I thought the movie Beginners was a great movie and The Prince of Persia was silly, but I enjoyed both in a high and low sort of way. Paradise and silliness, great divides, yet connected in a strangely human way.
I read that the etymological root for Paradise is "motherly bread baker." I don't believe it, but I do love the idea of it.
I read that it is more fun to watch a bad cat than it is to watch a good cat. That it is more fun to be a bad cat, metaphorically speaking.
I read about a retired seeing-eye dog once, it was so highly trained that it didn't know how to be silly or to be bad. The new owner longed for her to chase a squirrel or steal a bite of food, to tip over the trash and thoroughly rummage around in it. She claimed it was a delightful day when the dog finally lolled around in her pansy flower bed seeking a bit of sunshine, destroying all the pansies but gaining a bit of wildness, badness.
I read about an old woman who was asked about one particular year in her life. The year she lost a child and went blind. The old woman's response was "that was a bad year."
I can't remember a thing about 1982. What did I do in 1982? I washed socks and peeled onions, this I know, but not because I remember it. I don't remember breathing or bathing or pulling weeds either, but I know I was alive and doing what needed to be done. 1982 -- was it a good year or a bad year?
Paradise and silliness seems uniquely human. And not all things are the truth.
Great divides of philosophy, culture, religion saddens me by degrees. Separateness is a given, but I hate to see it manifest into hatred. Hatred lies like a glacier and yet Paradise lurks under there somewhere.
My life is what it is for reasons not remembered. I have been silly before and I will be silly again. As for Paradise -- I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Silly or bad sometimes you just have to cross the "do not cross" line into Paradise.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
I Was Happy to Hear the Drip Drip Drip
I was happy to hear the drip, drip, drip of melting snow. The snow started at about 2 pm Tuesday afternoon when I parked my car. The snow piled up and piled up and piled up all night Tuesday and all day Wednesday, Thursday and most of Friday morning until about 2 pm Friday afternoon when warmer weather and rain washed that snow right away. It was practically all melted by 4 am Saturday morn when I left for work. Oh life is good.
Sad to say my life was pretty much the same snowed in as it would have been not snowed in. I live such a tiny life.
I read 1400 pages on my snow hiatus. By the way who recommended the book The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story? Who ever you were, thank you.
Now I'm dreaming of:
A long slow drive across the state with Lynn.
A visit to to Flathead Lake in Montana for a slap happy trip with Mary.
A trip to the the bottom of the Grand Canyon for an adventure with Carol.
Rediscovering my creative groove. I seemed to have misplaced it.
A glimpse of a yellow daffodil like Julia posted on her Facebook page.
To make it to The Crystal Bridges American Art Museum.
To see Mr and Mrs Carrillo once more since they are getting on in years, 90 and 96 years old.
To go to Amanda's pie party with pie in hand -- check -- did that.
A play weekend with Connor at Kayak Point's yurt village.
Sorting photographs for a special project.
A little sunshine.
Picking up my reading pace,
Slowing down the pace of life passing by.
Hummingbirds.
Birds flying North.
Completing some overdue thank you gifts.
SIFF the Seattle International Film Festival.
A new movie by a local headlined at the SIFF; My Sister's Sister.
New movies, good movies, good books.
Lunch, dinner or coffee with friends.
A Son's Dinner sometime in February.
Janice's birthday.
A party for Janice's birthday.
An invitation to everyone to come to Seattle for a Janice's birthday party.
Janice can come also.
I'm not dreaming of space travel, dieting, football, a prince charming, surgery, or fungus on my toes.
Song snippet: "I'm not trying to tell you how to do it, I'm only saying put some thought into it." The name of the song is Be What You Are by the Staples Singers from the movie City Island.
A random word search on Google for "awash" turned up a city in Ethiopia, a river in Ethiopia and lots of Awash restaurants all over America including Seattle. Who knew?
May your day be awash in good books, good movies, good food, good songs, good dreaming, and a dearth of snow.
