I have finally begun to read again, now that I can comprehend what I'm reading. I think I'm on my third or fourth book so far. I love to read, can you tell? I love the escape and the opportunity to learn and grow from the experiences of others.
Thanks to Bev I am currently reading a book by A.J. Jacobs entitled, "The year of Living Biblically" with the subtitle of "One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible".
One incident that he reminisces about really spoke to me in reference to where I am these days. I have struggled with being content in my protracted illness. The writer (A.J.) recounts a story where he gets locked in the bathroom when the inside door knob falls off bathroom door, thus disabling his ability to exit the bathroom. Mind you, all the door knobs in his apartment are faulty. That's not what struck me, it was his realization that there was nothing he could do about it. It was in that moment, after he had thoroughly observed everything in his bathroom, that he began to pray. He recalls that in this "spiritual" journey as an Agnostic he has had difficulty praying.
He says, "and, perhaps for the first time, I pray in true peace and silence -- without glancing at the clock, without my brain hopscotching from topic to topic. This is what the Sabbath should feel like. A pause."
I realized without too much of a stretch, that his reference to the Sabbath was in some way like my protracted illness or in other words a Sabbatical of sorts. I need to treat this time as a Sabbatical rather than as a time of unrest.
Thanks for the loan of the book, Bev. It may return slightly more dog eared than when it was given, however as a compeer in the love of books and literature, I'm sure you will understand.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
House Rot
This blog has nothing to do with my house rotting, just in case you were concerned.
I chatted with a friend of mine today. She works closely with migrant Jamaican workers in the Niagara area. She told me about what they refer to as "house rot". We might call it "cabin fever" or something like that.
I really like the Jamaican expression, if something or someone sits too long then they get house rot. I think I have it. The little walkabouts with my four wheel friend(with reflectors) , trips around the countryside and infrequent visits out to see friends do little to delay or stop the rot.
Effective this Thursday, I am supposed to be able to drive again. I can't wait to get out, open the sunroof, turn on the tunes and de-rot myself. Now, if i could just get my ipod replaced by Thursday, I would be flying.
Thanks Jane, I feel better already.
I chatted with a friend of mine today. She works closely with migrant Jamaican workers in the Niagara area. She told me about what they refer to as "house rot". We might call it "cabin fever" or something like that.
I really like the Jamaican expression, if something or someone sits too long then they get house rot. I think I have it. The little walkabouts with my four wheel friend(with reflectors) , trips around the countryside and infrequent visits out to see friends do little to delay or stop the rot.
Effective this Thursday, I am supposed to be able to drive again. I can't wait to get out, open the sunroof, turn on the tunes and de-rot myself. Now, if i could just get my ipod replaced by Thursday, I would be flying.
Thanks Jane, I feel better already.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Update on Rob, Aug.11/08
Hi there, my faithful readers of the somewhat daily entries in the days of my life.
So there I was just a walking down the street (and no I wasn't singing do wa diddy diddy dum diddy do) and going to see my Dr. whom I trust explicitly with my wellness when all I could hear was whammo. That which I thought was real, was not and the unreal was/is more real than anything else you could think of. I was sitting there enjoying the understanding that there were no infection racing through my body when another whammo (just like in the old Batman shows with Adam Burt). Here I was thinking I was doing ok, then my doctor(who I love) tells me about about some elevated white blood cells and a couple other things that showed up on the hospital report.
All that to say, I still have an infection. I am now on my second regimen of anti-biotics and praying that they will work. It appears that the prednisone helped, but really only masked the problem, which isn't a whole lot of help, don't ya know. I'm now off the prednisone and co-incidentally my feelings of wellness should be returning any day now, I hope.
Thanks for being there for me, please don't go anywhere. I believe that this recovery will appear and will enlist the aid of others to get me over this proverbial hump "as time goes by" (can't you just hear Humphrey Bogart say: "you played it for her, you can play it for me"). He never did say, "play it again Sam" particularly since he was speaking to someone named Rick.
Your prayers, calls, gifts of presence, e-mails and visits have done and will continue to do wonders for my recovery.
