Another Senior Day...

Today is another senior day. This time it is at the Frontier Hall in Anderson. It is always a nice visit there. The folks there are very friendly and responsive. However, this is close to the end of the month and their resources are probably depleted so the tips will be few, I suppose. I always depend on tips to pay for the gas it takes to go there and back.

Last time was wonderful. I hooked up my computer so I could use Band in a Box for my musical background and, 'voila', I got an internet signal! I signed in to messenger and there was Tina, my little sweetheart in Portugal, on line. She stayed on line with me all through the show! It was great!

I put her on full screen and introduced her to everyone by turning the laptop PC toward the dining area! Everyone said hello to her and she said hello to them. Then I went ahead and did the rest of my program with her there watching. She was thrilled to be in America with me! And I was thrilled to be with her! It was wonderful! Maybe she will be there today again. I hope so.
I'll save this now and finish when I get back.

I'm back...Friday was another wonderful day. Tina was there again. Isn't modern technology great? It was another wonderful day, sharing my sweetheart from Portugal with my friends at the center.

Some folks dressed for Halloween. There was a small ceremony where all the costumed folks had a little parade around the room and then a vote to see who would receive a prize for the best costume. It was a lot of fun. And Tina watched all the proceedings, the parade and, also, watched while we said our pledge of allegiance to our flag and then had a moment of silence for anyone who wished to thank God for our blessings. She was very impressed with everything. Now she is an American!! At least with all of us at the center, she is.
I am so impressed with this young woman in Portugal, and I love her dearly. She literally saved my life and now she owns it. Maybe I will explain that statement someday, but for now, that is another story.

Today is a jam session day. I go to Palo Cedro to Jans' house. It is always a lot of fun there. It's a bit small, the space in the session room, but very cozy. And Jan is an exceptional hostess.
So now I take my leave. I will report back in a day or so. Until then, I'll see you later,- 'If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise!' Have a good one!

Later...

A Little Weird...

I was perusing my conglomeration of poems yesterday and came across this little gem. As I recall, my wife, Donna, (this is before she was -'Donna Lee') and I lived in a small, little bitty out of the way burg out east of Redding called Shingletown, on Bambi Drive.


We were out back smoking a j...t..-'er..oops'..., a cigarette and listening to music on the radio. A song played that was so stupid as to be almost comical and I, of course, being the very opinionated person I am, expressed an opinion about said song that, I am certain, would not have interested anyone in the world. (either the opinion or the song)

What I said was something like, 'what a stupid song. I can't understand what the heck it even means.'...-and added to Donna, 'Can you, honey?'.-honey!...- and she responded, "Can I what? I wasn't listening." (and this was when she actually was paying more attention to me than usual-usually she would have just stayed in limbo and not responded at all or nodded off at my question...she valued my opinions that much)



She mumbled something like...'-so good...uh, I was busy...' Folks, please forgive me if I don't even try to explain that one. I mumbled something like, 'Thank you, darling, for your rapt attention.' As her eyes focused on me, I saw a smile play around the edges of her mouth. Boy, all of a sudden I reveled in her attention, so I proceeded...

'I think I'll try to write a poem like that song was,-meaningless and weird.' Donna replied, 'you're not really weird, Jim, just a little strange sometimes.' I retorted, 'Honey I didn't mean me, I meant...uh..-oh, never mind.' She complied to never mind. She was so accommodating.



Well, to make a long story short, I wrote this poem. I won't name it here so you can not only read it but can put whatever title to it as suits your fancy. I'll be interested in seeing what names come up for it. (provided anyone even reads it-'duh') It goes:

Daylight mingles with the rising sun,
Day has just begun to cover up my fears,
Gray night-flashes fading one by one,
Glowing embers turning to ashes of my tears.

Hear the quiet of the yesterday
Start another way to push me to the line.
Roaring nothings laughing in my ear,
Telling me to fear what I know is mine.

Hold to now, let go of other days,
Push out all the rays of passions of the past!
Bursting pin-point heavens ever play,
Showing me the way. The breath is here at last

Let me know what you think. If this is a success, maybe I'll write one that makes sense.

