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. 

.

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!

Bliss! Bliss?

We were apprehensive. This strange sickness was in the air, but we were okay. We decided to chance it.

We were cleared to travel on that day in March...March 8th. Bus ride from Boothwyn, PA to New York City. Temperatures checked, passports checked, forms filled out...and we were off!

It was a beautiful cruise. 

We washed our hands every ten minutes and sanitized every five. "Good morning, Washy-Washy!" sang the crew.

No self-service in the buffet because we didn't touch anything. They gave us utensils and plates and the food.

We had a fascinating balcony, and we had a full moon, and a quarter moon, and sunrises that the pictures don't do it justice.

                                                                     

The New York harbour was breathtaking, Night or day!

Jersey Boys (Frankie Valli The Four Seasons), Six (HerStory of Henry VIII), comedy, Beatles cover band...We were entertained!

Fun on the Bliss! Talking to the children when we were not at sea! Little fishies on the hallway carpet that guiding us to our destination (and they didn't work because we were lost most times.)

Kennedy Center in Florida. I still like his comforting image although he died when I was six years old...

...and now...finally...the Bliss!

It was March 15th. We left the ship and got our temperatures checked again. The computer recognized our faces from our passports. We rode back to our home, and we are still there!

Jackie had noticed that she starting getting symptoms of a virus and called her doctor.  Long story short, Wednesday morning, March 19th, she was tested. Self-isolation became mandatory quarantine. Her symptoms grew into fever, cough, loss of taste and smell, et.al. Ten days later, the results were in - POSITIVE!

Meanwhile, I had one day where I had a fever, and it went away. After a few days, I had a high fever, agita, and loss of taste and smell for eight days. Since Jackie tested positive, the health department said that I was a probable case. We are statistics. We are getting older. We are getting better and wiser.

Now I sing Happy Birthday twice...to me...when I wash my hands...twenty seconds!

Now I see the news. Covid is a word I never heard before March 15th. Now it is the most uttered every minute of every day. Sometimes I can't stand it. The reports can be repeated on CBS This Morning, the Evening News, and even Sunday Morning and the local News. One time is enough!

How about the commercials! The commercials have the word Covid in them...and depressing piano music...and a dentist that will comfort us while we purchase a gift card for somebody else to be used when 'this' is over. 
'Oh Oh Oh! It's magic ya know!' A favorite song from Pilot from 1975 when I was a senior in high school.

Now it's 'Oh Oh Oh Ozempic and two words after that.' Nope. Can't do it all the time.

The wonderful people that are on frontline workers can't see the news or the commercials. Pause for a moment to honor them. I wish it was all over...

Good thing that the warm days are here. We have a porch to be on. There is no television on the porch, and when we need the news, it will be there.

 Happiness, Joy, Bliss - This was what we felt on that ship. What we felt after we left was not. I wish that the powers that be would have made the decision to postpone the cruise. Too much sickness. Too much worry. Too many sick friends. Missing my family. Missing my friends.
I want a haircut. 

I want to go to the grocery store. I want to go to a restaurant. I want to see my family. 

We can dream. We can hope. We can get better. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day. In the meantime, we're here. Wanna chat? Zoom call?  Private message? I'll wait...and there are still crossword puzzles to solve, books to read, and dirty bathrooms to clean... 

Hang in there. It's gonna be better...

Caleb, Martin, and Ove

I have a confession. The move from Parkesburg to Boothwyn took its toll on me. From the time we sold the house in August of last year until April of this year, I had not read or written anything. After the second stroke and until the sell, I had read six books written by Mitch Albom, and a trashy bathroom novel. Seven books in seven months - slowly but surely! Packing the home in Parkesburg, looking for a new home, moving, unpacking, celebrating Christmas, and three months of doing things other than reading and writing were sad distractions...and what a crime to abandon blogs and books (save the trashy one!) Now, I'm blogging again slowly, and I read three books slowly, after the hiatus.

