Yup I have been way to negiligent in carrying out my Friday tributes to my favorite bloggers. This Fridays Following in the FootSteps post is about Harper Faulkner. Now just think for a minute about his name. HF actually did a blurb on his name (darned if I can find it now although I have looked) and how he got it laced with his usual dose of humor….which reminds me where did he get all that gut busting rolling on the floor with just a word or two humor? But lets revisit the name thing.
So a wee darling baby boy is born. His folks gaze upon that angelic face and decide he deserves a moniker bigger than he is. I suspect they suspected that he would grow into it and by all that is holy he did. Did he ever carry on relentlessly as a child forcing his mother to say, ‘Now Harper quit harping you are driving me crazy.’ To which I can imagine him saying, ‘I have to harp you named me and now you and the rest of the world must live with it.”
And live with it we do with great relish and delight over virtually everything that comes out of this man. I have tried to choose a favorite for you to read (in case he is a stranger to you this moment) but damn as soon as I read something and pick myself up off the floor thinking it is the best I get all caught up in another post that I am sure is my fave.
Footsteps (Photo credit: courosa)
Now more than just I like to harp on Harper. In March of this year Mike Silvia dedicated a post to good old HF.The man gets noticed. I am still not sure if Mike’s post is for or against but one thing is certain; there is no way anyone will be mediocre about HF. By all accounts he adores his wife and family including the long gone Cousin Buster or at least he remembers him, sort of. His worth it seems is in his fertile creatuve mind – man of mystery (Clive) and his height. Give yourselves a wonderful gift all wrapped up in wit and intelligence and pop over to say hello. Just hello, now I wouldn’t you all to start harping about this genius. That’s his job after all!Love you HF!!
Christine loved words. And her favorite were the last words.
She lived her life well enough to bring special meaning to the word, ‘Regrets, I’ve had a few”
But they certainly were too few to mention.
She never quite took life seriously enough feeling it was all so transient
And most of tragedy had a good maniacal comedy about it.
Life itself was not a joke to Chris, it was the seriousness that people persist in believing it to be that was funny.
Christine wanted to impart some good to the world so she became a nurse and thought, ‘Yes this is doing good.’
Then she became a teacher of nurses and thought, ‘If I can fill one person with the passion for nursing that I have then that is good.’
Then she became a manager and director thinking she could make the most impact there.
She sat in Queen’s Park on the Emergency Health Services Committee and though, ‘Yes here I can make a difference.’
By the time she retired Christine wondered if in fact she had made even a ripple in the great ocean of health care and then
It occurred to her that she had – not to the great cumbersome machine itself but to individuals which may seem small but in the larger picture is not.
Christine raised two sons who were her pride. She loved each fiercely and respected them and their families in all the choices of their lives.
She had two great great loves in her life – her grandsons and the opportunity to be in the moment with them every day meant more to her than all the riches on earth.
She thought herself a poet and writer but the best stories stayed deep within.
She wanted her death – well her passing since death itself does not exist – to be a time of great joy and hilarity.
No tears – do not let the best part of her earthly being, the joy, insane laughter and stories be lost to sadness.
Get out and party and laugh.
Talk about the time she and B got lost in the golf club parking lot and could not find their way out.
Talk about the time she and J CSI’d the vacuum cleaner bag.
Talk about the time…the time…
Christine would want you to know that you should be smiling and laughing this very moment
And all of the ‘times’ she remembered are on CD for your viewing pleasure because after
English: The logo of the of Singapore. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Singapore Sling for me-1= (Photo credit: Sheba_Also)
This past Saturday I attended a wonderful cocktail party to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of a couple who will do the actual deed in Singapore on December 21, 2012. Celebrations by our family for decades, certainly since the 50’s (my memory span) have centered on the the joys of marriage and self congratulatory acclaim on the longevity of said unions – for those able to claim the longevity thing that is.
