Two Days

After a pretty horrid few weeks, I had a couple days this weekend to actually enjoy.

On Saturday Scott & I went to see "The Help", which we enjoyed very much.  Great acting, interesting characters - at over two hours, the movie still seemed short.  And of course, going to lunch and then to the movies doesn't take much energy or effort, which is a good thing.

On Sunday we broke out the scooter and hied ourselves to the Great Minnesota Get-Together - in other words, the MN State Fair.  We watched the equestrian competitions, we watched the lumberjack competitions, we saw Sean Emery do his Schtick On A Stick, and of course I spent a reasonable amount of time looking at the quilts and knitting and lace and beading and felting and crocheting and sculpting and glass.

We are old, and my system is messed up by chemo, so we didn't eat the junk food that we would have gorged on in Olden Times - over the 6.5 hours we were there, we split a sandwich, a bag of mini-donuts, a little Lingonberry Lefse roll with Swedish Meatballs... and we each had our own frozen apple cider pop from the Agriculture Building.  That was it.

But thanks to my scooter, a grand time was had by all ('all' being two of us).  We recommend that you go, too, if you can.  But get there early if you want a parking space close to the fairgrounds - there's plenty of 'Park & Ride' lots, but the Fairground lots are being taken up by Light Rail construction materials, so parking is at a premium and even at 7am we had a lot of trouble parking within five blocks or so of the nearest ticket booth.

Enjoy!!

Is A Puzzlement

All my life, I've wanted to serve jury duty.

Yes, I know that usually you just sit there forever in the waiting room, doing nothing.  And you don't get paid for it (at least, not really).

But it's a service to your community and your country, and I've always felt that service was a good thing.  Paying back your community for all the things it provides you is something you should do, willingly and with a sense of satisfaction.

And if I actually got to serve on a jury, even better.  I'd be a good jury member.  I'm fairly bright, I am fairly logical, I'm big on details, I respect at least the ideal of the law and justice, and I'm relatively driven to be as fair as possible to all sides.  I enjoy doing things I'm good at.

And I've worked from home for most of the last two decades, and have a flexible schedule, so it wouldn't inconvenience me in the least to serve, other than perhaps a certain soreness in the back or knees from sitting all day.

During the last two decades my husband has worked either two jobs (sometimes two full time jobs) or one job with 10-hour days.  He has been called to jury duty twice in that time.  It's been a huge sacrifice for him, and although he is mindful of his duty, he really would have preferred not to have to take the time from work.  Our finances have never been what you'd call comfortable, so it was a bit of a hardship for the family.

Now my 21-year-old son has been called.

I have never been called.  Not once.  And at this point I'm not likely to be allowed to serve, even if I am called before I fall off the perch - my physical condition would now prevent me from eligibility.

Figures.**


**At least in this case, as the quote goes, the law is an ass.  Why can't people volunteer to be on a 'will call' list for service when their time is flexible?  Then if they are summoned again when it's less convenient, they can be excused on the basis that they have served in the last four years.  It would be so much easier for people, and the courts would have to deal with fewer whiners and shirkers, saving time and frustration for everyone.  I'm just saying...

Home From The Hills, Part 2

Up we got at daybreak, drove around the Badlands a bit, had our Indian Frybread with blueberry sauce, and then off we went to the Black Hills to see the Rushmore National Monument.  After that, we headed straight for Wyoming and Devil's Tower.

The boys hiked to the bottom of the tower, but did not attempt an ascent.  As you can see, the weather was gorgeous, the view was impressive, and a good time was being had by all.

For the rest of the day, our main goal was to reach our motel in Sheridan, in order to have a full day for sightseeing the next day.  Good thing we gave ourselves daylight for that, because Sheridan had a lot of construction going on the roads, and much of the street that our motel was on was completely closed off to traffic - it took a while to find our stopping place!

The next morning, we took off for the Bighorn Scenic Byway, which goes past Shell Falls and then over the spectacular Granite Pass.  On our way up it was snowing, which frosted the trees and landscape beautifully.  

