Author Connection Series

letter-c day 60

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Letter-c

It’s hard to believe two months have passed since the doctor said malignant cells. I did learn the location of the malignant cells are not in my pancreas but in my bile duct. The MRI confirmed no mass yet. Phew!  You know the old adage but things moving slower than molasses. Well, not exactly… I know the first oncologist I didn’t like. I haven’t met the second one yet but that is in the works. I do have three more diagnostics coming up in two and a half weeks so I do need to get the second doctor in place because it will matter who has privity to my results going forward.

“Time passes way too slow when you’re waiting for the unknown” ~ Donna Van Liere

Have you really thought about all the things in life we actually wait for without thinking… like the rain to stop, the sun to rise or set, meals, traffic, airlines, grocery lines. Nor should we forget the bigger things like waiting to grow up, to marry, to divorce,…. to die. We’re accustomed to waiting. Sometimes we do it well and others not so well. Me, I’m an impatient creature, always have been.  You would chuckle if you knew how many times in my life I’ve been told patience is a virtue. I’m not virtuous :).

Authors Connection:

Steering the Craft by Ursula Le Guin had an exercise in the chapter I was reading that I found interesting to try.  She asked that the reader write a paragraph of narrative approximately 150 words. That’s not hard but the rest of the instructions changed the complexity of the exercise. Every sentence has to have a noun and verb but it can only be six or seven words long. Talk about choppy communication. Yuck!  The next part of the exercise was more challenging for me. It required writing one sentence that is the same amount of words as the first part of the instructions. I felt like I couldn’t breathe reading it out loud. Initially, I found myself writing short words in the short sentences and longer words in the longer sentence. I did this unconsciously.

Her point was short sentences don’t need short words nor do long sentences need long words. They each serve a purpose in writing because every sentence has a rhythm, which is also a part of the rhythm of the whole piece. Short sentences can be effective in the right place. Nor should a writer fall for the myth that short sentences are more like how we speak. Longer sentences offer complex syntax that sets up the pacing. Is there one ideal length? No, there’s not. It’s important to have variety and purpose for each length.

I enjoy doing the exercises offered whenever I read a how to book because I feel it enhances my reading comprehension and retention. Anyway, it was a fun exercise because it helped me look closer at my sentences in my vignettes. Yes, old dogs can learn new tricks.

I signed up for this thing I get everyday in my email called Wordnik and it presents a new word everyday with the meaning, and examples of how it is used. Today’s word is privity and I’ve cut and paste so you can see what actually comes in the email.

 “noun Privacy; secrecy; confidence. from The Century Dictionary.

2. noun Private life; privacy; seclusion. from The Century Dictionary.

3. noun Intimate relation; intimacy. from The Century Dictionary.

4. noun That which is to be kept privy or private; a secret; a private matter. from The Century Dictionary.

5. noun Private knowledge; joint knowledge with another of a private concern, which is often supposed to imply consent or concurrence. from The Century Dictionary.

6. noun (plural) The private parts. from The Century Dictionary.

7. noun A relationship between parties seen as being a result of their mutual interest or participation in a given transaction, contract etc. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

For example, a bailbondsman who acts as a bounty hunter vis a client who skipped jail is not considered a state actor and is not subject any of the provisions of constitutional criminal procedure that would otherwise apply, nor is someone working for a bounty to apprehend a criminal at large with whom the bounty hunter is not in privity, nor it the repo man (even if acting pursuant to a court order obtained in advance authorizing the seizure). The Volokh Conspiracy » Where’s the State Action in Tort Awards Based on Speech?

Metro PCS argued that there was no evidence that the handsets it reflashed were from people in privity with Virgin, rather than from people who’d already bought the handsets on the secondary market. Flash forward: cellphone lawsuit continues

As for privity, the court found that Florida law was a “moving target,” filled with inconsistencies, and there’s no settled rule for whether privity is required to recover economic losses for breach of express warranty. Archive 2009-10-01

The first important idea was the notion of privity, which meant that you only could sue someone who directly affected you. Markets and Majorities

It seems to me that there should be concepts of “privity” regarding trade secret laws, similar to contract law. The Volokh Conspiracy » The Next iPhone — and the Criminal Law Angle

My real crime is an amorous connection with his wife for a considerable time, with his privity and connivance, if not originally brought on by a combination between the husband and wife with the design to extort money from me. Chris Weigant: America’s First Political Sex Scandal: The Reynolds/Hamilton Affair

Often has the serpent lain hid beneath the coloured grass, under a beauliful aspect, and often has the evil inclination affected a sale without the husband’s privity. Anatomy of Melancholy

He accused her of intentional privity as to a secret which it behooved him to know, and of being a party to that secrecy. The Duke’s Children

So for the present a breach was made between Master Jeremy and myself, which to me seemed no great loss, inasmuch as it relieved me from any privity to his dealings, for which I had small liking. Lorna Doone

But I gave him clearly to understand that he was not to be vexed with me, neither to regard me as in any way dishonest, if I should use for my own purpose, or for the benefit of my friends, any part of the knowledge and privity thus enforced upon me. Lorna Doone

But this acknowledgment was made without the privity of his wife, whose vicious aversion he was obliged, in appearance, to adopt. The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle

The word ‘privity’ comes from an Old French word meaning ‘intimacy’.

