Linda G. Hill has challenged us with another prompt for JusJoJan using the word “captivating”. Here is my submission – a Dectina Refrain. This refrain is written as follows: 1st line – 1 syllable, 2nd line – 2 syllables 3rd line – 3 syllables, and so on for 9 lines; the 10th line is comprised of the first four lines as one stand-alone line.
Eyes of green like the sea captivating and pulling me in with every crashing wave. Those eyes frighten and thrill me. Should I run to them or from them? The heady allure outweighs the fear. Eyes of green like the sea captivating.
Denise at GirlieOnTheEdge has challenged us to write a Six Sentence Story and include the word “task”. This is my response.
Not having practiced the piano at all that one week, I called my instructor who was waiting for me at the church and declared into the phone “Mrs. Ridgeway, it’s Nancy and I can’t make it to my lesson today because it’s raining”; I was quite proud of myself for coming up with such a creative and foolproof excuse.
In her clipped New England-accented voice, Mrs. Ridgeway replied “You’re not a sugar cube and won’t melt in the rain”, then went on to say “Surely you have an umbrella you can use”; I was quick to inform her that I had left my umbrella on the school bus, adding that no one was at home with me to lend me an umbrella and my mother didn’t approve of me walking unprotected in the rain to which my piano teacher replied “Well then, I’ll just come to your house for your lesson”.
You could have knocked me over with a feather because I certainly was not expecting that response and, true to her word, ten minutes later Mrs. Ridgeway appeared at my front door, ready for the task at hand; I dilly-dallied as long as I could looking for my book of Schirmer’s Library of Musical Classics – Selected Piano Masterpieces, setting up my metronome, cracking my knuckles and swinging my arms a la Ed Norton and shifting butt cheeks searching for the most comfortable position until Mrs. Ridgeway’s patience reached the breaking point and she barked “Enough!” which nearly made me jump off the piano bench in a panic.
Shaking like the last leaf on a branch in a windstorm, I opened my lesson book to the appropriate page and began playing Beethoven’s Für Elise while Mrs. Ridgeway sat next to me, staring over my shoulder and glaring; I played as though I was wearing boxing gloves and, being the master sleuth that she was, Mrs. Ridgeway saw right through my brilliant plot.
Angrier than my sister the day she discovered I had ripped off all the heads on her Barbie dolls, Mrs. Ridgeway exclaimed I had wasted her valuable time and she doubled my lessons for the next week which would have been tolerable if she hadn’t reported to my mother who got so mad because of my lack of responsibility, she withheld my allowance for the next two weeks and took away my TV privileges …. even Dr. Kildare.
This is what Für Elise is supposed to sound like; you’ll notice Lang Lang is not wearing boxing gloves (but I bet he’d sound just as good even if he was).
The incomparable Jackie Gleason and Art Carney in a clip from the Honeymooners – Suwanee River. How could I possibly resist?
The prompt for JusJoJan January 2, 2024 is brought to us by my friend Willow; the prompt word is “Gregorian”. Here is my submission.
The Abbot rushed toward the chapel, his robes kicking up dust all around him. He had never heard sounds like that before; he had to get to the bottom of this mystery.
The chanting continued, increasing in volume. Finally the Abbot reached the room and threw open the doors to the chapel. Immediately the startled monks stopped singing, all eyes on the Abbot. One look and everyone could tell he was furious.
“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, his eyes sweeping the faces of all the monks in the chapel. “Someone answer me! I demand to know why you are not chanting in the traditional manner. Who gave you permission to do this!”
With great trepidation, one brave monk stepped forward. With eyes lowered he spoke softly. “Abbot, forgive me, but while you were attending the funeral of your beloved mother, word was received from His Holiness, Pope Gregory, that all chants are to be sung in this manner. In his honor, the chants are called Gregorian.”
His Holiness! The Abbot was momentarily stunned by this information. He cleared his throat and replied “Of course! His Holiness. It must have slipped my mind while I was preoccupied with the funeral.”
The monks remained silent, all staring at the Abbot. At last he put everyone out of their discomfort by declaring “The new chants are indeed quite lovely. His Holiness is most wise. Carry on, my sons.” The Abbot quickly turned and left the monks to their chanting. A slight smile came to his face as he heard their beautiful voices singing the praises of God.
Linda G. Hill has challenged us with the first prompt for JusJoJan January 1st 2024: and the #1 prompt of the year is “train.” Here is my submission.
Every morning I take the train to work in lower Manhattan from Far Rockaway, New York and back home again in the evening. Along with a multitude of fellow commuters, I ride the underground transit system (affectionately known as ‘the subway”) for a total of three hours round trip. That’s a long time to observe the parade of weirdos entering and exiting the train.
Riding the subway for as long as I do, it’s easy to become familiar with my fellow passenger’s quirks and foibles – even assigning them made up names to go with their peccadilloes. And let me tell you – people are strange!
Far Rockaway is where the commute originates so I’m always guaranteed a seat. A couple I call Marge and Homer gets on the same train as me. I have determined from their heated conversations that they have been engaged for about six years. Marge is ready to get married; Homer’s not. She talks about her biological clock; he talks about nothing but his upcoming promotion at work. Then Marge reminds Homer he’s been saying the same thing for five years now and their discussion becomes more heated with every chug of the subway.
First stop: enter Malodorous Man. This guy is always guaranteed a seat in the corner all by himself. The fact that he desperately needs a shower would be enough to keep people away but he also brings his breakfast on the train – a raw onion which he peels and eats with gusto as one would an apple.
At our next stop Mr. Obsessive gets on. He immediately takes out a can of disinfectant and sprays it in the direction of Malodorous Man who indignantly shouts“Hey, I’m eatin’ here!”
Mr. Obsessive goes to HIS seat (where no one else dares sit because everyone knows it’s HIS seat), cleans it and begins his routine. First he unties his shoe laces making sure they are of equal length. Satisfied that they are, he reties his laces, then adjusts his socks so they reach the exact same height on both legs. He smooths his trousers, unbuttons and re-buttons his jacket, aligns the amount of shirt cuff visible from his jacket sleeves, straightens his tie and adjusts his hat repeatedly. Finally all is well in OCD Land.
At stop number three Malodorous Man departs and the Tattoo Twins get on, a teenage boy and girl covered from the neck down with multicolored tattoos. They lean against the door and start making out while Mr. Obsessive huffs in disapproval.
Totally out of character Marge suddenly declares to Homer that she’s “had enough” and moves to another seat next to Bob the Builder, a good-looking construction worker. Homer’s not happy about this; perhaps he’s noticed the same thing I have: whenever Bob the Builder enters the train he winks at Marge and pats his impressive tool belt. Bob and Marge begin a quiet conversation while Homer fumes.
Next stop and Mr. Obsessive fearfully sidles, past the Tattoo Twins who reach out and knock his perfect hat right off his head. Shocked by this unnecessary assault, Mr. Obsessive stares at the now unwearable hat, sniffs in disdain and scurries off the train.
