One of our Own

I talk often of how this blogging community 

blesses us all with love and friendship.

One of our own has lost her life partner,

her husband Bruce,

this day and she will need our prayers 

and love for many months to come.

If you do not pray, then send 

hope and grace out into 

the universe on Jane's behalf.

If you can afford to, please donate

 in Bruce's name to an ALS fund.

100 of us each giving even $5.00

makes hope possible.

Please visit and give your love 

to Jane and her family.

Comfort will be hard to come by,

but showing our love will, in small

measure, remind this lovely, strong woman

that she never walks alone.

Mamie Jane

Candlelight, Coffee and Comfort

My first cup of coffee in days.

Did not want to confuse meds and caffeine.

I am confused enough as it is.

This is my favorite table...ever...

I work here

 eat here

 visit here

These edges are dreamy

Never far from me,

Miss Justice

doing her morning toilette

hoping toast bits will come her way.

Sadly, no toast just now,

just coffee and candlelight.

Needing to be even closer,

Master Howie

asking to be allowed into my lap.

Not until I finish my coffee

in my favorite mug

...for now

The perfect curve to cradle my left hand

 around it's warmth

while the right hand 

slips effortlessly through the handle

for a secure grip.

1971

an important year

for me to be sure.

Such comfort to me after weeks of illness.

My memory bowl

my table

hazelnut fragrance

best mug 

and

the pooches

in my little world

it is enough

it is, in fact, 

glorious

Thrilled - Proud and smelly?

It's out- Old Grey Mare is in it. I'm thrilled.

It was great to work with April, Sunday and Mark.

Thank you.

Thank you for all the emails and comments and calls

of get well wishes to me over the past few days.

I know I will mend that much faster because of it.

I am cRaZy for all of you my dear friends.

You are the best.

Non bloggers do not know what they are missing.

but we do... <3

we give and receive love

with no agenda

no judgements

no limits

oh, sometimes we falter with a few nasty folks

but we always rise above it.

I am proud, yes PROUD,

to be part of this community.

I am blessed beyond measure 

because of it.

Much love,

z

for those of you stopping by for the first time,

you may want to scroll back a few posts to

 get past the cough-cough-cough stuff of me being sick.

I'll return to my feisty, irreverent self soon enough..

hopefully wearing something besides mismatched pj's with a hole in the crotch, and a bra to hoist the girls back into place, some makeup, and a hairdo that does not 

resemble Alfafa's or the hunchback of ND.

Oh Lord, I look bad...

( and I may smell like day old Vicks)

If there was a way someone could 

sneak in and photograph me I would 

be plastered in one of those "seen at Walmart" emails or 

at the very least a huge Glamour Don't.

So look at the pretty houses and pretend 

I belong there OK?

ONE SILLY GOOSE

One silly stupid goose am I.

I just could not figure out 

why I was having adjustment issues

to new work etc....

I am a tough old bird, I can juggle 

with the best of them.

So tired, feeling very poorly, persistant cough etc.

Turns out I was trying to do it all

while I had pneumonia.

AGAIN!

Stupid Z.

so...no new posts till...?

and sale postponed.

Letting antibiotics do their thing.

Off to bed.

See you on the other side 

of wellness.

Now don't you be a silly goose.

Take care of yourselves.

HONK!

I'm still here

Nope, no trips to France for me.

No retreats or spas in my future.

Just doing the day by day thing

and getting the hang of some new changes.

I have read everyone,

commented a little,

and replied a little.

Be patient please, I'll be back.

Your overwhelming support on my last post,

well, it makes me more than a little misty.

thank you so much

On the news side:

Darling daughter has started interning with

a fabulous director and is loving it.

Dearest son has found a house to rent in LA,

and will move literally cross country 

the end of the month.

I get him for three days all to myself.

Local gals....

I am purging again.

Watch for email about preview night.

If you cannot wait till it is all out, email me.

Selling off the last of my Nicole Sayre,

ESC and originals by Angela.

