Weekend with my two grandsons. Since I missed Christmas (couldn't get there because of snow), I gave them a tube of prehistoric sharks and another, larger shark. This kept them occupied for the entire visit. They have great imaginations and make up whole worlds.
Friday night we drew Thank You cards to people who sent them Christmas presents.
Saturday morning, we had French toast, went over to the local ceramic studio, where I'm a member, and played with clay for a couple of hours. A made a battleship group and a 7 finned shark... N made a figure ( an Inquisitor) and a hose sprayer.
Home for lunch, then we had to decide what to do in the afternoon. A wanted to go to the local art museum, where Family Arts Day included creating abstract art. But N wanted to go next door to see a movie, The Iron Giant. We actually managed to do both.
A really nice weekend. Mom just came, with the new baby, T, who's 5 months old. She left me with her laundry (her washer died), and off they went.
I have to go to the ceramics studio tomorrow morning. I have 6 mugs that need handles and carving, 7 mugs, two goblet tops and two bowls to glaze.
I'm determined to up my production this year, create more detailed work and sell a lot more work. I am also going to investigate galleries out of the area, where I expect I could charge quite a bit more than I get here.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
New Year, New Work
It seems that I try to evolve my work every year. I'm planning to put more color into my pieces and to do more detailed, interesting carvings.
I have also been collaborating with a local woodworker to make porcelain and turned wood goblets. We have been selling them at the artists' cooperative gallery of which we are both members.
Here are a couple of pictures of the first ones we made.
I have also been collaborating with a local woodworker to make porcelain and turned wood goblets. We have been selling them at the artists' cooperative gallery of which we are both members.
Here are a couple of pictures of the first ones we made.
Recent Work
Here are some pictures of mugs that have been carved, but not yet fired. I use the technique of sgraffito. I brush on a colored slip (black, in this case), then carve through it into the leather-hard porcelain to reveal the white porcelain below. My designs are drawn freehand.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
So many new things!
I'm a grandmother. Again! My new grandson is 5 months old. I didn't expect another beautiful grand baby, but my daughter surprised me (and herself, I think).
Her big brothers, ages 8 and 10, and his older sisters, 13 and 17, Are very excited.
Her big brothers, ages 8 and 10, and his older sisters, 13 and 17, Are very excited.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
From My Front Porch
I live in an old farmhouse, right off a small "main drag" in a small town. I thought I would hate the noise and the people, but I'm fascinated by the people and things I see from my porch. So, now that I have my new camera, I keep it loaded, near the front door, so that I can record what I see. Here is the first installation of "From My Front Porch"...
Horses...
Great Blue Heron...
A helicopter, landing across the street at the Community Garden...
OK, I'm going to start blogging again...
Hi all,
I'm sure you missed me. I have not been active on this blog for almost a year, but I love reading it, even if no one else does. I hope that, when I'm dead, my grandchildren will read it. I'd like it to be a diary of sorts. I'd like to record the kind of things that you think you're not going to forget, but you do.
So, here goes.
I'm still making ceramic pieces. Tomorrow, I'm going to one of the local retail stores to show my pieces to the owners and see if they want to carry them.
Here's a picture or two of some of my pieces.
So, we'll see how many pieces they buy.
I'm also getting involved in a new art coop. It's in a sweet, old building that has been the home of an art gallery for many years. We hope to open in November.
I'm making lots of new pieces for the holiday sales season.
I'm sure you missed me. I have not been active on this blog for almost a year, but I love reading it, even if no one else does. I hope that, when I'm dead, my grandchildren will read it. I'd like it to be a diary of sorts. I'd like to record the kind of things that you think you're not going to forget, but you do.
So, here goes.
I'm still making ceramic pieces. Tomorrow, I'm going to one of the local retail stores to show my pieces to the owners and see if they want to carry them.
Here's a picture or two of some of my pieces.
So, we'll see how many pieces they buy.
I'm also getting involved in a new art coop. It's in a sweet, old building that has been the home of an art gallery for many years. We hope to open in November.
I'm making lots of new pieces for the holiday sales season.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Winter 2011
Well, it has been quite awhile since I last posted here. I love my little house. I moved here in July.
It's on a sort of main road and I can sit on my porch and watch the people and cars and bikes go by. It's fun to watch everyone. My grandkids go to school only a few minutes away, so I can see them or pick them up from school.
It's on a sort of main road and I can sit on my porch and watch the people and cars and bikes go by. It's fun to watch everyone. My grandkids go to school only a few minutes away, so I can see them or pick them up from school.
I spend most of my time making functional ceramics at a local studio. Many wonderful people here. I'm so surprised that I like living here.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Moving ... AGAIN!
I can't believe that I am packing again. The little yellow farmhouse in which I have been living for the past two years is going to be sold, so I had to find another little yellow farmhouse. Which I did. It's about a mile away, a little closer to town, but not as nice.
My son is coming to help me move and my daughter will also be here. Boxes everywhere, but since it's a local move, it's not going to be so hard.
I don't have a camera (my trusty G2 finally gave up the ghost) and so I have not been able to photograph my work. Well, back to packing now.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
I'm back!
I have been living in Northern California for 1 1/2 years now. I am now a full time grandmother and ceramic artist. It's not exactly financially lucrative, but I can't think of a better way to spend my remaining time on this earth.
My grandchildren are now 8, 6 and 3 and I cherish every minute with them. My father died on March 3, 2010 and I miss him every day as I still miss my sister, Amy.
I was very fortunate to find a wonderful ceramics studio where I spend most of my days. I load kilns, throw pots, and just hang around. It's a very special place.
I think I'll begin showing some of my work on this blog and I expect it will morph into a ceramics blog over time.
My grandchildren are now 8, 6 and 3 and I cherish every minute with them. My father died on March 3, 2010 and I miss him every day as I still miss my sister, Amy.
I was very fortunate to find a wonderful ceramics studio where I spend most of my days. I load kilns, throw pots, and just hang around. It's a very special place.
I think I'll begin showing some of my work on this blog and I expect it will morph into a ceramics blog over time.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Redwoods: Seen one, seen 'em all?
I spent this past Sunday walking through one of the local, well known Redwood groves in one of our National Parks. This is, after all, REDWOOD COUNTRY. I love Yosemite and the other National Parks. That woody, smoky smell will forever remind me of our vacations each summer in Yosemite. New to the area, I figured I'd get acquainted with some of the local sights. It was a beautiful, sunny day, not too warm, so I loaded up my camera, my sunscreen and some food and drove north for about 45 minutes to this grove.
Although I revere redwoods as much as the next guy, and hope that we protect the remaining forests forever, it has always been my view that well, if you've seen one, you've pretty much seen them all. And don't confuse redwoods (very tall) with sequoias (very huge). In fact, one of the experiences my grown children still remember well is standing in a circle with our group, led by a Ranger, all holding hands around a vast sequoia tree on one of our Yosemite vacations, then moving away from the tree and joining hands again. The extraordinary size of the tree became real to my children only when we moved away from it and viewed the negative space on its own. They still remember this event.
But I digress. On this warm Sunday I arrived at the grove and began to walk the one mile trail. I had been concerned that I would be the only one there, but I needn't have worried. There were cars from many states - Nevada, Oregon, Washington, California, Michigan, Wisconsin, among others. But it wasn't crowded and so, I walked alone on this trail, stopping to photograph the trees and the flowers on the forest floor.
See for yourself. Seen one, seen 'em all?
Although I revere redwoods as much as the next guy, and hope that we protect the remaining forests forever, it has always been my view that well, if you've seen one, you've pretty much seen them all. And don't confuse redwoods (very tall) with sequoias (very huge). In fact, one of the experiences my grown children still remember well is standing in a circle with our group, led by a Ranger, all holding hands around a vast sequoia tree on one of our Yosemite vacations, then moving away from the tree and joining hands again. The extraordinary size of the tree became real to my children only when we moved away from it and viewed the negative space on its own. They still remember this event.
But I digress. On this warm Sunday I arrived at the grove and began to walk the one mile trail. I had been concerned that I would be the only one there, but I needn't have worried. There were cars from many states - Nevada, Oregon, Washington, California, Michigan, Wisconsin, among others. But it wasn't crowded and so, I walked alone on this trail, stopping to photograph the trees and the flowers on the forest floor.
See for yourself. Seen one, seen 'em all?
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Lucky Me!
