Exciting Times

Alex, now that 2018 is here things have been "happening" !  One not so good event over the past couple months, but MOSTLY exciting stuff.  Some recent highlights....

1. Shortly before 2018, you turned 21.  Woohoo!   We had dinner at MizuSushi, presents, etc.  But that was only after you and Taylor you celebrated with Gage at Uncle Bucks.  I don't know too many details, and that's just as well.
2. In January you broke your right ankle (tip of your tibia) on your first trip down the bunny slope, skiing with Taylor.  She took you to the Edwardsville urgent care clinic, then we had appointments with Dr. Hernandez who we really liked.  Fortunately, no hard cast - just crutches and a brace/boot that you could walk on before too long.  It was a simple fracture and healed quickly.  But an achy foot and no driving for (a very boring) 5 weeks or so was rough.  By the end of February, you were driving again and off for a long weekend at Slippery Rock.  You've been saying that it's very unlikely you will ever going skiing again....
3. Then a couple days it was back to work at Gerrity's, where your boss very much wants you to continue working in the produce department.  The prior week you gave notice of resigning from Gerritys because of much upcoming travel....  but store management is willing to schedule your hours around the trips.  So no need to quit - great news!
4. WHAT TRAVEL, you say???  Well very soon you are heading abroad for a 10 day visit with Uncle John and Aunt Fran in Qatar.  Leaving from JFK Airport in New York City, connecting in Istanbul, then on to Doha (and back).  It will be Very interesting and a wonderful opportunity to see part of the Middle East - from a geographical, political and historical perspective.  You will have much fun with Noel and Larson too.  The next special highlight is a weekend visit with Uncle Jason and Aunt Maryanne, traveling with Aunt Pam.  Good times!
5. But really what prompted me to (finally!!) write a new post in Carroll Boys was your application to Misericordia University and, as of March 1, receiving a letter of acceptance/scholarship notification.  I am so, so proud of all the work you've done to become an honors student at LCCC, decide that you are very interested in politics and apply for the Government, Law and National Security program.  Fantastic!!  Congratulations Alexander Finley !!!

It makes me think of the fun and excitement of Wyoming Area graduation, so I've re-posted one of my favorite pictures of you in the blog header.   

There is much work to come..... and for now, let's be joyful !!!!

"Real" County Music

I guess you both know that I've been an on-and-off country music fan.  (And I really did want a truck for a bit when you were quite young.....!)  What this has usually meant is "country pop" type artists such as the Judd's, Shania Twain, Martina McBride, etc.  Although Steve and I went to a Dolly Parton concert a couple years ago, and can verify that Dolly is a true country music icon.

As I while away time listening to music on You Tube, I've begun to appreciate old-time country music, and I'm always looking for more Johnny Cash and Carter Family songs.  I came across two tonight that are just fantastic....  so lucky you, I'm going to share them.

The first song was written by Merle Kilgore and June Carter.  It became one of Johnny Cash's best known songs, but was originally recorded by June's sister Anita Carter.  She had a compelling, spectacular voice - this rendition is just wonderful.



And this probably the sweetest love song I've ever heard, performed by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.  Theirs is a great love story; I hope very much that some day both of you will have the joy of finding your own soul mates.

Coda

Since my last post......

I updated the picture are the top of the blog to the one I've inserted below.  Steve (our extraordinarily talented, primary photographer) took it.  It was really a very innocent moment; but the cats look downright creepy.

Also, Robby you have been somewhat fixated on baby names lately.  So to add to the previous posting:

• You like the name "Rain" for a girl, which is a very nice name.  We tried to talk you into Sleet, Fog and Hail too, but you aren't going for it.  You joked with Alex that you are also considering "Eduarda".
• We are concerned about your latest boy's preferred boy's name , which is "Joof".  Alex is sure he would spend a lot of time fighting over it, and Steve says his nickname would be "ATM" since he would constantly lose his lunch money to his tormentors.  You did a Google search and found that there are "one or fewer" people who have this first name.  Good thing your future wife will have her own opinions.

As a funny conclusion, here's a perfect song for the wrap up the Name posting at least for now.  The comments to this video say it was recorded at a concert for prisoners in San Quentin (not in Denmark):

What's in A Name?

Here's a list of significant and not-so-significant names & related facts ......

