Late this afternoon Basil and I got back from another bear hunt up north. Except for a period of three hours it either rained or snowed the whole time. We did see one bear but it saw us first and dissapeared into the forest before we could take aim.
On the way home we stopped at a pumpkin patch and bought pumpkins. It was the first time since 2006 that we didn't go to Farmer Bob's over in Half Moon Bay. Sadly, there were no trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood.
The garden was in bad shape when I got home. Cats have ruined all the beds. Thankfully, the can't get into pts where eggplants and watermelons are growing.
After 28 months at Bass Pro Shops today was my last day. It was a lot of fun and I took full advantage of the employee discount. It was nice to have three different managers come to me and ask what they could do to get me to stay but it was time to leave. I did everything there I set out to do. I'll sub for Gilroy Unified School District from now through Christmas. I don't know what I'll do after that. Something fun, I am sure.
In other news, we have a shower again. And the stove was delivered today, though it is not yet installed.
Duck season stared on Saturday. Kathleen and I went out to The Delta and put the boat in at Holland River Marina. The sky was blue, the air was warm, and the wind was calm: all the wrong weather for waterfowl hunting. I got no ducks. Kathleen got one. It was the only one we saw. We saw two giant flocks of geese but they were flying way to high to shoot at. We met some other duck hunters at the marina when we were leaving; no ducks for them either. I saw more river otters and seals than ducks or geese. I'd really like to have a houseboat on The Delta. I should look into how much it would cost.
On Sunday we got up and went to church only to learn when we got there that the priest was sick. So we zoomed across town and visted Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church. It was our first time to visti them. Their priest is funny. They seemed to be having classes for children during the Divine Liturgy. I'd neve seen that before. I wonder if that is the usual Serbian practice.
Today (Monday) the stove that was ordered several months ago was supposed to be delivered. I missed work to be here and receive it but at 7 p.m. tonight the company called to say their truck broke down. This is the third time they attempted but failed to deliver the stove. The first time it was the wrong stove. The second time it was a damaged stove. I am not impressed.
The contractor who was supposed to have had the kitchen rebuilt by last Friday was a no-show again today. Thursday and Friday of last week they showed up and left after an hour. Today one guy showed up and left after 1/2 an hour. They don't speak English so I can't ask them what is going on. The contractor hasn't returned any phone calls since last Thursday. I am worried. The bathroom floor and the countertops are supposed to go in tomorrow but the kichen, including the moving of a gas pipe, isn't finished. All of these men are going to be in each others way all day, if they show up.
We do have the refrigerator in now. So that's good.
Basil came over Monday (It's 3 a.m. on Tuesday right now) and helped me clean the guns in anticipation of next weekend's bear hunt and to help me get the old stove out of the house. We tossed it off the second floor balcony because we didn't want to damage the walls in the stairway. We got pizza. He's asleep downstairs now.
There are a lot of versions of this song. The Four Seasons had a #1 hit with it, Etta James and Carly Simon recorded it. And I've always loved this song.
Sadly, I can't find a video of Martin Short on the the David Letterman show in the early 1990s when during the interview segmaent he just took over the show with a crazy over the top parody of a 60s lounge singer. In a way it was a tribute to Frank Sinatra. It was brilliant. Nevertheless, here are the 3 I could find. .
This first one is, probably, the one with which most people are familiar. It's the first version I remember hearing. It's Frank Sinatra ( remember where I was when I heard the news that he had died.) singing Nelson Riddle's big band arragment. This concert wass in 1974 but as late as 1990 I heard Sinatra introduce the song by saying, "Here's a new arrangement by Nelson Riddle." Sometimes, while performing live Sinatra would change the words but from what I can tell, he was always spot on with the timing and phrasing. He never diviated from this arrangement. Oh, the trombone solo in this performance was played by Urbie Green. But I don't think he ever recorded with SInatra in the studio.
Around 1998 I was in Barnes And Noble bookstore sampling CD's (Remember those? I wish we could still buy them. I have no idea how to buy new music now. I guess, Apple wants me to do something with iTunes but I have no desire to learn new software.) and I came across a CD called "Love Scenes" by Diana Krall. WOW! At the time, I was living in a rehearsal room at at the Petite Trianon in San Jose (It has since been converted into a church where my brother-in-law is one of the pastors.) and would fall asleep to the CD every night. So when her 1999 "When I look In Your Eyes" came out I had to buy it, too. That CD had her recording of I've Got You Under My Skin. It totally changed the way I thought of the song. The guitar reminds me of a soft bossa nova and, as always, you can almost feel the piano keys on your finger tips. I understand she is married to Elvis Costello. I'm looking forward to getting to hear their kids sing when they grow up.
