My recovery remains slow. I’ve had my ups and downs this week. The good news is that I’ve had some nearly normal days during which I’m active in the mornings, crash in the afternoon, and feel decent at night. That may not sound normal to you, but I’ll take it.

The best sign of a looming recovery is that I’ve been writing more this week including two major posts: Dictator Love and Lowbrow Humor, Wicked Satire. The first one I wrote in one sitting, the second was more of a struggle, but I kept at it out of fear of the ghost of Moe Howard. I’m not up to being eye poked right now…

One thing that has improved dramatically is my walking. I was so weak when I returned home that I shuffled my feet and grabbed ahold of every surface to ensure I wouldn’t do an unfunny pratfall. That’s over.

I’ve started hall pacing as a form of exercise. Adrastos World HQ is a converted shotgun double with a hallway that runs the length of the house. A round trip from front door to back door is 80 steps. It has the added benefit of confusing Kitty Perry Mason. He’s not sure what to make of it but he usually follows me in case I decide to feed him. The boy is a stomach with legs.

I did some of my regular chores this week. It felt like a major accomplishment to change the cat box and take the trash out. Claire and Perry certainly approved. They keep a clean box and I’m expected to do my bit.

I’m skipping the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day parade. I don’t like the parade, but I’ll miss the annual party at my friend Greg’s house. I’m still not up to venturing out for hours. Besides, the riders throw veggies. I don’t wanna get bopped in the head by a flying cabbage.

The slowness of my recovery is frustrating, but all is fairly well. Dr. A no longer worries about leaving me home alone. The worst thing that’s likely to happen in her absence is consumption of lowbrow humor. In addition to researching the Stooges piece, I’ve been watching a lot of Abbott and Costello as if I were a ten-year-old glued to the tube at my parents’ house. Lowbrow humor is the best medicine? Who knew?

The source of my internal bleeding remains unknown. That’s not unusual. What matters is that it’s stopped. The bleeding was probably caused by overusing Ibuprofen and/or Aspirin. They’re excellent over the counter painkillers but they should be used in moderation. I don’t want anyone reading this to go through what I have.

This week’s theme song was written by Johnny Cash in 1970. It was featured in the Gregory Peck movie I Walk The Line. I wonder if Peck and Cash had a competition to see who had the deeper voice. Feels like a toss up to me.

We have two versions of Flesh and Blood for your listening pleasure: the Cash original, and a swell cover by Mary-Chapin Carpenter with Emmylou Harris, and Sheryl Crow. Those three can serenade me whenever they want to.

We begin our second act by skipping it altogether, but the last word goes to The Rolling Stones with a song I dare not use as a post title. Folks would read too much into it.

We begin our third act with our favorite stolen feature.

Separated At Birth Casting Edition: Presumably, everyone knows what The Three Stooges look like. Here are Michael Chiklis, Paul Ben-Victor, and Evan Handler as Curly, Moe, and Larry from the 2000 teevee biopic, The Three Stooges.

The costumes should look familiar as they’re what the boys wore in their anti-Nazi shorts.

Your Weekly Oscar: Ella Fitzgerald gets first billing in this collaboration with OP on a Lane-Loesser classic.

Have I told you lately how much I love Oscar Peterson? That goes for Ella Fitzgerald and Nelson Riddle too, so I might as well post their version of I Hear Music:

Saturday GIF Horse: I mentioned the OG Jersey Boys earlier. It’s time for some lowbrow humor, Abbott and Costello style.

Let’s shut down this virtual honky tonk with some more music.

Saturday Closer: The great Quincy Jones turned 91 this week. Here’s one of his most popular recordings:

What’s not to love about a song that makes one think of Redd Foxx?

That’s all for this week. The last word goes to Shemp Howard, Bud Abbott, and Lou Costello in a KP scene from Buck Privates. I had to sneak Shemp in there somewhere. Plus, spuds and St. Paddy’s day go together like Abbott and Costello.