I cannot believe how profoundly my life has changed in the past month. Many of my days are spent with my beautiful daughter and grandchildren. Recently, while mom did a "big shop" to get supplies for the family vacation, I spent the afternoon with my two little boys. It's amazing to be able to just be there with them, watching them learn and play. It's so funny to see the little one, not quite two, do absolutely everything his older brother, 4 1/2, does or says. So, he's learning words and sentences with astonishing speed. It's true that they are sponges.
The older one called me on my knowing everything. Whenever I tell him something, he says, "How you know?" and I usually say, "I know everything. I'm a grandma." He's always been a bit skeptical about that, but never said anything.
But as I fumbled how to put the cover on the sport bottle, he was quick to tell me how to attach it and then say, "You no know everything".
We spent the afternoon just playing in the backyard. Simple play is just the thing. Older brother would throw his little matchbox car off the porch and then jump off after it. Little brother, not at all able to do this, just threw HIS matchbox car off the porch and pointed to it and yelled for his brother to get it for him. He also learned to jump off the porch, holding my hand.
Later, at the park, big brother flies down the big slide, forwards, backwards, as fast as he can, and now, little brother, who hasn't done this before, follows him up and then flies, out of control, down the big slide. I, of course, slow his ride in the middle of the way down to keep him from banging his head all the way down.
The older one called me on my knowing everything. Whenever I tell him something, he says, "How you know?" and I usually say, "I know everything. I'm a grandma." He's always been a bit skeptical about that, but never said anything.
But as I fumbled how to put the cover on the sport bottle, he was quick to tell me how to attach it and then say, "You no know everything".
We spent the afternoon just playing in the backyard. Simple play is just the thing. Older brother would throw his little matchbox car off the porch and then jump off after it. Little brother, not at all able to do this, just threw HIS matchbox car off the porch and pointed to it and yelled for his brother to get it for him. He also learned to jump off the porch, holding my hand.
Later, at the park, big brother flies down the big slide, forwards, backwards, as fast as he can, and now, little brother, who hasn't done this before, follows him up and then flies, out of control, down the big slide. I, of course, slow his ride in the middle of the way down to keep him from banging his head all the way down.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Green with ... Car Envy?
I took my little boys to a park yesterday, being fortunate to have them for a few hours while their mother ran errands. The little ones are now four and a half and 19 months and spent a lovely hour or so running around, sliding on slides, swinging on swings, not a care in the world.
Then he saw it.
Another little boy from the neighborhood was getting into his battery-operated big, red Jeep and driving home from the park. My guy, completely mesmerized, ran over there and just stood there. Watching it. When the little boy began driving it away, eyes glued to the car, he just slowly followed it until I called him back to the park.
I said to him, "You have a few of those kind of cars at home, don't you?"
"Yes, but I don't have one like that", he said slowly, with such obvious longing in his voice.
Then he saw it.
Another little boy from the neighborhood was getting into his battery-operated big, red Jeep and driving home from the park. My guy, completely mesmerized, ran over there and just stood there. Watching it. When the little boy began driving it away, eyes glued to the car, he just slowly followed it until I called him back to the park.
I said to him, "You have a few of those kind of cars at home, don't you?"
"Yes, but I don't have one like that", he said slowly, with such obvious longing in his voice.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Life in Small Town, USA
I am adjusting to the slower pace of this place. It's very different from the cities in which I have lived for all of my life - till now. I smile patiently when I choose the slowest line in the market. (Frankly, it's more like winning the checkout line lottery when you get someone who's fast and efficient). I tell the clerk that it's not a problem that the woman in front of me needs to use two different credit cards to buy her groceries and he doesn't know how to get the cash register to, well, register... I've nowhere else to be. And for the first time since childhood, it is true. I don't have anywhere else to be.
There are no high-end stores here. The local mall is a depressing place where even the Gottschalks store couldn't stay in business. It's dotted with closed storefronts, one next to another, failed entrepreneurial attempts, killed by the economic disaster. Few people go there to shop. There's a "support the local shopkeeper" mentality here, but the local shops are mostly tired places with low quality items of dubious taste. When I mention this to the locals (and I don't really care because, well, I don't buy anything that I can't eat), they say that this is just the way they like it. Thank heaven for Costco... and the internet...
But it can be a bit frustrating. Right now, I'm looking for a cute change purse for one of my little ones and I can either get fake plastic in various shades of yellow, pink or orange, at Target or nubby hemp from Nepal or Guatemala. Period. Seriously. In the Bay Area I had everything from Ferragamo leather to handmade silk, to cute, locally-handmade-by-artisans, to lower priced, but good looking items at discounters from which to make my selection.
I know, look on the bright side. I won't have to spend so much time searching for the perfect change purse. And this is not a bad thing.
There are no high-end stores here. The local mall is a depressing place where even the Gottschalks store couldn't stay in business. It's dotted with closed storefronts, one next to another, failed entrepreneurial attempts, killed by the economic disaster. Few people go there to shop. There's a "support the local shopkeeper" mentality here, but the local shops are mostly tired places with low quality items of dubious taste. When I mention this to the locals (and I don't really care because, well, I don't buy anything that I can't eat), they say that this is just the way they like it. Thank heaven for Costco... and the internet...
But it can be a bit frustrating. Right now, I'm looking for a cute change purse for one of my little ones and I can either get fake plastic in various shades of yellow, pink or orange, at Target or nubby hemp from Nepal or Guatemala. Period. Seriously. In the Bay Area I had everything from Ferragamo leather to handmade silk, to cute, locally-handmade-by-artisans, to lower priced, but good looking items at discounters from which to make my selection.
I know, look on the bright side. I won't have to spend so much time searching for the perfect change purse. And this is not a bad thing.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Ballet Performance for Fuschias!
Today was the spring performance for my six-year old's ballet class. Her group are fuschias and they have beautiful, colorful flower costumes. I'm glad I took my pictures yesterday during rehearsal so that I could sit back and just enjoy the program. It is as if I am getting a second chance to enjoy my children. When my children were little, I went to the performances, took pictures and did all the "mommy" things, but my mind was elsewhere much of the time. Mostly on work. I was very proud of my kids - after all, they were pretty terrific. Now, I am focused on my grandchildren. I'm present, not worrying about the next deal or the next problem.
I find that I don't get angry very much now. Nothing seems worth it. Every moment is precious to me now. Please, you moms and dads, cherish your little children. Trust me. Work is just not that important. It is not your identity. Sometimes it seemed as though I didn't have any time for myself. In fact, I didn't. But I could have made time. I could have focused less on my career and more on my family, including my husband. I never made time for fun. Fun was frivolous. How stupid was I! One time I remember going to the home of friends and finding two squirt guns in the bathroom. It never occured to me that they belonged to the parents, not the kids. They knew how to have fun. They had fun with each other. They didn't have to be so serious all the time. There weren't any squirt guns in my bathroom...
So, you young parents, remember this: your spouse/partner and children are the most important part of your life - they ARE your life. Not work, not friends, not clothes, not money. Your family. So put everything else second. When you are sixty and your kids are grown and gone, you won't be sitting around slapping yourself on the back for that deal you did twenty years ago. And you don't want to be slapping yourself in the forehead for being such a dunce. You'll want to be sitting around remembering the great times you had with your family, making memories.
Really. Trust me on this one...
I find that I don't get angry very much now. Nothing seems worth it. Every moment is precious to me now. Please, you moms and dads, cherish your little children. Trust me. Work is just not that important. It is not your identity. Sometimes it seemed as though I didn't have any time for myself. In fact, I didn't. But I could have made time. I could have focused less on my career and more on my family, including my husband. I never made time for fun. Fun was frivolous. How stupid was I! One time I remember going to the home of friends and finding two squirt guns in the bathroom. It never occured to me that they belonged to the parents, not the kids. They knew how to have fun. They had fun with each other. They didn't have to be so serious all the time. There weren't any squirt guns in my bathroom...
So, you young parents, remember this: your spouse/partner and children are the most important part of your life - they ARE your life. Not work, not friends, not clothes, not money. Your family. So put everything else second. When you are sixty and your kids are grown and gone, you won't be sitting around slapping yourself on the back for that deal you did twenty years ago. And you don't want to be slapping yourself in the forehead for being such a dunce. You'll want to be sitting around remembering the great times you had with your family, making memories.
Really. Trust me on this one...
Saturday, June 6, 2009
More Settling In...
I am housesitting for a lovely couple with three cats. Their home is beautifully furnished with an Asian theme. Very calming. The backyard is filled with flowers, bamboo and Japanese maples. It is obviously the home of a couple who enjoy their life. I am trying to learn from their example.
