This song's for you...

I have to gush for a minute.  I will start by saying how much I love music.  I could do without the T.V., computer, and a few other things, but music is one thing it would be hard for me to live without.  Having said that, I will gush a little more about one of my favorite musicians-Elton John.  Just watched an interview with him that was not at all surprising, but I loved watching it.

I remember singing his songs since, well since I can really remember anything.  Songs seem to trigger some of my earliest memories, and I remember singing "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" when I was a little shrimpy kid.  One summer, he played a concert in Central Park that was replayed over and over again.  And I watched it over and over again.  I loved all the costumes he wore then-the Donald Duck costume stands out in my mind, and seeing the thousands of people who had a blast watching him perform.  I know I loved it!

His music is timeless and as I have gotten older, I love his honesty and  his openness and his music even more.  I look forward to reading his book.

He is one of the musicians that my kids sing along to-usually subconsciously, just because he is one of those that they have grown up listening to by way of their mother.  I will sing the songs to them-much to their great embarrassment with gusto.  They may not realize it yet, but I mean every word-"How wonderful life is, when you're in the world"....

Gone to the dogs....

There are three dogs here at home as I am writing this piece.  My two pups, Bella and Molly, and my parent's dog Scout.  I am dog-sitting for the evening.  These past few days have quite literally been the dog days of summer.

Friday evening, my oldest daughter was asked to dog sit for the weekend for one of our neighbors.  That evening she had five dogs.  Yes, I said five.  They were very well behaved-I was surprised.  There were shelties, a golden, a malti-poo, and a mutt.  One female and four males-the poor lassie.  She had one admirer who just would not leave her alone, until she had had quite enough and put an end to his foolishness.  Good girl.  Got to tame those boys!!

Our dogs met some new friends-the neighbor's five and their cousin Bernie.  After a little time running around sniffing, everyone started to ignore each other and see who could drink the most water.  Bella won that one.

Scout came this morning-she is a big black lab, about ninety pounds of puppy.  She has been very well behaved-making my day that much easier with three dogs, three children, and two cats around.  I know that I can't really count the cats because they can take care of themselves, but I am going to because I can.

I did go out and purchase a Thunder Shirt for Bella-it has worked fantastically.  She still barks when she sees people outside, but she does not go polar and have a nervous breakdown.  She has graciously left that for me to do.  Lord knows this house can't handle anymore anxious women.  Maybe I should use the Thunder Shirt myself....

OMG it's hot!!!!

I would say hot is an understatement.  I love hot weather, but even this is pushing it for me.  It is 104 degrees not counting the humidity.  And why would you want to count any higher than that?

So what does one do when it is hot outside?  Paint their master bedroom of course!  My sweet hubby and I spent the last two days painting away.  He is a trooper.  I love him to pieces.  After eleven years of living here, I finally feel like it is our room.  Not what someone else had in mind.  Don't get me wrong-it wasn't a hideous 70's green or anything like that.  It was a sunny yellow and liveable(obviously) but I love change and have wanted something new for a while.  And now-I have it!

It is a calm blue color-yes, it does remind me of the beach.  The color of the water in Hawaii, or the sky on a clear day.  I love it.  The best thing about it?  It's done.  I did the cutting in and around the baseboards and the ceiling, Patrick did the rolling.  We are a good team.

I have lots of ideas for other things that I will be adding to our room-shelves, a new headboard, a "new" mirror(code for an old mirror that I spray-painted a glossy orange).  It will look great when it is completely done.  That should be by the end of the week-not in another 11 years.

I would rather spend cooler days outside playing or relaxing on my porch-and get stuff done inside on days when it is just too darn hot...

Play that funky music...

Music is one thing in life that I would have a hard time living without.  It brings back so many memories of people, places, travels, adventures.  No bad memories go with music for me.  I tend to attach all things good to music.

Bruce Hornsby and the Range were actually the inspiration for this post.  I was listening to Radio Margaritaville and one of their songs began to play.  "Every little kiss..."  It reminded me of times when my Patrick(then my fiance) and I would take road trips to Williamsburg or the beach, playing their tape(yes, it was awhile ago)on the stereo, in our Jeep Wrangler, top down, wind in our faces.  It was always a great time.  When I listen to those songs, I close my eyes and I am there.

U2 reminds me of high school and college days, when anyone who lived with me either grew to love U2 or hate them because all of their songs were constantly playing.  Loudly.  I still play them-loudly.  I finally got to see them in concert in 2009 for their U2 360 tour.  It.was.awesome.  It only took me twenty-plus years to see them.  Hopefully it won't be that long before I see them again.

Jimmy Buffett of course reminds me of the beach, lazy days, lots of smiles, cheeseburgers, and I lifestyle that many of us would love to live everyday.  If I can live it vicariously through Jimmy's music, I will take it.  I sit on my porch under the ceiling fan, a cold beer in my hand, and just relax.  Not too bad of a way to spend an afternoon.  It is playing almost constantly when I am at home or in my car.  I love that I will catch my kids singing along to a song that not too many other kids would know-like "Tin Cup Chalice".  Unless their parents are Parrotheads.  Look it up, take a listen.


I like the newer stuff too.  Flo Rida is way fun, Maroon 5, Adele, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Foo Fighters.  All great music that I listen to-when Jimmy is not playing.

And to the song that this post is named after, just bob your head along to the rhythm.  "Play that funky music white boy!"