Day: 11/09/2018

THEY’RE NOT YOUR FATHER’S GOP – THE SHINBONE STAR – REBLOG

/ Marilyn Armstrong / 19 Comments

Remarkably, I miss our honorable opponents. I didn’t agree with them, but they were Americans and the believed in this country. I don’t think these sleazeballs believe in anything except their bank accounts.

THE SHINBONE STAR

The Andy Thomas print “The Republican Club” hangs in Trump’s White House office.

After the results of Tuesday’s elections were pretty much tied up tight, I couldn’t sleep. In part, I was wondering how to get the Republican Party’s picture affixed to the side of milk carton.

They haven’t been seen in a while, and while I’m pretty sure that they’re dead, we cannot be certain until we’ve seen the body.

If you’re old enough, then you can remember when the Grand Old Party was the party of patriotism. Republicans preached that Democrats had a plan to hand over the United States to the Soviets. It was an accusation that was flogged by right-wing evangelical preachers, and well, we all know that preachers wouldn’t lie about that.

The Dems never gave us up, and the Soviets eventually fell apart, but the Republican dream never died.

Years later, the GOP would…

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BREAKING UP

/ Rich Paschall / 18 Comments
It’s Hard To Do, Rich Paschall

Do do do
Down dooby doo down down
Comma, comma, down dooby doo down down
Comma, comma, down dooby doo down down
Breaking up is hard to do

You tell me that you’re leavin’
I can’t believe it’s true
Girl there’s just no livin’ without you

Neil Sedaka scored twice with a song about breaking up, using different opening lyrics each time out. The first song was released in June of 1962 while the “Doo Wop” era of music was still alive. The background vocals are by a little known female group, The Cookies.  The song was co-written by Sedaka and Howard Greenfield.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do is Sedaka’s biggest hit among his many hit songs.  It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and was, in fact, a hit all over the world. The text was translated to many languages and Sedaka recorded an Italian version.

Neil Sedaka

Lenny Welch, known best for his 1963 hit “Since I Fell For You,” originally released the slower version which reach number 34 on the charts in 1970.  Sedaka scored big with his 1975 slow version which hit the top 10 in February 1976.  It was reported to be only the second time an artist hit the Top Ten with two versions of the same song.

THE CALM BETWEEN THE STORMS: CALM #WRITEPHOTO – Marilyn Armstrong

/ Marilyn Armstrong / 18 Comments

BY THE RIVER: Calm #writephoto

Walking by the river on a day in the fall, the river was flat. Like a winding mirror through the hills and valleys, it reflected back the colors of the trees along its path. “Hard to believe,” thought Maggie, “That we have had storm after storm and this is the first quiet day in weeks.”

You could tell there’d been recent storms if you looked. Many parts of the river were blocked by tree limbs. Maggie hoped someone would come and clear the waterway. Eventually, all the fallen limbs and leaves would choke the river and no one would be able to use it, though the ducks seemed happy enough.

She amended the thought. People couldn’t use it, but the fish, turtles, herons, ducks, swans, and geese were content. If it was wet and they could find a bit of something to eat, life was good.

Given the weather, no one was going kayaking anyway. It was one storm after another. And once in a while, a perfect peaceful sunny day.

This was such a day. She couldn’t remember the last one, but she put all her worries in a dark closet in the back of her brain. Today was beautiful and tomorrow would have to take care of itself.

Thus, as she walked, she had no thought in her head but to enjoy these golden hours as long as they lasted.

MORE OF THE LAST AUTUMN TREE – Marilyn Armstrong

/ Marilyn Armstrong / 32 Comments

The Last Autumn Tree – FOTD – November 9, 2018

We had a second sunny day in a row. Unbelievable! But not to worry. It will rain tomorrow. Probably not until the evening. The rivers are full and they are expecting rivers to flood.

I am trying not to think about it, hoping the sump and the pump are up to the task. And our French drains are not clogged with leaves and the gutters are still viable. And the roof doesn’t leak.

The tree in all her glory

It has been raining  … major storms … several times each week and the rivers are cresting. And guess who lives in a river valley?

Amazing colors!

I went out and took more pictures of The Tree. Because after tomorrow’s storm, it won’t have any leaves left. Count on it.

I have save more pictures because I’m going to need them.