Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Purple Snowflakes (2018)

1) The lyrics ask where the snowflakes go. Sam can answer that: she shovels them! Do you shovel or use a snow blower? Or do you live in a warmer climate with no snow? None of the above. I live in a condo building, so we have a snow removal service. I wish we had a janitor on premises, like Fred Mertz, because sometimes by the time the service gets here, I've already been through the front door, down the stairs and over the walk, trudging through the white stuff. If I wasn't already paying for the service, I might get out there and shovel it my damn self.

2) This week's artist, John Legend, recalls his Christmases growing up, singing carols with his family around the piano. Do you have a piano, or any other musical instruments, in your home? Nope.

3) This song is from John Legend's first Christmas album, A Legendary Christmas. It was a massive hit. Did you add any new music to your holiday collection this year? Kinda sorta. In that I never got around to playing my own Christmas carols and just let Alexa handle it. Yeah, I was lazy. But she has a much wider selection than I do.

4) John and his wife Chrissy Teigen go caroling with friends. What's the last song that you sang? "C'mon it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you." Of course I dueted with my annual Christmas date, Andy.

5) Chrissy's hobby is cooking. While she likes experimenting with new recipes, her young children prefer their familiar favorites, like mashed potatoes. She tosses a bay leaf into the water as the potatoes boil to add enhance the flavor. Do you have a dish that's considered your specialty? Nope.

6) John prefers to unwind with a good book and loves comparing reading recommendations with friends. Did you discover any books in 2020 that you'd like to recommend to our Sat 9ers? If you like mystery/thrillers, I recommend Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger. In non-fiction, I finally got to Night to Remember. Written back in the 1950s, it's the definitive study on what happened the night The Titanic went down. It was engrossing!

7) This song was written by Motown powerhouse Marvin Gaye. Who is your favorite Motown artist? The supreme Miss Diana Ross.

8) In 1972, Marvin wrote another Christmas song, "I Want to Come Home for Christmas." He dedicated it to the troops then serving in Vietnam. Do you know anyone who is protecting us this holiday season? Tell us about him or her. Whether they are in the armed forces, the police or fire department, or the ER, we want to say thank you! I'd also like to thank all the essential workers who kept our lives going, day to day, during this past year. It must not be easy to deal with the public, some of whom are silly and selfish and refuse to wear masks, thereby putting you at risk.

9) Random question: You go into the kitchen to make your perfect sandwich. What fixings do you need? Oh! Since I've been on a bland diet,* I think of food more than ever! Right now I'd like ham on wheat, with lettuce and mayo. And a pickle.

*Everyone thinks of respiratory issues when they think of covid. During my bout with the virus, I never had any breathing issues. But my gut has been more than a little rebellious! If you find yourself having tummy trouble, call your doctor. It could be covid!
 

Christmas gift symmetry

I celebrated my socially distanced Christmas Eve on Zoom. It was fine. I was especially amused by my time with my nephew. I know he loves playing Among Us, so I got him a themed mask. I also got him the world's smallest Cubs figurine (a 3.5" Javier Baez) and an Amazon gift card. I was delighted that he got me a pair of Cubs masks, identical to the ones the players wore in the dugout. So we were on the same page with our masks and the Cubs! 

This morning I opened a trio of presents. One was from Kathleen. I was touched by how moved she was by Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death. RBG was a hero, and she posted pictures of herself wearing pearls in the Justice's honor as she voted. So for Christmas I got her a Ruth Bader Ginsburg wall calendar. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, she was shopping for me. She chose a selection of rose scented bath products and a tin of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dissent Mints. A silly but important little touch, because it gave us Notorious Holiday Symmetry.

Icky, but important! Please share.

Thanksgiving was 11/26. Two Southern California families that I have personal connections to celebrated with traditional, multi-household sit-down meals.

Of the six people who attended the dinner in Hesperia, three came down with covid. Two had the more publicized symptoms -- dry cough, headache and high fever with chills -- but the third (my best friend) had diarrhea.

Of the nine who had dinner together in Chino Hills, four were concerned that they had a bad case of stomach flu, or maybe food poisoning. The two youngest (in their 30s) recovered in more than a week. Their 83-year-old grandfather was hospitalized on Wednesday, 12/23. He is spending Christmas in a fight for his life. His lady friend recovered on her own. They all had/have the corona virus.

I most likely contracted the corona virus on the day before Thanksgiving. I had a headache and fever, lost my sense of taste and smell, but the most severe and lasting symptom was diarrhea. I know this isn't anything you want to read about, so I'll be brief. A month later, I'm still on a restricted diet.*

So spread the word: If you have diarrhea for more than two days, CALL YOUR DOCTOR! Yes, it may be food poisoning. But it could very well be covid. And you could be contagious!

I know it's not a very merry Christmas message, but I want everyone who reads this to be smart and stay healthy.

 

 

*Though I'm getting better every day and had a roast beef sandwich for Christmas! (I've missed beef so much that it felt like a Christmas Miracle.)