She Warned Me....An Update!
One week, some bright sunshine, a little TLC....voilà! Is it almost May?
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009
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Every now and again, going postal is a good thing; thus the arrival of a package from my Beyond-Neil-Diamond friend, addressed using the wrong zip code. Okay, okay; so it took two weeks to arrive...but hey, it got here.
Its contents were grand; i.e., a little ND, a little new music, a box of chocolates, and a card filled with warm sentiments. Of course, my thanks are endless. But for now, I'm thanking her for STICKER STORIES! Please read on.
Give a first-grader a page with a sticker attached and see what happens. My friend shared one such story about a "hores". Use your imagination. Thus, I'm brought back to the beach, in envisioning the elusive wild horses of the Outer Banks. And I'm inspired to use my vast collection of photos as my sticker guides.
Thank you, my dear Friend!
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
No Gilt-Guilt Here!
Back to the Cape to illustrate the antithesis of Gilt-Guilt, as I recall the day Cousin Dale came back from one of his hikes to tell us he had found the mother lode of buoys, seemingly available for the taking. Even Mambo wasn't in the mood to hike the deserted beach, as it was about ninety degrees that day. Not much choice here, as Dale felt compelled to utilize all of our hands to help transport the coveted buoys, already envisioning them in his vast collection. Let it be noted that he carried not one of said buoys, at that time! We trekked and then saw the unbelievable vision in the dunes. Dale's glee was palpable as we approached, only to find inhabitants at the beach shack by the sea! We were intrigued upon meeting Scott and Marcia. I asked Scott if by some chance we had shared space back in the sixties, at the Woodstock Festival in Bethel, NY. We had! Ah, six degrees or fewer.....Scott just SO looked the part!
We were quickly educated about the abandoned Coast Guard lookouts available through the government, but only after near suffocation by red tape. Marcia rented her "real" property inland, so that she and Scott were able to live their dream...no electric, no cable, no INTERNET and no doors or screens. On particularly buggy nights, they slept in a tent, pitched not far from the shack. They occasionally drove the distance to "town" to purchase supplies. When blustery weather settles in on Old Cape Cod, our celebrants move to the middle of the desert in Taos, New Mexico. There, they are even more isolated. Living, breathing nomads, clearly minus gilt-guilt! As my Mom likes to say, "G-d makes 'em and G-d pairs 'em!" Oh, and just for the record, Scott collects beach buoys! That's all she wrote.....
Gilt Guilt?
Oscar gave us a new format and a nice show last night, albeit a rather lengthy one! Hugh Jackman - gorgeous, talented, and full of personality - must have millions of new and adoring fans at his fingertips this morning. In my opinion, the gowns were exquisite, for the most part; the older contenders were classy, for the most part; the awards were well distributed, for the most part; and the young just glowed, no part excluded.
This said, I can’t help but think many of us have chosen the wrong occupation. The self-improvement (?) industry is alive and well, and here I wonder what exactly inspired one particular movie star in her attempt to avoid what she must see as the "ravages" of time. Just for the record, I’m A Believer (ND) in the fact that we all, each and every one of us, possess some trace of OCD. Come on, admit it! There has to be at least one little facet of your life or being you might be just a tad obsessive about! Is it lurking OCD that is responsible for this particular case of Gilt Guilt?
Gilded Goldie was upsetting to behold. We expect high gloss from Dolly; she informed us long ago that it is just plain her thing. But Goldie The Gorgeous? Where did she go? What is she thinking? To have seen her more naturally aged, but with that same infectious giggle, would have been my preference. She would still have brought a smile to my face for all the talent and humor she has shared. And still, I’m sure, her beauty would be intact.
Would you agree that the nooks and crannies of an almost-ninety-year-old face can be inspiring? Or is it the gilded lily we prefer to behold?
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2009
Batter-Up!
I know, I know; it’s baseball season and spring training is in full force. It’s a tad depressing for this Yankee fan, though. A-Rod is in big trouble; Shea is dust; and we won’t be able to afford tickets for “The” Stadium, in all its newness. So, this is about the other kind of batter; i.e, the pancake variety.
Use that extra batter to make crêpe-sized cakes; sandwich around a spread of healthy peanut butter and sugar-free preserves; cut into wedges; and tell the kids you made Peanut Pizza Pies for them. Toss some apples into the equation, for extra nutrition. They'll be happy with the texture, delivered from two faves; and you'll be happy in not having to trim crust.
Enjoy the game. Bon Appetit!
Have Y'All Met Earl?
On a recent trip to Spain, a warm, funny friend acquired freshly pressed olive oil. "Have you tasted the Spanish variety?" asked he. "No," said I. Soon thereafter, a gorgeous bottle with product arrived on my front porch. I quickly filled my spritzer and introduced Spain to my kitchen. Just a drop of this magic potion adds flavor beyond description!
