Winding Down

Well, sister about to leave - we are both snockered as my friends would say - looking somewhat demented - tonight we are visiting memory lane with the help of the Bee Gee's and Santana. Whooo - are we old, or WHAT? Not too flattering photos - but hey, we are an absolute mess tonight - ever go through your whole past with your sister - wept together, set the world aright with your sister - - - yes, those are really GIANT margueritas - - - we are home waiting for "H" to come in from work, all "old folk" in our second childhood, each with our own private fantasies that we are living or dreaming of - - - and looking death in the eye - - - "steely eyes."

Visiting the 60's - the revolution - the drugs, the "free" love - the war - many of our buddies now coping with PTSD from Viet Nam, some of us, veteran protesters, war vets full of PTSD - still stoned - dear Lord, I'm thinking, thank goodness this isn't all there is!

Ok, yes, we are depressed in the bittersweet memories - were they any better than those who have the memories of other decades.........tell me, my friends.

Fun.............

Ok, yes, I am continuing on one grand bout of fun..... lst photo - slumber party! Yay! No, you are never too old for a slumber party. Not co-ed of course, just the girls, silly, serious, wonderful fun!

Second photo, grandaughter's sixteenth birthday - her boyfriend is a doll, we all love him. She is smiling and enjoying life so much more - so happy for her - a good way to see in the 16th birthday!

Third photo - dinner and drinks at Lulu's - Jimmy Buffet's sister's place on the bay - ooooohhhh my, watching dolphins swim by, the best Margaritas in the universe, a sunset to cry for, and fabulous food and laughter and fun - what more!

Fourth one - sister is visiting from Seattle, I linger in the isles of the tourist souvenier store trying on sunglasses and taking silly photos, crazy ol' lady havin' fun - hey folks, never give up hope - it gets better!!!
And better

And better

Fifth photo: We are smashing, no?

Viva la Caribbean and Florida

Wake up, Mama, Wake Up.

The sun is setting in Florida tonight and it is equisitely beautiful

Perhaps the fact that I'm seeing that tonight means I am coming back, comin back in.......I hope!

My friend once told me, "Gardenia, your head is racing across the dessert, but your camel is parked in the garage." Yes, Yes, it is. Anchored by husband, kids, grandkids, an aging mother. A grandson who is wanting to use my laptop and some supper. I guess I had better bring my head back, go feed the poor hungry camel who gets little exercise and get to bed early so I can clean house tomorrow. Feed the boy. It was a nice dream. Wake up, Mama, wake up.

Back to painting and writing. My favorite line the last few days, is "Wake up, Mama, wake up."

Where Heaven is Hidden

Oh my heart! It is still in the Caribbean! The people! The landscape! The villa! Charlestown! The sea, the rainbows, the clouds and mist - the jungle! The monkeys!

I am so laid back and relaxed I can barely move as well as very brown and very happy. The only way to get to the island is by ferry - riding on top of the ferry, where the wind blew as wild as Wyoming wind, and the heavens let loose curtains of rain! We laughed and laughed - and that was the last time I put makeup on or did my hair on the isle.

I was informed that with me, came the rains, much needed rains each day. Afternoons were filled with lying back on the veranda watching clouds and the sea. I am a hyped up Type A and never dreamed I would be content to watch cloud formations for five hours at a time.

We toured ruins from the slave era, took hundreds of photos, used the sling shot on the monkeys that scampered about trying to steal fruit, I walked through pine needles about a foot deep that felt like a bed for animals or human and lay, stretched like a panther, on the cement walls overlooking the sea, literally drinking in the place and space in time. I think I've never been so happy.

While volcanoes erupted elsewhere, I lay cradled in the arms of lush dormant green volcanoes in wept my weary tears into the earth.

So that was my time away. Years of stress and held onto anxieties have melted away. I cried with gratefulness off and on - joining tears into the rain. Life exploded in technicolor and painted my being with its intensity of immense love, I danced with the hills, the mountains, the wind, the ocean all at the same time. I can say no more words. I live with exquisite joy and gratitude.

My heart has found its place, perhaps, and I will set it to think about going back. Life is not full of telephones, TV, McDonalds, Walmarts - only markets, the sound of goats and birds and insects and rain and recycling and reusing and growing food, of living just because its good and a privilege to be alive. No coats, no gloves, not much in the way of shoes. Three months, please, and a sip of rum.

My sister will be here Wednesday and we'll see if we can find a patch in the sunshine here to feed life back into us. We will find some, I'm sure.

Pre Flight Panic but Peace in Nature

This is spring in my area. Almost everywhere one drives, the array of blooming bushes, trees, and flowers is dazzling.

This morning I went out to attempt to trim the orange tree. Because of my bouts of dizziness, I dare not climb the ladder - then found it takes strength to clip large branches while holding clippers up over the head. At any rate, I ended up with a lot of orange blossoms in my hair, down my shirt - the fragrance was incredible! But, alas, the top of the tree is still scraggly!

Two full days ahead before departure for tropics. I am TOTALLY organized - I bought one of those passport/organizers - why, oh, why did I not do that years ago? It is so wonderful! Holds everything a massive bag with "stuff" rumbling around all over the place, and things are easy to find! Not like a large, sexy purse, but hey, will the monkeys care? Noooooooo. In fact, it is probably much less likely that a monkey will attempt to steal this ugly little thing than an awesome designer bag. Did I mention that my sweet friend who is cleaning her closet also gave me another pair of boots - four inch heels, yes! - and three bags that are something I would drool for, but never buy myself? Oh, so grateful I am. I should post pics - I will when I get back!

