Are You Happy?

 So many people have had unhappy lives. I read about them on various posts. I see them on the news. I hear them from folks I know. 

I have been mostly happy all my life. There have been unhappy moments... deaths, illnesses, and so on. But my life has been good otherwise. 

So I was pondering happiness recently. What makes a person happy? What makes you happy?

I think I was born happy. I was my parent's first child and the first (of many) babies in close proximity to other various family members. I received lots of attention and love. My parents also gave me the gift of six babies they called brothers and sisters. Boy did they love me.

My father worked hard. There was never a lot of money. That is the reason I have little use for money. Too many other things are more important.

So I have narrowed happiness to two categories. Things I need and things I want.

I need a roof over my head. I personally NEED an indoor toilet. I need healthy food and water. I need and want my children. I need clean air to breathe. I need my medication (darn it). I suppose I need clothing and (ugh) shoes. I cannot think of anything else.

I want my favorite baseball team to win more than they lose. I want my dishwasher so I do not have to do dishes. I want to be able to walk again without my walker. There are little things that I want from time to time but the pleasure from them is temporary.

I am realistic enough to know that the whole world will never be at peace. I wish for it even so.

Think about it. What makes you happy?

Sad Songs

 As promised here are some sad songs. Some will tug a bit at your heart. The first one makes me cry every time I hear it.

Willie McBride by The Irish Rovers

The Winner Takes It All by ABBA

Yesterday by The Beatles

Hurt By Timi Yuro

House Of The Rising Sun by The Animals

Do You Really Want To Hurt Me by Culture Club

I Will Always Love You by either Dolly Parton or Whitney Huston

What In The World's Come Over You by Jack Scott

I'd Love You To Want Me by Lobo

Don't Just Stand There by Patty Duke

Massachusetts by The Bee Gees

Detroit City by Bobby Bare

Teddy Bear Song by Tanya Tucker

Ruby (Don't Take Your Love To Town) by Kenny Rogers

HaveYou Ever Seen The Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival

One Of Us by Cher

Three Stars by Eddie Cochrane

The Ballad Of Ira Hayes by Johnny Cash

Walkin' After Midnight by Patsy Cline

Stormy Weather by Keely Smith

Cool Clear Water by The Sons Of The Pioneers

This Time by Troy Shondell

So Sad by The Everly Brothers

Tracks Of My Tears by Smokey Robinson

Great Pretender by Freddie Mercury

Who's Sorry Now by Connie Francis

Wasted Days And Wasted Nights by Freddy Fender

World Without Love by Peter And Gordon

Where Have All The Flowers Gone? by Peter, Paul, and Mary

I'm Sorry by The Platters

She Cried by Jay & The Americans

As usual by Brenda Lee

Return To Me by Dean Martin

Lonesome Town by Ricky Nelson

Cryin' by Roy Orbison

And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by Liam Clancy

That should give you an idea. You should be able to find all of these sad songs on YouTube. As always I left out a bunch. Is your favorite missing?

A Mother's Love

My mother could not swim. In fact she could not stand water on her face. But she tried to make sure all of us could swim. Of course Daddy was a Navy man so he had to be a swimmer too.

One year after I was married they all went on a camping trip. There were some problems with the car but Daddy knew he could fix it.

There was a small lake just over the hill so my father helped them all get settled there so the kids could swim. Mom was the 'lifeguard'.

They had been swimming for some time when suddenly a brother and sister began screaming for help. Mom told them they were not funny and to stop it.

When she suddenly realized that they were actually in trouble she acted instinctively. She told my little sister to keep my baby brother from following her. She grabbed the only stick she could see and headed into the water.

As she got closer to them she saw that myy brother was trying to help my sister. Mom told him to get out of the water and to tell our other brother to go get our father from the other side of the hill.

In the meantime Mom waded out as far as she could. Her foot caught on a root or something under the water. She used it as a anchor because the water was up to her mouth.

She stretched as far as she could and calmly said, "Becky grab the stick." Of course my sister was panicked. She was flailing around and not listening.

She went under water but was able to kick herself back up. Mom could see my sister was getting tired. She kept telling her to grab the stick.

After another trip under the water Mom could see that another time my sister would not come back up. 

She stretched farther than she felt safe and sternly told my sister to grab the stickstick.Somehowister took hold of the stick and Mom jerked it hard toward her. The stick was old and broke but it did what was needed.

Even though Mom was losing her footing she grabbed my sister and tried to propel them both toward shore. Daddy and my brother came running over the hill just as Mom and my sister were getting out of the water. 

It goes to show that even though there was good chance that my mother could have drowned she needed to save her child. A mother's love is special indeed.

Music?

 My sister was 16. She had a good pat time job. She wanted to buy a stereo of her own.