Sad to say my life was pretty much the same snowed in as it would have been not snowed in. I live such a tiny life.
I read 1400 pages on my snow hiatus. By the way who recommended the book The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story? Who ever you were, thank you.
Now I'm dreaming of:
A long slow drive across the state with Lynn.
A visit to to Flathead Lake in Montana for a slap happy trip with Mary.
A trip to the the bottom of the Grand Canyon for an adventure with Carol.
Rediscovering my creative groove. I seemed to have misplaced it.
A glimpse of a yellow daffodil like Julia posted on her Facebook page.
To make it to The Crystal Bridges American Art Museum.
To see Mr and Mrs Carrillo once more since they are getting on in years, 90 and 96 years old.
To go to Amanda's pie party with pie in hand -- check -- did that.
A play weekend with Connor at Kayak Point's yurt village.
Sorting photographs for a special project.
A little sunshine.
Picking up my reading pace,
Slowing down the pace of life passing by.
Hummingbirds.
Birds flying North.
Completing some overdue thank you gifts.
SIFF the Seattle International Film Festival.
A new movie by a local headlined at the SIFF; My Sister's Sister.
New movies, good movies, good books.
Lunch, dinner or coffee with friends.
A Son's Dinner sometime in February.
Janice's birthday.
A party for Janice's birthday.
An invitation to everyone to come to Seattle for a Janice's birthday party.
Janice can come also.
I'm not dreaming of space travel, dieting, football, a prince charming, surgery, or fungus on my toes.
Song snippet: "I'm not trying to tell you how to do it, I'm only saying put some thought into it." The name of the song is Be What You Are by the Staples Singers from the movie City Island.
A random word search on Google for "awash" turned up a city in Ethiopia, a river in Ethiopia and lots of Awash restaurants all over America including Seattle. Who knew?
May your day be awash in good books, good movies, good food, good songs, good dreaming, and a dearth of snow.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
All I Know is What I Read: part II
Want some snow?
I just read that the Cascades are getting 80 inches of new snow.
Eighty inches!
I can't even imagine it.
We have had 3-5 inches here in Mukilteo and more falling as I type: Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, everything is white, slow moving or not moving at all. My bridge is clear thanks to old Bob upstairs, he does a great job. Ian will also do it, but he hasn't come home for several days. It's easier to stay downtown with friends then travel North to snowy Mukilteo. Yesterday while Mukilteo was turning into a winter wonderland Seattle was unscathed. Different story today.
I know 3 - 5 inches isn't even a sneeze in Minnesota, Alaska, or up state New York, but it got my attention.
I'm getting too old to have the anxiety of weather watching. Yesterday as I sat in my downtown cube it was rainy, it was snowy, it was sunshiny, it was wet, it was dry, traffic moved fast, traffic moved slow. Me, trying to take care of customers while all the time thinking "eeek, I have to drive home." I went in to work an hour early to help out and it was wet, I came home at 3:30 and it was wet - but the farther north I drove the lower the skies, the whiter the air, the more accumulations around and the whispery snow was falling. I slid up the last bit of 76th street and into my condo parking lot hidden under six inches of snow and parked under my sweet carport -- home safe at last. What a sweet sweet feeling to know I didn't need to move again until Saturday morning when back to work I go.
Then Ian called and said, "The news advised to move your car out from under carports due to the wet heavy snow. They can collapse."
So here I am, snug with electricity, fresh baked blueberry muffins, a nice yarn of a book to read, a movie or two for watching and thinking of you instead of snow.
May your day be snug, fresh, and nice with a thing or two to entertain you.
I just read that the Cascades are getting 80 inches of new snow.
Eighty inches!
I can't even imagine it.
We have had 3-5 inches here in Mukilteo and more falling as I type: Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, everything is white, slow moving or not moving at all. My bridge is clear thanks to old Bob upstairs, he does a great job. Ian will also do it, but he hasn't come home for several days. It's easier to stay downtown with friends then travel North to snowy Mukilteo. Yesterday while Mukilteo was turning into a winter wonderland Seattle was unscathed. Different story today.
