“a Prom eve”

Happy Saturday Morning – This morning we’re on the edge of possibly turning the heat back on. What’s preventing me is that over the next few days it’ll be just shy of the 90-degree mark and I just know we can make it. In the meantime, I’ll pour another mug of steaming coffee – Marcia has already asked if my mug was empty (her way of ‘suggesting’ she was ready for a refill).

Looking forward – Marcia’s titanium hips are works of wonder and work beautifully. Struggling the most is balance. As we age staying ahead in the balance game becomes more and more of an issue.

With my brothers we work out together via a Zoom session twice a week, and have been at it faithfully since 2022. Aside from occasionally adding a newly discovered routine or dropping one used little we’re adding more stretching and balance activities into our workout bits. The loss of balance is a main cause of a slow downward spiral as we age.

All of this said working to improve balance has Marcia and I to an (almost) daily walk about the property. We should all make it a highlight in daily life.

Crown ‘Vic’ – Sometime during the last couple of weeks the last Crown Vic ‘Interceptor’ used in a police force went out of service. That model was probably produced at the height of America’s desire for having an everyman available massive sedan parked in their driveway.

I never owned one, yet I drove one regularly for a couple of years – enough of the puzzling? OK, for a while I was Police trained member of our local “Citizen’s on Patrol.” Mostly we walked our neighborhood, carried a police communication radio and had access to a parked at the station older Crown Vic Interceptor cruiser (blue lights changed out for amber lights). The last to get a bit further into the ‘hood.’

As an aside, I really enjoyed our volunteer work and based on the comments we received, often from residents living in the sketchiest part of urban (ghetto) areas. Often, as we walked about the streets, it was a voice from a porch or a handshake that I knew they too appreciated us being around.

Prom innovation – Last evening Vaioleti and her classmates were partying the night away on their senior prom. She outdid herself in the fancy-dress department and looked beautiful.

What made this Prom different is that the whole event, meal, dance, and party took place on a Riverboat – the Belle of Cincinnati tall stack paddle-wheeler. Next, you’ll ask me; “why does this make an evening with wild teenagers different?” Think it through.

• No running out to the parking lot to a stashed bottle of alcohol.
• Everyone is in a contained setting.
• The boat returns on schedule, and this establishes a framework for the event.

As being old enough, Marcia and I believe this Boat cruise to offer something different with views of lighted up city views from the river in a wonderful setting. We’re waiting for an update later this morning.

This week’s Interlude – Not a guessing game this week. Thought I’d just post this great song from one of my all-time favorite Soul and R&B singer; Clarence Carter. We lost him this week, aged 90 and blind since age one. And yes, his work on occasion could be a bit on the prickly side, this made it that much more real. Enjoy:

Now I best get involved seeing how Dinah and her Syracuse University rowing team is managing in the ACC (American Coast Conference) Rowing Championships. They are rowing against schools such as Stanford, Cal, Notre Dame, Louisvile (my alma mater), Duke, Virginia, and Miami.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

Last month it was King Charles III who addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress. This session was one of only 11 where a monarch made such an address. Of this list, which three made more than a single presentation?

1. King Kalakauaa
2. King Juan Carlos I
3. Queen Beatrix
4. King Hussein I
5. Queen Elizabeth II
6. King Bhumibol Adulyadej
7. King Baudouin
8. King Mahendra
9. Queen Juliana

Last week Bonus Points answer – #1

“30 second Pitch”

Happy Saturday Morning – To all the mom’s, wishing you a very Happy Mother’s Day weekend.

Marcia received a Christmas gifted Bird Feeder from Kirstin, a clear plastic one I affixed on the bedroom window near some shrubs. Loaded it with Black-Oil Sunflower Seeds and, for two months, NOTHING!

This week when Marcia lifted her head off the pillow, there in the feeder, was a Cardinal. Since then, I too have seen the bird. SUCCESS!

Yesterday, as the morning coffee was still percolating was when I opened my mobile to check for any texts – family on the west coast tends to forget the 3-hour time shift – that was when I spotted a minutes old text from Jason here in town. And so it was that I learned that Cathy’s mom, Carolyn, had passed away during the early morning hours.

We were aware that her illness had no cure and her life on earth would end in a few short months. Carolyn, always the strong manager had said, ‘enough is enough’ and succumbed peacefully with family at her side. May her soul rest in peace.

With Cathy, Jason, Dinah, and Jim our arms Marcia and I embrace you, and strive to give comfort during the days ahead.

Pre the Civil War – Every so often I’ve strived to use these Ramblings to give you a bit of our local history, usually history not that common. This is one of those weeks.

Prior to the War between the States Cincinnati was the furthest southern and western major city. Cincinnati was Union and a bridge away it was Confederate territory. Although as the war loomed, both sides had contingencies loyal to their opposition, the net result was that this town became a major player in the Underground Railroad.

Harriet Beecher Stowe’s father was an abolitionist, and the young Harriet would sit on the stairs in the evening listening in as her father held ‘meetings’. This listening in led to her eventually writing the book every school child is expected to read; Uncle Tom’s Cabin. By the way, her house is just under a mile from where we live. Also, locally there are homes still occupied with basement ‘escape tunnels’ once built to allow unseen exit and start runaway slaves on their journey north.

