Random 5 for April 23 – BeeGees, feet, life, seasons, death

Gallery

Posted on by

For a split second, I was 20 again (ok, maybe 30)! – We watched the BeeGee commemorative special last weekend. Just hearing that music again made me want to dance! Music can stir up such strong memories! I woke up every day with a different BeeGee song in my head.

Now what? – Aging stinks in many ways. This past week my feet broke. Not in the traditional broken bone sense but two pair of really comfortable shoes started to hurt. I once worked for a woman (crazy but that’s a post in itself) who always said that you should change shoes midday. I was working in design at the time and spent most of the day on my feet. I had young feet (yes, there is such a thing) at the time and didn’t heed her advice. Now I’m thinking she was right.

Off to the races – We had a busy April this year. There was a wedding and a good friend always has a Seder dinner (and includes us clueless gentiles). After that, the summer season is on its way. Two blinks later, we are talking about pumpkin pie and holidays. This year I am going to be “mindful” of the wonderfulness of summer. (Sure, easy to say now, wait until the temps reach 90 degrees with 90% humidity!) The alternative is that life flies too fast and you don’t appreciate the “now.” (Lessons I have learned from Nancy and Val).

Transitional – Right now we are in a transitional season. Some days are very cool and some days are warm and pleasant. The fish come to the surface for food and the frogs are eyeing mates. The porch is open for business although it’s been a little cool lately. I get “homesick” (or maybe “longing” is a better word) for those carefree summer days I had as a child. Cute little shorts outfits and long days outside. Sure wish I would have been more “mindful” back then.

A maudlin thought – I’m still (for two years now) working on how I want my death handled – wills, funeral arrangements, celebrations or nothing and of course, a stipend for my cats. I also want to die in the summer. My family has a history of dying in January, when the ground is frozen and the weather awful. The more snow on the ground, the more likely there is to be a death. I would prefer something sunny and cheerful (but not too cheerful because….well, you know…I do want to be missed to some extent). Besides margaritas are so much better in the summer.

So how was your week?

 

 

 

61 thoughts on “Random 5 for April 23 – BeeGees, feet, life, seasons, death”

  2. Loved the Bee Gees special and I was surprised at how well some of those artists covered the songs. They are not easy songs to sing.
    Never heard about the changing of shoes midday. Interesting.
    Planning your funeral, huh. I think more people should take the time to do that.!especially if you want to die in the summer. They should know that keeping you alive through spring is essential and the mix should be readily available. Keep Oman ing😊

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  3. I can’t decide if not having kids complicates or makes easier the plans of our end of life “stuff”… we both want to be cremated and seriously I am not going to care what happens, It will all be over for me. Our plan is to spend every penny on things we enjoy before we go. Then there will be no worries about people worrying and fretting over what they thought they should of been left. Our stuff, who cares what happens to it? It only mattered to us. We do have a will/trust and an Advance Directive. My biggest worry… (I plan to go first)… is that if I AM last to go what the heck will happen to me? I have no family left and I can’t see any of CH’s family really giving a hoot. Having children is certainly no guarantee that you will be taken care of as you age.

    We spent an afternoon yesterday with a long time friend whose husband died over a year ago and she told us that two weeks ago the funeral home that handled the plans for her husband was having a sale for the whole deal so she went and got the whole thing planned and paid for so her adult kids would not have to worry over it. She saved four thousand bucks… 😀 We laughed over the whole thing until we had tears running down our faces. I don’t want to go in fall, it’s my favorite time of year… not a fan of summer so let me go then, but not this summer I have plans. I think our friend has the right idea… we may just do what she did.

    Shoe posts have been popular on the blogs this past week… makes me happy… shoes!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

        • Getting comments is why I write. I love your thoughts and hope you don’t shorten them. I don’t have children but my husband does. Makes it more complicated. We married late in life so I want my assets distributed differently than he does but if he needs them to survive if I go first, it really gets complicated. However, if I’m dead, will I care? I too wonder what would happen to me if he goes first. I have some friends and family but my bro is older than me (by a lot) and everyone has their own stuff. Perhaps I’ll try to find a friendly retirement community and make some friends. That’s assuming I’m not too dotty.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply ↓

  4. Snorts with piggy laughter. Your BeeGees has own laughing here at the Hotel Thompson. Dad loves their song Tragedy – you know the tune, right? Well once upon a time mom was cleaning the house and changed the words to, “Tragedy, when your dog has to pee and he can’t find a tree, Tragedy”. Well every since then when the song comes on, daddy has to sing mom’s version. So funny and we laugh every.single.time. And always brings such fond memories. And mom agrees – who wants to die in the winter? Mom prefers fall – much cooler weather. XOXO – Bacon

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  5. I loved the BeeGees special. I am an abashed fan! And I’m not entirely sure how to respond to your plans for “the end,” but the tune from Camelot’s “If Ever I would Leave You” comes to mind, and with some liberties, I’ll wish you “May it be in summer?”

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  6. I think that the universe is now sending me a message about some of my shoes. Yes, the especially cute ones that used to be fairly comfortable and now hurt like crazy…they are still really hard to let go. I’ve been waiting for me feed to get into a better mood…but that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. Sounds like my feet are in good company (with yours, Janis’s and Jude’s at ‘Dr. Sock Writes Here’ who also mentioned her ‘broken feet’ in a recent post). Miserable feet like company!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  8. I swear I keep forgetting to look for that Bee Gee’s special on our local PBS station. Thank you for reminding me. Maybe this time I actually will do so.

