Happy Boxing Day!

Today is a cold day with a peculiar fog that has coated the trees in white. The word "hoary" comes to mind. Weird and lovely.

We had a lovely Christmas albeit alot quieter than I had planned on. It seems that alot of people around us are dealing with death. A rather abrupt statement, I know.

My friend and her partner had planned to spend the day with us on the 25th. She got a call that her brother had passed away so they were off, Christmas Eve, scrambling for plane tickets. Another friend, who lost her mum in April, lost her dad today. Yet another friend who was supposed to spent some time with us on the 25th found out that her ride from the airport had been touched by violence. A shooting in a liquor store took this man's cousin to the hospital where he is now in stable condition, thank God

"Stable" condition. Haven't we all been in that condition at one time or another? No room for us - we feel - in the inn and we are forced to the "stable" of our thoughts. Interesting juxtaposition, eh?

Although it was quiet we were happy and we ate - as a friend has said - "like we was going to the Chair"! My mother, gourmet cook to the end, made prime rib, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, glazed carrots and a parsnip/apple puree. Way too yummy and definitely NOT South Beach friendly. Sigh, back to Phase One for me come January 1st.

My husband presented me with The Book II. This one contains all our wedding photos (well not ALL of them) and before, starting where the other one had ended. (FYI, my husband proposed to me last Christmas Day by making me a book that ended with "Will you marry me?")

I did not get to see my friends on Christmas but they were in my thoughts and in my heart. I am blessed to be with my loved ones today. Amen and amen!

My life at this moment

A woman was sitting at a bar enjoying an after work cocktail with her girlfriends when an exceptionally tall, handsome, extremely sexy, middle-aged man entered. He was so striking that the woman could not take her eyes off of him.

The young-at-heart man noticed her overly attentive stare and walked directly toward her. (As all men will.)
Before she could offer her apologies for staring so rudely, he leaned over and whispered to her, "I'll do anything, absolutely anything , that you want me to do, no matter how kinky, for $20.00 ... on one condition" Flabbergasted, the woman asked what the condition was. The man replied, "You have to tell me what you want me to do in just three words."

The woman considered his proposition for a moment, and then slowly removed a $20 bill from her purse, which she pressed into the man's hand along with her address.

She looked deeply into his eyes, and slowly and meaningfully said ...

"Clean my house."

Are we there yet?

I want to run away and join the circus. Is it in town this week? Pity. I would sign up in a heart beat.

Ever feel that way? Sure you have. We all feel like this at some point or other.

Today was not a good day and I really want to drink a tall shot of tequila and go to bed.....or out here in this photo and look at the lake and not talk to ANYONE.

After all....tomorrow is another day.

Currently on my desktop

Isn't this a breathtaking photo? I lifted it from another blog from a place called the Jolli Lodge. This place is located on Good Harbor Bay approx. 6 miles from Leland, MI. This is just down the beach from where I vacationed as a child. I love this beach and have posted about it many times. I love this shot! Thanks for having such a lovely site to go to and dream abit!

Another really fun site is http://www.thecoveleland.com/livevideo.html

This is a live camera set up looked out over the Falling Waters Lodge in the heart of Leland. You can actually move the camera and check out what's doing in Leland. Way fun.

Hope your Christmas preparations are coming along nicely! (Thanks DD for the heads up!!)

Let it snow!

'Morning all! We are gearing up to head out this morning and it is SNOWY! We've gotten some 5-6 inches and they are predicting like 127 more or something. We live in the Frozen North and you'd think people wouldn't freak so about the weather. Ah well. Enjoy!!

Thanks JAPC!

'Morning everyone! Here is a shot of my church , Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian, located in Historic Indian Village and built with money donated from the Dodge Brothers family. This was taken on Scottish Sunday when everyone who has ever owned a pair of plaid socks comes once a year. This amazing ceremony/service takes place the Sunday before Thanksgiving so mark your calendars for 2008. It is truly a blast. With 12 bagpipers this year BLAST is exactly what I mean.


This church means alot to me. I have been a paid singer in churches for the past 20+ years. I have sung in Presbyterian, Christian Science, Unity, Episcopalian and Congregational churches and never have I been moved to join the congregation. This place is special. Sure, it's beautiful. Sure, it's big. But it is really the people I love there. Our pastor just celebrated 25 years of service there. In fact, our church has only had THREE senior pastors in its 80+ year history. This is rather unusual.

I love the fact that my gay friends have found a home here. I love that the music is incredible. Not only in the services but in the free concert series established. I love that our community has embraced so many different people from all walks of life. I love that it is trying to help the people of the City. I love that our new assistant pastor is a woman under 30! It is a cool, loving place where complete strangers will say "Good morning! There's a seat right next to me!" I found a new life and a new husband there. This place really helped me when I was going through the dark days of divorce. I love that my pastor actually said that sometimes a marriage needs to end. Alot of my friends have been counseled to hang in there for the good and bad but it took my pastor to really speak the truth to me and let me know it was okay to think the thoughts I was thinking. I was married there TWICE. My pastor once said that he does do "do overs" if it's a good match. Thanks Peter!

