Alice Blue Gown
Today I'm feeling
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
learn one new thing everyday...and try to apply it.
Reflections from Semanta Santa.
I spent Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala, Central America with my brother who lives there. I felt like a movie star, maybe one on a spiritual pilgrimage, but a movie star nonetheless. My brother's immersion in the Spanish language is so complete, that we spent the happy week in pantomime and whatchamacallit and our childhood bits of German to travel an interior world of siblings connected by blood and heart. I desperately needed refuge from my world where shared language and address do not repair the gap in understanding.
We cooked and laughed and I set the kitchen on fire. Well, it was just a little fire to quote my Saudi Arabian friend. Anyway, Hermano Geraldo poured the coffee pot out on the mahogany floor and we were good to go. I watched "Bridget Jones" in Spanish and rode a chicken bus to the Mercado. After my day at the market I was afraid the turkey I was asked to cook Sunday would be delivered with feathers. Saturday a car arrives and Salvadore the driver turns over a proud parcel from the local English grocer, a Butterball Brand turkey complete with pop up who-jimmie. Cornbread dressing complete with japalenos was pronounced delisiosa!
Sometimes the heart needs no words. There are understandings that go much deeper.
Take care. Love you see you later bye!
Reflections from Semanta Santa.
I spent Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala, Central America with my brother who lives there. I felt like a movie star, maybe one on a spiritual pilgrimage, but a movie star nonetheless. My brother's immersion in the Spanish language is so complete, that we spent the happy week in pantomime and whatchamacallit and our childhood bits of German to travel an interior world of siblings connected by blood and heart. I desperately needed refuge from my world where shared language and address do not repair the gap in understanding.
We cooked and laughed and I set the kitchen on fire. Well, it was just a little fire to quote my Saudi Arabian friend. Anyway, Hermano Geraldo poured the coffee pot out on the mahogany floor and we were good to go. I watched "Bridget Jones" in Spanish and rode a chicken bus to the Mercado. After my day at the market I was afraid the turkey I was asked to cook Sunday would be delivered with feathers. Saturday a car arrives and Salvadore the driver turns over a proud parcel from the local English grocer, a Butterball Brand turkey complete with pop up who-jimmie. Cornbread dressing complete with japalenos was pronounced delisiosa!
Sometimes the heart needs no words. There are understandings that go much deeper.
Take care. Love you see you later bye!
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
learn one new thing everyday...and try to apply it.
I am having a bad day. I usually have a sunny disposition, but today was just one too many people trying to pee in my wheaties. First I am overworked as shit this week. (Thank you, God, for my job.) I take what turns out to be half the day for a doctor's appointment. They reassigned my care provider for the 3rd time this year. So I got some new guy for the first time again- always weird in and of itself. Second, they were over one hour late calling me in and workers are just sitting on their fine white hineys while I digest Vanity Fair. Third, some med tech is snarky with me and after weighing me says,"This is very bad for a military career." Now I always suspected the reason Sanchez was in the desert and not my dh was my failure to keep my hips down- as if! Next some physician's assistant comes in and starts fussing at me and cutting me off while I am speaking. I realize sometimes that is the only way to get a word in edgewise with me( Joe and I call it simultaneous conversation), but this guy was a bit much and cranky, too. "When have you had your physical?" Shrug from me. "Where's your red dog tags" WTF is this guy talking about? Red what? "You are allergic to penicillin and where are your red dog tags?"
I am still having no clue what is going on and I am and hour and a half late for the rest of my world and not feeling the happy dance happening for me anytime soon. My nails look like crap. My face looks like spring in bloom. I am hungry. People who are usually Yes, Mam and No, Mam to me were rude and obviously singing from another song sheet than mine. So, I did the only thing I know to do when completely derailed- I went to the fabric store.
