January 2021 – J-Dub's Grin and Bear It

#JusJoJan “Candy” ~ 1/31/21

Published on 01/31/2021 by J-Dub5 Comments

Look right HERE for Linda’s last entry along with the rules and ping back. This years #JusJoJan was exceptional. I loved all the fictional short stories. Linda has a gift 🎁 I’m telling you what!! For our swan song, we’re prompted with candy 🍭 🍬 ooooh sweetness

I’ve never met a candy that I didn’t like. Well maybe licorice but that’s about it. Everything else is delightful. Chocolate 🍫 is my favorite 😍 especially Reese’s 🥜 🧈 ☕️ ☕️ . Pretend there’s no coffee in those cups and I’ve given you my fave candy with emoticons.

The sour stuff is just ok. Except for green apple 🍏 jolly ranchers. Back in the good old days, I’d save up my returnable coke bottles (pop or soda to some) to get me some coin for penny candy. Those little jolly ranchers were my first pick. That and dubble bubble. Not candy but cost pennies also.

There was a jolly rancher fire 🔥 stick that tasted like cinnamon and was a little more expensive than a few pennies because it was bigger. Which reminds me of red hots! Oh my and what about Chick-o-sticks? Or Slow Pokes? Or Milk duds? Or Sugar Daddy? Or Sugar Babies? Haven’t had those in years. Now I want candy!!!

But, noooooo. I’ve got to be careful. Watch my sugar intake and calories. Back then I ate it all and walked it off. The good old days for more reasons than one.

Any who. I guess I’ve rambled on long enough. Lemme let ya go 😂.

As always more to come.

#SLS ~ 1/31/21

Published on 01/31/202101/30/2021 by J-Dub10 Comments

Jim prompts us with even/odd. Hmm. Decisions, decisions. I landed on “Even Flow” by Pearl Jam. Writer(s): Vedder Eddie Jerome, Gossard, Stone.

I like to joke that Eddie Vedder is my twin since our birthdays are the same year, just two days apart. I wonder if he is as angry as he appears to be in the video I picked. That was a long time ago. Who knows?

Freezin’, rests his head on a pillow made of concrete, again
Oh, feelin’ maybe he’ll see a little better, set of days, ooh yeah
Oh, hand out, faces that he sees time again ain’t that familiar, oh yeah
Oh, dark grin, he can’t help, when he’s happy looks insane, oh yeah

Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies
Oh, he don’t know, so he chases them away
Someday yet, he’ll begin his life again
Life again, life again…

Kneelin’, looking through the paper though he doesn’t know to read, ooh yeah
Oh, prayin’, now to something that has never showed him anything
Oh, feelin’, understands the weather of the winters on its way
Oh, ceilings, few and far between all the legal halls of shame, yeah

Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies
Oh, he don’t know, so he chases them away
Someday yet, he’ll begin his life again

Whispering hands, gently lead him away
Him away, him away…
Yeah!
Woo…ah yeah…fuck it up…

Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies
Oh, he don’t know, so he chases them away
Someday yet, he’ll begin his life again, yeah

Oh, whispering hands, gently lead him away
Him away, him away…
Yeah!
Woo…uh huh…yeah, yeah, mommy, mommy…

How about those lyrics? Here is more backstory at the wiki. I also found this video which I thought I’d share. Perhaps he had a reason to be angry. Glad he overcame what life dealt him and that “he’s still going strong”

Sunday Reflections: A Week in Review ~ 1/31/21

Published on 01/31/202101/30/2021 by J-Dub4 Comments

Quick roll call to start us off. This week was ab-fab!

My #JusJoJan offerings in da house …

Then the usual suspects …

I had quite the week this week. Up, down, and all around. Internet was off kilter a tad bit on Monday then back in good standing the rest of the week. Of course my work week ended Wednesday. I took off Thursday and Friday for greener pastures. Well the pastures of our back yard. Because I stayed home. Except for a quick trip to the vampire for Lulu’s blood work. She finds out her fate on 2/3/21. That sounds so ominous but it isn’t. Not really. We like to get a lil sarcastic to fight the jitters.

Speaking of jitters … I have my annual lady parts appointment on 2/2/21 and my annual “get squished” on 2/4/21. Glutton for punishment I know. And TMI too, I know that as well. So avert your eyes, if you don’t wanna know my bidness. Saying stupid stuff combats the nervous jitters that “IT” whatever it may be is Bad with a capital B. Everything hurts y’all. That’s all I’m sayin.

