I have a brain fart that the medical community calls an Arnold Chiari Malformation. After decompression surgery in 2006, my brain is learning to coexist peacefully with my spinal cord in the cramped quarters of my spinal canal. With a real hole in my head, I am now free to continue the pursuit of life, liberty, and good coffee -- between headaches, nausea, dizziness, and seizures, of course!
Want to join the Monday's Music Moves Me blog hoppin' fun? Join us by visiting XmasDolly's blog for the links and instructions.
**OOps! It wasn't until I started hopping around other blogs that I saw there was a theme. Don't know how I missed it on XmasDolly's blog, but I did. Sorry, please forgive the newbie. I promise to do better next time, LOL!**
This Monday, it's the music of the Dixie Chicks that's moving me. Call me a radical, call me a liberal, call me a lunatic, just make sure that you call me a fan of the Dixie Chicks and free speech as well. I miss these girls and their awesome voices!
Thanks to Amanda over at Bloggin' with Amanda for keeping this awesome meme alive!
I've blogged about my favorite singer of all time before and have even used a couple of his songs for Musical Monday posts in the past, but today's entry is extra special. You see, Merle Haggard, received special recognition on December 5, 2010 when he became a Kennedy Center Honoree for his musical contributions to the fabric of American society: "The honesty of Merle Haggard’s music and poetic lyrics has helped to shape the world of country music for nearly five decades." It was long, long overdue in my opinion; however, some things are just worth waiting for! It was amazing to see this one time fugitive from Oildale, California, this now 71 year-old man who spent much of his youth in the prisons controlled by the California Youth Authority, and who, while Johnny Cash sang about Folsom Prison, he spent time in it, sitting next to Oprah and President Obama while some of the biggest stars in country music performed his songs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Merle Haggard sings a lot about tragedies that happen in December. My mom died in December, so I have a special connection to every single one of those songs. And the one I chose for today fits my dad and his girls after our mom one December long ago to the proverbial TEE. I hope that even if you don't like country music, you will see why the song has moved me this Monday.
The Farmer's Daughter Lyrics
Tonight there'll be candlelight and roses In this little country chapel that's almost falling down There'll be tears in this old farmer's eyes this evening When I give my one possession to that city boy from town
His hair is a little longer than we're used to But, I guess I should find something good to say About this man whose won the farmer's daughter And will soon become my son-in-law today
Mama left eight years ago December And it was hard to be a Dad and Mama too But, somehow we made home of this old farmhouse And love was all my baby ever knew
He could be the richest man in seven counties And not be good enough to take her hand But, he says he really loves the farmer's daughter And I know the farmer's daughter loves the man
It's just a bit past 4 on this Tuesday morning in the OC and on any other Tuesday, I'd be blogging random thoughts. But in a few hours, the Amazing Egyptian Dude (AED) will be home after what has been the longest time we've spent apart since we got married almost 30 years ago.
What should have been the usual 5 weeks trip to get a container of products on its way from Cairo to Alexandria and from Alexandria to Long Beach became a nightmare of red tape the likes of which we have never experienced in the eleven years that we have been importing goods from Egypt to the US. The end result was that the AED had to extend his ticket once, then twice in order to get paperwork taken care of in Egypt so that we wouldn't have a similar problem for the next shipment. While he was doing battle with the bureaucracy of the Egyptian government, I struggled to hold down the fort at home.
Since he has been gone, the elderly lady for whom I have been responsible died and the battle over her estate has begun; I inherited a new rescue kitten that was so tiny when I got him, he literally fit in the palm of my hand; my sister, who has been here with me from Texas to get some much needed dental work done by a dentist friend of ours (she's a diabetic and has no dental insurance), was served with divorce papers out of the blue a few days ago and has been an emotional wreck ever since. Needless to say, with all the stress and excitement going on here, seizures have been an almost daily occurrence for me.
So no random thoughts on this Tuesday -- heck no! I am so ready for the AED to be back home because I have surely missed my pillar of strength!
Way back during the audition phase of last season's X-Factor (UK), I went out on a limb and predicted on my Facebook page that Matt Cardle would win. As the season progressed and the contestants were selected, I began to doubt myself and even to go back and forth between Matt and two others whom I really, really liked. But Matt was consistent throughout, and my prediction was correct -- he won! Today, I am moved by his first single which, I am thrilled to say, has retained the #1 spot on the UK charts for its 3rd week!
Post about 5 favorite things from the past week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy: favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, great internet finds, etc., etc. Be as detailed as you like, the more detail the more fun for those of us visiting. Susanne, the hostess, just asks that it be kept family friendly. To see entries from other participants or to play along, click here.