The Vogue Pattern Book Spring 2004 was there whispering to my inner size 4. The fabric was ladylike and springlike. My daughters will be home for spring break. I'll make them salwar kamish and smocked evening bags and maybe a linen nightshirt and spring suits in linen by Issay Miyaki, I'll knit a peacock blue mohair coat for myself. I'll embroider pima cotton pillow cases with our monograms and God will be in her Heaven again and all will be right with the world again. I felt restored and able to do what needs to be done again.
Leaving the fabric store I see the dh in his red Jeep driving through the historic district. I pull over, get out of my car, and pop into tears- The unexpected overwhelmed, overwrought ,incoherent kind of crying jag that only a bad day( and maybe PMS) can trigger. Dh puts me in his car and I relate my day to him (minus the little fiber arts retail therapy thing) and he says, "Honey, did you tell them you were not active duty? Didn't the dog tag thing give you a clue?"
NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, so not only am I chubby AND moody, I am clueless as well.
Happy I didn't give up liquor or chocolate for Lent, cause I'm feeling the need for both this evening.
Love you, see you later , bye!
I am having a bad day. I usually have a sunny disposition, but today was just one too many people trying to pee in my wheaties. First I am overworked as shit this week. (Thank you, God, for my job.) I take what turns out to be half the day for a doctor's appointment. They reassigned my care provider for the 3rd time this year. So I got some new guy for the first time again- always weird in and of itself. Second, they were over one hour late calling me in and workers are just sitting on their fine white hineys while I digest Vanity Fair. Third, some med tech is snarky with me and after weighing me says,"This is very bad for a military career." Now I always suspected the reason Sanchez was in the desert and not my dh was my failure to keep my hips down- as if! Next some physician's assistant comes in and starts fussing at me and cutting me off while I am speaking. I realize sometimes that is the only way to get a word in edgewise with me( Joe and I call it simultaneous conversation), but this guy was a bit much and cranky, too. "When have you had your physical?" Shrug from me. "Where's your red dog tags" WTF is this guy talking about? Red what? "You are allergic to penicillin and where are your red dog tags?"
I am still having no clue what is going on and I am and hour and a half late for the rest of my world and not feeling the happy dance happening for me anytime soon. My nails look like crap. My face looks like spring in bloom. I am hungry. People who are usually Yes, Mam and No, Mam to me were rude and obviously singing from another song sheet than mine. So, I did the only thing I know to do when completely derailed- I went to the fabric store.
The Vogue Pattern Book Spring 2004 was there whispering to my inner size 4. The fabric was ladylike and springlike. My daughters will be home for spring break. I'll make them salwar kamish and smocked evening bags and maybe a linen nightshirt and spring suits in linen by Issay Miyaki, I'll knit a peacock blue mohair coat for myself. I'll embroider pima cotton pillow cases with our monograms and God will be in her Heaven again and all will be right with the world again. I felt restored and able to do what needs to be done again.
Leaving the fabric store I see the dh in his red Jeep driving through the historic district. I pull over, get out of my car, and pop into tears- The unexpected overwhelmed, overwrought ,incoherent kind of crying jag that only a bad day( and maybe PMS) can trigger. Dh puts me in his car and I relate my day to him (minus the little fiber arts retail therapy thing) and he says, "Honey, did you tell them you were not active duty? Didn't the dog tag thing give you a clue?"
NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, so not only am I chubby AND moody, I am clueless as well.
Happy I didn't give up liquor or chocolate for Lent, cause I'm feeling the need for both this evening.
Love you, see you later , bye!
Sunday, March 07, 2004
learn one new thing everyday...and try to apply it.
Suffering extreme blogger's block, spring fever, and winter doldrums all rolled into one. I also drank too much beer watching Duke and UNC. Not a pretty sight.
Love you see you later.bye!
Suffering extreme blogger's block, spring fever, and winter doldrums all rolled into one. I also drank too much beer watching Duke and UNC. Not a pretty sight.
Love you see you later.bye!
Monday, February 23, 2004
learn one new thing everyday...and try to apply it.
Put on Your Big Girl Panties and Deal with IT.