Now we’re off to curbside and once stuff is unpacked and put up we’re gonna work in the yard. Fertilize all the trees and do some garden pre-prep. We’re trying again after a one year hiatus. Wish us luck. May the garden gods magic bring abundance.

Peace y’all. Until next time. Stay safe.

As always, more to come.

#JusJoJan & #SoCS ~ 1/30/21

Published on 01/30/202101/29/2021 by J-Dub9 Comments

In the end, the only thing that mattered was getting bonus points.

Happy Saturday folks, time for the final combo of #JusJoJan and #SoCS. Today’s prompt is a doozy. Linda writes and I rewrite: Your prompt for #JusJoJan and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “the beginning, the end.” Write about the beginning of something and the end of something. Bonus points if your first sentence contains “the end” and your last sentence contains “the beginning.” <– Read that again. Have fun!

To join in and/or read the other entries, here are the rules and ping back.

Is this backwards day? Seems very Alice in Wonderland don’t you think? Or at least that is the first thing I thought of … begin at the beginning. Then I jumped right into “Pulp Fiction” yep weird I know but that movie was my next thought. I loved it! Not just because it was a John Travolta comeback or because Samuel L Jackson lays down a sermon that isn’t easily forgotten. I love it for all the twists and turns. Mr. Toad’s wild ride I’m telling ya what. Most people are surprised to hear me say “Pulp Fiction” is one of my faves.

They will <gasp> and ask me, “little Jilly McGilly. Are you serious?”

Then I respond, “why yes, yes I am.”

I didn’t enjoy all the gore of course but I was taken in by the storytelling. I had to look away or cover my eyes often. So many subplots within the whole. I was reading with my eyes. Each scene was entertaining on its own but when combined my oh my. And let’s not forget that the soundtrack was fabulous also. Muah!

Like it was yesterday, I was sitting by my lonesome in that dark theater … which is something I may never do again … sadly … when all the pieces finally clicked together. Mind blown! I had my aha moment because holy mother of mercy the end was really the beginning!!!

#JusJoJan “Beach” ~ 1/29/21

Published on 01/29/2021 by J-Dub9 Comments

We’re almost there folks. Third to the last day of #JusJoJan. We can make it to the finish line on Sunday of that I am sure!! Linda keeps writing very entertaining short stories. Look here to read her entry and to see the rules and ping back. C’mon on in to join us won’t you? Fun times ahead.

The prompt is beach. Let’s see what I can spin with that. I’m not a fiction writer. I am an exaggerator of the semi autobiographical genre. Yep! MSU = making stuff up. Almost everything I write is my observations being embellished or toned down or something in between. My off kilter perception.

This means when I saw the word beach, I flashed back to 1969 or maybe 1970. My childhood front and center of my memories once again. Back when we’d go to the little town of Port Aransas TX for vacation. Heck sometimes on a Saturday, we’d take a day trip to Port A. But mostly we’d go for the weekend camping out.

Little Jilly had a love/hate relationship with the beach. I remember the camping out with no electricity, only water. Nasty tasting stuff we’d get from a single shared spigot. We were only supposed to use the water to rinse off but sometimes we’d run out of the “drinking water jugs” we brought from home. We’d joke about eating “sand” sandwiches because sand would get on everything. Especially in the cracks of our butts :). Just yuck, the wet swimsuit and being all sandy was awful.

I always got sunburned! Sunscreen wasn’t really a thing yet and if it was, it cost too much. Sunup to sundown we were out in the water that reflected the rays right back in our faces. I remember many a rough trip home lying in the back of the station wagon in immense pain. First thing I did when I got home was to go the the fridge and get out the Noxema. That cold cream on my sunburned parts was sweet relief! Then came the blister and peel. Yeah buddy.

In the mid 70s, we graduated from that one section of the jetties with the water only set up to “On the Beach” trailer park. We had died and gone to hog heaven. We had water (good tasting stuff too), electricity, the concrete pad, and shared bathhouse. Funny that I don’t remember what we did for bathrooms at the original place. I think there were port-o-potties that I blocked from my memory. The best part the upgrade to our accommodations was we were still right on the beach. Best of both worlds!! We’d “walk the plank” (a wooden path) through some dunes right to the Gulf.

