Friday is Valentine’s Day, and it puts me in the mood for romantic music.
I absolutely love this Ed Sheeran song, Thinking Out Loud. And the video is sexy and romantic.
I think it’s important to mark special occasions like Valentine’s Day and anniversaries and birthdays. Our coffers are far from full so I don’t see any romantic candlelight dinner at a fancy restaurant in the cards for us this year. But I still want to remember that I love Mr. R more than life itself, and if I have to go through the fire, he’s the one I choose to have by my side.
What’s your favorite romantic song?
I hope you enjoy your weekend and that you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Be sure to at least hug the ones you love.
Thanks to a Fandango gift card left from Christmas, Mr. R and I ventured to the movies last weekend to see Yesterday, the romantic comedy that features songs from the Beatles. Despite some less than glowing reviews, we enjoyed the movie. The story is sweet, and obviously the music is great.
In the film, a young aspiring musician wakes up to find that he’s the only person in the world who remembers the Beatles. When he begins playing their songs, he becomes a huge sensation, even being tapped to open for Ed Sheeran in a world tour.
Have I mentioned that I love Ed Sheeran? And I love this song. There’s a hint of a throw-back, if you listen closely. Besides, it’s just a beautiful sentiment.
I’m craving a beautiful, peaceful song right now. Our lives are still in turmoil here at Chez R. The house is on the market and we’ve have several folks come by to look at it. No offers as yet, though. Fingers crossed, we’re under contract soon. Then we’ll have to figure out what’s next.
But for now, I’m going to take a deep breath and just enjoy the moment. We’ll keep you posted.
I love a good story. But I’m a writer, so I don’t think that comes as a big surprise.
I tend to write long stories. For me, the characters are everything. Their strengths, their vulnerabilities, their past experiences, their flaws and self-doubts blend together to make them relatable. I always want readers to feel like they know the characters, like they’re friends. And that takes time to build.
As a reader, the best books are the ones where I intentionally slow down about halfway through because I know I’m going to miss the characters when I finish the story. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood was like that for me.
That being said, I’m always impressed with writers who can communicate all that emotion in fewer words. Like in a song, for example.
Tequila by Dan + Shay tells a great story. This video enhances that story. Be sure to stay until the end. 😉
And because I have a perverse sense of humor, I’m taking a left turn at Albuquerque. (You have to be a certain age to get that reference.) On my summer television guilty pleasure America’s Got Talent, a guy performed a karaoke version of a different Tequila. Enjoy.
This weekend, we’re well into summer, and in the States, we’re celebrating Independence Day this week. I wish you a wonderful 4th of July. Enjoy your time with family and friends. Don’t hold fireworks in your hand, y’all, because DUH!
Be sure to hug those you love. Happy Saturday night!
Tonight’s serenade is a classic, and it doesn’t get much more classic than the Beatles. This clip of Yesterday is from a live 1965 television performance. It’s funny because the audience is so frantic about seeing the Fab Four, they don’t really appreciate the beauty of the song. I think true classics are like that–it’s only later that we recognize their value.
I’m beyond stoked about the new movie coming out at the end of the week. Yesterday, from the director of Slumdog Millionaire and the writer of Love Actually, is a fantasy musical romantic comedy about a struggling young singer who wakes up one day to discover that he’s the only one in the world who remembers the genius of the Beatles. When he begins to play their songs, everyone assumes they’re his original work, and his career soars.
The premise intrigued me months ago, the first time I saw a few short clips. It looks like a charming story about likeable characters, all punctuated by the music of the Beatles. In one hilarious clip, Ed Sheeran, as himself, advises our hero Jack to change one particular lyric to “Hey, dude.”
I can’t wait to see this movie, and as we have been hoarding a Fandango gift card since Christmas, awaiting a worthy film, I predict a date night in our very near future.
I hope this first official weekend of summer finds you well. Be sure to hug the ones you love. Maybe I’ll see you at the movies!
This week, we’re celebrating Valentine’s Day.
Yes, I know, it’s a huge commercialized event, one big promotion for cards, flowers, candy, and diamonds.
But suppose we boil it down to its simplest form. I think it’s a day to appreciate the ones you love, be it a spouse, significant other, parent, child, or friend. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
For tonight’s serenade, I’ve picked a few of my favorite love songs. I always love Ed Sheeran, and Thinking Out Loud is one of his most romantic.
But I just melt for John Legend’s All of Me. This video has over 1.4 billion views. Guess I’m not the only one.