Impulsively, a jilted Homer jumps up and punches Tattoo Boy in the nose who retaliates by shoving Homer backwards on his ass. A few passengers give Homer a thumbs up. Somewhat embarrassed yet proud of himself, Homer glances over at Marge for her approval. She, however, is too involved with Bob the Builder to notice. Homer tells Marge “it’s our stop” but she shakes her head and snuggles closer to Bob. Homer huffs off and looks back just as Marge fondles the tip of Bob’s hammer.
Welcome to the daily subway sideshow where everyone is strange except me – or am I?
To everyone reading this right now, all my friends on WordPress, I’d like to thank you for sticking with me, reading my posts, liking them and sharing your thoughts. Your comments mean a great deal to me; when I read them I know I have touched you in some way …. with laughter, fear, sorrow, hope, even anger. And you have touched me as well. I am very fortunate to have you in my life; thank you for being here day after day.
Thanks for appreciating the videos I attach to every post. That was just a lark I tried one day and I decided to stick with it. I think they really add something special to my stories. It’s fun looking for just the right ones and from reading your comments, I know you enjoy them.
And speaking of music, try to listen every day to whatever moves you at the moment. Music provides a total brain workout. Listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness and memory – just what the doctor ordered!
My wish for you is that your new year be filled with peace and love. May you be safe, may you be compassionate, may you choose wisely, may you be happy while bringing happiness to others and may you be blessed with good health and good friends.
Now it’s time for something really cool. While the visual quality isn’t the greatest, the audio is out of sight! From 1998, this is “Happy New Year” with guitar legends BB King and David Gilmour and on piano, the incredible Jools Holland.
Today in Song Lyric Sunday, Jim has challenged us to write about a song by an artist or songwriter who passed away in 2023. This is my response.
Tony Bennett, 1926-2023
There aren’t too many people who haven’t heard of Tony Bennett and if you haven’t, there’s plenty of info you can find on Wiki. But perhaps you didn’t know he was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in the Astoria district of Queens, New York. He was the son of immigrants …. John, a grocer from southern Italy, and Anna, a seamstress. Tony was the baby of the family, with older siblings, Mary and John Jr. With a father who was ailing and unable to work, the children grew up in poverty.
John Sr. instilled in his son a love of art and literature and compassion for human suffering. His father died when Tony was 10 and Anna worked all hours to support her three children. Watching her struggle, Tony made up his mind to be successful enough for his mother’s trials to end. His Uncle Dick, a tap dancer, provided an early glimpse of show business, and Tony was passionate about both singing and painting by the time he attended the School of Industrial Art (now the High School of Art and Design) in Manhattan.
Tony took bellboy jobs before becoming a singing waiter in a restaurant. He sang with army bands during World War II, but he was demoted and assigned to grave digging for fraternizing on Thanksgiving night with a black soldier who had been a schoolfriend. Twenty years after that episode, Tony was marching in Alabama with Martin Luther King. He was moved to become a pacifist following combat in Europe in 1945, an experience he described as “a front-row seat in hell”.
After demobilization, Tony took vocal classes at the American Theatre Wing School; a teacher there suggested he try imitating the phrasing of jazz instrumentalists and he began singing in nightclubs from 1946 under the stage name of Joe Bari. Comedian Bob Hope hired him in 1949 but, disliking the stage name, told him: “We’ll call you Tony Bennett.”
And so it began, the slow climb from “rags to riches”.
However, there’s something you won’t read about Tony Bennett anywhere but here. Read on.
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“Why don’t you invite Tony Bennett to the wedding?”
That’s something you might expect to hear Nancy Sinatra or Billy Joel say – certainly not me! But I did make that suggestion and here’s how it all came about.
It was probably around 2004 when my son, Bill, first met Tony Bennett. I say “first” because Bill had the pleasure of working with Tony numerous times .… at the tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center, the Grammy Awards, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and other gigs.
You see, Bill’s been a camera man/teleprompter for a lot of years; he’s had the great opportunity of working with celebrities ranging from Paul McCartney to Big Bird to Bill Clinton. His jobs are as varied as crayons in a jumbo Crayola box and just as colorful. I’m not going to bore you with names but the list is impressive. That’s how Bill met Tony.
These gigs – many of which are live – don’t happen in just one take. The crew and the performers (or “talent”, as they’re known in the business) can wind up spending a great deal of time on the set – certainly hours, sometimes days. Some performers prefer to remain aloof; others, like Tony Bennett, are the type who pull up a chair in the break room and eat lunch with the crew.
Now I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m bragging but I raised a good son. Bill is a hard worker, agreeable, unassuming, pleasant, good-looking and funny. Tony and Bill enjoyed working with each other very much – so much so that when Tony was asked to perform at the Rockefeller Center tree lighting again in 2005, he requested my son by name.
During down time at a rehearsal two years later (2007), Bill mentioned his upcoming wedding and Tony happened to be within earshot. He came over to congratulate Bill and they talked about “things” for a while. Tony wished Bill “a happy wedding day”, shook his hand and that was that – until I found out about it and I said what any mom would say:
“Why don’t you invite Tony Bennett to the wedding? He just might say ‘yes’.”
I gave Bill an invitation for him to give Tony the next day. He took it and placed it in his backpack …. where it stayed. Let’s just say my son is a bit more circumspect than me; he opted not to impose on Tony and did not extend the invitation. I was a bit bummed out but it was Bill’s decision to make, not mine, and in hindsight it was probably the right decision.
Still …. can you just imagine what a gas it would have been if Tony Bennett had shown up at my son’s wedding?
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Frank Sinatra was a good friend of Tony Bennett and he had a couple of great things to say about him, things like he was “the best singer in the business” and – my personal favorite – “that kid’s got four sets of balls”!
I saw Tony Bennett perform several times. I’ll never forget a concert we went to at Carnegie Hall about 25 years ago. A highlight of the show was when Tony sang “Rags To Riches”, one of his very early hits, without accompaniment or a mic, and we could hear him clear as a bell all the way up in the “nosebleed’ seats! What an amazing set of pipes! I was blown away by that performance.
To celebrate Tony Bennett’s life, his incredible talents and gifts to the world, I have chosen that memorable 70-year-old song. “Rags To Riches” is based on a famous Russian tune called “Volga Melody” (aka “Samara My Lovely”) by Yuri Shchetkov. Tony Bennett did the best-known version in 1953 with Percy Faith and his orchestra. It was #1 for eight weeks on the Billboard chart and became a gold record. It was also featured in the opening sequence of the 1990 film “Goodfellas”.
From 1953, this is “Rags To Riches” by the incomparable Tony Bennett.