I am always looking for different words to use and thus far the word choices have been interesting. I even used privity in this entry today. ”

My song choice for today is  Draggin the Line by Tommy James. There’s something to be said for peace of mind. We all give and take every day, sometimes we sacrifice the good times to just get by. Vic and I have been doing that a lot lately like a lot of other people. Money is extemely tight and our struggle is real, having fun with that weight hanging over us is difficult… actually impossible. I know it weighs heavily on Vic.  But for me, I’m just grateful to have every day with my family and friends. I count those blessings every moment with this dang letter c looming. I can’t think about going out and having fun right now. I’m thinking about time… how much do I really have but then I scold myself because any one of us could die tomorrow. Life is what it is.

I am working on the virtual blogging challenge in WDC, the distraction is good for me. I’ve been compiling all the location information and putting an itinerary together is interesting and I’m looking forward to doing it with everyone.

 

Making a living the old, hard way.
Taking and giving my day by day.
I dig the snow and the rain and the bright sunshine.
I’m draggin’ the line (draggin’ the line).
My dog Sam eats purple flowers.
We ain’t got much, but what we’ve got’s ours.
We dig snow and the rain and the bright sunshine.
Draggin’ the line (draggin the line).
I feel fine.
I’m talking about peace of mind.
I’m gonna take my time.
I’m getting to good times.
Draggin’ the line (draggin the line).
Loving a free and feeling spirit.
Hugging a tree when you get near it.
Digging the snow and the rain and the bright sunshine.
I’m draggin’ the line (draggin the line).
Draggin’ the line (draggin’ the line).
I feel fine.
I’m talking about peace of mind.
I’m gonna take my time.
I’m getting to good times.
Draggin’ the line (draggin the line).
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Robert King / Tommy James
Draggin’ The Line lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

 

 

 

Letter-c day 59

/ lyncrain / 2 Comments

Do you ever think about the things you’re grateful for?  I made a mental list this morning  while lying in bed with my boys, Macavity and Yeatsie and my hubby. It’s not very often that Macavity lets Yeatise join us on the bed. He’s a stinker.

I’m grateful:

  1. for a house to clean because I have a place to live.
  2. for laundry to do because I have clothes to wear
  3. for dirty dishes because I had food to eat
  4. for the crumbs on the floor because we enjoyed our food together
  5. for toilets to clean because we’re blessed with indoor plumbing.
  6. for a phone because I can talk with my family and friends whenever.
  7.  for the cat hair floating in the air because I have fur babies to snuggle.
  8. for aches and pains because I’m reminded I  worked hard today.
  9.  for the music that fills my world with memories, and joy.
  10. for today, because opportunity awaits. I’m walking a path of my own choosing and no one’s approval is needed.

Which reminds me of a song I hadn’t heard in some time. I was looking for Fabares’s song Picnic and this song followed after in the youtube feed. I chuckled because I too thought I’d sing and dance forever as I lived my life as I chose.  Blissful ignorance.

 

Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
And think of all the great things we would do
Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end
We’d sing and dance forever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la La la la la la la
Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance I’d see you in the tavern
We’d smile at one another and we’d say
Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end
We’d sing and dance forever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la La la la la la la
Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
Was that lonely woman really me
Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end
We’d sing and dance forever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la La la la la la la
la la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la La la la la la la
Through the door there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friend we’re older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end
We’d sing and dance forever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la La la la la la la
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Gene Raskin
Those Were The Days- lyrics © T.R.O. Inc.
Then we get a reality check. Work takes up more time than there are hours on the clock especially in today’s world where so much is being done virtually. Employers want you working every breathing second. There’s no such thing as a 9-5 schedule. The only escape is too shut the electronics off but as soon as you turn them back on… the to-do list grows.
Authors Connection:
Last night in our Sunday night short story discussion about Dahl’s Parson’s Pleasure. The story reminded me of my grandfather Jonah.  He disliked parsons immensely. As far as he was concerned religious men were evil, it didn’t matter what their faith as because they would steal every cent a man made. In Parson’s Pleasure the man dressed as a parson to get into people’s homes so he could see what furniture they owned because he sold antiques. He didn’t disclose that part. He conned them as cheaply as he could of their heirlooms. The con game backfired in the end because in the story he wove with the three man at the farmhouse about a buffet was that the only valuable part was the feet. He got them to accept his offer and was on his way to get his car.  He was chuckling to himself about all the money he was going to make on this priceless heirloom.  What he didn’t account for was the farmer’s helpfulness. The farmer decided to make it easier for him to transport the piece by cutting the legs off because that’s the section of the furniture the parson really valued. The rest he chopped into firewood so it would be easier for him to transport since the parson indicated the poor quality of the buffet meant it was better used for firewood. The con man got what he deserved.
My grandfather would have laughed his ass off reading this amusing story from 1958. We were talking about Dahl’s work being in Esquire and Playboy when I shared my experience with Playboy. ( I have it written in a word document just haven’t pieced it in my vignettes yet but I’ll give you a quick summation.)
My grandfather lived in a primitive camp in Vermont. His water came from a spring above the camp on the hill. He ran pvc pipe down to a trough in the kitchen where it filled continuously and drained into a sink. He had trout living in the trough to keep it clean of algae. He put a toilet inside for nighttime use only because it was a bit of a trek to the outhouse. There wasn’t running water so it involved filling a bucket to empty to clear the waste matter that went initially back into the ground until my father put a septic tank in for him. My grandfather complained that it was a waste of money because he always did his number two business at work everyday.  Like I said it was a primitive existence.
In the summer, we ( my siblings and me)  stayed with my grandfather. We  always used the outhouse because Grandpa made it quite clear the inside facility was for nighttime use only. We swam everyday so bathing wasn’t a priority but when it was we heated water on a stove and curtained the kitchen off so we could do the essentials by the huge sink and trough.
My grandfather lived alone all of my life and had some peculiarities that initially, I didn’t notice.  The summer I became aware of them was just before I turned ten. A lot had happened to me prior to going to stay with him in the summer that I’m not going into at this time.
My grandfather never painted his walls, they were covered from ceiling to floor with Playboy centerfolds in the four rooms that made his home. I was very aware of the women’s exposed naked bodies. When my grandfather had left for work I got out our coloring supplies and encouraged my siblings to help me dress all the naked women. We covered every exposed breast, butt or vagina. We’re were so proud of our decorative clothing.
My grandfather on the other hand was furious. He ripped the pictures off the wall, cursing up a storm. My siblings and I quickly disappeared to the tent where we slept at night with some snacks because it didn’t look like dinner was an option.
Needless to say, we stayed out of his sight as much as possible to avoid another outburst.
It was an uncomfortable month until my mother arrived at the end of August to take us back to Connecticut.  Sadly,  we were grounded for destroying our grandfather’s art collection.
Art in one person’s eye can be devastating to another. For me at 10 years old, all it signified was a girl’s body didn’t really belong to her. Everything was about making boys happy regardless of how humiliating and painful it was. I was cursed to be a girl.
Thankfully, when arrived the next summer there were only pictures hanging in his bedroom. My mother promised we wouldn’t enter his personal space.
Sadly, my grandfather wasn’t one of the people that would say they read Playboy for the  stories from authors like Dahl, Oates, Kerouac, Atwood, Le Guin, Fleming and Bradbury. His interest was sheer exploitation of  the women.
“The occupational hazard of being a Playboy Bunny is the aching facial muscles brought on by obligatory smiles.” ― Germaine Greer, The Female Eunuch
Culinary:
I’m going to enjoy something light for dinner this evening. We have some potato salad left and I think with that I’m going to toss a tossed salad together to go with it with some homemade biscuits. Hmm… rosemary, oregano and chives fresh picked added to some butter. Now, we’re talking., yummy.
Let’s add a couple more things to our cancer tool kit while we’re on the topic of food.
Lemons and limes are antimicrobial as well as being anti-inflammatory. I don’t know about you but I love drinking water with either slices of lemon or lime on a hot day. I happen to have both in my fridge.
“When life gives you lemons, say cool, what else you got?” ― Carmen in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
I think on that note I’m going to make myself a glass with lemon and read for awhile. I haven’t finished the exercises in Le Guin’s Steering the Craft and I need to refresh my mind and get them done. Write… write… and write some more.

 

In my world

/ lyncrain / Leave a comment

https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/27669916/posts/64166

Questions:

Where Do You Not Mind Waiting?

I could be left for hours in a garden. There’s nothing more satisfying physically or mentally than being in the moment with nature.I spend time in mine everyday, it’s a great way to enjoy my first coffee of the day while listening to the birds.

What Is In Your Fridge Right Now?  (you’re not required to give a comprehensive list)

Veggies and more veggies, I’ve been picking kale, beet greens, peppers and zucchini this morning before the heat of the day. It’s going to be an excessively hot day. It was 81 degrees at 8:00 am and if the weather man is right by noon it will be 95 degrees. That’s rough on the plants in containers and in the ground.

If You Could Only Speak One Word Today, What Would It Be?