Browsed a blog the other day titled the above and the title just stuck in my head. The tough up mantra behind that struck me, too. I ran into an old fellow Mooreland Mom who was re-entering the university roles as a non-traditional student. She plans to be a therapist. She was taking a course from one of my favorite professors in research psychology. Her reaction to Dr. Tomer was the usual for a feely type- . I DON"T GET IT! I am fascinated by the differences in people. If I had to be a high school counselor I would just have the same thing to say over and over 1.) keep your grades up, 2.) you need another math class, 3.) keep your knees crossed, darling; 4.) and my new personal pep talk " Put on your big girl panties and deal with it." I mean, "I fell your pain," and all that but ... I mean spoken with all love, what else is there.
Go out and have a big day. I'm sure gulping it all in. Love you, see you later, bye!
Put on Your Big Girl Panties and Deal with IT.
Browsed a blog the other day titled the above and the title just stuck in my head. The tough up mantra behind that struck me, too. I ran into an old fellow Mooreland Mom who was re-entering the university roles as a non-traditional student. She plans to be a therapist. She was taking a course from one of my favorite professors in research psychology. Her reaction to Dr. Tomer was the usual for a feely type- . I DON"T GET IT! I am fascinated by the differences in people. If I had to be a high school counselor I would just have the same thing to say over and over 1.) keep your grades up, 2.) you need another math class, 3.) keep your knees crossed, darling; 4.) and my new personal pep talk " Put on your big girl panties and deal with it." I mean, "I fell your pain," and all that but ... I mean spoken with all love, what else is there.
Go out and have a big day. I'm sure gulping it all in. Love you, see you later, bye!
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
life is just so good.
What can I say? I feel blissed out. I feel juiced up. What 's a girl to do with all this pent up wonderful? I wish I could save it up and portion the feeling out for the numb days, the self-doubt days, the lonely-with-people days. Maybe the magic of being this happy is that it can't be brought out from a can. It can only be served up fresh. OK. I'm ready. Bring out the list.
1. Three things that scare me.
A.) bridges B.)sudden loud noises C.) the thought of getting Altzheimer's
2. Three things I do not understand.
A.) cutting steeks. I only knit fair isle tams and mittens. B.) inflexibility of opinion C.) intentional cruelty
3. Three things I'd like to learn.
A.) German B.) Tai Chi yang style 108 moves C.) better life management
4. Three things I am wearing right now
A.) fishnets B.) earrings C.) black mascara
5. Three things on my desk
A.) lidded box painted with sunflowers B.) overwhelming in-basket, C.) American flag postcards
6. Three things I want to do before I die
A.) get a Ph.D. B.) take a walking tour of the Chech republic in early fall C.) get another tattoo
7. Three good personality traits
A.) kindness B.) sense of humor C.) loyalty
8. Three bad personality traits
A.) high strung B.) workaholic C.) worry wart (Don't those three things make for a person you would cross the street to avoid?)
9. Three favorite authors
A.) Gabrielle Garcia Marquez B.) Anne Lamott C.) Norman Mailer When I saw Harlot's Ghost sitting in the bargain bin I thought there was no point in anyone ever trying to write again.
10. Three favorite actresses
A.) Meg Ryan B.) Bjork- she is stunning and brilliant and who I want to play me in my autobiography. Dancer in the Dark freaked hell out of me and I have never been able to discuss the movie with anyone. C.)Vivian Leigh
11. Three parts of my heritage
A.) English B.) Danish C.) rural Appalachian Southern
12. Three things I like about my body
A.) breasts B.) height C.) eyes
13. Three things I dislike about my body
A.) fluffy abs B.) big feet C.)sensitive skin
14. Three things people do not know about me (maybe)
A.) I have always wanted another child B.) I am a first generation native speaker of English C.) I can be very shy.
15. Three things I say the most
A.) Coldwell Banker- may I help you? B.) Kiss my fine white ass . C.) Joe, did you call those people?
