The fourth day of the retreat is the day one learns the vipissana part of the meditation. It is the head to toe scanning of the body. It is a day of determination about the sitting. The first head to toe sitting takes about two hours. Talk about determination. My legs were screaming with pain. I was in tears and so relieved when the session ended. It is a good thing we were silent. I couldn't have stood to hear my self complaining outloud. It was ugly enough inside my head.
Any sensual bliss in the world, any heavenly bliss, isn't worth one sixteenth-sixteenth of the bliss of the ending of craving.
A month after starting the newest phase in my spirituality journey, I have one note for this morning: It is difficult to have a calm and equanimous mind the morning after watching the movie Milk last night.
To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to purify one's mind - this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
'Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame.' Daily Words of the Buddha for October 15, 2009
Equanimity, equipoise, equilibrium...
On September 23, I rode with friends from the Wheeling book club to Camp Fairlee at Chestertown, MD to attend a 10 day Vipassana retreat. I must admit that I had done some research into what I was getting into, but had not done more than scratch the surface. Partly I was going on trust in my friend's research. My trust was well placed. The 10 days were vibrant and exciting. Some moments were challenging past my expectations, but challenge is the push I often need to step out in faith.
The reading I have done through the years and the focus the reading group had prepared me to richly dive into the retreat. What a blessing. What a blessing.
I am just one of many westerners who have been exploring eastern thinking and meditation. Nothing really new here. Just my journey.
Schoolbag in hand She leaves home in the early morning Waving goodbye With an absent-minded smile I watch her go With a surge of that well-known sadness And I have to sit down for a while The feeling that I'm loosing her forever And without really entering her world I'm glad whenever I can share her laughter That funny little girl
Slipping through my fingers all the time I try to capture every minute The feeling in it Slipping through my fingers all the time Do I really see what's in her mind Each time I think I'm close to knowing She keeps on growing Slipping through my fingers all the time
Sleep in our eyes Her and me at the breakfast table Barely awake I let precious time go by Then when she's gone There's that odd melancholy feeling And a sense of guilt I can't deny What happened to the wonderful adventures The places I had planned for us to go Well some of that we did But most we didn't And why I just don't know
Slipping through my fingers all the time I try to capture every minute The feeling in it Slipping through my fingers all the time Do I really see what's in her mind Each time I think I'm close to knowing She keeps on growing Slipping through my fingers all the time
Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture And save it from the funny tricks of time Slipping through my fingers -
Schoolbag in hand She leaves home in the early morning Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile
I recently read and was astounded by Jill Bolte-Taylor's My Stroke of Insight. Everyone in the health care profession should read or listen to her.
Last night I finished Darkness Visble, A Memoir of Madness by William Styron. I recommend this rich book for anyone who has experienced depression and especially for those who haven't.
Rounding out my current top three titles is The Migraine Brian by Caroln Bernstein, MD and Elaine McCurdle. If you or a loved one suffers from bad headaches or has been diagnosed with migraines, this is must reading.
A voice of my youth that I remember floating through the air across the city park pool in Parkersburg was Little Stevie Wonder. Today he sang at Michael Jackson's memeorial service.
"I Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer"
I never dreamed you'd leave in summer I thought you would go then come back home I thought the cold would leave by summer But my quiet nights will be spent alone
You said there would be warm love in springtime That was when you started to be cold I never dreamed you'd leave in summer But now I find myself all alone
You said then you'd be the life in autumn Said you'd be the one to see the way I never dreamed you'd leave in summer But now I find my love has gone away
Why didn't you stay?