Off she went to the store. The stereo she wanted was expensive... more than she had saved. She tried to buy it on time and was informed that she was too young to make a legal deal. Could she have someone co-sign for a loan? 

She went home extremely disappointed. Our mother said that of course she would co-sign. Back to the store they went. Mom was told that because she was only a wife she could not be held legally responsible for her daughter's debts.

Of course Mom was furious. She handled the family's finances, she was an adult, and her credit was good. She was still complaining when Daddy came home. My sister was unhappy. 

Daddy took them both back to the store. He explained that he would co-sign for his daughter. But not there. 

They went to another store. My sister bought her stereo. My parents both co-signed to guarantee the payments. My sister happily set up her new stereo as soon as they got home.

Mom had a meeting to attend and Daddy was working in his back porch workshop. I was visiting and extremely pregnant. 

As I was alone in the living room I heard an awful noise. My sister was moaning and groaning making the most awful sounds. I yelled up the stairs that I could not climb because of my pregnancy. No answer.

I went and got my father. He thought I was overreacting and went to the bottom of the stairs to call my sister. 

When she continued that horrible noise and did not answer Daddy rushed up the stairs. I was terrified. Then Daddy came down laughing/

My sister's new stereo had headphones so she could listen to her music without disturbing anyone else. She was listening to her music and 'singing' along. Her singing sounded like she was in unbearable pain.

Happy Songs

 Have you ever listened to a song that just made you feel good? I have a list of SOME of my favorites. I would love to see which songs I left off the list. All the songs on my list are available on YouTube if you want to smile.

Happy Go Lucky Me by Paul Evans

The Chicken Dance by Werner Thomas  ( I first heard it on Lawrence Welk)

Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger (see if you can keep your body from moving)

Little Bitty by Alan Jackson

Singin' In the Bathtub by John Lithgow

Tippy Toeing by the Harden Trio

Bimbo by Jim Reeves

I Know An Old Lady  choose an artist

Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor by Lonnie Donegan (He sings several different versions)

Lah Di Dah by Billie and Lily

Lucky Ladybug by Billie and Lily

Rubber Ducky by The Muppets

Mahna Mahna by the Muppets

Mr Bassman by Johnny Cymbal

I've Got A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts by Merv Griffin

The Marvelous Toy by The Chad Mitchell Trio

Frog Kissin' by Ray Stevens

Boa Constrictor by Johnny Cash

Jump In The Line by Harry Belafonte

Choo n Gum by Theresa Brewer

Potato Chips by Phil Harris

Jump Jive and Wail by Louis Prima (Brian Setzer is just as good)

Centerfield by John Fogerty

The Motorcycle Song by Arlo Guthrie

Daydream by The Lovin' Spoonful

Chug-a-lug by Roger Miller

The Hamster Dance   I cannot find the artist

Pheasant Plucker's Son by the Irish Rovers

Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba

YMCA by The Village People

Give up? There are a lot more but this is a good start. If you have a favorite that makes you feel good I would love to know.

Good Reads

 I love to read. I even read junk mail. I will read any book or magazine I get my hands on.

My mother loved the Lord of the Rings series. On January first every year she treated herself by reading it again.

Usually if she liked a book I would read it and enjoy it as well. For instance I loved the Mrs Polifax series. And I introduced her to Silence of the Lambs. She was not impressed. But usually we liked the books together.

I have tried to read Lord of the Rings at least half a dozen times. I cannot get past the first chapter. I have no idea what the problem is. So I have never read this iconic series.

I would be interested to know if there are books others have a problem reading.

Wake Up!

 I wake up slowly in the morning. I watch the trees from my window as I lounge in bed. Usually there are birds flitting around just to make my life more enjoyable.

Then I watch the morning news and some other programs that I regularly watch. I then get dressed and go into the kitchen for breakfast. 

It is the way I like to start my day. I feel awake and a bit pampered.

I also know that not everyone is such a slow starter. My youngest sister actually growls if you so much as speak to her before she is awake in the morning. Slow starter.

My siblings and I learned when we were very young not to shake my father or get too close if we had to wake him. He had served in the Navy during WWII. Aboard the ship he had to get up and be ready to go immediately. That training never left him. 

When Daddy woke up he jumped straight up to his feet and stood at attention. If you were too close he might knock you right over!

As I said we learned to stay far away. He was an immediate starter.

That training came in handy for me. I married a man who had 4 brothers. All 5 of them were full of vinegar. They loved to pick on each other.

I already knew not to get close when waking a sleeping man. My husband would wake up swinging his fists to ward off whatever foolishness was coming his way.

So my children also knew not to get close to a waking person. Do you wake up fast or slow?