I have just arrived, unpacked and started the wash. Amazing how good it feels to have clean clothes and a dresser in which to put them...It will be nice to be in one place for six weeks now. I've found a lovely house to rent starting in mid-July and am looking forward to getting my stuff out of storage. I am living with very few things right now and frankly, other than my art materials, I'm not missing very much. It's pretty amazing how little one needs to be comfortable. For me, the most important things are clean clothes and a shower each day. Other than those, I'm pretty flexible...I will however, have to get a microwave and some decent cable TV when I move into my little home...
I have just arrived, unpacked and started the wash. Amazing how good it feels to have clean clothes and a dresser in which to put them...It will be nice to be in one place for six weeks now. I've found a lovely house to rent starting in mid-July and am looking forward to getting my stuff out of storage. I am living with very few things right now and frankly, other than my art materials, I'm not missing very much. It's pretty amazing how little one needs to be comfortable. For me, the most important things are clean clothes and a shower each day. Other than those, I'm pretty flexible...I will however, have to get a microwave and some decent cable TV when I move into my little home...
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Settling In?
So, I am at the local hotel until my next temporary housing situation begins. I'm OK, except that the kids have had a cold/cough for weeks and, since I have no immunity to their cooties, I also have a cold and a cough. The boys cough in a well-orchestrated "cough cantata" and provided the "musical" backdrop for the latest school function last night.
The local TV stations keep announcing "severe thunderstorms with hail the size of golf balls" nearby, but so far I have only seen some minor rain and lots of clouds and fog.
I cannot wait until I am settled into a permanent house and have my stuff out of storage. I want to join the local ceramic studio, the gym and look for a place to teach art to children. But, for the moment, I'm nursing my cold.
The local TV stations keep announcing "severe thunderstorms with hail the size of golf balls" nearby, but so far I have only seen some minor rain and lots of clouds and fog.
I cannot wait until I am settled into a permanent house and have my stuff out of storage. I want to join the local ceramic studio, the gym and look for a place to teach art to children. But, for the moment, I'm nursing my cold.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
I'm A Grandma Now
Yes, finally. I picked up my granddaughter at school and brought her to ballet class today.
All the little girls at ballet class looked spectacular in their costumes as they practiced for their final performance. They are fuschias and their costumes are very fuschia! Every eye (almost) on their wonderful teacher, learning every step (almost).
My girl wanted me to stay and watch and so I did. I can watch her 24/7. She is beautiful and a handful-to-be.
After class, Papa and big sister came by to pick her up and I went to my temporary home.
Yes, I'm liking this very much. Now I have to find a permanent place to live...
All the little girls at ballet class looked spectacular in their costumes as they practiced for their final performance. They are fuschias and their costumes are very fuschia! Every eye (almost) on their wonderful teacher, learning every step (almost).
My girl wanted me to stay and watch and so I did. I can watch her 24/7. She is beautiful and a handful-to-be.
After class, Papa and big sister came by to pick her up and I went to my temporary home.
Yes, I'm liking this very much. Now I have to find a permanent place to live...
Monday, May 18, 2009
The Long Road "Home"
Got on the road at 4:30AM, and it took over twelve hours this time. I wasn't in my usual rush, hurrying to see my kids, trying to cram every single second into my visit, because this time I'm going to be living near them. I won't have to jump in the car in the darkness before dawn and drive back home, to be ready to go to work on Monday. I'm an old hand at this road trip stuff. Even bring my own T.P. for the cruddy "rest stops" in Oregon. I glide by the women standing, waiting for a bathroom while I slip into to the one without T.P., saying, "I brought my own".
Conscious of the significance of this trip, I waved goodbye to Washington as I crossed the border into Oregon and then again as I left Oregon to enter California and swear that I am not carrying fruits or vegetables into the state. I used the time in the car to think. I also listened to music instead of all talk radio, trying to get in a more relaxed mood for my next life chapter.
But one of the stories I heard on NPR was "Recession Diary: The Long And Winding Road Home" about a young family who moved from Maine to Los Angeles and back to Maine in little more than a year, as a result of the economic crisis and resultant job losses. Mom, Dad, infant and big dog traveled across the country, stopping frequently to feed baby, walk dog, etc. It took ten days, but when they finally got to Maine, they had dinner at her Dad's house, where he told them "It's so wonderful to see you here. I mean, I know what you've been through and just how difficult everything's been, but what an incredible upside to all these trials, having you home. Whatever comes next, this is the best."
Then they drove on to her Mom's house, where they would live. "It was late, so we tiptoed in to find a room all set up for us. It was more lovely than either of us could have anticipated. She had put up all kinds of pictures of me as a kid, as a little girl, and the bed was really beautifully made."
Her Mom said, "So for me, it's a treasure and, um, it makes me think about the old way of doing things, when there were multigenerational families, and for the small amount of time that we have together, it makes me realize the richness of that."
Conscious of the significance of this trip, I waved goodbye to Washington as I crossed the border into Oregon and then again as I left Oregon to enter California and swear that I am not carrying fruits or vegetables into the state. I used the time in the car to think. I also listened to music instead of all talk radio, trying to get in a more relaxed mood for my next life chapter.
But one of the stories I heard on NPR was "Recession Diary: The Long And Winding Road Home" about a young family who moved from Maine to Los Angeles and back to Maine in little more than a year, as a result of the economic crisis and resultant job losses. Mom, Dad, infant and big dog traveled across the country, stopping frequently to feed baby, walk dog, etc. It took ten days, but when they finally got to Maine, they had dinner at her Dad's house, where he told them "It's so wonderful to see you here. I mean, I know what you've been through and just how difficult everything's been, but what an incredible upside to all these trials, having you home. Whatever comes next, this is the best."
Then they drove on to her Mom's house, where they would live. "It was late, so we tiptoed in to find a room all set up for us. It was more lovely than either of us could have anticipated. She had put up all kinds of pictures of me as a kid, as a little girl, and the bed was really beautifully made."
(What a lovely, thoughtful person. Knowing how difficult things were for her daughter, she went out of her way to make them feel welcome and wanted.)
Her Mom said, "So for me, it's a treasure and, um, it makes me think about the old way of doing things, when there were multigenerational families, and for the small amount of time that we have together, it makes me realize the richness of that."
Of course, life isn't all soft, gauzy photos and sweet music and their life is still chaotic and basically on hold.
You may want to hear the whole story by Caitlin Shetterly:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104131481
As I listened, I began to cry. Her family viewed them as a "treasure".
I remember having to make a similar trip many years ago. My husband, my cat Bootsie, and I packed up our Toyota Corona in 1970, after losing our jobs, and moved everyting we owned back to New York to my parents' basement. We lived there, sleeping in my childhood bedroom, for three months until finally we found new jobs and moved to our own apartment.
One of the reasons I wanted to move "home" to New York was to be near to my parents. I knew that I might not have them in my life for long and I wanted to be with them. I had gone off to college at age 15, then gotten married at 17, so I had been away from home, living in California for several years. Well, my Mom left us in 1984, but at least she had eight years with her grandchildren and me. My Dad's 95 and still living in that same house. My Mom and Dad used to drive from the Bronx up to our home in Connecticut almost every Sunday where Dad would play with the kids in the pool, teaching them to dive and swim and horsing around with them. Certainly my childrens' lives were richer for having this time with their grandparents.
I'm glad I went home. My life was richer for their presence.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Getting Older - Time's Running Out - Gotta Keep on Movin'
I am beginning to feel my age this past year. I don't know if it's because I have been depressed (probably) or because I'm actually getting older (I'm kind of in denial). But lately I have become aware of time passing.
My uncle died this past week after a stroke. His sister, my aunt, is also failing. She's 92, he was 88. I'm on the verge of becoming the matriarch of my family. Well, I'm just not ready to be a matriarch, but my parents' generation is almost gone now. I'm so very conscious of time passing quickly now - so quickly. Realizing that there are things that I am not going to be able to accomplish now. After all, how many more years do I have where I'm not drooling on myself? I'm a little stiffer when I move now, a little slower, I don't think I'm as smart as I used to be. I always used to joke that I had enough brain cells that even when I lost some, I'd still be smarter than most. Well, that may still be true, but perhaps it's just that the gene pool is getting more shallow...