"They Won't go when I go"
No more lying friends Wanting tragic ends Though they do pretend They won't go when I go
All those bleeding hearts With sorrows to impart Were right here from the start And they won't go when I go
And I'll go where I've longed To go so long Away from tears
Gone from painful cries Away from saddened eyes Along with him I'll bide Because they won't go when I go
Big men feeling small Weak ones standing tall I will watch them fall They won't go when I go
And I'll go where I've longed To go so long Away from tears
Unclean minds mislead the pure The innocent will leave for sure For them there is a resting place People sinning just for fun They will never see the sun For they can never show their faces There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner Who will take more than he will give He ain't hardly gonna give
The greed of man will be Far away from me And my soul will be free They won't go when I go
Since my soul conceived All that I believe The kingdom I will see 'Cause they won't go when I go
When I go Where I'll go No one can keep me From my destiny.
Up and out to the pancake breakfast at the Thomas Fire hall. Then to church.
As it was cool and rainy and we were both feeling lazy or uninspired we did not take in the Community Chorus concert or teh annual symphony perforamnce.
A new house two 1/2 years ago, but now I am in it full time. We are looking at the rooms thinking about how to best use them. Ed is mostly out and about. Maggie has one more year of HS. Abbey visits often, Walt and Sam more rarely. Kayce still fits with Maggie.
We came up with a furniture waltz in teh living room that I think will work quite nicely.
You see we have some functional pieces-TV and couch. Then we have many sentimental pieces most from family and pleasing to the eye. It iwll be fun as soon as I find some of those miracle slide-y furniture round thingies.
Day 2, July 2. How convenient. I know it won't take long to lose count.
Loading the car and getting ready to drive. Last book group last night, but we are going to try skype.
Goodbye to Cindy. What a blessing to have shared the last year with her. Richness.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
I'm comin' home, I've done my time Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine If you received my letter telling you I'd soon be free Then you'll know just what to do If you still want me If you still want me Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree It's been three long years Do ya still want me? If I don't see a ribbon round the old oak tree I'll stay on the bus Forget about us Put the blame on me If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree
Bus driver, please look for me 'cause I couldn't bear to see what I might see I'm really still in prison And my love, she holds the key A simple yellow ribbon's what I need to set me free I wrote and told her please
Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree It's been three long years Do ya still want me? If I don't see a ribbon round the old oak tree I'll stay on the bus Forget about us Put the blame on me If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree
Now the whole damned bus is cheerin' And I can't believe I see A hundred yellow ribbons round the old oak tree
Yesterday I pushed hard to finish up paper work, order supplies, identify things for other employees, say goodbye to those who called, clean off the desk and computer. Bob and Gail sent flowers which I forgot in the building and went back for. I took them to the house on the Island then drove to the Grove to pick up prescriptions. On the drive to the Grove, I started sniveling.
By the time I got back to teh house I was crying, so I called Phill and then Abbey.
But that seems to have passed now. I did want to note it as I can't remember the last time I cried.
I don't feel finished at the Hall(3yrs)there are still things I wanted to do which was not true at Telemarketing(5 yrs), Blennerhassett(7yrs), or Blackwater(8yrs).
Wheeling has been great fun. I will miss the library, Lois and her family, Cindy and her friends, my reading group, the downtown marketing group, the history folks and my other co-workers. It has been a good run.
Tomorrow I will drive to Tucker County and be immersed in house work and unpacking. I have a busy July waiting. Back to loading the car and having the dogs follow me around.
A first hurdle is packing and moving my good stuff back to Tucker County. Phill is coming after his work tonight to help tomorrow. He will take a load, then I will fill my ccar on Wednesday and drive it over on Thursday. Cindy has graciously said what I don't take now I can fetch later. Particulary helpful for the furniture pieces.
This afternoon CIndy has planned a goodbye luncheon with her cousin and friends.
As of June 30, I will retire from working for the state of West Virginia. The last time I was not employed was in 1980 when I was home for five years having Abbey, Walter, & Sam. So basically, I have been busy since I started my senior year in August 1969 -- 40 years.
When I wanted to work in the summer during high school, my dad said no. "You'll have to work the rest of your life." He was right. Of course.