Goodnight Mrs Calabash, wherever you are,
Rob
So there I was just a walking down the street (and no I wasn't singing do wa diddy diddy dum diddy do) and going to see my Dr. whom I trust explicitly with my wellness when all I could hear was whammo. That which I thought was real, was not and the unreal was/is more real than anything else you could think of. I was sitting there enjoying the understanding that there were no infection racing through my body when another whammo (just like in the old Batman shows with Adam Burt). Here I was thinking I was doing ok, then my doctor(who I love) tells me about about some elevated white blood cells and a couple other things that showed up on the hospital report.
All that to say, I still have an infection. I am now on my second regimen of anti-biotics and praying that they will work. It appears that the prednisone helped, but really only masked the problem, which isn't a whole lot of help, don't ya know. I'm now off the prednisone and co-incidentally my feelings of wellness should be returning any day now, I hope.
Thanks for being there for me, please don't go anywhere. I believe that this recovery will appear and will enlist the aid of others to get me over this proverbial hump "as time goes by" (can't you just hear Humphrey Bogart say: "you played it for her, you can play it for me"). He never did say, "play it again Sam" particularly since he was speaking to someone named Rick.
Your prayers, calls, gifts of presence, e-mails and visits have done and will continue to do wonders for my recovery.
Goodnight Mrs Calabash, wherever you are,
Rob
Obscure Lyric for the week of Aug.11/08
Welcome to the OML for the week of Aug.11/08. This song is for Gary D. who correctly advised me that music was still being composed after 1977. I knew that already, but I seem to get stuck in the era where I enjoyed the music so much, I'll have to find some new radio stations from where to glean my obscure songs.
This song is certainly obscure to me. I know that at least one of my children have cd's from this band, however I am unsure if I have ever heard them. I would be downright lousy at the game this week. Let's see who gets it first. I really don't know if the band is any good or whether they are crappy, I'll have to have a little listen before Josh heads back to school.
The song is something that I am not. The album was released in 2004 and apparently this song was one of the "hits". Not that I would ever know that, except through my research.
Here are the lyrics:
Why am I so cold
Why I'm so hard inside
Why am I scared
What am I afraid of
I need to know the following:
The name of the song:
The writer(s) of the song:
The name of the Band:
The name of the album:
The background for the name of the Band:
The name of the drummer on this album:
I will leave you to your own devices. I hope you have a great week, looks like we might get some more sunshine and less rain. It will be quiet around here as Josh leaves for Virginia today and Alex is away at camp all week.
I remain,
Your musical tour guide,
Rob
This song is certainly obscure to me. I know that at least one of my children have cd's from this band, however I am unsure if I have ever heard them. I would be downright lousy at the game this week. Let's see who gets it first. I really don't know if the band is any good or whether they are crappy, I'll have to have a little listen before Josh heads back to school.
The song is something that I am not. The album was released in 2004 and apparently this song was one of the "hits". Not that I would ever know that, except through my research.
Here are the lyrics:
Why am I so cold
Why I'm so hard inside
Why am I scared
What am I afraid of
I need to know the following:
The name of the song:
The writer(s) of the song:
The name of the Band:
The name of the album:
The background for the name of the Band:
The name of the drummer on this album:
I will leave you to your own devices. I hope you have a great week, looks like we might get some more sunshine and less rain. It will be quiet around here as Josh leaves for Virginia today and Alex is away at camp all week.
I remain,
Your musical tour guide,
Rob
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The Power of Music
Ever since I was a child, which was a long time ago, music has had a powerful influence in my life. As a youngster I listened to classical music and the operatic stars of those days with my Dad. He was not a musician, but apparently he had a nice voice. It was a time of enjoyment and education. He inculcated in me the love and power of music. His teaching from all those years ago continues every time I hear a song or have the privilege to sing with the worship team at our church or especially when I have the opportunity to perform a solo. It is in those times that I feel the closest to God.
