Saturday 9

Saturday 9: It Must Be Him (1967) 

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a woman waiting impatiently for a phone call. Do you consider yourself patient? No. As my friend John tells me, "Patience is your demon."


2) Other women (most notably Shirley Bassey and Dottie West) have recorded this song. Harry James and Doc Severinson did instrumental versions. But there's no record of a male singing "Oh dear God! It must be her! Or I shall die!" Do you think that's because waiting for the phone to ring is more "a chick thing," and men simply don't do it? I think they don't admit it, much less sing about it at the top of their lungs.

3) This recording enjoyed a sudden surge of popularity after 20 years when it was included on the soundtrack of Moonstruck, the 1987 film that won Cher an Oscar. Have you seen Moonstruck? Several times. So romantic!


via GIPHY


4) This week's featured artist, Vikki Carr, was born in El Paso, TX. El Paso can proudly proclaim itself one of America's safest cities. What can your hometown be proud of? You mean, other than me?

5) She was a staple on Jerry Lewis' Labor Day Telethon, raising funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association by performing this song. Is your TV on right now? If so, what are you watching? It's not on. I was listening to Vikki sing her heart out on YouTube.

6) In 1971, Vikki fulfilled a dream of hers by establishing the Vikki Carr Scholarship Foundation. Every year the foundation awards Hispanic American students money to use toward higher education. She says it's her way of returning "the support and encouragement she received from others" early in her career. If you could establish a charitable foundation, what cause would you like it to benefit? Free veterinary services. Companion animals mean so much to those who love them. It's heartbreaking when they truly want to give their dogs and cats quality care, but can't afford to.

7)  In 1967, when this song was popular, Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first heart transplant. Today, one of the most common surgeries performed in the United States is the coronary artery bypass surgery. Have you had any surgeries? In 2011, I had a hysterectomy.

8)  Also in 1967, the RMS Queen Mary was retired after 31 years of service. Have you ever traveled by cruise ship? Nope

9) Random question: Who is your oldest living relative? My aunt is between 72 and 74.

My suite life

Since Monday night, I've been living out of two rooms in a massive Victorian on the other side of town.

I'm glad I did this because my home is a wreck. My (only) bathroom is completely unusable: the toilet is parallel to the wall and the sink is in the living room. My new tub is in, but it's filled with work tools.

I go home every night to check on the cats -- oh, the mess they're making in the bedroom! -- and bring in the mail and feel the lump in my throat whenever I look at the bathroom.

I was told by Don (the boss) that it was a "3 to 5 day job." It looks like it's really a 5 1/2 day job. The overages are because of my building, I'm told. It's so hard to get supplies up through elevator. The parking area is way in the back. It eats up all this time. Yeah, right. Don was in my building twice -- first for the estimate, then to do some preliminary measurements. I haven't changed the location of the elevator or the parking lot since he's been here.

Meantime, I'm here. In this little suite of rooms. Watching Netflix and sleeping a lot. It's quiet and comfortable. The man who owns this massive house -- two addresses on two streets -- turned these rooms into a separate suite for his daughter to use when she was home from college. Well, she's graduated and moved away and he's renting it as an Airbnb.

I'm still sick with worry about Henry. I feel stressed about work (even though I took Thursday and Friday off). I am nervous about the expense and progress of my remodel. So I come in, slip into my pjs, binge watch about the Royal Family, and go to bed before 10:00.

Tonight is my last night here. It's been very nice, but I want to go home. I want to put my bathroom and bedroom back as they were. I want my old life back, just with a new bathroom. I want to relax again.