Kenny Rogers Singalong: “This Time We’re Eating Oatmeal”

Waking up to the news this morning that Kenny Rogers has passed away was a kick in the gut. If it wasn’t the Everly Brothers, Elvis or Seger playing when I was a kid, my mother had Kenny Rogers playing as she did her housework. Lately we’re used to waking up to bad news with the virus. But this one I didn’t see coming.

As soon as I heard the news and shared my memories of Kenny on the Q105 Facebook page, I was off to YouTube to start an all-day Kenny Rogers concert at my place. This was the first search results on YouTube that caught my eye – a HBO special from the early ’80s. As I got sad hearing his incredible ballads, Kenny decided to cheer us up with a laugh instead. When he got to “Lucille,” he decided to have some fun with the lyrics during an audience singalong. Instead of having the audience sing “You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille,” he led them to sing the lyrics “This Time We’re Eating Oatmeal.”

Jump ahead to 48 minutes, 30 seconds for the awesome moment! Thank you for the music Kenny through the years. And thank you this morning for this laugh.

In another performance of “Lucille,” he instead started to sing “On Top Of Old Smoky.”

And the back and forth with Kenny and Dolly at the end of this performance made me smile even more.

Things you CAN do in Tampa Bay this weekend!

• Go to the drive-in!

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  Funlan Swap Shop & Drive In in Tampa this weekend is playing Shrek at 8, Shaun of the Dead at 9:50!

• Go to a beach you’ve never been to.

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  This one seems to be the no-brainer to me. Grab a cooler, towel, beach chair, sunblock and a radio (I even know a good station to listen to). Head to a beach you've always meant to check out but have never gotten around to visiting. We always tend to go to one that's nearby. Pick a new one. Listen to the waves hit the beach and just relax. We've had a stressful week. I can't think of a better way to spend this weekend given that the weather will be warm but not too hot and muggy.

• Get the bike out and hit the Pinellas Trail.

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  We're so lucky to live near the Pinellas Trail. If you've never used it, get the bike out this weekend. Fill up the tires. Or if your bike is too out of shape, rent one. My favorite part of the trail to ride is from Clearwater to Tarpon Springs. When you reach the Sponge Docks, take a walk around and smell the smells. It's the safest way to bike around here. You will cross a few streets along the route, but it's better than biking in the roadways of Tampa Bay. Plus doctors are saying sleep and exercise is a good way to keep your immune system strong.
• Go back in time and buy a record.

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  Want to escape the stress of 2020? Go back to the vinyl years. Even if you don't have a turntable there are lots of cool record shops around here. I love Banana Records in St. Pete. Plus right next door is Mazzaro's. Go buy a CD and cannoli and your mood will be lifted guaranteed.

• Foster a homeless dog for a couple nights.

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  I love this idea. You sign up to have a two night “pawjama party” with a dog from Friends of Strays Animal Shelter in St. Pete. No commitment beyond those two nights. Just give a homeless pup a loving home, food and water for 2 nights. You’ll actually be part of a study… they’ll ask you how it went, how the dog behaved, etc. Their research tells them that even just a couple nights away from the shelter helps not only the dog, but shelter staff and volunteers. For a homeless dog, they get some love, peace and quiet. They found that fostered dogs become less likely to be returned once adopted. You pick a date and time that works for you to host a homeless dog for a two nights.

• Eat.

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  The cancellation of all these events is going to hit businesses hard, especially those small family-owned restaurants. Visit Yelp and pick a less-crowded part of town you don't visit often and try a new Cuban. Or have you ever had the BLT at Wright's Gourmet in Tampa? Or how about the pizza at Cristino's in Clearwater? You'll have to do take-out, but do it!
• Bowl!

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  When's the last time you put on a pair of ugly bowling shoes? Wash your hands often or bring some hand sanitizer and go throw some gutter balls at Pin Chasers or some other local alley.

• Go fishing.

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  Unfortunately you can't go fishing on the Skyway, but there are plenty of other spots to fish. Skyway may not be the best fishing anyway. As you see in this pic, you never know what you'll catch... maybe even another fish lure like I did.

• Do some grocery shopping for a senior.

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  While this is scary for us, for seniors, the virus is even more frightening. They're far more at risk of complications. Pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables at Publix for them.
• Walk the River Walk.

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  Not a bicylist? Just put some sneakers on and head to Bayshore and stroll around the city. The weather this weekend will be warm, but it isn't brutally hot and muggy... yet. Take advantage! Both the River Walk and Bayshore are open this weekend for some exercise.

• Reconnect.

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  We've become so "connected" via social media that we've disconnected from people in our real lives. Call a friend you've lost touch with. FaceTime with a high school classmate who lives thousands of miles away.

• Play a round of golf.

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  People fly from all over the world this time of year to visit our golf courses. There will probably be plenty of availability now since folks aren't traveling. Or if you're not a golfer, look for a mini-golf spot and hit the ball through the clown's mouth!
• Volunteer.

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  We tend to think of volunteering during the holidays. Look up a food bank near you and see if there's something you can do to help.

• Watch a Florida sunset.

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  Watch a Florida sunset! They don't get any better than where we are on Florida's west coast.