Happy "belated" Birthday

 I may have mentioned this chap before. This is a (younger) Jeremy Irons. He turned 72 on the 19th of this month. Brideshead Revisited was the first show I watched with Irons in it. I'm not sure if I fell in love with him or the English countryside. Ah - it was probably the voice. Of course.

Back in the early 80's we had 3 television channels. 4 if you didn't mind a fuzzy one. But one that came in clear as a bell was PBS. My Mom and I were looking for something to watch on Sunday afternoons, and we discovered this mini series.

I have Brideshead on DVD. Other shows I have liked with Irons in them were The Lion King (voice of Scar), Elizabeth I (a Lord and an Earl),and  Die Hard with a Vengeance. 

There are a lot of movies I have not watched. They just don't interest me. I think I watched some of Reversal of Fortune.  

Other than a brief (less than a year) marriage in 1969, Irons has been married to Sinéad Cusak since 1978. It always pleases me when I see a relationship last through the years. Funny I say that because I am not keen on marriage. For myself, I don't care about others. They can do what they want. 

But I am always pleased to see long term relationships. I don't know why. I guess if you think about it, I could see an actor who has been married four times because he didn't want to cheat on his spouse so he would make a break before or after he broke up with them. And was honest enough to tell them and then move on.

Or I could see somebody in a long-term relationship and for all I know one spouse cheated on the other several times or even just once but they remain together. I'm not sure which one would be worse. I guess in my 'rose-colored glasses world' I like to think that in the long term relationships - nobody cheated.

Sinéad.

To get the accent over the é, instead of typing the letter e, hold down the Alt key (on a PC) and using the number keypad type 130. Release both hands and the é should appear.

Hold Alt while typing 130.

Here is a neat one.  §

Hold Alt key while typing 0167.

If you hold Alt and type only 167 you will get    º

Hold Alt while typing 0169  ©  for the copyright symbol/character.

Alt key plus 169 will produce   ⌐

Hold Alt while typing 0174  ®  for the Registered trademark.

Alt key plus only 174 =   «

 Lookup up ASCII characters to see others.  If confused by the charts, just remember to hold the Alt key down and if there are several columns for a symbol - use the Dec (decimal) one.

I am sorry but I am not an Apple person so I don't have any idea if it works on macs or not.

Writing this post I discovered that the Cusak Irons is married to is not related to the Amerian Cusaks. Which brings me to yet another favorite.... John Cusak.

I try not to read too much about the fellows in their real life habitat (articles) because rarely are they like the characters the play. (Of course, they are actors - I know that).  But still.

I also try not to watch them on talk shows. I am not a big fan of talk shows so that isn't much of a problem.  

Remember - Video Killed the Radio Star

You hear a song on the radio and you think - oh, that is a beautiful song so of course your brain thinks it must be a beautiful person singing it. Then music videos came out on  televisions and your song comes on and you get to see the singer or the group and you go "Ewww....."

 

Family

 A few years back (in this blog) I mentioned I have four older sisters. And three older brothers. One sister told me one night in the early 80's while we were out drinking that she had a baby girl while she was away at school in Columbus OH, born in 1973 and she gave her up for adoption.

Well, with this sister - you just didn't know whether to believe her or not. I'm like "Oh, okay."

An even older sister had a boy in 1972. He was the first grandchild in our family. I was 12 at the time and became very close to my first nephew.

My family is not strict or prudish. My sister's baby girl would have been welcomed with open arms.

Fast forward to 2014 or 2015 when everybody and their neighbor was getting their DNA tested. I had one nephew who did and my brother called me and told me his son had a DNA match performed and had a 99% match in the Columbus area. Well, we had cousins in Columbus. My nephew was a doctor and told my brother it would be more of an immediate family match.

So my brother calls me. I am sitting there talking to him on the phone and he asks me "Do we have any close relatives in Columbus?"  I said "cousins."  He said - "No, does anyone in the family have ties with anyone in the area who may be closer in blood relation?"  He must have heard somebody say something. My sister had told my Mom at some point in time.

I said "uh....well....."

And the story has a beautiful, happy ending.

My sister was reunited with her biological daughter (who we all love). Sadly, the father had passed away in the early 90's. But she was excited to find out she had a brother and a sister. The brother was born in 1977 and the sister in 1987. (These are the two I had with me a lot over the years).