I know 3 - 5 inches isn't even a sneeze in Minnesota, Alaska, or up state New York, but it got my attention.
I'm getting too old to have the anxiety of weather watching. Yesterday as I sat in my downtown cube it was rainy, it was snowy, it was sunshiny, it was wet, it was dry, traffic moved fast, traffic moved slow. Me, trying to take care of customers while all the time thinking "eeek, I have to drive home." I went in to work an hour early to help out and it was wet, I came home at 3:30 and it was wet - but the farther north I drove the lower the skies, the whiter the air, the more accumulations around and the whispery snow was falling. I slid up the last bit of 76th street and into my condo parking lot hidden under six inches of snow and parked under my sweet carport -- home safe at last. What a sweet sweet feeling to know I didn't need to move again until Saturday morning when back to work I go.
Then Ian called and said, "The news advised to move your car out from under carports due to the wet heavy snow. They can collapse."
So here I am, snug with electricity, fresh baked blueberry muffins, a nice yarn of a book to read, a movie or two for watching and thinking of you instead of snow.
May your day be snug, fresh, and nice with a thing or two to entertain you.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
All I Know Is What I Read
The snowy owl population is drifting down into the Pacific Northwest. Experts think it is because there was a bumper crop of lemmings in Alaska, which produced a bumper crop of snowy owls, which then in turn didn't have enough habitat, so some migrated south looking for rodents. Well there are a lot of rats in the Seattle area so happy hunting. I'm trying to tempt Julia with her love of bird watching and Nora with her love of Harry Potter to come for a look see. Anybody else love Harry Potter enough to come see the snowy owls?
Just when I was going to brag over the lack of ice, snow, wind, rain, drizzle, floods, or heat for that matter, the cold wind blew in with the sunny skies and the brilliant view of the mountains. Only in Seattle when the sun comes out does the temperature drop. Thirty and frosty last night and snow on the way, on my drive days of course. Oh, well what would winter be with out a little cold wind? I think I just invited you to leave your refrigerator and come visit mine.
I read in the newspaper that all the foods I eat to be healthy are bad for me; Baaad fooods: canned tomatoes, root vegetables, fish, milk and I forget what all else. Then I heard the habits of people who never get sick: eat dirt, take cold showers, wash your hands -- a lot, eat plants not animals, eat raw as much as possible. It was all a little too much for this feeble brain to take in so I think I will stay with the habits I have. It is a crap shoot anyway, isn't it? I'll concentrate on snowy owls instead.
And I will concentrate on book club. Book club was warm and wonderful as always. We missed Sandy, who had had a bad day, and Claire who wound up in the emergency room because of oxygen levels. No, she didn't want me to come down or drive her home. Those of us there talked kids, books, movies, crafts, snowy owls, those not there, and sundry other topics. If you aren't in a book club I recommend you start one or join one. It is one of my biggest joys. Book clubs are a comfort.
Claire wound up at emergency after she went to the doctor yesterday to get the results of her PET scan from last week. The good news is she is still cancer free.
My little chef friend Amanda and her husband, Paul, are having a pie party on Monday Jan 23 because it is National Pie Day. They will be making the pizza pie and everyone else is to bring a pie to share. Now isn't that a nifty idea? Getting me out after dark and after I have already come home is a lot like pulling a slug off a rock, but I hope I go. I told her there was an 83% chance I would be there with pie in hand. She told me even if I didn't come she would still refresh my coffee on Tuesday morning like she does most mornings. She had a nice Facebook post lately: Vow to stay positive. Okay, will do.
Since today is playdate with Connor I will get to see how he is getting along with the monster toy I got him for his birthday. See if he thinks it is scary...
I was watching a preview and heard the phrase "best day ever" that got me to thinking about my best day ever. I remembered one from my teen years, a day at Springlake Amusement park swimming pool. It felt like a perfect day and in my youthful ignorance I thought it could be repeated. I can't remember now why I thought it was so satisfying, but I remember I did. A combination of weather, friends, social, a bit of that "touching eternity" feeling. How good it felt to be alive that day, how good life was, how good I was. Nope, I don't remember the particulars but I sure remember the day. Well, the feeling of the day.