So, I went for my annual physical this past week. I'm fine, a little too fat, need to eat fewer beige food, more green foods, but in pretty good shape. Blood pressure, despite the incredible stress, is normal. 120/80. I need to exercise more to get the HDL up, Triglycerides down. My doctor, who is about the same age as I am, walked in the room and began the conversation by talking about how he is dealing with getting older, voicing all of my concerns as if he had been evesdropping on my brain. We talked about my impending move, my very hard, "man's world" career, my survival instincts. Then we talked about my grandchildren, my art, being more spiritual, softer now. He suggested that I might want to take this opportunity to focus on my softer side. Develop my art, start my children's art school, be a little less analytical, more spiritual. My kids will not believe I'm saying this. they think I'm the strong one. The one who takes care of everyone, everything. But I think I've been changing, slowly, perhaps imperceptibly to some, but not to me.
I'm not quite ready for what I call the "woo woo" stuff, but perhaps I can be a little more content, a little happier with myself and my life.
I have been thinking about that conversation with my doctor (I'll miss him, he's a smart, knowledgeable person) for a few days now. This move can be the perfect opportunity to finally explore those things that I love, but have put on hold.
Well, there's no more time to put things on hold!
See you all soon!
My uncle died this past week after a stroke. His sister, my aunt, is also failing. She's 92, he was 88. I'm on the verge of becoming the matriarch of my family. Well, I'm just not ready to be a matriarch, but my parents' generation is almost gone now. I'm so very conscious of time passing quickly now - so quickly. Realizing that there are things that I am not going to be able to accomplish now. After all, how many more years do I have where I'm not drooling on myself? I'm a little stiffer when I move now, a little slower, I don't think I'm as smart as I used to be. I always used to joke that I had enough brain cells that even when I lost some, I'd still be smarter than most. Well, that may still be true, but perhaps it's just that the gene pool is getting more shallow...
So, I went for my annual physical this past week. I'm fine, a little too fat, need to eat fewer beige food, more green foods, but in pretty good shape. Blood pressure, despite the incredible stress, is normal. 120/80. I need to exercise more to get the HDL up, Triglycerides down. My doctor, who is about the same age as I am, walked in the room and began the conversation by talking about how he is dealing with getting older, voicing all of my concerns as if he had been evesdropping on my brain. We talked about my impending move, my very hard, "man's world" career, my survival instincts. Then we talked about my grandchildren, my art, being more spiritual, softer now. He suggested that I might want to take this opportunity to focus on my softer side. Develop my art, start my children's art school, be a little less analytical, more spiritual. My kids will not believe I'm saying this. they think I'm the strong one. The one who takes care of everyone, everything. But I think I've been changing, slowly, perhaps imperceptibly to some, but not to me.
I'm not quite ready for what I call the "woo woo" stuff, but perhaps I can be a little more content, a little happier with myself and my life.
I have been thinking about that conversation with my doctor (I'll miss him, he's a smart, knowledgeable person) for a few days now. This move can be the perfect opportunity to finally explore those things that I love, but have put on hold.
Well, there's no more time to put things on hold!
See you all soon!
Friday, May 15, 2009
On the Eve of a New Beginning, (I Hope!)
I'm sitting here, my last day in Washington, my stuff has been picked up by the movers and I'm once again spending the night on my Aerobed, finishing the last of whatever random food is still in the refrigerator, hoping that everything will fit in the Honda.
I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. I have been wanting to live near my grandchildren for seven years now. I'm probably moving to a place that is so very different from every other place I have lived. Well, I don't even have an address. I'm subletting for a couple of weeks, then a hotel for a week, then housesitting for six weeks. That gets me into mid July. Perhaps by then I will know what I want to do. Or not.
My stuff is going into storage. I have owned my own home since age 22. That's a long time ago. I never needed a storage unit before. I always had a place to go. A place of my own. I'm really a homebody. I don't want to travel much, I like to eat at home, read, watch TV. I enjoy my friends and family, but I'd make a lousy roommate. I need down time now.
It's a beautiful, sunny day today, unlike many of the days I have spent here in the Pacific Northwest. When it's sunny, it's beautiful. But much of the time it is just gray. Dull, gray, overcast, no sun. Not for me.
So, I'll get to see my littles regularly. I'm hoping to achieve a balance: I don't want to wear out my welcome, but I do want to help out as much as I can.
I have also been thinking of teaching art classes for kids. I'd like to show kids how to use all of the different media: clay, paint, collage, sculpture, printing.
Kids are creative and if they get comfortable with art when they are young, they will be competent, imaginative kids as they grow up.
So many times people ask me how I learned to draw or paint or do ceramics. I tell them that I was very fortunate to have a mother who was undaunted by any media. She carved birds from soap, she painted, she sewed. She would try anything. And so, I tried everything. I tell them that I learned to do these things by simply doing them. So, I want to pass on my love of art to children while they are still open to everything, while they are curious, adventurous and without the self-restrictions adults have.
I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. I have been wanting to live near my grandchildren for seven years now. I'm probably moving to a place that is so very different from every other place I have lived. Well, I don't even have an address. I'm subletting for a couple of weeks, then a hotel for a week, then housesitting for six weeks. That gets me into mid July. Perhaps by then I will know what I want to do. Or not.
My stuff is going into storage. I have owned my own home since age 22. That's a long time ago. I never needed a storage unit before. I always had a place to go. A place of my own. I'm really a homebody. I don't want to travel much, I like to eat at home, read, watch TV. I enjoy my friends and family, but I'd make a lousy roommate. I need down time now.
It's a beautiful, sunny day today, unlike many of the days I have spent here in the Pacific Northwest. When it's sunny, it's beautiful. But much of the time it is just gray. Dull, gray, overcast, no sun. Not for me.
So, I'll get to see my littles regularly. I'm hoping to achieve a balance: I don't want to wear out my welcome, but I do want to help out as much as I can.
I have also been thinking of teaching art classes for kids. I'd like to show kids how to use all of the different media: clay, paint, collage, sculpture, printing.
Kids are creative and if they get comfortable with art when they are young, they will be competent, imaginative kids as they grow up.
So many times people ask me how I learned to draw or paint or do ceramics. I tell them that I was very fortunate to have a mother who was undaunted by any media. She carved birds from soap, she painted, she sewed. She would try anything. And so, I tried everything. I tell them that I learned to do these things by simply doing them. So, I want to pass on my love of art to children while they are still open to everything, while they are curious, adventurous and without the self-restrictions adults have.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Snowy Ides of March?
Yes, well it is the 15th day of March and waking up to fluffy snowflakes is not something I wanted. These flakes are up to three inches across! They are huge! This afternoon it is expected to be windy and snowy. What am I doing here?
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Coolest Thing I Saw Today
I have decided that something has to change. I have to begin to see the world in a different way so that I can see my life in a different way.
I have decided to try to take at least one picture each day and that picture would be the coolest, best, most interesting, fascinating, beautiful thing I saw that day.
I started out the year with this picture of a freshly-laid egg from the farm. I figure that this would be the best symbol of the "hatching" of the New Year. Of course, we used the egg for breakfast, so this analogy may not be quite perfect, but...
So, then I walked around with my camera. It was a cold January morning.
Fog, trees, moss, plants, lichen, all things I saw that day.
This is a fairy village...
Can you believe this view?
Here are some pictures of some vegetation with early morning frost on them and some color in the midwinter landscape.
Finally, kitty always finds the coziest place to nap!
I have decided to try to take at least one picture each day and that picture would be the coolest, best, most interesting, fascinating, beautiful thing I saw that day.
I started out the year with this picture of a freshly-laid egg from the farm. I figure that this would be the best symbol of the "hatching" of the New Year. Of course, we used the egg for breakfast, so this analogy may not be quite perfect, but...
So, then I walked around with my camera. It was a cold January morning.
Fog, trees, moss, plants, lichen, all things I saw that day.
This is a fairy village...
Can you believe this view?
Here are some pictures of some vegetation with early morning frost on them and some color in the midwinter landscape.
Finally, kitty always finds the coziest place to nap!
Indoor Fun for Kids
One of the things I love the most is to create a fun art project to do with the kids, especially when they are bored and stuck inside. Recently I created stamps for them. Here's how it's done.
Using a craft knife, cut out shapes from foam sheets, mount them on thicker foam sheets to make a stamp (I just used the sticky-backed foam sheets and stuck them three layers thick).
We used paintbrushes and painted the stamps with different colors, but you can also use paint that has been rolled onto a glass sheet or acrylic sheet or even just a sheet of aluminum foil.