This place embraced me when I lost my dad. Both of my parents remains will rest here in the Columbarium, when the time comes. Dad is already there. It's a love filled, Christ filled place and I am grateful for the community. Thanks JAPC!

I've been MEMED!!!

Okay...sometimes I am a little behind things. I JUST read a friend's entry (from the end of November!) on her blog about 8 Weird Things About her..... and had the idea passed on to me me....

Let's see....

EIGHT WEIRD THINGS ABOUT ME.......

1. I have a fear of toilet lids being left up. It just seems like everything will fall in there, ya know?
2. I love to go to the movies by myself and come out feeling like I "look" like the lead actor because I have walked in their shoes for 84 minutes or whatever.
3. I hate when people call people who play the flute a "flautist". No idea if it is correct or not.
4. I hate loud people who are rude to wait staff. Maybe that's not really weird but it pisses me off and makes me want to slide under the table.
5. I am a lotion addict and can't stand it if my feet or hands get dried out. UG!
6. I don't like spending time on my hair but I do like to play in the makeup if I am going somewhere spiffy.
7. I can't stand horror films about gore, murder or zombies but I love to read Stephen King and Dean Koontz novels. When I say read I mean sit in a chair for four hours and devour the book. I just read CELL by Mr. King and it was SO creepy!!!!!
8. I often have the urge to speak with an accent when alone in store or restaurant.

Okay.... Now if you have read this then you have been memed!

Sigh

Hi everyone! I'm a bit more in a "glass half full" mode today. Thanks V. and K. for your kind words. Yes, V. it did help!

Today it's a $$ day - that is, worrying about where it will come from. I know alot of us are there - especially in this part of the country. When I get kinda worried about things I have to go back to the old litany.... My house is warm and dry, I have an abundance of clothing, my loved ones are still here and (mostly) in good health. I have food in the fridge and no one is coming to take my car in the night.

Sigh. Still it's hard not to worry, ya know? That's why I posted this shot from the closing night of our last show. It's a happy moment and it reminds me that I am loved. Now THAT'S worth remembering.

Have a good one!!

My parents

My dad is gone and my mom suffers from terminal cancer. That being said, I want to say that my mom and dad are not those things to me. Death, cancer...all bullshit. I am in a battle right now for a grip on where life is leading me and all of us, for that matter.

To the grave.

My dad went on ahead and I miss him so much sometimes. My mom is in a holding pattern that, at times , is very difficult to watch. I wish my parents could be together again. It's not that I want my mom to die but I know how she misses him too. And it's not just my mom that's dying, right? We are all inching there. Geez, if you read the news some of us are running at breakneck speed towards it!

So, today, I cried because I am tired of thinking about "It". Tired of worrying about "it". When will "It" come and take my mum? Will it be a good thing or a bad thing? "It, It, It". I hate "IT"!

Here we are in Winter - okay not officially! - and it is the season of "It", right? Death and decay, right? I claim to love this season. The stillness and the beauty is awesome. I want to embrace the inner quiet of "It" and not be so afraid to look "It" in the eye. I want to stop being sad and remember that there is transformation and rejuvenation after all the death and decay. The opposite of suffering is peace and into every life a little death must fall..... or something like that.

Are you struggling with someone who is nearer to "It" than to you? How do you cope with it?

Me ....in snow!

Here I am in the frozen north - loving it! This was taken a few years back - self portrait obviously - and before I decided to let Mother Nature color my hair.


There are alot of people who complain about our weather. I have to say I find it very comforting to have distinct seasons. Christmas always feels a abit off when it's not "white". I know that I could change and celebrate on a lovely, hot, deserted beachfront...large drink in the hand...but it would not touch all the memories and depth of feeling one accesses at the holidays.


I'll stick to snow.

Luckily I married a north woods kind of guy who loves it too. Anything gets boring after awhile but so far, it sure is beautiful out there!

I am still ME

What an amazing experience! I spent a good part of the weekend at a theatre festival. This was a statewide gathering of Thespian troupes. I saw several student main stage shows - a couple of them were amazing! I took four really good workshops on acting, the LeCoq 20 movements (more later on that!) and mime. I really loved it and got back to that part of myself that studied acting and that really was still a theatre geek!


I am a singer by profession but the lure of the theatre brings all of it together. I forgot how much I loved "the work". I miss it. I miss working with others who are really on top of their game. I work with lots of kids and adults who have fun doing theatre (which is cool!) but few who are willing to really do the required work to make something really happen. It may be time for me to go back and take some classes and play abit. This photo was my old resume headshot way back in the day.


This weekend I realized that this girl is still inside of me.

WHAT A RELIEF!!