Funny how certain songs stick in your mind, when things are topsy-turvy.

 

By Holly Kennedy

 

Funny how certain songs stick in your mind, when things are topsy-turvy.

 

Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young have been keeping me company (“Our house is a very, very, very fine house”) as I make the rounds with the City Council, FEMA, the neighbors, and my contractor. I keep thinking, the song lyrics go “with two cats in the yard,” but we have four. And it’s hard to put flowers in the vase that one of us bought today. Yes, home should mean cats and flowers. Turns out that my husband and I have been quietly and separately returning to our empty home where our four cats are fending for themselves. They are in need of hugs, just like us. Today, a friend stopped by and we deadheaded my geraniums. When all else is kaflooey, hugging cats and pruning flowers fits the bill.

 

When it rains, and Rye gets worried, I think about what song keeps me afloat. Today, I decided to research songs about rain. The first one I thought of was “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.

 

I only wish Irene had been a dream. I could then say, good night Irene.

 

There has been some boating however, when the nice firemen brought me to my doorstop so I could retrieve my eyeglasses. That was a nice outing.

 

There have been reports of other boaters … two neighbors have apparently taken up kayaking.

 

So herewith, as the attorneys are wont to say, are the lyrics we all know, and can sing aloud as the raindrops fall on the community we call home.

 

•“The itsy bitsy spider goes up the waterspout”;
•“It’s raining, it’s pouring; the old man is snoring”;
•“Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day”;
•“The rain, in Spain, stays mainly in the plain”.

 

And then I turn to the sunshine songs, because honestly, I can’t spend every minute in the doldrums, and the songs are so uplifting, especially the Jerome Kern tune sung by Judy Garland:

 

“Look for the silver lining
When ere a cloud appears in the blue.
Remember somewhere, the sun is shining
And so the right thing to do is make it
shine for you.”

 

I leave you with two perennial goodwill tunes, which you should download immediately to your cell phone. Because if it isn’t one thing, it’s another, and we might as well all sing along…. In fact, maybe we should start a twitter ‘happening’ and create a YouTube moment. Someone could organize a sing-along in front of the firehouse or library or YMCA.

 

“Tomorrow”, as in “The sun’ll come out, tomorrow” is one. For those over 50, the Jimmy Cliff tune, “I can see clearly now the rain is gone”, is another.

 

As frustrated as we all are, we have to see the good. We are all trying our best, in difficult circumstances, and we have to prevail. I look forward to more bright sun-shiny days, with cats in the yard.

 

Thank you to everyone in this wonderful community, including our incredibly hard-working City staff and Council members, and all those who have stopped by to say hello, and show they care. I wish everyone many bright, sun-shiny days.