RIP Pete Seeger

As you all know by now, Pete Seeger passed away; a great singer/songwriter, a bastion of civil and labor rights, active even in his 90's, influential to so many other wonderful artists, a gentle man with a heart for the people.  

The first time I'd ever heard of Pete Seeger was around 1963/64.  Remember my folks old davenport full of records that I've mentioned before?  Well, besides Elvis, Skeeter Davis and Frank Ifield, there was The Seekers with "If I had a Hammer" and Peter, Paul and Mary giving cudos to Pete for writing "Where have all the Flowers Gone".  And then in later life, the Byrds with "Turn, Turn, Turn".  And because music was and still is so important to me, I'm sure that my early life was impacted by the music of Pete Seeger.   I can actually still recall how I felt when I first heard "Little Boxes" and how it made me think and think and think.  His song list is huge! 

I'd like to say goodbye and thank you to Pete for the years of musical enjoyment and for opening my young mind.  Arlo Guthrie has a beautiful post honoring Pete on his Facebook page. 
https://www.facebook.com/arloguthrie?hc_location=timeline  He's sums it up by saying:

He may have passed away, but he's not gone.

RIP Pete Seeger

 

 

 

 

Thank you! Merry Christmas! OBSERVATIONS

I'm a strong believer in and supporter of The Salvation Army.  They do what few other churches would attempt to do and truly act out "Jesus" in providing for those in need.  I don't have a lot of money to give; so at Christmas, I like to volunteer once a week on the kettles.  (We aren't allowed to sing or ring a bell to draw attention to ourselves now-a-days.  So I always dress low key -- bright red and green with Santa hat and/or antlers -- and sit quietly -- hum Xmas caroles and wear my Xmas sleigh bells on my wrist -- and observe those around me.)  

And if people do put something in the kettle, I always smile and say "Thank you.  Merry Christmas".  I'm shocked by the people who are genuinely surprised and gladdened by those few words.

Besides observing those around me, I gain insight into my own self -- the good, the bad and the ugly!  Last night was my last kettle sitting evening of the season and the best observation evening yet.  Here's some of what I observed.

• There are more pyjama-clad shoppers out there than I care to see.  I mean really!  Who said it was okay to wear pyjamas outside the home?

• People buy a LOT of soda pop at Christmas!  I mean a LOTTTTT!

• I was impressed by the 30 something woman who was out in minus 4 celsius weather in her jogging shorts; but all the better to see those gorgeous toned 'n' tanned legs of hers.  Man, she had great legs!  (As she walked away, I evilly smiled to myself when I saw her celluite.  Okay, okay!  Not one of my prouder moments!)

• Gorgeous, hunky men seldom look my way.  I guess they're too busy staring at toned 'n' tanned legs in jogging shorts to notice the pudgy woman in Santa hat and sensible shoes.  But I'm not so old that I can't appreciate their beauty and remember my own beautiful youth & the handsome men who courted me ..... all 3 of them!!! (Well, there may have been more, but perhaps not all of them were that handsome!)

• I kept noticing this one young woman in the lotions and shampoo aisle; she spent about 20 minutes there -- strolling slowly back and forth in the aisle, opening bottles & smelling, reading the back.  My own 20 year old does that.  But it's been a long, long, long time since I spent 20 minutes looking at lotions and shampoos. Ya know?  I'm gonna spend more time in the cosmetics aisle from now on!  I'm gonna sniff more! 

• I love seeing the happy couples -- young couples, new parents,  seniors.  They hold hands, they share in the bagging of the groceries at the self-check out; they wait for one another (some will sit beside me and chat about "I wonder where she's got to?"); and then they smile at one another when they meet up again.  It doesn't matter that I'm divorced and don't have a mate, I love seeing happy couples.  

But my favorite observations are always the children.  They're usually the ones to tug at Mom or Dad's sleeve to let them put some money in the kettle.  

• One young man who was about 12 years old put money in the kettle on the way in.  I smiled and said "Thank you.  Merry Christmas" and he just beamed!  "Mom!  She said Merry Christmas!"  He was so impressed by those words that he put money in again on his way out.  Now I'm a mother of girls; and most of the 12-14 yr old boys I've been around are usually loud, obnoxious & quite annoying.  It's lovely to be reminded that they also have a sweet, soft side to them and a privilege to be on the receiving end of that.  

• My favorite of the night:  A young family were at the self-checkout.  The little 5-6 yr old boy put some change in the kettle, I said my usual, and he went back to Mom telling her that I'd wished him a Merry Christmas.  Then while his parents finished the groceries, he stood across the aisle from me and entertained me.  First he smiled.  Then he used his mittens to smack himself in the face, making me laugh.  Then he began to hop as he smacked.  Then he started to do a silly dance and wag his head back and forth.  Then he began to sing, dance, wag his head and occasionally smack himself with his mitttens.  I'd laugh, he'd laugh.  What a little clown he was; and what a great ending to my night.