At the top, the snow stopped, and we were able to get out and really take in the view.

Gradually the clouds cleared, and we enjoyed spectacular views of the Bighorn Mountains as we passed through them.  

  

So it was a very nice day as we got to the lovely town of Cody, Wyoming.  We easily found our motel, the Cody Cowboy Village, which was our favorite of the motels we stayed at on this vacation; the gal at the desk (we're pretty sure she never sleeps) was helpful and extremely friendly, the rooms were spacious and cozy and immaculate, and the boys loved the spa/hot tub!  Our motel turned out to be right next to the Cody Cattle Company, and that was right next to the place where they hold the Cody Nite Rodeo.  So we figured we were set - we'd have dinner and a show next door, and then head for the rodeo.

Well, we got the dinner and show.  But unfortunately while we were settling in at our motel, the rain started up in earnest.  It turned out that Wyoming has been getting the same generous precipitation this spring that the Badlands had been getting.  Unfortunately, along with the green grass, they've also been getting mud - and since the Cody Nite Rodeo is not in an enclosed space, slippery mud can be a serious issue for the horses.  So we found that for once, our plans had gone somewhat awry - the rodeo for that night was cancelled, for only the third time in the long memory of the fine people at the restaurant and motel.

We comforted ourselves with the fact that our next day's plans didn't require the rain to stop, and settled ourselves snugly into our comfy beds for a good night's rest - probably not a bad idea in any case, since by then I had developed a rotten cold.

The next morning we said our goodbyes to our room and our hostess, and headed over to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, an impressive building holding several separate galleries, each devoted to their own collection.  All of us enjoyed the exhibit dedicated to the history of Buffalo Bill and his exploits, but we each had our own favorite gallery.  Handsome Son loved the firearms museum, which covered the history of American firearms from the Revolution through the World Wars.  I particularly enjoyed the display of western art, including some wonderful paintings and sculptures by such luminaries as Charles Russell and Frederick Remington.  

Finally we tore ourselves away, and headed towards the east gate of Yellowstone National Park, which had been closed the day before, but was now open.  We quickly discovered why there were so many closings of roads and of Yellowstone gates:

Still, we drove through Yellowstone without incident.  Well, without unpleasant incident.  We had incidents involving bears and wolves and other forms of (somewhat damp) wildlife, which was a thrill for all of us.

We also spent nearly two hours touring around the hot springs and geyser basin area of the park.  We arrived at Old Faithful just as it finished erupting, so we had 90 minutes or so to kill before the next eruption.  Luckily they have paved a path around the area, so that those of us confined to scooters and wheelchairs could gawk at all the points of interest, of which there were many.

I thought this looked like the face of a cranky old man squinting up into a cold sky...

We got back from our tour just in time to see Old Faithful erupt in a very satisfying way, and then off we went, heading towards our hotel in Jackson Hole.  But first we had to get something to eat, since it was dinner time and we hadn't eaten since our early brunch.  On our way through the Teton Mountain range, we stopped at Jackson Lake Lodge's Mural Room, where we ate an excellent (although not cheap) meal while gaping at the gorgeous scenery displayed through their panoramic picture windows (click the link to see the view from the windows - that isn't a painting, it's what you actually look at as you eat).

We spent a bit more time at the lodge, just looking out the windows and pottering about on the veranda, but eventually we had to head towards our lodgings.  Jackson is a tourist town, so I suppose there is some sort of logic to the street layout, but we were only starting to figure it out by the time we left.  Luckily, you can get a free map of the town at any of the many restaurants or hotels - we suggest you do so sooner rather than later, if you plan to visit.

As it was, we were pretty tired and slightly cranky by the time we found our hotel, so the boys were grateful for a stint in the hot tub, and then we all just fell into bed.  The next day we were up early and raring to go - and go we did, to Jenny Lake, a jewel gently set in the exquisite frame of the surrounding Teton Mountains.