Smile.  If only we all did because a smile makes all the difference in someone’s day. 🙂

Would You Rather Be Trapped In An Elevator Full Of Men With BO Or Three Soaked Dogs?  (this is with the codicil that C-19 doesn’t exist)

Three wet dogs is more appealing to me. The men should know better. Personal hygiene and self awareness go hand in hand. I don’t expect animals to have that same awareness.

 

Song Lyric Sunday, letter-c, day 58

/ lyncrain / 7 Comments

img_0406

https://jimadamsauthordotcom.wordpress.com/2020/07/18/the-great-bloggers-bake-off/

Jim says, “This week we have the food and cooking and eating related prompts of Baking/Bread/Cake/Pie/Picnic and hopefully this will fit for everyone. ”

I read a few of the responses posted before mine, Cherry Pie, Bread Fan, I Like Pie, I like Cake, Someone Left the Cake Out in the Rain… all excellent choices. I decided to go with the feeling I remember when going on picnics, although I do discuss our favorite picnic foods. At my age, I’ve been on a quite a few. The best memories are with John, Chris, and Amanda, (my children) but I do have some special picnic date memories tucked away that reminded me of the song I chose by Fabares. Maybe in another post, I’ll discuss some of those memories.

Michele Ann Marie “Shelley” Fabares (born January 19, 1944) is an American actress and singer. In 1962 Fabares’ recording of “Johnny Angel” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 which was on the self titled album Shelley and the song Picnic joined the collection of songs included.

On a picnic morning without a warning
I looked at you and somehow I knew
On a day for singing,
My heart went winging
A picnic grove was our rendezvous
You and I in the sunshine
We strolled the fields amd farms
At the last light of evening,
I held you in my arms
So when days grow stormy
And lonely for me
I just recall picnic time and you.

written by George W. Duning

“Picnic Lyrics.” Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2020. Web. 19 Jul 2020. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/31093464/Shelley+Fabares>.
“Fabare’s teen-idol status came with her coming-of-age role as the ever-wholesome daughter “Mary Stone” on The Donna Reed Show (1958), a part she played for five seasons before embarking on a more grown-up film career. During the run of the classic sitcom, she and TV “brother” Paul Petersen grew so popular that they sprinted to adjoining pop singing celebrity, although both admitted that their vocal talents were limited. Shelley especially enjoyed a #1 Billboard hit with the breathy, sultry-edged “Johnny Angel”. The character of “Mary Stone” was gently phased out of the show as her character “left for college”.

By this time, Shelley had turned into quite a curvaceous stunner. Her acting mettle hardly tested, she managed to become part of the bikini-clad blonde set with top femme parts in such fun-and-frolic fare as Ride the Wild Surf (1964), Hold On! (1966), which was a vehicle for British singing sensation Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, and three of Elvis Presley‘s less-acclaimed vehicles of the later 1960s: Girl Happy (1965), Spinout (1966) and Clambake (1967).

A serious Vietnam-era stream of consciousness began to pervade film audiences in the late 1960s and Shelley’s perky innocence that found so much favor during the Camelot years had lost its appeal. After a notoriously dry spell, she bounced back as the altruistic wife of a dying footballer “Brian Piccolo” in Brian’s Song (1971), opposite James Caan, and settled comfortably again on the small screen with bright co-star roles on the series The Brian Keith Show (1972), The Practice (1976), and Highcliffe Manor (1979). A more prickly character than usual, however, reared its head in the late-night soap spoof Forever Fernwood (1977), and this led to the equally malicious, vainglorious role of Bonnie Franklin‘s business competitor on the already-established hit sitcom One Day at a Time (1975). The show also featured her aunt Nanette Fabray as Franklin’s meddling mom. In the late 1980s, Shelley found a fleshier character as Craig T. Nelson‘s resourceful mate on Coach (1989), earning steady work for eight seasons and two Emmy nominations in the process. A return to film stardom, however, would eclipse her.” ~ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001193/bio

As a pre-teen I watched all those bikini-clad movies with Elvis, Fabares, and Gidget.  Did you know Sandra Dee, Sally Field, Cindy Carroll, and Deborah Walley each played Gidget. https://groovyhistory.com/the-many-faces-of-gidget

Dick Clark Five is where we tuned in to watch the new and upcoming musicians and the latest dance steps.

This song was shown on a Donna Reed episode while she was on the show before she moved over to the bikini clad movies.  At the time, I thought she was so pretty.

Picnic memory from 40 years ago:

Amanda’s first picnic with us was in August, 1980 after I had the radical hysterectomy and before I was to begin the radiation/chemo treatment.  Amanda was only two months old, Chris was three and John was five when my children’s father wanted to go up to Wyman Lake because it going to be a really hot day. (August in Maine is usually very warm, I never minded because our summers are so short.)