1. Container Arrivals.
We've had nothing but grief over the shipment of this latest container from Egypt to the US, which explains why the AED has been in Cairo since the beginning of October and won't be back home until next Tuesday. At long last, however, the doggone thing -- complete with dozens of damaged cartons and yards of green US Customs tape -- was delivered to our warehouses at 9 this morning. Now all the brother-in-law and I need to do is to get this 40-foot monstrosity unloaded within 24 hours, LOL! Did I mention that I am also very grateful for forklifts, pallets, plenty of warehouse space, and the friends who are willing to help get all
of those boxes out of the monstrosity?
2. Spayed Kitties.
Wilbur, the runt of the litter of rescue kittens I found in my backyard last July, became so attached to me that I had to keep him. With an already very quiet and squeaky voice, Wilbur began making very strange chirping noises, climbing up on the counters in the kitchen, hanging out on top of the fridge, and knocking the plants over when he "needed" a bird's eye view out the kitchen windows a couple of weeks ago. Turns out Wilbur is a girl and that (s)he was looking for some lovin'! Being the responsible pet owner that I am, I nipped that right in the bud!
As of Tuesday morning, Wilbur is no longer looking for love in all the wrong places. Wilbur is now a member of the nipped and tucked club. Just in case you're wondering about her name, I have no plans to change it. She knows it too well for me to do that now. Johnny Cash had a boy named Sue, so why can't I have a girl named Wilbur?
3. Netflix.
Ok, so I am a bit behind the times as far as this one goes; I didn't get a Netflix account until December 2. Since we did away with all the satellites that lined our roof and have been using only the free-to-air satellite channels in conjunction with our local ones, I have been a much happier camper. With the Netflix account and a nifty wi-fi hookup thingy, I can watch the BBC shows I love, as well as hundreds of documentaries, whenever I want. And when the AED comes home and finds all the old TV shows with cowboys that are available, he'll think he's died and gone straight to Roy Rodgers heaven, I'm sure.
4. Peach Rings.
Gummy Bears hold the key to my heart, but the peach rings sold at 7-11 rock my world! I'm sure that my dentist loves them just as much as I do, LOL! If there is a 7-11 near you and you haven't tried them already, then you should. These little gummy delights are simply amazing! I have never tasted an artificial peach anything that comes so close to the real fruit. Mmmmm....my mouth is watering just from writing about them!
5. Fridays.
'Nuff said on that one!
Hope everyone has a great weekend and that I actually make it through next week to post again!
Albert Hammond must not have lived here, cuz it sure does rain in Southern California! Still, it's a great song and the one that is moving me this morning.
It's so hard to start a post on the first day of a new year without sounding cliche! Here it is with the first day of 2011 nearly over, and I haven't made a post yet because I can't come up with an opening line that isn't corny, LOL!
This is the first New Year that the Amazing Egyptian Dude and I have spent apart. He's been in Egypt since October and won't be home until January 11th. I suppose if we were much younger it would have been horrible to have spent New Year's Eve on different continents but considering that we seldom make it past 10 o'clock anyway, it's not such a big deal.
The kids came over to spend the evening with me and Melody. We enjoyed our traditional jumbo platter of Red Lobster shrimp cocktail and various other finger foods through the evening and although we were prepared to play games and watch movies until it was time to ring in the New Year, I pooped out somewhere around 9 after having a sleepless night on Thursday. They, along with the niece, will be back in a couple of hours so that we can finish what we started yesterday and this time, I am determined to make it until at least 11!
I don't make New Year's resolutions but for those of you who do, I wish you success in fulfilling them. I pray that 2011 is a better year for all of us than 2010 has been for most of us. And for myself, I hope that I can get my blogging mojo back and post more frequently like I used to!
I stumbled across your old picture today I could barely breathe The moment stopped me cold Grabbed me like a thief I dialed your number But you wouldn't be there I knew the whole time But it's still not fair I just wanted to hear your voice I just needed to hear your voice
What do I do with all I need to say? So much I want to tell you every day Oh it breaks my heart I cry these tears in the dark I write these letters to you But they get lost in the blue 'Cause there's no address in the stars
Now I'm driving through the pitch black dark I'm screaming at the sky cause it hurts so bad Everybody tells me all I need is time Then the morning rolls in and it hits me again And that ain't nothing but a lie
What do I do with all I need to say? So much I want to tell you every day Oh it breaks my heart I cry these tears in the dark I write these letters to you but they get lost in the blue 'Cause there's no address in the stars
Without you here with me I don't know what to do I'd give anything just to talk to you Oh it breaks my heart Oh it breaks my heart All I can do is write these letters to you But there's no address in the stars
Wilbur, the runt of the litter of rescue kittens I found in my backyard last July, became so attached to me that I had to keep him. With an already very quiet and squeaky voice, Wilbur began making very strange chirping noises, climbing up on the counters in the kitchen, hanging out on top of the fridge, and knocking the plants over when he "needed" a bird's eye view out the kitchen windows a couple of weeks ago. Turns out Wilbur is a girl and that (s)he was looking for some lovin'! Being the responsible pet owner that I am, I nipped that right in the bud! 
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