Words and Music for Thanksgiving Day

1) The hymn most often associated with Thanksgiving would have to be “We Gather Together.” And the most meaningful lyric would have to be “The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,” although the Puritans and the censorious would probably choose “He chasten and hasten his will to make known.”

2) For those having yams today (we are not), here’s Fred and Ginger dancing the Yam Dance in Carefree. I’m sorry this clip doesn’t have Ginger singing the song at the beginning.

2a) “I didn’t come to do the Charleston. I didn’t come to ball the jack.

I didn’t come to do the Susie Q or do the bottom they call black.

I didn’t come to do Big Apple. I didn’t come to do the shag.”

“Well honey, here I am to do the yam, because the yam is in the bag!”

3) And now two Daffy Duck cartoons involving turkey: the memorable Holiday for Drumsticks and Daffy Duck and Tom Turkey:

Tuesday Afternoon, November 20 - Lake Charles, Day Three

1) At this very moment, Monday afternoon, contemplating the horror of having just deleted my entire inbox.

2) Sunday, my first full day home, Mother and I went to church with a pumpkin pie for the bake sale. It’s surprising to recognize people only two classes ahead of me in high school who are now grandparents. Mother, of course, eager for me to see everyone, and me, of course, really not wanting to be in the way by blocking the aisle.

2a) When we were growing up my sister nicknamed Mother “Walkie Talkie,” because after church she’d keep walking and talking and never getting near the car. It’s still true.

2b) The preacher quoted Abraham Lincoln, Alice in Chains, and Mick Jagger.

3) Monday night I took Mother and the Wife of Youngest Nephew Who Must Not Be Tagged (henceforth referred to as Madame) to dinner at my beloved Syfood Palace for some boudin balls and chicken and sausage gumbo. Madame was playing the Alfred Molina Fiddler on the Roof (!) so we ended up talking a lot about theatre through the evening. Youngest Nephew Who Must Not Be Tagged was on a job and unable to join us after all.

4) Mother and I have made a commitment to daily Scrabble on this visit, and last night we tied at 284! Ironically, one of my first letters was the Q, and the last one in my rack was U.

5) This morning I had to run an errand at the exact opposite end of town. So on the return trip I drove through our childhood neighborhood and past our old house on Orchid Street. My parents moved out just over 30 years ago. Now the oak trees meet overhead in the middle of the street; there’s not much sunlight, which is very different from when I lived there.

6) Mother is off getting a wash and set right now; later in the afternoon Madame is calling for me and we’re going to see Bohemian Rhapsody!

Saturday Evening, November 17 - En Route

1) I am now on the Pappadeaux leg of BOS ==> DCA ==> DFW ==> LCH. Om nom nom.

2) Earlier today on ye Fycebykke, commenting on the demise of Lil Flip and the rise of my Mac Xs, someone commented “Lil Flip - your rapper name!” So of course I had to respond with the truth: “Mother always blamed Flip Wilson.” (See above.)

2a) There is a real dearth of Flip Wilson gifs out there.

3) All I can say is, I hope there are Yber drivers in Lago di Carlo.

Saturday, November 17 - Travel Prep

1) Up a whisper before 6, coffee and a short devotional (a chapter of Joshua, an aphorism from The Art of Worldly Wisdom, and the daily life habits of Carson McCullers from How Artists Work) before finishing a load of laundry, almost completing packing, cooking and consuming breakfast, and washing a sinkful of dishes - almost everything with Pod Save America in the background.

2) I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving. I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S ALMOST THANKSGIVING!

3) In the words of Amber Waves, “Too many things, too many things, too many things, too many things . . . “ And I just remembered I have to stop on the way to the airport to run an important errand. D’oh!

Friday Evening, November 16 - From Zero to 60 in Five Seconds

1) So, this happened:

1a) I know what you all are saying: “Finalmente! Technology from THIS century!:”

2) I would not say the transition is going smoothly, but it’s so necessary. My lil flip, now exactly five years old, just can’t take it any more. And even I can’t take that it can’t take it any more.

2a) For instance, after endless delays, they weren’t able to transfer all my contacts. Apparently there are 345!

3) Anyway, farewell Lil Flip! It was a pleasure.