On reflection I think it is that "touching eternity" feeling; Like when the children are born and laying on your stomach, like the weekend of Janice's 60th birthday and everything happening with grace, a midnight drive across America and seeing the billions and billions of stars all where they should be. Touching eternity.
Life has fears, hopes, loves, snowy owls and eternity -- to quote Jerry -- Life is Good.
I tried to post a photograph, but alas failed, so check out one of the pictures of the snowy owl. Almost too beautiful to be true.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/136878633.html
Just when I was going to brag over the lack of ice, snow, wind, rain, drizzle, floods, or heat for that matter, the cold wind blew in with the sunny skies and the brilliant view of the mountains. Only in Seattle when the sun comes out does the temperature drop. Thirty and frosty last night and snow on the way, on my drive days of course. Oh, well what would winter be with out a little cold wind? I think I just invited you to leave your refrigerator and come visit mine.
I read in the newspaper that all the foods I eat to be healthy are bad for me; Baaad fooods: canned tomatoes, root vegetables, fish, milk and I forget what all else. Then I heard the habits of people who never get sick: eat dirt, take cold showers, wash your hands -- a lot, eat plants not animals, eat raw as much as possible. It was all a little too much for this feeble brain to take in so I think I will stay with the habits I have. It is a crap shoot anyway, isn't it? I'll concentrate on snowy owls instead.
And I will concentrate on book club. Book club was warm and wonderful as always. We missed Sandy, who had had a bad day, and Claire who wound up in the emergency room because of oxygen levels. No, she didn't want me to come down or drive her home. Those of us there talked kids, books, movies, crafts, snowy owls, those not there, and sundry other topics. If you aren't in a book club I recommend you start one or join one. It is one of my biggest joys. Book clubs are a comfort.
Claire wound up at emergency after she went to the doctor yesterday to get the results of her PET scan from last week. The good news is she is still cancer free.
My little chef friend Amanda and her husband, Paul, are having a pie party on Monday Jan 23 because it is National Pie Day. They will be making the pizza pie and everyone else is to bring a pie to share. Now isn't that a nifty idea? Getting me out after dark and after I have already come home is a lot like pulling a slug off a rock, but I hope I go. I told her there was an 83% chance I would be there with pie in hand. She told me even if I didn't come she would still refresh my coffee on Tuesday morning like she does most mornings. She had a nice Facebook post lately: Vow to stay positive. Okay, will do.
Since today is playdate with Connor I will get to see how he is getting along with the monster toy I got him for his birthday. See if he thinks it is scary...
I was watching a preview and heard the phrase "best day ever" that got me to thinking about my best day ever. I remembered one from my teen years, a day at Springlake Amusement park swimming pool. It felt like a perfect day and in my youthful ignorance I thought it could be repeated. I can't remember now why I thought it was so satisfying, but I remember I did. A combination of weather, friends, social, a bit of that "touching eternity" feeling. How good it felt to be alive that day, how good life was, how good I was. Nope, I don't remember the particulars but I sure remember the day. Well, the feeling of the day.
On reflection I think it is that "touching eternity" feeling; Like when the children are born and laying on your stomach, like the weekend of Janice's 60th birthday and everything happening with grace, a midnight drive across America and seeing the billions and billions of stars all where they should be. Touching eternity.
Life has fears, hopes, loves, snowy owls and eternity -- to quote Jerry -- Life is Good.
I tried to post a photograph, but alas failed, so check out one of the pictures of the snowy owl. Almost too beautiful to be true.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/136878633.html
Thursday, January 5, 2012
It Feels Like a Birthday-ish Sort of Day
Yes, it feels like a birthday-ish sort of day.
