Lesson 494: Backstories

Happy birthday, Lessons From the Lamp Post!

We celebrated our seventh birthday this week.

7 years,

494 posts,

and

290,170 reads later,

we meet again tonight.

This blog has boomed in recent years.

I average more than 3,000 regular readers each month.

For the newer readers,

you may not have the backstory on some of my material,

so this post will fill in a few pieces of the puzzle.

To read Lesson 1 

of my ad free,

sponsor free,

and editor free weekly workspace

(sorry for the typos, I work late night and self-publish)--

CLICK HERE for my first post.

I sure am proud to be part of this guy's backstory!

Readers,

remember the name Ray Galeza.

My former student is going big places,

most likely in a self-driving car.

He stopped for a visit after he completed a summer internship for Uber.

Sam threw his last pitch of the season last weekend,

(and I do believe he hit a kid....)

ending a very successful few months on the ball diamond.

I didn't get too many photos of the games,

because the Cochranton fair was nearby.

Backstory:

Eloise gets distracted by farm animals!

Especially donkeys!

Eloise loves donkeys!

Backstory:

I loved the animated Christmas special

Nestor the Long Eared Donkey

when I was a kid in the 1970's,

Nestor's mother freezing to death has scarred me for life.

I can't stand it when I think someone is cold.

I like to bundle people up all tight and snug,

so they don't freeze to death like Nestor's mother.

Donkeys also have a cross on their backs

because a donkey carried Mary into Bethlehem to give birth to baby Jesus.

A donkey was also responsible for carrying Jesus on Palm Sunday.

I'd like to build a new barn with a donkey stable,

but my idea keeps getting shot down.

Backstory:  Eloise's barn burned up recently

Kindness and well wishes came from many people

over the loss of my parents' pole barn.

My favorite of all was this handmade card

from two of my students.

I hunted for the Beast on the Bay

but didn't spot him last week!

Backstory:
Eloise participates in the Barber National Institute's 

Beast on the Bay every year.

Training sessions for the September 9th event are held on Saturday mornings
at 7:30 am 

on or near the peninsula,

for a $5 donation to the Barber National Institute.

Nephew Jack left for college on Saturday.

Sam will miss Jack but not the wet willies.

Eloise got to see her favorite singer in Cleveland!

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill put on a fantastic show!

When did I fall in love with Tim McGraw?

Here's the backstory:

I was new to country music in 2010.

My sister made me go to a concert in Darien Lake

 to see Tim McGraw perform,

insisting that I would like him.

I listened to Tim McGraw for the first time 

on the two hour trip to the concert.

At the concert I discovered they had giant cans of Rolling Rock,

my favorite beer.

I think the combo of the music,

the great big beers,

and seeing Tim for the first time 

was the planetary alignment that opened up the cosmos for me.

Instant love affair.

Tim has transformed in the seven years I've been his #1 fan.

Tim turned 50 on May 1st of this year

and looks better than he ever did.

That is my plan, too!

As much as I jab at Faith

in her mom jeans--

I am really rooting for Country Music's #1 couple.

She is very talented 

and very, very beautiful.

Tim McGraw concerts make me very happy!

I've seen him in the south,

the north,

in big stadiums,

and my personal favorite--

outdoor concert venues in the lawn seats.

I can take my camera in those places

and get great snapshots like these!

And no matter in what venue he sings to me,

the trip is ALWAYS an event.

My husband,

well,

he's been a pretty good sport.

He doesn't give much mind to my fandom.

Well, 

maybe a wee bit.

Louie knows he's the real Handsome,

and love never gets any better than the real thing.

My favorite Tim McGraw song is this one:

A very, very close second is this one:

check out Humble and Kind below.

I love the video as much as the song.

Always stay humble and kind, Readers.

ELOISE