I have printer cartridges for my computer store deprived friends, CD's transferred to my laptop - design programs loaded (as much as possible - I still can't get my old copy of Photoshop 7 to load into Windows Vista) - clothes packed, no plane snacks yet - have to go to store and get some Atkins (I hope) bars, some apples, and food to prepare ahead for two of my men ("H" and youngest grandson who will be here on weekends) so they can do the bachelor thing. "H" has started to read every night to grandson when he is here - and it is such a calming influence on him. Him - well, maybe both of them. Where oh where are the days of just throwing in a few things, to heck with it if you've forgotten something and taking off?

Copies of passport made and left under magnet on fridge in case of earthquake and I get lost -

did I mention bouts of acute anxiety? Mmmmmhmmmm.

Next post will be pics of the tropics!

Post Easter

My soon to be sixteen year old granddaughter - and her boyfriend. I'm so happy for her because she looks happier than I've seen her for a long time. She's the one that had the rods inserted in her back, and they were extremely painful for several years until she once again had surgery to remove them. She is doing pretty well - some pain issues but not nearly as much!

The kids dyed four dozen eggs - youngest grandson helped.

The weather was exquisite - the Saturday before youngest grandson and I joined Hattigrace and some friends at a park and the kids all hunted Easter eggs and ate hotdogs and all around had so much fun.

I made the feast - a simple one in stages - and "H" cleaned up after the dinner - thank goodness, I was only good for bed by then. Our Wyoming friends were here, but had to leave suddenly when his operated on foot started oozing we know not what - I am waiting for cheap cell phone hours so I can call and find out what is going on - no bad infection, I pray!

Oldest daughter raided my closet - we often trade clothes back and forth. The only thing I bought for Easter besides food was a new summer bag for granddaughter and 3 Dove chocolate bunnies for each grandchild. I did buy myself some "PEEPS" - I love those things!

My stomach, head, etc., all but stamina has perked up considerably and stamina is coming along - four days after today to the countdown to catching the plane for the Caribbean - eeeeeeeeek! It will be very interesting - I can't wait for hopefully fabulous photos to share with everyone. What to wear, what to wear? Bathing suit - check, wraps - check, crop pants - check, tank tops - check - a packable skirt and slinky black top for - - - what? Check! Shoes, supplements, meds, hair stuff, toothpaste - and to think I left for Costa Rica with two Walmart knit outfits, a tooth brush-paste, and comb in a borrowed bag - (I was only a few miles from New Orleans airport and remembered that I forgot my suitcase!) The Costa Rica trip was an adventure - none of the reservations were working out - I ended up in the Barrio in a $30 a night hotel (if I ever take a vacation in San Jose, I know exactly where to stay!) and shopped the stalls until, with no Spanish except "Si!" I negotiated a chicken leg and a coke.

There were absolutely no folks but locals - but I did stumble upon the bus station and found I could take a bus to the resort area, if I still could not get on the little plane - depended hugely on this wonderful taxi driver who literally saved my trip for me - Wow! That trip also netted a web design job - so if this is a forecast of the future - trips to the Caribbean to design websites, I'm on!

Sooooo - tonight scalloped potatoes and ham - leftovers from Easter dinner, grandson still with us, need to call him in from play for dinner and get him settled for the evening. His spring break is over - the kids are in their last quarter - hoorah - summer is coming!!!!!!

Sorry again about the paragraphs - I am flat refusing to put the HTML in by hand again!

April, Old Florida, and My Bonne Island

My grandson got me this mirror (sorry about the "night pic" although its kind of neat) from a garage sale and even had it delivered. It is "old Florida" to the max, and is about three and 1/2 feet tall all the way around with long-legged birds - could be egrets, flamingos, or herons - not sure, but I sure do love the mirror. The only problem will be getting it hung. I will probably have to go buy a stud finder and consult with a sales person how best to hang such a weighty mirror. I think I want it in the bedroom, maybe I will get a palm tree for either side, inside palms, since they are on sale and go with a new theme in the master bedroom. Paint some mermaids to hang on the wall ala Weeki Wachie - where I hope to go someday while it still exists. I thought it so sweet he rescued the mirror for me. He is really proud of himself.

Good Friday today - trying to decide what that means, have been studying the Four Gospels today and various viewpoints from various religions. At any rate, we shall celebrate Easter - we'll go to early church, then the kids are all coming - even the big ones want to dye eggs this year and some friends, the ones from Wyoming who have "wintered" down here are coming as well. I will have to be careful and not expend too much energy as all of a sudden I have crashed physically again.

Simple buffet lunch - ham, five cup salad, potato salad, green salad, sugar free angel food cake with cherries, coolwhip frosting.

I got sick Wednesday, and had been doing so well, walking and enjoying cool morning air, felt marvelous and wham. Everything hurt from head to knees, chills, etc. I'm sleeping a lot, resting - or at least trying to, think I caught "H's" virus - I thought, no, no, no, not before my trip. So I don't know if I'm going or not. Certainly not if stomach is still so fickle. At least no chilling for 24 hours so that probably means fever is gone. So we'll see, I pray for health ASAP!

Found out my sister will visit at the end of the month - yay! Will be nice to just bum around, no one to take care of - we only get to see each other every five years, unless my mother has an emergency and we meet in Wyoming. So, its going to be a full month - then in May everyone starts having birthdays - and I will be behind on yard work if I get my trip - I don't want my sister to work as she has rheumatoid arthritis, and I want her to rest in my big magnetic bed, and on the warm sand!

We did an impromptu garage sale last week - across the street from the bird mirror, and grandson manned the table and made $70.00! It was kind of fun - the most fun part was getting rid of almost everything we wanted to get rid of for now. Now, we have room to keep working out there. I want to have a set of storage shelves built for art work, my study/studio is full as can be.

Hopefully I can post before I leave, should I really leave! If not, have a good holiday, and I'll post island pics when I get back, if I don't go, I will post pictures of me pulling weeds and planting herbs.