Finally, slipping into Gear

Happy Saturday Morning – Another Saturday, another weekend, praise be. If I were to keep track of weekend comings and goings it would not be via coffee – that’s a seven day a week event. So, I raise my mug to all of you, cheers to my readers wherever you may be (even for those who are through the magic of time zones already well into Sunday). Happy Saturday!

First on this week’s list of Ramblings is the fact that there will NOT be a Rambling’s post next week. Next week Saturday it’s Ohio River Paddlefest 2026 and by 7:00AM Jason and I will be at the riverbank ready to kayak on our 10-miles of absolute river fun.

Going Sailing – Too many hours watching the very best soccer I’ve seen. Both our USA and Dutch teams dive out of the tournament’s back door: way too early. Still, it was great while they were on the pitch putting on a show.

It was with much World Cup hoopla that the Dutch fandom sailed their Big Orange Bus across the ocean and into Galveston, TX. Now it was time to head home. Below is a little loop put out by a TV station (with no audio) as the bus pulled into the Galveston docks for its return voyage.

Since there was no sound with the video, click on the audio track below and then while listening put the video on a loop. No wet eyes!

Credentials – It’s finally beginning to happen. Tomorrow, I head for the nearby village of Morrow to pick up my credentials and get informed on anything new for the 2026 Cincinnati Open which starts early August.

I should mention that the property for the Open is 40 acres and contains 30 tennis courts not including the Center Court and Grand Slam courts. That much space also requires that there are restaurants, stages, and lots of seating to just sit and relax. So much fun, and for me it all begins tomorrow.

Groceries – In order to get Marcia out of the house a bit more I’ve started to use a scheme daughter Adrianne introduced to us. As a busy mom she swears by it, and now I concur that It’s wonderful. Here is how it works; I call it “click-shopping”.

Marcia and I open the Kroger web page. We click on any wanted items appearing on our previously purchased list. Enter any new items not on that list. Then we just enter our preferred pickup time, drive over, click our bay number, and pop the trunk.

Magically everything is placed in the trunk and we hear a hearty; “Thank You.”

How easy is that?

The last time I set the pickup time to coincide with dinner-out at Marcia’s favorite; Chick-Fill-A. That ‘Chick’ happens to be immediately across from the food pickup area. It can’t get better and Marcia gets a little out-and-about!

Quotation –  Jo Kenny, ‘Cook it Eat it Live it’
“Don’t spend your life ordering the salad and waiting to be offered the fries.”

This week’s Interlude – Today’s singer recorded this piece when she was a hot, young twenties, newcomer; she is still performing today. During her beginnings I paid little attention to her material, now that I am more ‘mature’ this number from around 1977 I’ve revived it onto my ‘should listen to’ list. Why You ask? Well, it’s this duet sung with Chris Norman which with more maturity has given that number a whole new meaning, especially with my efforts to stay in shape and work out with regularity. Yup, I’m stumbling on.

There is a hint buried in all of the above. Enjoy the one-minute beginning. If you like it, it can be found on Spotify. The answer and title can be found below, but before you ‘peek’, try to get the answer on your own (i.e. NO Ai).

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

Ok, so some of you know that in part I paid for my college life by bartending, beer joints, for the national Governor’s conference, upscale restaurants, and even the Pink Pony lounge at the Chippawa Hotel on Mackinac Island, MI.
Last year I volunteered hosted the bourbon tastings at last year’s Cincinnati River Roots Festival in northern Kentucky.

Let it be said that I do enjoy a ‘wee’ dram of whiskey now and then, including a nice single malt from Scottland and Ireland. So, here is the question for this week; what, from the list below, is the Gaelic meaning for Whiskey:

1. Drinkable water
2. Angel’s Glory
3. Intoxicating drink
4. Cow-beer
5. Dew of the Highlands
6. Spray of the Skye
7. Water of Life

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 8
Answer, this week’s Interlude: Suzi Quatro singing with Chris Norman “Stumblin’ In”