Finally, who wouldn’t want to be Truly, Madly, Deeply in love? Yes, it’s One Direction, but I have a guilty-pleasure thing for boy bands.
What would be on your Valentine’s Day playlist?
While you think about it, be sure to hug those you love, especially your Valentine.
September is just flying by. Before you know it, we’ll be talking about Halloween. I have to confess, I just love autumn holidays.
This song has been stuck in my head all week. There are worse things that can happen. It’s classic Sting from way back in the day. We’ll Be Together is from the 1987 album ..Nothing Like the Sun.
Above is the original official video, but I also found this funky version, a duet with Annie Lennox. Am I the only one who thinks that Sting has only improved over the years?
So this September weekend, I’m sending you wishes for a wonderful, relaxing evening, spent doing what you love with those you love. Be sure to give them a hug.
It’s a rough weekend if you live in the Carolinas. And it looks like Florence is going to push miles inland, impacting a huge swath of the east with tons of rain. Take care, y’all, and pay attention to the what the authorities tell you.
The rest of us are looking on with our thoughts and prayers on this September weekend. September always feels like fall to me, although fall doesn’t officially start until next week.
But I always picture leaves in brilliant colors, mugs of spiced cider, and people walking around in jackets. That’s the way it was where I grew up in Tennessee.
Here in south Florida, the only fall color we get is in October, when the Methodist church puts a pumpkin patch on their front lawn.
I know everybody talks about special fall coffees, but I’m not a fan myself. Mr. R wondered aloud this week if Pumpkin Spice was one of the Spice Girls. I said yes, the round orange one.
Tonight, I’m feeling the romance of September, and I thought this song by the Corrs was fitting.
I hope wherever you are, you’re safe, dry, and surrounded by those you love. Be sure to give them a hug.
And if you’re of a mind to, consider donating to hurricane relief. It’s going to be a long haul for a lot of people.
I grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and I traveled through Nashville countless times on my way to visit relatives in Kentucky. But it wasn’t until I was an adult that I first stayed there for a couple of nights.
Nashville is a cool town, with lots to see and do. We stayed downtown, and walked all over the place. We got a little rowdy in a huge bar called the Wildhorse Saloon, and we didn’t miss the opportunity to stop by the Ryman Auditorium, the sacred cathedral of country music.
The Grand Ole Opry started out as a live radio show in 1925, and was housed in the Ryman starting in 1943 and remained there until 1974, when it moved to its current, larger location. In the center of the new stage, there’s a six-foot circle of oak that came from the Ryman stage, symbolically and literally the heart of the theatre.
Even if you’re not a country music fan, the Grand Ole Opry is a sight to behold. It’s still a live radio show, every Saturday night. It also airs on television. But to be there is an experience.
Because unbeknownst to listeners, the Opry stage is like a three-ring circus, with something always happening. While someone is performing, someone who just finished is still out there breaking down, and the next act up is busy getting set up. Groups of tourists enter and leave the stage, snapping photos and getting autographs if they’re lucky.
In addition to being a show and a venue, the Opry is something of a Hall of Fame as well. Performers who are deemed worthy are invited to join, and it’s a huge honor. It’s also a commitment–Opry members are required to perform there a certain number of times per year.
There is a set schedule every week, so when you purchase your tickets, you know who you’ll be seeing. BUT… Performers who have a little time available often pop in unannounced, the better to get some of their annual obligation out of the way.
And so it happened that the night we went to the Grand Ole Opry, we were treated to a performance we didn’t expect. As one act was finishing up, we noticed an increased level of excitement at the side of the stage.
As soon as that performer left the stage, Clint Black and his co-writer Skip Ewing walked out, each carrying an acoustic guitar and a stool. Sitting on the apron of the stage, they began to play Something That We Do. The entire place went dark, with only a spotlight on the pair, and for the first time all night, a hush fell over the room, all of us spellbound by this beautiful song.