A little background about Wyman, it was a man-made lake on the Kennebec River in Bingham, Maine. There were houses along the river that were purchased then flooded after the construction began in Bingham, in 1928. It would be the largest dam in the eastern United States, promising far more power than Maine industries alone could consume. The lake was named after Walter Wyman, the electrical engineer who brought the project to its full capability.

The paper companies would use the river to float the logs down the river in carefully constructed channels built along the river. In 1973, the environmentalists finally won the battle to preserve the river’s ecology and forced the paper companies to haul wood by truck. After that bill passed, the towns created designated beach areas with picnic tables and restroom facilities. to better serve the communities. That’s how Wyman Lake became a popular family outing place.

Back to my picnic memory. Like every other picnic outing I would prepare either a potato or macaroni salad, barbecue chicken and make cookies for dessert the night before. I was exhausted but somehow I managed to get it done because there was no cooking allowed at the lake. Carry in, carry out is the norm for Maine’s water areas.

In the morning,we would toss everything into coolers, put the blankets, lawn chairs, a pop-up sunblocker, and the beach toys for the boys all into the car and off we’d go for the day. We arrived at Wyman at 10:00 in the morning so we would have the best location on the beach.

The cool part about Wyman was the shoreline, it’s shallow for quite a ways so the boys could play in the water without me having to worry.  (That’s a left over from the log run days.) Amanda was too young to be in the water but she did seem to enjoy being on a blanket by the water while her brothers played and laughed. Maybe their joy was infectious because she stayed awake a lot on her first outing.

We had brought a small transistor radio with us and listened to oldies playing on the radio during our excursion together. The boys danced with me, and tried to sing along with their father and I. We slaughtered a lot of the songs but none of us cared. We were in the moment.

Why I’m reminded of that picnic in particular other than it being the first one for Amanda was because of her first physical interaction with her brother. Chris had  broke a piece of his cookie off and offered it to Amanda. Her little fingers grasped his and his face lit up brighter than a harvest moon. I was relieved that Amanda was finally accepted by her brother after the initial rocky start. Neither one of the boys were happy about having a baby in the family, and worse it was a girl.

There’s more background to their resistance of having a sister but I don’t want to go into it today because it had a lot to do with their father. Today, I’m staying with the picnic memory and the joy of the day.

By the time we arrived back home, we had three very tired children who didn’t resist bedtime. This woman collapsed right after they did. The fresh air did wonders because Amanda slept through the night as well, so I was blessed a full night’s sleep.

We were able to enjoy a couple more picnic excursions that August before the letter-c intervened.

I’m feeling today with the temperatures going to be 100 degrees today a potato salad would be perfect, maybe on top of a bed of lettuce.

 

 

 

Death

/ lyncrain / 3 Comments

I was looking through one of my folders on death poems, and I came across this gem, I wrote back in 2013. Sometimes, we just need to put our emotions out there. I chose an inanimate object to express how I felt. What’s your favorite way of letting your emotions go.

Demise of a Shoe©

Coated with murky, putrid crap
Black grime embedded toe cap
Frayed, broken eyelets, pieced laces
Tightly knotted barely held in places
The quarter dog- eared in the back
Tired leather, brittle, split, cracked
Tongue twisted out of shape, torn
Sadly abused when it was worn
The insole broken down to clumpy pieces
Heels unevenly worn to the side
Clearly issues with the owners stride
Soles with large holes worn thru
Smushed leather like an overcooked stew
Broken stitches more here then there
Oh, the woes of a life in despair.

My World 🌎 letter-c day 53

/ lyncrain / 4 Comments

https://sparksfromacombustiblemind.com/2020/07/13/share-your-world-7-13-2020/

Thank you Melanie for the writing inspiration today.

What song always get you out on the dance floor?

Since I’m 64 years old, my song choices have varied immensely over time. in my youth, I always hit the dance floor for Proud Mary. The lyrics begin with something like we’re going to do something nice and easy but we never do anything nice and easy. It’s going to get rough and hard. (I didn’t go look it up this morning, I’m working on the iPad.) Anyway life is like that, we don’t realize how easy we have it, then life hits with you a reality check. I married and dancing fell aside and the only time I danced was when I was calming my babies down and the majority of times it was John Lennon’s Imagine. After my divorce my go to song was Pavarotti and Dion, I love you then I hate you. Dating someone long distance, trying to work full time and go to college in your fifties is challenging. My present choice is with the letter c looming over me is Perfect with Sheeran and Bocelli because I know how precious love with the right person is.

What’s my favorite sleeping position? I sleep on my left side with my back securely next to Vic with Macavity (my cat 🐈) snuggling against my knees.

If I could snap my fingers and instantly make the world better what would I do. I would penalize anyone who doesn’t follow seven generation sustainability. Our carbon footprint truly matters so we all need to be held accountable.