Then, just press the foam stamp into the paint and create lovely pictures! We had dinosaurs, trains, lions, butterflys, ladybugs, trucks and lots of other cool things.
Here are some examples on an old, gray t-shirt:
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inauguration Day!
Future generations will simply not believe how majestic and historic this day was. We have seen inaugurations before. I have seen all of them since John Kennedy was inaugurated in January 1961. But none of those past inaugurals affected me as did today's ceremony. I thought about my grandchildren, for whom Barack Obama is just the President, not the first African American President. They won't have to be bound by the sad past. They get to see the hopeful future. I remember reading "Dreams from my Father", Obama's first book and thinking that here was a man who could be President. I had never even heard of him. He was the new Senator from Illinois. He was thoughtful, introspective, articulate and intelligent. All quite good qualities for a President, I thought, and all so obviously lacking in the current President...
But back to today. Everywhere in this country, millions of people stopped what they were doing to watch Barack Obama take the Presidential Oath of Office this morning. It is hard for some of us to understand the magnitude of today in the history of America. Unless your parents or grandparents were made to sit in the back of the bus, drink from different water fountains, attend different schools, were not allowed to vote or own land - unless your ancestors were actually owned by other people, you may not have realized the truly historic significance of this day. Today was a celebration of America.
Those of us who, by luck or money or family or brains or whatever, have had the opportunity to be educated, to be successful, cannot understand the hopelessness with which others have lived their lives. But now, their children too can see that nothing is impossible. No goal too far. Today everything seems possible.
My six year old went to school early today to watch the ceremony on TV. She's just a little younger than Sasha Obama. I think it will be interesting for her to see another little girl grow up in public.
But back to today. Everywhere in this country, millions of people stopped what they were doing to watch Barack Obama take the Presidential Oath of Office this morning. It is hard for some of us to understand the magnitude of today in the history of America. Unless your parents or grandparents were made to sit in the back of the bus, drink from different water fountains, attend different schools, were not allowed to vote or own land - unless your ancestors were actually owned by other people, you may not have realized the truly historic significance of this day. Today was a celebration of America.
Those of us who, by luck or money or family or brains or whatever, have had the opportunity to be educated, to be successful, cannot understand the hopelessness with which others have lived their lives. But now, their children too can see that nothing is impossible. No goal too far. Today everything seems possible.
My six year old went to school early today to watch the ceremony on TV. She's just a little younger than Sasha Obama. I think it will be interesting for her to see another little girl grow up in public.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Almost a New Year
I cannot believe that a whole year has passed me by again. I didn't even see it go. My little grandkids have gotten older. (Slow down! I know how quickly these precious years fly, so just slow down, for me, please?)
Saturday, December 27, 2008
It's Christmas...again
It's December 27th. Another Christmas. But the lights of my life, my children and grandchildren still shine for me.
I would do anything for them.
The little one, frequently now a pirate, enjoys Christmas morning, brandishing his foam sword.
The recliner, loaded with presents,becomes Santa's sleigh as we await Christmas eve.
I think the little ones had a wonderful Christmas. For me, I remember when my brothers and I were that age. One year, I remember coming downstairs during Christmas Eve, surprising Santa while he was still assembling toys. I later found out that I just missed him. He was hiding, flattened outside, against the house, in the snow, half-assembled toy in hand, until I was coaxed by my mother to go back to my bed.
Then, I can remember my first Christmas as a new parent with a 6 month old. I made all my ornaments, stockings, bought far more than I should have, tried to be Martha Stewart, you moms know what I'm talking about. Christmas with a child is quite a wonderful event, but exhausting. Looking back, I could have just as well given my daughter empty boxes and she'd have been just as happy.
A couple of years later, when my kids were still too young to read a calendar, I had to postpone Christmas for a couple of days because I was just not ready! I was working so hard that I simply hadn't had time to shop. So, that year Christmas fell on December 27th. (At least I was able to take advantage of all the "after Christmas" discounts!)
So, until next year.
I would do anything for them.
The little one, frequently now a pirate, enjoys Christmas morning, brandishing his foam sword.
The recliner, loaded with presents,becomes Santa's sleigh as we await Christmas eve.
I think the little ones had a wonderful Christmas. For me, I remember when my brothers and I were that age. One year, I remember coming downstairs during Christmas Eve, surprising Santa while he was still assembling toys. I later found out that I just missed him. He was hiding, flattened outside, against the house, in the snow, half-assembled toy in hand, until I was coaxed by my mother to go back to my bed.
Then, I can remember my first Christmas as a new parent with a 6 month old. I made all my ornaments, stockings, bought far more than I should have, tried to be Martha Stewart, you moms know what I'm talking about. Christmas with a child is quite a wonderful event, but exhausting. Looking back, I could have just as well given my daughter empty boxes and she'd have been just as happy.
A couple of years later, when my kids were still too young to read a calendar, I had to postpone Christmas for a couple of days because I was just not ready! I was working so hard that I simply hadn't had time to shop. So, that year Christmas fell on December 27th. (At least I was able to take advantage of all the "after Christmas" discounts!)
So, until next year.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
This is the view out my window.
The snowstorm is shutting down the city! I just heard this on the news. I'm not going anywhere today. I was supposed to drive down for the holidays, but I'll have to see what it looks like tomorrow morning. Drivers are stuck all over the place.
I just realized that I have to have the car smogged before year end and so, if I drive down tomorrow, I'll stop along the way!
Way to go! Leave it till the last minute! Good job!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Cold Snap!
Happy Winter! We're having a cold snap. It's 23 degrees this morning. I'm using the fireplace, burning all of those papers I usually shred because (1) I broke my shredder by shoving too much into it and (2) it provides heat. I have been throwing paper into the fireplace all year and today is the day I am choosing to burn it all. Hmmm. logs work better, but this will do.
We had our first snow on Friday night. This is the view from my window. Treacherous, icy driving. I stayed indoors all weekend. Fortunately, I had done much of my Christmas shopping on Friday, so I'm OK. Of course, I'm from the east
I'll be driving to my daughter's house Friday. I'm renting an apartment from a student. I hope it works out OK. It is certainly less expensive than a hotel, but more than that, it gives me some down time when I need it. Since it is in town, I can relax, shop, and get a good night's sleep and rest up so that I can have energy for my littles. I certainly know why parents are 30 years old and not 60 years old when they have little kids. But it all works out because I have so much more time and patience for them now. I cherish my time with them, I know how quickly they grow up. We do art and craft projects and these times are so precious to me.
This is the clubhouse with snow on the roof.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Saturday Stews
I just made a very delicious vegetable stew/soup with organic vegetable broth, organic diced tomatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, red wine, barley, spinach, brocolli, corn, salt, pepper and cumin. I haven't been cooking much and I haven't been eating very well here. But I just felt the need for some old fashioned home cookin'. Also, I didn't make so much that I would have to eat it for months, just a normal potful of it. Perhaps two or three meals worth.
A different kind of Saturday Stew:
We're in the middle of a collapsing economy. We just elected a new President and lots of people here and all over the world are very excited, but reality is not looking very good for many people who are losing their jobs or are in danger of losing their jobs.
I have worked in the financial services industry for my entire career and I can think of several instances where a basically good, useful, creative idea starts out doing what was intended, but over time, "the smartest guys in the room" morph that idea into something that is over the top, that no longer does what was initially intended, and whose purpose now is only to walk the tax law tightrope and make money for the bankers.
One example is the mortgage loan. In the old days, we saved up our 20% down payment and then borrowed 30 year, fixed rate money. The monthly payment couldn't be more than 25% of take home pay, then it rose to 33% and up and up. Now, the housing market has collapsed. Lenders made loans on terms that didn't make sense, to people who could never pay them back. People without income, without jobs, and with no down payment were able to get loans. Everyone looked the other way and held their noses and signed "liar loans", no doc loans, negative amortization loans, exploding interest rate loans, etc. No one was looking and everyone thought housing prices would continue to rise forever. Wrong. Why would anyone be surprised that this bubble burst?
Another example is the high-yield or "junk" bond, created in the '80s, a time of excess in investment banking. Originally a very smart idea, allowing more companies to access credit markets, it was misused over time, causing billions of dollars of losses, the collapse of companies and jail terms for some of its bankers.
So, here we are with consumers not spending, companies shrinking or closing, people losing jobs, the stock market basically a casino, with program trading and hedge funds causing stocks to lurch up and down like a drunken clown on a roller coaster.
