...sigh...

As I am sitting inside, flannel pj pants on, thin t-shirt, and hood up from my sweatshirt, I am taking frequent peeks at what is going on outdoors. There is a plump, solitary dove perched on an angled wire above our garage. All around her there is gentle snow falling like sifted sugar. The sky is a flat grey, but the nerve-like quality of the tree branches break it up. Now I can hear the dove's coos through the window. Different birds are answering back.

...weekend update...

Jeremy and I have had an abundant social calendar to attend to lately, so I haven't had as much leisure time...well, leisure time by myself! I don't feel super write-y right now, but Rick requested an update!
Yesterday was my day off so how did I spend it? First I met with the historian at Elmwood Cemetery (the oldest cemetery in K.C....very interesting.) Far-back generations of my family are buried there, so I had gathered some info/photos for him to take a look at. He just about fell over with some of the stuff...sweet! After purusing some graves, I headed off to my Mom's house to help go through stuff in my old room and clean it out. We need a spot to move all the family history items from my Daddad's to. Most of the things left in that room were from high school. Last night, after returning home from a show at the info shop, Jer and I shared our deepest poetry that we had written in our younger years. It was pretty funny. I also found lots of old art, casette tapes, books, bizzare items, and one lonely flavored condom from when I used to volunteer at Condom Crusaders. So...here is a funny story that you may or may not know about me.

When I was a senior in high school, I ocassionally volunteered at Condom Crusaders putting together the little sample packs that they gave away when they spoke to groups. It included one lubed condom, one non-lubricated, a little tube of lubricant, and an info packet that contained proper condom usage, safe-sex tips, how to clean needles if you have to share one, etc. ANYWAY...as a volunteer, we could have as many condoms as we wanted. In the offerings were many flavored ones...grape, strawberry, banana, cola, etc. I took some of each flavor. Now, it is none of your business as to whether or not I was using them for their intended purpose, but I did have one totally lame moment with them. It was a Friday or Saturday night, and I happened to not be going out. I was up in my room, listening to music, doing whatever. Suddenly I wondered, "Do those flavored condoms really taste like what they say they will?" I proceeded to unwrap each one and take a couple of licks. After a bit I realized how totally lame I was...alone, licking flavored condoms. Dork.

You are water. You're not really organic; you're
neither acidic nor basic, yet you're an acid
and a base at the same time. You're strong
willed and opinionated, but relaxed and ready
to flow. So while you often seem worthless,
without you, everything would just not work.
People should definitely drink more of you
every day.


Which Biological Molecule Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

...lady luck...

We survived all of the icy-ness with no power outages, or slips on staircases and sidewalks. I was sad to see the world of delicately crunching grass and glass-encased trees melt away. But...what replaced it was fog! Yesterday, as I left for work, I paused for a moment to breathe in the silence and enjoy the view of our street enshrouded in fog. I especially love looking at the neighbors towering evergreens when we are lucky enough to have fog. Today seems to be sunny, yet still cold.

In other luckyness...both of my pieces in the show downtown sold on the last day it was open! Woo-hoo! Plus, yesterday I won a fine lump of cash in a contest to sell easels at work. Maybe I should go to Vegas...uh...probably not.

Otherwise, I have been indulging in a couple of books..."Cosmic Trigger" by Robert Anton Wilson, "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott, and "An Alchemy of Mind:The Marvel and Mystery of the Brain" by Diane Ackerman. Yay!!! Reading rules!

...back in black...

We returned home from our jaunt to Michigan safe and sound on Sunday. We had a very relaxing, fun trip hanging out with Alan, Meade, and Liam (Lucas, unfortunately, had to work the whole time.) There was a lot of hiking, reading, playing of skittle, sleeping, drinking wine, and eating fantastic food - much of which was made by Alan. Our New Year celebration consisted of spending the day hiking with Alan, Meade, and Jer...eating a late lunch, going to see "Ocean's Twelve" with Jer and Liam, then returning from the movie about 11:45pm to find dinner almost ready. At midnight we had a champagne toast, then feasted on lake trout encrusted with a ground nut concoction, steamed asparagus, challah, and fried potatoes. So good...
Jer and I decided that we enjoy the idea of midnight dinner every New Year's Eve!

So...thank you Meade, Alan, and Liam for your generous hospitality. We had a wonderful time as always.

