pretty pearls

For several years I have been playing with beads. The colors, shapes, and infinite number of possible configurations for earrings and necklaces has made me very happy. And overloaded with accessories. I pulled the pieces that I wasn't too fond of anymore, disassembled and divided the beads and hardware to save and be made into new creations. It's a nice hobby to share with all my girls, both relatives and friends. In fact, just last night Hanna made a necklace after we returned from Jade. How easy is that? Perhaps I need to leave the whole inventory splayed out on the dining room table for a few weeks!

Now, to the quote. I read with interest about the recent death of poet Sylvia Plath's son, Nicholas Hughes, a suicide at age 47. In the article his father, Ted Hughes, also a poet, wrote to him 2 decades ago:


The only calibration that counts is how much heart people invest, how much they ignore their fears of being hurt or caught out or humiliated. And the only thing people regret is that they didn't live boldly enough, that they didn't invest enough heart, didn't love enough. Nothing else really counts at all.


take care, go out and put your whole heart into what ever you do next!

preliminary prognosis

Girls Weekend in the City started out great! All our schedules were coming together with the help of spouses and grandparents. The plans we had were made even better with tickets obtained free of charge, and to top it off, the weather forecast was a springtime dream!

Then the nightmare began.

A stomach virus worked it's way into our plans and took us out. First Karla, then Lisa, and Jan and I are still OK, but fearful of what may occur. Still, even with the interruption, our time together was good and a reminder of our strong connection and commitment to one another.

Girl power!

We're considering a train trip to Chicago for next winter's GW.

Quote from French Poet Jacques Delille;

Fate chooses your relations, you choose your friends.


lucky me, fate gave me phenomenal friends.

paint big or go home

Big. We're painting big. The backdrop for the spring production is big. The idea Aly had for this backdrop is big as well. She tends to have ideas that are quite detailed, and much to my relief, has decided that subtle will work better in this particular application. However I did paint thousands of blades of grass today! (they are subtle!)The giant backdrop canvas is on a pulley system that makes it much easier to go from sky to mountain to grass. It really needs to be electric though...it is difficult hoisting the canvas up---it takes both of us to pull and lock it down at the right level.

Quote of the day from Maurice Sendak, regarding his friend Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel;

There was certainly nothing bland, cookie cutter, or trendy about Ted Geisel. These works abound in nuttiness, political incorrectness, and lots and lots of cats!

take care, and don't be bland!

Miss Pettigrew

I just finished watching a movie with Aly. "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day," was a cute story where happy endings are guaranteed by five minutes into the movie. Once in a while it's good to not be challenged by a drama, or entertained by a thriller (or grossed out by a horror). Just tell me a story and let me relax!

I'm staying with Aly for a few days in her on campus apartment to assist her with some backdrop painting for the spring production. Priming and preliminary blocking is on the schedule for tomorrow.

Quote of the day from Peggy A .Olson;

Just tell me a story and let me relax!

ha-ha, take care!

pondering the perplexity of choice

Tell me about how to choose. My days, as well as everyone else's are filled with choice. Are we actually choosing? Or do our prior thoughts and internal decisions make that choice before we actually verbalize the decision?

Set the alarm, get out of bed, go to work, take care of yourself and family, shopping to fulfill needs, think, clean, breathe, exercise, tend to mail, respond to bills, write to those we love, and be a part of society. Then there is the partner...

I happily share my life with a partner who declares total commitment. I love that choice. He adores his wife! Lucky me. However, it can be somewhat hard to convince each other in cooperative choices having to do with our life together. I have different tastes in areas where he has no interest, as well as me having no interest in much of his likes and dislikes. When do the choices become mine or his? Or forced because of family obligation?

Quote of the day from Gloria Steinem;

Once we give up searching for approval, we often find it easier to earn respect.

take care~~~

no pits please

Pat the pie man is going to create his famous pie crust for me today. In that nice, lightly browned pastry, I will place freshly cooked lemon (from hand-picked Arizona lemons) pie filling and attempt meringue. I do hope I am worthy of the challenge. Perhaps Lisa can assist in the making of this delight! I predict squeezing the lemons will be the most important part of the process!

Prior to that science experiment, she and I will do the market for lunch, then drive over to the James J. Hill House historic site. I'm so glad she gets me out of the house.

Quote of the day from John Wooden;

Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

good day!

preposterous popculture

I am a big fan of Saturday Night Live. The show started in the 70's when I spent many Saturday nights babysitting. Those were the pre-cable days (gasp!) when the only TV choices were 3 networks and a couple of local affiliates. I was an accidental watcher, trying to figure out if "samurai warrior" was funny, and soon a dedicated fan. Granted, the show has been less than funny on many occasions, but I will remain a fan for as long the show is broadcast. A highlight of last years trip to NYC was a tour of NBC and seeing the studio.

Fast forward to 2009 and my new favorite irreverent SNL short film. "I'm On a Boat" is funny and the most popular music video downloaded from Apple to ipod. If you care to watch, be warned there is strong language. If you are not offended by that sort of thing, and have an open mind about how silly it is, you will like the music video. The humor for me comes in how the song and actors are making such a big deal about being on a boat. Reminds me of how folks cruising Lake Minnetonka on big boats think very highly of them selves and are thinking---"hey look at me! I'm on a big boat and you are not!"

After all, it's just a boat.

Quote from Earl Mac Rauch;

Remember, no matter where you go, there you are.


Even on a boat. :)

take care!

pueblo papaya

I have returned from the Valley of the Sun. Upon exiting the cab from the airport I was hit with sub zero winds blowing with great force off our building. sigh...

I am happy to have had a respite in the desert during it's lush growing season. The citrus trees, both groves and yard ornamentals, looked decked out for a holiday with all the beautiful round fruit hanging heavy on every branch.

One of the activities my snowbird parents practice on a nearly everyday schedule is visiting a market. One market in particular was a ramshackle building filled with bins and bins of all sorts of produce. Much of the stock was from Mexico. The prices were incredibly reasonable and the people shopping there were as varied as the prolific produce!

Patrick had his fun with little brother Steve---golfing, drinking beer, eating, golfing, etc...

We hoped to get to the movie theater prior to the Academy Awards but failed. Mom and I watched the show on Sunday night. I do hope to get to the movies soon---the big screen is so much better than a DVD at home.

I logged in quite a few afternoons at the pool. There's nothing like relaxing in a lounge chair, poolside, squinting up at the silhouette of palm trees. Only thing missing at the active senior living pool was an extra large pina colada with an umbrella! (no food or beverages allowed except under the cabana at the tables!)

Quote of the day;

Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen.

-Robert Bresson, French film director

happy wednesday!