Turning 61/My Musical "Roots"

The sun rises like a big orange ball this morning, the morning of March 16, 2001. I turn 61 today, and to tell the truth, despite the aches and pains of growing older, I'm glad I was born back in 1949 and that era. I would not want to be 20 or 30 today in this world of Obama and his Marxist hordes running the show in Washington. Being older just brings out that "I don't give a crap what you think" attitude. I've always been of that mind set, and the grayer I get, the more outspoken(if that's possible) and more set in my ways. I took this short stupid test the other day and sent it out to most of the folks and family on my e-mail list:

http://www.nolanchart.com/survey.php

Needless to say I came out on the right side of the Libertarian Chart....not sure I qualify as a libertarian, the right side? Not much doubt about that. The one thing I am libertarian about is, I really don't give a rat's ass what people that I don't agree with, think about me or my political or social views. But take the test for yourself, it's a fun look at what lurks in your memory banks.

The Accordion____

Last night saw the curtain close on another season in the Wabash Valley Dartball League. As I have mentioned before, our Church, St. Johns Lutheran of Celina, was the host Church for this season, and with Sam off to college at Ohio State, it was basically left to me and JD, to see that the year went off without a hitch....we succeeded more or less. Our year as a team pretty much stunk, but we survived well enough to host the post season tourneys and all star games...last night topped it off, as we finished up with a 2 hour get together with Banquet, Entertainment, and Awards.

A lady name Rita Schroeder along with her sister Pat came to entertain the attendees with music on the Accordion. She also brought along a collection of Accordions that her family had for the past century or so, including one that was about 50 or 60 years old....one that looked much like the one I had tried to learn over 50 years ago, while growing up back in Venice, Florida.

I made the mistake of telling Rita and Pat(who went to school with me back some 40 plus years ago at Celina High), that I had taken Accordion lessons back in the late 1950s, but forgot all I knew about the musical instrument....I also had saw the workings of that instrument when I hosted a lady named Annie Koski on a live weekend Polka Show on WJMT Radio in Merrill, Wisconsin, back in the late 1970s.

Well it came down about 20 minutes into the show...they called me up to do a duo with Rita...needless to say I wasn't ready to touch an Antique musical instrument, that I had forgotten how to use long ago.

After a few short pointers from Rita, I lifted the 25 pound piece that is as old as I....and faked my way through the "duo" with Rita....finally remembering some of what I learned in my youth from that long forgotten teacher of the Accordion back in south Florida. At the same time I was scared that I would drop or mess up the scared piece...so I bumbled my way carefully, very carefully through the 5 minute session.

When it was over, I was relieved, but satisfied, that even though I sucked, I gave it a go.

The catered meal was great, the entertainment one of the best programs that the league has seen in years, and we topped it off with the Trophy and Awards presentation....home by 9, it was good to see the season end on a high note.

Today____

As I mentioned, the sun is back out after a 4 day hiatus....and the rest of the work week looks to be sunny and dry, before things change back to cooler and wet sometime during the upcoming weekend, such is the month of March, such is the month of my birth.

A few years ago, I checked out the Van Wert Times-Bulletin for my birth announcement, and checked out the weather for March 16, 1949. "Rain mixed with Snow and a high of 36" was the conditions, weather wise that day, 61 years ago...today calls for Sunny and 56, looking a little better.

Have a good one!

back later

Photos-top left, me, trying to look like I know what I was doing, I didn't!(2) Rita and her collection of classic Accordions(3) Me and Rita and our "duo", which consisted of her playing and me fumbling my way through the set(4) The Banquet Tables were set in a St Patricks' Day theme.(5) and finally the collection of Hardware that was passed out during the awards portion of The Wabash Valley Dartball Banquet.