Otherwise...Christmas was good. There was much celebrating and festive activities. I worked a bunch, then we left, now we are back, and it was right back to work! Good friend Mandylan is in town, so I got to hang out with her yesterday. Currently we are right in the grip of an ice storm. Please chant amongst yourselves that no tree brances will crash through our house, onto our cars, or tear down our power lines! Yay! So far, so good...we are warm, and Jeremy is creating dinner as I type. Yum. Hope everyone is happy, healthy, and filled with love for their fellow earth inhabitants.

...cake for Jesus, I mean Joshua...

Happy Birthday o brother-in-law of mine! Here is wishing you the best year yet. I hope that this time next year, we can celebrate with you in person!
Have a great day with your family, and eat some of Julie's yummy food for me...well...don't eat lamb for me, 'cause I'm not sure if I will ever do that or not. Anyway...I hope all of your wishes come true. Take care.
love you much...


P.S. In un-related news, we found out Wednesday that Piper and Nick are having a boy! We get the instant gratification of having an older niece to play with and talk to, and now we get a nephew to know from the get go! I love being an Aunt!!!

...thanks due...

Yesterday was an exciting mail day...three packages and two cards and a card with cookies from our neighbors! I love getting mail!!!
Anyway, we are no-good at saving our packages to open at the appropriate holiday time. I was going to try to be good this year, but Jer said let's go for it.

Thank you Josh, Julie, and Morgan for the very cool gifts! I never knew a mini-Che existed. The cookies are very good...Jer went immediately for them...not that I didn't, but he got there first. Hope you all are having a nice holiday today. We will try to call at some point, but I am unexpectedly working most of today, and Jer has a tuning.

Thank you Joan! The tile is beautiful, and goes well with our collection. The kitchen gadgets will be definitely utilized. We hope you get your package in time...we sent it off Priority yesterday. Have safe travels and thank you again!

Thank you Rick for the gift last week! I know Jer spoke with you, but I didn't get to thank you yet. We love fiesta ware, so it was perfect! I have already enjoyed many cups of coffee in the mugs. We are slow on gathering your gift...we know what it is, it is just a matter of doing it. That's all I'm going to say. So...it is probably not going to arrive on time, but we still love you! :)

Alright! Thank you everybody!!! The best gift of all is having you folks as family.
We will talk with you at some point this week.
Happy Holidays of all kinds.
love.

...under pressure...

Man...people are getting a little too nutty out there. I really do not enjoy trying to get any sort of shopping done this time of year be it groceries or gifts. People are super-hyped up on consuming...I start to see them just as giant suck-holes bent on obtaining as much as they can in a short amount of time. Especially working retail you get to experience just how much the holidays can turn people into real jerks. Sigh. I just want to grab people and smack them...breathe damnit! Remember, it should not be about getting things. I would be perfectly happy just to have leisurely time with family and friends...no worrying about work, or bills...eating good food, and laughing. Presents are nice, but they don't have to exist.

Okay...just had to get that off of my chest, because I am starting to not want to leave the house!

In other news...things are pretty good. Jer's been getting a bunch of tunings, I am working more hours at Utrecht which is not a bad thing, it hasn't been too cold, we discovered a new favorite breakfast spot within walking distance from the house ('bout a mile,) I'm re-reading "The Red Tent," we have been eating well, Piper and Nick get to find out in a couple of days if they are having a boy or girl!, the kitties are snuggly and cute (though can be scratch-masters at night,)...I don't know...life is just moving on as it should.

If I don't get around to it again...Happy Holidays of all kinds to everyone.
P.S. Hey Josh and Julie...we got invited to a Solstice party for Tuesday night, so we will be celebrating too!

...from Julie...

I really liked this listing idea...
things listed in no particular order

Twelve Good Books:
1.The Journey is the Destination by Dan Eldon
2.House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
3.Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
4.Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
5.Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
6.A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain
7.The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
8.The Year I Didn't Go To School by Giselle Potter
9.Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl
10.The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
11.Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Alexander Brown
12.Half Asleep In Frog Pajamas by Tom Robbins

Eleven Good Bands/Artists:
1.Tool
2.Bjork
3.Pixies
4.Neurosis
5.Pink Floyd
6.Dead Prez
7.Mos Def
8.Garbanzo Brothers Music
9.Queen
10.Submission Hold
11.The Mountain Goats