• Alexander the Great - namesake of our Alexander
• Sasha Finley - Mom's nickname for Alex
• Robby Cannonball - Mom's nickname for Robby
• Robster - Aunt Pam's name for our Robby
• Robinator - Steve's name for Robby
• Spidershock79 - One of Robby's online names, the origin of which seems to be forgotten
• Trini Bug - Katrina's (Kate's) childhood nickname
• Stinky - Becca's childhood, and somewhat unfair, nickname
• Korin - We are not allowed to mention the only childhood nickname I've heard of, but there's ever the question of whether to pronounce as Koor-in vs Kohr-ihn.
• Luke - Lucy's current name on Facebook
• Kai-ruh - Most common pronunciation of Kyra's (Keer-uh's) name
• Noel and Larson - Most Canadian-sounding kids in Doha, and previously Houston
• Bob and Bobby - Grandma's names for Grandpa and Dad (as a result, I insisted on calling our boy "Robby")
• Ruthie - Grandma's favorite alternate name for Aunt Pam
• Clyde and Chloe - Per GranNana, names that their parents almost chose for your great grandfather (Burke Rivers, her husband) and for her (Phyllis); in which case, they would never have married 
• Burkey the Turkey - Per GranNana, your great grandfather's nickname made up by his uncle(s); its use was discontinued after he was ordained
• Uncle John - Namesake of Edie's father, Great Uncle John McCausland (also GranNana's brother)
• "Joseph Kerr" - Name your Great Aunt Mary Kerr would not choose for one of her sons, as a namesake of her father Joe Zeller (can you think of why?)
• Gage - Alex's best friend, who Mom once dreamed of as "Battery" (perhaps connecting to "gauge", with car repairs in mind)
• Lars and Olaf - Robby's friends from camp; one actual, one invented by Steve
• The Teams (A, B, B modified, G and H teams) - Robby's school friends in groups or singular
• Pugsley and Pubert - Rather irreverent names for certain neighbors (and a future sister would become "Wednesday")
• Jeffy - Name of another neighbor as understood my Mom for more than 2 years (turns out his actual name is slightly different)
• Gwendolyn Priscilla Smythe - The helpful lady who talks to us through the GPS.
• Fluffius Maximus or Fluffius Minimus - Tiger, depending on the time of year
• Jonathan and Potato - Alex's and Robby's names for Jean Luc
• Bill or Fek'lhr - Names not chosen for brand new kitten Jean Luc, thanks (very much) to Kate
• Rambo - The very unlikely name of a reticent black and white kitty
• Deacon and Sunday - Names of Mom's childhood "church" kitties
• Fat Albert - Steve's childhood kitty
• Lotus Mae - Aunt Pam's childhood kitty

OK, that was fun but exhausting.  Happy Friday !!

Decisions, Decisions

Tonight at dinner, Robby mentioned that I hadn't posted anything since February....  so I guess it's time to finish this post that I started 5 weeks ago.  After posting about music you've enjoyed recently, I wanted to share some music I like.  But it's been so hard to choose !

So, be it "eclectic" or "weird" or just plain boring, here's my collection.......



I love choral music, and found this lovely and (as always with a boys' choir) slightly haunting church performance of a beautiful hymn by John Rutter.


About a year ago, Steve and I met Aunt Julie and Mark in New York City to see "Wicked".  I am fascinated and enthralled with musicals, and can't get the songs out of my head for days after the show.  This emotional song from "Wicked", about a close friendship between women, has become permanently fixed in my psyche.....  likely connected to the close relationships I've had with women (family members and others) and how much they mean to me.




And this song is just SO sweet, bringing back days of having you boys as very young children.  You can just feel the love in this family.

Classics in a New Light

Continuing with the theme of  "music of current interest", here are two fascinating videos that Alex introduced us to.  As with Robby's songs, there is great contrast in the themes (carefree joy vs troubled times).  Both are haunting, and performed with incredible feeling .....  and you may know that Over the Rainbow is one of my favorite songs of all time.

School House Rock and Spotify

One of my favorite things to do is watch You Tube videos (I definitely feel guilty about this, since I'm getting nothing accomplished while I keep clicking away.....).  A couple weeks ago in American Government, Robby you were introduced to the School House Rock version of The Preamble of the Constitution.  You were singing it at home for a few days.....  And tonight you told me that you like listening to Shadows of the Night on Spotify.  I've certainly heard of Spotify, but did an Internet search to learn what it actually is :-)

So, here are the videos for these memorable songs!  As a side note, we got an exercise bike and you now enjoy listening to music on your headphones while you peddle your 2 miles per day (typically in 6 minutes).