June 6, 2009 was the 7th anniversary of his death. 65th anniversary of D-Day in which he most certainly participated and during which many of his shipmates gave their lives.
Although I envision I will need to work for "spending money," I hope to have part of the summer off to be a homemaker and a family/friend visitor.
As for my contribution as a worker...I declare it a good run.
Katie Couric asked the two presidential candidates which three living people they would like to have dinner with. I would like to have dinner with my five children and my husband. Really.
You expected: Barack Obama Your recommendation: Barack Obama
Party: Democratic Born: 1961, Honolulu, Hawaii Family: wife and two daughters Career: Business International Corporation; NYPIRG; attorney and constitutional law lecturer Political career: Member of the Illinois State Senate from the 13th district, 1997-2004. Incumbent Junior Senator from Illinois since 2005 Hot topic: Universal healthcare Did you know? He is the only African American currently serving in the US Senate Supported by: Oprah Winfrey, Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, George Clooney, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Michael Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Ed Norton, Jennifer Aniston, Zach Braff, John Cleese, Leonard Nimoy and Brooke Shields
John McCain is quoted as saying that the rich are those with 5 million dollars. Snopes
I decided to determine where my family and I fit into the bigger socio economic scene.
I looked at Wikipedia to get a quick answer. There are tables on a page titled "Social class in the US at a glance" Wikipedia
Based on my education, I am upper middle class. Based on my income, I am lower middle class. My income equates to what a male with a high school education can expect to make and what a woman with an associate's degree can expect to make. According to the US Census for 2005, my household and I are in the top of the lower half of wage earners across the US.
I started to write infamy, but that is so sloppy and irreverent. Today is the day the congress voted down a bailout and the stock market vomited. Hmmm If I believed in conspiracy theories, I would make something of this. I believe as Suze Orman said that this is the result of greed and dishonesty. And those big guys are laughing in their sleeves.
To top it all off, Heroes, the TV show is disjointed and overloaded. I am so disappointed.
To celebrate the dip in the stock market, I went to the grocery store and took advantage of some Kroger sales.
I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow, And each road leads you where you want to go, And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose, I hope you choose the one that means the most to you. And if one door opens to another door closed, I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window, If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,
But more than anything, more than anything, My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to, Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small, You never need to carry more than you can hold, And while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too, Yeah, this, is my wish.
I hope you never look back, but ya never forget, All the ones who love you, in the place you left, I hope you always forgive, and you never regret, And you help somebody every chance you get, Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake, And you always give more than you take.
But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything, My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to, Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small, You never need to carry more than you can hold, And while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too, Yeah, this, is my wish.
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to, Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small, You never need to carry more than you can hold, And while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too, Yeah, this, is my wish.
This is my wish I hope you know somebody loves you May all your dreams stay big
MY heart is like a singing bird Whose nest is in a water'd shoot; My heart is like an apple-tree Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit; My heart is like a rainbow shell That paddles in a halcyon sea; My heart is gladder than all these Because my love has come to me.
Raise me a dias of silk and down; Hang it with vair and purple dyes; Carve it in doves and pomegranates, And peacocks with a hundred eyes; Work it in gold and silver grapes, In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys; Because the birthday of my life Is come, my love is come to me. Christina Rossetti
REMEMBER me when I am gone away, Gone far away into the silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by day You tell me of our future that you plann'd: Only remember me; you understand It will be late to counsel then or pray. Yet if you should forget me for a while And afterwards remember, do not grieve: For if the darkness and corruption leave A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad.