Now this party was the howdeedoo of welcoming a couple into that hallowed state of union since none of us present could get to Singapore itself, and since we were unable to attend, the host and hostess decided to do a solemn ceremony honoring the young couple. The performance of said ceremony was a surprise not only for the couple but all the attendees.
Singapore Slings, the signature libation of the evening, complete with other drinks of choice got the party started. Hors d’oeuvres of every imaginable delicious sort were provided through out the evening and of course the cake – can’t possibly party without cake.
The poor couple must have been asked at least twenty times what a traditional Singapore wedding entailed and finally resorted to saying they would keep us informed each step of the way as it involves a number of ceremonies. Also in attendance was my world traveling nephew who had spent most of that last two years traveling Africa with his wife who traveled to 347 cities in 30 countries on their own personal mission for Wisdom Exchange TV and here for their Ignite Excellence site. More on that another post!
Anyway back to the solemn ceremony. Well it wasn’t too solemn as all mock weddings should shun solemnity. The bride to be was whisked upstairs to be dressed in style and the groom was given a bow tie and chains for his ankles. (I just need a moment here as Johnny Cash sings…I got stripes around my shoulder I got chains around my feet)…..ahh that’s better.
My brother dressed all preacher like sporting a carnivore bbq apron, knitted hat and other accoutrements not at all related to marital bestowment read from a book on golf as lessons for marriage. (He himself being wed for more that 45 years can be considered an expert.)
Aside from side splitting raucous laughter and mighty cheers this event took me back half a century when mock weddings were played out at regular times on Stahl Avenue.
During the second World War my grandparents bought one of those big two story homes with large front, back and upper deck porches. It was the central meeting point at least each Friday when all the aunts, uncles, cousins and other ne’er do wells congregated for an evening of merriment. It was the place we each took new dates to meet all and it was the centre for mock weddings. It became customary that my parents and uncles and aunts had to celebrate the 15th wedding anniversary and the 25th in style.
This meant using curtains, lamp shades, quilts and anything else at hand to dress the bride and groom. My uncle Dick usually was the minister and my grandfather hauled out his shotgun to oversee events and make sure the groom did not make a run for it. My more talented cousins danced, sang or played the violin and guitar.
As children watching adults convulsing in laughter and delighting in the jokes we all grew up with what some might consider a rather warped sense of humour.
Saturday past was not special just because of the events, the celebrations, but because for a short time during the ceremony and the cutting of the cake I thought I caught from the corner of my eye other generations long gone now swirling around the room and laughing and cheering. For just one moment they were all with us.
Grandparenthood is a wonderful thing to be blessed with. You get to observe and plump up your peacock bragging feathers at every brilliant word that falls from tiny mouths as though their brilliance is somehow a direct result of your genetic presence. Somehow it is a time for wonderment and while you are pretty sure your own children went through the same development you were too busy working, cleaning, teaching, disciplining and just generally being a parent. Observation and contemplation of small miracles are definitely a bonus when one considers your offspring’s offspring.
I have mentioned previously G2’s commentary on life and living and learning. One of my faves of course is when his older brother taught him to never say the ‘F’ word and he didn’t even know what that particular word was but you got a scolding if you used the letter in any word until one he proclaimed, Granny fish begins with F and you can say it!’
I have noticed just how keen his observation skills are, rapidly developing, whilst my seem to be declining.
Granny (Looney Tunes) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So – we were in the car the other day and I noticed a woman walking down the street and as we passed I noticed her tired looking too blonde dye job, her slight gimpy walk and thought that she generally looked weary and more round than lean.
As we rounded a corner G2 shouts out excitedly – Granny did you see that lady? She looks just like you. SHE has your face and everything!
Of course this is the same child that looked at a pic in a magazine that showed a very attractive young female standing next to a seated very elderly lady. Jokingly I asked him if the beautiful woman looked like me and very seriously he said no and pointed to the very ancient, must have been 90 lady and said that’s you Granny!
English: Portrait of Danny Kaye (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Cover of Ginger and Fred
I was looking at the picture on my earlier post today and got to thinking more about Foggy Days.