As for me????

BUSY AS A

and still not completely adjusted to my new schedule.

but things will ease up soon. 

This new venture is expanding 

my horizons, and testing my learning curve,

 which is good for me.

For those of you who will relish this info...

Know that my house is truly a mess, OK truthfully 

just kinda untidy everywhere, but for me, that is horrors!

Christmas is still not all down,

the garage studio is only half down.

There are dishes in the sink, 

and laundry in the shoot up to the second floor.

I am way behind on phone calls, blogging, 

yard work, and have only read one book in a week!!

Again...horrors!

Normally I read a minimum of seven a week.

I am in deep withdrawal, so I am going to stop

now and go read with a glass of Baileys.

A LARGE glass.

No comments on this one my friends, unless

you want to give me the latest news on yourself,

because I just know I won't have 

time to answer this week.

I hope ( double cross fingers, pinkie swear)

to have a fun post up this weekend.....

Unless the laundry explodes out the 

top of the shoot and I am buried under

an avalanche of underwear and jammies

and never heard from again.

z

Aw phooey

Even when things are going well,

life can be challenging now and again.

That is where I am now.

I am blessed and healing and 

doing fine, yet struggling to make 

all the pieces fit.

I took 19 shots at the ribbon class and each one

 came out looking like an experiment in photography,

and not in the good way.

This time I was not only host but student, and my 

head was going off in fifty directions.

If you wish to see and read about it,

Tanya, bless her heart, got some good shots.

bead and needle 

 See more HERE

Carole is an amazing instructor and we had 

a blast. As soon as all my Christmas is down,

(will that ever happen? jeez!)

 I plan to practice my roses, so that I am

 prepared to take Ribbon 102.

So what has me discombobulated?

Everything.

I will get it straightened out and ease into

my new routine, and figure out how to get by,

 but for now I am concentrating

on necessities and not so much on the extras.

I am still reading each of you my dear friends,

never fear, and following your adventures.

I think what bothers me most is 

that I used to be "quick on my feet", able to adjust 

in a nanosecond . Now I need more time. 

I need to process.

I need to grieve losses. I need more sleep.

So is this it? The age thing? As I approach one of those

mysterious "old age" numbers, is this my mind saying

WHOA NELLIE!

Not so fast, you're an old girl now,

you might sprain something.

aw phooey.

I probably just need more fiber.

z

She'll be coming 'round the mountain

She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).
She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).
She'll be coming 'round the mountain, she'll be coming 'round the mountain,She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).

Well, yes I have to go over mountains no matter which way I go.

She'll be drivin' six white horses when she comes, etc.

Nope, a goldish beige kinda hippo shaped Hyundai with a chipping bumper

Oh we'll all come out to meet her when she comes, etc.

Oh that would be so nice, I'm going to be lonesome again soon

She'll be wearing pink pajamas when she comes, etc.

One of two pairs, the floral ones or the striped

We will kill the old red rooster when she comes

Nah, my vegetarian friends would be upset with me so instead....

We'll be havin' chicken and dumplings when she comes

That is if I can remember to do it before work

She will have to sleep with Grandma when she comes

Not likely, no grandmas here

We'll all be shoutin' "Halleluja" when she comes

That would be so nice, I can use a good Hallelujah now and again

She'll be comin' down a road that's five miles long

It feels a mite longer since I have been away for awhile :D

In other words I am still here, just not HERE much lately.

My daily routine has changed recently, and I am adjusting to my  new schedule, while trying to spend as much time with Darling Daughter as possible. Facing the possibility of an entire year passing before I see her is difficult. Knowing Dearest Son will be nearby ( 4 hrs) gives me great comfort and will prevent me from selling plasma to raise airfares to go see the chickadees.

Simultaneously, blogger has decided to not load certain blogs now and again, and more often than not has banned me from commenting. So the little computer time I do have is fraught with issues and many - many ^%$#@^&%'s.