Here is my list of eleven visual artists...though I think by artists they meant musically, but who cares!:
1.Remedios Varo
2.Yoshitomo Nara
3.Kara Walker
4.Vincent Van Gough
5.Frida Kahlo
6.Joseph Cornell
7.Fred Tomaselli
8.Alex Grey
9.Corrie Beth Hogg
10.Ann Hamilton
11.Kiki Smith

Ten Things You Want to Do In Your Life:
1.visit Iceland
2.have children
3.have an art show outside of the Kansas City area
4.visit every State that I have not yet been to
5.swim with whales and/or dolphins
6.learn to speak Spanish and/or French at least semi-fluently
7.have a party in which all my family/extended family is present
8.scuba dive
9.solve some sort of mystery
10.fully read "Gravity's Rainbow" and "Zen and the Brain" (they are both quite heavy, and awaiting me on our shelves)

Nine Things You Really Like:
1. snuggling in blankets on a cold day and reading
2.talking with/pretty much everything dealing with Jeremy
3.cooking/having a really tasty dinner with friends
4.walking around familiar and unfamiliar cities
5.being an Aunt!
6.sunshine on my flesh
7.my family
8.funny things that kids say
9.thinking about/working on art projects

Eight Things That Piss You Off:
1.people who don't pay attention to their surroundings
2.customers who are rude to me from the get go and for absolutely no reason
3.how utterly cruel people all over the world can be to each other
4.hitting (of children, wives, husbands, or other animals!)
5.crazy drivers...sometimes I'm included in that!
6.words intentionally spelled wrong (i.e. rite, nite, u save)
7.willful ignorance
8.stepping in dog poo

Seven Things You Do Daily:
1.drink coffee
2.hug/kiss/say I love you to Jeremy a bunch
3.make lists
4.eat
5.think about my Dad and Grandparents
6.wash my face
7.laugh

Six Memories:
1.all my firsts with Jeremy (meeting, date, kiss...you know)
2.emerging out of a three-hour hike through sub-tropical rainforest in the Blue Mountains outside of Sydney
3.driving through a blizzard in south-western Kansas, and looking out the window to see a HUGE tumbleweed rollin' on by
4.the shame I felt the first time I was caught lying by a friend (it was 2nd grade)
5.the night my Dad passed away
6.lying on the ground in Iowa, the night-sky splayed out before us, watching hundreds of shooting stars

Five Things You Thought About Today:
1.my health (I'm getting over a cold.)
2.gifts left to get for various folks
3.sewing circle tonight
4.what to do (it's my day off!)
5.frogs

Four Things You Like About Yourself:
1.sense of humor
2.my fine booty
3.creativity
4.approachability

Three Things You Don't Like About Yourself:
1.my apathy/indecision/lack of discipline about doing certain things
2.sometimes I say things before thinking about how they might hurt somebody
3.I can be a little too firey sometimes

Two People That You Confide In Most:
1.Jeremy
2.Piper

One Thing You Want But Don't Have:
1.the truth about all of the mysteries of the world

...food,thundersnow,and fun...

Tuesday night as we were hanging out upstairs it began to snow. We noticed it wasn't really sticking, and continued on chatting and taking in some cable. A little while later we decided to look out the windows again. Hmmm...it was starting to collect a bit. As I was drifting into sleep, HUGE bursts of thunder and lightning filled the room! Thundersnow! When I woke up the next morning, I made my way downstairs, threw opened the blinds to our bedroom window, and yelled,"Oh fuck!"
A very large part of Barb's pear tree had fallen on top of the fence and was jutting about five feet into our yard (right over the herb garden!) It had pulled her electrical and phone lines dangerously close to the ground. I looked up, and saw the branches that have been starting to intermingle among our own power lines were getting a little too close for comfort.
So...our power only was out for an hour on Thanksgiving, the snow melted rapidly, the tree is still in our yard, but getting taken away tomorrow, my Mom's power was off and on all day Wednesday and caused some transfering of food (great turkey transfer of '04), but ulitmately we had Thanksgiving at her place on Thursday.