And then I got thinking about the coolest comments from people that when they comment, never ceases to amaze me that they actually take time to ..well..er..comment.
Then I got to thinking about the picture itself and the words to an old song came to mind about..of course…What a Difference a Day Makes. Now lots of people have sung these lyrics but it is the original I think of first.
Words & Music by Maria Grever & Stanley
Adams
Recorded by Dinah Washington, 1959
Yup BMOYWB (before most of you were born). Now I need to let you in an age comfirming secret. Back in ‘the day’ and please don’t try to pin me down to a specific day. I have had way too many days to zero in on one. That’s why we old folk say, ‘back in the day’. Anyway, back in the day, when television was called television not TV (it was an age before giving everything initials) as a very very child I used to watch musicals, usually in black and white, since color had not been invented yet. I mean every kind of musical ever played, usually with Danny Kaye, Fred and Ginger, Gene Kelly, Rosemary Clooney, et al. Anyway my point is that I grew up singing, mostly to myself as no one seemed to want to listen and I sang my way through life. Okay mostly out of the public eye. I thought life was, or at the very least should be a musical. I sang happy, I sang sad, I sang mad. If I did not have an actual song to sing, I made it up. I still do it today but mostly when I am alone. And I dance and skip – mostly when I am alone. Okay not always but mostly.
English: Portrait of Rosemary Clooney performing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Now before I get too side tracked I really wanted to tell you about the little four year old in the picture. You see in keeping with Big Brother’s instructions, I mean the Ministry of Magic, no..I mean The Ministry of Education he goes to school Tuesday and Thursday and alternate Mondays.
Well September was sorrowful and I sang a lot about 16 Tons and whaddya get that month, and a lot about my head was hangin low, and occassionally the sun will come out tomorrow as this wee fellow decided school was a good idea for others but not for him. He cried before he left. He cried at school. I asked him why. He said..sobbing….I..I …I miss my Mommy. Or some days he said…sobbing…I miss my f…f….family. All the books about Llama Llama Misses His Mama did nothing to soothe.
Then a family friend had an idea. Why not stop by to pick up G2 when she was walking her children to school – the littlest who was the same age as G2? Well the first morning she showed up that little boy had his coat on, his school bag on, and took off, laughing and playing all the way. Now his Mom usually takes him and he meets up with his little friends and there is Joy in Mudville again.
I wondered how he would be walking in the fog today and he was just fine. And G1 who goes a different route to meet his friends took of alone pushing through peasoupy fog just as brave as can be.
So even though the song, What A Difference A Day Makes, came immediately to mind this evening, I must admit, that very little really changes in a Day, although of course some things can a do, but for little boys, sometimes it takes a month or so. (Of course that could be because his parents don’t have him watching old musicals so he hasn’t quite figured out The Difference a good musical can do for the soul.
And thanks to lyricsmania.com I have an excellent song to start your day with!
I cohabitate with 3 members of Feline Royalty which suits me very well as I also consider myself as Queen of Hamilton.
3 great whites by Tom Barwell
They each have their charms and challenges although once you get used to challenges therein lies the charm.
Front and center is King Jack. King of the household – he thinks and perhaps at one time it was true. To soothe his easily ruffled feathers – uh – fur – I still address him as King. KJ likes to stake his claim on territory or person and has not experienced any challenge to that until recently.
King Jack by Tom Barwell
But before I get into that I must tell you that KJ has been known to stretch himself across a doorway or kitchen floor, fluff himself up and no mortal dare cross his path. He is pretty swift with the old ankle swipe and since he still has claws I pretty much always wear socks or long pants before crossing his path. At least he used to. I am not sure if he is just used to me or the kitty treats I give him on the side are sufficient bribery.
Lying innocently behind KJ appearing rather submissive is Gus, the Count of Mischief. He is the youngest and when he first joined our troupe KJ took a very protective role with the sweet baby. Wherever Gus frolicked Jack was not to far behind usually sitting above somewhere watching. He followed the baby from room to room. At least that is the way it was for the first three months or so.