The boys left me lounging in comfort at the charming Jenny Lake Lodge, where I had a delicious lunch and then curled up in front of the cozy fire in the lounge (have a visit with the concierge if you are lucky enough to stop there - she is from the Twin Cities, and represents the best of Minnesota Nice).  

Meanwhile the guys took the ferry from the Visitor Center to the mountainous side of the lake, and from there they had a 3.5 hour hike and Guy Bonding Session around the rim of the lake - they also bonded with some very bold marmots and other smallish woodland critters, and saw a black bear at what was luckily a more comfortable distance.

After their long hike, the guys were happy to get back to Jackson Hole for a stint in the hot tub, a short nap, and a very generous serving of ribs from Bubba's BBQ.

The next day was largely devoted to rest, hot tubbing, doing the laundry, and looking for a hat for Scott. In the evening, however, we went to the Bar J Chuckwagon for a traditional cowboy supper and a truly impressive music and comedy show by the Bar J Wranglers.  We had a great time, and fell into bed that night full to the gills with food and entertainment.

Up at 4am, packed our gear into the van again, and it was time to hightail it for home.  But we still had time along the way to see more wildlife, gawk at the sights...

... and get ourselves in a minor scrape or two.  About one mile outside the gates of Yellowstone, we (meaning 'I') locked ourselves out of the car, and were informed by the gift shop personnel that the rangers did not feel obligated to help anyone who was outside of the boundaries of the park proper.  Great.  The nearest locksmith or patrol car would have to come from Cody, at least an hour's drive away.  Luckily I talked Impatient Spouse out of his 'let's break the windshield' idea; after a bit of a struggle with a wire hanger, Impatient Spouse's handy Leatherman, and with the help of a passing Cheesehead (we Midwesterners have to stick together), we were able to break into our own van and get back on the road in fairly short order.**

Off we went again, and got past Cody with no further incidents... until we hit Shell, at which point we discovered that the highway we were on was closed further up, there were no alternate routes open, and we had to turn around and go back.  But we are nothing if we are not flexible (when forced to be so), so we backtracked to Greybull, went south instead of north, and took a great big loop around the higher areas of the Bighorns in order to get back up to I90.  A less scenic and much less direct route, but luckily the lower climes allowed for faster speeds, so although we added a lot of miles, we didn't add too much time to our trip.  By nightfall we were safely ensconced in our motel in Wall, SD, home of ubiquitous signage and thus the famous Wall Drug.  

Up at a more reasonable 6am the next morning, well in time for breakfast and ice water at Wall Drug, then off for another long stint of driving.  Handsome Son took over the driving near the Minnesota border, just in time to spend more than three hours traveling with a spectacular thunderstorm that was heading towards the Twin Cities.  He handled the stresses of straight-line winds and nearly zero visibility with grace, and we safely arrived at home by nightfall.  

Goodbye and thank you, Wyoming and South Dakota.  It was wonderful to meet you - we hope to visit again some day!

** For what are probably obvious reasons, I'm not entirely certain this is a good thing, even though it allowed us to get on our way with minimal delay and expenditure.  Let me point out, also for obvious reasons, that our van is more than ten years old and is a very basic model - the only semi-valuable thing in it is my similarly old and battered wheelchair scooter, which we got from a pawn shop at a very very low price, for good reason.  I'm just sayin'...

Home From The Hills, Part 1

We weren't sure I was going to make it, right up until the day before we left.  But finally the hip was painful-but-functional, and at 4am we packed up the van and took off for our little vacation in South Dakota and Wyoming.  Wagon, ho!!

Scott took care of the first major stretch of driving, and then Handsome Son took a nice long stint, leaving his dad the last bit before we pulled into our first destination: the Badlands.

Oh, it was both wonderfully familiar and magically different!  In the autumn of two years ago, the grass was golden and blended beautifully with the weird and wonderful rock formations.

This spring, however, the rangers tell us that there is more green in the Badlands than there has been in living memory.  Imagine, pools of water in the Badlands!!