I lived in Parkesburg for twenty-nine years. My children grew up there, I worked there, I churched there, I met many good people there that I call friends, and met even more good people that I call acquaintances. This young man is one of the latter, a funeral director from Parkesburg. He writes a blog called Confessions of a Funeral Director. The collection of blogs are unique in that the subject is death. I didn't really want to read about death, but some time ago I stumbled upon a humorous cartoon about death shared by George Takei on Facebook, and subsequently also shared by Caleb Wilde on his blog. I've read the blog often...because it is short and concise, intelligent, humorous and heartwarming. I have seen Caleb at a couple of funerals, then I introduced myself to him at the YMCA where my granddaughter was taking swimming lessons. I told him that I was a fan of the blogs. Another time, we were getting haircuts at the same time.  I told him again that I was a fan of the blogs. Lame on my part, but I wanted to tell him anyway. He humored me and was so cordial.

In May, after the break of reading, the first book read was by Caleb Wilde, Confessions of a Funeral Director: How the Businesss of Death Saved My Life. I had to return to reading. We bought the book, and I read slowly. I reread - slowly. For several weeks, more than a month, the author was my best friend as I slowly finished the book.

I connected to the book right away. In the first chapter there was a story about a family, two children and an aunt and uncle, that died tragically. I was working in the local elementary school where the children were schooled. We felt the impact of the incident. I connected right away with the story and with Caleb's anxiety because I suffered from anxiety throughout my life, most recently after my second stroke. Both of those connections were enough to carry on with my reading. I did not know the hours people like Caleb work. I did not know that he works with all phases of a funeral, from the call to get the deceased until he leaves the cemetery after the funeral. I had my phone next to me to look up words like trocar and how you use it. The morgue will not be visited by me any time soon! The personal stories from his childhood with his family in the funeral home, to the birth of his son: all were beautiful. The book is different than anything I've ever read. I think about death often: from my deceased family members to my own mortality, especially with my medical history. Caleb examines his confessions with humor, poignancy, warmth, and compassion.

A Man Called Ove was recommended to me after I revealed that I like stories that had a curmudgeon as the main character. I looked for it at the library to no avail, and forgot about it. Then, while I was reading Caleb's book, I stumbled upon the book at a church flea market. This was my next read. 

Ove was a curmudgeon. Nice! He was 59. Pretty close! He was a technological illiterate. Yup! Most of the time there was snow on the ground where he was. Humbug! He was always doing something. Yup! He was a little annoyed with the next generation with rules that are not followed. I understand! He is annoyed with his neighbors. Not always, but sometimes! His past is poignant. He had a wife who died, and we visit Ove's past to know what Sonja was like and what Ove thought of her.  Ove wanted to die. He wanted to be with her. He tried multiple times to die, but there was always something to foil his plans. This is a tale of life, love, living, and learning after death...Sonja's death. 

I wanted to read more every day to find the unraveling of the mind of a curmudgeon. This is my favorite fiction book to date! I pictured myself playing Ove in the movies. I love the musing and redemption that resulted in a less surly man. Netflix is playing the movie. I tried to view the trailer of the movie. It was Swedish with English subtitles...the difference in language was not my friend.  Netflix has been my friend with viewing English subtitles with English dialogue, but I didn't get through the trailer. I can see the scenery and the people in the trailer, and I think this will be a goal to read the subtitles faster and ultimate enjoy the movie.

Caleb and Ove have solidified the quest for reading for me. Now it was time to read I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short. I love comedy. The title alone would tell me that this 'humble comedy legend' has anecdotes for the years on television, Broadway, and the movies. But there was more. Martin Short has told the story of his life: his family beginnings, his famous funny friends, his wife and children and more.

Martin Short has told of his life, both the comedy and the tragedy, honestly and with grace. The friends and family members, especially his wife, that have died have, hit hard for Martin but their memory is still alive. Those who survive are cherished. Love, laughter, and being alive are the name of the game. 

I guess these guys have impacted my thinking, these authors and that character: Caleb, Martin, and Ove. I have been enriched. I've know that death can be terrible, but there is good, as this three works demonstrated.   I have enjoyed all of these titles. 

Picture this: a beautiful morning; a porch looking out at a yard that I don't have to mow; and a small forest beyond that; a good book; a cup of coffee; and a special bookmark given to me by my wife Jackie when my sister Janet passed away nine years ago. I have read...slowly! I have written...slowly!

I'm going to miss these works. I have grown fond of these guys. I know that the next author on tap, W. Bruce Cameron, has a curmudgeon within the story, A Dog's Purpose. I know that this will be as engaging as Caleb, Martin, and Ove! 

