Today is Hump Day, and I awoke this morning and checked to see if Holly Golightly was breathing; she was. It was 2:12 AM, and too early to get up, but I couldn’t sleep because I was struggling with my plans to travel east to visit my parent’s grave on February 14th, but worried about leaving my Holly alone and lonely on Valentine’s Day.

She is seventeen years old and has Cushing’s Disease and limited hearing and vision; I know her days are limited. I do not want to be 2,000 miles away from her if she died and I was not there for her. I get emotional thinking about anyone dying alone.

Selfishly, I wanted to visit my parent’s grave in Oshawa, Ontario, and see some of my childhood friends who still live there.

I also planned to travel to a place in Atlantic Canada where I had not been for more than twenty-three years.

But those plans were broken recently, and so was a dream.

I now had regrets in the deepest depth of my soul. But it was too painful to think about, so I picked my spirits up by pouring myself a Hump Day Special (vodka & root beer).

I know what you’re thinking – Danny’s got a drinking problem.

Nope!

My drinking days ended abruptly in 2009 when I was diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer and given a 40% chance of surviving.

I drink occasionally but never more than one at a time.

Having a drink while listening to music invokes loving memories of days and friends.

The sadder the tune, the sadder the memory.

We are all here today, gone tomorrow.

Living in the now is essential – not yesterday or tomorrow.

But that is what is mystical about music and memories to me.

It rekindles that first kiss and a first broken heart.

However, my first kiss was not with my first love. I can’t remember her name or face, but I remember the kiss.

It was not romantic, but neither are the urges boys get when puberty arrives. LOL.

Over the past few years, I have learned that nothing is forever except for one thing – Love.

Friendships come and go, but a friendship based on love will last forever – or until the bond is broken.

But when I end a friendship with someone, it is forever, but I will love them in my heart. I find that it is easier to love than it is to hate.

So I will stay home, alone with my Holly – knowing that her birthdays and Valentine’s Days may be her last.

I might still be traveling to Ontario before the end of the month, but I have an appointment with my doctor today to review the recent test results.

I enjoyed the drink, but now I am having my morning coffee.

I took these photos while Holly was sitting on my lap, this morning:

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I hope your Valentine’s Day is spent with a loved one (human or pet).

If you’re on my email distribution list, you’ll get a Valentine’s Day card from me!

If not, here’s a photo I took several years ago from the Iona Jetty:

Photo from a walk on the Iona Jetty (2. A few days later, the heart was no longer there.

No more Valentine’s Day for them, I guess.

Dedicated to Holly Golightly

I hope my stories are a gift to your head and heart.

Hugs,

Danny

Today’s tune from Danny’s library (purchased):

One, two, one, two

They met in a hurricane
Standing in the shelter out of the rain
She tucked a note into his hand
Later on, they took his car
Drove on down where the beaches are
He wrote her name in the sand
Never even let go of her hand

Somehow they stayed that way
For those five days in May
Made all the stars around them shine
It’s funny how you can look in vain
Livin’ on nerves and such sweet pain
A loneliness that cuts so fine
Find the face you’ve seen a thousand times

Sometimes the world begins
To set you up on your feet again
And I know it wipes the tears from your eyes
And how will you ever know
The way that circumstances go?
Always gonna hit you by surprise.
But I know my past
You were there
In everything I’ve done
You are the one

Looking back, it’s hard to tell
Why they stood while others fell
Spend your life working it out
All I know is one cloudy day
They both just ran away
Rain on the windshield headed sound
Oh, she loved the lines around his mouth

Sometimes the world begins
To set you up on your feet again
And I know it wipes the tears from your eyes
And how will you ever know
The way that circumstances go?
Always gonna hit you by surprise
Well, I know my past
You were there
In everything I’ve done
You are the one

Songwriters: Greg Keelor, Jim Cuddy

Here’s a link to songs Danny is listening to now: Drowning in a Tub Full of Tunes