It was different, but it was still beautiful, and we all were very happy to be there.  We stayed for two nights at Cedar Pass Lodge - the cabins were very small and basic, but there was a/c and very comfortable beds, and the view was gorgeous.  What more could you want?  Not much, obviously...

Well, you might want some Indian Fry Bread.  The Cedar Pass Lodge has a little cafe, where at night they have taco fixings on fry bread, and in the morning they have fry bread with a wonderful blueberry sauce.  Not bad at all...

You also might want to attend the Night Sky talks at the ampitheatre near the campgrounds - a fun presentation is followed on clear nights by the opportunity to use some very nice telescopes, so that you can gape at distant galaxies and nebulas and planets.  We didn't get the opportunity to use said telescopes this time around, but we did get a spectacular view of a close-passing storm - I've never seen pink lightning before!

On the day after we arrived - and after eating our fry bread and blueberries, of course - we drove through the Badlands Loop, and then spent time driving around the Black Hills.  

Between driving on the Needles Highway and the Iron Mountain Road, we stopped for a wine tasting and wonderful lunch at the Prairie Berry Winery.  Then off we went for more Eye Candy.  Along the way we met some old friends...

And some new ones...

And basically spent our time feeling at one with the universe.

Then back to Cedar Pass for the night.  What a wonderful time we were having!!

to be continued...

Poor Old Kitty

We have had one type and size of cat for 15 years or so: small, feisty, pretty, dignified (for the most part, except when hysterically clumsy) and quite the character.

She was well into adulthood when we got her in 1996, and so now she is an elder kitty, deserving of respect and care.

Unfortunately, for the last few months she has been unable to adequately clean herself, and has developed mats that were outrunning my ability to comb out.  It would take me half an hour of fighting with her to get one mat cleared, and the next day there would be two to take its place.

It got to the point where it just couldn't be comfortable for her, poor old thing, and I was concerned that she might develop some sort of skin issue that would cause her actual pain.  So off we took her to the groomers, and gave her a 'Lion Cut'.

She won't let me take a photo of her in this condition - she is currently in a state of High Dudgeon.

Can't say that I blame her.  Her head is literally twice as big as her body.  Poor old thing, she deserves her dignity, and instead she looks entirely ridiculous.  And pitiful - she is SO thin and bony.

I think of the three, she prefers being old and arthritic to being an object of ridicule.  Too unfair that she has to put up with all three.

I can relate.

Oops, No Camera...

Oh, drat!!  Mom and I went on our yearly trek to the Minneapolis Institute of Art for their wonderful Art In Bloom... and as is also our tradition, we both forgot to bring our cameras.

Poor you, to have missed the wonderfulness!!

Art In Bloom challenges local flower artists to make an arrangement that reflects in some way on a particular work of art displayed in the museum.  This year more than 150 artists were assigned one particular painting or sculpture, which they then had to contemplate and then design an arrangement that in some way reflected upon the artwork itself.

The displays were all pretty, some of them stunning, some of them inspirational or funny or even thought-provoking.  Our particular favorite was a rather simple but beautifully done display of tall dark plum and white lilies in a stunning cobalt-to-purplish midnight blue vase, reflecting both the color and the movement of a Georgia O'Keef painting of tall skyscrapers - I always thought of O'Keef as a painter of flowers and other things natural, but somehow the painting still was distinctly hers. and the flower arrangement just carried the feeling along and complimented it perfectly.  

Click on the link above and see some little bit of the previous year's event - don't you wish you could have been there?  Well, you can go next year (especially you, Ms. Violet Hoarder, sweet Nancy, Kathy, Amy, and anyone else who hails from MN), because luckily it's a yearly deal.

One hint: don't try to go there at the beginning of the first day (Thursday).  We arrived at 10am on Thursday... well, no, that's a lie.  We got about 3 blocks from the Institute, and then got stuck in completely stopped traffic.  And even that far away, no parking spots (even handicapped spots) in sight.  For people who are not completely crippled up, the temptation might be to walk an extra five blocks or so - but I would suggest coming back at a later time, when the huge opening crowd won't be jostling and pushing each other back from the displays.