What’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done? Looking back running away from home and ending up in Harlem in the early 70s when I was 13 wasn’t the wisest thing to do. Nor was hitch hiking from Connecticut to Vermont when I was 15 the safest thing to do. As an adult I’ve done some crazy things but I wasn’t fearful but other people when I shared what I was doing thought it was terrifying. Fear for one person is different for another. The most dangerous thing I’ve ever done in desperation was trying to kill myself with a gun, thank goodness that went awry. I still feel ashamed for feeling that alone….my children and grandchildren didn’t deserve all of that baggage.

Our cancer culinary tool kit addition today is:

Cumin is an appetite stimulus, digestive aid, anti microbial and may reduce tumors in the stomach and cervix.

Dates help regulate blood sugar and help boost our immune system.

Cancer Fighting Kitchen Rebecca Katz and Mat Edelson

My song choice for today is Tina Turner’s Proud Mary. I think the presentation of the song says a lot about life. Yes, it does start off easy and slow. We’re impatient and want everything yesterday without realizing how good we really have it. Then as we age and experience things we realize what we lost. It’s coming in all directions, hard and fast. We need to be in the moment because those moments will disappear 😔

I watered the gardens this morning, discovered another zucchini and lots of cucumber blossoms. Life is good.

Writing accountability is tonight, I need to work on my vignettes.

When I was younger I focused on getting to the weekend but then I got sick and realized how few weekends in life I really had . I learned to make time to smell the roses because life as we know it today offers no guarantees.

 

Air/Earth/Fire/Water Prompt

/ lyncrain / 2 Comments

https://jimadamsauthordotcom.wordpress.com/2020/07/12/a-spoonful-of-water/

Written for Song Lyric Sunday where the prompt is Air/Earth/Fire/Water.

Four  awesome song choices I enjoyed immensely in my lifetime. I had Collins and Credence on cassettes and then cd. I had Stevens and Lewis originally on 45rpms and then later on cd.

My air choice is Phil Collins , In the Air Tonight

 

I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
And I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight? Oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, if you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand
I’ve seen your face before, my friend, but I don’t know if you know who I am
Well, I was there and I saw what you did, I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you’ve been
It’s all been a pack of lies
And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well, I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well, I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, I remember, I remember, don’t worry, how could I ever forget?
It’s the first time, the last time we ever met
But I know the reason why you keep your silence up, no, you don’t fool me
Well, the hurt doesn’t show, but the pain still grows
It’s no stranger to you and me
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well, I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
And I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Phil Collins
In the Air Tonight lyrics © Concord Music Publishing LLC
One of the most commonly believed messages behind ‘In the Air Tonight’ is that Phil Collins wrote it about a man who could have saved another man from drowning but chose not to. Collins  actually wrote this song about the anger he felt after divorcing his first wife, Andrea Bertorelli, in 1980 . The lingering tension caused by the divorce led Collins to the title, as these negative feelings were “In The Air,” and affecting not just the couple getting divorced, but the entire family. Collins explains the lyrics, “If you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand,” by saying the drowning is symbolic.
I can relate to the drowning metaphor, my ex-husband brought out similar feelings in me. I had reached a point where I envisioned him choking to death in mind every time he spoke to me. I knew I had to get out of the marriage before I took it to the next level.
 My choice for Earth is Cat Stevens’ Where Do the Children Play.
Well I think it’s fine, building jumbo planes
Or taking a ride on a cosmic train
Switch on summer from a slot machine
Yes, get what you want to if you want
Cause you can get anything
I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?
Well you roll on roads over fresh green grass
For your lorry loads pumping petrol gas
And you make them long, and you make them tough
But they just go on and on, and it seems that you can’t get off
Oh, I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?
Well you’ve cracked the sky, scrapers fill the air
But will you keep on building higher
‘Til there’s no more room up there?
Will you make us laugh, will you make us cry?
Will you tell us when to live, will you tell us when to die?
I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Yusuf Islam, commonly known by his stage name Cat Stevens.
Where Do the Children Play? lyrics © BMG Rights Management
 Where Do the Children Play was written by Cat Stevens in 1970. However in 2017 it was  used for a lyrical message to the United Nations about human trafficking of children.

“Cat Stevens (who also goes by the name Yusuf) was born Steven Georgiou in central London on 21 July 1948 and grew up in Holborn, attending a school in the theater district of Drury Lane. “It was all entertainment, everywhere; I mean, I thought this was natural,” he later told NPR. “But then I realised that there weren’t so many parks around there. And that’s where, when you come to my music, a song like ‘Where Do the Children Play?’, there’s a kind of harking to that issue.”

