"...nor tattoo any marks on you" Leviticus 19:28

Leviticus...SO strict!  NO fun!  What EV.

After getting my nose pierced in 2012, I realized how many years I'd wasted, sans body mod, due to fear of the unknown.  I'd wanted to pierce my nose and get at tattoo since my early 20's, but the years slipped on by with just an occasional question asked about the ins and outs pain, healing, cost, etc. Putting it off and putting it off....

Finally, thanks to the Google Gods and the YouTube, I got me edumacated on all things nose piercing, gathered up my balls and made an appointment.  MANY years of wussiness extinguished with the one quick pinch to my nostril.  I loved my nose piercing!  Eventually I got my tragus pierced and love that, too! (Long healing time, though).  Then it was time for a tat.  I've designed many tats for myself over the years ....this being the first (circa '93):

Thank GAWD time - and fear- faded my attraction to this pretentious tribal....thingy...I came up with.  At some point I added an earth there in the middle with a Susan Seddon Boulet wolf head floating around the top.  Shit.   My visual amalgam of wolf-love and saving the earth, punctuated with a trendy something-that-meant-nothing to me graphic.  I still really dig wolves and our planet....  Just not permanently displayed on the back of my calf.

Over the years I've thought that if I where to get a tattoo, it should have to be a symbol of something that defines "me" and/or is FOREVER dear to my heart and soul.  And something that would never loose it's visual appeal.  Now, we can't really predict what designs might loose their appeal over time- I just imagine all the "awesome" designs I can up with in the past....but something permanent on THIS body had to rise above hearts and unicorns and serpents.... I needed symbols and archetypes that have remained a part of me over the years....AND it needed to be created by ME. 
When I think of FOREVER, I think of love, and my children, and my husband...
So, for my first tat I incorporated my kids names into an infinity symbol.

Got this one inked out in the valley (Palmer, Alaska)by an artist who had done some gorgeous intricate lettering on a client of mine.  She copied my design to the T.  A little too perfect because she included all the little imperfections that I was hoping she'd "clean up".  Like that thin line in the middle.  I plan on going back for touch ups soon.

For my second tat, I went out and bought a calligraphy pen and drew my very simple "Miles" tattoo.  This one for my husband...with the bonus double meaning-I love running after all.  I've run many miles and there will be many more to come.  And none enjoyed more than the ones I run with my sweet man.  

Still a bit scabby here

I'd held on to that peace of paper for almost a year!  Since it would be going on my foot, I had the hardest time figuring out WHEN would be a good time to get it done.  Since I would have to go barefoot as much as possible for a week or 2, let alone not run, ski or work out.  It never seemed the right time!  I finally said NOW last week and headed in to Eagle River Tattoo.  A shop run by the Yarians,  parents of one of Dylan's former grade school classmates.  What a cool place!  Very welcoming and open, which I really appreciate.  Friendly folks all.  The place is clean with a very classy arty décor.  Retro tat compilations framed on the walls along with a collection of cool masks   Matt, the eldest Yarian, did a GREAT job on my tat.  Quick, precise, and with interesting conversation revolving around the possible seceding of Venice and the Veneto from Italy.  This tat hurt like a nagging bitch in a couple spots.  At one point I had to stop talking so I could grit my teeth and say "Oowwwwwww.......".  But it was over so fast.  No biggie.  Shit, I gave birth to a 10 pounder, what am I complaining about?

Miles has never been into tats but he was very touched when I surprised him with it.  I'm so happy that it brings him happiness and pride whenever he looks at it!  Forever......

What's next?  I want to create something special for the back of my neck.  Dylan and I got these henna sun tattoos on our necks at the Jersey Shore a couple years ago and I LOVED mine!  

Symbols I feel represent me are:

The sun- healing and a source of life

The spiral-evolving, birthing, female energy, spiritual and physical journey

Various Celtic knots-my heritage, many of the a fore mentioned attributes

 The lotus-creation, enlightenment, health.  

I'd like to design a tat with a combination of 2 or 3 of these.....but it needs to be smallish and fairly simple.  We'll see what I come up with !

After 5 months.....

Holding my girl again.  She surprised me by meeting me at the airport!  I was coming down an escalator....sensed her there before I even saw her!  I could hardly contain myself!!!! 



What an amazing feeling to just wrap my arms around her tight, tears busting out.   We had a great 4 days together, reconnecting and exploring.  I got to experience all the things I was hoping to!   Witnessing her graduation from tech school was such a proud moment.  Dylan is now Airman First Class Pruner, and ready for her post at Aviano AFB!!!!