Mom and I turned around and went back home - and returned on Saturday at around 1pm.  It was crowded enough that the valet parking was full, and mom snagged the one remaining handicapped space (after fetching a wheelchair for me at the door - the MIA provides wheelchairs and even a few coveted scooters for free, bless their hearts.  Call ahead to reserve those scooters, they are a very coveted commodity!)

But once we got in, we were mostly able to get next to the displays, either immediately or after a very short wait.  And oh, it was sooooooo worth the bother!!  Not only did we see a great deal of loveliness, but we also met a number of very interesting and sweet fellow gawkers, some of whom knew a participating floral artist or two and gave us the Inside Scoop, some of whom were just interesting and fun to talk to.  One of the gals we talked to had a beautifully knitted Norwegian sweater of incredible intricacy, gifted to her by grateful and generous offspring, bless their hearts.  We were suitably impressed, of course - after all, we are lovers of fiber as well as of the belle fleurs...

We went home replete with gorgeousness, and also with chai and maple shortbread from the in-house cafe.  Hey, it takes a lot of energy to Ooo and Aaaah that much!!

And thanks, mom, for all the hard work you did in pushing me around.  You are a trooper, and also a joy forever.  I love you muchly, muchly indeed!

In My Easter Bonnet...

We had a lovely Easter.

We started out with an Easter Breakfast with Handsome Son and his new girlfriend, who was delightful.

I wore a truly exuberant Easter Bonnet, with all the frills upon it.  It was truly impressive.

Later in the afternoon we went to my cousins' house for lots of chatting, a bit of stuffing our faces with delicious goodies, a few games of Bocce Ball in the spring sunshine for those who could do such things (there was lots of laughing, which was wonderful), and the obligatory group photos.**

In front of the Easter Bonnet there is Lovable Sister and Charming Parent; in the middle - next to the Easter Bonnet - there is Handsome Son (who has enough hair for both of us) and Beloved Husband; and in the back - peering out from behind the Easter Bonnet, which apparently likes to chew up the scenery - is the other Charming Parent.

The Easter Bonnet had a grand time.  I did, too.

**And I mean 'obligatory' quite literally.  Cousin Mary was very forceful in rounding us up and making us stand still, in all our squinting glory.  It wasn't an easy job, but she was determined.  She'd make a fantastic General.  Thanks, Mary - we grumped about it at the time, but we're awfully grateful for the photos now!!
And many, many thanks to Mark and Polly for hosting the event.  You pulled it all together brilliantly, as always - we never take that for granted.  I am very, very lucky to be part of your family!

Oh, All Right...

Since Nancy is bored and expecting me to entertain her, I give her this:

Handsome Son With New Hat

October Is A Good Month

October is my favorite month. The leaves turn colors, the weather is suitable for all things woolen, the air is crisp and so are the apples... what's not to love?

Not only that, but there is Halloween/Samhain. Not to mention my 21st wedding anniversary. And my sister Jana's and brother Joel's birthdays (happy birthday to yooooooo... love you guys!!)

From now until the first of the coming year, it's Holiday Madness - Hooray!!

AND October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Non-GMO Month. Please link to information on both issues, if you aren't aware of them already. They are critical to your health and the health of those you love. Take action where you can, educate where you can, get involved where you can.

Have a wonderful autumn, everyone!!

Fourth Memories

I'll tell you about our 4th of July weekend tomorrow (or so), but today I will share a memory. I know that usually I try to respect the Offspring's privacy and dignity, but for now I will reveal a memory that is at the forefront of my mind today...

The kid was very sensitive to sound from babyhood, but by age 5 or 6 he also loved the idea of things blowing up, and he loved bright lights. So we decided to take him to the fireworks display for the Fourth.