Friday Morning, November 16 - Wordplay and Other Things

1) Oh mercy, the last entry is incorrectly given as Thursday Night, November 16! Those with Sharp Eyes will surely have something to say about that. #mercilessproofreaders

2) Thinking about words and terms of expression, yesterday I described someone at ye Instytytte by saying “Oh, he’s been around since God was a boy.” They dissolved in giggles.

2a) Over the weekend a friend described someone’s wedding as a “blaze of hymnody.” Later it got me thinking it could be the title of a stripper’s biopic: “Blaze of Hymnody, Indiana: the Story of an Ecdysiast.”

2b) Finally, this morning reading C.S. Lewis as part of my devotional, it struck me that “leaving the phone off the hook” is now an old-fashioned expression.

3) Oysters have entirely disappeared from the dinner menu. Once they had an honored place in a formal dinner, right at the beginning, but now - barely an appearance. I’ve been served oysters in a private home only once. I have to wonder why this is. Fashion, lack of kitchen staff?

Thursday Night, November 16

1) My goodness, you’d think it had never snowed in November before! Would everyone just calm down, please?

1a) That said, I was surprised by how quickly it came down. There wasn’t a flake visible when I got home, and when I opened the curtains less than two hours later, poof! Winter wonderland!

2) While holiday card shopping with a couple colleagues late this morning, I unexpectedly stumbled on a fabulous new book, How to Behave Badly in Elizabethan England: A Guide for Knaves, Fools, Harlots, Cuckolds, Drunkards, Liars, Thieves, and Braggarts, by Ruth Goodman. What fun!

3) First, sort all the blocks into piles by color. Decide what color is most fashionable, and begin your design with those. Highlight with complementary colors, and accent with all remaining colors. Be sure to consider what shapes fit best together!

Thursday Morning, November 15

1) So many thoughts about this article about absentee ballots in Florida and Georgia being rejected because voter signatures don’t match those on file. My head is imploding just thinking about it. Certainly my signature doesn’t match every time I write it. Hell, I was nicknamed Chickenscratch in third grade because my early cursive was so bad! But the fact that so VERY many schools no longer even teach penmanship means that young adults are either losing, or never even acquiring, the ability to WRITE their own signature! From the article: “The culture, and technology, are making signatures a devalued currency,” said Tamara Plakins Thornton, a University at Buffalo professor who wrote a cultural history of handwriting in America. “They came into popularity as a means of expressing a person’s individuality, which made them good for identification. Now people will just use an emoji.”

2) Last night I did something that will, finally, bring me into the 21st century. More news as it develops.

3) Another contented early morning state of (almost) deep relaxation. That makes three times this week. I have no idea why this is happening - I don’t deserve it! - but I am so grateful.

Wednesday Night, November 14

1) Midday meditation at the office brought me to a beautiful, beautiful place.

2) Someone fell asleep on me during rush hour on the T. I almost think I can still smell that person, hours later.

3) Very surprised when running errands after work to see this collection of pottery in the window at Fire Opal on Centre Street. Turns out it’s all the work of an Indiana potter named Justin Rothshank. I will confess to feeling ambivalent about it. The Obama, Justice Ginsburg, Robert Mueller - yes, they’re political celebrities. But Dr. Christine Blasey Ford is not just the survivor of sexual abuse, she’s a heroine for speaking out. She hasn’t been part of the Washington culture. To see her image on a floral plate somehow, in my mind, trivializes the enormity of what she did.

Wednesday Morning, November 14

1) Just now, for the very first time, I had to check the survey box labeled “Age: 55-64.” #agingactressyesterdaysglamorqueen

2) Gray, turquoise, purple.

3) Far too early to be so very ready for my nap . . . but there it is. (See #1 above :-) )

Tuesday Evening, November 13

1) Truly, what a blissful day within myself. I don’t understand it, but I want to keep going.

2) Gibson House benefit committee meeting this evening, preceded by a hasty drink with a friend at ye Pyrish Cyfé. Exciting plans for next March!

3) Repeal Day is coming up soon, December 7, and it’s the seventh year of celebrating Repeal at the Gibson House, and I’m so pleased they let me do this there. Order your tickets, and we can all have a big drink on the stairs, just like Charlie Junior.

