Sour Grapes

Oh please, can't these people just accept the legislation and stop making fools of themselves? Where DO they come up with these arguments?

Gaythering Storm

A Gaythering Storm from Jane Lynch

"Well Done!"

These were the closing words of her daughter in law, Leigh, "Well done, Laurette!" The graveside service was very difficult, but much needed. I hadn't anticipated how much. Today I feel a peace and contentment I've not felt since her death a week ago. Her children gave her a heartfelt send-off, sending out words of love and appreciation that brought tears to everyone's eyes. She finally made it to the other side, whatever that is, and now she knows what we can only wonder about. A remarkable life of loving, learning, service and last but not least, great fun times with her family and friends.

Here's to you, my dear!

and now for the funny

So, remember when I said, in my video, that Obama tackles the tough issues? Well, in this hilarious old clip of the Daily Show, he even says, "I'm willing to talk about these issues, even when they are difficult." PROVE IT tough guy.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
The Most Immature Montage Ever
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Loss

No hawk overhead this morning.  The birds are singing, and the gentle jets of the hot tub can be heard.  The dogs are snuggled together on the couch and the cat just padded by.  N. is home from her long night of work, and off to her bed for rest.

I went to bed at 6 pm last night, and slept the whole night through.  I've been hoping that L. will visit me in a dream, but so far, no.  I've been trying to feel her spirit, sitting quietly, letting memories unfold.  But she's just gone.  After 88 years, this one-of-a-kind woman is somewhere else now, slipped away to something else...who knows what?  

She wanted a mass and funeral in Monterey, and that she will have.  To be buried with her husband on the peninsula that was her home for so many years. 

What a strange and mysterious thing death is.  I feel small and insubstantial because of it.   Words begin to come from me, and they sound trite and cliche compared to the enormity of my feelings.  So.  Back to silence.

Easter's On its Way

What age was I? Three? Maybe. Gosh. A long time ago, and Easter Eggs just don't 'do it' for me anymore. But I sure looked happy then!

I remember other Easters, when Dad would make fresh 'rabbit foot prints' in the damp earth around the garden. I remember baskets filled with chocolate treats waiting for us on the dining room table. I remember the dresses mom made, and how my sisters and I were always well dressed for the occasion. It was a good holiday: treats and a special dinner and nice new clothes. Not a lot of relatives or other obligations, just family time.

Nowadays, I wouldn't even know the holiday existed if it weren't for the t.v. commercials advertising peeps and other confections. Maybe someday if we have grandchildren...oops! Did I say that?!

Saying Goodbye

L. and me, on our canes, after our then recent surgeries.

My dear friend, L., is on her last days. I'll be going up tomorrow for my bi-weekly trip, but it will be very different this time. She has taken no food for 5 days, and no liquids for 3, according to her youngest son. The news, while expected, is shocking to me. She is the come-back kid. She is unconscious now, no awareness even when she is cleaned and moved about.

I'm on the edge of tears, and yet. It is her release, her freedom, and I am glad for that. I just want to be with her, my 88 year old friend, my psuedo-mom, the woman who saved me from insanity many a time, the woman who has maintained the social graces even in her recent dementia.

Oh, the tears have come.

Post script:  our sweet angel is gone - finally left that awful bed she's been trapped in for 6 months.  She died at 10:35 this morning and I received a phone call from her son shortly thereafter.  I'll stay put - no need to drive up there.  Her spirit is everywhere now.

Oh Very Young

My sister and I, 1961, San Diego.

Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
Youre only dancing on this earth for a short while
And though your dreams may toss and turn you now
They will vanish away like your daddys best jeans
Denim blue fading up to the sky
And though you want them to last forever
You know they never will
You know they never will
And the patches make the goodbye harder still

Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
Therell never be a better chance to change your mind
And if you want this world to see a better day
Will you carry the words of love with you
Will you ride the great white bird into heaven
And though you want to last forever
You know you never will
You know you never will
And the goodbye makes the journey harder still

Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
Youre only dancing on this earth for a short while
Oh very young
What will you leave us this time

--Cat Stevens, aka Y. Islam

Obama's First 100 Days

CBS news sent me a reminder to submit my video on Obama's First 100 Days. I've been working on various versions; I had lofty goals about production values that didn't materialize. So I put this together and sent it in. Other videos may be viewed here.

Vermont Legalizes Marriage

Well, this just makes my day.  My hat's off to the legislature of the Great State of Vermont.

Surrender

Last night I had the strangest dream. (oooh, a song….who sang it? Think: 3 dudes)

In ‘real life,’ my mother’s family is pretty dysfunctional. 5 siblings, many of who do not speak to one another. A lot of turbulent water under the bridge. So, my dream is that I get all the extended family together and we fill a small stadium. I try and facilitate a conversation to get to the bottom of the non-communication. Smart, huh? Not. It goes all awry, and I realize I cannot fix this, no matter how much I might want to. Everyone’s got their own story of pain and loss, and they’re stuck there. I’m running around the stadium with a microphone, Phil Donahue style, asking folks to please say their name and what their primary message to the group is. Pandemonium. Everyone is piling on the complaints about the family matriarch (who was a piece of work, I tell you). This wasn’t supposed to be a bitch session about grandma. But that’s where it very quickly goes. Oy. I’m in over my head and I know it.

I wake and head out for a soak in the hot tub. I’m sitting there in the blessedly hot water, looking skyward, when a giant bird flies low right over my head. I think it was a hawk. Giant wingspan, swooping and gliding off to the distant trees. Eschewing my propensity for magical thinking, I just appreciate the bird for what it is: a beautiful creature who coincidently and randomly was making its way through the air, directly over my head.

So -- the family. I’ve been e-mailing one of my aunts – she would like to forget all the crap and move on to a friendly relationship with my mom. They’re all getting older and have all had their share of life’s griefs. But, no. Mom is immovable. And done. A long time ago done.

I am powerless to do a thing. Thank you, dream, for showing me the truth.

A very busy weekend - L & J's engagement party, friends visiting from Oakland. This photo is by Paul Porter, the aforementioned friend. He has taken up photography in the last couple of years and his work is stunningly beautiful. He's on Flickr, you should check it out.

Iowa Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Marriage Equality

A great day! A complete surprise! My heart soars today.

Moments We'd Like to Forget

Here's one I bet the artist would have liked to burn, never again to see the light of day. Oh, Mr. Islam, say it ain't so. A Bad Night, Indeed!

No April Fools Joke

So...a woman walks into her office. She gets on her e-mail and reads, two days before her 'retirement' interview, that, since once upon a time in her career she was a furloughed employee (2 mos. every summer), her retirement paperwork must go to the Office of the President (OP) for processing, and will be sent to her home in due course. Waaaahhhhh.

The OP has had massive staff cuts and this woman knows it'll be an enternity before the paperwork is mailed to her. And what significance does this have? And who can be contacted in OP to speed this process along? Is it curtains for our aging employee? Stay tuned for more adventures of the Wanna-Be-Retiree.