Gus by Tom Barwell on Instagram
You see, Gus is younger and faster and a male like King Jack and pretty soon he was contesting Jack’s kingship. Jack is not that old but the smaller and mightier Gus is aging the king quickly. I first noticed in when it came to bed territory. When KJ stretched out on a bed, it was his. But. But. One day the old king lay across his throne and the frisky frolicking youth jumped up to challenge him. HA! thought the King and gave a mighty swat sending the youth spinning into the middle of next week.
But then it happened again and again and one day I said to Gus, “Gus you will never be king so just stop challenging him.” Gus gave me a look from his blue marble eyes, threw his head back and leaped upon the throne once again. A few tries of persistence and the King was gone. Long live the Count. Poor Jackie. Now he reigns as King only when Gus allows him so now I whisper words of royal adoration to KJ quietly to let him still feel regal.
On the right side of the first photo in a more subservient pose is Jewels Grace. Queen Jewels was the first feline to arrive of the group but she always gives way to the male who of course for so long was KJ.
Jewels Grace by Tom Barwell Instagram
Poor Jewelsy (as G2 calls her) has several disadvantages; she is deaf, she is not pretty at all, her fur is all scrunchy here and there and she has eyes that are yellow. Devilishly yellow which at times appear vampire red. She has a belly that almost reaches the floor. She has a plaintive meow and kneads everything with her claws including all furniture and people. She is not attractive at all. She is needy always asking to be touched and stroked. And she is my fave of course. A woman surviving in the midst of a male driven society. She sleeps a lot and I am trying once again to let her stay in my room at night where she sleeps on my bed. The lady needs 1:1 attention. I look at her and think, what if that was me? So project Jewelsy is on!
As some of you know each Friday I do a Follow in the FootStep series honoring my blogging buddies. That is you. Any way I got thinking about some of the nice compliments I receive on behalf of my heroes and while I cannot possibly post all the comments I chose some to applaud those who take the time to comment and to acknowledge the recipients. I hope I got everyone linked okay. The first Friday in October the series continues.
To date I have done 13 FITFS to honor my heroes and oh my I have such a long way to go. I hope these are not too lengthy for you as time is at a premium.
Ditto, ditto, ditto, Chris! It was LD who came over one Saturday (yes, I remember the day) afternoon in June 2011 to just “snoop around” my site as she put it. “Hey, this blogging thing might be interesting after all,” I thought when I received such sensitive and down to earth comments from her. She was the “wind beneath my wings” in those earlier months. I am grateful and I hope to meet her some day, as she did “limr” over the summer. She does great things to tie our community together via “Andy”, putting together a 25 day series of “O Holy Night” in December last year, asking the question that begs to be asked “Can I call you by name in cyberspace?” And, I think she has something else up her sleeve that has to do with ice cream! Cheers to our babbler and Ben & Jerry’s addict, LD!!!
Well we that is Lotte and I enjoyed our visit with Andy. I hope he gets to see many more places around the world before he goes home again to Lenore Diane.
I love Amy too, she has such heart that girl, is deeply moved to fight for the earths health yet maintains that lovely positive glow as she wafts through out lives. i agree with joss, we are lucky to have her!.. c
Chris, I couldn’t agree with you more. To Amy –I use a phrase “Bless his/her/your heart” when something really pulls my…well…♥. In your post “Delivering the Truth” you used that phrase in a moment of great compassion. It’s in phrases like that one you have made a connection to this reader, not to mention your Momisms: On venturing out — “Who did you like better than yourself?” On relationships –”If they were busy tending it (the garden) themselves, they may be amazed at the quality of help it would attract.” So true and it made me just lol. Yes, I have filed away a few gems as I’m not sure I could find them in a haystack of archives. Without teaching, you have taught; without preaching (or maybe you have–wink) you have told memorable stories. Thank you, Amy, for sharing all you do.
Oh, fancy that. Georgette is one of my heros, too. I love good story tellers who write well. She fills the bill for me. Thanks Chris and glad you’re you, Georgette.
