Saturday 9: Devil in the Bottle

 

Devil in the Bottle

Saturday 9: Devil in the Bottle (1974)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song begins with T. G. Sheppard taking off his shoes to slip into the house with disturbing his sleeping wife. Are you wearing shoes as you answer these questions?  Yes, I almost always have on shoes unless I am going to bed.

2) His wife hears him anyway. Are you a light sleeper?  Not really, but I used to be so much worse.  When I was young I slept through a fire across the street from our house.  I have always been a good sleeper.

 

3) This is the first of 22 consecutive #1 hits for T. G. Sheppard. Not bad for a high school dropout. What's the last year of education that you completed?  I have graduate hours (9), but I never completed a masters.  I was just trying to get my teacher certification fast so I could teach.  I already had a college degree, so the university put me into a master's program, but some classes were graduate courses and some were regular.  It was about getting it done in the times I had available...nights and summers.  They really worked with me.  Josh was in 2nd grade when I started that.

 

4) He was born William Browder and chose the stage name T. G. Sheppard just because he liked the sound of it. He says "T. G." doesn't stand for anything, and he gets a kick out of fans who insist there's some secret meaning behind the initials. Since most of us didn't choose our names: Is there a story behind your name? Did your parents tell you why they chose it? (If you did choose your name, share what influenced your decision.)  This is so silly, but my mom always told me she had a totally different name picked out for me, a bigger name, but I was such a small baby, she felt like I needed a little name, so Lori Lynn it was.

 

5) It was after hours at a Memphis roller rink when he first met Elvis and his entourage. As T. G. was leaving, Elvis was entering and asked if he wanted to stay and skate longer. T. G. was confused because he knew the place was closing for the night. "Not for me," Elvis replied and T. G. skated with Elvis and his buddies until dawn. Are you good on roller skates?  What a cool story!  I have not heard that one.  When I was younger I roller skated quite a bit and yes, I was pretty good.  I wouldn't dare get on skates now.

6) T. G. loves NASCAR and was an associate sponsor of the Folgers Chevrolet. He enjoyed the collaboration with the coffee company and has performed the familiar jingle – "the best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup" – in concert. Are you loyal to a particular coffee brand?  no, I do not drink coffee.

 

7) T. G. understands the lifestyle of his fans. That's why he named his live country music venue Guitars and Cadillacs. If you were going to name a business after two of your favorite things, what would you call it?  Dogs and Desserts...maybe it could be like a cat cafe, but with dogs and desserts.

 
8) In 1974, when this week's song was on the country charts, Linda Ronstadt was getting a lot of radio airplay with "You're No Good." That song is about a real cad. Let's turn that around: Who is the nicest person you know?  I worked with a teacher a few years ago named Lori.  I worked with her several years and I have never heard her say a bad thing about anyone.  She is also so sweet and giving.  Such a great person.  She retired and I miss her.  She told me she would be subbing this year, but I haven't seen her yet.

 
9) Random question: Have you ever had your palm read?  no

I am sorry I was missing last weekend.  My mom's assisted living called and she was not talking very well and she was not able to take her medicine very well.  I was worried she had a stroke and they sent her to the hospital.  Karl, Josh and I met her at the hospital and as soon as we walked in she was talking and acting normal.  I then thought mini stroke, but they did tests and everything came back good.  She had another UTI.  Thank goodness!  We took her back to assisted living early Saturday morning about 4:30AM.  I saw her tonight (Friday, a week later) and she was doing good.  It scares me to death everytime something like this happens.

Tuesday 4 Meme- Tradition

 

Tradition

 Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.
Tradition is an important part of any family or community and so important that people will fight to be sure they are not neglected or done away with.
From the first day of Autumn, to Halloween, All Saints Day, and Thanksgiving autumn brings many different traditions from all around the world.
School kids cut out paper leaves, pumpkins,etc. Homemakers change decor to reflect the new season.
Sweaters come out of storage... the weather is changing.
                                            


1. Why is tradition important to you?  It is important to me so I can remember old times and to teach and remind Josh of things we did as a family when he was a baby and continue to do them. Then if he wishes, he can continue those same traditions. Traditions passed through generations.


2. Have family traditions helped to shape who you are?  I like to think they did.  You know, answering these questions made me realize how much tradition helps us in planning for holidays.


3. Do you believe that tradition helps a community or shapes the unity of family and community?  I do believe that.  Our community has a Christmas parade every year and this is the one time everyone comes out and participates in the same thing.  This is also the one time I get to see my friend Malinda.  She comes and watches the parade at our house.  That has become a tradition too.


4. Are there any traditions you would like to bring back and why?  I think we do all of the traditions that my family did and on Karl's side, we do those at his family's house.  My parents are not able to do traditions anymore.  My dad has passed and my mom is in assisted living.  It is up to me to keep it up.  Karl's family does very similar things as my family.

