Shut your mouth, go away!

The Miller/Carter Tree; carrabean centered
but some roots are still missing
GAK! Have been quite busy. Spent most of the weekend working on my family geneology project. No great discoveries, but did add numerous 2nd and 3rd cousins on the paternal side of my family tree. Who knew I had so many cousins, and them spread all across North America?

Truthfully, I sometimes had an arm's distance relationship with my Father's side of the family. I used to get dragged to visit them at family parties, which in general I hated visiting them because dancing for the adults - torture for me - was a requirement. Anyway, the Miller's loved a party, the air was always full of calypso and Latin Music.

The only song I liked was Mama Look at Boo Boo. I remembered that song for ages, but never heard it after we left NYC. That is, until I was on my first trip to Alaska, and sat down for supper in a podunk cafe in the podunk tiny town of Tok. In the middle of nowhere, what played on the radio? Mama look at Boo-boo! Great calypso song about a man so ugly his impudent children call him 'Boo boo', like he's a wound - how cold is that! I remember the beat being much faster, but here's a version of it on YouTube. Click here to hear it! Sing it and get your Caribbean on!

Mama Look a Boo Boo
by Lord Melody (Belafonte at Carnegie Hall version - 1959)

I wonder why nobody don't like me. Or Is it a fact that I'm ugly?
I leave my whole house and go. My children don't want me no mo'.
Bad talk inside the house they bring. And when I talk, they start to sing...

Chorus: "Mama look at Boo Boo", they shout. Their Muddeh tell dem "Shut up your mouth! That is your Daddy."
"Oh no! My Daddy can't be ugly"
So... Shut your mouth, go away, Mama look at Boo Boo day! (UMMPH!)
Shut your mouth go away! Mama look at Boo Boo day!

Couldn't even digest me supper due to the children's behavior. "John!"
"Yes Pa?"
"Come here a moment, Bring the belt, you're much too impudent."
John says, "It's James who started first"
James tells the story in reverse!
I raise me belt from off me waist. You should hear them screaming 'round the place

Chorus

So I began to question the mother, "These children ain't got no behavior
"They're playing with you," my wife declared, "You should be proud of them my dear.
Them children were taught to bloom and slap."
That ain't no kind of joke to crack
There I was, one foot in Tok Alaska, one foot in Harlem NYC, swinging to Belefonte and Boo-boo!

These days, all my paternal uncles and my aunt are gone. My cousins - zillions of them are who are left and I'm learning about them on a family site on Facebook. Amazing! I thought I'd never get to know any of them, but the Internet is rounding us up - and this time I don't have to dance.

In other news, I did something new on Saturday. I volunteered 2 hours getting petitions signed at the Sacto Food Coop with a Museum docent acquaintance, Mary. Went very well, we got 130 signatures while I was on duty. The cause celeb? Saving our California State parks through an initiative to add a $18 bucks to car registration which would go directly, no bypassing allowed, as secured funds for CA State Parks. When you compare the $18 annual with the cost of one adult visit to Disneyland at $98 it doesn't seem like much, does it? The reward? Free park entry fees for everyone. So one State park visit per year and your registration sum is re-cooped in full. We're hoping the initiative goes on the ballot in November. Really want it to pass.

It was COLD, but the signatures made it all worth while

And they sang... "Frosty Sno-Homey"

Early this morning, this Brooklynite Snow Man virtually flew into Fair Oaks for a visit. I suspect his creation had something to do with two little great-nephews I know of - and one niece.

I decided to read his palms (not of palm tree but of , A Tree [that] Grows in Brooklyn).

I concluded as follows of this snowy personality.

• He loves his veggies (confirmed by carritoid schnoz) as I hope my nephews do.
  
• He has a spicy personality (note: clove eyes & mouth).
  
• He is rather settled in his ways (has yet to leave the chair...).
  
• He is a good neighbor (belongs to the local volunteer fire department)
  
• He is a snazzy dresser (see pine-green scarf ensemble).
  
  Yep, this little fellow gets two snaps up from A.C.
  
  

"So now you got my press release, do I get to co-star
in Lost? I'd be great in a Polar Bear scene!"

La Chez Claire Entertains

La Chez Claire, the renowned 'B&B' is entertaining this week. I was out to a lovely post Christmas dinner last night, at my friends, Rick, Nancy & the boys for a nice post Christmas dinner. Mommy Nancy is a pro at 'warm fuzzy food' (meaning 'comfort food', not actually fuzzy food) and original salads. My contribution was a persimmon pudding I made, using persimmons Rick picked and gave to me a week ago. The boys and I had fun, heating up brandy, pouring on the pudding and setting it ablaze. The flames died out quickly, but quick thinking Diego, gave up trying to relight the pud, and put the long fireplace match atop the pudding so we still got to make a flaming entrance to the dining room - Huzzah!

The whole family planned to take off to Tahoe in the morning and while the family dog Tippy was off to the kennels, I agreed to take care of Sofa.

Sofa, is not furniture, and I have decided to refer to 'La Lapin' in question as 'Sophia', as a girl does object to being referred to for her... girth.

Diego and doe-eyed Sofa AKA Sophia
Sofa was an unexpected present given to Diego for his birthday by his college buddies. He was rather surprised and will be challenged by the sudden bunny stewardship he inherited, but I think he'll be up to the task. Meanwhile I get to play with the bun-bun! I drove her home late last night, hardly able to wait for morning, when I prepared her special bunny suite, and introduced her to it. Here she is below, shortly after moving in. She was fascinated by the girls, who were not all all surprised with Sophia, but were intrigued with the new things in their old renovated pen.

Sophia wonders what life is like on the 'outside'
I was watching them from the living room so didn't get a picture of Colette, pecking at Sophia's green hay, that hangs on the corner of the pen. Should be an interesting week. I am determined to find out what tickles Sophia's bunny bone, so she will be entertained while visiting me. So far she wasn't impressed by a chewing block of pine, a sugar pine pine cone, a pillow case to shove around, or a hanging toy with hay stuck into it. I am determined to find out what what makes gets this bunny going on all four cylinders - I mean, all four gigantic bunny feet.