Lyrics
I know I’d go from rages to riches If you would only say you care And though, my pocket may be empty I’d be a millionaire
My clothes may still be torn and tattered But in my heart I’d be a king Your love is all that ever mattered It’s everything
So, open your arms and you’ll open the door To every treasure that I’m hoping for Hold me and kiss me, and tell me you’re mine evermore
Must I forever be a beggar Whose golden dreams will not come true? Or will I go from rags to riches? My fate is up to you
Must I forever be a beggar Whose golden dreams will not come true? Or will I go from rags to riches? My fate is up to you
(1953)”Someone Turned The Moon Upside Down” (1953)”Rags To Riches“ (1953)”Stranger In Paradise”
Tony Bennett died at his home in New York City on July 21, 2023, – just two weeks shy of his 97th birthday – following a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. His family said he kept singing right up to the end. Tony will never be forgotten and has been hailed as the “champion” and “legendary interpreter” of the Great American Songbook.
Thank you for sharing in my tribute to Tony Bennett and “Rags To Riches”. Rest easy, Tony. As Bob Hope used to say, “Thanks for the memories”.
Today at The Rhythm Section I have posted my final edition of Name That Tune. Why not stop by for one last spin of the disc? https://rhythmsection.blog//
Happy New Year’s Eve, everyone! It’s time to ring out the old and ring in the new. 🎊
Welcome to Name That Tune: The New Year’s Eve Edition! 🎉 🥳
I hope you’re ready for one final spin of the disc for 2023.
So, without further ado, let’s get the show on the road; I’ve already given you a HUGE clue. Did you see it?
And we’re off! Here are your five clues:
Today’s 1974 video opens with our singer/songwriter/guitarist walking through the gardens of his estate. Our performer once claimed he was never in the music business to become rich or famous; he would have been just as happy being a gardener.
Today’s artist discovered two short verses carved into wood and stone in the “gardening building” on his property. The carvings were made by Sir Frank Crisp, the original owner of our singer’s estate in England, and the verses are said to have been written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
The only lyrics in today’s song are the song’s title (repeated four times to serve as the chorus) and the verses mentioned in clue #2.
Our very famous singer was once the lead guitarist for a quartet from the UK. After the group split, he had great success as a solo performer/composer/songwriter/recording executive/music and movie producer and author until his death in 2001.
Upon release, today’s song met with an unfavorable response from music critics while others considered its musical and lyrical simplicity to be a positive factor for a contemporary pop hit. Throughout the video our singer is seen wearing a variety of costumes made famous by his former group and is joined by a number of friends you may recognize. There’s also a scene with him wearing nothing but fur boots and his guitar!
Now that you have the clues (including the HUGE hint in my first line), do you think you know the name of our New Year’s Eve song and the person who wrote and sang it? Well, let’s see if you’re right. You know what to do.
Aha! If you said “Ding Dong, Ding Dong” by George Harrison, you are not only correct …. you are brilliant! Let’s hear that happy holiday song right now.
Well, that certainly was fun and a great way to ring out the old, ring in the new. 🥳 🎊
And now for a bit of personal news: this is my final post for The Rhythm Section; we’re closing up shop. It’s time for a break, a change of pace and a chance to do some much-needed reorganization. I’ll be back with some great new music ideas so stick around!
In the meantime, I’ll still be writing stories and doing prompts on my site The Elephant’s Trunk @ https://theelephantstrunk.org where you can read about all new music developments.
Thanks to all of you for being a terrific audience these past nine months and for making all my posts, whether “At The Movies”, “In The Groove”, Birthday Thursdays” or “Name That Tune”, here in The Rhythm Section so much fun. You are what it’s all about and you inspired me to bring you only the best with each and every post. I hope I was successful. This was a labor of love (with a little blood, sweat and tears mixed in) and I’m looking forward to the chance to do it all again!
Thanks to my fellow contributors Pete and Deb and, of course, Nick.
See you at The Elephant’s Trunk, my friends; take good care of yourselves!
Wishing you all a Healthy, Happy and Peaceful New Year! 🥳 🎊
As far back as Rob could remember, he’d had a love affair with water. All his life, whatever the circumstances, he was drawn to water.
Whether it was to seek comfort or solace, an escape from a busy day, a place to be one with nature watching the sun rise or set – being by the water’s edge was a mainstay in Rob’s life.
Today, as he sat on the docks with his faithful sheepdog Petra, Rob was seeking an answer.
He lived in a nice house and a had a great job, a group of good friends and lots of social activities. Rob and Petra were quite content. The only thing missing was a life companion. He had his share of relationships but two years ago someone special had entered his life. Rob now knew he was ready to make a commitment. She was the girl of his dreams – beautiful physically and in spirit, intelligent, outgoing and vivacious. She had a loyal and trusting heart and a lovely disposition. Rob had never felt such a connection before and he knew this was true love.
He spoke quietly to Petra:
“You know, girl. I feel like the time is right to finally settle down with my true love. It took me a while to realize how I felt but now I know there can’t be anyone more perfect for me. I’m truly happy and ready to pop the question.
What do you say, Petra, my sweet girl? Will you marry me?“
Dectina Refrain: This refrain is written as follows: 1st line – 1 syllable, 2nd line – 2 syllables 3rd line – 3 syllables, and so on for 9 lines; the 10th line is comprised of the first four lines as one stand-alone line.
Torn wrapping paper is scattered about. Let’s ring out the old and ring in the new year. Resolution-making time. Hit the gym and start that diet. I’ve never kept a resolution. Torn wrapping paper is scattered about.
Rochelle from Friday Fictioneers gave us the photo below while Denise from Six Sentence Stories provided the prompt word “jingle”. This is my response, a union of two prompts, in a 100-word, six-sentence story.*
When she became pregnant the following year, they were ecstatic; their son was born in 1941, the most beautiful baby anyone ever saw – golden curls, plump cheeks as rosy as apple blossoms.
He was a delightful child who brought incredible joy into their lives.
In 1942 the baby was diagnosed with nephritis; incurable, the doctor said and they were left heartbroken.
In the blink of an eye between Jingle Bells and Auld Lang Syne, their baby silently passed away.
The young couple was devastated; they never celebrated new year’s eve again.
*This story is true; the young mother and father were my parents, their baby boy was the brother I never knew. Six weeks after their baby died, my father was drafted and spent his entire tour of duty fighting in Europe during WWII while my mother was left alone without a husband, without a baby. It wasmany years before I understood the ineffable emotional toll this had on their lives and why we never celebrated New Year’s Eve.
Another oldie while I’m being lazy this week! Some of you have read this; others have not. Here’s a freshened-up, rewritten story. Hope you enjoy this one! 🎁
“What the hell am I doing out on a night like this?” Finn grumbled to himself, his mood worsening with each soggy step he took. “Freezing rain, my feet are soaked and I don’t even want to go to this damn office holiday party!”