I loved having Dylan stay in my hotel room for a couple nights!  Thankfully she is no longer a kicking squirming little bed partner.  We watched our trashy reality tv as is the "hotel stay" tradition.  She introduced me to Downtown San Antonio and the River Walk.  VERY cool concept!  A below street level river flanked by restaurants galore, walkways, bridges, cafes, shops and fountains (so romantic, I was REALLY missing Miles and wishing he could experience that, too!)  Built in the 1940′s the River Walk is an amazing system of canals and waterways.  The river was prone to flooding and near the turn of the century (1900) the city wanted to drain it and reroute the river out of the downtown section.  The conservation society put forth a plan to put in flood gates, a dam and to control the river rather than remove it.  They were successful and built a little mini city, one level under the main city streets and sidewalks.  The river hosts a variety of "parades" each year-instead of cars and trucks pulling floats , barges are decked out in the appropriate theme and make their way down the river.  Dylan and I caught the "Coffins on Parade" as we sat and lunched a couple levels above the river!

The Froo-froo shopper in me was a bit disappointed in San Antonio's lack of independent clothing boutiques and art galleries.  I guess growing up with the lights of NYC visible from the top of my street in New Jersey has me spoiled!  As well as living in Seattle and spending a bit of time in Vancouver.  Lets just get it right out there.....with the exception of the River Walk, The San Antonio Missions and King William historical district, San Antonio rather sucks!  From the top of the Tower of Americas, a flat, tedious expanse into nowhere. And Lackland Air force Base?!?!  Oh, my poor baby girl!  5 months on that thing!  A labyrinth in beige, so drab it sucks what little natural color there is out of existence!   Meh.  But the explorer in me made the best of it and I had a fantastic time-especially with Dylan and especially from a photographer's standpoint!

 On a long evening run after dropping Dylan off on base, I headed southward on the Riverwalk and Discovered the Mission Trail.   I had wanted to see a cathedral, and I did the day before-downtown's San Fernando Cathedral(GORGEOUS but I didn't get to go in!!!!)-but discovering the sister missions of the Alamo was such a gift!  Another post coming to cover that!



Salt Lake, Utah YAY!!!!  I got the window seat for all my flights!!!



Mt Saint Helens



The breathtaking view from the hotel room!  Jealous yet?!?!

My appologies

To all the people who fall down the stairs....I am sorry that I think it's hysterical.  I KNOW my time is coming....

(Disclaimer:  Some of these clips are NOT funny, obviously.)

 

I apologize for GOING OFF on various "AWESOME MOMMIES" -type Facebook pages where shitty moms ask for advice from other shitty moms.  Example:  "*MaMa Needs Advice* Hi my name is Audrey and tm I am being induced with my first child and I'm the kind of person that wants to be aware of what's going to go on, my doctor didn't tell me anything about what they will be doing tm and I don't wanna be completely unprepared for what they are gonna do, is there any advice you could lend to me about what will be going on tomorrow?".  SERIOUSLY?!?!  She didn't fucking research her own birth?!??!  I could go on and on....
I know that I might better get my point across being kind, persuasive and inform- aw, FUCK it!  These broads are such raging DOUCHES!  I shall flame away till banned!

Dear offended lady in the Alaska Club bathroom  2 years ago,
Here's the full story:  I was driving into town to weightlift before work.  About 2 minutes from the club I was struck with severe GI distress out of nowhere.  I'm sorry I didn't turn around right then and there and head all the back to Eagle River -20+ minutes-for the privacy of my own home.  Instead, I selfishly continued on to the club where I promptly ran into the nearest bathroom stall to evacuate my painfully roiling bowels.  I did not know that YOU, your eminence, were in the next stall.  I TOTALLY COMPLETELY understood your need to announce to the entire locker-room from the anonymity of your stall, "OH, my fucking GOD that smell is HEINOUS!  Bring it to a public locker room why don't you?!?!  Courtesy flush maybe?!?!?  Jesus that is just GROSS!  MY God......You just don't DO that!  DisGUSting!!".  And on and on......  THANK you, Sweetling, for alerting me to my abject egocentricity.  How DARE I.  I assure you I have striven ever since to be a better person....to NEVER behave in such a selfish manner, to pucker that butthole shut TIGHT like a tied off balloon neck whenever I'm in public.  I only wish that when I emerged from that stall on that unfortunate morning,  I was able to identify you out of the 5 women silently washing their hands and averting their eyes.  I would have bitchslappped THANKED YOU right the fuck there for showing me the error of my ways.

NOT my photo

Dear Neurotic, Paranoid, Nasty Neighbor from my childhood in New Jersey,
When we were like, 14, my friend Sue and I spray painted "Kielbasa Queen" on your trash can and placed it prominently in your front yard on Cabbage Night.  I now see that what we did was totally  unwittingly racist.  It should have said, " I am a zaftig, Neurotic, Paranoid, Nasty Neighbor who's cigar chewing husband always looks like he has a big turd hanging out of his mouth."  Sorry.