Later...

Another Day...

Well, gosh...it seems like a year since I blogged. 'duh' Hey, dummy, it has been a year...But, as Chico the Wonder Dog would say, "Yeah,-and so...?" How much more profound can one get than that!!! He is so smart.


Moving on to other things; today is once again a day to entertain senior citizens. (some even more senior than me-'chuckle') Today my excursion into the realm of entertainment will take place at the Shasta Lake Senior Citizen Nutrition Center and Recreation Hall...'whew-what a mouthful'-


This is always a pleasant gig,-the folks there are very receptive and friendly. It is about 40 miles from my home so the round trip is 80 miles. With the price of gasoline as high as it is these days, it costs me about 12 bucks to go there and back. I always need to rely on the generosity of my audience to pay for the gas. They contribute to the kitty, my tip jar, to help me finance my trips to and from there. And, I am happy to say, most days yield enough money in tips to pay for that session.


I look forward to today, to see and be with the friendly folks there. The manager, a very nice and friendly lady named Rita, makes it pleasant for me with her friendliness and generosity. She, along with certain others, always 'feeds the Kitty' and makes my jaunts affordable.


And so, without further ado, I ready myself for this, what should be pleasant and rewarding, day!


And so I take my leave. I will report on any happenings worth mentioning. Thank you, dear friends, for your rapt attention. (nice word, 'rapt',-I've always wanted to use it and, 'voila,' here it has happened-this day has begun well!!)

Later...

So, Here We Are...

...at another time and another place. After I discovered Donna and I could make wonderful music together, I fell in love with her. It was quite different than it had been before. Before, I had loved her, there's no doubt, but not like this; not wanting her to be a part of everything I did and said.


I think she felt the same; she never said. But, unlike me, Donna was very quiet about her feelings and emotions. While I expressed myself at every opportunity, I had to guess much of the time to know what she was feeling. Sometimes I knew and sometimes, could just guess and hope I was right. But, being the selfish fellow I am, I didn't worry too much about it. She seemed happy most of the time and that was good enough for me.


We began practicing together, our singing and our deportment, how to appear on stage and entertain. She was always the 'straight' person when I joked. She had the perfect, 'what a load of crap,' look for my quips and I always topped her by saying to the audience, "Ain't she a cutie; am I lucky or what?" It was wonderful.

And we made many videos to put on You Tube as JC and Donna Lee
She was so shy at first but it didn't matter. Her wonderful, lilting voice was made for such as this; to be heard by the world. To hear her sing, "Green Eyes," was enough to make my heart melt in ecstasy. She never acknowledged how very wonderful and special her singing was. She always said, "Oh, Jim is the singer in this family." How very naive she was. So reluctant to accept the praise she so deserved,-from a man who was so blessed by her complete love for and devotion to him.


It was a life I always wanted,-but hadn't known before. And she appeared to be a new person, singing with such love in her heart and voice, her father and mother would have been so very proud of their wonderful daughter! I know I was.


Sometimes, at night, in bed, I would just reach over and touch her...just a little touch, just to know she was there beside me. It was paradise. I had never before known someone who was so very loved by everyone on earth...this woman I called wife. How many years had been wasted by me before this by not seeing how wonderful and outstanding, how loving this woman who married me was. I was always so busy working or just being busy. Sometimes it takes something like retirement, the opportunity to be much closer day to day, to bring out the beauty of a person...the beauty of my Donna Lee.


How many days went by when I didn't take her in my arms and tell her how very special she was to me; how happy and proud I was to have such a woman as my own,-how humble I felt for having such a woman love me. How many wasted days there had been.


I'll stop here. What happened next is a matter of record; recorded in 'A Time and A Place' blog. There is no reason to go there in this one. This is just to say how I loved a woman who was so much too good for a worthless man such as me; who put me as close to Paradise as a mortal can get.


She will be in my heart and mind forever; for my forever. There are many kinds of love: there was only one of this kind...my love for my sweet Donna Lee. Don't worry, sweetie, I'll see you soon.

Later...