Toni loved Snoopy, what a perfect graphic for this meme!

Sunday Stealing Says Yeah!

 

Sunday Stealing Says Yeah!

                                     
 

SURVEY TIME!

1. What will you remember from August 2026?  School started and Dolly Parton died. :(  You guys know how much I love her.  I was surprised to hear of her passing. Honestly, too many deaths this week.

2. When will you start your holiday shopping?  I usually do a lot on Black Friday, day after Thanksgiving.   I shop online not in stores on that day, but Karl used to do a lot of shopping when it was stores only.  He got a lot of great deals that way.  Josh and I went one year, but it gave me anxiety.

3. Where did you meet the person you fell the hardest for?  School

4. Where did you meet your best friend?  School

5. Share a fact about the last person who texted you.  It was my co-worker Jen.  She is also a pre-k teacher and she is great.  We do not get to see each other much this year.  I found myself walking to her classroom on Thursday just to realize she still had her class with her and she was teaching and I was on my plan time.  This year is weird, but I do think our team is pretty close.

6. EXTRA! EXTRA! Since June's DIY meme was such fun, let's do it again. Please close out this post with a question for your fellow Sunday thieves. Hopefully we'll have enough responses for a September DIY.  I am horrible at this, so I googled fall questions.  Don't worry about using my question if it doesn't fit with the other great responses.  Here it is:  What are your favorite ways to transition your bedroom or living room into a cozy autumn haven?

Saturday 9: Animal Crackers in My Soup

 

Animal Crackers in My Soup

Saturday 9: Animal Crackers in My Soup (1935)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

This month Saturday 9 will be tasty, featuring songs with food in the title.

1) Do you eat soup all year round, or do you consider it a seasonal dish?  Seasonal, we eat soup in the winter.

2) Gazpacho is a popular cold soup. Made with water-rich tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers, it's considered a good choice for hot weather because it's hydrating. What are your favorite summertime foods?  This summer it was ice cream.  It is still hot here, close to 100.  I am over it.

3) This week, Shirley Temple sings of the delights of having crackers in her soup. How often do you add crackers to your soup: always, sometimes, never? Always

4) "Animal Crackers in My Soup" was the big musical number in the 1935 movie Curly Top. Shirley played Elizabeth, who helps her older sister find love with a handsome millionaire. Have you ever played matchmaker? If yes, were your efforts successful?  I do not play matchmaker.  I never have.

5) Gertrude Temple, Shirley's mother, was her daughter's onset hairstylist, creating the famous "curly top" with pin curls. What's your hair care regimen? I wash and condition my hair, then I have gel and other curl products to get the frizz out and hold it.  I dry it and style it.  Then I use Moroccan oil to do more taming of the frizz.

6) Bartenders are still called upon to create the non-alcoholic Shirley Temple, made with ginger ale, lemon-lime soda, and grenadine. What's the most recent alcoholic beverage you drank? It was at my friend's baby shower.  One of her other friends had her shower at a winery and there was punch and there was punch with wine.  I had the punch with wine.  I was stressed out from driving there and the wine chilled me out.  It was just a little bit.  I do not drink really at all.  That was about 8 years ago.

7) In 1935, when this song was popular, Amelia Earhart flew from Honolulu to Oakland, California. Are you a nervous flyer?  I have never flown.  We always drive.

8) Also in 1935, The Hoover Dam was dedicated. Today it's a popular tourist attraction, with more than 7 million visitors each year. Have you ever been to Las Vegas?  No and we never go anywhere, so that would not be a destination I would want to go to.

9) Random question: You get a spur-of-the-moment invitation to a meal with your best friend. Could you go wearing what you have on right now?  no, I am getting ready for bed and I have on pajamas.

Funny story about this song.  Before covid we took the preschoolers to visit a nursing home around Valentine's Day.  The kids go in and color and sing to the residents.  There was a ldy there that was singing this song over and over and one of our students was trying to sing with her.  It was cute.

My first week of school went pretty good.  I have some really sweet kids.  I always feel relieved once we get started and I get to know the kids.  You never know what you are getting and that class I had 2 years ago gave me PTSD.  I did not want to teach anymore. I was afraid it would be more of the same...I had several kids eloping (running off out of the room) and that makes me nervous.  I had one that would poop his pants every day and this would all happen during naptime.  They would crawl under tables and just act crazy.  Administration wouldn't help.  That class is in 1st grade now and I have lunch with both teachers that had this one student and he is getting worse.  The teacher said she doesn't know how she will be able to teach this year.  It is sad.  He is the sweetest little boy too.  I think he has ADHD, so hopefully he learns to function with it.  He comes to see me every morning and gives me a great big hug.  The kids that gave me the hardest time that year are the ones that always have a hug for me.  I do love them, but they are hard students.  