Music is an individual pursuit and an almost personal time for reflection, retreat and dream. Music is also a corporate undertaking. I remember when our family would gather at my Grannies house (interestingly it was always referred to as Grannies even though Grandad was still alive) for a session of singing old show tunes, ballads and rebel songs. Everyone was there, all my aunts, uncles, other relatives, friends and my innumerable cousins. Each one of us had a "party piece". A "party piece" is something that was prepared and sung at the family gatherings. Most of the songs were from the 20's and on and there would be recitations as well. My Dad would tell the story about Fontenoy and my Mom, with a small glass of sherry in her hand, would sing her song. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the title.
Mostly though, the songs were rebel songs. These were songs about how bad the British were and how good the local boys were in fighting for Ireland's freedom from the British, particularly at the Easter Rising in 1916. I inherited my Grandads party piece and I am still called upon at family gatherings (whenever they occur) to perform that song: The West's Awake by Thomas Davis. I was amazed to find that there are recordings on youtube if you would like to hear it, or you could purchase my CD as I recorded the song there also.
In the here and now, music brings both bitter and sweet memories, but more than that music has the ability to stir the heart to do great things. I find that depending on the music I am listening to I am either nudged towards a manic state of joy or the abject sadness that might if left alone to it's own devices lead towards depression. Music demands a response, no mater what it is, you must respond. It is in these memories that I think of the power of the music. Different songs or pieces of music stir my memory so that I recall events and people. Music also brings some accountability as memories trickle and flood I am reminded of that someone who I need to contact.
The problem with music today is this: most of us do not make the time to stop and listen anymore. It's just noise that fills the air, often referred to as "background music". Do we express the respect for the writers and musicians by listening to the music and dissecting the sounds to hear all of it? I have the great privilege to drive significant amounts of kilometers for my job. Besides listening to some teaching on my satellite radio, I spend much of the time listening to my ipod (through the car not via earphones, that would be unsafe). Often, the visual stimulus of seeing sunrises, whiffs of early morning fog, lonely hot air balloons, fields of grain swaying in the early morning breeze combined with the music in my car exhilarates me and prods me towards a feeling of euphoria at the opportunities that lay ahead of me that particular day.
It reminds me that the outside forces, both positive and negative, have an affect on my mood and can be a harbinger of what lies ahead in my day. Every day that I travel to work, I take the first few minutes after leaving the driveway and play music that is spiritually uplifting and this works to take the focus away from me and shifts my focus to Him who created all of this.
Wow, the power of music has taken me on a bit of a journey this morning. This is what I love about blogging, I really like starting somewhere and letting the keys take me where my thoughts (however loosely connected) want to go. I love music, it plays a huge part in my life. My ipod is broken right now, so I have some difficuly listening in private. I like the freedom of getting lost in between the earphones so I can let the daily stuff wash away and I can once again drift away (thank you Dobie Gray). I miss the solitude. It's not that I want to be away from anyone, I just want to be alone with my music and enjoy the power and majesty of the created and the Creator.
Let me know if you have similar or contradictory thoughts.
Rob
Music is an individual pursuit and an almost personal time for reflection, retreat and dream. Music is also a corporate undertaking. I remember when our family would gather at my Grannies house (interestingly it was always referred to as Grannies even though Grandad was still alive) for a session of singing old show tunes, ballads and rebel songs. Everyone was there, all my aunts, uncles, other relatives, friends and my innumerable cousins. Each one of us had a "party piece". A "party piece" is something that was prepared and sung at the family gatherings. Most of the songs were from the 20's and on and there would be recitations as well. My Dad would tell the story about Fontenoy and my Mom, with a small glass of sherry in her hand, would sing her song. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the title.
Mostly though, the songs were rebel songs. These were songs about how bad the British were and how good the local boys were in fighting for Ireland's freedom from the British, particularly at the Easter Rising in 1916. I inherited my Grandads party piece and I am still called upon at family gatherings (whenever they occur) to perform that song: The West's Awake by Thomas Davis. I was amazed to find that there are recordings on youtube if you would like to hear it, or you could purchase my CD as I recorded the song there also.