Crazy how it feels tonight ... Crazy how you make it all alright love ... You crush me with the things you do ... I do for you anything too... Sitting, smoking, feeling high ...In this moment it feels so right ... Lovely lady I am at your feet ... God I want you so badly ... I wonder this ... Could tomorrow be ... So wondrous as you there sleeping ... Let's go drive 'til morning comes ... Watch the sunrise ... To fill our souls up ... Drink some wine 'til we get drunk ... It's crazy I'm thinking ... Just knowing that the world is round ... Here I'm dancing on the ground ... Am I right side up or upside down ... Is this real or am I dreaming ... Lovely lady ... Let me drink you please ... I won't spill a drop, I promise you ... Lying under this spell you cast on me ... Each moment The more I love you ... Crush me ... Come on It's crazy I'm thinking ... Just knowing that the world is round ... Here I'm dancing on the ground ... Am I right side up or upside down ... Is it real or am I dreaming ... Lovely lady I will treat you sweetly ... Adore you I mean ... You crush me ... It's times like these ... When my faith I feel ... And I know ... How I love you ... Come on Lady ... It's crazy I'm thinking ... Just as long as you're around ... And here I'll be dancing on the ground ... Am I right side up or upside down ... To each other we'll be facing ... By love we'll beat back the pain we've found ... You know I mean to tell you all the things ... I've been thinking deep inside ... My friend With each moment the more I love you ... Crush me ... Come on Lady ... So much you have given love ... That I would give you back ... Again and again ... Meaning I'll hold you ... And please ... Let me always
From the road page: As we sat this afternoon contemplating the loss of our brother, we wondered how we could possibly do a show today. Dave put it into perspective stating, "There's no place I'd rather be than here with you guys right now." We cherish special memories of our lost friend. Tonight, Dave told a story about LeRoi at a bar in Virginia where the cash register was near the stage and LeRoi leaned on the register because "standing had become a chore". Roi proceeded to play the most beautiful version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Dave said, "that was the day I fell in love with him. And I'm still in love with him." It's safe to say we all were in love with him. "It's always easier to leave, than to be left." -DM
To what purpose, April, do you return again? Beauty is not enough. You can no longer quiet me with the redness Of little leaves opening stickily. I know what I know. The sun is hot on my neck as I observe The spikes of the crocus. The smell of the earth is good. It is apparent that there is no death. But what does that signify? Not only under ground are the brains of men Eaten by maggots. Life in itself Is nothing, An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs. It is not enough that yearly, down this hill, April Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.
It is early evening, It is raining, not too hard now. I am sitting in a white rocking chair on the back porch of 108 S Penn St. I can see the top of the suspension bridge... the west end anyway.
Suzie asked to go back in, but I can tell she regrets it because she is sitting just inside the door . Opps, now she is gone ... the cat ran her off. The cat likes to sneak up on Suzie and Turner and bat the heck out of their ears. Fortunately no claws are involved. I guess the dogs wouldn't put up with it if there were..
The temperature is less that 70. Lovely. I am surrounded by Cindy's summer porch plants, fern, petunia, a couple of potted tomato plants. I need my camera. The wall of the house next door is peeling, the porch down the alley leans. The motor of a car on the next street revs.
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true) and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
Lyrics for: The Only Promise That Remains From the album: Reba Duets Songwriters: Morris, Matt, Timberlake, Justin Label: MCA Nashville Featuring: Justin Timberlake
When the ground beneath you starts shaking, shaking And you forget the place we came from, came from When you’re lost and looking for a way home Your way home to me, I'll come out and find you
When the world around you starts moving, moving And you should wonder if I still love you, love you If you feel a darkness coming, rising inside I'll make a light to guide you back home
And after all the sky has fallen down And after all the water is washed away My love’s the only promise that remains
When your doubts have got you thinking, thinking And nothing’s every really sacred, sacred And you’re afraid you might believe it Believe in me and I'll give you a reason
‘Cause the world around us keeps on moving, moving And there’s no doubt that I still love you, love you So when you feel the darkness coming, rising inside I'll make a light to guide you back home
And after all the sky has fallen down And after all the water is washed away My love’s the only promise that remains My love’s the only promise that remains My love’s the only promise that remains
And after all the sky has fallen down (After all the sky has fallen down) And after all the water is washed away (After all the water is washed away) My love’s the only promise that remains, remains
Abbey is in Japan visiting Sam. Walter is in Lexington, KY, interviewing for new work. Sam is in Misawa, Japan, teaching English. Ed is in finals week at WV Wesleyan. Maggie is a sophomore at TCHS. Phill is at work in Bretz. Suzie is asleep in a chair.
