I Had a Bit of Minor Surgery Recently

I had a bit of minor surgery recently. I’ve been in operating rooms before; however, I had limited time to visualize my surroundings due to anesthesia escorting me to la-la land.

This time, I went under the knife with pain control provided by a local. Having no problem with needles, the area being sliced numbed in short order. Allow me to say, the various banks of surgical lights hanging from the ceiling, along with other pieces of  equipment, were impressive, to say the least.

Since operating rooms must be kept cold and my body does not regulate its internal temperature correctly, they had to come up with a way to keep me from getting too cold. Therefore, they fashioned a temperature-regulating area over me that also added to my comfort by covering me with a tarp and introducing warm air underneath.

The surgeon relayed details concerning the procedure and then asked about my favorite music. I gladly informed him that hard rock, especially the band, Rush, was my normal listening pleasure.

I spent my time in the surgical suite, rocking with three of the most talented musicians in the rock genre, along with a neurosurgeon, resident, nurses, and various other medical personnel. I’m fortunate to live near a city with a world class hospital and nationally recognized surgeons. Needless to say, my procedure went well, and I rather enjoyed my time in surgery. Of course, this experience fits me to a ‘T’ as I enjoy going to the dentist.

Have a wonderful week and may God richly bless you and keep you and yours.

I Have Always Enjoyed a Good Dose of Hard Rock and Roll

I have always enjoyed a good dose of hard rock and roll. Being too young to grasp hold of bands like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc. my first true love in the world of rock was Rush. They were a three-man powerhouse from Canada  I enjoyed seeing them in concert until their retirement after 41 years, then came the final blow following the death of their drummer, Neil Peart, in 2020.

I have seen different methods used to transport music from device to ear.

Thankfully, I was on the tail end of the eight-track craze. It never made sense having a tape in a case that rubbed against itself as it played.

After eight-tracks came cassettes. Talk about a compact way to haul and convey your preferred tunes, these devices just couldn’t be beat.

I’ve left out one very important way to enjoy music from yesteryear, the vinyl disc. That good ole standby, like a certain bunny we know, keeps going and going and going, and are in vogue.

Of course, there are the latest devices of technology like CDs, which last no longer than vinyl discs meaning about 100 years or more.

I guess as long as we are able to enjoy our music favorites, the device we use to complete this task is immaterial.

I had dreams of becoming a rock star in my younger years. Here is the URL to my last stint in a recording studio. I wrote theses two songs and performed the vocals and guitar work. Unknown to me at the time, the drummer became my brother in-law. The bassist was a close friend, who played with me for years going on to bigger and better things. He performed the backup vocals for the song, Street Legal.

 

https://youtu.be/RxTHMa6Jp_A

 

If you’re skiddish about clicking on ready-made pathways, search Youtube for “The Steigleder Project 1983.”

God bless you and keep you during the coming week.

“Pizza,” According to Lynn Steigleder

There’s one food on which the majority of people in the United States seem to agree–pizza. I suppose, cheese or pepperoni would be the favorite topping nationwide. As far as I’m concerned, I could go with these toppings, but they are not what would fall into the category of pizza according to Lynn Steigleder.

The first pizza on which I remember dining was one assembled by my father from a box. The Chef Boyardee cheese pizza was complete with a flour and yeast mixture for the crust, tomato sauce, and cheese to sprinkle on top.

I realize, based on current standards, this does not sound like the most appetizing dish; however, add a pound of sausage and you have my number-one comfort food which I still enjoy with my son to this day.

When it comes to my favorite pizza toppings, I must go with a combination, as most pizzerias have a pie topped with multiple ingredients. I also find pepperoni, green peppers, and bacon to be a delicious blend of fixings.

I’m the one in every crowd who enjoys anchovies. I’ve gone so far as to order these tasty little fish a la carte to place on my slices when dining with others in a restaurant setting. On one such outing, pairing these salty fillets with my love for heat, I ordered a small anchovy and jalapeno pizza, not having to worry with anyone asking for a piece of this concoction. Just as most things go, there is a wide variety of ingredients and a large percentage of people who choose within this realm of variation.

No matter your favorite, eat and enjoy.

Have a wonderful week and may God bless you richly.

It’s Amazing, the Things We Recall That Happened in Our Yesteryears.

It’s amazing, the things we recall that happened in our yesteryears. Many thoughts of childhood for me  tend to center around food. Having a grandmother that grew up on the coast of North Carolina was a large influence in my life. She could cook country food, and I mean anything from fried chicken to black eyed peas & cornbread, beans, greens and everything in between. I don’t believe I could pen a better meal in one of my novels than my grandmother could produce on her stove.

When it came to seafood, she was adept at preparing shrimp, fish, crabs, oysters, clams, soft-shelled crabs and a multitude of aquatic fare. Her family earned a living off of the sea and we could count on the freshest of seafood along with the pinnacle of preparation.  

My dad introduced me to good cuts of steak; the ribeye being his favorite and lobster, thankfully, another of his specialties, and you would not believe how much of a difference cutting your own potatoes for french fries makes.

To think, this post originated from the thought of two apple trees I remembered from my childhood. They were no more than fifty feet apart. One was a golden delicious which ripened in late May. It was a tasty way to start off the summer.

The second tree was a red apple; I’m not sure of the species. It would ripen in September and its fruit would rival any apple flesh that ever passed these two lips.

To say the least I had a wonderful childhood in many ways, including dining fare.

Have a great week, May God bless you and keep you, and don’t be afraid to try something different in your diet!