Still little Jilly had a love hate/relationship with the beach. I preferred our trips to New Braunfels, Lake Travis, Bastrop, or Garner Park. No sand sandwiches!!! Or sunburn. But my main issue was camping. Bleh! Lil sassy boots that I was always said “when I grow up and get married, my family and I will stay in a motel!” Roughing it was for the birds. Some times when the older siblings would come with us, they’d stay in the Spanish Village motel just down the road in town. Lucky!

Little did I know how much my parents struggled to give us what they did. Doing without for us. The difference in price between the trailer park and a motel was probably two weeks worth of groceries. But I was in my protected bubble none the wiser acting all sour grapes. What a brat! I’m glad I grew out of that stage. Grateful is a much better place to be.

And yes, when I grew up, B & I took the kids to the Holiday Inn Emerald Isle in Corpus Christi. A beach-esque vacation. With a swimming pool, hot tub, and sauna. Plus mini-golf! We had to drive to Port Aransas for the day to experience the “real” beach. Slathering them in sunscreen to prevent sunburns. With admonitions to be careful in the air. Not the full out wildness I experienced as a kid. I guess they had fun. I was usually too stressed out to notice.

I sure do miss my parents. And the family get-togethers we had once upon a time. Life was somehow simpler then but I didn’t realize it at the time. I should have spent more time living in the moment. If only, … but not really. My experiences make me who I am today. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

As always, more to come.

#WATWB ~ 1/29/21

Published on 01/29/202101/29/2021 by J-Dub4 Comments

Good morning everybody! Rise & Shine :). Today I offer you the story of a self taught pitmaster, Jonathan Jonas, who is feeding his community in Phoenix AZ. How about this for branding: “A cookout that everyone’s invited to” is Smokin’ Hope’s tagline. Courtesy Jonathan Jones/Smokin’ Hope. What an absolutely wonderful cause!! You should check it out. Here is a link to the article.

This month’s co-hosts, Sylvia McGrath, Simon Falk Shilpa Garg, Mary Giese , and Belinda Witzenhausen #WATWB is a blog hop on the last Friday of every month. Here are the intention and rules. In darkness, be light!

#JusJoJan “Storm” ~ 1/28/21

Published on 01/28/202101/28/2021 by J-Dub6 Comments

Linda is a genius. Loved her story this morning. If you’d like read it, look 👀 here at the rules and ping back. The prompt today is “storm”

There’s a storm ⛈ a brewing. Yeah buddy. All that comes to mind is the movie 🎥 “A Perfect Storm”. A real life story of the Andrea Gail. Starring George Clooney. Who I just saw in a rerun of ER this morning. Since I’m taking the day off, I’m channel surfacing.

I tell ya what, I get anxious 😟 remembering the climatic scene when the rogue wave took them out. Forever lost at sea 🌊.

In peeking at the wiki, Hollywood took liberties with the retelling. Big shocker I know. As if the disaster itself wasn’t big enough; they embellished. The bastards.

Welp that’s my jot this morning. I think I’ll switch from TV 📺 to a book 📖. Wishing you a wonderful day.

As always more to come.

#JusJoJan & #1linerWeds. 1/27/21

Published on 01/27/202101/27/2021 by J-Dub9 Comments

Time for the rebel rousing combo of #JusJoJan and #1linerWeds. Linda gave us a funny screenshot. I think her expert answer is correct! lol :). To play along look 👀 right here. I’ll add this funny meme to the pile.

Better to be a drunk monkey 🐵 that an unsuspecting lion 🦁. He’s gonna need a bigger stick. Lol 😆

As always more to come.

#JusJoJan “Shutter” ~ 1/26/21

Published on 01/26/202101/27/2021 by J-Dub3 Comments

Awesome ending to a great story. Peek here to see part 5 with links to parts 1-4 along with the rules and ping back. Whew! That’s a mouthful! Today the prompt is shutter. And I have got nothing.

All I came up with was the novel turned movie 🎥 “Shutter Island” Dennis Lehane is a favorite of mine. His stories are intense. Remember “Mystic River” and “Gone, Baby, Gone”. That’s him too.

I’m able to read again despite a brief hiatus when the Rona first hit. I might dust off one of his works. Though my TBR queue is getting bigger so maybe I’ll grab a book from there.

Decisions, decisions! A great place to be. I shutter … I mean shudder to think what it’d be like if the dam hadn’t broken.

That’s all she wrote. Until tomorrow. As always more to come.

*** Edit made because I am a person, not a window 🙂 ****