Tuesday Morning, November 13

1) Between 5:40 - 6:30 AM this morning, after fitful sleep, I achieved the most beautiful, contented state of deep relaxation, from which emerged just enough consciousness not to be upset when the alarm clock went off. I want to carry this feeling with me throughout the day.

1a) During this brief, beautiful period I had a dream in which Mrs. Keith appeared, the very kind and sweet Grande Dame of ye Byllyt when I worked there. She looked just as she always did, but she was upset that someone had removed a tree that had been planted by some Scandinavian dancers from the top of a hill. I turned around and, lo, there was a low hill in the sunshine from which a large tree had very clearly been removed! I suggested that [Insert Name of Unloved Person Here] had been responsible, which got general laughter and a couple gasps from the crowd.

2) Grateful to have had yesterday as a holiday, which I spent completely at home working on a project, writing, and keeping house.

3) Etiquetteer has started to remind people to update their holiday card lists, and my goodness, I sure need to start doing that myself!

Veterans Day Night, 2018 - The People You Meet

1) BRUNCH: In a development that will surprise no one, I arrived about half an hour early at Island Creek Oyster Bar for brunch with two of my closest friends. This allowed me not only the chance to enjoy an Aperol spritz at the bar first, but also to enjoy a conversation about mixology with the Handsome Bartender Younger Than I. Because our discussion started with Aperol, he actually made me a sample size of a cocktail he created involving bourbon (?) and Aperol and a few other things (“Just the essence of a few woodland herbs and flowers,” as I often say) called a Kingston . . . a Kingston . . . well, a Kingston something-or-other. And it was quite nice.

1a) Brunch with my friends, as always, yielded good, stimulating, comfortable conversation.

2) STAH MAHKET: Picking up some essential items I was very surprised to run into a) “Blodgett,” who I had just been talking about Friday night over dinner with a mutual friend, and b) the gentleman who used to run the 24-Hour Banned Book Vigil back when that used to take place during Banned Books Week.

3) YOGA: Sweet merciful heavens, I returned to yoga for the first time in far too long a time - in part because a friend was tonight’s yogi. Two or three other friends and acquaintances were there, too. After a class that really kicked my @$$, my mood brightened on the way out when I was talking with one of the two organizers. He had some information that could be really helpful to me in a creative project.

Veterans Day, 2018 - Grampa

1) The heirlooms I have from my Granny and Grampa Dimmick include the secretary that was in their living room and three or four books. But the books* include Grampa’s copy of The Complete Poems of Robert Service, as well as another volume of poetry (that was, I gather, left behind by the previous owners when Granny and Grampa moved into 1911 Orchid in 1964), The Best Loved Poems of the American People. And since the latter contains the most famous American war poem of World War I, “In Flanders Field,” and since the former has my grampa’s favorite poem of all time, “The Cremation of Sam McGee,” I had my personal observance of the holiday rereading those during my devotional.

1a) I always forget that Service did not write “In Flanders Field!” It’s really by an American poet, John McCrae, who died in January, 1918.

2) Grampa was a traditional American success story who came up from nuthin’ after being orphaned at the age of five; his parents died within three days of each other of typhoid fever. Fast forward a few years through more adventures, and Grampa lied about his age to get into the Army. He was stationed in the Philippines in some frontier outpost, which was probably pretty awful. The story goes that there was some sort of Army athletic contest going on in Manila, and the pole vaulter from Grampa’s regiment had been taken ill and couldn’t compete. Grampa was the first to respond when the call came at reveille for a substitute, and off he went to Manila. There he made a complete fool of himself when it became obvious he didn’t know a damn thing about pole vaulting. But he sure knew how to get out of the frontier!

2a) Later, when America entered World War I, Grampa was commissioned a second lieutenant (Granny said that was “the lowest officer you could be and still be an officer”) and shipped off to France. On his very first day in France, as soon as Grampa walked into the officers’ mess a sergeant called out across the room “HEY! Aren’t you that pole vaulter from Manila?!”

3) This story, and a few others, came to my ears one sunny afternoon when I was maybe eight years old or so, and Grampa’s cousin Irene and her husband Pap were visiting from Opelousas. I remember sitting low to the floor in one of the living room windows listening to the four of them laughing and telling Grampa’s history. Granny kept telling me to go out and play, but I wanted to listen! She coudn’t budge me from the room, and even though I don’t remember it all, it’s a happy memory.