Finn had been keeping something secret for a while: no one at the place where he worked knew he was going to quit. He waited for his boss, Mr. Hardy, to leave with his secretary, then Finn placed a sealed envelope on the secretary’s desk. It was addressed to his boss and marked “Personal & Confidential”; inside the envelope was Finn’s letter of resignation.
He was sick of his dead-end job, always being passed over and stuck in a little cubicle all day. There had to be more to life than this and he was ready to find out!
Running into the little gift shop located in the lobby of his company’s building, Finn spotted a small lapis lazuli paperweight near the cash register and decided it would make a fine item for the secret gift swap. As he reached for it, his hand collided with a delicate feminine hand with sparkling mistletoe-green fingernails.
“Hold on, buster! That’s mine! I just left it on the counter while I went to get a gift bag.”
Turning his head, Finn encountered a familiar face; it was the receptionist at his office. He always thought she was pretty but tonight she looked particularly fetching.
“Hayden, isn’t it? Well, I’m sorry but the rule is if you put something down before paying for it, it’s fair game. Besides, I’m in a hurry and I don’t have time to look around for anything else.”
Hayden recognized Finn immediately. He reminded her of a dreamy Hugh Grant in his younger days – handsome and charming – just not at this particular moment.
“Finn, right? Well, I’m in a hurry, too. The office holiday party is starting and this is my selection for the gift swap. You’re probably here for the same reason.”
“Guilty as charged” Finn quipped. “Come on, Hayden. It’s been a crappy day. I just want to buy this thing, make an appearance at the party and get the hell out of there.”
“I feel the same way. These office celebrations are the worst! The last place I want to be is at that party but it’s mandatory. Nothing like ‘forced fun’!”
Finn had to chuckle at that.
“Look, Finn. There’s a bunch of other stuff right over there. Just go select something else. After all, I did see this first.”
“Oh, alright! It’s all yours!” Finn conceded and dashed off to find another gift.
He quickly spotted a rosewood ballpoint pen, grabbed a gift bag and returned to the register just as Hayden was finishing up her purchase. She gave Finn a little smile and headed out into the lobby. He couldn’t help noticing her shapely legs as she walked away, heels click-clacking on the marble floor. He watched till she was out of sight, then made his purchase.
Still waiting for the elevator, Hayden heard a familiar voice behind her declare, “So, we meet again”. She felt a slight rush knowing it was Finn.
“Or maybe you’re following me” Hayden replied coyly, hoping she wasn’t blushing.
She and Finn never really spoke at work but they always caught each other’s eye. Glancing at him Hayden was struck with how intensely blue his eyes were. At the same moment Finn was thinking how very kissable Hayden’s lips looked in the shimmering light of the lobby’s chandelier.
They stepped into the elevator, the only two occupants as it made its slow ascent.
“Mind if I ask why you’re dreading this party so much?” Finn inquired.
“That’s easy.” Hayden replied. “I hate my job! The people are unfriendly, all I do is answer the phone all day andgive directions to rude visitors. This was not my dream when I first came to New York. I’m bored to death and capable of so much more.” She glanced over her shoulder even though they were alone in the elevator, then asked conspiratorially “If I tell you something will you promise to keep it a secret?”
Finn nodded and gave her the ‘zipped lips’ sign.
“I’m quitting tomorrow” Hayden whispered.
“No kidding! So am I! I left a note on Mr. Hardy’s secretary’s desk just before I left today. I hate my job, too. Making a career out of working in a glass box 8 hours a day was never my plan. But mum’s the word, OK?” Finn whispered back covertly and they stared into each other’s eyes like kids making a pinky pledge.
“Any idea what you’re gonna do?” Finn asked.
“Not really” Hayden sighed “but I’ve always dreamed of running a bed and breakfast in Maine.”
“It’s gorgeous there” Finn replied wistfully. “We used to vacation at my grandparent’s lake house when I was a kid.”
The elevator door opened to the office party in full swing. Finn and Hayden rolled their eyes and deposited their little bags on the gift table. He went one way, she went the other but every now and then they found themselves looking for each other across the crowded, noisy room.
After a short time Hayden casually made her way to the elevator. She was just about to make her escape when she heard that familiar voice cry out “Hold the elevator!” and Finn rushed in breathlessly.
They stood side-by-side, both unsure of what to say. Then the inevitable happened.
“I was wondering…..” they said at the same time and laughed self-consciously.
“You first” prompted Hayden.
“I was thinking perhaps we could get a drink somewhere and talk” Finn suggested.
“My thoughts exactly” Hayden replied. And when they stepped outside they discovered the freezing rain had changed to snow. Finn thought the light dusting of snowflakes on Hayden’s hair looked enchanting.
Hayden smiled at Finn. “Maybe we can have that drink at my place” she suggested, her eyes twinkling. “We could light the fireplace, listen to some music …..”
“Sounds perfect” Finn replied softly and slipped his fingers between hers.
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays here in The Rhythm Section. Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on that day. There won’t be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures – just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Edgar Winter Born December 28, 1946 in Beaumont, Texas
As I sit here in my recliner looking out my bedroom window, wondering where Christmas has gone, I ask myself if I should venture out for my walk.
“It’s a bleak-looking day and awfully chilly. Stay inside where it’s warm and comfy.”
But then I remember that my wonky knee could use the exercise and time is fleeting. In just 83 days the beautiful blushing bride of nature will arrive and winter will be nothing but a distant memory.
“Credited for my award-winning fruitcake” was probably the last thing I heard my speed date say before I zoned out, my head hitting the table with an impressive “thud”.
“DING!” went the timer and my arm automatically shot up as I shouted out “Check, please!” Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. “Yeah, I’m crazy alright for agreeing to go along with my friend Nadine’s cockamamie idea of speed dating the day after Christmas …. and she never even showed up!”
I looked up to see my next date arriving – an Elvis impersonator replete with spangled jumpsuit, a ton of hair and heavy cologne. Whoever invented the jumpsuit should be pummeled with one of Elvis’ belt buckles. “Well, hello there, little lady. I do believe fate has brought us together. You are the spittin’ image of my darlin’ Priscilla.”
“Oh Lord! Get me out of here!” my mind screamed. Quickly I jumped up.
“Hey, toots! Number 9! Whaddya think you’re doing? You can’t just break outta line like that!” shouted the hoody-wearing overseer with the pronounced nose. He pointed an accusatory finger at me looking every bit like Charon the Ferryman from the River Styx.
I shoved passed him, walking out into the cold December night. “You are such a pathetic loser” I murmured to myself. “Another wasted night and this time during the holidays! Wonder if there’s anything to do other than just go home?”
Looking around I noticed a movie theater down the street. “Well, better than nothing.” As I got closer I saw the movie was “A Hard Day’s Night” and it was about to start. Cool! I got my ticket and bought some popcorn. There were clusters of people sitting here and there so I chose a secluded seat in the back. I liked sitting by myself, away from weirdos.