At that time, there was a huge display that took place over the Capitol Building in St. Paul, and we found a tall hill hidden behind a public building about a mile away from our house that provided a perfect view of the festivities. Not only could we see the Capitol fireworks display from that vantage point, but in the distance we could see earlier displays going off in many of the far-flung suburbs. This kept our impatient wanderer properly entertained while waiting for the Main Event.

It also evidently left him unprepared for the percussive sound of the larger, closer fireworks. As soon as the first explosion sounded, Bren immediately through his blanket over his head and refused to even peek out for the rest of the display.

But our little performer was still exactly who he has always been; after the first few minutes, after each explosion there would be a pause, and then from the darkened depths of the fabric heap came a tiny piping, "Oooh!! Aaaaah!"


Happy Independence Day, dear readers. I hope your memories are as sweet as mine, and your enjoyment of the day as deep.

Recommendation. Because I Can.

The son is starting a blog that I am hoping he will continue as he has started. His intention is that it will be a Review site, with reviews of movies, games, television shows, etc.

He has started with his review of Toy Story 3. I think it's an entertaining post, and hope that you will agree and continue to read his reviews as they are produced**.

**It wouldn't hurt if you left an encouraging comment or two, or even recommended his blog to a few of your friends - new bloggers can have a rough time getting noticed! My pre-thanks for your support...

Teenage Wasteland

I've already lied via the title of this post - because my son isn't even a teenager any more. That particular stage theoretically disappeared last month.

But my point is still valid.

I keep reading amusing blogs by younger other moms, blogs that recount the various humorous and vaguely humiliating (well, not always vague, actually) antics of their children and of their own parenting adventures.

It's funny, it's fun, and for me the reading is a rather nostalgic exercise. But I have to admit that I'm jealous of the ease with which those parental bloggers can recount their struggles and triumphs. To be more specific, I'm jealous of the deep well of material from which they can dip.

Because once your kid is well into their teenage years, you can no longer (in good conscience) use him (or her) as a reasonable blogging topic. At a certain age, (sane) people stop being thrilled at being the center of attention - especially attention based on dubious behavior - and start being aware that they have a reputation to protect. And a theoretical sense of dignity to uphold.

And there is no self-esteem more tricky to uphold and more prone to being toppled than that of a Teen/Young Adult.

I really love my kid. He's bright, talented, witty, sweet, affectionate, engaging and funny, as well as being the owner of the usual number of less admirable foibles. And he still provides me with a veritable dragon's hoard of potential anecdotes, triumphs, disasters, and subjects of interest for discussion... but I can't delve into that treasure trove without potentially pricking the delicate bubble of dignity that all young adults cling to so ferociously. And arguing that many of those potential stories reflect at least as unflatteringly on myself as they do on him would not excuse me for exposing him to involuntary public scrutiny, no matter how sympathetic that scrutiny might be.

But make no mistake. I may be boringly quiet on the family story front, but I am still actively and enthusiastically a Mom.

Even, you know, at 2am on weekend nights.**


** oops, might have slipped a bit there on the disclosure front...

On Being a Donor

My beautiful and big-hearted sister-in-law is doing a fundraiser for a friend of hers who has recently had to undergo liver and kidney transplant surgery. The transplant, luckily, was a success, but it was a long and difficult struggle to recovery; Tom spent three months in the hospital, which means that he and his family are now left with a very heavy financial burden to carry.

If you live anywhere near Cambridge, MN, I hope that you will take a little time out of your next Saturday and attend the Plant Sale at the Fleet Go parking lot in Cambridge, from 8am-5pm (or until the plants run out), and/or on Sunday drop in at the Pancake-and-Sausages breakfast and auction at the American Legion building at 6439 Elm Street in North Branch, 8am-Noon.

This is a case of getting a good deal AND doing a good deed - which means it's a great opportunity that shouldn't be missed.

Another opportunity you shouldn't miss is the opportunity to list yourself as an organ donor. It takes no time or effort on your part, and gives you the opportunity to improve or save many lives.