The four Browns are getting ready to go to Utah for Scott's wedding.
Crossroads, seem to come and go, yeah. The gypsy flies from coast to coast
Knowing many, loving none, Bearing sorrow havin' fun, But back home he'll always run To sweet Melissa... mmm...
Freight train, each car looks the same, all the same. And no one knows the Gypsy's name
No one hears his lonely sighs, There are no blankets where he lies. In all his deepest dreams the Gypsy flies with sweet Melissa... mmm...
Again the morning's come, Again he's on the run, Sunbeams shining through his hair, Appearing not to have a care. Well, pick up your gear and Gypsy roll on, roll on.
Crossroads, will you ever let him go? (Lord, Lord) Will you hide the dead man's ghost, Or will he lie, beneath the clay, or will his spirit float away?
But I know that he won't stay without Melissa.
Yes I know that he won't stay without Melissa.
From Song Facts: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=830 April 27, 2008
Gregg Allman spoke at length about this song in an interview with the San Luis Obispo (CA) Tribune on November 30, 2006: "I wrote that song in 1967 in a place called the Evergreen Hotel in Pensacola, Florida. By that time I got so sick of playing other people's material that I just sat down and said, 'OK, here we go. One, two, three - we're going to try to write songs.' And about 200 songs later - much garbage to take out - I wrote this song called 'Melissa.' And I had everything but the title. I thought (referring to lyrics): 'But back home, we always run... to sweet Barbara' - no. Diane...? We always run... to sweet Bertha.' No, so I just kind of put it away for a while. So one night I was in the grocery store - it was my turn to go get the tea, the coffee, the sugar and all that other s--t... and there was this Spanish lady there and she had this little toddler with her - this little girl. And I'm sitting there, getting a few things and what have you. And this little girl takes off, running down the aisle. And the lady yells, Oh, Melissa! Melissa, come back, Melissa!' And I went, 'Oh - that's it.' I forgot about half the stuff I went for, I went back home and, man, it was finished, only I couldn't really tell if it was worth a damn or not because I'd written so many bad ones. So I didn't really show it to anybody for about a year. And then I was the last one to get to Jacksonville - I was the last one to join the band that became the Allman Brothers. And my brother sometimes late at night after dinner, he'd say, 'Man, go get your guitar and play me that song - that song about that girl.' And I'd play it for him every now and then. After my brother's accident, we had 3 vinyl sides done of Peach, so I thought well we'll do that, and then on the way down there I wrote "Ain't Wastin' Time No More." I wrote that for my brother. We were all in pretty bad shape. I had just gotten back from Jamaica and I was weighing at about 156, 6-foot-1-and-a-half - I was pretty skinny. So we went back down there, got in the studio and finished the record. And the damn thing shipped gold." (thanks, Peaceboy - Someplace, CA)
This was first recorded in 1968 by the 31st Of February, one of Gregg and Duane Allman's first bands. Duane's version of this with the 31st Of February is the first recording of him playing the bottleneck slide guitar, a technique he became famous for. Gregg Allman got some help on this song from Sandy Alaimo, who was operating the studio they used. The part of the song that begins: "Crossroads, will you ever let him go" is probably a reference to Robert Johnson, a Blues legend who supposedly went to a crossroads and sold his soul to the devil. This was one of the first songs the band recorded without Duane Allman. He died in a motorcycle accident about 4 months before this was released. Eat A Peach was dedicated to Duane. The Allman Brothers performed this on the last episode of the syndicated Dennis Miller Show on July 25, 1992. The band performed this at Duane Allman's funeral in 1971. This was never a big hit in the US, but it has endured as a regular on classic rock radio.