Just as the theater lights dimmed, some guy walked in and sat right next to me. “Jeez!” I’m thinking, rolling my eyes. “Of all the seats, you had to choose that one!”
Looking straight ahead, eating my popcorn, I assess the situation. I never know what to do at times like this. Do I change seats and risk him saying something nasty? Do I stay put and pretend everything’s normal? What if he’s a pervert?
“This is all your fault, Nadine” I whispered.
“Excuse me. Did you say something?” asked the guy next to me.
The charming English accent caught my attention; I turned my head slightly in its direction. In my excitement, I immediately began choking as I inhaled a puff of popcorn. The guy sitting just inches from me was a carbon copy of my one true love – George Harrison.
“Are you ok?” he asked. “Here, have some water.”
Finally able to breath and talk again, I said “I’m awfully sorry! You shocked me. Has anyone ever told you you look exactly like George Harrison?”
“All the time. It’s a curse. And has anyone ever told you you look exactly like Priscilla Presley?”
“All the time; it’s a curse.”
We both sighed heavily in resigned commiseration and turned our attention to the movie. We laughed through the whole thing, totally enjoying ourselves and lost in the moment; there was definitely a connection between us. When it was over we left together and decided to get a drink to celebrate the holidays.
We walk to a swinging little bar and who happens to be there? None other than “No-Show Nadine”!
Spotting me and my guy from the movie theater, she came running over, gushing like a schoolgirl. “Oh my God! Has anyone ever told you you look exactly like George Harrison? Giving ‘George’ the once-over, she drooled. “Mighty slim pickings here tonight. Wanna dance, handsome? Olivia won’t mind, will ya, hon?”
Wanting nothing more at that moment than to escape Nadine, ‘George’ grabbed my hand and we ran from the club, laughing and tripping over ourselves just like in the movie.
It’s our final edition of “In The Groove: Sounds Of The Season” and we’re celebrating the holidays with something George would definitely dig! Please stop by and join in the fun! https://rhythmsection.blog/
And just like that, it’s almost over! All that remains are the crumbs of Christmas cookies, discarded wrapping paper and the sighs of 2023 as it creeps closer to the back door. Some of us may still have family to visit or get-togethers with friends …. and let’s not forget New Year’s Eve. If you’re like me and my mister, you’ve opted to eschew the party hats and noisemakers in favor of a more relaxed and intimate setting.
But that doesn’t mean we’re going to roll over and play dead this week …. not by a long shot! Have you forgotten the Sicilian Curveball? Well then, I think it may be time to serve up one final pitch right about now.
Gather ’round the fire pit and turn up the volume; welcome to the RockingSounds Of The Season! We will not go out with a whimper here In The Groove!
Now remember …. as is my style I have prepared a holiday banquet of treats for you – one might say “The 12 Rocking Days of Christmas”. This is an audio/visual feast, my friends! The videos are intended to be viewed throughout the week, not ingested whole unless that’s the way you roll. If that is your preference, then by all means ….. belly up to the bar. ‘Tis the Season, after all!
I’m opening today with an American group based in Omaha, Nebraska. This is a neoclassical new-age music ensemble founded in 1974 known primarily for its Fresh Aire series of albums which blend classical music with elements of new age and rock, and for its modern recordings of holiday music. They are wildly popular, having sold over 28 million albums in the US alone.
Strap yourselves in, kids; it’s’ gonna be one hell of a sleigh ride!
This is Mannheim Steamroller!
“Deck the Halls“
“Faeries from NutcrackerSuite”
“Hallelujah“
“Sleigh Ride“
And now, from the world of Heavy Metal ….. oh, did you think I wouldn’t go there? Ho! Ho! Ho! Think again! Here are four of the greats!
We’re going to church, boys and girls, so show some respect. This is Dio (with Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath fame) and a few other guys) with “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”.
Here we have an old Chuck Berry number …. “Run, Rudolph Run” …. hopped up a bit featuring Lemmy (Motörhead), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) & Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)
A little something called “Very Merry Led Zeppelin” …. a Led Zepp Medley, if you will.
Nobody even think of leaving just yet. This is “Carol of the Bells” by Metallica.
My final featured group today is another US-based band founded in 1996 and based in Tampa, Florida. This rock band gained popularity when they began touring in 1999 after completing their second album, “The Christmas Attic”. In 2007 the Washington Post referred to them as “an arena-rock juggernaut whose music is like a meeting of Pink Floyd, Yes and the Who at Radio City Music Hall”. They have sold more than 10 million concert tickets and over 10 million albums and are known for their elaborate concerts and light shows.
I bring you TSO – Trans-Siberian Orchestra!
“A Mad Russian“
“Christmas Eve/Sarajevo“
“Siberian Sleighride“
“Wizards in Winter“
This is it, kids …. the final In The Groove 2023 for The Rhythm Section. I think you’ll agree it is a true Sicilian Storyteller smorgasbord that will take you right into the New Year!
Enjoy your holiday week, my friends! Stay safe, happy and healthy always.
My friend Clive at Take It Easy …. https://cliveblogs.wordpress.com …. posted these two videos on his site last week; to me they represent what Christmas is all about. I wanted to share them and their distinctive messages with you.
The first one is a delightful advert by the people at Hafod Hardware, a shop in the Welsh town of Rhayader. Everything about it is perfection – the story that revolves around 2-year-old Arthur starting his day, helping his grandparents in their shop and the clever and imaginative ending, including the ubiquitous and endearing 👍🏼 greeting,
The second video was made for the song “Merry Christmas, Happy New Year” by Ingrid Michaelson and Zooey Deschanel. The animation is truly unique …. totally charming and endearing. I’ve never seen anything like it! I hope you enjoy these videos as much as I did.
My warmest wishes to you all, dear friends, for a very Merry Christmas!
“Merry Christmas, Happy New Year” by Ingrid Michaelson & Zooey Deschanel featuring some of the most charming, adorable and lovely animation I have ever seen! This is a real delight! ❤️
Yesterday my MC had just emailed his estranged wife andwas hoping for a reply, a Christmas miracle. Here’s where we left off. Let’s continue:
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Push send and cross my fingers that Annie hasn’t changed her email address. Going to bed and will say a prayer for a Christmas miracle…..
I woke up early again today; it’s Christmas morning. I’m anxious and afraid to check my email. Can I bring myself to read beyond the first couple of words? Instead, I decide to wait just a bit and pour myself a cup of coffee. I sit looking out the window as the woodpeckers hop from branch to branch finding their way home.
Did Annie get my email? Will she answer me? I guess I can put off the inevitable for only so long. I decide to check my computer; nothing. My heart is shattered and I crumble onto the chair . What a fool I was to wait so long to reach out to her.
It’s early afternoon now and the luscious aroma of roasting turkey is wafting through every room in the house; I can’t bear the thought of eating Christmas dinner alone. When everything is done cooking, I’ll pack up all the food and bring it to the soup kitchen; at least someone will reap the benefits of my stupidity.