Joan and Rachel made it safely in Wednesday evening while I was at work. I came home to a lovely evening of bbq tofu, baked beans, jalapeno/cheddar cornbread, and salad provided by Jer. We sat around the dining room table talking, then I fell asleep with Jeremy rubbing my head in his lap...in front of his Mom...that could sound dirty, but it wasn't. We are all sugar and innocence here.
Thursday, Joan and I both awoke early-ish and made biscuits and cranberry sauce, then some breakfast for us and the lazy bones still in bed. She and I had a nice walk around Waldo/Brookside, and returned in time so that I could make fruit salad before heading to my Ma's around 3:00. The evening was filled with good food, conversation, and much laughter.
Friday I had the honor of being at work from 10am-7pm. It was dead a good portion of the day, but Jer and Rachel stopped in for a visit, and Andrew (co-worker) and I worked on projects and danced around all day. I discoverd that the Cross-Stitch show got a little write up in The Pitch and my work was mentioned! Jer, Joan, and Rachel picked me up, and we indulged in a wonderful Ethiopian dinner. Drool. After we got home, an old friend of Joan's came over. We just hung out in the living room drinking wine, and talking.
Saturday was more work, seeing Joan and Rachel off, and then over to Matt and Mary's for curry and hanging out with Thom before he leaves for his possibly year-long cross-country excursion in his VW van.

Hoping everyone had a nice holiday...

...warm on the inside...

The weather people are discussing the possibility of snow later today! Yay! I doubt it will come close to the two-feet of snow I dreamed of a couple of weeks ago, but that is okay. We have to stay inside most of today anyway, so that we can finish cleaning for a visit from Joan and Rachel! They will be swinging in at some point tomorrow afternoon. The only thing that sucks about this visit is that I have to work Friday 10am-7pm and Saturday 10am-6pm...I think they are leaving Saturday. So goes retail...
Jeremy had a great birthday. We made our way to Lawrence on his actual b-day. Did some shopping, had dinner at FreeState, then spent the rest of the night drinking at The Jayhawker (the bar at the Eldridge Hotel)with friends. Good night. The next day after I got off of work, we went out to dinner with my Mom, Piper, and Nick, then back to Mom's for presents and cake. So...Happy Birthday Jer...big 33.
Friday night was the opening to the show "Cross-Stitch" that I happen to have two pieces in. A lot of friends showed up to support me, so I felt very lucky. I discovered the next day that a detail shot of one of my pieces ended up in our local, monthly, art newspaper the "Review." Lucky indeed.
A good portion of the leaves are down. Squirells are nervously darting across yards trying to desperately remember where they buried nuts. My Mom's Japanese Maple looks like it is on fire. Frank and Bones are more insistent each day that they just have endless food 24-hours-a-day. Jeremy is still in bed, and I am in great need of coffee.
If I don't get to it...everyone have a great Thanksgiving, wherever you may be. Family, we will be thinking of you, and wishing we were all together. Much love.

...seeing red...

This morning I decided to indulge in reading some Vanity Fair articles before really starting my day. The first one I chose sucked me in and spit me back out very worried and pissed off. If you find yourselves in the grocery store, a bookstore, any place with magazines, please pick up the December 2004 issue of Vanity Fair (it has dreamy Leonardo DiCaprio on the cover)and find the article on page 204 entitled, "Weapons of Self-Destruction." Here is the lead in:

"Heroic soldiers returning from Iraq seem to be prey to the same debilitating, potentially fatal illnesses that first became known as Gulf War syndrome and then afflicted veterans of Bosnia and Kosovo. Critics point to the U.S.'s own ammunition made of toxic, radioactive depleted uranium-an explanation the Pentagon is resisting."

I think that it is the best, most eye-opening story this month. You know what's sad? It didn't get any mention on the front cover.
This article is disturbing, and this should be something we are trying to nail the government, Republicans and Democrats, with. They do not give one shit about human life.

..."the most beautiful boogeyman"...

The flying guardians of Kansas City have returned to perch above us all in their wooden palaces. They keep an eye on the unwinding boulevards, and are tempted to flight by secretive, scurrying leaves. The crows watch me head to work, and then meet me there. I watch them through heavy glass doors, silently swaying in the treetops until disturbed into a cawing flurry. Maybe they are here to help usher those who passed in the last year into the next step. Or maybe winter cannot come until they have arrived. It does seem that the leaves are giving up more quickly this year...The weather folk say frost is lurking nearby.

