Dean's 72nd

Dean’s birthday is Monday. So is John’s, a business friend. Last year and this the two couples have gone to the same place for dinner to celebrate. We always enjoy our time with them. Conversation is lively, food is delicious, and we say “Happy Birthday” a lot. 

While getting dressed, I remembered that for the last two years, I had worn the same white sweater to dinner for Dean’s birthday so I went to iPhoto to jog my memory so I would wear something different this year. Would anyone but me have realized? No. Did anyone else care? No. And yet, I do have a closet full of nice clothes and like variety even when there’s a year in between the occasions.

The Latest Project

The math goes like this:

Logs lying in the forest from county clearing a long time ago

plus

Dean's brain, shop and bobcat

plus

Evan's ad on Craig's List that he cuts logs into boards

equals

Logs coming off of Evan's truck so he can cut

Cutting ~ 

and beautiful pine boards with which to do . . . what?

Well, they just might become new tops for several kitchen counters!! Yay!!

We'll see, and Dean has suggested as much so he has 

probably committed himself simply by mentioning it to me.

A Morning Scenario

Waking she lay relishing the feel of the sheets and the sense of nesting which a slow start to the morning gave her. From the deck came the sound of an ax on wood, telling her the morning fire was being prepared, to be both practical, taking the chill off, and delightful, offering the perfect ambiance before which to have a cup of tea. 

Outside her window the stars blinked out one by one as the horizon sky turned the palest peach, pine trees came into focus and the sun made its rising presence known. One more long, lazy stretch between the sheets, not unlike a cat on a window sill, and she rose to begin her day. 

Elections Reflections

National elections of any kind - even mid-term - bring forth memories of elections past. 

First of all, the Suffragettes. Amazing women who decided “the weaker sex” had the brains to vote and made it happen. Men didn’t like the idea of course and so these women were beaten, jailed, force-fed and totally degraded in so many ways and still they fought and marched and changed who could have a say in government. Remembering them, I vote. 

Second, Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the first free election in South Africa. In all his red, royal regalia, he stood in line, marked his ballot, carried it to the ballot box, slipped it half way in, brought it out and with that delightful twinkle in his eye, he danced! He put the ballot in, he brought the ballot out, and all the time he danced . . . and laughed . . . and danced. There was no apathy in him that day. Because he could vote, he danced! Remembering him, I vote. 

Third, my own daughter, Meredith. She was 18. She could vote for the very first time and it was a Presidential election. She had watched her parents vote for years. She had heard family discussions of issues and of the privilege of voting. She had done her homework and was ready. And she was sick. So sick I had to help her walk from her bed to the bathroom. I went to vote at the school up the street where one of our good friends from the college was always a poll worker. He asked about us and I told him how disappointed Meredith was. “Can you get her here?” Yes, but there is no way she can stand up much less stand in line. “Bring her. I will meet you at the car with a ballot.” And so I did, he did, and she voted. Remembering them, I vote. 

You have election memories of your own. What helps you to the polls no matter how ugly the campaign, no matter how much you dislike all the candidates, no matter what the weather? What stories make you realize that voting is a right and a privilege that you dare not give up even for one day? Whether you share them here or just remember them on your own, think about them. Be glad you voted yesterday ~ and if you didn’t vote yesterday, promise yourself that you will in two years. It is worth it. 

I Voted

I almost didn’t. I am so apathetic about this vote and the only things that really kept me going this year were 1) voting gives me a right to complain and 2) the thought of all those suffragettes who were beaten, jailed, and force-fed so that I could vote. And so I voted. In a reasonably informed way. 

I admit to my own ambivalence. Some choices are very clear. Some really aren’t. Both sides of the argument sound good to me. People I respect (teachers, police, nurses) stand on both sides of the same issue. I find it difficult to make a decision. And eventually I do. Mark those little circles and turn it in. 

Technically I should have voted before now as I vote by mail. This year, my ballot didn’t get to me in time to be certain it was in by today so I had Dean deliver it when he went to vote. He brought me back my sticker. No matter how ambivalent, how apathetic, how upset with the process, I Voted! I hope you have too. It is a right and a privilege we should never give up. 

A Halloween Story

Seeing all the Halloween posts on FaceBook makes me think I will tell you a Halloween story. I have only told it. Never tried to write it before so we will see. It happened a long time ago. 

Rex and I were invited to an adult Halloween party. I went as a witch. He went as Dracula. I waxed his hair back and gave him a widow’s peak. He had a goatee so I took a little stage blood and dribbled it down the corner of his beard. A little white make up, tux pants and shirt and a long cape and he was amazing. 

We were greeted by our hostess. Rex bent over, kissed her hand and said, “I vish it were your neck.” We all laughed. A friend of hers walked up and she introduced us. Rex bent over her hand, kissed it, and said, “I vish it were your neck.” And she never left his side for the entire party. 

Once in a while he would meet my eyes across the room and I would know it was time to come and take him away. She always found him though. It was rather interesting. Once the party was over and we moved into November, the phone calls started coming. He was invited to lunch several times and each time he would say, “We would love to come. I just have to ask Susan her schedule.” And the invitation would be gently withdrawn. I guess she finally got the hint because the calls stopped. Moral: Make sure the neck you offer to bite is actually one you want to bite. Happy Halloween!

Ode to A Chair

I am wary of saying anything too early for fear of breaking the spell ~ and I think the chair has done it for the feet and legs. Of course I tried out all sorts of moves and massages yesterday and just before going to bed I did a foot massage for 10 minutes. No feet and leg issues last night. None. Slept well. Woke feeling good ~ and just a little bit anxious to get back to the chair. This morning I can feel the fire next to my face and the chair heat on my feet. ~ feeling blessed, and blessings to you