I clean up, get dressed and pour myself a glass of wine. Perhaps I’ll sit by the tree and listen to some Christmas music while the turkey finishes doing its thing. The happy tunes coming from the radio do not match my mood and then, as if by simply willing it to happen, a melancholy song starts up. I never thought I would be spending Christmas like this …. alone, broken-hearted and in tears.
I hastily wipe at my eyes with the back of my hands and turn off the radio. No more music today. Time to see how the dinner is coming along. On my way into the kitchen, I glance out the window at the woodpeckers. Standing by the once useless wheelbarrow, suitcase in hand, is my Annie. She gives me a slow, sweet smile and a little wave.
Without stopping to think “Is this real?”, I flew down the stairs and out the back door. Thank you, God, for second chances.
It’s Christmastime today at Song Lyric Sunday, my favorite time of the year!
One of the greatest personal moments in music is when I hear an instrumental and the combined qualities of that piece get my imagination going to the point where I see an entire story unfolding. Surely it happens quite often with classical pieces since most are instrumental.
So where am I going with this? Well, in his post today, Jim asked what our favorite Christmas song is and mine happens to be an instrumental. From the first notes to the last, as the excitement builds, this song is, for me, the epitome of Christmas. Yes, there is a version with lyrics and they’re pretty good ones, but I prefer the original instrumental. Can you guess which song I’m talking about? Hang on a bit longer, please, and I’ll play it at the end of this post. First, I want to talk about something else.
Today in Song Lyric Sunday, the suggestion for “Anything Christmas” comes from our friend Clive at Take It Easy.
Since I’m The Sicilian Storyteller it should be obvious that I am extremely proud of my heritage. I want to say “Mille grazie, Jim & Clive” for the opportunity to play some Italian Christmas songs and to wish our readers “Buon Natale e felice anno nuovo a tutti!”
My first song for today’s “Anything Christmas” prompt is a fun Italian/American favorite Christmas song.
“Dominick the Donkey” is a novelty Christmas song recorded by Lou Monte in 1960 (written by Ray Allen, Sam Saltzberg and Wandra Merrell). This beloved Italian Christmas song describes a donkey who helps Santa Claus bring presents (made in Brooklyn, of all places!) to children in Italy “because the reindeer cannot climb” Italy’s hills. The song was listed at No. 14 in Billboard’s “Bubbling Under the Hot 100” list in December 1960.
Lou Monte was an Italian-American singer best known for a number of best-selling, Italian themed novelty records which he recorded for both RCA Records and Reprise Records in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He also recorded on Roulette Records, Jubilee Records, Regalia Records, Musicor Records, Laurie Records, and AFE Records.
Let’s have a little fun with Lou Monte and “Dominick The Donkey”.
Then, while surfing the net, I found this. There wasn’t much info, just what the composer/singer offered up. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did, even if you’re not Italian …. AYYY!
“The Other Italian Christmas Song” by Eddie Napilillo
I stayed up all night and wrote this so people could enjoy it this Christmas! It’s kind of an Adam Sandler Hanukkah Chanukah Song parody. It was fun making it and clearly expresses that everyone, all religions ethnicities and beliefs, is welcome in an Italian family home at Christmas! Merry Christmas everybody! Peace and love to you and your families! Please forgive my lyric reading and sloppy playing!!! I mispronounced some names too… lol.. No Mic, no reverb or affects, just iMovie, an iSight camera, and a $20 acoustic guitar. – Eddie Napolillo
🌟 🎄 🌟 🎄 🌟 🎄 🌟 🎄 🌟
From the ridiculous to the sublime …. my next song for you today is a traditional Italian Christmas carol called “Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle” (“From Starry Skies Thou Comest”) or, more colloquially, “You come down from the stars”, written in 1732.
The melody and original lyrics for the hymn were written by Alphonsus Liguori, a prominent Neapolitan priest and scholastic philosopher (later canonized) who founded the Redemptorist missionary order. While staying at Convent of the Consolation, one of his order’s houses in the province of Foggia in southeastern Italy, he wrote the beautiful Christmas song, “Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle”. Over the years, this song became the most popular Christmas carol in Italy.
Many artists have recorded this carol and they are all lovely. In my opinion no one sings it more sweetly than the great Andrea Bocelli; it is his version I have chosen for you today. If you would like to follow along, I have provided the lyrics in both Italian and English.
Here is Andrea Bocelli with “Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle”
LYRICS
You come down from the stars, O King of heaven Tu scendi dalle stelle, o Re del cielo
And come to a cave in the cold and frost E vieni in una grotta al freddo e al gelo
And come to a cave in the cold and frost E vieni in una grotta al freddo e al gelo
O my divine Child, I see you here trembling O Bambino mio divino, io ti vedo qui a tremar
O blessed God O Dio beato
Ah, how much it cost you to have loved us Ah, quanto ti costò l’averci amato
Ah, how much it cost you to have loved us Ah, quanto ti costò l’averci amato
To you, who are the Creator of the world A te, che sei del mondo il Creatore
Clothes and fire are missing, oh my Lord Mancano panni e fuoco, o mio Signore
Clothes and fire are missing, oh my Lord Mancano panni e fuoco, o mio Signore
Dear chosen little child, how much this poverty Caro eletto pargoletto quanto questa povertà
The more I fall in love Più m’innamora
Since he made you poor love again Giacché ti fece amor povero ancora
Since he made you poor love again Giacché ti fece amor povero ancora
Oh, did you think I forgot about my favorite Christmas song? Never! Did you guess what that song is? Well, let’s play it now and we’ll see if you were right. Here is the incredible Boston Pops Orchestra with its awesome rendition of “Sleigh Ride”.
Seventy-five years after Leroy Anderson created “Sleigh Ride” (1948), the song is still ranked as one of the 10 most popular pieces of Christmas music worldwide!
Thanks to Jim at Song Lyrics Sunday for always coming up with great prompts and to Clive for his suggestion today of “Anything Christmas”. Merry Christmas to all; may your day be joyous and wonderful and filled with terrific music!
Taking a short break tocelebrate Christmas with my family. Rebooting an old favorite from 2021; some of you have seen it; many haven’t. 💫
My Dear Annie,
It took about ten minutes of me staring at a blank computer screen before I started typing this email – and that’s just today. I’ve been doing the same thing every day for the last eight months. I’ll type a paragraph, then delete it. The idea of reaching out to you began thirty seconds after you left our house and closed the door on our life together. I have about a thousand thoughts and questions swirling around in my brain, much like the snowflakes dancing in the wind in our backyard.
I got up early and made myself a cup of coffee, then sat by the kitchen window and watched the birds at the feeders. You’ll be happy to know the red-headed woodpeckers have returned, just as they always do. How I wish you would return to me, too.
