May they ride forever

I watched Gunsmoke this evening and the episode featured Festus Hagen, the big-hearted, somewhat scruffy, illiterate deputy. I Googled his name (Ken Curtis) to find a picture of him without his Gunsmoke getup. I found out things about him I never knew.

I've seem him in many westerns and never recognized him. He looks much different without the scraggly beard and half squint.

He started out as a singer. A good singer. I don't think I ever heard him sing on Gunsmoke, but he sang with the Dorsey band and was a singing cowboy in movies and sang with the Sons of the Pioneers. For you young kids that don't know good music when you hear it, thems impressive credentials.

While I was searching, I found a site for Bob Nolan. According to this site, Bob Nolan created "Western" music. He wrote Tumbling Tumbleweeds, a classic. He also wrote Cool Waters, a haunting story about a mirage and a desert and a yearning deep in the soul. It's still being recorded today and you can hear dozens of recordings here from recording artists. To name just a few - Gene Autry, Burl Ives, Roy Rogers, Randy Travis, Willie Nelson, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, Patti LaBelle, Bob Dylan, The Foggy River Boys, Red River Dave and Sula's Texas Ranger. And don't miss Walter Brennan's rendition. (You can skip Bob Dylan and Patti LaBelle though. They were never meant to sing cowboy songs. Even Tom Jones did a better job.)

It's me again

While searching through a box of important papers today, I found my old pocket harmonica and the diskette that contains the lessons that were supposed to teach me to play. I don't know where the book went, but I'm sure it's around here somewhere.

I don't remember ever listening to the diskette which may explain why I still can't play a harmonica. That and I can't carry a tune in a laundry basket.

I can't imagine why I thought an unplayed harmonica was important enough to put in a metal box with my birth certificate, original social security card, and Grandma's watch.

I guess I put it there for safekeeping though I can't remember why it needed to be kept safe. Maybe I should leave it to someone in my will.

And to my favorite relative, I bequeath my beloved pocket harmonica. Keep it safe and it will serve you as well as it did me.

Past my bedtime

I watched the show last night about the old farts mentioned in the previous posting. It was an episode I had never seen before and I thought I had seen them all.

It was a good episode. Brian "Memory" Lane was under treatment for alcoholism in a rehab facility and thought he'd uncovered an old unsolved murder. To make sure Brian continued his treatment and didn't begin sleuthing, Jerry entered the facility as a sex addict. That left Sandra and Jack on the outside to interview the witnesses (i.e., suspects). Not to mention Brian's long-suffering wife, Ester, who joined in the investigation by stealing a book from Brian.

I fell asleep about 10 minutes before the end and missed the unveiling of the murdering culprit.

So who's the old fart now?

Same old stuff

Guess what? It snowed today and it's going to snow tomorrow and maybe the day after that. Then it's going to get cold. Sorry. That's all I have to talk about. I think my brain is frozen.

There's nothing to do but sit around and watch TV. I can't even get to the store to buy some books.

There's a new TV show on called Undercover Boss. I heard them advertising it last week and thought it was called Undecover Blond. Compared to some other "reality" shows go, that might not too bad.

Ellen is going a great job on American Idol. She's not as sweet as one might think.

I've been watching old detective shows from the 50's and 60's since Christmas when I got 150 shows on DVD. If I don't stop watching them, I'm going to take up smoking. About 90% of the detectives and cops on TV in the 50's and 60's smoked cigarettes. All the time.

I saw Mary Tyler Moore on one of the shows today. She was a suspect. But innocent of course.

I made berry cobbler for supper tonight. It's not supper time but I ate it anyway.

I haven't watched much of the Olympics this year. There's so much snow outside, I don't want to see any more. Ever again.

One of my favorite shows is on tonight. New Tricks. It's about retired detectives re-hired by the police department to solve cold cases. I like watching old farts close to my age do something besides sit in a rocker and drool.

Not that I'm not looking forwarded to that myself in a few years.

Happy, Happy,

Happy Valentine's Day!


May your heart's true desire come true.