Today marked 4000 dead in Iraq... the day after western Easter celebration...
Christmas Song, Dave Matthews
She was his girl; he was her boyfriend She be his wife; take him as her husband A surprise on the way, any day, any day One healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy The wise men came three made their way To shower him with love While he lay in the hay Shower him with love love love Love love love Love love is all around Not very much of his childhood was known Kept his mother Mary worried Always out on his own He met another Mary for a reasonable fee, less than Reputable as known to be
His heart was full of love love love Love love love Love love is all around When Jesus Christ was nailed to the his tree Said "oh, Daddy-o I can see how it all soon will be I came to she'd a little light on this darkening scene Instead I fear I spill the blood of my children all around"
The blood of our children all around The blood of our children all around The blood of our children all around So the story goes, so I'm told The people he knew were Less than golden hearted Gamblers and robbers Drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers Like you and me
Rumors insisted he soon would be For his deviations Taken into custody by the authorities Less informed than he. Drinkers and jokers. all soul searchers Searching for love love love Love love love Love love is all around
Preparations were made For his celebration day He said "eat this bread and think of it as me Drink this wine and dream it will be The blood of our children all around The blood of our children all around" The blood of our children all around
Father up above, why in all this anger have you fill Me up with love Fill me love love love Love love love Love love And the blood of our children all around
I set out on a narrow way many years ago Hoping I would find true love along the broken road But I got lost a time or two Wiped my brow and kept pushing through I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you Every long lost dream led me to where you are Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars Pointing me on my way into your loving arms This much I know is true That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you
I think about the years I spent just passing through I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you But you just smile and take my hand You've been there you understand It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true
Every long lost dream led me to where you are Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars Pointing me on my way into your loving arms This much I know is true That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you
Now I'm just rolling home Into my lover's arms This much I know is true That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you
That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a Child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Marianne Williamson
You cannot quit me so quickly Is no hope in you for me No corner you could squeeze me But I got all the time for you, love The Space Between The tears we cry Is the laughter keeps us coming back for more The Space Between The wicked lies we tell And hope to keep us safe from the pain
But will I hold you again? These fickle, fuddled words confuse me Like 'Will it rain today?' Waste the hours with talking, talking These twisted game we play
We're strange allies With warring hearts What wild-eyed beast you be The Space Between The wicked lies we tell And hope to keep us safe from the pain
Will I hold you again? Will I hold...
Look at us spinning out in The madness of a roller coaster You know you went off like a devil In a church in the middle of a crowded room All we can do, my love Is hope we don't take this ship down
The Space Between Where you're smiling high Is where you'll find me if I get tickled The Space Between The bullets in our firefight Is where I'll be hiding, waiting for you The rain that falls Splash in your heart Ran like sadness down the window into... The Space Between Our wicked lies Is where we hope to keep safe from pain
Take my hand 'Cause we're walking out of here Oh, right out of here Love is all we need here The Space Between What's wrong and right Is where you'll find me hiding, waiting for you The Space Between Your heart and mine Is the space we'll fill with time The Space Between...
Tuesday had temperatures in the 60s. Today, Thursday, is back to normal January dreary. Ahhhh, changable, seasonal weather. Time to go to the library for a new book.
During our open house - open house means no admission fee (that seemed to confuses some people) - a couple with two young girls visited early and stayed long. They took advantage of all the amenities: craft, story telling, refreshment. A volunteer reported the mom was using the library table to change her little darling's diaper. Shortly there after, a guest report an overflowing toilet. Within minutes, all toliets were stopped up. So nice to have to close the toilets on a busy day. (Meanwhile the volunteers checked the trashcans to make sure the diaper went out of the builidng. No diaper to be found) By the next day the high water had subsided and the maintenance man thought he had it clear. However, the next weeknd, the toilets started running slowly, so on Monday the plumber came. Yes, indeed, he fished remains of that diaper out of the main sewer line. Seems mom told dad to throw away the diaper and he put it down the toilet. WHAT WAS HE THINKING????? Evidently he wasn't or he is ignorant.