I held my coffee cup up to my nose and inhaled the rich aroma of dark roast. I’m drinking from that cup you gave me ages ago with COOL BEANS scrawled across the front. I use it every day and always think about you (not that I need a reminder) and I’ve decided that today will be the day I must summon the courage to write to you to say “I’m sorry”.
You see, tomorrow is Christmas Day and I can’t think of a better time to tell you what’s on my mind. If I don’t do it today who knows if I ever will? I miss you, Annie. I miss you so damn much it literally hurts. My heart aches for you and my stomach churns when I realize what a first class jerk I was to let you slip through my fingers.
I don’t know what I was thinking. No, I take that back; I do know. I was thinking aboutmyself – me, myself and I. What a stupid, selfish idiot I was. I’m sure you’d agree with that assessment. I’m equally sure there’s a spot for me in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest fool ever. How could I expect you to put your dreams and plans on hold while I pursued mine?
If I’ve come to realize anything over these last few months it’s the fact that what I want in life isn’t more important than what you want and all my achievements are not worth a damn without you.I am so sorry for not seeing that sooner.
When I finally realized how empty my life was without you and how much I yearned to be sharing and living our dreams together, you were long gone. I don’t blame you one bit; if I was you, I would have left me, too. I’m useless without you and I’m so ashamed that I put myself before you.
Do you remember that old wheelbarrow we found last year buried under weeds and ivy? It was missing its wheel and was of no use to anyone. You had the brilliant idea of transforming it into a planter instead of throwing it away. I have also lost my wheel, my direction in life and I find I can’t do anything without it, without you. I need you to help bring me back to life, to give me purpose. I need your forgiveness.I need you.
I was driven by my obsession for success and power more than anything else – more than putting you first, more than your deepest desire to start a family. How could I have deprived you of that? How could I have deprived us of that? How could I have been so blind not to see that was exactly what I wanted too? Well, I screwed up royally. All thesuccess and power I ever wanted are mine now but they are hollow victories. The price was too dear – losing you and everything that was and might have been, that should have been. I wake up alone in our bed and come home to an empty house. And all day, every day, I simply exist like a wheelbarrow without a wheel.
I have no idea where you are, how you are or what you’re doing. I pray that you haven’t lost all faith in me, even though that may be what I deserve. That would surely destroy me because my love for you is stronger than ever. I wouldn’t blame you for not believing what I’m about to say but I would do anything, give up everything just to have you by my side once again. I am empty inside without you and I’m begging for a second chance. My one hope that I cling to every day is the fact that I haven’t been served with divorce papers …. yet. Please tell me there’s a chance for us, a chance that you can possibly forgive me.
Christmas Day. What a blessing it would be to have you back, to have you tellme we’re going to be okay! How grateful I would be for the opportunity to show you how much I love you and need you in my life!
Don’t laugh but I’m going to attempt to prepare my very first Christmas dinner by myself. I bought a small turkey, all the fixings and a lovely bottle of wine .… just enough for two. It would give me the greatest joy to share the day with you and every day after that, to hold you in my arms and make all the sorrow go away.
Annie, if only you could sprout wings and fly home tome like the woodpeckers! Will you come home for Christmas? Please come back to me and never leave.
I love you so very much.
Charlie
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Push send and cross my fingers that Annie hasn’t changed her email address. Going to bed and will say a prayer for a Christmas miracle.
It’s time once again for The Unicorn Challenge. Our mission: to write a story in 250 words or less in response to the photo prompt. This is my story and I’m sticking to it. 🦖 🎄 🦕
When our son was still in elementary school, he demonstrated a great ability and clever imagination for art. He had a penchant for cartoon characters of his own creation which he drew on his book covers and all over his school notebooks.
My husband and I encouraged his artwork and we kept him well-stocked in supplies, including a drafting table, paints and copious amounts of drawing pads. His main character was a T-rex called “Monstroid” …. a Jurassic lawman who was not above getting down and dirty.
When our son was about twelve years old, he asked permission to paint Monstroid on his bedroom wall. I had no problem with that; I’d rather he paint his own wall than someone else’s. Thirty-something years ago, graffiti was considered vandalism, not the street art it has become today.
The story of Monstroid grew in my son’s head, along with other dinosaurs, friend and foe alike. It got to the point where every wall in his room was covered with his creations; dinosaurs grazed on one wall while epic prehistoric battle scenes appeared on another wall. I didn’t mind; the boy was hurting no one and I would never suppress his natural ability for art …. just as I would never squash our other son’s talent for music.
Our son is now a television cameraman – another form of art. However, he never lost his love of painting and Monstroid is alive and well on the bedroom walls of each of his three kids.
Tom has invited us to participate in this Mansionic Pioneer Poem prompt. Happy to do so, Tom! The first words of each line are the rhyming words. Each line must be 5 syllables or less. The last two lines of the poem are the same as the first two lines, only written in reverse. Here’s my poem.
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays here in The Rhythm Section. Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on that day. There won’t be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures – just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Frank Zappa Born December 21, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland
It’s six for A Six today, all coming together to form one story: One prompt for GirlieOnTheEdge’s Six Sentence Story, four Fandango’s One Word Challenge prompts and one photo prompt from Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge. Yes Siree Bob, that makes six! 🎄 🦌 🎅🏼 🦌 🎄
It was a long time ago, probably 30 years now, but I remember that night like it was yesterday, as if someone had taken a permanent marker and etched the whole event on my brain for all eternity; at the time I was quite active in my church, so much so that I somehow managed to get myself elected president of the parish council, a situation I found myself in because it’s a tremendous challenge for me to say “no” and, as a result, I end up getting involved in projects I’d rather not be doing.
My committee and I were decorating the rectory meeting room and setting the tables for the parish council’s Christmas dinner when I realized the wine I bought for the function had gone missing; now, I am a very organized person, certainly no scatterbrain, and when I found there was no room whatsoever in the refrigerator or freezer for the bottles of wine, I placed them in a covered box in the garage attached to the rectory knowing they would stay safe and cold, so how they could have disappeared was a total mystery.
Faced with the inability of turning water into wine and with no time to go to the store, I decided to check the rectory storage room hoping to find wine left over from a previous dinner and I was rewarded with an entire case of red wine sitting on a shelf in the corner just waiting for me; well, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I saw this new-found wine as divine intervention and placed two bottles on each table, quite pleased with myself for having saved the night at the last minute.
When the priests arrived for the party, they looked around the room in approval, nodding and smiling, but that was short lived when I suddenly saw one priest, Fr. Bob, heading my way and he didn’t look happy which made me wonder what was causing his consternation; now, in my defense, I am not a member of the clergy and have no way of knowing these things but the wine I found in the storage room was not just any ordinary, run-of-the-mill wine – no siree – it was blessed communion wine, meant solely for the purpose of Holy Communion and definitely not for a party, albeit a church Christmas party!
