Bill Cosby was as likable as ever with his folksy talkative style. The sparse stage was set up with a metal folding chair --- I would of expected some kind of over-stuffed lounger --- a table with a bottle of water and a hot drink, and an oriental rug, completed the decor. But 68 year old Bill resorted to sitting on the edge of the stage and crawling around on the stage at various points. With less trouble than I would have had, he was able to get up and down on his own. Or without passing gas, as he proudly told us.

As with most comedy shows, this one reaffirmed why I will never sit on the first few rows! Many of the people sitting close up were pulled into the show --- I laughed out of relief that it wasn't me up their confessing things about my marriage and family life to a theater full of strangers. (Sometimes I never know what will come out of my mouth!) "Using" the humorous info from these individuals, Bill worked ad-libs and some of his more familiar routines into the two hour show.

It was funny and we all clapped and roared with laughter at the right times.

1. I didn't take my clubs to the golf course , but took my camera instead. The day was lovely for capturing the late day shadows and colors. Something simple can be the most enjoyable. Tomorrow I'll post some photographs from that adventure.

2. I attended a meeting to plan a banquet honoring volunteers for our county's Habitat for Humanity. If you volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, please give yourself a pat on the back from me! Thanks for helping people in your area get a new home.

3. I worked on Chrismons for our church. Chrismons are Christmas tree decorations that have deep meaning in the symbols and shapes. Right now our class is repairing and fixing up some of the older ones, many made by ladies who are no longer with us. These religious ornaments are very ornate in colors of white, gold, silver, pearl, and in many different materials. Some can become quite heavy and all are beautiful. This week I'm working on an anchor! Fishers of men?

4. I went to an art opening at the local college. It is a fantastic exhibit of Scrimshaw, the ancient American sailors' and whalers' art of engraving on bone or ivory. Peter Discoll is very talented in this art unique form, carving on antique piano keys, pre-ban elephant ivory, and fossilized mastodon bone. It was neat to see and have a chance to talk to the artist.

5. I listened to The Wood's Tea Company in concert last night. It was such a lively concert of folk music, dry Vermont humor, and fiery Celtic instruments. Some of the instruments I didn't recognize, but they sure knew how to play them. They had us singing and clapping along. My favorite instrument was the bodhran --- an ancient Celtic drum --- I fell in love with its sound during the movie Rob Roy, with Liam Neeson........... mmmmmmmmm .......and look at the size of that sword, lassies!!!

Picture this, Streamers: Two high school girls --- one pretty and into everything and the other an average girl in the band. The pretty girl steals away the average girl's boyfriend. Reminds you of Pink's song "Girl Next Door"??? It sure does me. Remember, I did a story on Needs More Cowbell about that song!

Fast forward 30 years and the average girl is a nurse working for a cosmetic and plastic surgery center. Guess who comes in for a facelift? Right, the pretty high school classmate who stole the nurse's boyfriend, oh, so many years ago. Pretty girl doesn't recognize her old average classmate from high school at first.

Now guess who dies after surgery and which nurse is suspected of murder? The nurse gave her old classmate too much of a very potent painkiller, didn't log it in, altered the log, and disabled the breathing alarm. The other nurses that day were told that the patient was alright, while the old classmate average nurse sat on her butt and ate a breakfast biscuit. Some still think she's innocent, but it sure appears that revenge was alive and well in the recovery room that day. She has been formally charged with first-degree murder.

This part gets more personal because I have a dear friend --- we started elementary school together --- and she is a nurse for a cosmetic surgery center! We have talked about me getting some eye work done, but I keep chickening out. Now, I'm starting to remember back in the fifth grade when I had a crush on her then "boyfriend" of the moment, John. Surely, my oldest and dearest friend doesn't hold that little incident from our past against me? Does she??? Lordy, I hope not.

Before she died at age 93 in September, Baker had received the Folk Heritage Award from the North Carolina Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship, and the North Carolina Award. She and her sister, Cora Phillips, received the North Carolina Folklore Society's Brown-Hudson Folklore Award.

Etta was proudly African American, Native American and European American heritage and it showed in her music. Her "happy blues" music legacy will live on and so will her inspiration to other musicians and to her family of nine children and their children. In her later years she loved playing the blues, gardening, and cooking. One daughter said "You have to walk through the flowers to get to her door!"

Thanks for the music and for making the world a better place. Play on, Etta!