But I have many years of previous economic cycles behind me and so, I can look ahead, knowing that we'll survive this too. As long as I have my health and my family, I'm just fine.
A different kind of Saturday Stew:
We're in the middle of a collapsing economy. We just elected a new President and lots of people here and all over the world are very excited, but reality is not looking very good for many people who are losing their jobs or are in danger of losing their jobs.
I have worked in the financial services industry for my entire career and I can think of several instances where a basically good, useful, creative idea starts out doing what was intended, but over time, "the smartest guys in the room" morph that idea into something that is over the top, that no longer does what was initially intended, and whose purpose now is only to walk the tax law tightrope and make money for the bankers.
One example is the mortgage loan. In the old days, we saved up our 20% down payment and then borrowed 30 year, fixed rate money. The monthly payment couldn't be more than 25% of take home pay, then it rose to 33% and up and up. Now, the housing market has collapsed. Lenders made loans on terms that didn't make sense, to people who could never pay them back. People without income, without jobs, and with no down payment were able to get loans. Everyone looked the other way and held their noses and signed "liar loans", no doc loans, negative amortization loans, exploding interest rate loans, etc. No one was looking and everyone thought housing prices would continue to rise forever. Wrong. Why would anyone be surprised that this bubble burst?
Another example is the high-yield or "junk" bond, created in the '80s, a time of excess in investment banking. Originally a very smart idea, allowing more companies to access credit markets, it was misused over time, causing billions of dollars of losses, the collapse of companies and jail terms for some of its bankers.
So, here we are with consumers not spending, companies shrinking or closing, people losing jobs, the stock market basically a casino, with program trading and hedge funds causing stocks to lurch up and down like a drunken clown on a roller coaster.
But I have many years of previous economic cycles behind me and so, I can look ahead, knowing that we'll survive this too. As long as I have my health and my family, I'm just fine.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Homelessness
I had an interesting experience while with my daughter. Instead of parking at the restaurant where she was to pick up a pizza while I waited in the car with the kids, my daughter paused and then backed out and parked across the street. I hadn't noticed, but she said that she had chosen to park across the street because she thought that I'd be scared of the two homeless guys lounging in the parking lot. Well, I am from New York, have lived in New York, San Francisco, Berkeley and elsewhere where there are homeless people all over the place. So, I am certainly not afraid of seeing a couple of guys in the parking lot.
But it got me thinking. I started thinking about my views and about her action supposedly on my behalf. I guess that I am something of a libertarian in that I believe that we are all responsible for our own situation. Some may think my views harsh, but I see that we are becoming more and more lazy and dependent on others for our support. Except if one is mentally ill, we all make choices that determine how we live our lives. Those two guys were not fated to end up homeless in a parking lot. When they were children, they probably had lots of choices as did their parents. I know, maybe they didn't have parents. Maybe they had bad parents. Maybe they were abused. Yes, these are very bad things for children to have to endure and these are things that will affect them forever. But many of us just made bad choices along the way. We choose to drop out of school, we choose to drink or take drugs as teens, etc. We choose not to get a job and keep it even if it isn't fun or if it's hard work. We choose to get pregnant even if we cannot support our children.
My little princess notices everything and lately she has been noticing people with signs that say things like "Will work for food, anything will help". She reads the sign out loud and asks what the sign means and why the person has to beg for food.
I came from a family where my parents did not go to college. My Mom left high school to go to work during the Depression. My Grandmother had lost her husband three years earlier and had to support her three children, so she (and they) went to work. They didn't stand on the street begging, they worked. And later, when they had children, my parents still worked. My dad worked six days a week for 12 hours a day in his dry cleaning business. My Mom stayed home with us but later went back to work just so that she would have health insurance benefits. They made choices and because of their choices I would have choices. So, thank you, Dad and Mom for being responsible, self sufficient working people who didn't expect Uncle Sam (or any other uncle for that matter) to support your family. You provided the model for me.
I have worked for almost 40 years. I worked when my kids were babies, when I didn't want to, when I was tired, when I was depressed. I worked long hours and many days left home when my children were asleep and returned when they were asleep. I had to. When others needed help, I was (and still am) the one who stepped up to help.
Please don't tell me that you can't find work. There's work out there. Even with the increased unemployment in this poor economy, there are "need help" signs. In all economic conditions there are ways to make money. It may not be much money, it may be hard, it may be dirty, but it seems to me that if I were faced with the choice of losing my home or working at the supermarket, the fast food place, the construction site or anywhere, I know the choice that I would make.
We, as a society, do need to do a lot more to help people become contributors. We have to train people so that they have skills that are valuable. We have to teach them, while they are still children, that education is so important and that information is power, knowledge is power. We have to teach them how to manage their money, how to balance their checkbooks, how to use and manage credit. We have to teach them about relationships and responsibility. We have to teach them that actions have consequences. That getting pregnant as a teen has consequences that will alter your life. Forever. That driving recklessly or under the influence and having an accident will alter your life. Forever. And, that letting things get so out of hand that you have to stand on a street corner with a sign begging for food or money, or lie on the ground in a parking lot will alter your life. Forever.
But it got me thinking. I started thinking about my views and about her action supposedly on my behalf. I guess that I am something of a libertarian in that I believe that we are all responsible for our own situation. Some may think my views harsh, but I see that we are becoming more and more lazy and dependent on others for our support. Except if one is mentally ill, we all make choices that determine how we live our lives. Those two guys were not fated to end up homeless in a parking lot. When they were children, they probably had lots of choices as did their parents. I know, maybe they didn't have parents. Maybe they had bad parents. Maybe they were abused. Yes, these are very bad things for children to have to endure and these are things that will affect them forever. But many of us just made bad choices along the way. We choose to drop out of school, we choose to drink or take drugs as teens, etc. We choose not to get a job and keep it even if it isn't fun or if it's hard work. We choose to get pregnant even if we cannot support our children.
My little princess notices everything and lately she has been noticing people with signs that say things like "Will work for food, anything will help". She reads the sign out loud and asks what the sign means and why the person has to beg for food.
I came from a family where my parents did not go to college. My Mom left high school to go to work during the Depression. My Grandmother had lost her husband three years earlier and had to support her three children, so she (and they) went to work. They didn't stand on the street begging, they worked. And later, when they had children, my parents still worked. My dad worked six days a week for 12 hours a day in his dry cleaning business. My Mom stayed home with us but later went back to work just so that she would have health insurance benefits. They made choices and because of their choices I would have choices. So, thank you, Dad and Mom for being responsible, self sufficient working people who didn't expect Uncle Sam (or any other uncle for that matter) to support your family. You provided the model for me.
I have worked for almost 40 years. I worked when my kids were babies, when I didn't want to, when I was tired, when I was depressed. I worked long hours and many days left home when my children were asleep and returned when they were asleep. I had to. When others needed help, I was (and still am) the one who stepped up to help.
Please don't tell me that you can't find work. There's work out there. Even with the increased unemployment in this poor economy, there are "need help" signs. In all economic conditions there are ways to make money. It may not be much money, it may be hard, it may be dirty, but it seems to me that if I were faced with the choice of losing my home or working at the supermarket, the fast food place, the construction site or anywhere, I know the choice that I would make.
We, as a society, do need to do a lot more to help people become contributors. We have to train people so that they have skills that are valuable. We have to teach them, while they are still children, that education is so important and that information is power, knowledge is power. We have to teach them how to manage their money, how to balance their checkbooks, how to use and manage credit. We have to teach them about relationships and responsibility. We have to teach them that actions have consequences. That getting pregnant as a teen has consequences that will alter your life. Forever. That driving recklessly or under the influence and having an accident will alter your life. Forever. And, that letting things get so out of hand that you have to stand on a street corner with a sign begging for food or money, or lie on the ground in a parking lot will alter your life. Forever.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Driving Home on Election Day!
I am back at my little apartment again after visiting with my family for Halloween. I left late on Election Day so I was able to listen to the results all the way to Grants Pass, OR, where I spent the night, not needing to drive all night. Then this morning, I got on the road, but not until I spilled coffee all over everything in my purse. I had put some coffee into my new thermos and threw it in the purse, but forgot to pop the button that locks the top. C'mon, it was early, I was exhausted. So, two cups of coffee filled my new purse, totally soaking my checkbooks, the purse itself, all of my receipts from the trip and everything else, INCLUDING MY CELL PHONE! I didn't realize that the phone was dead until later when I realized that the charge light wasn't on...
