October 23rd

Grace was bored the other day, and decided (though I declined the offer) to read to me the things that had happened throughout history on October 23rd (My Birthday). I had heard some of it before... So, as she read, I listened to the list as she read along...listing numerous bad things that had happened on that day in history. I kept thinking, wow, a lot of bad stuff happened on my birthday. Lots of battles began on this day, rebellions, beheadings, etc etc. Gloom and doom, Great. She continued...the beginning of the great depression in 1929. Nice timing. Oh, and you'll love this, in 1940 Walt Disney released the movie 'Dumbo'! How appropriate for my birthday! Ha. She kept reading, and I kept saying "Great, That's Great, Great". Then, out of the blue, I heard one I have never heard before: Zane Gray died in 1939.

"What?" I said.

Zane Gray died on October 23rd, 1939. Ouch. That one really hit me below the belt. My mother's favorite author died on my Birthday. I'm surprised I never heard that tidbit before. Perhaps Mom never knew. If she did she never said anything. My Mother loved Zane Gray books. I don't exaggerate when I say she read every one of his books a hundred times. She loved to read them. She owned most of them and would always talk about how descriptive his writing was. How she could just picture what he was describing. On one vacation, she drove through Oak Creek Canyon in Arizona or New Mexico, just so she could see one of the area's he often wrote about. I knew a lot about Zane Gray from listening to my Mom all those years. They even have a motel on Catalina Island called the Zane Gray Motel. He evidently liked Catalina. Each room in the motel was named after a book...in place of room numbers. So, the avid reader could stay in the 'Riders of the Purple Sage' Room. Interesting, but it was still a slap in the face that he died on my Birthday. It left me kind of sad, thinking of my Mother. On the other hand, my Mother loved Zane Gray, and I have no doubt she loved me too. And if she ever even knew that he died on October 23rd, she never mentioned that to me...but of course, she wouldn't. I'm not sure the listings of 'Things that happened on this Day in History' is such a good record to read. All the stuff that makes history is the bad stuff. I guess that is the nature of man. Anyway, Happy Birthday self! And though I could never really get into reading Zane Gray books (and I tried), I can tell you my Mother enjoyed countless hours of entertainment reading his novels. Ironic that I always aspired to being a writer...but my brain don't work good nuff to put that miny salyiabbles together in one place. But I can dream. Zane Gray: May you rest in peace. And for all of you out there...read a Zane Gray book, and think of my Mother Eva Mae as you read it. She would like that.

Our Family Lullaby

All the kids in our family grew up hearing our Mom sing us a lullaby. I doubt if any of us could sing all the words, but we knew the tune, we knew many of the lyrics, and we could, and did, sing it to our children.

My brother Jim and I were talking about how we had each looked on the internet for the song and were unable to find the song or the lyrics. Rose got on the internet and found it in about 5 minutes. What a treasure it was for me to hear it and to see all the words. Thank you Rose.

Turns out it was a #1 hit for Perry Como in 1947. It makes since that this was a lullaby that Mom would sing. You see, she became a mother in 1947. This was a #1 song at the time. Then came Carole etc. Regardless, I wish it was possible for you to enjoy hearing it...as much as I enjoyed it. The only thing better would have been to hear my Mother sing it one more time.





Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


"Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)" is a popular song.
It was written by Mack David, Jerry Livingston, and Al Hoffman and published in 1947.
The song was popularized by Perry Como in 1947. The recording was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-2259. The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on May 30, 1947 and lasted 12 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1. The flip side of the record, "When You Were Sweet Sixteen," was also a big hit, reaching #2 on the chart. [1]
Other recordings were made by Peggy Lee, by Blue Barron, and by The Charioteers about the same time.


Many a year ago in old Sorrento
a certain ditty was quite the thing
Whenever a mother rocked her baby in Sorrento
this little ditty she used to sing:

Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
An' chi-lawa kook-a la goombah
Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
my bambino go to sleep!

Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
An' chi-lawa kook-a la goombah
Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
my bambino go to sleep!

All the stars are in the skies ready to say "goodnight"
can't you see your doll is sleepy, too?
Close your drowsy little eyes, mama will hold you tight
while she sings a lullaby to you:

Oh, chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
An' chi-lawa kook-a la goombah
Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
my bambino go to sleep!

( Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa, and chi-lawa )
Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
An' chi-lawa kook-a la goombah ( la goombah! )
Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
my bambino go to sleep!

( Chi, chi, chi-baba! )
Chi, chi, chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
An' chi-lawa kook-a la goombah ( la goombah! )
Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
my bambino go to sleep!

All the stars are in the skies ready to say "goodnight, goodnight"
can't you see your doll is sleepy, too?
Close your drowsy little eyes, mama will hold you tight
while she sings a lullaby to you, ever so sweetly!

Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
An' chi-lawa kook-a la goombah ( la la goombah! chi-baba! )
Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
my bambino go to sleep!

Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
my bambino go to sleep!
Chi-baba, chi-baba, chi-wawa
my bambino . . .
go to sleep!

(I took the audio off...If you want the audio let me know.)

What is the manly thing to do?

We went to town the other day. The Big City of Boise. The wife and daughter are avid readers. Me? Not so much! But they wanted to stop at Barnes and Noble and look for some books. So we did. Now, they wanted to go and search for their books, and so I said go ahead, I'll just take the baby and his car seat and find a place to sit and wait for you all to find your books. So I headed toward the back, hoping to find a less populated area to sit in case Ethan decided to start squawking...as he is sometimes known to do. And, sure enough, I found a bench at the back of the store by the magazine rack and it was perfect as there was hardly anybody around. I sat Ethan on the bench and straddled the bench facing him and was browsing a book I seen sitting on a nearby rack. I would occassionally check Ethan, but he was being good and not making any noise. Well, after a while, I looked up and scanned the area and noticed that several men had entered the magazine area and were looking at the magazines. Well, there I was sitting on the bench with a baby and all the other men were looking at Sports Illustrated and American Hunter and Motorcross etc. Suddenly I felt a little out of place. There were no women in the area, and certainly no infants. There I was sitting on the bench reading a poetry book and watching the baby. At first I felt a little out of place...thinking I should be up there looking at the newest edition of Macho Man Monthly. But I didn't. I just looked at my handsome little man and threw him a kiss and went about my business. Really, what could be more Macho than being a father to your son. Knowing that he is totally dependent on his mother and father to take care of him and meet his needs.
Ethan is an awesome little man. I love him.