One day, while exercising to counteract the effects of Spain and pasta, I simultaneously watched the cooking channel, where the chef-of-the day was using "all" or "awl"- her pronunciation. I could not stop laughing and was reminded of my dear Uncle Phil, who said "earl". Well, e-mail ensued, as my friend and I acknowledged the humor that underlies our differences. We also spoke to the power some little gestures possess. Each time I use a drop of Earl, I think of my friend and his thoughtfulness. Leo Buscaglia said it best:
"The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact upon the world, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our encouragement, who will need our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. It's overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt."
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2009
Inspirations In Color
One August day in 2007, clouds were looming over Old Cape Cod. Our Cousin Dale decided the troupes should go exploring on the bluffs of Truro. We came upon this kind and gentle looking man, painting not the seascape you see to his left, but rather a huge abode that sat even farther up on the bluff to his front-right. We stopped to chat and enjoy the view. From afar, we all looked down upon the ocean and the row of dilapidated rental cottages, each about a foot away from being in the water. In reality, said cottages are prime real estate during the summertime on the Cape, often being booked years in advance.....but not fodder for this particular artist, at this particular moment in time. Perhaps while browsing the art shops in Provincetown this coming summer, we'll see his finished painting!
Last fall, our Grandson took us on a tour of Saratoga Springs. We "ooh-ed" and "ahh-ed" over many painted ponies, as he excitedly led us to the carousel.
Great anticipation of the ride-to-come motivated him to quicken his pace, but he was disappointed to find the carousel closed for the day. However, his enthusiasm did not wane. With great glee, he pointed to his favorites amongst "the herd"! Ah, yes; inspirations of all sorts, as we captured our beautiful Little Man in the above pose.
Our four Grandchildren contribute more than words can say to our Palette of Life. Soon, I must write about each Little Artist, demonstrating just how his or her inner beauty arrived in color to adorn our "Art Door"!
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009
Seinfeld Says It All
One of the commonalities of interest we share with our Buffalo cousins is the enjoyment of Seinfeld, who is able to depict just about every aspect of human nature with humor. Remember the episode wherein Jerry is caught tossing away a card received from a girlfriend? It was hilarious and addressed that twinge we (well, some of us!) feel in discarding something gifted with sentimentality.
Carefully chosen are those for whom I hand craft....I always fear the dreaded "Ugh!". With the chosen recipient in my thoughts as I craft, each stitch holds a lot of lovin'. Babies are easy to please. So, when my littlest Buffalo cousin was born one past June, I began creating this little blankie for her. Not only did I stitch with love, but I was doing so as I enjoyed the sunshine, by the pool, outdoors in my well loved gardens. Wow! That gift was packed with adoration!
So, how long is Our Cousin Maddy obligated to love this object in return? Imagine our surprise each time she whips it out, to show us that it is STILL in use, seventeen years later. Most recently, we were sharing our mutual love of Cape Cod with our Buffalo cousins, when out came Maddy with her blankie.
Some people enjoy comfort foods, while others enjoy.....well, you know!
We love you, Maddy.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2009
How To Justify Watching Four Seasons Of "Weeds"
On a recent visit to our favorite cousins in Buffalo, New York, it was suggested to us that we purchase and watch the first three seasons of the Showtime production, "Weeds", before watching the current fourth season. Okay; sounded like a plan. We respect their opinions elsewhere, so why not here? Little did we realize how addictive the well-acted, brilliantly-written show would be.....or how frightening its scope would be, in recognizing many of the problems that plague our society. "Yada, yada, yada," as Mr. Seinfeld would say. How does one justify so much TV-watching? For me, it's knit, purl, knit, purl. "Rainbow" was made for my better half, who just loves to cuddle under its warmth. "Shades Of Taupe" was just plain made on a whim, and following no pattern....what fun! Any other shows out there that we seriously need to catch up on?
We Need Dirt!
We need dirt! It is only mid-February, and I am itching to dig, so that Mambo and Ike can challenge my every planting. As irony would have it, my dear friend Christiane sent me seeds...a lot of seeds! Now, temptation has overtaken me. She warned me not to plant those seeds that produce tall, vining plants.....but, please, who can resist? So, four days ago, I planted. This morning, I found sprouting Snap Pea plants. What to do? Why, Google indoor snap-pea-plant growing, of course! Sure enough, there is a virtual person, just itching to stir fry some snap peas. I'm inspired. I joined her site; we shall see. If nothing else, I'll have vines in my front, very sunny windows. Thank you, Christiane; we needed dirt! Wait till those bean seeds start producing!
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2009
And Happy 68th Birthday To The Music Man In My Life!
Photo by Joe-August 16, 2008, Madison Square Garden. What a night! What a tour!
He sang to me!
Happy 4th Birthday To The Littlest Man In My Life! I Love You!!
So, what are the chances of having a precious Grandson born just minutes before midnight and a couple of weeks early on the birthday of a particular person whose music and concerts you have been enjoying since 1966? We are all so connected....
I am so very intrigued by our seemingly fewer and fewer degrees of separation.