Effects from the Civil War – I mentioned why this city was important during the war. Coupled with the Ohio River, several railroads and the Erie Canal made it a huge prize for both sides. These railroads feed the city; the place became a hub. For old-time railroad aficionados these included the Little Miami Railroad, Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton (CH&D), Ohio & Mississippi Railway, and the Marietta & Cincinnati (M&C) Railroad.

All this made sense to create a military recruiting, training, and medical post – thus Camp Dennison was born a little north-east of the city on open land. The camp’s medical section started with over 200 beds by using converted barracks. By 1862 it had grown to about 2,400 beds making it one of the largest Union hospitals treating civilians, wounded and injured soldiers, and even some Confederates.

From this beginning it is easily seen that the town became a medical hub with the effects still visible today. With numbers of medical folk settling here permanently, medical and even mortuary science schools quickly followed. Historically we can point back to that early start and today, depending on whether specialized care facilities such as a major eye surgery facility are included, there are approximately 25 to 35 hospitals and major medical centers. Personally, I’ve spent a number of hours at the CEI (the Cincinnati Eye Institute) and had major work done there. The local Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is rated number 1 in the nation and among the world’s best.

At our nearby Spring Grove Cemetery there exists a section dedicated to casualties from the Civil war. A number of these passed at Camp Dennison. These burials accelerated Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum into the stunning place it is today.

30-second pitch – Grand daughter Vai will graduate from Highschool in a few days. Her school, Clark, is a public Montessori specific school. As part of their graduation regimen, aside from the standard work completion and tests, they each have to prepare, and present, a senior project of their choice. A little over 90 graduates, a little over 90 projects. Think of a topic and it was probably presented.

So, the complete piece was written and handed to the teacher. A one-page visual describing in detail with drawings/text/ photographs the specific project was then printed in color on a 3-feet by 3-feet paper.

Now, here is where it got interesting. Thursday at 6:30 parents, siblings, friends, teachers and students all assembled on the school’s soccer pitch. On the pitch’s surrounding fencing each of the 3X3 papers was hung and each graduating student positioned themselves by their project. People walked around, looked, read what interested them and asked questions and a description – the 30-second sales pitch.

Vai told us later that she gave over 15 of these small talks. Her topic centered around the fact that ever-expanding tourism was detrimental to Hawaii – primarily in cost of property to the local native peoples, a looming freshwater shortage, and loss of natural vegetation and wildlife.

I loved the concept, loved the effort put in by the students, and loved the manner of presentation!

Kudos to Clark Montessori Highschool graduating Students and the Staff.

This week’s Interlude – I know, this music is best suited for a cold, snowy, winter ‘s afternoon or evening with a fireplace crackling as there being nothing better when reading a favorite book in such a setting. ‘Nothing’ plus a wonderfully pure voice and accompanying music as background. This mostly Folk, this singer fits that bill with her “pure and sultry” vocals, all without any of today’s devices and auto-tune.
The singer’s name and song title are found below. Complete songs can be found on Spotify and others.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

For over a decade it is that Amazon and its Prime delivery division have created an expectation that should we want most anything it can be delivered to your home by the next (or often the same) day. But for the better part of the previous century, it was Sears (and the ubiquitous Sears Catalog) which was the common ‘go to’ shopping experience. These are some of the stranger items found in the Catalog. Is this list correct?

1. Medical Electric Belts
2. Tombstones
3. Bees
4. Kit Houses
5. Worm Syrup
6. Asbestos Baking Sheets
7. Heroin
8. Vapor Cabinets
9. Apples

Last week Bonus Points answer – #1
Hope Sandoval vocalist, songwriter – Bavarian Fruit Bread: Around My Smile

“Memories this May”

Happy Saturday Morning – as you and I are sitting here lovingly enjoying these Ramblings and your first sips of morning coffee (or your Breakfast Tea) there are people who are on a different tack. Granddaughter Dinah rows for the Syracuse University, she is one of those; “on a different tack.”

Now that the academic year is finishing up, her dad asked her what she’s currently doing on a daily basis. Apparently, it’s get up, do some stretching, have breakfast, working out for 4 hours, eating lunch, then working out for another 4 hours. Much of the ‘work out’ time is on erg machines.

Last weekend they raced both The Ohio State University and the University of Michigan at U of M’s “Wolverine Double Dual” in Ann Arbor . Ohio in the morning where her 8-man boat won by seven seconds ahead of the Buckeyes. Then that afternoon was made complete with a thrilling, razor-thin, victory, racing to a 6:46.6 finish – just .3 seconds ahead of Michigan (that is POINT-three seconds for their win).

May 5, 1945 – This week, 81 years ago, was the official surrender of Germany. In the Netherlands two separate dates are observed as part of the remembrances of the events of World War II (not World War 11 as US Representative A.O. Cortez stated in a brilliant moment).