Grampa and Granny Dimmick at my aunt and uncle’s house on 18th Street, ca. 1973.

*Of the 18 grandchildren, I am very much The One That Reads.

Saturday Night, November 10

1) Wind advisory + sun = cape!

2) Around the World in Eighty Days, both novel and movie.

3) “I went to a mahvelous pahty,” as the late Noel Coward said. Only this one was in the basement of Jacques’ (!) to celebrate the birthdays of not one but two friends. Delighted to see old and new friends - so delighted to see one particular friend that someone else suggested we might get a room. There’s life in the old boy yet . . . ;-)

Bonus: Tomorrow being the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, I really ought to be mustering up some energy to reread some of that history, but I haven’t been able to get further than putting up Grampa’s doughboy picture on ye Fycebykke (which I do every year) and ferreting around the Yewtybbe for Diana Wynyard’s best scene in Noel Coward’s Cavalcade (to which my dear friend Karl introduced me years ago). It isn’t there, but you can enjoy this pretty waltz from Cavalcade instead.

Bonus A: Maybe tomorrow I’ll retell the Story of the Pole Vaulter from Manila, which followed Grampa to France in 1918.

Saturday, November 10

1) Spin the GTS Political Discussion Wheel and you get quotes from my beloved Jezebel (presented out of order):

• General Bogardus: “One thing you can’t deny is that you’re the guest of a charming hostess.”

• Aunt Belle: “I’m sorry, but this subject is an unwelcome one. Julie, as mistress of the house I’m sure you’ll agree.” Julie (disingenuously): “Why Aunt Belle, I wouldn’t dream of denyin’ any subject to my guests.”

• Amy Dillard: “I’m sure Mr. Cantrell is capable of defending his own insinuations.”

2) I haven’t exactly “greeted the dawn with a breath of fire” today, but it’s going to be a good day today. As Luise Rainer memorably said in The Great Ziegfeld, “I mean it, I am determined!'“

3) In my box of stationery there are notecards I bought years ago that I know people would enjoy, but I enjoy them so much myself I’ll probably never send them.

Friday Midday, November 9

1) Suddenly, I’m going to New York after New Year’s!

2) We all need a little shot in the arm now and then, and today I got one from a new colleague who gave me props for diplomatically handling a volunteer. As drunken Doc Boone memorably said in Stagecoach, “Professional compliments are always pleasing.”

3) Hotcha! Also, whoopee!

Friday Morning, November 9

1) As Jessie Ralph memorably said in Camille, “These are evil days, Monsieur, evil days.” You can bet I’m praying for Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

2) Candlelight chicory coffee and (brief) devotional in the parlor before moving to the gray room to read the news and plan a little for the weekend. Turns out my whole candlelight thing is actually capturing the Danish concept of hygge - who knew?!

2a) Apparently it is really supposed to be pronounced hue-gah, which makes me want to say it like this.

2b) That is also how I pronounce Aouda’s name in Around the World in 80 Days.

3) Frankly I’m surprised ye Instytytte is giving us Monday for Veteran’s Day - like July 4, Veteran’s Day is always November 11 and simply doesn’t change whether it’s on a weekend or not, whereas the idea that Memorial Day is always May 30 now seems rather quaint - but I’m taking it gratefully.

Wednesday Night, November 7

1) Went to bed at 1 AM after monitoring the election results on 538, NYT, and Twyttyr. My body was so keyed up I didn’t get to sleep until after 2.

1a) Quote of the Day (from my Shakespearean Insult calendar): “The devil knew not what he did when he made man politic.” - Timon of Athens

2) I can hardly bend my head around the fact that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away.

3) Gratitude, the concept, and the expression.

Tuesday Morning, November 6 - Election Day

1) Candlelight coffee and devotional in the parlor after a heavy but restless night of sleep.

1a) Quote of the Day, John 8:43-45: “Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.”

2) As Julianne Moore said in Boogie Nights, “Too many things, too many things, too many things, too many things.”

3) The darkest hours of the year are between 5-7 PM the week after Daylight Savings Time ends.