I recognized my side of the family in her features and she had her father's lips. When I first met her I asked her if she had migraines and she said "Oh, yes."  The poor thing had a brain aneurysm rupture about a year prior to our reuniting. She did not say if it was related to migraines or not. She had been on a sabbatical from work for a year or so. Mostly to recover and some to write.

She recently married (covid postponed it, of course). She now lives in Philadelphia PA. She is a professor at a university and she is well-traveled. I read her facebook page and she has lived a life that was probably quite different than if she had not been adopted. There are positives to both sides of this situation. There always are.

I mean, last summer she and her students went to Greece (education excursion, not vacation). I find her amazing.

In May 2018 she stopped to visit and meet our family after she stayed in a cabin for a week in WV by herself so she could get some writing done.

She is a wonderful person and I am so proud to have her in our family. A group of us want to go to Philadelphia to visit her some day. Of course, covid has everything postponed. My sister and her family have met her husband (at the time her boyfriend). I've met him through facebook.

A lot of people wonder how my sister hid a pregnancy. Well, she was (is) a small person and she did not gain much weight. This was before she started drinking and she was very studious and her boyfriend (future husband and father to three of her children) would visit her a lot. He knew of the adoption she said. She even came home for Christmas 1972 and was able to hide the pregnancy. We had no clue until she told me in the early 80's. She usually told me everything. She said she would tell me things because I don't judge and I don't share confidential information.

But what a story! I love it. And it happened to MY family! This is a story I would usually read about in Readers Digest or something. I can't wait for this covid thing to be over so that we can continue to nourish this beautiful person with our love. We coming for you baby girl. We will paint you with love. We just have to remember not to overwhelm the poor thing. There are like 50 of us in the immediate family and it is still growing. We are on another generation of children and they are coming fast.

I remember last Christmas dinner (we have to meet at a restaurant because it is too much for one house) I stood up and said "For the love of God - stop having babies!" At the time I did not know my nephew's girlfriend was pregnant. They weren't telling anyone, yet. She just had the baby - a beautiful boy.

And of course I felt bad for two of my nieces who had tried to have a baby and it just didn't happen. One had a boy and wanted to try for a second child. My family knows and understands I was just being funny and acting overwhelmed. (In a good way - and I know that I am damned blessed).

I have another niece who is half raising her cousin's baby girl. She has her all the time and her facebook is full of pictures of her. She does not have any of her own.

So my Mom and Dad had 8 children, 13 grandchildren and 1 step grandchild, 12 great grandchildren with 7 step-great grandchildren. So far. Most of the females in my family put their career or education first and this results in less children or missing the window entirely. For some that is okay.

It won't stop!

 Omigosh! Some days I sit for long stretches, reading, watching a show, playing a game that is supposed to strengthen my memory palace. Nobody to talk to but the dogs, cat and beardie.

Then there is today. Big breath.  I had to test a circuit after hours - and then had to call it in for repair. The tech on the other end took

 longer than they usually do, so that pushed me back an hour.

Meanwhile, my sweet nephew said it has been 2 years and he needed to update me on all the home improvements he has been making on his house to get it ready to sell. It is beautiful, has me drooling. 

Then my daughter has to have a sleep study test but she has to be tested for the virus first. She just messaged me and told me she was scared. Oh dear. She now wants me to go with her while she is tested. I will because I am curious to see how it's done ( I mean I know it is a long Q-tip up the nose) and I know we won't get instant results. But she wants me to go (btw, she is 29). LOL!

I have tons of reading (online newspapers) to catch up on and I am juggling two books. And I want to watch another episode of the British comedy "As Time Goes By". It is great - the episodes are only 20 minutes or so each and each season only has 7 episodes! That sure beats the 22 or so episodes we were getting with TV shows here recently. The first season of The Beverly Hillbillies had 35 episodes. Nope - wait. Make that 36.  Information here:  http://epguides.com/   I have found about every TV show that has ever been on in this site. I am a big fan. (Of the site, not The Beverly Hillbillies - that sitcom lost it's lustre a long time ago).

So, I just get into my news about the fires out west and buzz, buzz - I have a new message. I know I can ignore it, but I had already held my nephew off for an hour while I was calling that circuit in. And my daughter is working - this may be her only free time. And she needs me. 

