2020

Many people have been cursing 2020. I won't. It's been a year of terrible truths. 

People are paying attention to things in ways they never did in their whole lives. 

Something good has to come of all of all it. The darkeness cannot stand when so many people of good will see it for what it is. 

 

Eye light

 

This malaise is just enough to annoy, but I'll make another attempt to get tested later today.

A fresh start for the new year crawled out of the river basket this morning but, to slow me down, I washed everything in the sink. Finger-pressed, they'll be better off for the delay. Me too.

My aged phone is beginning to fail. Pictures have been chancey. If a test turns up positive, it's because I went into the phone place to look into a new one. The same day I yelled at the woman for crowding me at the post office, I only gave the stinkeye from across the store to the putz with his mask under his nose while I waited my turn.

The shit that takes up emotional energy these days...

Christmas 2020

 

2020

 I Remember Everything

John Prine

Alright

I've been down this road before
I remember every tree
Every single blade of grass
Holds a special place for me
And I remember every town
And every hotel room
And every song I ever sang
On a guitar out of tune

I remember everything
Things I can't forget
The way you turned and smiled on me
On the night that we first met
And I remember every night
Your ocean eyes of blue
How I miss you in the morning light
Like roses miss the dew

I've been down this road before
Alone as I can be
Careful not to let my past
Go sneaking up on me
Got no future in my happiness
Though regrets are very few
Sometimes a little tenderness
Was the best that I could do

I remember everything
Things I can't forget
Swimming pools of butterflies
That slipped right through the net
And I remember every night
Your ocean eyes of blue
How I miss you in the morning light
Like roses miss the dew

How I miss you in the morning light
Like roses miss the dew

Source: LyricFind

getting real things done

  Thursday I had errands to do. Banking from the car. Picked my time at the post office to buy some stamps only to be crowded by an idiot who I had to bark at a social distance violator - much to the glee of the mail lady who was only minimally protected from a parade of idiots by her plexiglass shield and cloth mask.

There was a short foray into the phone store to see about replacing my aging LG2. Not for a while. I'm not all that impressed with the latest model. I can wait.

 Time was you didn't think about disguises, armor, or weapons. If I'd pulled up to the drive-thru at the bank like this a year ago, who knows what might have happened.  

Sweetie has commandeered one of the fleece lap robes. Cats know what's right and good.

And for all my making ready? Christmas cards, lap desk, pens, and stamps? I still cannot find the little address book that I've been so holy about cultivating all year. With the state of what I'm seeing on the news of Post Office backlogs, y'all may get cards from me by Easter.

.

I picked Charlie up after school on Friday. They wore their PJs to school and watched "The Polar Express" which is the only Christmas movie I could call a favorite. Pretty steeped in Christmas Magic now, he said, "Nana, I bet I know where in the movie you cry."

I assured him, "every time."

   

At my house I let him pick up gifts and weigh them, but refused to reveal anything. Patience will be rewarded.

He spent the rest of the evening writing and illustrating a chapter book and criticizing (but glued to) an inane cartoon show. 

I drank hot tea and dozed as I could, A middle ear infection had its way with me for a day. Slowly on the mend. We forget that we can still come down with things other than the Big C. But, for all concerned, I'll look into a test on Monday.

A (small) blaze of Glory

I've always wanted a fire pit. This cast iron pot hasn't done anything but smell bad since I burned a pot of chili in it over ten years ago. I'm talking incinerated. The lid was on tight and I thought the burner was off. I chipped the charcoal out of it with a chisel but never could get rid of the smell.

Now, it's serving again. There was an incantation.

I need to get a bag of marshmallows to have on standby if someone calls the cops or fire department. I hear they'll give you a pass if you are cooking and not just burning leaves. 

After working on trucks and cars all weekend, the guys took a minute to go find a Christmas tree. It's just big enough.

I'm likely to be wordless here for a while. Putting them elsewhere. Taking a deep breath along with the rest of the country. Tending hearth and home. Celebrating and sharing as I can. Making plans for the future!

Change, as sure as the sun and the tides.

Glad tidings

 I met a friend for a parking lot picnic yesterday. We need to do this more!

Today there was late lunch with my copirate. We reacquainted ourselves with Sonic who now has an Espresso shake that's a meal unto itself.

Just in. SCOTUS has told Texas, Trump and the rest of the seditious slime that it's all over but the censures, impeachments, indictments, and incarcerations.

First christmas gift and first Christmas card. I'd better get with the program!

All Unknowing

These pieces, this one, in particular, make me so happy.

The orbs have been a feature of my work for so long and I've never really examined what that's about. Looking into this series from 2009, they are undoubtedly beings acting in concert. Reacting. Living things. 

Firefles hypnotize me.

Can you tell from these detail shots that it feels like concrete?

Deadlines

 "Well those drifter's days are past me now

I've got so much more to think about
Deadlines and commitments
What to leave in, what to leave out.." Bob Seeger

Make lists. Lose them. Accomplish one thing in a day and think you are the Shit Queen of Turd Mountain. Don't go downstairs, the kitchen will make you want to cut your throat except who'll have to clean that mess up?

I lost my Zoom virginty earlier this week and wasted a day patting myself on the back over that. Don't get me wrong, it was great fun and will be very useful going forward. Thank you, Dee for helping me thought the fidgets of the technology. And thank you, Ed.Grace for putting my feet back into the writing fire.

Over a year ago, I was first on the scene of a car accident. Talked with one of the drivers and a witness. Gave contact info. Wednesday I was scheduled to appear in court via Zoom to testify. I got dressed. Made self presentable. The Lawyers called it off. It's a wonder any thing gets through our court system. I have nothing to add to this case. I did not see it happen. Nobody seems to care. Screw the lawyers.

 I had a great visit with writer friends. Things are falling (being dragged) into place regarding getting my book out into the world. More steps to take. And before any of this, la familia. 

The river basket is in the closet. Out of sight but not out of mind. I'm in this chair right now wishing for something to hold that requires nothing more than to choose a color, thread the needle and go.

 Not for few more weeks. Deadlines and committments....

bathtub gin

 

This is the trial run of  Bathtub Gin Dirty Threads. Another learning experience underway.

Turns out that this herb drying rack did not go to waste after all, but the poor little things may freeze before they dry! 

I'm seeing a weakness in the colors that I'm sure has to do with the (indoor) temps. I may have to set that gin on fire to get the hot colors I like. There's always overdyeing.

I've had this river grass basket since 2008 and none of the cats have ever expressed any interest in it. I always assumed it had some kind of odor that put them off. This morning Sweetie climbed in, dug around a little, then nested. I couldn't bear to chase her off the scraps and just left her in the weak sunshine. True mixed media. 

She turned eleven sometime in April. We both get around with the same "old lady with arthritis" moves. Sometimes I think she's mocking me. 

I spent too much time (and money) online this weekend getting Christmas shopping done. One of my nephews is a budding artist and I want to support that. The trouble was I kept seeing stuff I wanted for myself. Jerry's Artarama has my number. 

I started hunting around for things and opened this drawer for the first time in a decade. Tomorrow, I'll sit with it all and see what's still good and what goes in the trash.

This one called itself done this morning and will get mounted on canvas soon. Still waiting for a name to be revealed.