Happy 88th, Pete!

Pete Seeger's 88th birthday was a few days ago. He wrote this song in the late '60s--it was about the Vietnam war and man, oh man, it still rings true today. I love Pete Seeger.

Waist Deep In The Big Muddy
by Pete Seeger 1963, planned for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1967 but CBS objected to the blacklisted Seeger making obvious references to the"big fool" in the White House, finally sung by Seeger on the Comedy Hour in 1968 as the finale in a medley of anti-war songs

It was back in nineteen forty-two,I was a member of a good platoon.We were on maneuvers in-a Loozianna,One night by the light of the moon.The captain told us to ford a river,That's how it all begun.We were -- knee deep in the Big Muddy,But the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure,This is the best way back to the base?""Sergeant, go on! I forded this river'Bout a mile above this place.It'll be a little soggy but just keep slogging.We'll soon be on dry ground."We were -- waist deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, with all this equipmentNo man will be able to swim.""Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie,"The Captain said to him."All we need is a little determination;Men, follow me, I'll lead on."We were -- neck deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool said to push on.

All at once, the moon clouded over,We heard a gurgling cry.A few seconds later, the captain's helmetWas all that floated by.The Sergeant said, "Turn around men!I'm in charge from now on."And we just made it out of the Big MuddyWith the captain dead and gone.

We stripped and dived and found his bodyStuck in the old quicksand.I guess he didn't know that the water was deeperThan the place he'd once before been.Another stream had joined the Big Muddy'Bout a half mile from where we'd gone.We were lucky to escape from the Big MuddyWhen the big fool said to push on.

Well, I'm not going to point any moral;I'll leave that for yourselfMaybe you're still walking, you're still talkingYou'd like to keep your health.But every time I read the papersThat old feeling comes on;We're -- waist deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool says to push on.

Waist deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool says to push on.Waist deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool says to push on.Waist deep! Neck deep! Soon even a Tall man'll be over his head, we'reWaist deep in the Big Muddy!And the big fool says to push on!

Words and music by Pete Seeger (1967)TRO (c) 1967 Melody Trails, Inc. New York, NY

Queen's Hat

I love this woman's hat! I labeled this picture "Queenshat" but it kinda looks like Queen shat.

Sorry, Liz

The Colbert Report

Last night I was watching a repeat of Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report. He was talking about Rep. presidential hopeful and Mormon Mitt Romney. He didn't draw into question his religious beliefs but his choice in reading material.
He showed a clip of Romney being interviewed by some chick on Fox morning news. She asked Romney what his all-time favorite book was. He replied, in all sincerity, "Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard." OMG, I'll bet his political handlers were just cringing.
Why would any presidential candidate want to be associated with Scientology founder Hubbard?

(sorry, Clanky, this post has an American bent to it.)

Momisms

What's the most "Mom" phrase you use (or have heard from your Mom) on your kids?
You can answer if you are a Dad too.

Recently, I have been saying "you're cutting off your nose to spite your face" a lot.
I've also been known to say, "Be nice to people while they're still here to be nice to," "Don't piss away your education . . . 99% of the kids in the world would love to have what you have."

I think it goes in one ear and out the other.

My Mom used to warn us of crowded places and shoplifters, "They'll knock you in the head for 50 cents!"

Happy May Day

The USSR used to celebrate May Day. I don't know about Russia.

It just got finished hailing here. Pea-sized.

I got six pieces of mail: No bills, two mayoral solicitations, Martha Stewart Omnimedia stockholder report (I owe one share), two credit card offers for Mastercard, one solicitation from Ball State Foundation. Here's a piece of advice: Never, under any circumstances, give to your alma maters's foundation. Make a notation to direct your donation to your favorite academic department, to a scholarship fund, to student activities, anything but an unrestricted account like a Foundation. Foundation money can be used for anything: flowers for some dead person, dinners and alcohol to wine and dine big givers . . . anything. Be specific, people. I give mine to the political science department so they can bring in speakers and do other things to corrupt young minds into my way of thinking.

Friday is my youngest sister's birthday. The check is in the mail.

Saturday is Cinco De Mayo. Can you say "margarita"?

Garden Work/Crappy Movie

It was a beautiful weekend so we worked outside a lot.
BP went to his Mom’s on Saturday and did some work for her and brought back his backhoe bucket so he could “repair” it. He and LP had a heckava time getting it off the trailer. Don’t ask me how he’s repairing it. I somehow think that his lathe will play a part in it.
Yesterday we went to Menard’s with the trailer and bought loads of mulch, landscape fabric, potting soil and bags of river rock.
I Rounded-Up an area, put down landscape fabric and moved the bird bath onto bricks I had “pinwheeled.” (BP advised me to do it this way) then I surrounded the area with the river rock, and man does it look good! Those lucky, lucky birds. Later I saw a blackbird, a robin, and two goldfinches enjoying a dip and drink.
I also ripped up a bunch of ivy (I thought of Urban) and cleaned up the bed in front of the porch. Since Ded hasn’t answered my buddleia bush question, I attempted to dig up the old bush. I trimmed it back almost to the ground and dug and dug and then it was “fuck this noise.” I’ll try later; if I don’t get it all up I’ll just place a few big stones on top of the stump and call it a day.
I ordered three dwarf varieties of buddleia from a website yesterday and I’ll plant those in the clean up bed. I think they’ll do nicely.

Last night after The Amazing Race, BP and I watched Stranger Than Fiction. He had seen it before and he insisted I see it. He loved it; I thought it sucked major ass. You ask how can a movie with Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah and Will Ferrell suck major ass? Well, it can. The only non-boring part was Maggie Gyllenhall. It had a good premise, but was excuted very poorly. I’d give it a D-.

Pretty Kitty Redux