Someone suggested I put up a sign. Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. I don't think signs combat ignorance, because in law enforcement class we learned that when some folks see a "Do Not Litter" sign, they are compelled to pile litter under it. So a "only toilet paper in the toilet" sign would encourage student to put more paper towels in the toilet like they did this week.
I got them done. Most are addressed and stamped. Now I need to get return address labels on them. And off they will go this weekend. isn't that nice.
last night when Suzie and I went out for a walk it was foggy and damp. The Christmas lights in the yards up the street looked magical. The two dogs across the street threw themselves into the bay window to bark and Suzie and I. They thought that was magical.
I am trying to email myself from my little apple. It is the Christmas letter which I must admit is not a sterling piece of writing, but none the less I do not want to re type it. All I get is the little color wheel. Argh. I am cranky.
This is Samuel, my number 2 son, number 3 child. He is currently in Japan with the JET program. He is teaching English in Misawa, Aomori, Japan. You can see his blog and weekly updates at jetsetarnett.blogspot
Wow, what a beautiful day. It is the kind of day one likes to use as reference when thinking of a beautiful day in fall.
The leaves are starting to change slowly this year, at least in the mountains. Usually peak is considered the last of September, but it has only just begun.
Yesterday I took Dog Suzie to get her stitches removed from her dog procedure-spay. There was a poster on the wall with pictures and groupings of purebred dogs. I learned that Suzie being evidently part pug and part chihuahua is catagorized a "toy." Pugs were bred in China and chihuahua in Mexico. The toy dogs are considered companions. My companion spent time last evening chewing on my hands and ridding me of fleas.
Magz has dubbed Miss Suzie a pughuahua, pronounced 'pugwawa.'
My mom changed the spelling of her name a couple of times. I am never sure how to spell it now. "E" on the end of Merl or not? Sh is not here to tell me her preference. Anyhow, yesterday would have been her 81st birthday. My younger brother sent out his favorite picture of her. Although it is slightly out of focus, she is young, healthy, smiling and reading her Bible. Her hands and her Bible are in focus.
Friday week, I visited a foster home for Preston County Animal Shelter. Here is a picture of the "part pug" I brought home. She had four pups who have also been placed. So there is a "Happy Tail" for petfinder.com
Her pound name is SuzieQ, but she answers not. For that matter she answers to not at all, except to kissy sounds or high pitched baby/doggy talk. I guess we will keep the name because it matches the other pet names: Izzy collie, Zinger cat, and the fish (who don't answer to anything but the plink of food on the water.)
Suzie is a good companion. She sleeps at work. She sleeps in the car. She sleeps in the Wheeling apartment and the Davis house. She barks rarely. She does her necessary functions outside. Good dog, Suzie.
So I got through Girl Scout Day Camp and handed over the glue and glitter while promising to be assistant director next year. Sounds much more doable.
I need to post a picture my oldest emailed me today. It is from probably 20 years ago. As a matter of fact it was 1987. How time flies. My, my, my.
The picture is from a spring trip to Holly River State Park. These children are grown now and taller than I. The fellow on my right is about 6'5". My heart wants the time back, but to no avail. Like the Willie Nelson song says, "I should have loved you better, didn't mean to be unkind. You know that was the last thing on my mind."
The future reading I did about the dog in Betsy's car turned out to be false. Jim has fallen in love with "little Bit." Looks like she is staying on with the Martins and menagerie. So no dog for me right now which is for the best. Like today I have a doctor's appoiintment and who would keep the dog.
I looked into Betsy's Moutaineer and I am pretty sure I saw the future.
