SHOULD I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?

When I fell madly in love with Cliff, he was approaching his seventieth birthday. I had been enchanted with him since I was eleven, but it took decades for this miracle to fall into place.

I was afraid. I begged God to give him to me for five years.

We had precious twenty years together.

Should I believe in miracles?

I miss him all the time.

THE MAGIC OF TWO - TWO MINUS ONE ALWAYS FEELS WRONG

MR. NOSTALGIA & THE SHEBA

ANNIVERSARY BLUE 

Can you say, "Happy Anniversary !"
When your sweetheart is gone ?

Cliff and I were married on

January 22, 1983

At 2:00 P.M.

In Room 222

At The Montreal Court House

We were together for almost 20 years.

Cliff died on March, 25, 1992,

Just a few days short of his 90th Birthday.

Two are The Song,

Two minus One always feels wrong.

CLIFF - YOUR SWEET LOVE ALWAYS REMEMBERED

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like her, like her with friends possessed,

Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

William Shakespeare - Sonnet 29

THY SWEET LOVE REMEMBERED

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like her, like her with friends possessed,

Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

(Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

William Shakespeare - Sonnet 29

EVEN WITHOUT YOU, MY ARMS FOLD ABOUT YOU

Strange dear, but true dear,

When I'm close to you, dear,
The stars fill the sky,
So in love with you am I.

Even without you,
My arms fold about you,
You know darling why,
So in love with you am I.

In love with the night mysterious,
The night when you first were there,
In love with my joy delirious,
When I knew that you could care,

So taunt me, and hurt me,
Deceive me, desert me,
I'm yours, till I die,
So in love .... So in love....
So in love with you, my love ... am I.

Cole Porter

Cliff never hurt me. Only his absence hurts.  All the love songs were written for us.

I am the words,

You are the music,

We are The Song.

The Sheba

CLIFF CARTER'S STAR AT THE CASABLANCA

WHEN CLIFF WAS THE RESIDENT PIANIST AT THE CASABLANCA ON ST. DENIS IN MONTREAL IN THE 1980's, THE OWNERS HAD A BRASS STAR ENGRAVED WITH HIS NAME IMPLANTED IN THE WALKWAY IN FRONT OF THE DOOR OF THE CLUB. I WISH I KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT.

THE FIFTH INK SPOT

Bill Kenny called Cliff, "The Fifth Ink Spot". 

Luckey Roberts was Cliff's Godfather.

Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Cozy Cole, The Mills Brothers, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Harry James and Betty Grable. Fats Waller, Eubie Blake, Lena Horne - They were a part of Cliff's world before I met him in 1947.

I was fortunate - blessed - to share Cliff's world for decades.

I miss him every day.

http://cliffcarter.mrnostalgia.blogspot.com