This weekend at old grey mare is the fabulous ribbon class taught by Carole Sidlow and since the class filled up so rapidly, Carole will be offering a repeat soon, so stay tuned if you wish to attend that class.

I miss you all, and I am trying to keep up to date, but honestly running my little world these days means adjustments up the wazoo, so bear with me. I still love you even if I have not commented or visited or called or emailed.

I just looked up wazoo thinking it was slang..nope, there it was..yep, that's what it is....

Z 

CATCH UP not ketchup

A "Heinz 57" dog is a mixed breed dog of uncertain ancestry- a mutt.

 The name refers to the "57 varieties" Heinz slogan.

Well, you can tell my sense of humor is still intact.

The Holiday has been wonderful 

and all my focus has been on the kids.

Dearest son has returned to NYC,

but will be passing through here 

late January on his move to LA.

Darling Daughter is enjoying  her local friends

and we are being lazy goats in front 

of the tube, catching a mixed bag of films.
This illness/plague whatever..
knocked my socks off and not in the good way
damn.. :D

I have accomplished little,

gone nowhere and seen no one.

Home is where the heart is..
and where my slipper socks and jammies are.

Carole Sidlow is teaching a  fabulous ribbon class here

on January 7th (2 spots left) and

we will hold it in the converted studio/garage,

so since I cannot access my storage boxes,

Christmas will remain up until after the class.

Makes me a mite uneasy,

 ( my organization gene anxious to get back to work),

so instead I am overhauling my studio and hall closet,

and making a big bloomin' mess while I'm at it.

I decided to move all my paper supplies 

closer to me since that seems to be

 where my hearts desire is lately.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday.

I have been reading you all and keeping up,

and I hope that everyone's New Year 

brings them joy and happiness.

I am still debating my "word" or mantra for next year.
In 2011 the word was Begin
I feel I did that one justice,
so what should 2012 be about?
I am pondering these:


bravery
simplicity
patience
industriousness
????
I could use some of all of the above.
I have been inspired all year by 
a lovely young woman Carolynn at
the Anchor and the Bird.
Please visit if you are not familiar 
with her year of good deeds (in process).

Thinking perhaps I could/should 
attempt the same good-deed daily tasks.
I donate 10% of my income each year and it is 
not always easy, but it is easy enough to write checks.


I am thinking I need to give back in other ways, 
where it might not be so easy, 
where I must trod the extra mile, 
 and as I tap this out I may have decided that
this desire should be manifested in my 2012 word.


GIVE
would encompass the other 
four words under consideration
so yup, GIVE it is.
YAY my first decision of the new Year.
What do you plan to do with your next 365 days?
I plan to grow out my hair since
 I got scalped today. 
only pixies should wear pixie cuts
Z

Entertained and Loved

I may still be sick but I am being fed

 wonderful food by dear friends,

thank you Tanya, Ann and Paula

and entertained by these two goofballs.

We did a lovely lunch and some mad dash

 shopping today before I 

was overcome and had to head home again.

Tomorrow begins the swap back and forth

 between their dad's home and mine.

The first years of this were pure torture but I have 

adjusted and adapted and all is well.

The important thing is that they are 

fine with it and I have them this year all

Christmas day.

oh I love them so.....

I plan to get back here once more

 before the big day and I am trying 

so hard to return all emails and visit everyone 

and say a huge thank you for the get well wishes

and if I miss you, please, oh please forgive me,

but right now I have slimy mucus brain.