16. Three places I want to go
A.) Bermuda, B.) see above- a walking tour of the castles of Prague, C.) to bed.
17. Three names I go by
A.) Miss Alice B.) Baby Alice C.) Alice Marie
what a wonderful world, love ya, see ya later , bye!
What can I say? I feel blissed out. I feel juiced up. What 's a girl to do with all this pent up wonderful? I wish I could save it up and portion the feeling out for the numb days, the self-doubt days, the lonely-with-people days. Maybe the magic of being this happy is that it can't be brought out from a can. It can only be served up fresh. OK. I'm ready. Bring out the list.
1. Three things that scare me.
A.) bridges B.)sudden loud noises C.) the thought of getting Altzheimer's
2. Three things I do not understand.
A.) cutting steeks. I only knit fair isle tams and mittens. B.) inflexibility of opinion C.) intentional cruelty
3. Three things I'd like to learn.
A.) German B.) Tai Chi yang style 108 moves C.) better life management
4. Three things I am wearing right now
A.) fishnets B.) earrings C.) black mascara
5. Three things on my desk
A.) lidded box painted with sunflowers B.) overwhelming in-basket, C.) American flag postcards
6. Three things I want to do before I die
A.) get a Ph.D. B.) take a walking tour of the Chech republic in early fall C.) get another tattoo
7. Three good personality traits
A.) kindness B.) sense of humor C.) loyalty
8. Three bad personality traits
A.) high strung B.) workaholic C.) worry wart (Don't those three things make for a person you would cross the street to avoid?)
9. Three favorite authors
A.) Gabrielle Garcia Marquez B.) Anne Lamott C.) Norman Mailer When I saw Harlot's Ghost sitting in the bargain bin I thought there was no point in anyone ever trying to write again.
10. Three favorite actresses
A.) Meg Ryan B.) Bjork- she is stunning and brilliant and who I want to play me in my autobiography. Dancer in the Dark freaked hell out of me and I have never been able to discuss the movie with anyone. C.)Vivian Leigh
11. Three parts of my heritage
A.) English B.) Danish C.) rural Appalachian Southern
12. Three things I like about my body
A.) breasts B.) height C.) eyes
13. Three things I dislike about my body
A.) fluffy abs B.) big feet C.)sensitive skin
14. Three things people do not know about me (maybe)
A.) I have always wanted another child B.) I am a first generation native speaker of English C.) I can be very shy.
15. Three things I say the most
A.) Coldwell Banker- may I help you? B.) Kiss my fine white ass . C.) Joe, did you call those people?
16. Three places I want to go
A.) Bermuda, B.) see above- a walking tour of the castles of Prague, C.) to bed.
17. Three names I go by
A.) Miss Alice B.) Baby Alice C.) Alice Marie
what a wonderful world, love ya, see ya later , bye!
Monday, February 16, 2004
learn one new thing everyday...and try to apply it.
I hope you all had a happy Valentine's Day. I sent 350 Valentines to people Joe and I work with-that was a first and that was fun. I really do think my clients are sweethearts. One of my daughter's loved the earrings I got her for Valentine's Day. The 16 yr old was not amused, shall we say. I had a business/social dinner on Valentine's at a new little place with a serious menu and nourishing conversation with the group. Really, the only four interesting subjects are politics, religion, sex, and money. We managed to discuss all four (and my knitting) and not rant, fight, or ramble into ennui.
My mother would and did go walking a couple miles on the icy sidewalks and broke her arm. She had told me last Monday she was going to get a hoe and chop ice. Do I need to carry a hip flask for these pronouncements? Are they lacing her thyroid meds with LSD? Now the little peach is 81, broke her back last year and "liked to have" died: has her third elbow replacement (two were blown out from push-ups) and I had taken all the gardening tools from her already. To say I am feeling powerless to keep her from hurting herself is an understatement. Today, we see the orthopedist about placing a surgical pin in her broken arm.