Will I ever forget the summer mom was in the hospital, I must have been about eight or ten years old, and Jean baked a pineapple upside down cake for my birthday. We kids consumed that so fast that I was left feeling like I had had no birthday cake at all, so Jean, being the good sister/person that she is made a second one for us all to consume equally fast. It is still my best birthday cake ever, until she repeated it on my sixtieth B-Day. No, the childhood one wins because of the warm feelings of love that still linger. Can't wash that feeling away.
Julia remembers not one but two Cinderella cakes from mom.
Jeff had a corvette cake.
Marc had a Pillsbury Doughboy cake.
Mom did have some talent with out many resources.
And Julia how many Panda Wagon cakes did you make for all your nieces and nephews? Did your children ever get one?
One year I asked Roger what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday and he said he wanted a cowboy standing up swinging a rope. He didn't get that cake. But one year we did plan a Hobbit birthday party and only those kids who had read the book knew that meant they would be getting gifts instead of giving them. Janice put two twelve inch candles and a giraffe on Rogers second birthday cake, yes I still have the candles and giraffe. It was simple yet striking looking.
Ian had a block party for his first birthday. All the neighborhood children were so invested in his arrival that I felt I owed it to them. I made four cakes and iced them as one big sheet cake. Ian had toddled in that morning and pinched a corner off so I left that part un-iced just for the shear joy of seeing that pinched off corner. Another year I let Ian pick a picture of any birthday cake out of his children's books. Did you ever try to match a cartoon drawing in real life? It seems like it had jelly beans on top and teddy bear cookies around the edge. It turned out pretty good even if I do say so myself.
Jean, again, made Roger a strawberry birthday one year: strawberry waffles and I can't remember what else, but I still have some pictures.
I think it was Jean's fiftieth birthday that I made the triple layer cheesecake with raspberry topping and espresso glaze, before any of us even knew what espresso was probably.
Debbie used to always get those wonderful Dairy Queen ice cream cakes for Summer's summer birthdays. I don't remember if she did it for Jason also.
I don't remember the cake but I sure remember Christian's G.I Joe birthday party. I sent the invitations like a military draft notice: Greeting, you have been selected...
Draft notice; if you remember those you date yourself.
It took me, dad, and Jeff to pull that one off. Jeff did a boot camp and performed as the drill Sargent. All those boys thrilling to hear him yell at them and call them "girls" as he put them through the paces. If I didn't say it then then I am saying it now -- Thanks Jeff.
Now Connor is a big three years old today. His first birthday was the vegan Fire Engine, a work of art. His second birthday was pirate themed with cupcakes. This year will be his first invitation party at the Children's Museum Imaginarium in Everett this weekend. This evening will be a simpler family get together. Ian found the greatest toy at Toys R Us when we went shopping. A $100.00 toy for $30.00, I love it that Connor's birthday is after Christmas. It is a Fisher-Price Big Foot Monster that walks, talks, rolls, growls, and laughs, but I don't think it farts like his Christmas fire engine.
And life goes on. I have had a busy week getting caught up with friends: Lunch with Karmen, coffee with Jo-Anne, Dinner with Mary, coffee with Carol. Good friends all. Today before Connor's get together I will be with Claire as she has her first post-cancer PET scan. Just to make sure no little cancerous cells are lurking anywhere.
Book club is Wednesday. Yes, life goes on.
On my last post I commented that my friend asked which movie Roger and Stephanie were going to see on New Years Eve, I can now report it was the new remake of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
I watched a new great film, not to be confused with any good film; a French spy movie called Farewell, it was so so good I highly recommend it. French, American and Russian spy's based on fairly recent occurrences. Yeah right, I don't often trust those based on actual events claims, but the movie was worthy.
I also re watched another worthy movie; Amazing Grace. I had forgotten how much grace it did have. This movie falls under the heading of good, not great.
Roger did the polar bear plunge and the marathon run. He is pumped for 2012. Julia are you running yet?
I will leave you with a final tidbit copied from Karmen's Facebook post, I just liked it:
Love to one and all and happy birthday to whom ever.
