"Clowns on the left of me, jokers on the right"

I have a friend, who occasionally signs his notes, using only his middle name. It's unusual enough that we all know the identity of Overton  And, for absolutely no reason at all, it got me thinking about middle names.

Names have always been an interesting subject, to me. My middle name is the same as many of my aging female contemporaries, and I rarely use it. Instead of using Nancy Ann, as my given name, I have opted for using my maiden name initial K., in my signature. My mother elected to name me Nancy Ann, because she thought NAK would look good on luggage. Strange, I know. And stranger yet, my married name also begins with a K. (I have been told "to change the name and not the letter, is a change for the worse, not the better.) Oh, well.

And, speaking of strange, the 1960s diplomat, Robert McNamara, was legally Robert Strange McNamara. 

Royalty has been using Middle Names, since the 1700s. According to Wikipedia, they were first used in the US, in the early 1800's. Well, think about it. George Washington has no recorded Middle Name.

In my generation, girls were generally given the Middle Name of Ann, Sue, Mary or Rae. Guys were given something equally as short and easy to remember. Sometimes Middle Names honor relatives or families. And, if you are of some historical importance, folks are going to write down your WHOLE name......for posterity. John Wilkes Booth and Robert Lewis Stevenson are excellent examples. 

Honestly, as most of my readers will acknowledge, Middle names...except as legal signatures or in obituaries, are rarely used.  When it came to naming my four children, I thought long and hard about the final choices. But, the bottom line is none of them go by their complete (3-word name). Just like their mother, the only use of both of their given names was in an urgent request....."Nancy Ann. Come in here, right now."

.......................................................................................................................................................................

 Dear Lord. Whatever we are called, You know who we are. We praise Your Holy Name.

 

Ludwig's Lesson

 As I have stated before, life is an adventure. Today, tomorrow or just around the next corner, something unusual could and is most likely to happen.

The other night, at exactly nine p.m., we were checking out important data (probably what was for sale on Amazon, and what Lady GaGa wore to the latest Award Show), when I was surprised to hear the first few notes of a very familiar tune. Looking around, I determined that it was not coming from the double computers in front of me, and it also wasn't coming from a nearby silent television. None of our appliances play the particular tune I heard. ...the Fridge just dings and the washing machine plays "Au- pres de ma blonde", and the Roomba just mumbles something unintelligible. A true mystery was occurring.

I was the only one to hear it. What was the source of this music?? I distinctly heard the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Was this the being of some weird form of Music Dementia? Were Terrestrial Aliens trying to contact me? Angels, perhaps?

Over the next few nights, the same thing happened. Same time and same tune. Da da da daaaaa, da da da daaaaaa. Fate. Ah ha. I determined the music was coming from my left hearing aid. I have been wearing hearing aids, for years, and this set of devices is about 2 years old. You see, my phone rings and I hear my incoming calls, through my hearing aids. Now, I'm hearing classical music.

According to the technicians at my trusty Costco Hearing Center, the battery in my left hearing aid, had bit the dust. These particular hearing aids are rechargeable ( I carefully place them in their recharging case every night, before retiring), however, I was told that they still have batteries. Anyway, the techie offered to replace, them free of charge.  Marvelous.

But, it's going to take up to ten working days. It's not that I don't normally tell everyone to speak up and talk slowly. I know I'm deaf. But seriously, 10 days of half-assed hearing. I had no choice. To hear or not to hear. That is the question. I did ask her if the right one was going to fail, also. She said there's about a 50% chance. 

What did you say? 

..........................................................................................................................................................................

Holy Lord. Calm us. Give us patience and courage. Not on our time, but Your's. We ask these things in Your Name. 

 

"What's up, Doc?"

I've got "High Hopes" for the 2026. It's an opportunity to highlight several anniversaries and milestones. I am looking forward to observing and celebrating these events and I hope that you will join me. 

