Blog | LisaRichardsMusic | Bare bones, kick back,irrepressible music for the soul

The world is changing..

I was thinking about my dad who is 93 years old. He has seen so many changes in the world in his lifetime. When he and my mother were first married, they lived in a house with no electricity. They used oil lamps. My mother used to do the laundry in a washing machine she worked by hand. They had a fire and my father would get up very early every morning to start the fire and put the kettle on to make some tea. Water for the bath had to be heated on the fire. Of course this was in Australia and maybe it wasn’t like that here in the USA.

Now my dad has a computer, he uses the internet even though it frustrates him. He can book plane tickets on line. He checks his e-mail (unfortunately it has not made him a better correspondent). He has a mobile phone which he doesn’t check the messages on very often. He still hates leaving voice mail messages for people. He does classes at the University of the 3rd age. Recently he was enchanted by an iphone belonging to a classmate.

For me…I remember when we only had a black and white television. I swore I would never get a cell phone and then once I got a cell phone I swore I would never get an iphone. Needless to say, I love my iphone. My husband forced me into the world of the computer when he bought a pc home. I complained it was staring at me all the time and yes…now I do everything on my Mac book and have to force myself to shut it off. Dial up internet…when I couldn’t be on the phone and the computer at the same time and surfing the world wide web was an exercise in extreme patience.

Yes the world is changing quickly and I am trying to embrace it as it comes hurtling at me. So This weekend I am stepping into the arena of online concerts. I will sit down in front of my mac and stare at the camera. I will play songs for you on my guitar. And I have the potential to perform my songs for people all over the world thanks to the world wide web. I am calling this concert

Dipping Toes in Water 2 and here is the link to find out everything you need to know!
http://www.stageit.com/lisa_richards/dipping_toes_2/6531

So meet me there on Saturday @ 5.00 pm central standard time in the USA for a short journey into uncharted territory….

Kimba the white lion

My cat is dying. He has cancer and it has taken over his whole leg so that he barely moves around. It grew so fast. It’s been only a month or so since it was a small lump. Every day it takes more and more space on his body. I tend to him and watch him, making sure he drinks water and eats a little. Dying of dehydration would be just another level of cruelty. I take the food and water to him. We have to decide when to put him down. The vet said when he no longer enjoys 2 of 3 things that he usually enjoys, it’s time. I think it’s time now. He is not enjoying himself. Why should I wait until he no longer wants to eat treats or can no longer use the litter box? He lies in one spot without moving.

He is a big handsome cat named after a cartoon I grew up with. Kimba the white lion, (no not Simba, although Disney did face a lawsuit for stealing every detail of this cartoon and turning it into The Lion King http://www.kimbawlion.com/) Kimba is the first cat I have ever known. I grew up in a family that despised cats. I had no love for cats, no interest in petting a cat or owning a cat. Dogs were good, cats were feral vermin… When my husband and I bought our house he said “we should get a cat”. He came home one day and said “I’ve found him, he reached out through the bars to me”. Kimba came from the Town Lake animal shelter burdened with the unfortunate name of ‘Snowball’ . I fell in love immediately. Small and furry. I would let him attack my hands and legs, I thought it was cute. When an experienced cat person told me “the hand is not a toy” I didn’t understand the relevance. When he turned into a big 20lb adult…I had a different understanding.

All his annoying habits are now gone. His relentless pacing and meowing…. He wants out of the house, or wants us out of bed seemingly for the express reason of watching him eat. The way he would hurl himself, all fur, teeth and claws, at large dogs that walked past our house. His constant rolling in the dirt and bringing it all into the house. His hatred of being brushed. Standing in the tub waiting for us to turn the water on so he could drink running water….Quite frankly, a high maintenance and ornery creature who thought nothing of sinking his teeth and nails into friends and foes alike. Many bare the scars….. But…..he has been a familiar ornery critter, he has been family, a unique and strange being who has taught me many lessons. It will be hard to say goodbye.

LisaRichardsMusic

The world is changing..

Kimba the white lion

And Another thing….

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