Technological Noisy Gadgets

I have a new Fitbit. 
Well, it's not really new. I got it for a gift from you know who last year on my sixtieth birthday. So, fourteen months later in April, I took it out of the box and registered it on Fitbit.com. It logs steps, sleep, heart rate, and more.

This thing is a little annoying. 
Sometimes it talks to me, but not vocally. I hear a little buzz on my wrist and a little note appears: It's step o'clock!; or Up for 151 steps?; or this desperate little ditty, Feed me!  Really?
It's a month since I started using it and I am getting used to the crying and whining. I'm thrilled with it.  
The thing gives me badge rewards for stepping. 'Boat Shoe' is where I step 5,000 steps in a day. Several of those have came me way. 'Marathon' is one that tells me that I stepped 26 miles...but not in a day. I got a badge and it took almost a month to complete.  And there is a 'Penguin March,' but I can't figure out what it is...but I got a badge for it too. Yay, me!

One time I decided it was rest time, so I sat comfortably until...Only 120 steps to go!  I ignore it when I need to.  
Wanna stroll? Really? While we're in church? I'll be in trouble! Maybe I'll skip out during the gospel, or better yet, the homily! It's gonna tell me that I Nailed it! or I'm Man of the hour! I think I'm gonna like this gadget!

Do you remember my new Android phone. 
You know who and her daughter (and mine) decided that I should get a better phone after a decade of dedicated service from my flip phones.

This new one takes pictures. Well don't ya know that my old flip phone did that!
I can text. Well don't ya know that my old flip phone did that?

I can call people and receive calls in the new phone. Well don't ya know that my old flip phone did that, too?
Now I have Google Maps! It talks to me, just like the Fitbit.
 You put the destination in and it knows where you are!
It will say something like Head South. 
What does that means? I know that South on a globe is down, and North is up. What the...? 

I drive. It tells me to turn around and go the other way.

Several blocks away the artificial voice tells me that Chichester Avenue is coming up. 
The voice says its a short i in Chichester. Chich-ester. Terrible! Chi-chester. That's better. Long i! 
How about Orange Street. The voice says Orange. O-range. Long a. Terrible! Orange with a schwa. It sounds like a short u. That's better! 
I'm remembering my reading assistant days fondly. But I think I need to teach the artificial voice a thing or two.

I got used Google Maps, finally. 
One day, there was no sound.. I was en route to see Jim, my brother-in-law, and his new place. My sister Lisa was visiting too. Everything was fine with the sound...except Google Maps. Usually the artificial voice would tell me to 'Turn here!' so I would turn. It didn't talk! I didn't turn! I missed several minutes of my journey. Terrible! When I got there, I studied the phone. Jim didn't know what happened with Google Maps. Lisa didn't know either. Finally, after a half hour, I found the problem. There is a little icon of a speaker crossed out on the map. I tapped it and cross went away. I tried a destination and - lo and behold - there was sound. Head northwest! Music to my ears! I'll find Northwest eventually, but its good to hear her annoying, artificial voice again!

I don't even want to talk about Bluetooth. 

Up until now, I thought that Bluetooth was a dental problem: a natural discolor of the teeth that needs dental attention. But NO! 

It is a wireless anything that can connect with something else. 

For Christmas I got a wireless speaker...a Bluetooth speaker! 

I could play music from my new Android!

Streaming. Music. Songs.  

Spotify? Amazon Music? Pandora? 

I tried all of them. 

I can't listen to an album in its entirety unless I want to pay. 

If I want to listen without paying there will be ads to listen to too.

My son John told me that I could get a little card and install it in my new Android and transfer my files of my cd's to it...so I did.

No streaming! My music! My albums! 

Back to the listening the way I want it to be!

I listened to streamed music with Bluetooth while playing Words With Friends. The dings and other sounds of my game made it impossible to listen to music without hearing the ticks and the dings of the game. I can still hear it with my music. 

I guess I can forego Words With Friends while I listen!

Noise, bad noise, good noise!

All in all, it's really good to get fit.

It's good to text faster.

It's good to go where I have to be.

It's good to have my music.

All in all, I like my noisy gadgets.

Good Gifts and a Lot of Trouble

I'm back, and I want to write again. It's still slow, but it feels good to finally put something down on the keyboard. I'd like to talk about gifts. I had another birthday since we talked. I am more than sixty now, and I have some nifty gifts, and a lot of trouble. So here's goes...

