J.P.

My husband and I just had the oddest television viewing experience. With the New Year Earl is encouraging me to venture outside of my viewing comfort zone. Instead of watching the handful of series we follow on network television, let’s look at the streaming services and watch things we wouldn’t usually watch.

Netflix suggested “John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch”.

Now, we’ve been to see John Mulaney before. He’s a funny guy. We’ve seen him live, we’ve watched his stand up specials, I think we even watched one episode of his self-named series so we were familiar with his comedic style.

There were moments in “The Sack Lunch Bunch” where I wasn’t sure if I was suppose to laugh or cringe or applaud or whatever. And that was perfectly OK.

Pre-teens singing about their father, a drag queen, or grandma’s boyfriend Paul, well, was interesting. It was funny but I felt a little odd laughing. I was constantly wondering if the kids knew what they were singing about.

The production value of the special was spot on 1970s and 80s “Children’s Television Workshop”. All that was missing was Rita Moreno’s “Hey You Guys” and Morgan Freeman looking young and hip in a leisure suit.

Overall a catchy show with catchy music and catchy graphics and production values. I suggest watching it, even if you do it ironically.

Earl bought me a digital piano for Christmas. A Casio AP-260, this digital piano features a full-sized keyboard with weighted keys and full pedals. The instrument is sturdy and substantial. It has a bunch of electronic features that I’m just learning, including a variety of instruments, and I am very excited to get well acquainted with it.

When we moved to Chicago back in 2017 I decided to gift the Gulbransen piano I inherited from my grandmother to one of my cousins. I just didn’t feel right moving the piano out of New York State. I missed having a piano very much and I was delighted to open this under the Christmas tree earlier this week.

When I went to college to become a music teacher back in the mid 1980s I was deemed needing “remedial piano lessons” because I could play but not the approved way by the music school at SUNY Fredonia. Apparently I used the wrong fingers and played by ear more than I played by sight reading sheet music. The only available piano class for us remedial students was Tuesday mornings at 8:00 AM. Nothing wakes up the soul like banging out “God Save The Queen” with a bunch of other freshmen that don’t want to be at an 8:00 AM class on a Tuesday morning.

Still unable to really play by sight (though I can plunk out a song if I have to do it by sight, just with the wrong fingers), I’ve decided to start piano lessons on my iPad. I’m trying out the Simply Piano app after watching a few reviews from other piano students on YouTube. After the first lesson I’m already finding playing using the proper fingering makes life much easier for me. I’m looking forward to becoming a decent piano player in my 50s. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I look forward to the challenge. I’m also excited because Earl has decided to work on lessons off of his iPad as well.

I love using new technology this way; the way technology was suppose to be used.

And it’s wonderful filling the house with music again.

So my husband and I are celebrating our 23rd anniversary today. 23 years ago today we stood together on Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, witnessed by my future brother- and sister-in-law, and exchanged our vows of commitment for this happy journey we call marriage. It would be 15 years before the law would catch up with the facts; luckily we’re blessed with patience.

I remember the ceremony as if it was yesterday. I still had hair on top and a small little mustache. I was a little lighter than I am today. I drove a 1994 Hyundai Excel. It was cherry red. I had driven down to Philadelphia on Christmas Day to meet up with my future husband and my future in-laws; they have always just considered me family, right from day one. My mother and father were supportive.

As I looked across the table at the restaurant tonight I fell in love all over again. I can’t believe the guy still loves me after all these years. But I’m lucky.

I married my best friend.

Happy The Cat and Happy The Dog are a wonderful part of our Christmas holiday. Long live Happy The Cat and Happy The Dog on the Hallmark Channel.

My husband and I have started our yearly tradition of watching the Christmas episodes of “Bewitched”. There were four Christmas episodes in the eight year run of the show, not counting the “flashback” Christmas episode in season 2.

Tonight we watched “Santa Comes and Stays and Stays and Stays” from season six. This was the first year Dick Sargent played Darrin. The premise is simple; Alice Ghostley’s Esmerelda sneezes up Santa by mistake and he won’t fade away. Mrs. Kravitz screams a lot when she sees elves and Santa doing their thing, Larry Tate has a few belts, and there’s the usual latter half of “Bewitched” frivolity.

Elizabeth Montgomery will always have a very special place in my heart.

I realize humans are doing some very awful things to our planet, but 50°F and higher in Chicago the weekend before Christmas is enjoyable.

It’s a shame we’ll pay the price for this weather further down this timeline.