Just plugging along

Sure was cold this morning but the sun is shining now so I'm okay with that.  Yesterday I  couldn't seem to warm up. I have this recliner that I bought at Costco and it has a switch to raise the foot rest up and down. It also vibrates although I seldom use it as I think it's annoying.  I did notice yesterday that it radiates heat too so I thought I'd give that a try.  Sometimes when I nap, my circulation must slow down to a crawl as I wake up very cold.  I've taken to using an electric blanket now. One of the best buys I ever made. It's not for sleeping at night; smaller size for naps and it's delightful. Turns itself off in three hours and I like that added safety precaution.

Ran to the library at 10 as a book was in I requested. Decided to pick up another Lisa Gardner novel while I was there too.  Libraries sure have changed since I was a kid.  Both the Sequim and the P.A. libraries are always busy with people looking for books or movies or working on computers.  The P.A. library has a real good gift shop too where they sell books and movies and puzzles cheap.

One thing I've noticed about my lifestyle now is that I can devote my hours to pretty much whatever I'm in the mood for.  Housework doesn't amount to much when you live alone, errands are usually just to doctor appts, the library, the grocery store or Walmart.  Yard chores went by the wayside a few years ago, and since I don't belong to any organizations, my volunteering is non existent.  The only place I travel is to Sequim or Port Townsend and those trips are weeks apart most times. That leaves me with hobbies to play around with.  Sewing, painting rocks, crafts, reading, genealogy, computer games, blogging, and jigsaw puzzles.  It's a hard life sometimes.  I guess the hardest obstacles are trying not to worry about my health. I feel like hell most of the time. ha ha

But I won't take you down that road today. I'm sure you've got your own body aches and pains to deal with yourself.  My next story from my old Billboard Book is about Colonel Parker, Elvis' agent, and Danny and the Juniors of "At the Hop" fame.

Elvis never toured outside the U.S.  The reason being was Col Parker. His real name was Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk and he was born in Holland in 1909. At 18, he came to America, lived with a Dutch family, then rode freight trains all over the country. After one year, he returned to Holland with gifts for his family but he wanted to go back to the US and returned in 1929, entering the army a year later. By January of 1932, his family had stopped hearing from him. He had been sending money and signing his letters as Tom Parker.  In 1961, his family recognized him in a magazine story about Elvis. Col Parker couldn't obtain a passport because he wasn't a US citizen and there was no assurance he would be allowed back in so he made certain he kept Elvis on the American continent. There is much more to the story of Col Parker, though, so I suggest you google him. It's interesting.

Danny & the Juniors' big hit was "At the Hop" which Dick Clark featured on American Bandstand.
They were four boys from Philadelphia who  performed at high school dances, private parties, and local clubs.  The group eventually split up into two groups in 1978 and both performed under the name Danny & the Juniors. 

Danny Rapp's last performance was at the Silver Lining Lounge of The Different Point Restaurant in Phoenix in 1983.  He eventually committed suicide by shooting himself in Quartzside, AZ a month short of his 42nd birthday.