ONC ( obligatory knitting content) The pink mitts are half finished. The Kroy pink cabled socks are 1/3 finished. I am casting on for an Elizabeth Zimmerman percentages coat for DD1. It calls for 482 cast on stitches for first row and my elbow cramped at about 350.
Work is always there. As I say, my clients are sweethearts. What would I do without them? Gotta run. Living like drinking through a firehose for now. Love ya. See ya later. Bye!
I hope you all had a happy Valentine's Day. I sent 350 Valentines to people Joe and I work with-that was a first and that was fun. I really do think my clients are sweethearts. One of my daughter's loved the earrings I got her for Valentine's Day. The 16 yr old was not amused, shall we say. I had a business/social dinner on Valentine's at a new little place with a serious menu and nourishing conversation with the group. Really, the only four interesting subjects are politics, religion, sex, and money. We managed to discuss all four (and my knitting) and not rant, fight, or ramble into ennui.
My mother would and did go walking a couple miles on the icy sidewalks and broke her arm. She had told me last Monday she was going to get a hoe and chop ice. Do I need to carry a hip flask for these pronouncements? Are they lacing her thyroid meds with LSD? Now the little peach is 81, broke her back last year and "liked to have" died: has her third elbow replacement (two were blown out from push-ups) and I had taken all the gardening tools from her already. To say I am feeling powerless to keep her from hurting herself is an understatement. Today, we see the orthopedist about placing a surgical pin in her broken arm.
ONC ( obligatory knitting content) The pink mitts are half finished. The Kroy pink cabled socks are 1/3 finished. I am casting on for an Elizabeth Zimmerman percentages coat for DD1. It calls for 482 cast on stitches for first row and my elbow cramped at about 350.
Work is always there. As I say, my clients are sweethearts. What would I do without them? Gotta run. Living like drinking through a firehose for now. Love ya. See ya later. Bye!
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
learn one new thing everyday...and try to apply it.
The snow and storm have calmed down enough and the snow crews have treated the road so I ventured out in my car for the first time since Saturday. Elaine was delighted with her mitts. I rarely knit for other than blood relatives. She looked cute in them and promises to wear them to the auction house. Think barn in central PA not Sotheby's. Mother is knitting a cap in the round and has managed right to left, left to right, inside out and rightside. We started over this afternoon with safety pin markers and prompts. That broken right elbow from 6 yrs. ago really did a number on her lateralization. My mother is 81 and has more ambition, for herself and me, than any 21 year old. I love her and she is one fiery, wonderful person.
I put imood and weather pixie on my blog. I am thrilled to have both here on my blog, but weather pixie is in Celsius and mood indicator doesn't have the tile on it I wanted. I'm tweaking. I'm gonna have pictures. On needles now- mini-aran cable pattern Kroy Sock on US1 12" circs. Knitty voodoo wristlet in cotton candy pink TLC, shiny& fluffy all at the same time-way too girlie. I love it! Off to tweak the weather pixie. Love ya, see ya later, bye.
The snow and storm have calmed down enough and the snow crews have treated the road so I ventured out in my car for the first time since Saturday. Elaine was delighted with her mitts. I rarely knit for other than blood relatives. She looked cute in them and promises to wear them to the auction house. Think barn in central PA not Sotheby's. Mother is knitting a cap in the round and has managed right to left, left to right, inside out and rightside. We started over this afternoon with safety pin markers and prompts. That broken right elbow from 6 yrs. ago really did a number on her lateralization. My mother is 81 and has more ambition, for herself and me, than any 21 year old. I love her and she is one fiery, wonderful person.
I put imood and weather pixie on my blog. I am thrilled to have both here on my blog, but weather pixie is in Celsius and mood indicator doesn't have the tile on it I wanted. I'm tweaking. I'm gonna have pictures. On needles now- mini-aran cable pattern Kroy Sock on US1 12" circs. Knitty voodoo wristlet in cotton candy pink TLC, shiny& fluffy all at the same time-way too girlie. I love it! Off to tweak the weather pixie. Love ya, see ya later, bye.