You have great taste, Chris. Georgette is one of my faves, too. I am thrilled for her children, because she has captured so many wonderful family stories and put the memories in one place. It is wonderful to have these things documented for future generations.
Let me add my voice to those ringing the bell of gratitude for how Juthithhb lives are life and shares it.
I keep hoping to win a Mega lottery so I can hire a cruise ship head around the world, picking and being joined by my far spread blogging friends. Staying strong by buying one lottery ticket a week with the hope of meeting you all.
Chris, think I will include all your heros’ and anyone you admire is worth admiring
I am also a huge fan of Katherine Gordy Levine. I always learn something from her posts and she has helped me improve the quality of my life with her practical, no nonsense advise
how can I resist that…being a WOO, I need to catch up on the news…. I will say just how wonderful and uplifting it is to be able to speak one’s mind. Always in my younger days I was told ‘you can’t say that or you can’t do that’ NOW I can say and do what I like and if someone don’t like it….HARD CHEESE……mind you I would not say something that would hurt people…just my own opinion that I have kept quiet for so long
I’ve often read Kathy’s comments on blogs I follow. Not sure why I never visited her blog but now it’s done and subscribed to! Loved this view you wrote into their art and ways
I totally see why you love this blogger, Chris. The choicest morsels come from the heart – oh yes – it’s why we’re glad to have you back on a regular basis. Your heart shines through your words
Joss certainly does have heart, we see it embedded in every post she makes, and she has such a keen understanding of people.. I remember when you met her in person Chris, and posted the above photo of the two of you, it must have meant such a lot to you both. I would love to meet her in person.
I am proud to say I too am in the “read Joss first” crowd. I speak to my local friends of “my friend Joss in Nova Scotia” as if we have tea together every day. Thank you Chris for sharing this lovely story of our friends
Chris, you may have been the reason I found the farmy…I honestly can’t be sure. But how does Celi accomplishes all she does each day? I laughed like crazy over her days in NZ as a single mom. Talk about ingenuity!
Aren’t these pets a joy to have? I’m amazed at what animals teach us.
Chris, you have put into words exactly how I feel about Celi and her wonderful blog!
I can’t remember how I found her, but I shall be eternally grateful because she writes about everyday stuff and makes it so interesting and fun. I am in awe at what she does on the farm – where does she find the time? And she still found time to take animals to visit the Old Codger when he was rehabilitating, and still visits him now he is back home. I wish I had half of her energy!
Her blog is funny, educational and entertaining and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. She makes you feel like you are part of the farmy and all the animals she looks after. I look forward to her new post every single day, and re-live her day with her.
Yes, Celi has her own style, but you do too, just in a different way; I love reading your blog, it’s always interesting and fun to read
Well, Zoe (see – we’re all best friends, already) called my sister and Ace blogger – of course we have always known Judith is an ace, but how nice to know, across the world, others are aware of the fact.
God bless, Christine
I love how we are all connected through the world of blogging. To me that is the best reward. I consider Judith and Chris freinds and when something good happens to you, I am over the moon! Zoe Sharp commenting with Judith is just so wonderful
I am THRILLED you will be returning to daily posting! And….we’re suppose to have a theme? Crap! I always LOVED your theme….your theme being you and what you wanted to write about. And I love Jaime’s “What I Learned This Week” series. Though her part about Ohio makes me want to hide my face!!!!
Libraries are wonderful places. I have a number of ebooks downloaded that I will sometimes read, but for me, the satisfaction of holding an actual book in hand is the best reading experience. Ebooks are a tad cold for me. I guess the difference could be equated with feeling the warmth of interacting with another human being in person or speaking and seeing them on Skype. Don’t get me wrong on the whole skype thing, when those you love are hundreds or thousands of miles away Skype is the best.
Skype Technologies S.A. logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
But give me a day that cries out or even murmurs, Come curl up and lets get lost in another world, and it is the warmth of a good book I feel.
