Tuesday/Wednesday Ramblings From TC

Well it's not yet 4am and I've been up for a half hour or so and awake for at least an hour. I was expecting to be awake at this time as H was starting work at 4am today for the grand re-opening of the 3rd incarnation of our local Food Lion. They're implementing a new marketing strategy to compete with the big boys from Bentonville, Arkansas at least in the grocery field.

I say more power to the little guys on the block. They're bringing in some lower prices which hopefully will convince more shoppers to come into their modern, clean and well-lit store. I know that they have Walmart beat hands down in regards to the produce and meat department. I trust the food that I get in this store which is a lot more than I can say for the same products at that store on Grandview. That store is not exactly a bastion of cleanliness and the less said about the front of the store employees the better it is.

Okay I didn't mean to get off on this tangent this morning but it doesn't take much for me to go anti-Walmart at the best of times. LOL. If I want to be surrounded by cheap and potentially dangerous Chinese-made products, I'll move the eff to China. Instead I will stand by my local owned and operated stores and by those stores that I trust the products and the people even if it means a few extra dollars out of my pocket. Standing by principles is something a lot of us can do a lot more of in this day and age. It isn't all about keeping up with the Jones and effing your neighbor. Life isn't a Price is Right episode.

Okay onto coffee number two already. I think I feel better today. I had the beginnings of a summer cold the last couple of days. Lots of sneezing, drippy nose and scratchy throat. Not the best feelings to have in almost 90 degree humid weather.

J's going to be back late Friday night after being in Aberdeen, Scotland and I convinced her via Skype that we will drive up to Boardman, Ohio for a family reunion of sorts that is being held up there. There will be over 50 members of her father's side of the family meeting up in a family restaurant late Saturday afternoon. This is the 4th annual such gathering and is being organized by her uncle I believe. It's only a 600 mile drive there so that's like a walk in the park compared to my drives up to Montreal or Barrie, Ontario or Pictou County, NS when my Mom was still alive.

Still listening to Deep Tracks on 97.1 the Drive out of Chicago this morning. They just played a cool version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Todd Rundgren followed by "Sandy" by Bruce Springsteen. Ugh now it is James Taylor. Really not a fan of his. I can listen to his ex-wife Carly Simon anytime and in fact I have a greatest CD of hers in the car in music rotation these days. She is sharing time with Walter Rossi, Dream Theater, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin and George Michael. Can it get more eclectic than that? Possibly but I don't listen to rap is crap of hip hop I am not original music.

Okay that's it for now. I'm going to do some laundry, pay bills, drive the cat crazy and possibly bark at the moon.

A Short One (A Sad One)

Okay I am going to try to knock off a quick blog before I "wok'n'woll" and make the chicken fajitas that I referred to quickly in yesterday's blog.

As is usually the case I need to update the world on what I am listening to as I hunt and peck on this keyboard. On tonight's musical menu I have "Deep Tracks" playing from 97.1FM The Drive based out of Chicago. It's a cool station playing songs that you've heard before but likely have not heard in the recent past. Songs like "Wah-Wah" by George Harrison or "World Turning" by Fleetwood Mac or "Winterlude" by Bob Dylan or "The Sad Cafe" by the Eagles. Like the station's name, definitely Deep Tracks.

I got some bad news on an account that I deal with on a monthly basis. Had some order issues today because certain obligations had not been met and ended up on the phone with a young lady there and tried to straighten things out to everyone's satisfaction. That got done but before it did I found that my main contact there Sam Chu had passed almost 3 months ago.

I had been talking with Sam for the last ten years or so. The scope of our conversations never went too deep. He was 15 years older than I and as the surname implies he was of Chinese descent. We would have conversations about how business was going, how he would pay us and when and over the last couple of years about his courageous battles with cancer. He had undergone radiation therapy and was positive about his battle with cancer. He had been away from the shop but as soon as he got back he made sure touch base with me to say hey and ask me for pre-printed deposit slips. I knew that before he passed away he took a long trip back home to visit and maybe tidy up his affairs.

The one thing that I will always remember about Sam is that his word was golden. This man always stayed true to his word and was truly a gentleman and a class act and I will miss our "pigeon" English conversations. Sam Chu you were a good man!

That's a big thing about getting older. It seems that people we know, people we care about, people we like and people we love pass on. I know that it is life but nevertheless it really bites.

Anyways that's it for now. Melancholia has set in. Back later when I am a bit more upbeat.

Coffee, Dirty Towels and Whitney Houston

I'm taking a break from housework and having a good cup of coffee. Have lots of stuff to do around the house after pretty much being away for the last two weeks. I'm pretty sure that my young man's eyesight does not include seeing things that are strewn about. If you ever come over to my house and you're looking for towels, there's usually a pile in his bathroom. LOL.

I'm listening to 97.1 The Drive out of the Windy City this morning. They have a Valentine's Day theme going. Every song being played has the word "love" in its' title. I haven't heard some of these in a while. Case in point toe-tapping along to Paul Simon's "Loves Me A Like A Rock" from way back in 1973 or singing along to the original studio version from 1975 of Peter Frampton's "Baby I Love Your Way". I will have to say that Peter does a much, much better job at singing that song than I do. LOL. I know that's surprising to many.

Sad news yesterday with the passing of Whitney Houston at 48 yrs. old. A troubled soul. What an amazing voice she had! Not my kind of music usually but when she wrapped her vocal chords around songs she made them hers. Her version of the "Star Spangled Banner" at the 1991 Super Bowl was amazing. I don't think I have heard anyone else come even close to matching that performance. Her version of the Dolly Parton penned "I Will Always Love You" in my humble opinion is one of the most powerful female vocal performances ever. I guess it was her time.

Anyways that's it for now. I need to get back to housework. Time to refill my coffee mug