Sunday Stealing – They Say It's Your Birthday

 

Sunday Stealing – They Say It's Your Birthday

                                   


Sparky Duck at Philly Transplant learned a little something with this meme, which he stole from his blogging buddy Wylie. Here's how to play. Search for your birthday (month and day only) at Wikipedia and then share what else happened that day.

Wikipedia Meme

First, what is your birthday (month/day)?  September 9th

Now, go to Wikipedia and list:

1) Four historic events

• 1543 – Mary Stuart, at nine months old, is crowned "Queen of Scots" in the central Scottish town of Stirling.
• 1791 – Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, is named after President George Washington.
• 1956 – Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time.
• 2015 – Elizabeth II becomes the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom.

 

2) Three births

• 1828 – Leo Tolstoy, Russian author and playwright
• 1960 – Hugh Grant, English actor and producer
• 1975 – Michael Bublé, Canadian singer-songwriter and actor

3) Two deaths

1815 – John Singleton Copley, American-English colonial and painter

1901 – Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, French painter and illustrator

1) One holiday or observance

• California Admission Day (California, United States^[153])
• 
  
  
  
  

 

Saturday 9: Shoo Fly Pie (and Apple Pan Dowdy)

 

Shoo Fly Pie (and Apple Pan Dowdy)

Saturday 9: Shoo Fly Pie (and Apple Pan Dowdy) – 1946

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

This month Saturday 9 will be tasty, featuring songs with food in the title.

1) Shoo fly pie got its name from Shoo Fly the Boxing Mule. After the Civil War, the mule who could box was such a popular circus attraction that a molasses manufacturer started featuring him on their packaging. Since molasses is the key ingredient of this pie recipe, homemakers just began referring to it as "shoo fly pie." If we looked, would we find molasses in your kitchen?  no

2) Apple pan dowdy is another uniquely American recipe from the 19th century. It's like apple pie, except it only has a top crust, which is broken up. Apples are a good source of fiber, Vitamin C and antioxidants. Do you consider nutrition when choosing a dessert? Or are you just all about how it tastes?  Taste, but I am that person that will say ice cream is healthy for dairy and chocolate is good for anti-oxidants.  Just being silly, but I do not make them thinking about how they can be healthy.

3) The lyrics describe these two desserts as the ultimate comfort foods, able to make "the sun come out when the heavens are cloudy." Do you find that the foods you crave change with your mood?  Sometimes

4) Singer June Christy pleads with her mama to whip up this "wonderful stuff." Did your mother have a dish you often requested?  I like fried chicken and the works.

5) June was born in Springfield, Illinois' capital. Have you been to your state's capital city? I have been a few times.  I can be spontaneous for wanting to go on a day trip.  We got up one Saturday and I told Karl, let's take Josh to Lake of the Ozarks.  We went, but quickly became bored, so headed over to Jefferson City...the capital of Missouri.  It was Saturday, so everything was closed, but we looked at the statues and took a lot of pictures.  We ate some food and went home.  He was maybe in middle school here.  It was when he was still happy and willing to go and do things and take pictures.  Before his depression and anxiety.

6) June spent years singing with Stan Kenton's Orchestra. At one point, she gave 38 performances in 35 towns in 35 days. That's a busy schedule! Do you thrive on activity? Or do you find yourself rejuvenated by quiet time?  It depends on my mood.  I typically like the quiet as I get older, but I used to enjoy getting out and doing things.

7) In 1946, when this record was popular, bikinis were first seen in Paris fashion shows. How often have you worn your swimsuit this summer?  I haven't worn a swimsuit in a few years.

8) Also in 1946, Elias Tupper invented Tupperware, a plastic container with an airtight top that's great for preserving leftovers. Are there any leftovers in your refrigerator right now?  no, Karl ate the leftovers this evening.

9) Random question: Is there a day of the week that goes by faster than the others?  Saturday seems to fly by.

We had our meetings at school this week and had Open house and I met my kids.  They are cute and seem really sweet.  Nice families too.  First day of school is Tuesday.  Summer goes by so fast.  Here is a picture of our Pre-K team.  I am in the middle with the maroon sweater, brown hair and glasses.  We have some new teachers and I love them.  We have had so much fun so far.

Sunday Stealing Plays Favorites

 

Sunday Stealing Plays Favorites

                                  

This week's meme was stolen from Country Dew. A decade ago, she shared these "get to know you" questions she found on Facebook. Let's use them to go to know you better.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ...?

1. Flavor? I like watermelon candy flavor and chocolate shakes

2. Movie? The Sound of Music

3. Piece of jewelry? wedding ring

4. Place to be?  home

5. Boy's name?  Josh

6. Girl's name?  Raylee

7. Candy?  jellybeans or chocolate

8. Sports team?  KC Chiefs (football)/ St. Louis Cardinals (baseball)

9. Color? all of them

10. Month? October is a fun one.