Andersonlibrary.wordpress.com
I just returned two books that I read last week. Having thousands of books at your disposal feels like an ermine and mink kind of luxery (before furs were a bad thing).
The first book was by one of my eternal fave authors Dean Koontz and a part of the Odd Thomas series. Picking up anything Koontz is like having an old friend visit and Odd is wonderfully entertaining. Poor Odd, who by the way is so optimistic would never think of himself as poor in anyway is beset in solving a mystery with the also very mysterious Annamaria.
I’ve seen Mr. Koontz interviewed and he is a very gentle man who I think values his privacy but judging by the mega books he has sold his mind is as sharp as any scalpel cutting through a plot. But I have have been a part of his literary family, Odd or not.
The second book I read last week is by an author that is new to me, but looking at her many many publications I am surprised I did come across her before. Her name is Iris
iris johansen
Johansen and the book What Doesn’t Kill you certainly had many exciting moments. Enough to prevent me from putting down the book at a reasonable hour and getting some sleep (which is a good indication of excellence).
In with all the suspense and action Johansen peppers sexual tension between Catherine Ling and Gallo. Will they or will they not hit the sheets? Personally I don’t care. Her breasts growing taunt or taunting repeatedly is not of interest. Ms. Johansen tells a crisp clean tale and I will read her again (and perhaps just skip over the less interesting stuff).
I have been trying to update and clean up my wordpress site this morning but it just seems to take so long and I have not suceeded very well today. But I must not think of that right now for it off for a good cuddle with another book.
Today we are digressing from our usual look at real life news items that could be story lines.
This morning I was awakened to a discussion on the radio about Google and Free Speech. The issue was that google decided to follow the high road and ban certain URLs related to an extremist situation. The discussion is that in banning something regardless of content we are giving up our right to Free Speech and that is a horrible thing to do.
You know there are wiser people out there with a great deal of clout who remain silent on this.
Societies built on some kind of moral fiber thrive. There has to be a right or a wrong to things. Morals go out the window and society goes into decline when our foundations are cast aside
For those of you who may wonder what each Friday’s FITFS series is about, I will catch you up. It’s all about heroes, specifically my heroes in the Blogosphere. People I admire, have a blogging relationship with, people I want to emulate in some way (or in every way). People I learn from.
You know that corny line in the movie with Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, As Good as it Gets? – “You make me want to be a better man?” Well, my Following in the FootSteps heroes enrich my life and by their very example make me want to be a better person.
And so it is with Georgette Sullins where this multilingual wife, mother, daughter, and grandmother takes us along on her journey of memories, life lessons, and new things discovered. We get to arm chair it with this well travelled southern lady. On her very first blog in Sept. 6, 2010 she started us off with memories of OaxacaMexico.
As a teacher for over 30+ years Georgette continues to teach us in the most delicious way. Her entertainment value is first but oh my there are wonderful things to learn from all over the world. I love how she did an end of the year review and in December 2011, I think it was, she gave us a recipe for mulled wine, that I had been searching for since 1985. The exact recipe!
Georgette’s blog has universal appeal, I believe – and I say universal because should there be an intelligent life form in space I am sure they will also be reading her.
Do I have a favorite blog? Can’t say I do because as soon as I read one, it becomes the fave.
Now just what would I like to emulate about Georgette?
Certainly her ability to place us along side her as we travel, observe and learn. Becoming part of her reality. It’s a nice place to be. In her company. Could not ask for better! And, her enthusiasm for life, her joy and her faith! Oh! and her humour and wisdom. Oh! and of course her appreciation for me which makes me want to do the same for others.
Please do drop by, say hi, and leave a comment or two.
*How do I choose my heroes? Well, in the main it is they who choose me. I cannot choose in order of importance as they are all important so I started first with those whom I have the closest relationship through comments on my blog and those who subscribe to Bridgesburning. I have a long way to go because I have been very blessed by these most wonderful people. And if I can ever truly emulate them it will be by inspiring others.
bridgesburning 