TMI?

uh......merry merry?

the dryer broke

he had to come twice Tuesday

173.00

then when it still did not work 

i had to have my vent duct cleaned

95.00

the pooches were gross, 

so off to the groomers to be shaved

tanya you won't recognize them

94.00

they desperately needed new beds

so martha style on sale 72.00

howie always comes home distressed 

after groomer so he just

threw up not twice, not five times, but 

nine times on my white wool rug

kids will be here in about 90 minutes

hannah will despise their sweaters

that i make them wear one night each

Christmas

she'll roll her eyes

and I saved the best for last

i am sick

dog sick

look like something the dog AND the cat dragged in

gone through an entire box of kleenex sick

fever sick

baked cookies all morning sick

still in pjs sick

merry merry

i will air kiss them and hug them

 with my face turned away and 

go to bed heavily medicated with 

vicks and cough syrup and rally 

tomorrow to truly make it 

merry merry

i wish you all health

and to be with your families

ACHOOOOOOOO!

sigh

z

Friends and Tags

Making some paper gifts for friends

Still having a love affair with paper

These are winging off to a gal who "won"

my "non giveaway giveaway" because

 she was another milestone follower.

No, you did not miss the giveaway,

I just noticed one day she had followed at 

a certain number and wrote her and said

You won!

You know who you are, they're coming :D

I love gals who follow me because 

they see something they like,

 or I strike  a chord with an opinion,

or maybe they think Howie is adorable, (yes)

and they haven't just come by to win something, 

though I do those giveaways too sometimes, 

maybe the next milestone?

Getting a surprise gift is an unexpected bonus,

and I love doing it. 

I feel I must mention again 

due to many such comments, 

that if you are a

"no reply" blogger I cannot answer 

your comments like I wish to, 

and I will no longer 

attempt to track you down by visiting your blog.

There is simply not enough time in my day.

AGAIN! please consider

 putting your email in your profile.

If not, here is my bulk Holiday Wish to all you

"No replies"

Merry Christmas!

Hope you are all faring well

through the Holiday crunch. I have 

smooth sailing now.

..and for those who follow my family stories...

Dearest Son is moving to LA in January,

a mere 4 hours away..

Can Darling Daughter be far behind, 

now that she will graduate early?

Looks like I will never get out of here after all,

but I'll take kids visiting on weekends for sure,

and weekends in LA are fun too :D

Can you say Road Trip girls?

Here's the Tale

So here's the tale:

What do you get when you try to tent 

your entire garage and string it with 

twinkle lights and drape it with glitter

 and garlands and stars and fill it 

with hundreds of supplies

and have ten crazy fun women over 

for the day to create and glitter 

and eat..and eat some more?

You get 11 obsessed women playing and laughing

and making wreaths and ornaments and learning new techniques and munching treats and...

 having fun, and being wonderful, strong,

delightful women and

I love them all

and I am blessed with each class

for all these 25 +years of Gatherings,

and now that we did the first trial run of the tent,

I have grandiose ideas for the next one.

I'll be painting the ceiling blue and let's see..

about 50 more yards of tulle Tanya, and...

Heather has promised decent shots 

of the event to come soon..

days like yesterday,

 I just cannot take any worthy photos

 so excuse these, but I wanted to share,

 even though there is no way to explain the energy, 

or play a tape of the laughter..

and we soldier on through diet sodas

 and peanut butter cups

 and after dinner we head back 

out for more, and eventually cannot even

 see the table tops or find anything.

(those shots to come hopefully)

..and Lord help me, she's gonna kill me for this,

but you get a pal who will decorate herself 

after the first 10 hours with her wreath and it's parts

 to get the laugh out of a few great friends who all grab

 their cameras for a shot!!

(Tanya and Heather's hands in the corner lol)

oh Lord how I love these women...

I hope you are as blessed with friends

 like this in your life.

Each bringing their own special qualities to the mix.

Think of pine cones, snow and glitter, 

 berries and fruit and leaves.

all intertwining, supporting each other's 

textures and colors and finishing 

off an unbroken circle..

A wreath of friendship.

One I can hang my joys and fears

and dreams upon and know in that circle,

I will find what I need to nourish my soul.

Ladies, you're the best.

with love,

z


a small postscript
pictures from the day
far better than mine
here

LOVE is waiting....

Waiting...

Kits are waiting...

Favors and Gifts are waiting...

Funny bump under kits, are these totes 

to take treasures home.... waiting...

Projects are waiting... 

LOVE Is All Around