Here are just a few: 

The United States turns 250 years old. Officially called the Semiquincentennial ( I think). A remarkable milestone, when you stop and consider the youthfulness of most nations. Most of us can remember when Russia was formed. Mexico, China, Canada, are all youngsters compared to the U.S. Yet, according to reports and data, 50% of the folks residing in this country hate it, along with the folks in charge and the other half of the population. The other 50%, don't. There you go. 

The one and only, National WWI Monument and Memorial, of which I am a proud member and volunteer, is celebrating the 100th year since opening. There will be several new exhibits, and many dignitaries making appearances. Perhaps, during my volunteer shifts, I will have the occasion to meet someone famous or shake hands with a dignitary or two. Certainly, there will be many opportunities to spontaneously entertain visitors, with my poetry recitations or an acapella verse of "Over There".

The World Cup is coming to KC, in July. The city will host six games. Chaos, crowds, a whole lot of nonsense and a reason to avoid traveling Downtown. The "Paris of the Plains" will put on it's best face. Oh, but don't expect me to try a Bicycle Kick, to celebrate.

Finally, about one hundred of my oldest friends will all turn 80 years old, this year. Post War Baby Boom!!!! The Original Baby Boomers, you know. One by one, my remaining classmates, from the Pittsburg High School Class of 1964, will become Octogenarians. Whoopee!!!!!! 80 is the new 60, I have heard. Me, I plan to concentrate on growing older gracefully, enjoying life and celebrating all year long, with my fellow Purple Dragons. Cheers!

Happy New Year.

 .......................................................................................................................................................................

Dear Lord. Life is a blessing. We thank You for so many things. Your Steadfast Love Endures Forever. 

 

 

 

"You've always had the power my dear......."

This will be my last post of 2025. I have already BESTED my production quota for the year, and if I do too many more posts, the goal will be set too high for 2026! So stick a fork in it. I'm done until the calendar changes.

Meanwhile, I saw a Facebook Post of a harried cat (aren't all Facebook posts Feline related?) crocheting like mad, with the script that read. "Me starting homemade Christmas gifts on December 23rd." Well, I'm not quite that last-minute, but late last night, while I was working feverishly to untangle the biggest mess of yarn I've ever made, I had a bit of a melt-down. I grabbed for my scissors and almost cut the yarn, mid skein. I stopped just in time, when I remembered a feisty lady friend, who once told me "no yarn-tangle is too hard to straighten out....if you work at it long enough."

If you have ever tried to untangle a skein of yarn, ball of twine or string, knotty mess of netting, fishing line or even a tangle in your child's hair, you'll know what I'm writing about. It just takes time. Just when you think that mess will never, ever be straight again, remember if you work at it long enough, everything will just fall into place.

I'm adopting my friend, Maria De Ferraris' philosophy, for the New Year. When the going gets tough, I'm going to relax, put away the scissors and work a little bit harder. Oh and the stocking cap was completed.....in one piece. No joining yarn, mid-project for this wise woman.

........................................................................................................................................................................... 

  Lord: Your Wisdom comes to us in hundreds of ways and at all times. Help us to recognize Your intervention into our busy lives. Your Steadfast Love Endures Forever. Happy Birthday Jesus. 

 

"Pennies from Heaven"

 I'm pretty bummed out thinking about the discontinuation of the minting of U.S. Pennies. Oh yeah, of course I have looked up the cost of minting and distributing one penny. It costs almost 4 times more to make a penny, than what it is actually worth. I don't care. I am not a "penny pincher".

Honestly, (get the hidden reference here?)  I've saved pennies, my whole life. After all,"a penny saved is a penny earned", Abe. 

Can't you just see the price hike coming already.? Nothing will cost xxx.99 or .09 anything, any more. Just go ahead and round it up. And, I think it's a plot to simplify change making.........as if any one under the age of 40, could actually make change. 

I can also sense a penny shortage. Folks are going to start hoarding them. Every time there is a real or perceived shortage of anything, in this country, people began to hoard whatever the item is!!! Gasoline, toilet paper, eggs.....and now pennies! 

