website Update:
• Week 2 for the New Vocabulary Quiz.
• Last week for our “new” UJT Music Trivia Quiz!
• This week I have added a wonderful new desert for you -Hazelnut Espresso Parfaits! Enjoy!
Writing, Ceramics and Painting Update:
• Right before our Anniversary shindig, I finished a water color of an old photo of my wife and I back when we were first married. I made the switch the Culinary Arts for our anniversary dinner last Thursday to Painting and Ceramics the rest of the week. I started 2 more Chris Spain inspired watercolors. And continued to work on our house number sign in ceramics.
• Grandpa Stories is still not re-published.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• Why is it that every time that I return home after being gone for awhile the act of putting the key in the lock makes me have to pee, urgently! And I know that I am not the only one though I do think that fossils like me are the most and most frequently affected by this phenomena. I believe that the now ubiquitous “Pee Pee Dance” was created the first time someone in my predicament and then dropped his or her keys. It is impossible to bend over to pick up the fallen, @&%^#*&! keys while retaining water tight integrity. The poor victim must put their knees together and do that odd jiggling moaning sway long enough for the body can successful gang up on the bladder to reach the keys and open the door. After which the “50 Yard Dash” was invented. Thank you very much!
• I think I mentioned that after my last visit to the “G Spot” with Joe, DD, Greg and The Lad, we stopped into a local vinyl record shop where I picked up a copy of Cheap Thrills by Big Brother and the Holding Company. After importing it into my digital music library, I was putting it back. I found a nice place for it, right next to the copy I already have. Ain’t Life Grand! If any one needs a copy of that record let me know. I actually am enjoying the visit to the stacks. It’s been awhile and some of these records are truly old friends.
Music Update:
Once again this week, I have created a very nice collection of songs that I think celebrate life in a grand way!
Go to this week’s UJT Radio program.
• The Kinks — Celluloid Heroes — The Davies brothers, Ray and Dave, tapped into our inner desire to hold on to our heroes both real and imagined. The melody is so infectious! I have recognized this tune being hummed in NYC elevators heading to the 51st floor with men in $1000 – 3 piece suits. This comes to us from their, “Everybody is in Showbiz” album released in 1972.
• Al Steward — Year of the Cat — From the Vinyl!!! This was a huge hit when it was released as the title cut for his album in 1976.
• Grateful Dead — West LA Fadeaway — From the Vinyl!!! This is a deep cut from their “In The Dark” album released in 1987… “I met an old mistake walking down the street today..” Jerry’s guitar work, always sweet. is particularly nice on this cut.
• Tedeschi Trucks Band — Shelter — This beautiful ladleful of sexy blues is just such a fine example of why these folks are the real deal!! This is anther great cut from their 2011 release, “Relevator”.
• Bruce Hornsby — Listen to the Silence — I just love everything that Bruce does! This one is no exception. Its so tight and sweet! We get this one from his great 1998 release, “Spirit Trail”.
• Barcelona – Numb — There is a compelling edge to this song that grabs me and pulls me to it with such sincerity. This one comes from their 2007 release, “Absolutes”. I really hope you all check this album out as I am not sure of how many have heard their music.
• The Beach Boys – Sail on Sailor – This song is very special for me. Of course, like every other boy who fell off surfboards in the pitiful bumps we called waves at South Beach in Miami, I had heard the Beach Boys anthems to high school, surfboards and sunny beach days. But I didn’t really fall in love with them until 1973 when they released this song on “Holland”. The band I was mixing sound for had a deep and abiding love for the boys, so after I got out of the Navy, being a sailor in 1974, I rode the Beach Boy love wave till I returned to the sea in 1975. Anyway, its a great example of Brian Wilson’s brilliance as a song writer. Enjoy!
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!