In the here and now, music brings both bitter and sweet memories, but more than that music has the ability to stir the heart to do great things. I find that depending on the music I am listening to I am either nudged towards a manic state of joy or the abject sadness that might if left alone to it's own devices lead towards depression. Music demands a response, no mater what it is, you must respond. It is in these memories that I think of the power of the music. Different songs or pieces of music stir my memory so that I recall events and people. Music also brings some accountability as memories trickle and flood I am reminded of that someone who I need to contact.
The problem with music today is this: most of us do not make the time to stop and listen anymore. It's just noise that fills the air, often referred to as "background music". Do we express the respect for the writers and musicians by listening to the music and dissecting the sounds to hear all of it? I have the great privilege to drive significant amounts of kilometers for my job. Besides listening to some teaching on my satellite radio, I spend much of the time listening to my ipod (through the car not via earphones, that would be unsafe). Often, the visual stimulus of seeing sunrises, whiffs of early morning fog, lonely hot air balloons, fields of grain swaying in the early morning breeze combined with the music in my car exhilarates me and prods me towards a feeling of euphoria at the opportunities that lay ahead of me that particular day.
It reminds me that the outside forces, both positive and negative, have an affect on my mood and can be a harbinger of what lies ahead in my day. Every day that I travel to work, I take the first few minutes after leaving the driveway and play music that is spiritually uplifting and this works to take the focus away from me and shifts my focus to Him who created all of this.
Wow, the power of music has taken me on a bit of a journey this morning. This is what I love about blogging, I really like starting somewhere and letting the keys take me where my thoughts (however loosely connected) want to go. I love music, it plays a huge part in my life. My ipod is broken right now, so I have some difficuly listening in private. I like the freedom of getting lost in between the earphones so I can let the daily stuff wash away and I can once again drift away (thank you Dobie Gray). I miss the solitude. It's not that I want to be away from anyone, I just want to be alone with my music and enjoy the power and majesty of the created and the Creator.
Let me know if you have similar or contradictory thoughts.
Rob
Friday, August 8, 2008
The big reveal for the week of Aug.4/08
Good morning and welcome to Friday. It's cool out there this morning, so make sure you wear some warm woolies today(I can hear the chorus already: ("yes dad"). I received very few guesses on this weeks song. I hope that all of you are able to access the blog.
This song was a favourite of ours back in the 70's. I love the artist, he has written amazing stories into his music. I remember being at a coffee in my high school (Lakeport High School) in either 1971 or 1972 and hearing a blind piano player play one of this artists most famous songs and I was hooked. It was just him and his piano and he was in a different world. It's funny how memories return like that.
Those were simpler time, of course with the exception of asking a teenage girl to dance or go on a date. Now that was stress. Me, I'm glad I'm here and not having to go through those times again.
Here are today's answers:
The Singer: Billy Joel.
The song: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.
The album: The Stranger.
The co-producer: Phil Ramone.
The winner this week at 9:04 p.m. on Aug.4 was R. Soleil a man formerly known as Bob and continually loved by all, we miss you pal.
Did you realize that today is 08-08-08? There has got to something cool about today. I challenge each of you to find something special about today and share it with someone you love.
Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy your family, friends and loved ones. As the song says, enjoy a "bottle of white, a bottle of red" if that is your bent. Take some time to cook some wonderful food and enjoy the "gift of presence" that many of you have blessed me with.
I remain,
your musical tour guide,
Rob
"Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life"
p.s.
check out the Lion King version on the youtube bar below.
This song was a favourite of ours back in the 70's. I love the artist, he has written amazing stories into his music. I remember being at a coffee in my high school (Lakeport High School) in either 1971 or 1972 and hearing a blind piano player play one of this artists most famous songs and I was hooked. It was just him and his piano and he was in a different world. It's funny how memories return like that.
Those were simpler time, of course with the exception of asking a teenage girl to dance or go on a date. Now that was stress. Me, I'm glad I'm here and not having to go through those times again.
Here are today's answers:
The Singer: Billy Joel.
The song: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.
The album: The Stranger.
The co-producer: Phil Ramone.
The winner this week at 9:04 p.m. on Aug.4 was R. Soleil a man formerly known as Bob and continually loved by all, we miss you pal.
Did you realize that today is 08-08-08? There has got to something cool about today. I challenge each of you to find something special about today and share it with someone you love.
Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy your family, friends and loved ones. As the song says, enjoy a "bottle of white, a bottle of red" if that is your bent. Take some time to cook some wonderful food and enjoy the "gift of presence" that many of you have blessed me with.
I remain,
your musical tour guide,
Rob
"Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life"
p.s.
check out the Lion King version on the youtube bar below.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Update on Rob's recovery
Good morning and welcome to my blog. For those who are new to this, I have wanted to blog for some time and finally figured out how to do it. So here it is. From now on, all updates will be on the blog, feel free to visit and see what's on my mind as well as for updates on this journey called recovery from back surgery. The Obscure Musical Trivia group has seen the blog already.
I am doing quite well. My lungs appear to have cleared up thanks to the prednisone and other things. I do not have a blood clot, although the initial treatment was somewhat brutal (I still have the huge bruise to prove it). I am extremely thankful that I do not have to get any more heparin needles. I see my surgeon in just over a week and look forward to his assessment of my progress to date.
The basement is completely restored following the flood. At this point you would be hard pressed to know that there actually was a flood down there. One of you has offered to come and steam clean the carpets when everything is returned to its' rightful place. I look forward to another visit. Thank so much.
I have struggled emotionally with all the events from the previous two weeks. It has been tough to sit and watch other people come and do all the things that you did in such a short amount of time. It was hard on me not being able to help. Now, those of you who know me very well, will know that I might have been in the way anyway, but I digress. I have learned valuable lessons from each of you. I have also learned that I can trust the Lord and my friends to be there when I need them most. Thank you to those who have shared the "gift of presence" and have just sat and spent time with us over the past 4 weeks or so.
I have been walking outside almost daily and have been able to get to the end of the street(the long way) and back. I am hoping to extend that and will eventually be walking around the block. When I see the Dr. in about two weeks I plan on asking for permission to start riding a bicycle (as opposed to walking). If allowed, I hope to purchase a new bike (like the one I got for Jo-Anne's birthday) and start taking back control of my health. I hope to make riding part of my recovery program and use it to "restore the years of the locust". That's a reference to the book of Joel, chapter 2, verse 25 if you are interested. There are lots of flat riding paths around here, so if permitted, I will be riding the trails as soon as possible...............happy trails to you........!
I have come to a crossroads, I am in the second half of the game and want the second half to be of better health than the first half. It is my intention to make choices that will prolong my life and make it more enjoyable. What all those choices are I do not know at this time. There are things that I have no control over, however, I can choose many things including my attitude, as Viktor Frankl said:
"everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of human freedoms, the freedom to choose one's attitude in the midst of one's circumstances"
So there you have it, I am well and looking forward to being even better physically, emotionally and spiritually. Thank you to those who have visited, helped, called, e-mailed, lent libraries of books and most importantly prayed. Were it not for your prayers, I'm quite sure that my recovery would be no where close to where I am today.
I miss seeing my work colleagues and I miss the work too. However (it's not but), I will do exactly what I am told by the Dr. to ensure that when I do return I will be in the best physical health possible and ready to serve the people that I do.
I am always open for e-mails, call, visits and large Double Doubles from Timmies.
Rob
I am doing quite well. My lungs appear to have cleared up thanks to the prednisone and other things. I do not have a blood clot, although the initial treatment was somewhat brutal (I still have the huge bruise to prove it). I am extremely thankful that I do not have to get any more heparin needles. I see my surgeon in just over a week and look forward to his assessment of my progress to date.
The basement is completely restored following the flood. At this point you would be hard pressed to know that there actually was a flood down there. One of you has offered to come and steam clean the carpets when everything is returned to its' rightful place. I look forward to another visit. Thank so much.
I have struggled emotionally with all the events from the previous two weeks. It has been tough to sit and watch other people come and do all the things that you did in such a short amount of time. It was hard on me not being able to help. Now, those of you who know me very well, will know that I might have been in the way anyway, but I digress. I have learned valuable lessons from each of you. I have also learned that I can trust the Lord and my friends to be there when I need them most. Thank you to those who have shared the "gift of presence" and have just sat and spent time with us over the past 4 weeks or so.