My friend Betsy rescues...dogs, cats, people.... Yesterday she saw a pup along side a back road. On her way back, it was still there. She and hubby, Jim, went back to see if anyone had lost a pup. "Nope," said the folks at the first house. "We saw someone drop the dog off. We wondered what would happen to it."
So this morning 'Litle Bit' was in the vehcile with Buddy(corgie mix), Lucky(fat beagle), Maggie & Daisey( yellow labs.) The new pup looks much like the yellow labs, but Betsy thinks she will have perky ears.
Phill will not be happy. None the less, I think I saw my future this morning.
The bad thing happened. After we got the dog her summer cut, the temperatures dropped. It does not seem like middle of May. We have to put a shirt on the dog to let her out.
Well, this is funny. As you may or may not know, a collie has LOTS of doghair. It gets so thick, Izzy will not let us put a brush through it. At least not for long. She is not a snippy dog, but she gets snippy about that.
So we get her a summer cut. Sadie, the dog groomer, even cuts off the dogs "eyebrows"- the black markings on her head.
Izzy goes from looking like a fat dog to looking like a dog with an eating problem. Don't you like the fox tail effect?
May Day has come and gone. My one year anniversary with the museum past. I forgot to sing to my coworkers. See how easy it is to lose traditions.
Today I have been studying about the "inauguration" of the new state of West Virginia on June 20, 1863 as reported in the Daily Intelligencer of Monday, June 22, same year.
"As we anticipated, Saturday was a great gala day in the city. There were thousands of people here from abroad and the city turned out its entire population. The day was very coquetish. Now all the beauties of the sun were shown and then a cloud chased all away. It threatened to rain several times but nothing but a little shower came; not enough to drive people into their houses or to deter them from coming out Flags, of all sizes, were as thick in the city as the locust in the suburbs. The display of bunting was most attractive and reflected much credit upon the good taste and patriotism of the people..."
The speeches, quoted in entirety were long. References to laughter and cries from the crowd were noted. One gets a sense of the day which we will recreate in abbreviation on June 20, 2007, the 144th anniversary.
Next week is the annual Blue and Gray Reconciliation Dinner at WV Independence Hall. Our program will have a copy of the picture shown. It is ‘Peace at the End of the Civil War" by Allyn Cox- From the frieze of the Rotunda of the United States Capitol which contains a painted panorama depicting significant events in American history. - A Confederate soldier and a Union soldier shake hands, marking the reunion of the country after the devastation of the Civil War. A cotton plant and a northern pine tree symbolize the South and the North, respectively.
Over Easter the east coast had a heck of a snow storm. Although the weather man promised we had seen our last cold morning until October, he blew it. We are expecting snow yet again this weekend.
The forsythia which had been blooming wildly yellow last week are nipped and looking peaked. That is a shame, because there is nothing quite as pretty as a hill side of yellow bells.
One of my complaints with prolonged cold weather in the spring is we slam right into summer with so few of those gorgeous spring days. Ah, well.
It was nice to walk to the post office today, wearing a jacket and catching only a few raindrops. The tulips in the yard of the Episcopal Church were promising to bloom soon.
It is easy to not post for weeks at a time. Busy, busy, busy and coming up on a busier time now that spring is here.
All my children are smart cookies. This one went to the state science fair as a freshman. Isn't she lovely.
She said to me recently, "I love my cat with my whole heart. I love the dog with my whole heart. How can that be?" "Ah," I said, jumping on the 'teaching moment.' "That is how moms feel about their children."
She gave me words for the mom's dilemna. Thank you
Next week is the annual Blue and Gray Reconciliation Dinner at WV Independence Hall. Our program will have a copy of the picture shown. It is ‘Peace at the End of the Civil War" by Allyn Cox- From the frieze of the Rotunda of the United States Capitol which contains a painted panorama depicting significant events in American history. - A Confederate soldier and a Union soldier shake hands, marking the reunion of the country after the devastation of the Civil War. A cotton plant and a northern pine tree symbolize the South and the North, respectively. 