Have you been observing lately?  It's a most educational tool!

Getting Shot!

I always take precautions when I know there's shooting!

No -- not that kind of shooting!  

Shooting photographs silly!

The girls and I went to a "Winter Garden Party" Saturday night hosted by my lovely friend Laura and her 2 beautiful daughters (lower left & far right middle pics in the collage below).  Women only!  And we were to dress to the nines!  The company was marvelous, food phenomenal, and atmosphere divine.  There was also a semi-professional photographer present and we were encouraged to sit and/or pose.

She captured sweet moment like this family picture of Elly, Natsumi and I. 

Family Feet -- guess which ones are Ellys?

And she captured silly moments like this one of me with my 2 old buddies and comrades-in-arms, Laura (our hostess) and Dale.  

This is entitled "Menopausal women unsuccessfully looking sensual whilst licking their lips"!

And  many more pictures of happy, gorgeous women enjoying each other's company.  It was a night full of fun and laughter.

Here's a photo for over the mantle .... if I only had a mantle!

I hope your weekend was fun too.

Hope

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Just catching up on some posts this morning when I found this story posted by Joanna Goddard at A CUP OF JO under Have a good weekend (Getting mugged in NYC). It really touched my heart. I know muggings don't usually work out the way it did for Julio Diaz; but it give us hope.
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March 28, 2008
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Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.
But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.
He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.
"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."
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The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.
"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.
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Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.
"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"
"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"
Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"
"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.
Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.
The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.
When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."
The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."
Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."
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Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."
"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."
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Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo.
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I'm hitting the stage!

Although I've been a class clown since I started school, I've never stood on a stage and acted in front of people. Tonight, that will change!
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For the past month, I've joined a group of wonderful, brave, beautiful women, aged 17 to 70 to practice for this weekend's performance of the following play:
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Internationally acclaimed play written by Eve Ensler
Oct. 15 - 16 • 8pm
Astor Theatre, Liverpool, NS

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Funny - Sad - Outrageous Thought-provoking
You’ll laugh, cry, gasp, sigh

Proceeds to CanadianBreast Cancer Foundation.
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For some who have never heard of or seen this play, it may seem quite shocking and perhaps even tabu! Some may even question how a Christian woman could act in something that talks so openly about "private" things; or they may wonder how she can be in the company of other actors whose roles use much more graphic actions or language. And I admit that I've had to focus on my own role and stretch to be part of this.

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But I'm a woman who celebrates women -- our uniqueness, our feminity, our beautiful aging bodies, our God-given role here on earth and the gift of freedom that He's given us to be who we were created to be. And as a victim of abuse and rape, I find that His love which healed me and my own aging coupled with His guidance are helping me to be more vocal against things that are wrong. This play is a powerful voice!

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This is what The Astor Theatre itself says about The Vagina Monologues:

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A poignant, powerful, and sometimes hilarious tour of the last frontier, the ultimate forbidden zone, The Vagina Monologues is a celebration of female sexuality in all its complexity and mystery. In this stunning phenomenon that has swept the nation, Eve Ensler gives us real women's stories of intimacy, vulnerability, and sexual self-discovery. Based on interviews with over 200 women about their memories and experiences of sexuality, The Vagina Monologues is witty and irreverent, compassionate and wise. "At first women were reluctant to talk," Ensler writes. "They were a little shy. But once they got going, you couldn't stop them." The Vagina Monologues has been performed in cities all across America and at hundreds of college campuses. It has inspired a dynamic grassroots movement - V-Day - to promote awareness and stop violence against women. Eve Ensler's Obie Award-winning masterpiece gives voice to women's deepest fantasies and fears, guaranteeing that no one who sees it will ever look at a woman's body, or think of sex, in quite the same way again.
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My monologue is "The Flood". And tonight, I hope we all

"break a leg"!

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FRIDAY IN TORONTO

I'm back after a wonderful, whirl-wind trip to Toronto. But I'm still catching up on my rest. (We walked and walked and walked and walked ....).

*****

On Day 1, I met my LD2 (Lovely Daughter #2) at The Cherry Bomb in Roncesvalles -- she had to work for an hour that morning and I had to take the streetcar all by myself and then find the cafe. I did it, brave warrior princess that I am! We had coffee and croissants and set out to capture elusive bargains!

