The whole earth was brimming sunshine that morning. She tripped along, the clear sky pouring liquid blue into her soul.
Theodore Dreiser
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for July 2010.
Tags: Quoting
Singing the theme song. And no, she is not being beamed away in the process – just an ill placed light pole.
Two great minds that go great together (like Reese’s!).
Spock and Uhura
Khan!
Those compression chambers get me every time.
A preview of next season…
Awesome Portlanders!
Dang it, Portland, you are awesome, really. Filled with fine sights, lovely weather, a love for the environment, and that sometimes zany creative spirit, I can’t think of a finer place for this red roofed writer to call home.
Take, for instance, this past weekend. The hubster and I had a fine outing to North Portland (NoPo if you are so inclined – I am not) for a play-like production of an episode of Star Trek, “Space Seed” to be precise. First, I just love that a group of people would think to do this – a live production of an iconic television show, why not? Second, to be supported by such masses of people, Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike (peace and harmony!), that there was scarcely a place to sit within earshot after we arrived (90 minutes before showtime, I might add). Seriously, how cool is that?!
Anyhoo, it was a grand time, and though the set was rather simple, it was better than alright: the singing of the theme song, the sound effects, the witty repartee, and, of course, Captain Kirk battling with Khan(!). Called Trek in the Park and put on by Atomic Arts, it is word for word, blow by blow, and laugh for laugh accurate. I never thought it could be so fun!
We followed our adventure with a stop at one of our world famous food cart restaurants (Portland is ranked number ONE in the world for street food according to Budget Travel). A place I’d been wanting to try for ages, it didn’t disappoint. A perfect end to a terrific day, but I won’t spoil it with too many words. I’ll let the pictures do the majority of the talking…
Grilled Cheese Gromit!
Get on the bus…
Sip some bubbly…
Eat a sammy – The Jalapeno Popper and The Jersey.
Be Happy!
Nothing that is can pause or stay;
The moon will wax, the moon will wane,
The mist and cloud will turn to rain,
The rain and mist to cloud again,
Tomorrow be today.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Tags: Quoting
I’ve been thinking all morning about the past year, the 365 days since I had my hysterectomy. So much of what I feel is a jumble, of memories, and emotions, and wonder. Did all of that pain and suffering really happen, and to me? Despite the fact that I have four scars to prove it, it is hard to fathom that I ever was different from the woman I am now, one glorious year later.
For right now, all I feel is gratitude and a deep in my bones feeling that all is right, utterly and perfectly so, with the world. Part of it is the physical progress I’ve made over the past year. I feel so much better. I am not in constant pain. I’m on a very minimal dose of hormones (soon to be none, I think), and I’ve lost the weight I gained on the awful ones. I no longer need to take iron to cope with the massive surgical blood loss, not to mention the huge deficit every time my period came calling. I am a healthy woman, inside and out.
Most importantly, I feel an immense sense of gratitude for the ways I took care of myself by letting go. I let go of the notion that my pain was okay, that it wasn’t interfering with my life. Sure, I had innumerable ways of coping, of managing, but, looking back, I can’t honestly say that I was truly living. To be even more honest, I didn’t believe I deserved to experience that other life – the one where I was a good and valuable person, one who didn’t need to suffer. What a difference a year makes! Now I know, and in this moment, the only moment that I have, feel truly deserving of a joyous post surgical life.
In this life, I don’t have to fix myself to be a success. I can ask for the help of doctors, nurses, and the people I love. In this life, I am not ashamed of what I cannot do and very proud of what I can (Write! Bake! Garden!). I matter. I am important. I am worthy of all that is good, great, and spectacular! So are we all. Thanks for being part of my journey.
Happy Birthday Buddy! I love you!
Tags: Endometriosis
Hello Monday.
It was a terrific weekend here. One of those lovelies filled with everything and nothing: looking at electric pianos (we’re both going to learn), riding bikes to a pizza place we hadn’t tried before (Dove Vivi – very good), washing clothes, doing chores, lolling about the house reading Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse. Good golly miss molly! Normally I am a one book at a time kind of reader, zipping straight through, but I just can’t do it with her. The text is so dense. After about ten pages, I have to switch to something else (it was Astrid and Veronika, but now I’ve finished that and need something else, something breezy and light) out of fear of literary overload. It is a good book though, the characters and story so rich and full of everything: life, sorrow, joy, art, nature, food...
The hubster’s birthday is Wednesday, another year more handsome and wonderful, I say! The photo represents his birthday dinner a few days early, a slow sunny Sunday spent in the kitchen. I felt of another era: barefoot, singing, with a messy apron tied tightly about my middle. I made lemonade, barbecue sauce, marinated and slow roasted ribs (boneless – no mess!), boiled and dressed potatoes, too. Talk about the epitome of summer! We followed all of this with chocolate cupcakes, of course, because it certainly wouldn’t be a Gregory Cooper birthday celebration without something chocolate, no way, no how. For some reason I didn’t take a picture of them, but I assure you of their goodness. Anything for my sweetie. He works so hard and is essential to what makes my life the glorious one that it is. I love you, Buddy.
I also played with my watercolors a little, making waves and trees that I’ll scan for your viewing pleasure one of these days. I am definitely growing more confident with a brush. I’m also thinking about another quilt, one for the guest room. I’ve got a stack of pink and green fabrics that I think would be rather nice together.
Oh, and Lori – don’t fret about the quilt making! Just do it, seriously, start wherever you like. I am a wonky sewer, too. My seams never seem to be very straight, and I always mess something up. Oops is a favorite word of mine! As a matter of fact, after thinking I did a pretty good job of sewing on my binding, I learned that I did it wrong. Next time I’ll go straight to the You Tube before reading a description over and over again and thinking, “Yah, I know what I’m doing.” It looks good, at least, certainly not professional, but good.
There you have it, another weekend in Portland Paradise. Be well, everyone.
