It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns

How's it going my gumdrops? This has surely been a very unusual fall, especially this November. Because the weather has been so warm, it doesn't feel like it's fall. Then again, our temperatures took a massive nose dive within the last day.

On Thursday and during most of Friday, the weather was gorgeous. 65-72 degrees is abnormally warm for November in WI. Last night, our temperatures took a nose dive with high, gusty winds. Even though the last 2 weeks have been windy, it has been abnormally warm for both October and November.

The temperatures suddenly fell, during the late afternoon to early evening yesterday due to a cold front. A local meteorologist advised us NOT to bother raking any leaves over this weekend. The winds are too high and we would have to double our work by re-raking the same leaves.

Regardless, the weather is now starting to feel more like the autumn as opposed to the early spring and summer. We have been utilizing the warm weather as much as possible, this month.

In fact, I got a smidge of Christmas Shopping done on Thursday. There are still more family members to shop for. However, I refuse to shop on Black Friday. There are at least several holidays, that come before Christmas and Thanksgiving Day.

People need to spend more time enjoying Thanksgiving with their families and friends than rushing to the stores, chasing down the latest sale.

As much as I LOVE getting birthday and Christmas presents, there is more to life than frivolousness and being materialistic.

About 2 weeks ago, I thought about the fact that there are a lot of Christmas songs and covers of Christmas songs yet very little for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving always gets the shaft. Since the holiday is about being thankful, you would at least expect there to be more songs about giving thanks and being thankful for what we have.

Yes, I am a complainer. At the same time, I AM thankful for some things in my life. I am thankful for the fact, that I am STILL alive 10 years later. My family and closest friends have witnessed the health scares I endured, throughout this decade.

Having to spend most of my 20's battling a severe bleeding disorder and never getting an official diagnosis from any of my doctors was HELL.

These last 6 years, I have been cured of my bleeding disorder and have spent these last 3-6 years trying to rebuild my life. When you have severe health problems and have to also worry about family members with THEIR health issues constantly, it really takes a toll on you physically, financially, and emotionally.

As I was previously saying, I realized there are very few songs for Thanksgiving Day. Earlier this week, some of the news reporters on my local Fox network also brought this up in a discussion.

How many of you have ever noticed, that finding songs specifically about Thanksgiving is really hard to come by?

The Kinks' Ray Davies and SNL's Adam Sandler are the only 2 entertainers, that I can actually think of with songs about Thanksgiving Day. Otherwise, we have to "wing it."

While hunting for Thanksgiving songs online 2 weeks ago, I discovered a few retro R&B and Jazz songs. Most of them are from the 1960's. Out of all 5 songs I have selected to share for today are songs named after side dishes. The first 2 songs by Dee Dee Sharp and James Brown are about the Mashed Potato Dance craze from the 1960's.

4 out of 5 of these Jazz and R&B songs have NOTHING to do with Thanksgiving Day. Although, their song titles could pass as Thanksgiving songs, since they mention mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, apples, peaches, and Pumpkin Pie.

"Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" by Jay & The Techniques has been stuck in my head all throughout this entire week. The song is so catchy, that it has me humming the tune, which should say something.

If you would like to create your own music playlist for Thanksgiving Day, I say go for it! Turn off the Christmas Music and try something a little different for Thanksgiving Day. Anyway, here is my very own Thanksgiving Day Music Playlist for Song Saturday.

1) Dee Dee Sharp "Mashed Potato Time" It's Mashed Potato Time (1962)

2) James Brown & The Famous Flames "Mashes Potatoes U.S.A." Tour The U.S.A. (1962)

3) Booker T & The MG's "My Sweet Potato" And Now (1966)

4) Jay & The Techniques "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie (1967)

5) Adam Sandler "The Thanksgiving Song" They're All Gonna Laugh At You! (1993)

What are YOU thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Thank you my gumdrops! Don't forget to like, subscribe, share, +1 on Google Plus, and leave your feedback in the comments section below!