I have been walking outside almost daily and have been able to get to the end of the street(the long way) and back. I am hoping to extend that and will eventually be walking around the block. When I see the Dr. in about two weeks I plan on asking for permission to start riding a bicycle (as opposed to walking). If allowed, I hope to purchase a new bike (like the one I got for Jo-Anne's birthday) and start taking back control of my health. I hope to make riding part of my recovery program and use it to "restore the years of the locust". That's a reference to the book of Joel, chapter 2, verse 25 if you are interested. There are lots of flat riding paths around here, so if permitted, I will be riding the trails as soon as possible...............happy trails to you........!
I have come to a crossroads, I am in the second half of the game and want the second half to be of better health than the first half. It is my intention to make choices that will prolong my life and make it more enjoyable. What all those choices are I do not know at this time. There are things that I have no control over, however, I can choose many things including my attitude, as Viktor Frankl said:
"everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of human freedoms, the freedom to choose one's attitude in the midst of one's circumstances"
So there you have it, I am well and looking forward to being even better physically, emotionally and spiritually. Thank you to those who have visited, helped, called, e-mailed, lent libraries of books and most importantly prayed. Were it not for your prayers, I'm quite sure that my recovery would be no where close to where I am today.
I miss seeing my work colleagues and I miss the work too. However (it's not but), I will do exactly what I am told by the Dr. to ensure that when I do return I will be in the best physical health possible and ready to serve the people that I do.
I am always open for e-mails, call, visits and large Double Doubles from Timmies.
Rob
Monday, August 4, 2008
Obscure Music Lyric for the week of Aug.4/08
Hello out there music fans, today we celebrate Simcoe day. This has absolutely nothing to do with this weeks lyric. I just thought I would bring it up. It's the end of a long weekend, but for me it doesn't feel like it. I've been off for four weeks so the entire time feels like a long weekend, without the endless traffic, packing, unpacking and assorted stuff that occurs on a long weekend.
I would, however, like to have a Weber's burger again. Does anyone else remember running across the highway to get to Weber's on the way home from the cottage before the bridge was installed?
Alright, on to this weeks lyric. I have used this writer before, however it was a very different and older song. This song was released in 1977 and was not one of the hits from the album. The song was never released as a single and was a medley of sorts.
Here are some of the lyrics:
And the family is fine
Oh we lost touch long ago
You lost weight -
I did not know you could ever look so nice after so much time.
So there you go, let me know what you think about these fine lyrics. I gave a hint to Dan and said that they were for him. He'll have to think carefully about the visit to figure this one out. Miracle Max has nothing to do with it either.
I hope you all have an awesome week, I'm looking forward to a week and a half from now when I am allowed to drive again. Most of you know that I'm not one to wish my time away, I don't hate Mondays(not a hint) and I never wish it was Friday, however I really miss my freedom. Maybe I can meet some of you at Casa Rugantino some time for lunch.
I need to know the following:
The name of the writer.
The name of the song.
The name of the original album.
The famous producer of the album.
Take care, I'm here all week try the veal,
Rob.
I would, however, like to have a Weber's burger again. Does anyone else remember running across the highway to get to Weber's on the way home from the cottage before the bridge was installed?
Alright, on to this weeks lyric. I have used this writer before, however it was a very different and older song. This song was released in 1977 and was not one of the hits from the album. The song was never released as a single and was a medley of sorts.
Here are some of the lyrics:
And the family is fine
Oh we lost touch long ago
You lost weight -
I did not know you could ever look so nice after so much time.
So there you go, let me know what you think about these fine lyrics. I gave a hint to Dan and said that they were for him. He'll have to think carefully about the visit to figure this one out. Miracle Max has nothing to do with it either.
I hope you all have an awesome week, I'm looking forward to a week and a half from now when I am allowed to drive again. Most of you know that I'm not one to wish my time away, I don't hate Mondays(not a hint) and I never wish it was Friday, however I really miss my freedom. Maybe I can meet some of you at Casa Rugantino some time for lunch.
I need to know the following:
The name of the writer.