Still an embryo

 

There is a movie about Helen Reddy's life after she arrives in NYC in circa 1965 until years after she had made it big. The title of course is "I Am Woman".  It moves along rather quickly, it doesn't get stuck on the details of making records. It touches more on human relationships.

One thing I did learn was that the lyrics in the song is "I'm still an embryo". I started singing the song when it came out on the radio - '72 or '73 and I had no idea what she was saying, so I just sang "I'm still an angry oath"  -  After almost 50 years of singing that song do you think I'll even come close to remembering the word embryo?  At 12 or 13 I'm not certain I knew what an embryo was. There was no Internet to look up the lyrics. One of my older siblings purchased the above album. I don't think the lyrics were printed there, I usually would have read those.

Angry oath? Hell, I don't know. If they can say "Ain't my cup of meat" in "The Mighty Quinn" I can create an angry oath. I mean women were angry back then, right? The ERA and burning bras. I know a lot of people say "Nothing's changed."  But I think it has. We may be too close to the change to really notice but I think perhaps over time, you know - baby steps.

However, I can't in good faith post this without wondering how in the HELL some of the women in this nation supported what we having leading our country today. Where were they when Helen was singing? Were they marching and making signs? I have a feeling most of them I know would be right up there in the front of the crowd. If so - shame on them. For all the garbage that Narcissist has spewed from his mouth - how can they even look at themselves in the mirror? And I've asked them. I ask them "How can you vote for him when he said "insert derogatory remark here".  They just give me a defiant look and say they don't believe he said it, or it was for show - he didn't really mean it. 

Speaking of....I finished the book "Hill Women". That author did a lot of asking her old home folk why they voted for him. She got the "I thought he would change things, but I'm not voting for him again." Let's hope not. But does it matter? If it is all rigged and it is crooked? Does it matter? I have started reading "Fear. Trump in the Whitehouse" by Bob Woodward. I get so angry and frustrated I have to quit reading it. That is why I am also reading "Shakey" a biography about Neil Young. I go back and forth.

As Time Goes By

 Okay, one of you out there in Bloggerland mentioned the British comedy "As Time Goes By" and now I am addicted.  Judi Dench is about as good as it gets. She has won so many awards it boggles the mind.

Anyway, can you imagine a place where time does not exist? I am not certain I have the mental energy to delve into that subject. 

Above is my father and his twin being held by their Mother - my paternal grandmother. My dad was born in October 1915 - so this is probably spring 1916? My Mom was not sure which baby was my dad. My grandmother did go blind years after this photo - I believe the cause was glaucoma.

Next up....

  Next up - started reading Hill Women.  I'm done with Fleetwood Mac (two books) and their garish, over-the-top lifestyle. Now I am visiting the other end of the spectrum. My kinfolk are from the hills of West (by-God) Virginia so I think I might relate better to this story. I am not sure if the entire book is, but the first chapters are about Kentucky and their hollers. Reminds me of Loretta Lynn's Coal Miner's Daughter.

Where did they go?

 

At 10 years old I can remember having headaches. Coming from a large family, I slept in a bedroom with my Mom for a couple of years. She awoke every morning at 4 a.m. and I would hear that match strike. And I would smell the cigarette smoke. And I would get a headache - every single day.

 Well, back then you did not say anything to your parents lest you get back handed. Or worse, the silent treatment for three to four days. Actually, I t never occurred to me to complain. What my Mom did was similar to the sun coming up every day. It just did and you never questioned it.

It wasn't long before I was moved into another bedroom with my two sisters closest to my age. They may have smoked, but they didn't do it in our bedroom.

At 12 years old, I experienced my first migraine. Every week or so, I was throwing up in the bathroom at school. My Mom didn't drive, my sisters and brothers all worked or went to school. You just powered through. Nobody was coming to pick you up. My dad could drive, but he was not allowed to or just didn't have a car available. When he would get a car it wasn't long before he wrecked it (drunk) and totaled it and - there again - no car. 