On May 4th there is Remembrance Day (Dodenherdenking) in the Netherlands which honors all those who suffered and were killed during the conflict – civilians and military. This is a somber day of reflection..

Then, May 5th celebrations in the Netherlands are festive with Liberation Day (Befrijdingsdag) the day where liberation from the occupation and a new freedom returned.

Memory #1 – Around the corner from my childhood home, Richardholstraat 7, is a main roadway acting as a ‘spoke’ coming from the city center, the Kuipersdijk. All I remember is my mother holding my hand and as we entered the Kuipersdijk it was filled with cheering and singing throngs. All along the curb were big, military trucks – each filled with Canadian soldiers; something I found out about sometime years later. It was a soldier who handed me a piece of fruit which thrilled me to no end.

Then, what I remember is getting really angry with my mother. She took the fruit away from me, that soldier had given it to me and not her. When we got home, she first peeled off that wonderful orange colored peel before handing it back to me. I had never seen an orange!

Memory #2 – Is of Arthur Seyss-Inquart, who served as the Reichskommissar (Reich Commissioner) for the German-occupied Netherlands from 1940 to 1945. He was captured after the war, convicted with other senior Nazis at the Nuremberg trials, found guilty and was hung. One of the few memories I have of those times is a memory from after things got back to normal when, as a tyke, my dad took me on a trip where we were able to tour Seyss-Inquart’s bunker. To my kid’s eyes and memories I remember it looking like a normal home with couch and chairs. What I really remember as being much more interesting is going into a nearby Nazi ‘pillbox’ with its massive gun still sticking out and silently pointing westward towards England.

A New Surgeon General – This I am making note of in no small part due to the number of health related events our family and extended family has dealt with just this year.

For week after week the name of Dr. Casey Means was ‘wrung’ over, debated, argued, maligned, until last week when her name was finally pulled as a candidate for our next surgeon General. So, who exactly is Casey Means? In short, she graduated from Stanford Medical School, trained as a head and neck (otolaryngology) surgeon at Oregon Health & Science University, dropping out after 4.5 years of her 5-year program. Consequently, she is not a board-certified surgeon.

Apparently, the reasons for dropping out were ‘burn-out’ with the system and disillusionment with the traditional healthcare system. In terminology I can understand, she tired of ‘fixes’ rather than going after the root causes.

I’ve read and listened to long-form interviews with her (and also her brother Calley). “Together they are, prominent in the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, advocating for systemic changes in the American healthcare system, focusing on root causes of chronic disease, and opposing corporate influence from the food and pharmaceutical industries.” Ai Overview

Knowing her MAHA interests made it not much of a shock that her name was pulled inside the walls in DC. Away from the major monies pouring in by lobbyists and the industries funding them. It’s sad that a brilliant person poised to make positive changes is stopped short by too many occupying the seats of power.

This text of Means opening testimony at her confirmation hearing:
“We are now the most chronically ill high-income nation in the world. We live shorter, sicker lives than peer developed countries. Today’s children are projected to live shorter lifespans than their parents. We spend trillions annually on reactive sick care; nearly 150 million Americans rely on federal healthcare programs; and we invest more than $50 billion each year in research—yet outcomes worsen and disparities widen. Our nation is angry, exhausted, and hurting from preventable disease. Rates of high blood pressure, many cancers, autoimmune conditions, type 2 diabetes, mental health disorders, dementia, neurodevelopmental challenges, and youth suicide have all increased in the past two decades.”

Fastest 2-minutes in Sports – will happen later today as a short 100 miles up the road the 152nd Kentucky Derby will be over and done for another year, all within in a mere 2 minutes.

Even living close by, I have never attended the Derby. It’s not because of the drive. For two school years I drove between the ‘Nati and The-Ville so the drive is not an issue. I have been at Churchill Downs and even walked on the track but never attended the main event. Then, I’ve been asked if during my bar tending years, had I ever made a Mint Julep? Yes, I have. But I’ve never had one – tasted yes, had one no.

All of these points to the fact that I really have no negative reason, somehow, I just never made the effort to be part of the main event. What is interesting about today’s running is that 18 of the 20 3-year-old thoroughbred entries were born in the Bluegrass State.

This week’s Interlude – This week I spent some time listening to a major ‘voice’ from the last century. The band delivered a wealth of music, had a frontman with a great voice, and a guitarist who delivered this solo (and wrote much of the piece). The guitar he plays is affectionately called Big Red and which he made with his dad. Oh, and during his ‘spare’ time this band’s guitarist got a PhD in Astrophysics. Also, he was knighted and appointed Commander of the British Empire (CBE).

Answer can be found below: band and guitarist names as well as the song from which this solo was taken at end of Ramblings. No Googling!

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

What seems like it’s a few short years, the CD format was actually first introduced to the public in 1982. Which one of these developed the format:

1. Sanyo
2. Sony
3. Philips
4. Mitsubishi
5. RCA
6. A Starlink division
7. Sony & Philips jointly
8. Apple & Philips jointly
9. Apple

Last week Bonus Points answer – #1
Brian May guitarist for Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody guitar solo