...

reading: "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" and "Oryx and Crake"
listening to lately: "Medula" by Bjork, the latest Mos Def w/Black Jack Johnson cd...can't remeber the title, "Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd, the leaves slipping off of the trees and tumbling down the streets, huffy cat grunts
eating: lots of Halloween candy, whatever yumminess comes across my path
working on: another drawing that incorporates lungs, cleaning my studio and the house in general, putting together the puzzle of dates and names that is family history
excited about: the fact that soon there will be no more phone calls reminding me to vote, how nights have been feeling lately, elmwood cemetery, being an aunt, greeting each day
anxious about:the large, painful zit on my neck, or as I like to call it...plague
sad about: nothing in particular...I just get periodic washes of melancholia, which I don't mind
anrgy about: eh...not much...I'm trying to appreciate everything for what it is...plus some days there is just too much I read in the news that makes me angry that I just have to shut it off
curious about: the election outcome, when it is going to snow, who is America's Next Top Model

...a piece of divinity...

A friend of ours had given us some trade that he got to Piropos, a very nice Argentinian restaurant in Parkville, for helping out in his wedding this summer. We decided to use it the other night for my birthday dinner. Mmmm...wine so smooth we drank a bottle with no problem, Caprese empanadas to start (mozarella, tomato, basil), a spinach-stilton-candied walnut with fig dressing for jer, and a house salad (romaine, apple, avocado, onion, tomato, walnuts with a red wine/aji molido dressing)for me. Jer had a rack-of-lamb that came with polenta, and was lounging in a port lingonberry sauce. I opted for the roasted squash ravioli drenched in a stilton blue cheese cream sauce (my tongue is hanging out right now.) We finished up just with coffee...dessert couldn't fit in our stomachs. Oh...plus there was a basket of crusty bread, garlic toasts, and thin, snappy breadsticks with three sauces to slather on them...a garlic aioli, chimichurri, and a sort of onion relish-y thing...I love food! That pasta was unreal...I think we both were rolling our eyes to the heavens throughout the whole meal. It was wonderful food wise, and in particular - company wise.

Tonight it is another big meal (celebrating with my Mom, Piper, and Nick) We are going to Garozzo's (the one out south, which I am hoping is as good as the one near downtown.) Drool. Such good Italian food.

But before that...I've got to go put some breakfast in my belly, 'cause Jer and I are headed to explore the Kansas City Museum, which is housed in the beautiful Corinthian Hall mansion in the Northeast section of town.

...whatever...

We have been trapped in a misty, chilled fog for the last couple of days. It is seeping into our house through all of the unguarded crevices. I suppose it is time to winterize.

One more day of being 25...then I will be over the quarter-century mark. Getting older is not such a bad thing. I received a most-awesome card created by Morgan, and signed by Julie and Josh. That kid rules...they also sent an amusing book called, "Yiddish with Dick and Jane." Very funny. So...thank you once again!

Yesterday a cheddar cheese crust apple pie was created...and it was good. Once again, thanks to Martha. Keep those tasty recipes coming from your West Virginian jail cell.

Thank whoever that the election is drawing close and soon all of this hoo-ha will be over. I am SICK of ads and gigantic yard signs. Campaigning for close to a year...bleh. "They" probably decided a year ago who would step up to the plate next anyway...but I will go along with the charade...:) Who knows.

...not bad at all...

I am not sure now why I was so worried about getting my wisdom tooth out.
I didn't eat in the morning (the instructions for going to sleep had said not to, but I wasn't sure about not going to sleep), I was nervous, and we got lost on the way there and were a little bit late...I was not happy when we arrived. As soon as I went back in the room though, the nurse was very good at calmly talking to me, and she said that it should be a snap. The doctor came in, rubbed some "cherry" flavored numbing stuff on my gums, shot me with novacaine, left for a few minutes, then came back and did a test to see if I was numb enough...I didn't feel a thing, he said he was just going to wiggle my tooth a little to loosen it up - did that for about 10 seconds and I heard him comment, "That's a long, curved root!" Then he said I was done!
"Are you serious?" I replied.

It was nothing! I didn't even have to have any stitches, plus I only had to eat soft food for 24-hours. Whenever I am restricted on food, I always want burritos, which usually fall within the category of cannot have.

So...no big deal.

...da dum. da - dum. dum dum dum dum dum dum dum (poorly imitated Jaws music)...

It is oh-so-grey and chilled outside, and soon Jer is taking me to get shot up with novacaine, have my mouth pryed to it's limits, and have my only wisdom stolen from my head...I need those smarts! I don't know why I have been getting so nervous about this. It used to be old hat to get teeth pulled, but now it has been about nine or ten years, so I am a bit on edge. All will be fine. All will be fine.