When Fr. Bob asked me (rather belligerently, I might add) how I could have made such a careless mistake, my mind went blankand everything I tried to say ended up sounding like a lame excuse; what was supposed to be a great accomplishment for me as parish council president turned into the most mortifying experience of my life and just when I thought the evening could not get any worse, it did.
The man I hired (from a so-called “reputable” agency) to play Santa Claus went AWOL, leaving his sleigh and a slightly inebriated-looking reindeer abandoned in the snow-covered backyard of the rectory; after a search of the grounds, Santa was found in the monsignor’s car in the garage, drunk as a skunk, passed out in the back seat and clutching my missing bottles of wine …. and if you give me a Bible, I will place my right hand on it and swear that everything you just read is entirely true (except the part about the tipsy reindeer; I added that because I simply couldn’t ignore the adorable graphic accompanying this story).
We headed out last night to buy our Christmas tree. It’s not like me to wait this long to decorate; it was just one thing after the other this year and before I knew it, Christmas was one week away and we still didn’t have a tree.
There’s one place in town we always go to; it’s run by the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) and I’d rather give them my money than some fancy nursery. At least I know all proceeds go to an excellent cause.
Right after Thanksgiving the VFW starts selling Christmas trees. A certain number of trees are immediately sent to our forces stationed overseas and others are donated to hospitals, nursing homes and other groups in need of trees to decorate. There’s a home for mentally challenged adults in my town as well as a religious retreat house run by Franciscan friars; both places receive multiple trees from the VFW.
We arrived at the tree lot around 3:30, just after the kids got home from school, and I was shocked to see some mighty slim pickings. Just the other day when I drove by there were hundreds of gorgeous trees – Blue Spruce, Scotch Pine, Douglas Fir and others. Where the heck had they all gone?
That’s exactly what I asked Phil, one of the volunteers who was working the lot last night. He told me that many of the trees were sold already, which was completely understandable; then he recounted something that just blew my mind.
The lot had been robbed the night before! Some clowns with a metal cutter snipped their way through the fence and in the middle of the night made off with about 150 trees! They were obviously organized and came with the manpower as well as the horsepower to make off with that many trees. They probably headed over to New Jersey or Connecticut to sell the trees at a huge profit.
Only despicable trash, the lowest of the low, would steal Christmas trees from the veterans! That’s like snatching a kid’s candy cane or taking an old man’s walker. It’s a real cheap shot and now the VFW was out thousands of dollars!
So, there we were on December 19th, standing in the middle of the VFW tree lot staring at a bunch of Charlie Brown Christmas trees. I actually thought about going home, climbing up to the attic and dragging down my mother’s old silver aluminum tree she used years ago when they were all the rage. But then Phil said something that brought me back down to earth.
“Sorry for the measly selection. If you head over to Redwood Nursery, I’m sure you’ll find a lot of beautiful trees to choose from.”
This guy and the VFW had just lost a ton of money and he was willing to sacrifice another sale just so I could have a gorgeous Christmas tree in my house. Wow, talk about the “Spirit of Christmas”!
We walked around the lot until we found a tree that was practically begging for us to take it home. Phil tied it onto the top of my car and we headed home.
We placed our new tree in a stand full of water and sat down for dinner. When we returned to the living room to decorate, that wonky tree looked a little fuller and stood a bit prouder and I knew it wasn’t my imagination playing tricks on me.
One little tree was all it took to remind me of the true meaning of Christmas.
Christmas Eve is five days away and I have no idea where the year went! I love the holidays, especially this week leading up to Christmas …. the baking, wrapping, watching old holiday movies on TV, visiting with friends, attending church services, taking the little ones to see Santa. It is a truly magical time of year.
Welcome back to In The Groove: Sounds Of The Season! To help make your Christmas week even more meaningful and festive, I thought it would be nice to feature some of our most popular and well-loved holiday songs and Christmas Carols. I hope you enjoy my selections and come back to this page whenever you’re in the mood for some wonderful holiday music.
For me Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without my favorite cookies – Viennese walnut crescents, so buttery they just melt in your mouth. That’s the way I feel about certain performers and the Christmas songs we all love. There was a big problem, though: I couldn’t choose just one single song from each artist – they’re all too good – so I’m breaking with tradition and posting a few complete albums. I think there’s a nice selection of music for you to listen to and, just like delicious cookies, there’s more than enough to sample and satisfy your musical cravings anytime during these last weeks of 2023. Let’s begin with a real beauty:
Here is Nat ‘King’ Cole and this is “King Of Christmas”
From December 9, this is “Christmas With André Rieu 2023″ a compilation of the full concert.
This is Frank Sinatra with “O Jolly Christmas”
Here is “The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Sings Christmas Carols”
From 1968, this is “Snowfall – The Tony Bennett Christmas Album”
Under the direction of Arthur Fiedler, here is The Boston Pops and “Christmas Album”
The beautiful voice of Connie Francis from her album “Merry Christmas [Fantastic Christmas Carols]
The soothing sounds of “Classical Winter” – Classical Music Selections
Enjoy the week doing all the things that bring you peace and happiness …. including listening to great music. I’ll be back In The Groove on December 26th with something completely different; I predict you’re going to be sufficiently blown away! It’s just what we need for The Rhythm Section’s final week of 2023.
Waves of glorious flaxen hair rippled over her shoulders, swaying and bouncing with every high-heeled, leggy stride she took.
Never one to shy away from attention, especially that of the male population, she confidently waltzed down Fifth Avenue toward Saks, stunning in red Jimmy Choo thigh-high boots, a snow-white fur coat, and a single strand of pearls.
Admiring looks didn’t intimidate her; they titillated her, challenged her to be more daring and quite a bit risqué. It was all a game and she loved to play.
As she strolled the avenue, stopping to look at the exceptional Christmas displays in the store windows, she noticed the reflection of a man leaning drowsily against a parked car. Accustomed to men looking her way, she thought nothing of it at first but found herself glancing at his image more often than usual. Sliding her Ray Bans a little down her nose, she gave this mystery man’s reflection a furtive peek. Intriguing.
Repositioning her glasses, she continued window shopping, collecting all the longing glances cast her way and storing them in her bag like so many colorful Christmas lights. Every so often she’d linger at a quaint little shop or gallery, acutely aware of her mystery man shadowing her along the way. Now this was starting to get interesting. Slowly she removed her shades and gave his reflection a long look.
Why not? Slipping her sunglasses on, she turned around to a vision that caught her breath …. from head to toe the epitome of elegance and charm. Raven hair, tanned skin, black cashmere coat draped over his arm, charcoal grey pinstripe suit, crisp white shirt, black and silver Art Deco tie and Italian shoes …. not black but the exact color of his suit. Nice touch; the paragon of haute couture.
She smiled. He smiled. She turned slowly, giving him ample time to fall into place beside her.
She continued walking, no longer followed by a mysterious shadow but side-by-side with an intriguing companion. Together they would take the road wherever it led them.