So, I had to lay everything out on the floor of the car, and now the dining room table, to dry, but I don't think I can use the checks anymore...it's not impressive for a company to send checks with a coffee-colored border...
I hosed down the purse, inside and out, in the shower and it sits there now, the lining drying and probably shrinking. We'll see if it is usable ever again. The phone is dead.
About the election: I had not realized how important the election of Barack Obama was to so many voting segments. Everyone was triumphant and hopeful. It reminded me of the election of JFK, the first Catholic President. The Catholics went nuts. They were so happy.
Now, 45 years later, I'm seeing this excitement again. I was listening to the radio for 7 hours this morning as I drove home, and heard the reaction to the election from around the country and the world.
Update on the purse: I later leaned it against my baseboard heater to dry and overdid it a bit. The handle was fried to a crispy doneness. Oh, I'll still use it. It will just look like everything else I own. Beat to hell. I guess I am tough on my things. I've always been this way. I think it's part of lurching through life at high speed.
So, I had to lay everything out on the floor of the car, and now the dining room table, to dry, but I don't think I can use the checks anymore...it's not impressive for a company to send checks with a coffee-colored border...
I hosed down the purse, inside and out, in the shower and it sits there now, the lining drying and probably shrinking. We'll see if it is usable ever again. The phone is dead.
About the election: I had not realized how important the election of Barack Obama was to so many voting segments. Everyone was triumphant and hopeful. It reminded me of the election of JFK, the first Catholic President. The Catholics went nuts. They were so happy.
Now, 45 years later, I'm seeing this excitement again. I was listening to the radio for 7 hours this morning as I drove home, and heard the reaction to the election from around the country and the world.
Update on the purse: I later leaned it against my baseboard heater to dry and overdid it a bit. The handle was fried to a crispy doneness. Oh, I'll still use it. It will just look like everything else I own. Beat to hell. I guess I am tough on my things. I've always been this way. I think it's part of lurching through life at high speed.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Happy Halloween 2008!
Well, it's Halloween again and I am with my grandchildren. We went trick-or-treating at the Plaza with (it seems) everyone else in the town. The merchants open their doors and give out candy to all of the little kids. It's really nice that they all decorate their stores and get into the spirit of the holiday. There was a parade, with a band made up of local college students that played things like the theme from Star Wars. The children, my daugher and I had a great time! My six-year old was a princess fairy, now a tooth fairy, the three-year old was Tigger and the littlest was Eyore. It was a beautiful, sunny day. After the parade, the kids took part in the costume contest and my princess fairy won for her age group!
I just love doing these things with my beautiful family. Wish I lived closer.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
First Day of School!
I can't believe that my granddaughter is starting school tomorrow! I called her tonight to wish her luck and Mom said that she was making her own lunch. She sounded so grown up. She's very excited about school and said that she is also starting her swimming class "on the second day of school" and she was excited about that also. She's looking forward to showing her swim teacher how she can swim underwater and how she's learning to dive. We practiced diving when she was here with me. I think she is going to love school. when she got on the phone she said "I'm sorry I didn't remember your birthday." I told her that it was OK, she could make me a card or draw a picture for me.
I'm a little sad though, too. I hear her voice and she's sounds so grown up. She's confident, excited and ready to go. I feel as though my little girl has already grown up and I wasn't there as often as I would have liked. But I'm hoping to take her on a ski vacation this winter so that she can learn to ski with me. I even bought her gloves today. I hope I can make it happen.
I'm a little sad though, too. I hear her voice and she's sounds so grown up. She's confident, excited and ready to go. I feel as though my little girl has already grown up and I wasn't there as often as I would have liked. But I'm hoping to take her on a ski vacation this winter so that she can learn to ski with me. I even bought her gloves today. I hope I can make it happen.
Another Birthday...
So, I had another birthday. Apparently it didn't mean much to anyone...A beautiful card from Dad and one from a good friend. A couple of late day calls from others. Happy Birthday to my son also.
I'm wasting my days and don't know how to fix it. I went to the art museum to see the Impressionist exhibit, but it wasn't anything special. I guess if you've seen the Monet exhibit at the Met in NY...I drove to Port Townsend the other day, a two and a half hour drive. I brought an overnight bag in case I wanted to stay over, but I'm not sure why anyone would want to spend much time there. I walked and drove all over the town. If you aren't a sailor there's not much to do there. I'm always on the lookout for good artwork, ceramics, glass, etc. but I didn't see a thing. Brought my camera, but didn't take it out of the car. It was a beautiful day and the Olympic Peninsula is beautiful. Not sure what to do next. I'm thinking of getting a season ski pass but the thought of driving up each weekend in the snow is daunting. I wish there was a bus. Also thinking of doing some ceramics at the local community college this fall, but can't seem to decide.
My son has mono. After two weeks of a bad sore throat and several diagnostic blood tests, several trips to the ER to get steroid injections to reduce swelling in his throat, penicillin injections (to which he had a bad reaction and a rash covering his body) the doctors finally figured it out. Apparently the first test was not accurate. Of course, there isn't any treatment, just tylenol, fluids, and rest. Sure makes one confident in doctors, doesn't it?
I'm wasting my days and don't know how to fix it. I went to the art museum to see the Impressionist exhibit, but it wasn't anything special. I guess if you've seen the Monet exhibit at the Met in NY...I drove to Port Townsend the other day, a two and a half hour drive. I brought an overnight bag in case I wanted to stay over, but I'm not sure why anyone would want to spend much time there. I walked and drove all over the town. If you aren't a sailor there's not much to do there. I'm always on the lookout for good artwork, ceramics, glass, etc. but I didn't see a thing. Brought my camera, but didn't take it out of the car. It was a beautiful day and the Olympic Peninsula is beautiful. Not sure what to do next. I'm thinking of getting a season ski pass but the thought of driving up each weekend in the snow is daunting. I wish there was a bus. Also thinking of doing some ceramics at the local community college this fall, but can't seem to decide.
My son has mono. After two weeks of a bad sore throat and several diagnostic blood tests, several trips to the ER to get steroid injections to reduce swelling in his throat, penicillin injections (to which he had a bad reaction and a rash covering his body) the doctors finally figured it out. Apparently the first test was not accurate. Of course, there isn't any treatment, just tylenol, fluids, and rest. Sure makes one confident in doctors, doesn't it?
Saturday, August 30, 2008
My little artist...
My six year old granddaughter is showing signs of interest in drawing. She scanned this picture of two horses and emailed it to me. I love it and wanted to share it with you.
I'd love to do an art/craft class for children. I have so many ideas. Kids are so interested in doing art projects and I'd like to help them grow and nurture that creativity that they have. When the grandchildren visited me the little one put together and painted a wooden sailboat and the six year old painted some bisqueware animals that we bought at Michael's.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
No more mousemobile...
Ok, I tried, really tried to take out the blower motor from under the dash. I got two of the three screws out, but I just couldn't get the final screw out. You may recall that I have been driving with a dead animal in the A/C blower. But now I couldn't do it anymore so, since I am the ultimate DIYer I tackled the project. Looked up "remove dead animal from blower" on the Internet, looked up "remove blower motor", etc. But finally I just got my head under the passenger side dash and got my trusty Philips head screwdriver set out and went to work. I got two screws out and the smell was worse than ever. I didn't think it could get any worse, but yes. It did.
Got a flashlight, mirror, more screwdrivers and maneuvered my head under the dash. Suffice it to say that it was a tight fit... Could not reach the last screw. So, I got into the car and drove over to Doug's Auto Repair, no appointment, just a plea to please get the dead animal out of my blower. They did. The poor mechanic had to wear a respirator mask. Took him about 15 minutes to get that last screw out, remove the blower, show me the very large "mouse" and clean and reinsert the blower.
I am as happy as can be. Like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders...No more mousemobile.
Got a flashlight, mirror, more screwdrivers and maneuvered my head under the dash. Suffice it to say that it was a tight fit... Could not reach the last screw. So, I got into the car and drove over to Doug's Auto Repair, no appointment, just a plea to please get the dead animal out of my blower. They did. The poor mechanic had to wear a respirator mask. Took him about 15 minutes to get that last screw out, remove the blower, show me the very large "mouse" and clean and reinsert the blower.
I am as happy as can be. Like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders...No more mousemobile.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Motherhood is 24/7
By the way, in case you didn't know (that's you, men) motherhood is a 24/7 job. But it is so worth it. I wanted my daughter to have a vacation, relax, take it easy, not worry about all of the day to day things she has to deal with. I figured that I could take some or all of the kids for parts of the day, leaving her to sit and eat bon bons...
