Sh-Boom!

I've been waiting to announce my new job title for a couple weeks, but the time has come. Hot Toddy is now officially a Cruise Ship Singer!!

Starting this week, I'll be performing classic songs of the 50's and 60's on steamboat cruises touring the Columbia River.

I went to check out the venue on Friday night with the other Sh-Boomers, and I was very impressed with the beautiful boat. I'll be singing bass in a quartet, so I've been practicing along with a video tape of the show. The Handsome Prince performs with the group, and he recommended me to them as a part-time replacement. For the next couple months, I'll be quite busy as there are several performances requiring my services. The money is quite good, and the group is a lot of fun.

Last night I was doing laundry at Auburn Pisces' house, and I was practicing one of my solos from the show. Little Auburn Aries came to chat with me and walked in as I was singing, "Now I don't have plans and schemes, and I don't have hopes and dreams, I don't have anything, since I don't have you..."

Thinking I was singing about Thor, which I guess I sort of was, Auburn Aries said cheerfully, "You have ME, Toddy..."

"Oh, I know sweetie," I said, giving her a little hug, "I was just practicing a song. But I guess it does sort of fit my life right now!"

She giggled and said, "I can still feel Thor's spirit here, can't you?"

My eyes welled with tears. I told her that I could, indeed, feel him as if he were standing right there with us. When she saw tears in my eyes, she asked me how old I was.'

"Thirty-nine," I said hesitantly, thinking she was going to tell me I was too old to cry.

"Tell me thirty-nine memories of Thor," she said.

I was speechless. This girl is smart and quick and very compassionate.

We spent the next several minutes telling each other our happy memories of a man we both love so much.

Remember when he took us for ice cream? Remember the water fight we had in the front yard? Remember how he would laugh in that silly way? Remember how we all went on a date to the restaurant?

When Auburn Pisces walked into the room, her daughter prodded her to participate in our game. "Mom, we're listing 39 things we remember about Thor. You think of one."

"I remember how he used to leave dirty dishes in the sink," she said laughing.

"No! Good ones! We're listing good memories," she chided.

We continued talking about Thor, and I glanced over at our picture on the fridge. He's got his arms around me, and we're wearing our cowboy hats. One of the happiest moments of my life is captured forever in that picture and is stuck to AP's fridge as a reminder of how good love feels.

Some of the memories we shared made my heart ache, but I've got to hand it to that kid, she knows how to be a great friend. She gets it from her mother.