The name of the song.
The name of the original album.
The famous producer of the album.
Take care, I'm here all week try the veal,
Rob.
Friday, August 1, 2008
After the Flood
What appeared to be a tornado of destruction, turned into an awesome demonstration of love and care for our family. Just over a week ago, a severe storm hit Elmira, a few days later we discovered that we had been the recipients of a flood. Numerous calls to our insurance agency resulted in the anticipated disappointing reply, "we can't help you".
It was time for another type of flood, the flood of despair. I have to admit that I was in the "pit of despair" as I could see no exit. All that was needed to make this worse would have been screaming eels or ROUS's. The light at the end of the tunnel was a train barreling at me. I cried out to the Lord and he sent me two angels with shop vacs to suck up the flood of rain water and the added tears from me. They were quickly followed by a flood of volunteers who did everything from removing damaged underpad, pulling up carpet, disposed of damaged drywall, took off and then cleaned panelling and then restored everything to what likely is better than before the flood.
Now it's time for another flood, this one of thankfulness, grace and appreciation. Thank you to Rick, Sharon, Kevin, Maki, Stan, Jay, Barrett, Ken, Steve, Walt, Craig, Gerry and of course to Jo-Anne who looked beyond my fears and took over the responsibility of making sure all this happened in just over a week.
I am indebted to each of you for your service to me. You treated me with love, care and respect in the midst of a difficult flood and then pulled me out to see all I have to do is ask.
It was time for another type of flood, the flood of despair. I have to admit that I was in the "pit of despair" as I could see no exit. All that was needed to make this worse would have been screaming eels or ROUS's. The light at the end of the tunnel was a train barreling at me. I cried out to the Lord and he sent me two angels with shop vacs to suck up the flood of rain water and the added tears from me. They were quickly followed by a flood of volunteers who did everything from removing damaged underpad, pulling up carpet, disposed of damaged drywall, took off and then cleaned panelling and then restored everything to what likely is better than before the flood.
Now it's time for another flood, this one of thankfulness, grace and appreciation. Thank you to Rick, Sharon, Kevin, Maki, Stan, Jay, Barrett, Ken, Steve, Walt, Craig, Gerry and of course to Jo-Anne who looked beyond my fears and took over the responsibility of making sure all this happened in just over a week.
I am indebted to each of you for your service to me. You treated me with love, care and respect in the midst of a difficult flood and then pulled me out to see all I have to do is ask.
The big reveal for the week of July 27, 2008
Welcome to the first "big reveal" on my new blog. I have wanted to do this for some time and now here it is. Feel free to check back whenever you wish, I will add more thoughts when I am able to sit long enough to write them.
Thanks to all who replied this week and we have a first time winner here at the "Obscure Musical Trivia" heretofore referred to as OMT. Congratulations to D. Marshall who submitted the correct answers at 9:55 a.m. July 28, 2008.
The answers are:
The writers: Jackson Browne and Brian Garofalo.
The song: The Load-Out (Stay is actually a different song).
The album: Running on Empty.
Who it's (the song) about: His roadies
Have a listen(at the bottom of the page) and enjoy. It really brought back some wonderful memories for me from the late seventies.
Have an awesome long weekend, it looks like the weather will be amazing. If you are travelling, take care, if you are just hanging out enjoy your family, friends and some wonderful music.
And remember:
"You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear"
Your musical tour guide,
Rob
Thanks to all who replied this week and we have a first time winner here at the "Obscure Musical Trivia" heretofore referred to as OMT. Congratulations to D. Marshall who submitted the correct answers at 9:55 a.m. July 28, 2008.
The answers are:
The writers: Jackson Browne and Brian Garofalo.
The song: The Load-Out (Stay is actually a different song).
The album: Running on Empty.
Who it's (the song) about: His roadies
Have a listen(at the bottom of the page) and enjoy. It really brought back some wonderful memories for me from the late seventies.
Have an awesome long weekend, it looks like the weather will be amazing. If you are travelling, take care, if you are just hanging out enjoy your family, friends and some wonderful music.
And remember:
"You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear"
Your musical tour guide,
Rob
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