The front of the house is covered with spider webs (real and fake!), I obtained a grape vine arc wreath and attached jack-o-lantern, ghost, and bat cutouts to it (along with more spider web), the paper skeletons are striking jaunty poses on the front door, there are some ghost window decals up, and the shiny pumpkin and bat garland are snaking around the step railing. We seem to be the only folks decorating for Halloween on our block. Come on people!

Two nights ago I made one of the Martha recipes...red potato, salmon, and leek gratin with a rye bread, dill, horseradish topping. Jeremy doubted it the whole time it was cooking...he kept inquiring about the ludafisk(sp?) casserole...sicko. Once it hit his mouth though, he cleaned his bowl as quickly as I did! Thanks M.S. for your tasty recipes.

The cats are being crazy!!! They are complaining all the time about wanting more food, and...I'm not sure what else. They are being endless meow and scratch factories! Of course, as I am typing this, Frank is resting calmly in my lap, and Bones is on the floor next to us delicately cleaning himself. Sure...look good in front of other people...:)

...bits and pieces...

So...Jer and I drove to Columbia on Tuesday night to catch The Pixies in concert! They are one of my all time favorite bands, and I was particularly thrilled that they played one of my favorite songs...Caribou. Whoever the band was before them (obviously not memorable if I can't even recall their name)...were not so hot...they weren't even tepid. Hearnes Stadium was the easiest venue to get to, park, find our seats, go to the bathroom (I was the only one in the bathroom), buy a cheap pretzel, watch the show, and leave. The Pixies were just great...they played solid, not even with chit chat in between, for just under two hours!

In other news...
It is that time of year again when our house is at a much chillier temperature than it even is outside. That makes it very hard to motivate oneself out of the nest of flannel sheets, thick blankets, and tangled limbs in the morning.

The perennial herb garden is fully planted, and edged by bricks...thyme, lemon balm, kentucky mint, rosemary, and garlic chives...there will be more next year, and of course in the spring the planting of veggies and annuals.

To finish up this week...getting mentally prepared for the removal of my only wisdom tooth next Tuesday, hanging Halloween decorations on the house, balance the check book, work on some drawings.

We have started the process of going through Daddad's house and deciding who will take what, and what we will either sell or donate. It is hard dividing up someone's life...then I think down the road, and ultimately everything gets endlessly divided, because I know I'm not taking anything with me! I miss Daddad a lot...it makes me miss Dad too.

I have some recipes that I have found, and want to try out soon : corn zuchinni fritters, cheddar cheese pie crust (for use with apple pie), Salsa di Parmigiano, and...I won't bore you with the rest. Fall is when I break out my garlic soup...must make soon.

So...it's my birthday month. There has been no celebrating yet...but that's okay. ;) I think we are pretty much keeping it to the family celebration, but Jer and I might get a nice hotel room the night of my birthday. 26...that's not so bad at all.

Tonight...debate night...apparently during the last Presidential debate Waldo Pizza was flooded with orders. It is good to know that people are staying home and taking it all in.

...pissed...

Man...I just wrote a new post and I went to publish it, and it disappeared!!! Damn you Blogger! I've been having problems signing in lately too. Grrr. I'll re-write in some way or the other what I did before later on...Phooey.

...getting better...

Well...we gave Daddad a good send-off on Saturday. My Mom placed letters we had written for him, and one of his favorite cookies (Hello Dollies)in the little shelf in the casket. The minister spoke well, we had compiled a nice photo board, and we all said our goodbyes. Then Mom, Piper, Nick, Nick's folks, Jer, and I headed back to our house for some food and talking.
Piper gave the news that she was pregnant!! We had death and life in one day.
Now I get to be Aunt to an already growing young lady, and to someone who I get to know from birth! What fun.

I've been absent from the farmer's market I enjoy going to for three weeks. Tomorrow I will go again so we can have tasty produce in the house once again! All the fall veggies are appearing. Many tasty things to be made.

Two of my pieces were accepted to be in a contemporary embroidery show in November! Plus I may have a piece or two in a show in October! This is fun...I'm glad I am putting my degree to work!

We had a block party last Saturday, and discovered that our block is even funkier than we thought. Some very interesting people...I'm glad we live where we do!

Hmmm...I'm getting hungry for breakfast finally. Must have coffee...must have fake bacon? a bagel? fruit? all three?

My thoughts are with those of you who need them most.