SNOWING

This morning, on my car radio, I heard Cheryl Crow's version of Led Zeppelin's "D'yer Mak'er" & U2's version of John Lennon's "Instant Karma". None of the new stuff ever turns out to be any good, though I have heard the occasional worthy remake every once in a while. It's snowing. I should hope it doesn't amount to anything. Last February, around Valentine's Day, there was a major blizzard & I'm not ready for another one like that. Gas prices have been going down lately. That's always very good to see. Yesterday, because it was Friday, I ended up having to spend much of the day pigging out on haddock & French fries. I've never been all that crazy about fish but it was cool. I especially enjoyed the potatoes. As soon as I finished "The Possessed" last night, I immediately moved right on to yet another try at Jane Austen's "Emma". I've been trying to find my millions of missing books but they're nowhere in sight so far.

ULTIMATE IRONY

Yesterday I got a haircut at Rose's on Eighth Street In Wyoming. It's by the bridge. The ultimate irony is that it was the Beatles' anniversary. They're the guys who invented long hair on men. Today for the Friday dance we shall do the Wilbury Twist. When I went for gas yesterday, I noticed that I couldn't close my cap. Then I noticed that some loser really did a job on my car with a hit_&_run. As if that weren't quite stupid enough, this morning I got stranded behind another couple of characters who spent at least ten minutes getting lottery tickets at the Unimart. There's no meat on Fridays from now on. That always makes for a need for creative eating habits. I can handle it but it seems quite serioulsy weird after a while. Every time I eat I always start with the meat. Now I won't know what exactly to eat first. It's only once a week so it's not a chore. Sunday is Benjamin's big fourth birthday party. He's Aunt Lauren's grandson, Michelle's son. He's a very active, talkative little guy. It should be quite an interesting time for one & all. Today should mark the end of my latest reading of "The Possessed". Then I can move onto something else.

ALL THOSE YEARS AGO

Today is the forty fourth anniversary of the Beatles' very first ever appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Everyone knows what happened in the aftermath of all that. I literally can't even try to remember a time when they didn't fill the airwaves in my general area. I've never found another singer/band/etc. that's impressed me as much as they. Eberdeen, one of my internet connections, is in labor-excuse me, l-a-b-o-u-r because she's from England. I hope all works out well for her & her family across the pond. Uncle Frankie is back on his feet & even baking again. Yesterday he showed up with home_made cookies. He's still run down but he's getting better. Fran is still sick. It's a good thing she stays in the general area of work because she has to go insanely far away. Just when I thought there were already enough truly ignorant characters, around this morning I found two more at the BP gas station on Wyoming Avenue. I went into their store to get $11.00 worth of gas. There were two absolutely horribly annoying women right in front of me. Each one spent an unconscionably annoying length of time getting lottery tickets & other completely stupid things. Social skills be damned. Yesterday the weather absolutely stunk. It was pouring all day & night. Today's not much better so far. Yesterday I read a lot more of "The Possessed". Pretty soon I'll be finished with it.

ASH WEDNESDAY

Today's the first day of Lent. Predictably when I went to Mass this morning, it was more crowded than usual. I, as usual, ended up being the lector at 9:00 a.m. Mass. Lately the weather at 7:00 a.m. is about forty degrees which is seriously weird around here. I completely forgot to mention that last month was my second anniversary on blogger. I also forgot to say that the end of the month was the fortieth anniversary of the Tet Offensive, a big milestone of the Viet Nam War. I read more of "The Possessed" last night. Soon I shall be finished with it. I ended up watching "The Beverly Hillbillies" yesterday. I'd always liked that show as a kid. I even got a comic book of it once. It's insanely anachronistic but then so am I. There's virtually nothing on TV these days. It really gets me crazy when I talk to people who are ardent followers of all sorts of current shows. All the kinfolk still have the flu so I alone am healthy.

FAT TUESDAY

Today is Mardi Gras day. It's a pretty big deal over in New Orleans. When cousin Java owned Byer's a while ago, we used to have Cajun food on the menu. Days like this, in areas where they go big over it, food like that must make for quite a nice time. I'm really getting very close to the end of "The Possessed". It's still keeping my brain cells hopping. Last night I watched the famous classic silent movie, "Wings". It was Gary Cooper's first movie. I really liked it but it was entirely too long. So was "Sense & Sensibility". I don't usually get a chance to see a silent movie since not many are available in stores & the ones they show on TV only seem to be on after midnight. I can't stand staying up late but I knew I'd never be able to see it any other way. Alas, all the local kinfolk still appear to have the flu. That's part of the reason I'm in no hurry to get a haircut. In this weather, I could be the next one to get sick. People are all getting sick & tired of the winter but spring is fast approaching. Of course, people all still oohing, aahing & drooling over the Super Bowl but I just can't get interested.

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

Congratulations to all you New Yorkers & fans thereof. The Giants beat the Patriots. I didn't bother with the game. Oh for sure, I most certainly ate chicken cutlets & shrimp. According to what I've heard form folks in the know, though, it was a good game. I watched the movie version of Jane Austen's "Sense & Sensibility" with Emma Thompson & Kate Winslet. I've read a lot of Austen by now. Unfortunately, I can't find my copies of "Sense & Sensibility" & "Pride & Prejudice" these days. I finished a lot of "The Possessed" yesterday too. On the kinfolk scene, the latest scoop is on new e mail addresses. We always have liked to keep track of each other that way. Of course, I still haven't bothered to get a haircut. Fran came over yesterday & gave us some really nice hot soup. She & Uncle Frankie, and my parents, are still awfully sick with the flu. I don't have it. On Saturday night, right after I lectored at 5:00 p.m. Mass with Mary, I made sure I took a trip over to Pittston to see the O.L. Mt. Carmel Italian feast for a little while. Fortunately it was inside. One of the church ladies reminded me that the winter weather is entirely too cold around here for an outside feast like the one they have each summer. I made sure I got a cheeseburger & a couple of contest tickets before I left.