This final version of the song is by Storm Large, a singer I've seen around performing on her own and with various bands (I first heard her singing with Pink Martini) I thought she was a good singer of torch songs but not a jaw dropping amazing performer. But then I saw her audition for America's Got Talent. She wasn't just singing. She deserves acting credit too. Her reinterpretation of this song is a complete 180 from Krall's. It is astounding.
A few days ago I was exposed. Yesterday after subbing I was feeling pretty bad. Burning in my chest, chills, muscle aches, slight cough. So, I called in sick to Bass Pro Shops where I was going to work at night, and went by my doctor to get a Covid-19 test. The results aren't back so I didn't go to work at the school this morning or at Bass Pro Shops tonight. I hope the results come back soon and say I don't have covid. I don't want to miss any more work.
A 7th grade science and math teacher I subbed for last year wants to use me again next week. I talked with her today to go over the lesson plans and she asked me me to give my talk on Aristotle and the laws of identity and non-contradiction to her students. She said that last year her students really enjoyed it and that they used it for the rest of the year. Based on that, the things that are in her classroom, and the things that are not in her classroom I think she must be a Christian. But I don't feel anything so I don't want to ask her. Well, regardless of whether or not she is, it makes me happy that she wants me to give her students a tool to recognize Truth.
Update: I got the test results. They are inconclusive so I have to get another test on Monday. The said I have some Covid RNA in me but they don't know if I'm getting over it or just catching it. Until the resultd from the new test I have to act like I'm contageous.
Another update: I don't have covid. The rna in my blood was from the vaccine. I just had a cold.
It has been pretty difficult here since June. I think I mentioned the water leak, the destruction of the kitchen, part of the living room, part of a bedroom, a bathroom, and the living room. I haven't mentioned fighting with insurance companies that don't want to pay what California conractors charge, (The smallest bid was more than double what the insurance companies were willing to pay, one contractor was kind enough to go line by line and explain this bid to the insurance companies - they only wanted to pay $2,000 for demolition when just the dumping fees would be more than $1,000), then the contractors were, except for one guy who did the demolition and another guy who did mold abatement all too busy to do the work until October. But last week they put in the sheetrock. And this week they are painting. And next week they are putting in the floors and cabinets. And finally, we will get a new oven: The oven I ordered in June. Kathleen has been relentless and amazing in this project. We don't know when the bathroom will be done.
Last weekend we went on a hunting trip to Mendocino County. It is 30,000 acre forest that is part of the Golden Ram Sportmans Club system, and we had it all to ourselves. It was amazingly beautiful. We were looking for black bear and wild pigs. We sawo no signof pigs but we found a big blackberry patch near a stream with much bear sign. I think we would have come home with a bear but the dog did not know how to be quiet. So we are going back on Friday without the dog. We saw lots of elk, white tail deer, and very fun for Kathleen, a flock of wild turkies crossed a road infront of us. It was her first time to see a turkey fly. I think Kathleen wants to move to Hopland or Laytonville now. I saw here looking for teaching jobs up there on EdJoin.
On Sunday Kathleen and Basil and I went Canada goose hunting. The drought has had a severe impact on the ponds. We didn't see one Canada goose. There were a few pintails flying over the ponnds but it isn't legal to shoot those until the 26th of October. We had fun, regardless.
Yesterday we celbrated Basil's birthday (a few days early because he won't be with me on his birthday) at the Old Spaghetti Factory in San Jose. I think the last time I was there my mom was there with me.
I gave Basil a leather game strap to hold his ducks and geese (The law requires every gun to have his own game strap. We aren't allowed to just pile all the birds in the bottom of the boat.), Canada goose and mallard calls by Buck Gardner, a pintail call from Duck Commander, and a seven call woven lanyard to hold his calls. He seemed pleased.
Here is some very good news, the very powerful and scary medications he's been taking for the last few years have been reduced by more than half with no adverse changes. I thank God every day for his slow and steady recovery.
Last week we took out all the tomato plants, and most of the other plants, too. What we have left from the spring garden are a couple of cucumber vines that are still producing, one zuchini, two eggplants that have flowered all summer, and are flowring now but have not produced any fruit, and four Beni Kodama watermelon vines. Also, last week we planted turnips, kale, beets, chard, radishes, and purple kholrabi. We planted kholrabi back in the spring but nothing came of it. Maybe, it will do better in the autumn.