*****

Roncesvalles is the Polish neighborhood of Toronto. The avenue itself is perhaps 16 blocks long?? and there were oodles of little cafes and pastry shops and vintage stores -- not so many thrift stores! But it was such fun to go into some of them and look around. I did buy an amazing pair of dark red leather boots (picture yet missing). (I need to polish, shine and protect them -- then they will appear in their as-yet unseen glory for all of you to ohh and ahh over! )

*****

At the top of Roncesvalles (on College St??), we took the streetcar to Kensington Market. I'd wanted to visit this end of town ever since the late 60's/early 70's when the Canadian TV program "King of Kensington" used to air. I had dreams of finding fresh Italian cannoli just like the star of the show, Larry King (Al Waxman) used to eat.

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It had begun to rain by this time. I didn't find cannoli, but here's what I did see -- lots of street markets and vintage shops:

The Chocolate Addict was a disappointment for a die-hard fan like me; they lie people!!!
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LD2 saw lots of things she liked. My philosophy is that if I wore the original, I ain't wearing it again! I pointed out this pristine-condition, hot pink wool cape to my daughter; and her response was:

"Hmmm. Perfect for ritual virgin sacrifice!"

And on second glance (and after meeting the owner), I think I agree!

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This same overpriced shop had a wool blanket I asked about. But the owner was so rude, I kept my money where it was and I didn't buy it! We left!!

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We walked and walked some more, in and out of shops. We passed this along the way, and I thought it was a very clever and green use of junk! As a gardener, I was very pleased!

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In between all the walking and window shopping, we had lunch at this place.

We both choose a salad. (I start out eating healthily but get more decadent as the day goes by! You'll see!!) You had your choice of greens and 6 toppings; my choices were spinach and argula with chickpeas, black olives, carrots, cucumbers, pea pods and these great seasoned croutons that were almost like eating meat! It was topped with seeds, parmesan cheese and a Thai dressing. So yummy!!

Here are some of their wonderful soups -- Sweet potato, Tomato basil, veg chilli.

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Stay tuned for Part 2 of Day 1 and a continuation of my fantastic fun and food adventure in Toronto!

SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT

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Check out this great Rooster Party hosted by Barb at Bella Vista http://barbsgoodlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/show-us-your-rooster-blog-party.html




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But first, come meet my friendly little roosters.


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This pretty sugar and creamer set were purchased at Value Village Thrift Store last August for about $5. They were so cheerful looking. After seeing them sit on my kitchen table for 3 or 4 months, I decided I really needed pepper and salt shakers. It took a while to find them, but "the twins" were born just 2 weeks ago; I got them at a local pharmacy for the exorbitant price of $9.99!! (I'm still on the lookout for more children 'cause I'd really like a red pair!)














I found this beauty about a week before Mother's Day this year at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. He was a whopping $25 because apparently the Chaplain had checked his markings underneath and looked him up online. I hemmed and hawed over buying this little guy; my Mother's Day gift from me to me was already tucked away under my bed. (Hey! I'm a single mom raising 3 girls -- someone's gotta reward me for my effort!!). You know, I even walked out of the store and got into my car before I talked myself out of NOT buying him. I couldn't get him off my mind -- he was just so sweet! I mean, look at his little eyes and his coy smile.

This smart looking little wooden fellow is quite small (about 4" high) and sits atop my spice rack. He's made by an artist in Annapolis County in NS. My older friend Mum Brown has a wonderful collection of these roosters -- brilliant blues, greens, yellows and reds -- all larger than mine and different shapes and poses. They're lined up on top of her white cupboard and look so stunning!

When I visited Mum Brown in July, this lovely glass rooster was up there with the all the wooden guys, sticking out like a sore thumb and obviously not fitting in! He looked a little "city mouse with the country mice". Plus, his rather haughty look did nothing to endear him to the other more down-home roosters. I think that why they ignored him! The moment I mentioned how beautiful he was, Mum Brown said "You can have him if you want him". "YES!" I replied! I think he's so elegant!!

And this is the little guy that started it all. I found him at Value Village many, many years ago ... perhaps as many as 10 years. My daughter Molly bought him for me for Mother's Day (when my back was turned and I didn't see) for 69 cents! He comes out of my antique jelly cupboard around Easter and sits among the chicks and bunnies; then he stays out to hold the first crocus of the season or a stray pansy. His name is Sunny!

I don't like to think of my roosters as a collection. They're more like little friends who speak to me and ask me to take them home .... like little children or friends!

I just wish they'd do the dishes every now and then!!

Wacky Wednesday

I work at the local foodbank every other Friday. We have this one very colorful fellow who comes in, and he talks at you the whole time you're filling out the form for him. He has very strong opinions on every subject, but one of his favorite topics is the government and the money they spend. Here's one of his latest gems for consideration.


"If the government would just put a bidet in everyone's home, we'd have no need of toilet paper! and just think of the money this country would save!"



Should we take a vote? I'm a definate YES!