I remember well the day we wed
I can see that picture in my head
I still believe the words we said
Forever will ring true
Love is certain, love is kind
Love is yours and love is mine
But it isn’t something that we find
It’s something that we do
It’s holding tight, lettin’ go
It’s flying high and laying low
Let your strongest feelings show
And your weakness, too
It’s a little and a lot to ask
An endless and a welcome task
Love isn’t something that we have
It’s something that we do
We help to make each other all that we can be
Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently
The way we work together is what sets our love apart
So closely that you can’t tell where I end and where you start
It gives me heart remembering how
We started with a simple vow
There’s so much to look back on now
Still it feels brand-new
We’re on a road that has no end
And each day we begin again
Love’s not just something that we’re in
It’s something that we do
We help to make each other all that we can be
Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently
The way we work together is what sets our love apart
So closely that you can’t tell where I end and where you start
Love is wide, love is long
Love is deep and love is strong
Love is why I love this song
And I hope you love it too
I remember well the day we wed
I can see that picture in my head
Love isn’t just those words we said
It’s something that we do
There’s no request too big or small
We give ourselves, we give our all
Love isn’t someplace that we fall
It’s something that we do
It’s a moment I’ll never forget. And I can’t shake the message of the song, that love isn’t somewhere we fall, or something we find, it’s something we do. Every day. Every moment.
I hope this evening finds you well, and surrounded by those you love. Be sure to give them a hug.
Happy Saturday night!
PS–I’m adding another beautiful Clint Black song, this one a duet with his wife, Lisa. ❤
His birthday happens to be the same day as one of my brothers’, and that’s really neither here nor there. But around this time, I always start thinking about how thankful I am to have him in my life.
I always refer to Mr. R as my ‘happily ever after.’ And he is.
I spent a long time married to my nightmare. Last week, I alluded to my #MeToo story. Nightmare is the star of that tale.
After that ended, a few years down the road when I had my feet under me a little, I thought it might be nice to meet someone new. I wasn’t looking for someone who made me happy–I didn’t aim that high. I just hoped for someone who didn’t make me unhappy.
But my broken road led me to a man who makes me laugh every day, from our first date, when he ordered a strawberry daiquiri with an exaggeratedly deep voice, to the songs that he intentionally butchers (most recently, changing the words to We Built This City to We Milk These Titties), and more than I could possibly tell you about. He brings me flowers all the time, just because he wants to. He makes me feel loved and cherished, honored and protected. And I’m beyond thankful for him.
That’s what I think of when his birthday rolls around. I have a couple of gifts for him: a nice leather messenger bag to use in his real estate work, a Starbucks gift card for his espresso, and a bakery decorated carrot cake (in spite of the fact that he’d diabetic). But really, on his birthday, I’m reminded that he is a gift to me.
We’ll be going out to a nice dinner Sunday night. We have reservations at the Capital Grille, and they know it’s his birthday. Tonight, we’ll just chill here at home.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hug those you love. Happy Saturday night!
“Bless The Broken Road” (originally by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn’t see how every sign pointed straight to you
[Chorus:]
Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
(Yes He did)
I think about the years I spent just passing through
I’d like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You’ve been there you understand
It’s all part of a grander plan that is coming true.
[Chorus]
Yeah.
Now I’m just rolling home
Into my lover’s arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you.
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you.
Where has January gone? Before next weekend, it will be February, and that puts me in the mood for Valentine’s Day. Which means I have all sorts of romantic songs on my mind.
Tonight’s serenade is a beautiful song by Ed Sheeran, Thinking Out Loud. I’m a huge fan of his anyway, and this song is so ingrained in my brain, it pops up several times in my new book. (Shameless book plug ahead…)
CHASING ORDINARY is the contemporary adult fairy tale I’ve always wanted to write. Here’s the official description:
Red-haired Petey Cavanaugh is a sculptor who welds steel and glass creations. A young widow, she lives on her in-laws’ sheep ranch in Montana where she helps out during the day, working on her art at night.
Looking to raise money to expand the ranch’s business, she gratefully accepts her art school roommate’s offer of a gallery show in Manhattan. It’s been years since she was in the city, and she’s happy to visit her old friend.
Nik is in New York on business. He’s been traveling for nearly a month, enduring endless meetings, attending obligatory dinners, and battling jet-lag. On his way to yet another business dinner, his world collides with Petey’s one rainy Manhattan night.
Their mutual attraction is immediate, but Nik’s skeptical. Could it possibly be that this gorgeous, enchanting artist has no idea that he’s Europe’s most eligible prince?
Spending time with Petey is Nik’s first-ever taste of ordinary. What will happen when she finds out the truth?
CHASING ORDINARY comes out February 13, just in time for Valentine’s Day, but I’m offering it for pre-order for just 99¢ until release day. This weekend, I’m revealing the gorgeous cover designed by the ever-sexy and uber-talented Linzi Basset.
I hope you’re enjoying this last weekend of January, and that most of the dangerous winter weather has passed you by. Share a love song with your special one, and hug those you love. Happy Saturday night!
Adventures in Date Night 
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