Friday, May 24, 2019
2:31 p.m.

As I struggle with an over-a-week-long bout of insomnia, arthritis pain that I blame entirely on this crazy not-springtime weather and a couple of stressors--or more!-- I realized with some surprise that this is the start of Memorial weekend!

First of all, not to diminish the significance of the actual Memorial Day holiday, I am not a wild fan of this weekend.

Historically, in my family, at least, it seems that Memorial weekend is the universe's time to attempt to add one person or another to the list of those being remembered on Memorial Day.

One year it was an RV accident that left my brother skinned from chin-to-toe. Great start to summer vacation.

One year it was a nephew ingesting a swallow of gasoline that put him in the hospital with pneumonia. Hint--don't put gasoline in a drink bottle to use for primer when doing engine work.

Then there was the year that my 20-month-old daughter fell over dead on the front steps of our house. She is now a 36-year-old mother of three, but she was dead. No discernible heart beat, no respiration and no apparent cause! Thank God I knew how to perform CPR on a toddler. Thank God we lived in a small town with an absolutely great ambulance service and brilliant EMTs. Thank God my parents lived close enough to also race over so my father could spell me on CPR.

I was later told that CPR kept her brain oxygenated, or the resulting brain damage could have left her better off not living through the experience. Multiple tests later revealed no underlying cause for what was most likely a seizure.

Memorial weekend has certainly been memorable. I could add to this list, but why? Suffice to say, when this weekend rolls around I get very nervous and suggest that everyone stay home and watch movies and eat cold sandwiches, because heaven only know what could happen if you turn on the stove or something.

Better yet, stay in bed and read a good book. Don't move much. Don't climb ladders. Don't fix your car. Wait until Tuesday to shower!

BE CAREFUL!!!

Am I being paranoid?

Okay, have a good weekend. But be careful, be smart, be safe.
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3:12 p.m.

Speaking of the holiday weekend, there were probably a lot of cool things scheduled for people to enjoy. Too bad Mother Nature is such a party-pooper!
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4:08 p.m.

Gosh, I have gotten so irritated with government bs lately. I think a lot of things could be settled if some people would just learn some basic math skills.

Tariffs paid by US consumers does NOT net the US more money from imports. Duh.

Giving farmers relief money instead of removing tariffs will NOT help farmers in the long run, and will in fact not even help much in the short term. If they can't sell their product, they still LOSE money. Duh.

Like the song says--"Nothing from nothing leaves nothing."

We need help. Fire everyone and start over.
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Sorry. No sleep makes me grumpy.
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Too many rainy days in a row have made me blue, and now I am listening to sad songs. Somebody stop me!

No, seriously, don't. Sometimes we need that, don't we? A song or two that brings a tear to the eye, brings a memory to mind, it's cleansing sometimes. It's not my usual writing soundtrack, but today it beats the hell out of listening to the western re-runs in the background or anything too raucous like hard rock.

Let's face it, music is powerful. And sometimes, streaming on YouTube, I find things that are worth their weight in gold.

I recently got to meet my musical hero, Alice Cooper, and it was amazing to me mostly because of all the personal history I can associate with certain songs of his. This is probably true of all music lovers--we can hear a song and it will trigger memories of a moment, the feelings and even the thoughts going through our heads at the time.

Some songs remind me of being in a band with a few friends. I was the drummer, but I learned quite a few songs on guitar from the guys. Right now, I'm listening to Stairway to Heaven and wishing I still had the sheet music, because I never learned the bar properly. But, you know--house fire.

Doggone it, that fire took a lot!

I remember I went to Fanelli's in Rock Springs --it's gone now!!!-- to buy that sheet music, because Tom and I kept arguing about the lyrics.

Oddly enough, I still haven't listened to "Nothing from Nothing." Hahaha.

Okay, there ya go. Dedicated to the GOP.

Nothing from Nothing

I need a nap.

Until we meet again!