July 23, 1967

There is a page on Facebook called Anything & Everything Music that pops up frequently on my feed, and it's so good. It is music charts whether it be yearly, monthly, daily, top forty, top twenty, and so on. Today, I was treated to the top ten for the day.

On July 23rd, 1967 was ten years old. It was Sunday morning and I was in my room playing Solitaire when my Mom and my sister Stephanie came in with wet eyes. Mom said 'Grandpop passed away.' I've never heard that expression so I asked what it meaned. Mom said, 'he died.'

So much information: A terrible new expression, Which Grandpop because Mom's dad was more energetic, and tears that I had never cried like  that. My first heartbreak. 

I always listened to the radio constantly courtesy of my two older sisters. Most of these top ten jewels are my favorites.  I never knew what was on that chart, but today it means so much. Light hits like 'Windy' and 'Up Up and Away' bring me back to the long rides to the mountains to bring my grandparents to their vacation destination. These songs are happy songs and I feel happy. 

More hits like 'Light My Fire,' 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' haunt me with their dark, heavy melodies and instruments that make me melancholy. 

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It was a simpler time up until that time. It was fun with 'C'Mon Marianne,' 'Little Bit O' Soul' and I liked that there were apostrophes in the titles. The rest on the list I loved even though I didn't know what they meant.

My maternal grandfather passed away 55 years ago today.  I was so devastated. I saw him a few days later and he looked like Grandpop. It was summer so there was time to think. Maybe this was the time where I grew a little because in time my Grandpop made me smile. I remember hearing 'Windy' picturing clouds and 'Up, Up and Away' with a nicer place than the one we live in now, and I still picture him on the way to Heaven. It's a nice feeling!

A lot of years, a lot of heartbreak, and the healing that happens, albeit the grief we endure.  I still think of Grandpop with a pause, then I smile because I knew him and I loved him!

The Tesla Shopping Cart

It had to happen. All our paper products were disappearing before our eyes. It was time to cross state line into Delaware and trek to BJ's. Thank goodness we only go there about every six months. 

Paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, tissues, diapers and wipes for our granddaughter, and everything else. When it was all said and done, and we spent $364, and we were in the parking lot, it was time to load all our stuff into the car. All the big packages were put where they belonged and I started loading the fluff: peanut butter and jelly, tuna and sardines (yuck!), tomato products, and a host of delicious goodies.

I was down to the last few things and I found the perfect spots for them and I really enjoyed this Tetris-like activity...I arranged everything so I could put the last treasures in, and I turned to the shopping cart...and it was gone!  

I looked in all directions.  I said to You-know-who, "The cart is gone!" 

She said forcibly, "Well go find it!" 

I looked in all directions again. Under my breath, I muttered and probably cursed a little. I relooked in all directions and stood still for what was a few moments, but seemed like hours. 

Finally, a young lady looked at me and said, "Sir, your cart is over there." This cart traveled across the street and parked itself where it was supposed to be - in the shopping cart corral. I repeat...it perfectly parked itself. No wonder I couldn't see it. This shopping cart is a Tesla shopping cart! 

I wanted to go home and put everything we bought away and email Elon Musk and tell him his invention has flaws, but I was wiped out after that ordeal. I wish I had that young lady's email address so I could thank her for pointing out the cart...and for calling me Sir. It's been a long time since I've been called Sir...and I still like it!