Over the past 50 years, I've had so many headaches. The back of the head, the top of the head, this side, that side, my forehead, my sinus, sometimes even my hair hurt (sensitive where the roots were), the horrible eye pain where it felt like somebody was sticking a fork into my eye socket. I used to rate my headaches from 1 to 10. A guy I knew laughed when I made the comment I have a headache and a half. He said "How can you  have a headache and a half?  A headache is a headache."  Oh, how I wish kind sir. Most of the time depending on the level of pain - the headache rating determined what it was I was able to do and what I was not able to do.  Listen or watch t.v. (sounds and flickering lights)?  - things like that.

In 2017 I had a full hysterectomy due to Stage IIIA endometrial carcinoma. This was the hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy).  Ovaries and fallopian tubes out, along with the uterus - cervix gets to stay. And they make you say it about five times before surgery as they are prepping you.  The nurse would ask "Okay, now what are you having done today?"  Finally I just said Hysterectomy with the oophro thing).  I mean seriously.

Then a few weeks of recovery and a few months of chemo (gosh, how many did I have - 9 I'm thinking?) Wow - how strange is it that I don't even remember?  Hell, my sister told me a day last August was the day I had my first chemo session. I was like "really? Hell if I remember." I did not need radiation, I know that much. And I did not get sick during chemo. I got the peripheral Neuropathy.

But somewhere I lost my headaches. The migraines leaving had to be the best - of course I had always said they started with my menarche and so it figures they would end with menopause. I have one every now and then but nothing like before. And then mysteriously - the regular every day or almost every day headaches disappeared. I know about rebound headaches and there were several times I stopped taking over the counter medication in an effort to stop my headaches. Now a bottle of ibuprofin will last me forever.

The reason for this post?  I was scheduled at a school today at 9 a.m. I got a late start and I skipped breakfast. I did have my coffee. I started at 9 a.m. and other than three bathroom breaks, it was non-stop typing over my laptop until 3 p.m. The school was so far out in the country, to drive somewhere to get lunch, I may as well drive home. I did not plan the day lasting that long (we never do). But driving home from 3 to 4 p.m. in the full sunshine with the A/C on in my car, I relished the "no pain" in my head and how for 50 years if I skipped eating, I'd pay dearly. Usually I would be so sick with a headache, I couldn't eat or if I did eat, it would come back up in the wee hours of the night after laying in bed for hours with a migraine. I stopped at the grocery store, picked up cat food and a few items I needed and did not eat anything until 5 p.m. and did not get sick. It was a miracle.

Where did the headaches go?  As far as I can tell - they left with the oophro things.

Schools and social distancing

 Most of us have been inside a school bus. It has been a while for me, but I don't think they have changed all that much. The seats ?  Pretty much the same.

While having my teeth cleaned today, the hygienist was telling me about her niece return to school. The students are not permitted lockers, they must carry ALL of their gear with them from room to room. Wow. Here come the back problems.

The school created clear plastic shields for each child to carry. They have all their stuff in their backpack on their back and a plastic shield. I suppose they are to sit the shield on their desk during class?

She touched on a couple of other things schools were doing, but then hit me with this one. Her niece is on the volleyball team. The varsity and junior teams both piled into two school buses (3 to a seat) for an hour and a half trip one way. Plastic shields nowhere in sight, there wouldn't have been room for them, anyway. I know this much. I wouldn't want to be an administrator making decisions and rules in the school districts today because they are going to be damned if they do, and damned if they don't. But I suppose they are used to that.

Back to 1977

 

The school year was 1977/78. I was a senior in high school. I listened to Rumors by Fleetwood Mac all the time. Currently reading "Gold Dust Woman" - a biography of Stevie Nicks. She is a bit too girly and eccentric for my taste. I believe (if this story is correct) she cried all the time if she did not get her way.     I also believe that Lindsey Buckingham was high on the Narcissistic scale.

 Actually, I love Christie McVie's voice and looks. I think she would be far more interesting of a person to know. From what little bit we get to learn about her - I find there are several aspects of her personality that I like. Minus the infidelities. It would suck to break up with somebody only to have to see them every day when you go off to work. For years.

All in all the story is pretty much like we all thought it was being a rock and roll star during that time. The drugs, booze and infidelity. Such a shameful waste. Such a shredding of a life. With all that we know, with all that we read about - the poverty, the genocide, the horror of what goes on in life - are we to take ourselves out of this madness for a while and listen to the artists' muse?

Excess. So many (almost all) give in to the excessive lifestyle.

I understand imbibing to enhance the creative process. But it sure is a slippery slope.