Will I ever forget the summer mom was in the hospital, I must have been about eight or ten years old, and Jean baked a pineapple upside down cake for my birthday. We kids consumed that so fast that I was left feeling like I had had no birthday cake at all, so Jean, being the good sister/person that she is made a second one for us all to consume equally fast. It is still my best birthday cake ever, until she repeated it on my sixtieth B-Day. No, the childhood one wins because of the warm feelings of love that still linger. Can't wash that feeling away.
Julia remembers not one but two Cinderella cakes from mom.
Jeff had a corvette cake.
Marc had a Pillsbury Doughboy cake.
Mom did have some talent with out many resources.
And Julia how many Panda Wagon cakes did you make for all your nieces and nephews? Did your children ever get one?
One year I asked Roger what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday and he said he wanted a cowboy standing up swinging a rope. He didn't get that cake. But one year we did plan a Hobbit birthday party and only those kids who had read the book knew that meant they would be getting gifts instead of giving them. Janice put two twelve inch candles and a giraffe on Rogers second birthday cake, yes I still have the candles and giraffe. It was simple yet striking looking.
Ian had a block party for his first birthday. All the neighborhood children were so invested in his arrival that I felt I owed it to them. I made four cakes and iced them as one big sheet cake. Ian had toddled in that morning and pinched a corner off so I left that part un-iced just for the shear joy of seeing that pinched off corner. Another year I let Ian pick a picture of any birthday cake out of his children's books. Did you ever try to match a cartoon drawing in real life? It seems like it had jelly beans on top and teddy bear cookies around the edge. It turned out pretty good even if I do say so myself.
Jean, again, made Roger a strawberry birthday one year: strawberry waffles and I can't remember what else, but I still have some pictures.
I think it was Jean's fiftieth birthday that I made the triple layer cheesecake with raspberry topping and espresso glaze, before any of us even knew what espresso was probably.
Debbie used to always get those wonderful Dairy Queen ice cream cakes for Summer's summer birthdays. I don't remember if she did it for Jason also.
I don't remember the cake but I sure remember Christian's G.I Joe birthday party. I sent the invitations like a military draft notice: Greeting, you have been selected...
Draft notice; if you remember those you date yourself.
It took me, dad, and Jeff to pull that one off. Jeff did a boot camp and performed as the drill Sargent. All those boys thrilling to hear him yell at them and call them "girls" as he put them through the paces. If I didn't say it then then I am saying it now -- Thanks Jeff.
Now Connor is a big three years old today. His first birthday was the vegan Fire Engine, a work of art. His second birthday was pirate themed with cupcakes. This year will be his first invitation party at the Children's Museum Imaginarium in Everett this weekend. This evening will be a simpler family get together. Ian found the greatest toy at Toys R Us when we went shopping. A $100.00 toy for $30.00, I love it that Connor's birthday is after Christmas. It is a Fisher-Price Big Foot Monster that walks, talks, rolls, growls, and laughs, but I don't think it farts like his Christmas fire engine.
And life goes on. I have had a busy week getting caught up with friends: Lunch with Karmen, coffee with Jo-Anne, Dinner with Mary, coffee with Carol. Good friends all. Today before Connor's get together I will be with Claire as she has her first post-cancer PET scan. Just to make sure no little cancerous cells are lurking anywhere.
Book club is Wednesday. Yes, life goes on.
On my last post I commented that my friend asked which movie Roger and Stephanie were going to see on New Years Eve, I can now report it was the new remake of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
I watched a new great film, not to be confused with any good film; a French spy movie called Farewell, it was so so good I highly recommend it. French, American and Russian spy's based on fairly recent occurrences. Yeah right, I don't often trust those based on actual events claims, but the movie was worthy.
I also re watched another worthy movie; Amazing Grace. I had forgotten how much grace it did have. This movie falls under the heading of good, not great.
Roger did the polar bear plunge and the marathon run. He is pumped for 2012. Julia are you running yet?
I will leave you with a final tidbit copied from Karmen's Facebook post, I just liked it:
Love to one and all and happy birthday to whom ever.
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