    I got news for you: most Jews are pretty clueless at those seder dinners too. They’re all thinking, “Oh come on, another prayer? When the hell do we eat already?” – Marty

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • The Bee Gee’s special was on CBS and worth finding if they rerun it. There is a really funny Italian comedian who does a skit on visiting his girl friend’s parents for Seder. It was hilarious with a lot of “so when do we eat?” while the scent of brisket waifs through the house and the prayers go on and on and on.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  9. Nice post. I also caught most of the Bee Gees special (by accident). I was “chair dancing” the whole time but it was still kinda bittersweet. Have you seen Ron Howard’s Beatles film “Eight Days a Week”? I saw the DVD earlier in the week and the songs are totally stuck.

    Planning for our deaths is a sort of gift, I think, for the people left to deal with it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • I didn’t see Howard’s film. All the old songs stick in my head for days. I’m still humming BeeGees stuff and the special was last Sunday! Yes, it’s definitely a gift for those left. I remember all the decisions I had to make for my mother, trying to figure out what she would have wanted.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

        • That’s smart. The minor details are incredible and so is the expense. There is a blanket covering the bottom of the body yet the director wanted us to buy slippers at $25 (in 1986 you could get them in a store for $2). My brother wanted a rubber gasket around the vault so we did that. It’s a very emotional time to make financial decisions.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply ↓

  11. Loved this ~> “I get “homesick” (or maybe “longing” is a better word) for those carefree summer days I had as a child. Cute little shorts outfits and long days outside. Sure wish I would have been more “mindful” back then.”

    BTW ~> I’m guessing that they felt carefree and “long” because you WERE being mindful. Completely in the moment. Not worrying about back to school specials or Christmas shopping or Seders or anything. Just jumping rope, playing hopscotch, biking, swimming, doing cartwheels, and waiting to hear the Good Humor truck drive into the neighborhood. 😀

    And thanks for the shout out and link to SLTW and Val’s blog. Be Here NOW!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  12. You are so thoughtful to plan your (hopefully long into the future) demise for the summer months. A celebration of life should definitely include margaritas… margaritas and winter just don’t mix.

    I recently – and very reluctantly – got rid of several pairs of shoes because they were no longer comfortable. I don’t know what happens to our feet as we age, but I do know it can be a challenge to find shoes that are both “cute” and “comfortable” the older I get.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  14. I just made out a will…aye..one should pack a flask for such things I realized immediately. BUT…once it’s done, it’s done, and loose threads in one’s life shouldn’t be. That said.

    It’s glorious here in New York City, so I imagine it’s like that in Katesville. I can picture cats laid out like a chorus line basking in the Pennsylvania breezes.

    The Bee Gees…I remember that album one of them did with Barabra Streisand I played till it warped. Barry Gibb I think was the Bee Gee in question.

    Love the term, clueless Gentile, being a first-class one…though I hear seder fare is delicious. I’m in if anyone wants to invite me to their next one.

    Would love to be an honorary Shiksa.

    Here’s to the Random 5, one of the best things about Sundays…:)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  15. I love the Bee Gees. When younger I never thought I’d spend time thinking about my funeral but as I age it’s thought about often. I have even started writing my story so that people, if any are present 🙂 hearing it will know my thoughts and feelings. Aging sucks 🙂 I’d rather be dancing.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • Dancing, yeah! The older I get the less elaborate (or maybe the less I care) about what happens when I’m gone. I have several friends who opted for nothing. That’s no funeral or memorial. Just a donation if you want. Nothing if you don’t want. Back in the day, funerals were a big deal in our family.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Yes, they don’t seem to be as big a deal as they use to. I’ve told the kids if I go first put my ashes in a coffee can, because I love coffee 🙂 to wait for mister. Have a simple gathering and be done with it.

        Liked by 2 people

        Reply ↓

  17. We’re blazing into summer already, ugh. On the one hand, flip-flops. On the other, sweating like a pig if walking after 8 AM.

    I was trying to talk to my dad recently about getting his affairs in order and making plans — even though his mother is still going strong. He’s not planning AT ALL: “Just put me with whichever of you has room if I outlive my wife.”

    So once I’m 60? I plan on a one bedroom place.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply ↓

  18. These transition days make it difficult to figure out what to wear to the day job. Speaking of feet, lately, when I exercise on either my elliptical or treadmill, the bottom of my feet feel like they’re on fire around 30 minutes into the workout. I’m hoping it’s not the start of Plantar fasciitis. My father has it and it’s caused him a lot of pain.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  20. I’m still working on my time machine, some of the parts are being difficult to locate. I plan on going back to when I was 16 and appreciate life, and my mother so much more. My week was interesting but it has slowed now.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • I want a ticket for your time machine! Wouldn’t that be cool. Mostly I’d say all the good things I never did but there is one old boss who told me I’d never amount to much. To her I want to say, “Na na na na na!”

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply ↓

    • We’ve been going for 15 years. It’s interesting and our friend does a reading of the Haggadah. It’s a large group and everyone brings a dish. Although our friends are not kosher, there are food rules. No bacon (almost brought a salad with bacon dressing one year) or leavened goods.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

Don't be shy, I'd love to hear what you're thinking!