One of the bitterest things about having cancer is that I am no longer eligible as an organ donor (although my card still lists me as one). I hope that others more fortunate realize what a wonderful thing it is to be able to make one's own death meaningful by enabling someone else to live a better life and be a blessing to their own families for years into the future.

More information on organ donation - and the opportunity to register as a donor online - can be found at Donate Life Minnesota. Quick! Go do something good, and make yourself proud!

Home From The Holiday

The vacation was on the whole fabulous, other than the hours spent in Urgent Care for the massive inner ear infection (and the Whale Tour that I couldn't go on because of the same). But that is a quibble, really, because for the most part it was lovely.

We went to Monterey,






then to Morro Bay,

then San Simeon,













and then Santa Barbara - oh, yeah, that's totally me -



then back again to Monterey

and Carmel.















I got a US Open At Pebble Beach shirt for Scott, so that he can watch the Open in style. I took about a billion photos, got run over by a horned lizard, and mom survived the Thunder Cloud Of Bees.

We communed with humpbacks
(too close to get into the screen)






and talked to seals

and ogled otters.


We got to experience a Stormy Sea,


but most of the weather was glorious...
and California smells *wonderful* (being carpeted with flowers at the moment).


But the two best things aren't things I could photograph.

One being the joy of spending a wonderful day of laughter and exploration with kindred spirits, Roberta and Richard. R & R are both fellow bloggers we've connected with in the past couple years; they share with Mom the experience of having lived in Scotland, and they share with Scott and I the experience of dealing with this ravening monster within, terminal cancer.

Once again, my experience of meeting online friends in person was everything I could have hoped for. They were sweet (Roberta) and funny (Rich) and incredibly kind, warm, and accommodating under rather trying conditions (having to work around my medical shenanigans). Mom and I knew they were interesting, likable folks from their blogs and correspondence - but now we know for a fact that they are also supremely lovable. It's nice to confirm one's own good taste in friends!

The other thing - the very best thing of all - was having the opportunity to spend ten whole days with my mom, just going where the wind blew us and doing as we pleased, gathering memories to tuck into our hearts and warm us in the hard times that will inevitably come. It's been a tough road we've walked together in the past sixteen months; being able to take this gentler, joyful journey was a tremendous gift. Mom's intention was to give me the opportunity to be near the ocean again, since it was the only item on my Bucket List. That, in itself, was a great kindness. But the real treasure was in being able to just be with her - to Just Be, together.

Thanks, Mom. I love you.

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted...

My mom is helping me tick off the one item on my Bucket List (thanks, mom!)

So I'm off to California. No, that wasn't the item from my Bucket List. The OCEAN is the item, and part of it can be seen from Hwy 1 and from the beaches along that route. So that is where we are going.

Along the way we will be visiting a few cool places and a few cool people (hi, Roberta & Rich!) and hopefully one or two cool whales.

I will report on our adventures when I return - around the 16th.

Until then, here are two Stephen Lynch songs. One is for those of you who is or knows a Gamer. The other is an Equal Opportunity Offender. Enjoy.

Home From the Hills

My, what a wonderful two weeks I have had. The first was spent in beautiful South Dakota with my lovely husband, and it was everything I could have hoped for. You can find a photojournal with commentary HERE. Don't you wish you could have been with us? I would, if I were you - heck, I wish I was there with us again!

After that, I spent much of another week at a retreat - I will be reporting on that on the other blog, once I've recovered my strength and fortitude. But it was educational and heartwarming and tender and bittersweet, and everything else that a retreat should be. I will be forever grateful to the wonderful women who run the Infinite Boundaries retreats, and to all the generous folks who give generously to the Breast Cancer Recovery organization.

And last, but not least, while I was in SD, I designed and knit up this exuberant pair of socks for Scott, using a skein of Trekking that he liked and a bit of orange Trekking from a pair I'd just finished for myself. As you can see, my husband is not afraid of color!

Cute, and a Bit Sad

First of all, sorry for recent silence, but for some reason I have been trying to get on Blogger for several days, and haven't been able to get it up on my computer AT ALL. I could Facebook, I could Twitter, I could melt my brain with Hulu and YouTube, but I couldn't get to my blogs at all.