So, "a penny for your thoughts"? Who cares if the US. Treasury lost about 87 million dollars minting pennies last year? The national debt is over 34 trillion dollars. The numbers here are so enormous, that no one can even imagine them! I'm tired of these "petty ante games." I  hereby state, that I am for carrying them, spending them, tossing them, singing about them, etc., etc, etc.

 I will "keep turning up like a bad penny" and continue to use "common cents." 

....................................................................................................................................................................

Lord: Change is hard for some many of us. Especially as we get older. Be with us as we navigate change. It is inevitable and challenging. We pray for guidance.

  

"Light the torch, Jeannette, Isabella"

 I'm a sucker for Christmas Lights. I have always been. Contrary to public belief, I am not old enough to remember candles burning in Christmas Trees (and starting fires.) My earliest Christmas memories are of watching my dad string electric lights, on the spindly trees that we bought every year from the same building where we purchased fresh watermelons, in the summer. The bulbs were multicolored and stuck up above their screw in sockets, about one inch. We used the same ones, every year, until I left home. They were always put away, along with each individual string of tinsel (actually tin, I think), to be reused the next year.

Light displays on houses, were a novelty, back in the 1950's and 60's. One of the newer (post war) subdivisions, had a few decorated houses. And, in our neighborhood, one particular family had an illuminated Nativity Scene and house lights! I believe their name was Lensky. 

Broadway, our main street, had strings of lights, tinsel garlands and lighted bells bells, strung across about five linear blocks of our downtown. Everyone had to go see those lights. It was the biggest thing that happened during the Holiday Season.

Kansas City is, in fact, famous for it's Plaza Lights. The Country Club Plaza sports 15 blocks of mainly white lights, outlining several hundred buildings. It's stunning. They have had this displays, like this,  since 1925. Today, people lament the elimination of the 9 Giant Holiday Crowns, that were hung over major intersections in Downtown KC, for years. They were kind of a nod to Hallmark Cards and their headquarters, in the downtown area. I think one remains, hanging in a bank lobby, somewhere.

Lights are a tradition of the Holiday Season. I prefer them, over the currently popular inflatable Santas, Rudolphs and snowmen. I really don't like how the deflated decorations create flat plastic puddles, in folks' yards, during the daylight hours.

'Tis the season. Get out there and enjoy the light displays, in neighborhoods, around your home. Let the Light of Christ shine. 

.................................................................................................................................................................... 

 Pittsburg, Kansas, USA...........

"Just Whistle a Happy Tune"

 I will be the first to admit, that I spend a lot of time on the Internet. But, don't you agree, that there is so much to see?

For instance this morning, I watched a short video of a talking cat. Well, the cat did have on a cute hand-made elf hat (I'm thinking about making one for Apollo, our resident feline). Any way, the mewls from the feline sounded sort of like a whining human voice. It made me laugh. It probably was fake, but I enjoyed it, immensely.

Then, I watched a male comedian, whose face and name were unknown to me, tell his version of how the 50 states received their Postal Abbreviations. It was interesting and extremely funny. I mean, who hasn't puzzled over which two letter abbreviations are for Alaska and Alabama? Or for Missouri, Mississippi, Minnesota and Michigan? I have to look it up every time, I need to use one. There's no rhyme or reason to those abbreviations. Who was in charge of that?

Okay, did I hear you say? "Get a Hobby". Well, I do have one, and I can do it while I watch videos....and, it's not snacking!! Folks, I can crochet whilst I'm doing almost anything. Crocheting in front of a screen, is easy. Need a blanket, scarf, hat or sweater? Let me know. I'll have it done for you, ASAP....depending on what I find to view of the Web.

I like to keep occupied, i.e. doing something. I have a hard time just sitting still. My son says it's adult ADHD. Maybe so. But, I'm never bored. I don't think, I have ever been bored. I always have something to do, and it's usually a couple of things, at one time.

That's why my Blog Posts number 847. Got to keep busy!!!!!!!

............................................................................................................................................................................ 

 Lord, I appreciate the gifts of others. We are all special in Your Kingdom. We thank You for our many blessings and we praise Your infinite wisdom.