But with three littles, there wasn't a moment to really relax. Even at the pool or on a hike to pick blackberries (my place is overrun with blackberry bushes!) someone has to go to the bathroom, usually RIGHT NOW! announcing it to the world "Me have to poop!" or fighting with another one, bonking a head, scratching a knee, catching fingers in a door or hanging on Mom for dear life or needing a nose (or other areas) wiped, a drink, food or other attention. Then dinner - who won't eat this or that, who wants the yogurt WITH the cover on and cries hysterically when I stupidly take it off! (WHO KNEW?) Then, bedtime is also fun. Sometimes a story or two works but sometimes no one will stay put. The patter of little feet back to the living room at 10PM is not usually a welcome sound. But worse is the crying in the middle of the night. Poor Mom probably hasn't slept through the night in 6 years!
Sleep deprivation has serious health effects...including "sieve brain" a condition where Moms cannot retain information, finish tasks or concentrate on anything.
One of the things I resented when my kids were little was the complete lack of time for myself. Just to sit, watch TV, paint, stare into space in a daze if I wanted to. Even with two of us working to keep things under control, we wore ourselves out each day. And I have a dishwasher, washer and dryer, microwave and lots of water for showers! My daughter does it all without most of these modern "conveniences". And, for the most part, she does it with grace. Yes, she loses it occasionally and yells at the kids. Who doesn't? But I see how these kids are thriving and I know that she's doing a great job. "Good Job, Mommy!"
My hands are empty again...
As we were loading up the rented SUV for my daughter and kids to go home after a week with Grandma, someone commented "You certainly have your hands full" as I carted the baby in one arm and Mom's stuff to the car in the other. "Yes", I replied, "but only for a short while longer, then they will be empty again."
And so they are on their way home. This time taking two days rather than the marathon one day trip we drove on the way up to my house. Baby isn't cutting a tooth, so with luck he won't scream the entire trip. The house is so quiet now. I have vacuumed, picked up, did dishes and laundry and soon will be going through my bills...but it is so quiet, so empty.
The kids are all so different and I love them all. The baby is just about to take his first steps (he's in a "clingy" stage now where Mom can't leave his field of vision) and the six-year old is the big sister, about to start school in a couple of weeks. She is so aware of everything that we have to monitor our conversations carefully. So, we shopped for school supplies and clothes. My daughter scanned Craigslist for my area before we drove up and found a free hutch, kidsized, with three little chairs. The woman who listed them said that she had hoped to paint them as a project but never did it. We drove 30 minutes to get the furniture. I want to paint them now, but they are in the car with everything else, going home. Perhaps next time I visit...
I don't like saying goodbye to my family. I want them near. I love hearing their laughs, not so much the howler monkey-like screeching from the toddler, but even that is somehow endearing (only not 24/7 and not after a long, long day).
Big sis, age 6, is so comfortable in the water. She swims underwater with her goggles, all the way across the pool. I started to teach her how to dive. She has no fear and did it over and over and over, mostly belly flopping, but determined to succeed. Then she taught herself how to flip over backwards in the water. The toddler, ever the cautious one, wouldn't even go in the water until I suggested that he hop on my back and race his sister. Then he began to get comfortable. As the days went by, he ventured into the pool, little by little, but always staying near the steps. He won't be pushed into anything rash, that one.
Baby looks to be another curious one, exploring every cabinet and room, but always keeping Mom in sight. I called it the Mom GPS. As I moved him away from Mom, the scream would increase in volume.
The eldest loved watching the Beijing Olympics, which ended yesterday, rooting for the USA to win and critiquing the diving!
My family, see you soon!
And so they are on their way home. This time taking two days rather than the marathon one day trip we drove on the way up to my house. Baby isn't cutting a tooth, so with luck he won't scream the entire trip. The house is so quiet now. I have vacuumed, picked up, did dishes and laundry and soon will be going through my bills...but it is so quiet, so empty.
The kids are all so different and I love them all. The baby is just about to take his first steps (he's in a "clingy" stage now where Mom can't leave his field of vision) and the six-year old is the big sister, about to start school in a couple of weeks. She is so aware of everything that we have to monitor our conversations carefully. So, we shopped for school supplies and clothes. My daughter scanned Craigslist for my area before we drove up and found a free hutch, kidsized, with three little chairs. The woman who listed them said that she had hoped to paint them as a project but never did it. We drove 30 minutes to get the furniture. I want to paint them now, but they are in the car with everything else, going home. Perhaps next time I visit...
I don't like saying goodbye to my family. I want them near. I love hearing their laughs, not so much the howler monkey-like screeching from the toddler, but even that is somehow endearing (only not 24/7 and not after a long, long day).
Big sis, age 6, is so comfortable in the water. She swims underwater with her goggles, all the way across the pool. I started to teach her how to dive. She has no fear and did it over and over and over, mostly belly flopping, but determined to succeed. Then she taught herself how to flip over backwards in the water. The toddler, ever the cautious one, wouldn't even go in the water until I suggested that he hop on my back and race his sister. Then he began to get comfortable. As the days went by, he ventured into the pool, little by little, but always staying near the steps. He won't be pushed into anything rash, that one.
Baby looks to be another curious one, exploring every cabinet and room, but always keeping Mom in sight. I called it the Mom GPS. As I moved him away from Mom, the scream would increase in volume.
The eldest loved watching the Beijing Olympics, which ended yesterday, rooting for the USA to win and critiquing the diving!
My family, see you soon!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Over the River and Through the Woods...Back to Grandmother's House
At the zoo, feeding the budgies...My granddaughter, now six, is fascinated by the birds. You can feed them with sticks of seed that you can buy for $1 each. We don't buy any of course, so she picks up seeds from the ground and feeds the birds with these.
I'm sitting here at 4:30AM. My beautiful daughter and my three grandchildren are asleep in various beds at my home. We drove up here last week after I spent a week at her house. I wanted her to relax and have a vacation. We have been spending time at the pool and each day we have gone somewhere fun for the children. Tall ships, kids' discovery center, monorail, zoo. I am always conscious of how quickly they will grow up so I try to cherish each moment with them. Sometimes it's hard, because they fight as siblings do. Although we've tried to relax, we seem to be on the go every moment of every day. Even with two adults helping out, there is always something to be done: dishes, laundry, meals, cleanup, entertainment.
So, the drive up was very, very long. The baby decided to cut a tooth that day and screamed the entire time or so it seemed. Three car seats crammed into my Honda. We stopped again and again. Bathroom breaks, meal breaks, stretch your legs breaks. Finally arrived late in the night, kids asleep. Quick, blow up the bed and go to sleep!
On the way up, my A/C fan started making a clicking noise. So, no more A/C. Fortunately, it wasn't too hot and we could keep the windows open. Next day we noticed that the car smelled funny. Daughter checks to see if any diapers were left in the car, we decide that it is rotten food somewhere. After all, the kids were eating constantly. So, we search for rotten food, take the car seats apart, but nothing is obvious. Can you see where I'm going here? Next day, smell is much worse, A/C still makes clicking sound. We joke that something is caught in the fan and then realize that this is exactly what happened. So we are driving the "mousemobile" now. My son tells me how to go underneath the glove box and, with a Phillips head screwdriver, open the panel and pull out the fan and thus the rotting, beaten to death creature that sounds like a playing card on a bicycle wheel.
But I have postponed that activity till some other time. I know from experience that rotting animals only smell really bad for a few days...
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The new, better me...
Dinner at my apartment when I first moved in...
My living room...
The clubhouse...
I live in a tiny apartment here. My home in Northern California is rented to a lovely woman while I live and work here for the next few years. It is summer and the weather is beautiful. Sunny, 70s, blue skies, mountains, lakes. Summer is short here so people tend to take full advantage of the sun while it's here.
I love my apartment complex. We have a brand new clubhouse (see pix) with two pools, hot tub, fitness center, racquet ball court, sauna, tanning booth, spa, kitchen, barbeque and meeting rooms. It is gorgeous. On the weekends it is like being at a resort. I had been working out every day until I got pneumo
nia last week.
nia last week.When I moved here late last year I decided to begin my "self improvement" program. So, today I will begin to work out again. The disappointing thing is that I didn't lose an ounce even though I had worked out every day for two months! So frustrating! Perhaps if I cut down on the ice cream? Hmmmm.
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