Some Happiness, Some Sadness

The music genre I chose this week was one I never actively choose___

Ragtime. It turned out I listened only to Scott Joplin, Joseph Lamb, and James Scott. I am sure there were other composers, but those were the "Big 3". Interestingly, ragtime lasted only a period of less then twenty years and was a bridge between classical music and jazz.

Thanks to movies like "The Sting", a completely different generation became aware of the genre. Heck, even ice cream trucks around here even got in on it, using "The Entertainer" as their siren's call instead of the traditional bell.

The Gettin Ready Rag is from the Broadway play Ragtime. I think I would really enjoy seeing the play.

Monday: One of our longtime and TheHub's closest friend passed away. We went to his Celebration of Life service Monday morning, followed by a reception afterward. He was a wonderful man,  the most loved person I have ever had the privilege of calling a friend, and will be missed terribly. 

Hats off to his family who planned the most uplifting funeral I have ever attended. At the service's end, the attendees exited the sanctuary to this song. It was perfection and echoed his attitude of life.

We were there until mid afternoon, came home and listened to the music J. loved. He was a huge fan of 60's beach shag music and loved dancing to songs like this. And he loved The Tams in particular!

Listened to : The Entertainer (along with beach shag music)

What I learned: The Tams got their name from the tams they wore when they first started singing together as a group.

Dinner: Tossed salad w/ chickpeas

Tuesday: This was a stay at home day. Though I felt fine, I could not shake the lingering cough, and did not want to be out and about. Instead I concentrated on hemming 5 pairs of summer slacks that I bought last year and never wore because I never hemmed them. Since I was getting clothes together for the trip anyway, I thought this might be a great time to actually get it done. So now I have 5 pairs of new/old pants to wear.

Listened to: Stoptime Rag

What I learned: It only took about 10 minutes to hem each pair of pants. Why did I put it off for a year instead of letting them hang un-hemmed and unworn all last summer?

Dinner: There was 3/4 of a jar of Rao's marinara in the fridge that needed to be used.

Spaghetti with veggie loaded marinara

Wednesday: I went to my Wednesday class, came home, and TheHub had arranged for us to meet Son2 near his house for lunch. I enjoyed the meal and the company.

What I learned: Learned about all the recent antics of Son2 and DIL2's four dogs. They live on a lake and  take the pups to the waterb to swim everyday. It turns out that not only can Trixie swim, but she is able to catch fish while in the water. Son2 said she looked absolutely betrayed when he put her "gift"to them back in the lake.

Listened to The Easy Winners

Dinner: Since we ate a veggie lunch at a local meat and three, dinner was not a big deal. Had leftovers from a recent lunch.

Chicken salad sandwich

Thursday: I went to a couple of grocery stores to do a little stocking up. I was out of most salad fixings and low carb bread, in addition to a few other things we needed. At least I did not buy anything to add to the freezer.

What I learned: After looking through a local art store's online products and seeing Holbein oil paints, I kind of went down a rabbit hole about Hans Holbein, the artist's, life and works. 

Listened to: Maple Leaf Rag
Dinner: I had taken a pack of ground chuck out of the freezer for  spaghetti night, but did not use it. 

Hamburger w/ all the fixings, coleslaw

Friday: I stayed at home all day with the exception of driving TheHub when we grabbed our dinner take out.

It was past time to do a huge deep cleaning of our bedroom, so I began the process, while doing laundry, and regular household things. I am not looking forward to attacking the closet!

In the late afternoon, we got a message that a friend of ours, who had surgery Thursday,  received a very good followup exam. We were both excited for their good news.

What I learned: Ragtime music originated in the African American communities of Missouri

Listened to Frog Legs Rag

Dinner: We have a 50 dollar monthly minimum purchase we either use or lose. I had rather not lose it, so we generally order take out.

Grilled chicken over steamed spinach and Cajun risotto,  or grilled snapper, asparagus, polenta cake. 

We also had 2 individual cheesecakes, but we did not eat them (I really wanted to). When I ordered I asked that dessert not be included, so we would not be tempted. Resistance was not futile but it wasn't fun either!

Saturday: I stayed home the entire day, working in the bedroom, the dressing room, and the laundry room. I still managed to avoid the closet. As I have said before, TheHub occupies 2/3 of our shared walk-in closet and I am not going to clean his stuff. (Can you tell which one of us is a clothes horse)

In the evening we watched Bama softball, while I did a little mending.

What I learned: I learned everything I could possibly ever want to know about 

Listened to: Prosperity Rag

Dinner: TheHub had to go to an event during the afternoon and stopped by our fish monger on his way home.

Steamed shrimp, tossed salad, crackers

Sunday: We had our usual Sunday morning, communication service, 8:30 traditional sermon, followed by Sunday School. On our way home we had a quick stop at Publix to pick up a couple of items.

TheHub and I had decided we would get a jigsaw table (not really a table but that is what Amazon called it) and start working on a puzzle at night. 

What that really meant was I would sort all 1500 pieces, then work the edge before lunch.

After we ate I went back to my task and puzzled over more puzzle pieces until it was time for the softball game. (It is not finished but I have made decent headway on it)

We watched the game, then it was time to begin dinner prep, but I went back to the puzzle. Oops!

What I learned: The Book of Luke and Acts were most likely written as one epistle, but separated into 2 distinct books sometime in the 2nd century A.D.

Listened to: Whatever rags Spotify wanted me to hear. I was working in the kitchen and heard about a dozen songs, none of which were familiar to me.

Dinner: Taco salad

Possibilities for this week:

1. Veggie meal TBD

2. Salmon croquettes, coleslaw, dinner rolls

3. White bbq chicken, caulitato salad, coleslaw, tomato slices

4. Grilled steak, baked potato, brussels sprouts, tomato cucumber onion salad

5. BLT salad, dinner rolls

6. Out to eat

7. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, cornbread

Read this week:  Christmas with Southern Living 2025 edition. This was one of those weeks when none of the books that were on hold with my Libby app were available. (Fortunately late last night night at least one title appeared.)

Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

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