Last of my birthday records

| May 20, 2009

We played the last of my birthday records for little Sam last night. It was Ella Fitzgerald “Sings the Cole Porter Songbooks”. We were reminiscing last night, “The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books” was the first music we ever purchased together. It was many years ago, I had wanted this box set of Ella recordings for some time but could never afford it. Pam was working at Suncoast at the time as a manager and got a special manager discount so she ordered them for me at Suncoast’s sister company Sam Goody. It was a crazy amount of money to spend at the time but worth every penny. Ella’s recordings of music by composers Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Rodgers & Hart, Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin, and Duke Ellington were some of the best music ever made in my opinion.

I still remember the night we bought the big box set on CD and took it home to listen to at my parent’s house. We had to listen really low because they were asleep at the time.  I knew a lot of the music since I played in so many high school bands. Unless you were a band person though, not many kids our age knew this music; it wasn’t exactly “popular”. However, as we listened to one CD after another, I was shocked to hear Pam singing along to many of the songs! A lot of them are from musicals which she was really into and I was impressed with her musical knowledge.  We had a great time listening to these recordings and I think it was one of the first times we really felt a connection.

To this day, this box set remains our favorite set of recordings and we listen to it often. Now many of the recordings are available on new audiophile vinyl so we are buying them again to listen to on our record player. As good as they sound on CD, they sound even better in this “new” old format! We couldn’t wait for our little Sam to be born to start sharing our love for these recordings with her so we are getting an early start!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

| May 17, 2009

Today is my parent’s 40th wedding anniversary! That is reaally an amazing accomplishment. Congratulations to you both and thank you for setting such a wonderful example of both a married couple and set of parents. We are all so lucky to have you in our lives and we hope we can live up to the high parental examples you have set 🙂

We can’t tell what Sam likes better, food or music

| May 14, 2009

So I got a bunch of records for my birthday (thanks everyone!) and we are about half way through the stack. Luckily my 37ish year old Dual turntable is more than up to the task thanks to Bill at http://www.fixmydual.com. If you are looking for a vintage Dual, check him out, the guy knows everything there is to know about keeping these old gems running and offers outstanding customer service at a reasonable price.

In the last week, we introduced little Sam to Ella Fitzgerald “Sings the Rogers and Hart Songbook”, Tina Brooks “True Blue”, Peggy Lee “Black Coffee”, and Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong “Ella and Louis”.

My dresses

| May 14, 2009

Since my Mother’s Day posts, a lot of people have been asking me about the dresses my mom gave me.  Well, here is a picture of them, as well as some photos my mom found of me wearing them.

dresses1

This first one is dated September 1969 so it must have been not long after I was born.  I think this was one of the pink ones.

me9-1969

The next was in January 1970 when I was a four month old tyke sitting with my mom and brother, Bill. I am wearing what appears to be the blue dress at the top left of the first picture.

memombill

This last one is dated September 1970 so I was just a year old and wearing one of my yellow dresses.

meandbill9-1970

I was very cute, if I do say so myself, but I am sure Sam will be even cuter : )

May 12, 2009 — Mark’s birthday

| May 13, 2009

Yesterday we celebrated Mark’s birthday.  At the end of the night, before I went to bed, he hugged me and thanked me for giving him a nice day. He said he was glad he had me to share it with then commented with a smile that next year, and every year after that, he will also have Sam, who will make him all kind of crazy, “homemade” birthday gifts.  I said that yes, she will, and you will have to tell her that her construction paper gifts are the best gifts you have ever received and Mark said, of course he will. I said, you will also have to tell her that you will keep them forever and he said, you know, I probably will….

I am so lucky to have Mark for a husband : )  Not only is he perfect for me, and the best mate a person could ask for, but he is without a single doubt going to be the most amazing dad.  He will keep all Sam’s treasures forever, I just know he will.