There was a celebration for my birthday and my daughter Karen's birthday. There was no time to bake a cake, so the boss ordered two cakes: one for Karen and one for me. She asked for writing on the cakes: one with 'Happy Birthday Karen' and one with 'Happy Birthday Joe'. Karen and I went to pick up the cakes. The line was very long. Finally, we approached the counter. There they were! Karen's was beautiful: Happy Birthday Karen! Mine said nothing. The cashier said that she didn't hear the second instruction, so only one cake was written on. We just wanted to get out of that bakery. We got home and the boss decided to write on the second cake. 'Happy Joe', and a exclamation point before my name! Woe is me...

My birthday has come and gone, and now I have a new hair trimmer from my son and his family - not the kind that you cut your hair with, but a little device that cleans up your nose and ear hair. SHOCK is the word that comes to mind when I turn it on and begin trimming. There is a bright light on the tip of the device that shows me everything, and it's a wasteland in there. I love my trimmer, but there is work to be done. See you in about an hour! 

I have a new gift - a tea towel with the Liberty Bell on it. I love the Liberty Bell. I hope I have a Stay-cation this year with Karen so I can see it again. I love the tea towel, too...but look at the tag! Girls Can Tell! ? I think I'm losing the tag before I lose my masculinity.

Sometimes I don't listen when someone talks. I don't mean to not listen, it just happens. I could say the strokes made me not listen, but I didn't listen before the strokes. So now, I have a gift - an appropriate new pair of socks. Selective Hearing Specialist - I have a new title, and I like it!

I love to spoil myself sometimes. It's a birthday gift to me to periodically check the cd's in Goodwill since they are a rarity these days. Sometimes I strike gold and other days its next to nothing. I found the album, 'Ray Charles - Genius Likes Company' for a dollar, and brought it to the cashier. He was pleasant enough as I put my find on the counter. Then he said, "I see you are a 'senior', so this will be eighty-five cents." You know me, and you know that I love a bargain, but you also know that I am NOT that old. I should have told him that sixty-five is the legal 'senior' age...the little dirtball!

There are many blessings coming my way. Seeing everyone gathering together makes me nostalgic. I remember the gatherings for my father on his birthday. I remember his face when we were all together. I smile. Good gifts, tangible or not, are a blessing...

...and a whole lot of trouble!

Philly Stay-cation, 2017

Jackie went to a convention in Dallas, Texas. I went Karen's house. So began Philly Stay-cation July 2017! My tenure as a flip phone owner is over. I have a new Android with a camera that takes selfies. My grandchildren were there for the first three days. My children visited. This stay-cation was different from last year's. This year Karen was off for the summer, and I didn't fix anything. I played!

The activities were plentiful. The kids painted birdhouses, and Karen was the last to finish. Brian visited that day. Jeffrey listened to music just like his Grandpop! We went to a park with floor fountains. Of course, there was a skyline in the distance. Everything was good!

We visited Spruce Street Harbor Park at Penn's Landing. There were hammocks to try, giant toys to play with, history, and beautiful scenery to look at. Across the river you could see where the 76ers practice. The USS Olympia and the Moshulu were there. Its been years since I've seen them.

Karen thought it would be fun to see a movie at City Hall. The film would be Beauty and the Beast. We got there and brought chairs and blankets and parked ourselves. After a few minutes, the heat was unbearable. After a few more minutes, there were people in front of us sitting on tall chairs. People were talking, and there was faint sound from the projector. Long story short, There would not be a movie for us. What we did was go over to the floor fountains. The kids loved it and it was cool enough to enjoy standing and seeing the lights on the trees and seeing City Hall. Everyone had a blast!

Sunday brunch was delicious. Eggs, pancakes, potatoes, bacon, and everything! The family was there! After the meal, it was time for the little munchkins to go home. It was sad to see them go, but what memories!

On Mifflin Street, there is a building called Bok. It used to be a vocational school. Now it is a bar on the top floor of the building. You can see the city and Camden from the bar. I was mesmerized looking at the skylines and the tops of the houses. It behooved me to take a selfie on my new phone!

Jackie was delayed in a layover in Chicago due to the weather. The stay-cation was supposed to end on Sunday evening. Jackie arrived Tuesday morning. A bonus Sunday evening and Monday for me! Tiring day for Jackie...