Luckily, this ability has returned as mysteriously as it left me, and folks...

I'm BAA-aaaaack...

And the first thing that occurred to me (because I'm flutterbrained like that) is that I didn't put up any pictures of my son's only Senior Prom.

Possibly because he and his beloved broke up very shortly thereafter.

We are sorry for the breakup - we are very fond of the young lady in question. But she is going off to college in a different part of the state, and they very rightly felt that long-distance relationships are not easy to manage, and that both parties were too young to do such a tricky thing well.











Nonetheless, they were awfully cute, don't you think? I hope that they will look back at the time they had together with nostalgic enjoyment, through the lens of lasting friendship.
They are both bright, kind, lovely young people -
and luckily they still appreciate this about each other.

We should all be so lucky!

We Pause For A Public Disservice Announcement

Okay, I know it's totally obnoxious to brag about your kids.

But it's truly charming when I brag about MY kid.

Really. Just ask him.

So I am pleased to announce that the Thug has been invited to be the Op Ed editor for his college paper.

This is a particular coup, given that said Thug isn't even officially a college student yet, and hasn't officially joined said college. He will be the youngest editor the paper has ever had.

A proud mother may permit herself a small 'w00t', may she not?

w00t!

Springtime Means Hello and Goodbye

Spring is a fleeting thing in Minnesota. A friend (hi, Jane!) just reminded me of my beloved grandmother, and jogged a few treasured memories, one of which is this poem. It was one of the hundreds of poems she knew by heart and could recite with great drama and relish, but this one was most often murmured quietly to a sleepy grandchild tucked warmly into bed for a cozy night's sleep. It has little literary value, I imagine, and so has slipped into obscurity - certainly nobody else I know has ever admitted to having heard or read it. But I think it's a lovely little reminder of the brief joys of spring, and of life, so I share it here in hopes that someone else will treasure it and keep it alive just a little bit longer...

Baby Seed Song
by Edith Nesbit, 1858-1924

Little brown brother, oh! little brown brother,
Are you awake in the dark?
Here we lie cosily, close to each other:
Hark to the song of the lark
"Waken!" the lark says, "waken and dress you;
Put on your green coats and gay,
Blue sky will shine on you, sunshine caress you
Waken! 'tis morning 'tis May!"
Little brown brother, oh! little brown brother,
What kind of a flower will you be?
I'll be a poppy all white, like my mother;
Do be a poppy like me.
What! You're a sunflower! How I shall miss you
When you're grown golden and high!
But I shall send all the bees up to kiss you;
Little brown brother, good-bye.

That's One Down...

So the core biopsy is done, and it wasn't too bad - all in all, as far as the experience itself and the recovery period goes, I'd choose it over oral surgery. In a way, the "Oh, you poor thing, we're so sorry," behavior of the nurses and doctor was more disconcerting. I mean, they see that sort of thing all the time, don't they? Don't they?

Now it's waiting and waiting for the results until Thursday afternoon or perhaps Friday - I'm going out of town on Friday afternoon, so I'm really hoping that I hear before that, because I don't want to wait throughout the entire weekend until Monday.

In the meantime, I am HUGELY grateful to my wonderful mom, who has carted me around on both trips so far, and been very supportive and loving, and fed me hot chocolate after the biopsy**, and distracted me with nice everyday chatter about cheerful things. In some ways being the helpless supportive bystander is worse than going through some of these things oneself, and being the helpless supportive mother is worst of all. I know because I've been there, and I haven't noticed that the age of one's child makes a huge amount of difference in how one worries about them when they are truly in trouble. So I'm truly grateful, Me Mum. You are The Best.

** definitely more enjoyable than it would have been after oral surgery!


In the spirit of fair play, I add something a little something dedicated to fathers. Fathers at Christmas. Minnesotan fathers at Christmas. And a T-Rex.

From The Brave New Workshop, in Minneapolis: