Christmas Day - Long, Long Ago

Another fun home movie.  This is Christmas Day with my mothers side of the family.  They lived close to us and we used to switch houses every year - for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This is at their house.

I love the chinese finger trap!!  And my fathers' patented filming of Auntie's backside - from head to toe!!

A Family Christmas

My father recently had all his home moves transferred to DVD and made a copy of them for each of us kids.  I've been having fun with them.  

This is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day with the Thorell side of the family - 1962 maybe?

The gift that I am opening (yes, that ultra-cute little blond girl is me!) is a doll.  Nana made the clothes that she is wearing.  I still have her - and all those clothes.

And Barbie, in case I never said it - Thanks for helping me open it!!

Cybervandalism

There are a couple of things that are really stuck in my craw over this whole North Korea / Sony thing. First is that Sony pulled the film. Why? - because North Korea threatened to release information they obtained from Sonys electronic records - they've already released some pretty juicy stuff. (And by the way, that's a really good reminder - if you wouldn't say it to someone's face - don't put it in writing). Isn't that equal to negotiating with terrorists? They may not be terrorists in the historic sense of the word, but, this really has all the hallmarks of terrorism.
So now they have all of his information, and - news flash - because they've been successful in getting Sony to cater to their demands once, they're going to do it again. Once they are successful, they'll be back. And every time they make another, tougher, demand. Sony will feel that it's obligated to follow their demands because they don't want the information released. North Korea doesn't. Care about the movie, they care about power and people obeying their demands. This is not going to end soon - or end well.
The other thing that bothers me is that now Sony, and the theaters, and the White House are publicly fighting. There's quite an interesting version of he-said-she-said going on. North Korea is undoubtedly sitting back and laughing at how successful they have been - probably even better than they had hoped,

Sony needs to just tell them to go stick it in their ear, deal with the fallout once and for all, and move on. It's ridiculous and dangerous to allow them to have this much power. We all know that nothing online is private safe -- if you think it is, your kidding yourself.

As i was writing this I got a Twitter notification that Northa Korea is blaming the White a house for making The Interview. Seems to me to be further proof that they don't really care about the movie - they just want to stir things up.

Posted with Blogsy

Throw Back Thursday

Happy Halloween!!

Cute kids arena't they?  Except the scary ones - those are really, really scary!!

What year was it?  Maybe 93 or 94.

Picking Pumpkins

I keep seeing pictures of everyone and their kids at the pumpkin patch, and I thought I'd join in.  Of course, my kids are grown so the pictures are older - but still fun.

We always said they could get any pumpkin they wanted - as long as they could carry it!  Andy was definitely up for the challenge.

Laura started with a valiant effort, and then settled for something smaller 

Kate was definitely more realistic!

Happy pumpkin picking everyone!!

Dinner and a Show

Once we finalized our plans to go to the gulf coast, we started searching online to see what was gong to be happening while we were there.  We found out that there was a singer/songwriter festival. Singer/songwriter performances are always a favorite of mine.    

When you get a group of two or three songwriters together a couple of things happen.  First, they bring out the best in each other - they have a great respect for each others' talent while at the same time, they don't want to be the worst performer on the stage.  Second, they feed off each others' creativity and don't hesitate to jump in and jam with the person performing, which results in some awesome collaborations! 

So we heard about the 6th Annual Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival and thought, since we would be close by, we'd go over and check it out.  Friday night we decided to find a spot to have dinner and listen to the songwriters.  We ended up at little italian place called Lillo's Tuscan Grille.  What a great choice!  We didn't think so at first as we waited quite a while for a table, and it seemed like we were being ignored, so we almost walked out at one point - boy I'm sure glad we didn't.  We finally got seated and when I looked around I realized the restaurant only seated about 60 people - which explains the wait.   We ordered salads, pizza and beer.  All of which were really good!  It wasn't too long before we saw the first singer.

  Aubrey Wollett is from Nashville and sings country songs.  She has a good voice but she sounds just like all the other cookie-cutter-little-blond country singers in Nashville.  She needs a gimic if she wants to be recognized

Next up were Thom Bresh and Ed Beaver.  Thom is  showman - very outgoing and  loves the audience!  He is the son of Merle Travis - who sang Sixteen Tons (and what do you get - another day older and deeper in debt).  He's a great finger picker and has some fun tunes.  Ed Beaver is a self-proclaimed anti-establishment songwriter.  He also has some great songs.  We were fortunate meet Ed after the show.  He lives in Nashville and, thanks to his Facebook page - we'll be able to see him play locally.

Alan Rhody, Jim Pasquale and Louis 'Cowboy' Johnson were up next.  The schedule showed them performing separately, but they did what is referred to as a 'round', which is where they each take turns performing one of their songs.  These three guys played for a very long time.  They were fabulous.  Alan Rhody sang a song called Charlene and the Quarterback - YouTube it if you get a chance.  

Jim Pasquale is the mastermind behind this music festival, a talented songwriter and a great storyteller.  So fun to watch. 

  

And in the tradition of saving the best for last - Louis 'Cowboy' Johnson.  His voice has been described as 'tobacco honey' which is quite accurate.  There was complete silence in the restaurant when he sang.  He sang lots of songs from his latest album -  definitely a storytelling songwriter.

  

And Steve Lillo, owner of Lillo's Tuscan Grille.  He came out to join the guys for a song or two.

Such a fun time - we might have to go back again.....

Sunrise, Sunset

A couple of photos from our trip to the Gulf Coast last week.  

Sunrise on the beach and sunset over the river.

Nothing manmade comes close to being this beautiful.

House In A Box

Shortly after we moved to Nashville we saw a newspaper article about a local Habitat for Humanity chapter that was holding a 'House In a Box" build day.  The house in a box is a unique way to build a Habitat for Humanity house.  You build the walls to the blueprint specs but you don't attach them together.  They are shipped, laying flat, to their final destination and are assembled there.  They use this process for a number of different reasons.  Sometimes there might be a large group that wants to participate in a build, but there are no local builds that can accommodate that number of participants.  Sometimes houses are needed in parts of the country where volunteers are lacking.  Or sometimes there is a need for a large quantity of homes, and it's faster to build the structures elsewhere and assemble them on-site.  

 The houses that we helped build were to be shipped to New Orleans to help rebuild the city after Hurricane Katrina.  We knew that's where they were going, and while we were in New Orleans we decided to go find them. 

Harry Connick Jr. and Bransford Marsalis, both musicians and New Orleans natives wanted to help people who lived in poverty before the hurricane, and  had been displaced.  They also wanted to provide a place for teaching, sharing and preserving the music, culture and history of New Orleans.  They chose to build a community called Musicians Village 

Musicians Village is comprised of 72 single family homes and five elder-friendly duplexes, a playground, and the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music.  The houses have been painted bright colors in an attempt to brighten the neighborhood and bring joy to those who see them.  The village looks great.  Most of the houses are well-kept, a couple are even for sale.  

It is a great community.  There is definitely a pride in ownership happening there, and that is a wonderful thing.  You can read more about Musicians Village here.

The community includes a playground, which  sits diagonally across from the music center.  We were there on Sunday morning and both were empty, but they appear to be well-used.

I'm so glad we took the time to seek out this neighborhood.  We are so pleased to have helped build such a great place for so many people.

It's That Time Again!!

Time to hear Rene Rancourt sing the National Anthem.  I can't wait!!

We went to the NHL Rookie Tournament last weekend.  The Nashville Predators have a brand new training facility so they hosted a few other teams for the rookie tournament.  We went to the Bruins game on Sunday afternoon.  Yes we wore our jerseys.  You've got to show your team spirit, right?  Even if it is a mid-summer rookie game!

I took a video of the players when they were coming out of the locker room at the beginning of the third period.  I know even as I write this that some of these guys have been cut, but some are still there.  If you're as anxious as I am for the spoked B, take a look.

That last guy - the goalie Malcolm Subban.  He's the brother of the dastardly P.K. Subban.  Stay tuned kids, it could be an interesting year!

Are You Ready for Some Football?

It's football time.  Good old american football - pigskin, goalposts, chicken wings and cold beer.  Next to hockey, football used to be my favorite sport to watch.  But this year I'm not so enamored with it.  One some level, I feel like watching football condones the violence some of the players engage in.

I've been reading a lot about the subject -- it's hard not read about it, the media is on a full court press.  We have been fully informed about numerous players who have been arrested for assault, domestic violence,  child abuse.  Some, but not all, of these arrests led to charges being filed.  Some led to fines and/or suspensions.  All of these fall under the NFL 'personal conduct policy'.  The policy was created in 2007 by Roger Goodell.  It was his attempt to hold the players to a higher standard.  The policy itself won't stop violence, you have to back it up with action - appropriate action.  A punishment doesn't work if it doesn't hurt.  

It is a fact that Ray Rice knocked out his fiancé in an elevator and then dragged her out of it, unconscious, when the doors opened.  She has since married him.  What?!?!?!  I know she angered him, spit in his face, called him names -- then he punched her.  What in the world was she thinking marrying him after that?  What kind of a world do we live in when women think behavior like that is okay.  Of course I assume she's in the relationship for the money - and she can't get his money if she doesn't marry him.  Where is her self-respect?  It is sad to think that we live in a world where people have a larger desire for money than for respect.  What has her life been like to this point if she is allowing him to abuse her, and making excuses for him in public.

And Roger Goodell lied to us.  Outright lied about having not seen the footage of that attack.  It was not until the public saw it, and realized that he had seen it at the beginning and knew all along how serious this was, that he punished Ray Rice.  So first he chose inaction over action, and then he lied about it.  Of course Janae Rice thought it was okay for him to hit her - why would she think otherwise? 

Roger Goodell must go.  I think I agree with that.  But is it just Roger Goodell?  Maybe football itself needs to go.  We expect these men to turn on the violence on the football field, and then turn it off when they leave the field.  We see them as role models who are idolized by many.  They are paid large amounts of money for doing an extremely physical job.  We expect them to hurt people.  But only under certain circumstances.

I'm not excusing their behavior by any means.  But in addition to being violent, they are suffering head injuries.  The evidence that concussions have long-term effects is overwhelming.  We send these men out there every week to entertain us and they are suffering long-lasting brain injuries.  The effect of that on not only them but on their loved ones cannot be overlooked and I wonder if we should rethink football.   

Are you ready for some football?  Because I'm not so sure I am.

Spring Castle

Linking up with Chrisy at Living a Good North Coast Life for Reconnecting with Nature.

On Monday we took a ride to one of the Tenneessee state parks - Rock Island State Park -  to check out the waterfalls and explore the trails.  Truthfully, we had a three day weekend and it rained for the first two days, so I had a little bit of cabin fever and went in search of something to do outside.  You can see that post here.  

One of the things that I found beautiful on that trip were these stairs.

I know they're manmade.  But they were built with materials that come from the earth, so they are rustic and appropriate and nature is claiming them back.  I love the way the moss has grown on them and the ivy climbs up the sides.  When I went to climb the stairs, I found them to be extremely uneven, but all of the stones were well-grounded.  

The stairs lead up to a spring house which was built in the 1890's.  The spring house is more of a spring castle, made of stone, and totally at home at the edge of the woods.  I think it's adorable.  You can't really see in this picture, but the stairs are to the right of the castle.

Back in the day, a spring house was built over a water source and used for refrigeration.  The constantly running, cool water would keep the house at a steady temperature, thus keeping food fresh.  In this case, the spring house was used for the workers at the cotton mill across the street.

A beautiful, peaceful place.  With a building built by man, but with a deep respect for the natural environment.

The Calming Nature of Rushing Water

Jim and I went and explored one of Tennessee's State Parks - Rock Island State Park.  We've been talking about how we should be getting out and exploring the state parks.  Tennessee does such a great job of maintaining and staffing them.  Quite a few have camp sites and/or cabins for rent, but for now we're just looking for a fun way to spend the day.  So on Monday we decided to check out Rock Island State Park, it's about a 1-1/2 hour drive from us.  We entered through the main entrance and found the Visitors Center, but of course drove by so we could explore a little bit.  We found the campgrounds and the cabins, but felt like we were missing the hiking trails.  So (you know when all else fails - ask for directions) we went back to the Visitors Center and found the map and took a few brochures.  You have to actually exit the main entrance to get to the gorge, falls and walking trails we were looking for.

A short way away we found the gorge.  There were numerous small falls and a couple of good sized falls.

Next to th was an old, abandoned cotton mill building.  Great Falls Cotton Mill.  According to the park ranger, down in the water is the turbine that ran the mill.  It ended up under water during the flood of 1902 and is too heavy to lift out of it.  I, of course, asked if we could go into the mill building.  He said no, the floor is unsafe and they don't allow anyone in there.  He encouraged us to go take a walk by it, and to be sure to go across the street from the mill and see the fresh water spring  and the spring house, or spring castle.


He also told us how to get to the trails by the falls, and said if we had to choose one, the Downstream Trail was the way to go.  It's a little under two miles and definitely worth the time and effort.



Much of the interior of the cotton mill was made of wood.  Not only the floors and walls, but the turbine shaft as well.  With machinery and oil, fire is always a danger so they made sure to always have a supply of water nearby.   Their spring was directly across the street.  The spring house was used to store and refrigerate food.

This house definitely looks like a castle and I expected to see Rapunzel looking out the window at any moment.

We found our way to the falls.  Amazing!  Beautiful!  Wow!

The further went, the more we thought - Wow!

 The trail was marked at 1.8 miles - it was a 1.8 miles you worked for.  The trail was a path through the woods, some of it washed out on the edges, wet, rocky, mossy rocks, tree stumps.  Some steps had been built in the really steep sections, but for the most part it was a more-pristine trail through the woods.  Most of the trail was above water level - some of it pretty high.  Every once in a while you'd get a peek through the trees to a view like this

 The end of the trail looped around (not back to the beginning but more like a lollipop) and at the every end it brought you down to the water.  We walked out on the rocks a little way and could see the bend in the river.

I feel like the pictures don't do it justice - but they seldom do.  It was beautiful and I'm so glad we went!

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!!

58 Years ago today, they said 'I do'.

Here they are on their 25th anniversary 

And here, on their 50th

We took advantage of having most of the family at their 50th and got this family picture

and one with just them and their kids

Nice picture, huh?

Admittedly, this is how we usually look.....

 Happy Anniversary - We Love You!!

Why You Still Gotta Be So Mean?

Say what you will (and some of you will) I like Taylor Swift.  She has a specific target audience that she plays to - and she does it well.  She's a marketing machine and has a great sense of what her fan base wants and how to sell it to them.  She writes song about breakups for teenyboppers.   She's not writing for the 30 somethings of the world.  Teenage girl songs.  Hello...target audience -- the ones with the most disposable income.

So now she releases this song 'Shake It Off" (27 million+ - yup, 27 million - views on You Tube).   It's about how people are going to do what they're going to do - players are gonna play, haters are gonna hate.  She says she has this music in her head that she has to write and sing, and she makes up her 'moves' as she goes along.  You know, moves like moving from country to pop.

She's not a teenage girl anymore, and that shows.  She's certainly grown up - both physically and talentwise.  And she sings this song and dances (and okay, she twerks....badly!) and talks about how not everyone does everything well.  And even if you don't think she sings and dances well, it's 'in' her and she going to do it.  She showcases both fabulously talented people, and people who are, well, not so talented.  Not everyone does everything well and she includes herself in this.  Saying that we only see the best of what she does.  The things she doesn't do well are cut out of the videos.  She's saying she's not perfect, we only see what they want us to see - and she's right.

You go girl!!  

I think you do it well.  I think you have talent, and heart, and a real gift for seeing the reality of life.  People are mean (you wrote that too, right?) and jealous and will always try to tear you down.  Listen to the music of your heart.  It hasn't steered you wrong yet.

Haters gonna hate.  Let them.  Your parents obviously raised you well and taught you that what is in your heart is stronger than the barbs thrown at you.  Sticks and stones baby.  Believe it.  Shake it off and follow your heart.

Be Happy Where You Are in Life

Don't be content to stay there, always strive to be better, but be happy with wherever you are.

Words of wisdom from Kenny Rogers Mom - and boy is she spot on.  He shared that today among the many stories he told.  He grew up in the projects, but had no idea they were poor.  They were happy, and everyone he knew had holes in the knees of their jeans too, so he didn't feel any different from anyone else.  Until he went to school and found out not everyone lived that way.  The 'rich kids' made fun of him.  

That wasn't really what shaped his life, it was his love of singing that drove him to be a performer.  He went to a Ray Charles concert with his sister when he was a young teenager - he said not only did everyone applaud every song he sang, but they clapped for everything he said.  And he thought that kind of adoration from the fans was what he wanted.

He's never done drugs, never drank alcohol.  He's lived a clean, sober, fulfilling life.  And he still does.  At 75 years old he has twin boys who are 10.  He hopes to live long enough to instill his mothers' wisdom into his boys.  He is charming, well-spoken and loves the audience.

I would have loved to hear him sing today, but he didn't do that.  It was still great to sit and listen to the stories.  From the Bobby Doyle Three, to the New Christy Minstrels, to The First Edition - which then changed to Kenny Rogers and the First Edition - to his many solo and duet records, he's got some great stories.  

He is truly a gentleman and a performer and I count myself among the fortunate to have been able to see him today.

Happy Birthday Nan!!

I know I'm a day early, but we were pretty excited about Nan's birthday gift this year.  Take a look....

I recently had all of our home movies transferred to DVD and found a couple hours worth of video from the bogs.  This was A LOT of fun to make and even funner to watch.  Hope you all enjoy!

Walking The Walk

What a great experience yesterday.  Jim and I 

walked with a couple hundred other kindred spirits to support cancer survivors.

Survivorville was held at the Opryland Hotel and the walk was on the grounds of the hotel.  We walked around on the surface roads all around the hotel, following the trail of little orange cones - and the people in front of us.

There were women, men and children of all ages.  Cancer knows no socioeconomic boundaries and neither does support.  There was lots of storytelling, lots of laughter and many, many smiles.  It wasn't exactly one of those ultra-competitive races.  We feel like we've already won!! 

There were winners

After we finished, we had to go inside the convention center to get the goodie bags.  We cold have gone inside and taken the  escalator, but instead we chose the stairs

because this is how we really felt.  (And by the way, this song was performed by a band named Survivor.  Quite appropriate!!)

We got medals for finishing the walk!  They have the Survivorville symbol - the cancer ribbon with all the colors.

It was such an uplifting, inspirational time.  Thanks to all of you for your love and support!!