Tag: houston

Mr. Simon turns 80

Happy birthday to Paul Simon, turning 80 today! He’s one of my favorite poets/ songwriters/ singers/ musicians/ performers. I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing him live with or without his former partner Art Garfunkel. But I have lots of his CDs.

One thing I’m missing?


You can see that the waterline from the Harvey flood goes all the way to the upper corners. This was a big loss for me because of its sentimental value.

The birthday that my mother (I mention only her because my father was overseas at the time) bought my first record player, she also bought me three albums. The Simon and Garfunkel album was one of them. I’m not sure why she picked the ones she did and suspect it was because she wanted to listen to them, too (although on the big stereo console in the living room).

I’m sure I have all of these songs on a Best Of… CD, but when I find this used on vinyl, I will certainly replace it.

If you’d like to know the other two records she bought me for that birthday, they are:

Lynne spotted a replacement for my badly damaged copy of Mark Lindsay’s first solo album, so though it isn’t the one my mother bought, it’s back in its rightful place in the collection.

Finally, Mother also bought Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits, which came through the flood unscathed, though I lost my other Bob Dylan albums. At some point when I have an income again, they’ll be replaced.

Tiny Tuesday!

Look at this tiny, handsome obsidian raven I got from Body Mind and Soul after their buying trip to Denver. They picked up SO MUCH great stuff. If you live in or near Houston, this is one of the best-of-the-best locally-owned businesses to shop. The moment you walk inside, your energy lifts, and the end of any transaction leaves you renewed for going back to the outside world.


I named him Paulus and posed him in front of this colorful postcard from Marika to honor Maleficent’s raven confidant popularly known as Diablo in the 1959 animated movie and named Diaval in the 2014 film. The love and respect I feel for crows, ravens, and other corvids (there are 133 species in the Corvidae family!) are bonds I share with several friends. They’re smart and complex birds.

One of my characters thinks of himself as a “lone crow,” and I’ve planned a future house for a different character that will use one of the corvids in its name.

It’s fun to tuck little homages to these creatures inside what I write.

Mood: Monday


Yep, another rainy day Monday. This is not the same weather we’ll be getting later when Tropical Storm Nicholas promises to dump significant water on us. We’re watching the property to make sure everything’s draining, so when the heavier rains come, they have a quicker path to the bayou. Instead of the bayou finding a quick path back to us. If that seems likely, we start moving things upward from floor level inside the house.

How can I improve my Monday mood? Simple.



September 13 — Singing ©Chris Walter, 1979

If you ever saw him or the band perform, if there were no drumsticks in his hands, or his hands weren’t busy on a keyboard, and a mic was in front of him, the hand against the ear is one of the most familiar sights of your memories. The hair length and color might change. The beard might come and go. The clothes changed over the decades. But the hand on the ear: That was forever.

Button Sunday


Back in mid-July, I did some local shopping that I blogged about. Among the things I picked up that day were buttons from Cactus Music (the one of Tom Petty I posted the beginning of this month) and these two of George Harrison.

I knew at that point that the 50th anniversary reissue of George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass was due to drop around August 5. As you may recall, the Harvey flood took my original copy of his 1971 debut album, which was a gift to me from my friend Riley when I was just a girl looking at a boy who filled my life with music and poetry every chance he could.


This is like a kick to the gut every time I think about it. I did replace it almost immediately with the CD set, because I need certain music and memories to sustain me, and this is at the top of that list.

That day in July, I also went to Soundwaves and talked to the owner. He said to definitely call him the first week of August, and he’d order and save me whatever I wanted (there are choices–vinyl with the original three albums plus vinyl with the original three plus two with outtakes and alternate versions from the ATMP sessions, and these same options on CD).

That was my plan before I knew that the end of July and throughout August, external things would trigger a wave of mental and emotional fatigue/anxiety/depression that actually feels worse than most of what I went through in the first year of this pandemic. I wasn’t calling anyone or going anywhere for a while.

Yesterday, after I worked in Aaron’s Garden, Tom agreed to go with me not only to buy plants, but to swing by Soundwaves and Cactus Music.


From Soundwaves, I got the three-vinyl set that replaces my original. I didn’t think it was there and I’d have to buy the five-album set, which I didn’t want because I don’t listen to records as often as I listen to music from CDs both at home and in the car. But Tom found it, so GOOD THING he was with me!


Then off we went to Cactus, where they had the CD set with the originals plus additional unreleased material, and I’m listening to the outtakes and extras right now, and not only is every bit of the music balm to my soul, but there are funny moments, too. George Harrison is bringing me so much joy.

The only thing that could make this better would be listening to it all with Riley again. If there’s a rock and roll heaven, he probably jams with George and John (his favorite Beatle), and they, too, now know how cool and talented and funny and good my beautiful friend was.


Dear Riley: Tom took this photo of me wearing my Beatles mask in front of the display at Cactus. I know it would have made you laugh. I love you, and I’ll always be grateful for every one of those years we had. Thank you for all the music, love, and laughter.

Though you sit in another chair
I can feel you here
Looking like I don’t care
But I do, I do
Hiding it all behind anything I see
Should someone be looking at me?
While I occupy my mind
I can feel you here
Love to us is so well-timed
But I do, I do
Wasting away these moments so heavenly
Should someone be looking at me?
Let it down, let it down
Let your hair hang all around me
Let it down, let it down
Let your love flow and astound me
While you look so sweetly and divine
I can feel you here
I see your eyes ar? busy kissing mine
And I do, I do
Wondering what it is they’r? expecting to see
Should someone be looking at me?
Let it down, let it down
Let your hair hang all around me
Let it down, let it down
Let your love flow and astound me

Mood adjustment, code green

Today I did some things to try to get out of my blue mood, including setting an errand goal along with Tom, and we GOT IT ALL DONE, exactly on schedule. Just leaving the property was an accomplishment, but before we went, I cleaned up Aaron’s Garden. We’ve lost a few succulents with the help of summer’s heat and recent dryness. That was one of the errands: to replace those plants.

Things are looking cleaned up and green again.

This will make me cheerful when I go outside to get the mail (which I check ten times a day, also known as every time Jack barks) or handle future errands, and I’ll keep a close eye on the new plants to make sure they’re watered as needed.

Tomorrow’s Button Sunday post will finally be the one I postponed earlier in August. =)