 Passyunk Avenue has been revived in parts with restaurants and stores, and the sides of the buildings beautified with murals.

It was the next morning. I got up at six o'clock and made some coffee and sat at the table and chairs on the front of the house.  Peaceful! Reading, drinking my coffee, and not ready for the day!

There is a bench and coffee table in the backyard built by Karen for me to relax after I am finished with the front! 

The fog was terrible in the morning. The skyscrapers looked like they were a smoking mess until the sun peered.

Finally, we went to Independence Mall and looked around. The Liberty Bell is one my favorite attractions. I have a new phone and it behooved me to take a selfie, again!

Where do all the hippest meet?

We finished with Independence Mall and went to South Street.

We strolled and looked at all the markets, shops, and Jim's Steaks. Huge Cheese Steaks with onions and mushrooms - the diet will have to wait. Wow! Surrounding the place were autographs of hundreds of stars that were there over the years, like Tony Bennett, Halls and Oates, Billy Joel, Peter Paul and Mary, James Taylor, and Pat Sajak. 

In 1963, the song South Street was a hit. The record and cover were on display. I remember it from that time, but I haven't been to South Street until now.

Where do all the hippest meet?

South Street, South Street!

Off South Street, there was a thrift store named Philly AIDS Thrift. There were thousands of CD's! I have to go back and look at all the CD's I haven't looked at! Evening Scrabble was a nice way to end the day and unfortunately, the Philly Stay-cation...

Family, food, selfies, pictures, music, activity.

Another Stay-cation, please!

Bittersweet

This past Sunday we had company. The kids assembled at our house to see an old neighbor and good friend visiting from California. Jackie had a volunteer duty and would be joining us for dinner. We showed our friend the changed neighborhood with the tall trees and the new homes and the changed homes. We went to Wolf's Hollows County Park and they all went walking on the trails and I started reading. I was sitting on a picnic table bench. The next thing I can remember is my kids screaming my name and hurrying to get to me. My head was resting on the table. Dad!' 'Dad!' 'Are you all right?' At first I was in a stupor. It was a wonderful nap! After a few minutes, I felt invigorated. The kids got over it and I was fine!

Sandwiched in between Minch and Wolf's Hollow Parks was a visit to the schools. Our friend had not seen the newer buildings - has it been that long? We visited the older buildings, and my daughter snapped this picture of me in front of the Elementary School. We said that we have graduated, even retired me! The next day, I received a prerecorded phone call from the Superintendent of the District. It said that I would receive an email about the staff events and the beginning of the school year.

Bittersweet...

Retire

R

Retire. The age you're supposed to be when you are stopping. Going. Leaving. Going to a better life after finishing the job. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I was sixty, not going, not leaving, still finishing the job, and loving the way it was supposed to be. But health got in the way. Now I have retired.

E

Entering a new life. Writing. Reading. Solving crossword puzzles. Walking. Cooking. Word With Friends. It's supposed to be this way. Writing a blog that I love and you will love or not love. Reading again and loving it after finishing the  novel "For One More Day" in twenty-two days and finding a non-fiction book by the same author, Mitch Albom, and starting "Have a Little Faith." Solving crossword puzzles that are a little more complicated than the easy puzzles. Walking to the library, the post office, or just walking around the block. Cooking that will never match you know who's cooking but will improve. Words With Friends, that game that gets us to stay in touch, challenging us, and annoying us a little.

T

Take. Take it easy. Take care. Take a deep breath. Take charge. Take a little. Take a lot. I have been taught about taking. Now I have to give...Give back. Give because I am retired.

I

I. I am retired. I miss the kids in school. I miss my colleagues. I miss the rest. Retired means I can't be there anymore. The kids were what I was there for. The colleagues were my people, all of them, and I love all of them. I miss the rest: hellos to everyone in the hallway, helping whenever I could, learning whenever they taught. I am retired.

R

Rest, relax, recharge. Health got in the way. Rest because I need to. Relax because I want to. Recharge because I can rest and relax in time and start again with whatever I choose to do.

E

Eager. Eager for the future. Doing. Creating. Volunteering. Working. Playing. Yearning for the past. Eager for the memories. Beautiful memories. I am retired.