Zippidy Doo DA

"Stop in the name of Love!" No, I'm not gonna do that this morning. Nothing's gonna stop me from enjoying this day, especially every time I return to the computer and click on the background music link that my blogging friend Cis sent me. If anyone else is interested, you can find it at http://www.tropicalglen.com/. Now, the Beach Boys are "California Dreaming." Thanks, Cis.

Naturally, I clicked on 1965, and naturally I'm transported back to that wonderful time in life when a future, yet-unknown and certainly filled with oodles of adventure, lay ahead. Petula Clark is going downtown now. Back then, I went to downtown Moscow a few weeks after graduating.

My first job away from home took me to the Radio-TV Center at the University of Idaho. From there, my friend Terri Chronic and I (who were among the first Federal Work-Study students at U of I) went to Camp Neewahlu on Lake Coeur d'Alene and washed dishes for the rest of the summer.

We both graduated from U of I----Terry as a geologist, and I, as a teacher. We went our separate ways, had careers, married, and had kids. I can't help but tear up a little as I write this because Terry is no longer with us. She was living in Alaska when she died suddenly from a heart problem a few years ago. I have moved on with life.

Now, Sonny and Cher are singing "I've Got You, Babe." Too bad for them as they quit having each other, and Sonny eventually died. Cis, why did you send this to me? It's reviving on all sorts of emotions as the tunes continue to play. Of course, I could turn it off, head outside and listen to birds sing instead while rejoicing this wonderful life which has been cut short for so many.

Well, at least, for a moment, the sentimentality has gone on hold as they're playing some song that didn't exactly make my billboard charts. It's some guy singing about treating his girl right; I'm sure it was a great Twist song. In fact, maybe I need to get up and practice my style. That was one dance that I could do without anyone laughing at me, and "I Could Get Satisfaction" from not being embarrassed like the poor guy singing "Hey, Hey, Hey" right now.

I can remember playing these songs while kids were working or studying during my last year of teaching. Annie stole a bunch of them off Napster and made me some CD's, which are packed away in the hundreds of boxes we brought to the Lovestead when we moved. Now, Roger Miller is pushing his broom and missing his cigarettes. I haven't missed my cigarettes for 38 years now, and I'm not so desperate to smoke some ol' stogie found in a boxcar.

Started smoking those L & M's shortly after leaving for the university. Back in those days, smoking served as a mark of maturity, at least in many of our minds. These days, you'll see me running the other way when someone lights up. Well, Roger's finished being the King and another song I don't know is playing. It's probably a classic for some, but this guy's lovesick and wondering if his girl will have him back again. There's a big loud electric guitar helping him make his promises if she'll just have him back again. Sorta like he'll quit all his bad habits.

I can tell him as I approach 60 that we tend to revert back to our old habits no matter how much we promise to change. That's the nature of life, but who knows that when we're 20?

Well, the gal's getting ready for love now, so I don't want to get too kinky on this gorgeous early spring morning, so I'll pull myself away from the computer while she's just talking about holding hands. I'd better hurry before the song gets X-rated. But then again, I don't think the songs of 1965 ever got too X-rated by today's standards.

I don't know what year Zippidy Doo Da Day came out, but it seems pretty appropriate for this Sunday morning. My oh my, have a wonderful day!