Stevens is a master of writing melancholic songs – alongside ‘Where Do the Children Play?’ are other classics like ‘Moonshadow’ and ‘Peace Train’ – and his lasting contribution to popular music was recognised with an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2014. Five years later, he also made it into The Songwriters Hall Of Fame”~ https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/yusuf-cat-stevens-where-do-the-children-play-song/

 

My choice for Fire is Jerry Lee Lewis’s Great Balls of Fire.  According to Wikipedia, “Great Balls of Fire” is a 1957 popular song recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis on Sun Records and featured in the 1957 movie Jamboree. It was written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer.

 

I remember seeing my father and mother dancing in our living room to this song.

Great Balls Of Fire
Jerry Lee Lewis
You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
Too much love drives a man insane
You broke my will, but what a thrill
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire
I laughed at love ’cause I thought it was funny
You came along and you moved me honey
I’ve changed my mind, this love is fine
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire
Kiss me baby, ooh, feels good
Hold me baby
Well, I’ll still love you like a lover should
You’re fine, so kind
Got to tell this world that you’re mine, mine, mine, mine
I chew my nails and I twiddle my thumbs
I’m real nervous but it sure is fun
Come on baby, you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire
Well kiss me baby, ooh, feels good
Hold me baby
Well, I’ll still love you like a lover should
You’re fine, so kind
Got to tell this world that you’re mine, mine, mine, mine
I chew my nails and I twiddle my thumbs
I’m real nervous but it sure is fun
Come on baby, you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Jack Hammer / Otis Blackwell
Great Balls Of Fire lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Warner Chappell Music Inc

My choice for Rain is Credence Clearwater Revival’s Have You Ever Seen the Rain.  Awesome song, awesome band.

 

“Have You Ever Seen The Rain”

Someone told me long ago
There’s a calm before the storm
I know, it’s been comin’ for some time
When it’s over, so they say
It’ll rain a sunny day
I know, shinin’ down like waterI want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
Comin’ down on a sunny dayYesterday, and days before
Sun is cold and rain is hard
I know, been that way for all my time
‘Til forever, on it goes
Through the circle, fast and slow
I know, it can’t stop, I wonder

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
Comin’ down on a sunny day

Yeah!

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
Comin’ down on a sunny day.

Writer(s): Fogerty John Cameron, Green Toby
This song is John Fogerty’s take on the imminent departure of his brother Tom from the band, and the overall tension in the group at a time when they should have been enjoying their success. The line, “I want to know – have you ever seen the rain comin’ down on a sunny day?” refers to Tom leaving while CCR was at its commercial zenith. The flip side of this single, “Hey Tonight,” is John reassuring the band that all would go well despite the adversity.
Music never dies.

Contradictions

/ lyncrain / 2 Comments

Proverbs are interesting and complex things. They appear, on the surface, to be gems of wisdom which have been passed down through the ages.  I don’t know how many times I have nodded my head and accepted without further discussion until someone pointed out to me  that most proverbs have an opposite. It seems so obvious to me now that I can’t believe I didn’t note the contradictions myself. Next time you find yourself nodding along to a proverb, stop and think of its opposite.

Look before you leap.
He who hesitates is lost.

Opposites attract.
Birds of a feather flock together.

Hitch your wagon to a star.
Don’t bite off more that you can chew.

Many hands make light work.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.

Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Clothes make the man.

The squeaking wheel gets the grease.
Silence is golden.

Clothes make the man.
You cannot judge a book by its cover.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
Don’t beat your head against a stone wall.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Out of sight, out of mind.

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
Don’t cross the bridge until you come to it.

Two heads are better than one.
Paddle your own canoe.

Haste makes waste.
Time waits for no man.

You’re never too old to learn.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

A word to the wise is sufficient.
Talk is cheap.

It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
Nice guys finish last.

Strike while the iron is hot

All good things happen for those who wait.

 

letter-c day 48

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Author Connection:

I started reading Queenie by Candice Carty- Williams today. Very relatable writing style. I typically prefer the classics but this spring I’ve read five contemporary authors. I think every author needs to fine tune their skill set by expanding their minds in directions they don’t normally dwell. My favorite genres are history and biographical and how to. I’ve added mystery and young adult into the mix.

Crocheting:

DSC_0317

 

I’ve begun the first stripe on my sweater. The colors are working well together for me. The lower band is rose and the body is magenta with three thin rose stripes to tie the colors together. I’m liking the way it is coming together in the cotton yarn.

Tonight, was my weekly writing group meeting on zoom so I grabbed turkey noodle soup with carrots and peas out of the freezer for dinner. Sometimes, you just need comfort food and soup is definitely that.

Culinary tool kit”

Adding some more tools to your cancer fighting toolbox.

Cherries are anti-inflammatory and they look really good in the super markets right now.

Chicken has an interesting role because it is a possible metal detoxifer as well as being an anti-oxidant. Organic chicken is an awesome source of niacin and selenium according to Rebecca Katz although recent articles debate the benefit of eating chicken. This is one I would say use personal judgement on because there’s still so many outliers.

