'The font' has spent the early part of the morning on the phone to the pool man. After yesterdays altercation with the saintly Madame Bay he is still far from happy but has agreed to come back to clean the pool , remove the frogs and return the pool cover. 10/10 for Swedish diplomatic skills.On Radio nostalgie this morning 'the font' caught snippets of a Jimmy Dean obituary. From somewhere deep, deep in the psyche came the memory of a song I must last have heard when I was five or six - Bid Bad John or was it Big Bad Tom ? Some saccharine ballad about a coalminer holding up the collapsing roof of a mine to let his colleagues escape. Over the breakfast croissant 'the font' looked bemused as I attempted to sing it. Does anyone else remember the song ? The final tear jerking basso profundo line went something along the lines of 'at the bottom of the mine lies a big man - Big Bad John / Tom'.
It's 'the fonts' birthday so we're off into the mountains for a celebratory dinner.I'm told the place has a wonderful wine list. Tomorrows post may therefore be a little later than usual. The chef will be preparing chicken and rice for Wilf.
don't remember the song...but many others are popping into my brain....
ReplyDeletehappy birthday to the "font"...have a wonderful time in the mountains and drink plenty of wine!
hugs to handsome Wilf.
xoxo
It was "Big Bad John" I remember the song well--My Dad was a huge country and western music fan so the song is etched in my memory and I have to admit that I can recite the entire song~~Jimmy Dean also was also known for his breakfast sausage too.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that a truce of sorts has been found with the pool man--Maybe a box of Jaffa Cakes as a "thank-you" when he brings back your pool cover! ;-)
From Virginia we send our wishes for an enjoyable birthday celebration!! I'll look forward to reading about it!!
Yes, feel embarrassed to remember 'Big Bad John'. I even think I thought it was terrific at one stage in my life....don't remember the words, just that Bass singing Big Bad John.
ReplyDeleteHave an enjoyable celebratory dinner. Glad Wilf is also invited.
XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella
May the pool be clean and frogs removed and peach reigning when you return.
Blog Mom is old enough to remember when Jimmy Dean had a weekly TV show and says the song was Big Bad John.
ReplyDeleteWe know what you mean about the flavors. Some of those were on sale in our supermarket (turns out they are the same thing) a week or so ago. Blog Mom bought some (thinking of Wilf the whole time, of course) and what she assumed was orange turned out to be apricot inside. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't orange either.
Please wish the font a most Happy Birthday from us.
wags, Lola
Wilf: Can you teach poppa to use Google ??? I typed in Big Bad John and lots and lots of results. Yes, it was Big Bad John, sung by Jimmy Dean...many moons ago.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy dinner and birthday and a clean pool???
Zach
Big Bad John - growing up in a part of the US where many men made their living in the coalmines, it is part of my heritage.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to "the font". My son's birthday was yesterday.
Happy Birthday to The Font!! And to hopefully answer your inquiry over at my blog, I have copied my comment from there and post it here for you... PS that candy is DIVINE, I agree:
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it was in Seward, Alaska, a place frequented by big cruise ships. There is a museum in Seward too called the Resurrection Bay Historical Society/Seward Museum on 3rd Ave?
There is also a home made candy maker in Seward called Sweet Darlings - here is their info
http://www.sweetdarlings.com/
The grandmother of the owner of Sweet Darlings had owned and operated the first candy store in Seward in 1907. Her candy recipes are being used today. The store also sells homemade gelato. It is a fun place to visit and everything is delicious..., its in Seward in the Brown & Hawkins building which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Lots of historical photos on display in the store.
Angus if this is not the right place please let me know, I will find it for you!
My mom remembers the song, and she says the title was Big Bad John. Nice pictures of Wilf today.
ReplyDeleteWoofs and Licks,
Maggie Mae
Happy Birthday to "the font"! I hope you have a lovely dinner together!
ReplyDeleteI remember the song very clearly. I was sad to hear of Jimmy Dean's passing. If you copy and paste this link, it will take you to a the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS3ErDN50Qk
I think Wilf eats much better than I do! *sigh*
Happy Birthday to the font! Everyone here remembers the song too.
ReplyDeleteKisses,
Emma Rose
All this time, I thought that "Jaffa Cakes" were some kind of dog treat because you only make reference to the boyz eating them. Now I know the truth (and I don't think that we have them in the US). The decadence sounds good to me!
ReplyDeleteDid you call ahead to order Wilf's meal? I think that I need to move to a land where the restaurant chef makes my dogs' meals to order! You may be seeing me in France soon!
Happy Birthday to the Font!
Like so many others of your fans, I too remember the song! And the sausage advertisements as well.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to the font! What a great place that would serve Wilf his own celebratory dinner while you toast in fine wine!
xx Joan
Oh yes, Big Bad John. Jimmie Dean was better known for his sausages these days, which made for some quite interesting obituary headlines, I can tell you.
ReplyDeleteI suppose Gibbon would have viewed the new variety of Jaffa Cakes in the same way that I look upon Double-Stuffed Oreos. I mean, why?
Edward and I wish The Font a gloriously Happy Birthday!!
Only in France would you be able to go to dinner and have the chef fix a special meal for your puppy! :)
ReplyDeletehappy birthday to the font!! i'm glad wilf gets to join in the celebration, with his own chef prepared meal, no less! :)
ReplyDeletethe booker man and asa's mama