#39 years

Just once just once

Happy birthday, Jodie Whittaker..

Today marks the 39th anniversary of The Smurfs (Hanna-barbera 80s) TV show airing with the episodes "The AstroSmurf", "Jokey's Medicine", "The Smurfette", and "Vanity Fare"!

Enjoy! :D

(By the 40th anniversary next year hopefully, New Touch Of Blue should already be on TV.)

Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this day!

26th of July 1965 - Queen Elizabeth installs retired Admiral of the Fleet Earl Mountbatten of Burma as the Governor, Protector and Steward of his beloved Isle of Wight. Louis bows as he receives the vellum copy of Letters from the smiling Queen. Her Majesty wears a salmon pink coat and matching hat.

27th of August 1979 - Major-General Martin White recalled the feeling on the island when news of Lord Mountbatten's murder filtered through:

"The same as any wanton act of terrorism - complete horror, particularly if it is affecting someone with such a distinguished career. The Mountbatten family had a long connection and loved the island - he was much loved on the island and you see his legacy all around. He left a huge legacy, not just on the Isle of Wight but around the world."

Councillor Roger Mazillius knew Lord Mountbatten from the time he was installed as freeman of Medina Borough in 1979 (the year of Mountbatten’s death). He described him as: "An imposing man, wonderfully unflappable. He was a gentleman, a great personage and an enormous loss to Great Britain when he was killed....He will always be remembered as a very friendly, approachable governor. Despite his high rank, he remained in touch with the people.’’

Vicar of the local abbey, Rev. Tim Sledge says Lord Mountbatten's tomb still draws visitors and veterans who knew and served under him. He explained about Lord Mountbatten's burial in 1979: "It was for a town in mourning. It was a time for the town to pay it’s own respects in it’s own abbey church to a friend.

Today you can visit the memorial the people of the isle of Wight made for Louis here:- 

-->  https://www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/things-to-do/earl-mountbatten-monument-p1069201

If you would like to you can give to the Hospice that bears his name on the island via their page listed below. The Earl Mountbatten Hospice is one of the institutions on the island which bears his name - it is the only hospice on the Isle of Wight, and cares for over 800 patients facing life-threatening conditions every year.  

--> https://www.mountbatten.org.uk/page/donate.html

for more pictures and information on the history of the Hospice, and the work of the Royal Family there, including Mountbatten’s daughters, Prince Charles, Prince Edward, Anne the Princess Royal etc, and all the good people, doctors and nurses working and living there, please see

On this date 39 years ago, I began my journey in recovery. It is only with the love and support of the other members of the fellowship that I have reached this milestone. Gratitude has been an essential ingredient in my program, helping shift my focus to the positive aspects in life, promoting emotional well-being and resilience, enhancing motivation, reducing stress, and strengthening relationships, all of which make it easier to maintain my life in recovery.

Today was another day without rain, although the clouds hung around from morning to night. Last night’s low was 38 degrees, so there was not as much frost this morning. And the high today reached 52.

My blood sugar was up a little bit this morning, to 159, but still inside the safe zone. This slight increase was likely due to the potatoes I had with my brunch yesterday and the timing of dinner, which did not occur until 7:30 p.m.

After our coffee and online brain games, Nancy did a yoga session, and I continued catching up on Flickr and the greetings from my FB post about my recovery anniversary.

For breakfast, we cooked up some bacon, and Nancy had some with her leftover quiche from yesterday’s brunch, along with toast and jam. I had a fried egg, cheese and bacon sandwich with chipotle mayo.

After cleaning up, we sat around trying to figure out what to do with our day. Sadly, the covered bridges we still have not visited in Jackson County are too far away for a short winter day. We were left mulling our other options.

Nancy finally came up with a suggestion to check out a winery just north of Newport, adjacent to the location of the Devil’s Punchbowl, which we had visited in August. We drove up I-5 then took OR 34 west to Corvallis and continued on OR 34 to US 101, then north to the Flying Dutchman Winery. While Nancy enjoyed tasting a few samples, I wandered about the area taking more photographs, which was something I have wanted to do for several weeks but have been hampered by the rain and the cold.

Nancy purchased a bottle of Pinot Noir, and we headed back down US 101 to Yachats, where we had an early dinner at the Drift Inn. We both ordered hamburgers and fries.

Then we got back on the road and drove to Florence, where we turned back east on OR 126. We finally got back home about a little before 7 p.m., then we showered and put on PJs and spent the time until 9 p.m. doing some streaming.

We started out with a new episode of “Shakespeare & Hathaway,” where the PI duo was called into action to help a local police officer—who has not been the friendliest to them—deal with someone who was blackmailing him. Our next viewing was another episode in the new series of “Astrid” on PBS. The team began an investigation of an old murder that resulted in a second death.

Tonight’s low should be around 36 degrees, and the high tomorrow will again approach the mid-50s. There may be a little bit of sun peeking through the clouds at some point in the day.

Following church tomorrow, we will be shopping for a few more groceries before heading home. Then Nancy will accompany me to the Sunday evening recovery group, where I will be celebrating my anniversary with the other members of the home group. Afterwards, it is likely that a few of us will go to dinner together.

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On this day in 1776, Thomas Paine published his pamphlet “Common Sense,” advocating independence from Great Britain to people in the Thirteen Colonies. Paine collected moral and political arguments to encourage common people in the Colonies to fight for egalitarian government. It was published anonymously at the beginning of the American Revolution and became an immediate sensation.

January 10, 1943, was the birth date of Jim Croce, an American folk and rock singer-songwriter who released five studio albums and numerous singles between 1966 and his death in a plane crash in 1973.