My song choice for today is When You Say Nothing at All by Keith Whitley. Yes, there are moments when silence is the best way to decompress which I needed more than anything. The conversations I did have today were enjoyable.  Thanks Marcus and Char, you made today much easier.

Vic and I played cribbage with our usual bantering. Our simple exchanges bring me joy, especially when he gives me one of his mischievous smiles. Macavity and Yeats both gave me the best snuggles ever.

I worked awhile on the vignettes but became frustrated so I decided to work on a poem. It’s still a work in progress and without a title.

Let me fly away like a discarded leaf
faded into a bleak nothingness
where all blissful memories are found
more agonizing than spilled coffee
upon a white linen covered slab.
Let me abandon circumstance so
my mocked happiness is buried
as a consecrated sorrow©

Rebecca Katz and Mat Edelson’s Cancer Fighting Kitchen.

Anti-Cancer Food Spotlight: Sour Cherries

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-chicken-consumption-risk-cancer-doctor-stop-eating-chicken-20190909-oxvngveiifdi5j4ekwa3l2xj34-story.html

Letter-c Day 35

/ lyncrain / 3 Comments

As promised I would share what I’m learning about culinary helpful tools with the letter-c battle. Today, let’s discuss almonds and apples.

As you’ve probably heard almonds are a healthy and a good source of fiber but did you know almonds are also an anti-inflammatory. Eating almonds with their skins increases their antioxidant power. Almonds also help regulate blood sugar if you’re diabetic.

Apples are also an anti-inflammatory. Lab tests indicate apples keep liver, breast and colon cancer cells at bay.

Cancer Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz and Mat Edelson

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070601181005.htm

I was reading one of the mask series on Silver Birch Press by David T. Pennington.  A line in his post really struck a chord with me relative to COVID-19. He hopes our children feel as naked without a mask as we do without clothes. It’s hard to imagine this may be a reality for our children and grandchildren. Their lovely smiles hidden by masks. I know  I can see some of their sparkle in their eyes but it’s just not the same. I’ve noticed meeting people in public right now even socially distanced a sense of awkwardness and discomfort is present. Have you noticed it as well?  Our futures are dependent on the success of a vaccine that will constantly have to change as the virus mutates. And there’s the added fear that it may or will spread to all of the animals, so our food source will be impacted as well. I don’t know about you but I’m scared for our future generations as well as for us.

silverbirchpress.wordpress.com

It’s been years since I updated my bio. Originally, my focus was raising awareness of domestic violence through poetry but over time it has evolved into so much more. Writing is/ will be my primary focus but I think the topics of the Letter-c (cancer), everyday life, crafts, cooking, witchcraft, and book reviews will also be part of my blog. So that’s on today’s agenda.

I have 80 rows of 122 rows on the lower band (rib) of the crochet sweater I’m working on. I was happy to see Michaels is open again, Joann’s should be as well or at least soon. I really want to stock up on my cotton yarn supply so I can make some sweaters for the grandchildren. I’ve made them an abundant supply of scarves and hats that should cover them for a lifetime and more. I can’t sit and watch tv without my hands doing something. I crochet during our critique night in my writing group to reduce my fidgeting.

I’ve made great progress reading diyMFA by Gabriela Pereira. She brings to the reader’s attention how many little things that undermine our writing that I didn’t realize were. I’m guilty of writing in between laundry and cooking. The point she makes is that our mind doesn’t settle into a writing mindset focus so we make more mistakes or are less productive. I’ve been testing that theory this week by setting specific time slots aside. I’m finding I am getting more words on the page. I still have to work on minimizing filter words. Rome wasn’t built in a day, I’ll get there.

I really wanted to go to Maine especially since the one year anniversary of my losing my grandson to be with his Dad. (Johnny died on July 1st, 2019 in a fluke dirt bike accident.) I’m very concerned about the exposure I’ll face by traveling and being in a different place with people that I don’t normally co-exist with on a daily basis. I love my son, we’ve been in hell together with Johnny dying but I can’t throw caution to wind now when so much is at stake with my health. I’m already immune comprised after the previous cancers so my concerns are real with COVID-19.

I have my first face to face with my oncologist who specializes in gastric cancer on July 7th. My cancer was discovered by a gastroenterologist during a endoscopic procedure to remove a bile duct stent.I’m very concerned with all that is at stake with my health that the risk is too high. I love my son dearly but I do have to balance my needs as well as his.

It also brings me to my song choice for today. I would do anything for my spouse, my children, my grandchildren and friends but I won’t put myself in harms way. Love is more than instant gratification.

 

 

 

“And I would do anything for love
I’d run right into hell and back
I would do anything for love
I’d never lie to you and that’s a fact
But I’ll never forget the way you feel right now
Oh no, no way
And I would do anything for love
Oh I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that
No, I won’t do that”~ Meatloaf