Dear Michelle, you little SHIT,
I'm sorry I kipped your little plastic lamb in '79 after you accused me of false wrongdoing and got me grounded twice.  Dick.

Dear creepy massage therapy client,
I'm sorry about that time that I locked the clinic door and pretended not to be there after I looked out the window and saw that it was YOU.  I was alone in the clinic that day and ,well, you're CREEPY.

I'm sorry, body, that I'm sitting here on my ass apologizing for silly shit, and not out running cuz it was spitting snow at 6am and I totally wussed out despite my, "There is no bad weather, just soft people" mantra.  It WILL happen today.

Attempting to write every day in May. HAAAAAAAAAhahahahaaaaa!

Pre-script:  So.....I'm a day late. 

I miss writing on a regular basis.  I really miss taking that block of uninterrupted time to just immerse myself in the laying down of words. ...LOVE to write.  When I'm feeling creatively stagnant, when my painting muse is MIA, writing always gets the juices going.   ....if only I had more time.  I've barely made time for getting down the basics of what goes on in my life,  let alone anything creative.  I'd like to make more of an effort.  Lately I've been looking at writing prompt blogs and have found some pretty good ones that I would like to run with.  Here's one and here's another.  I also have kind of half-assed started a "Beautiful Words" type of meme where I write something based on some of the words I find, you guessed it, beautiful.  I was chatting about all this with my RunnerGirl friend and she pointed me to a reader's blog who is doing a blog-a-day thing for May.  I'm going to jump on her blogwagon  and hang tenuously to the feed trough, if you will.  I need to temper leniency on this one with dedication.  I'm not joining the gang and posting widgets to the challenge and responding to peoples posts... I have no one to prove anything to but myself and we have WAY too much going on this month...Chaotic remodeling, my mom visiting, holiday, birthday, Parties, Dylan's graduation and leaving of the nest........   I want to dedicate a little solace time to quiet mediation and writing  this month.  I'm just glomming some decent prompts from this challenge and doing it my own effin' way.  No promises of anything daily....but here goes:

My life story in 250 X 2.5-ish words:

Earliest memory:  The smell of Certs…a triad of lights overhead…birth…a person of gold light who has comforted me in my dreams ever since. 
 
Uncomfortable pretty shoes push a plastic horsey around a limpid Texas pool. 

I wait for my Daddy to get home from work on the prickly grass of our New Jersey front lawn.  Eyes fixed on the blue above me because I was told he was riding a motorcycle today and was going to jump so high into the sky.  “Whatcha got there?” “Bread and butter”. 

Montessori and whistling, finally, I have what it takes to conquer this fear of that deafening… paralyzing… alarm bell in our Minnesota home.  I love my Irish setter, and my friend Nick, and rides in the car, my kite, Zoom, and was I on Romper Room?!?!?  

New Jersey again. Ridgewood…learning to find my way to kindergarten all by myself-such a big girl- and Miss Ola is the nicest lady in the world .  Imaginations SOAR, my neighbor friends and I visit many worlds as I dodge the first of many bullies to come.  She pulled me down the wooden stairs by my arm.  I dance with Neil Diamond on the landing…

Another new home.  The last one of my childhood.  A pool, my hair is long, my father unpredictable.  My love for running is born as Dinosaurs chase me in the back yard.  Late nights of loud music and arguments chase my dreams. He smashed my tape recorder on the kitchen floor and promised to ALWAYS be there.  A broken cactus, someone sleeping it off in the guestroom, “we’re getting a divorce”.  My cousin cries, I sigh.  My imaginary play reveals truths.  The scale tips back and forth…friends/my step-dad and his grandkids/outside/beloved pets/my tiny glass animals/grandmothers/ sunlight dappling my bedroom window screen/the green leaves shimmer along with cicadas/dreaming of mountains.  Back and forth… the bullies/the Spirit Breakers/the prison of my own brain/…my friend dies.  My family is not of my blood.

My New Hampshire dorm filled with excited and excepting students.  On their own for the first time. It gives me freedom and safety to emerge…… only to cocoon again when my friend is extinguished by a drunk driver and again when my step-father dies(I knew it before anyone answered my call.)

Things are no longer the same.  Off to another New Hampshire college.  Too much excess, too many stagnant “friends”.  I take control.  Body, mind and soul,

And Montana becomes my love.   “All my changes where there”.  I learn to go it solo.  My dog in tow.  The quiet on the hills and high peaks connecting my core to the earth where I dig  my toes into its softness in the spring.  I am growing up with my garden that I share with my soul mate although this reality remains locked unacknowledged deep in my heart.  For years.  I feel a love for his baby girl like I have never felt before.  And then they are gone.  I’m ready for more…

…So one quick yearlong stay in Seattle… and I miss my mountains.  I miss close friends.  I miss my evolution.  I was wrong.  This isn’t “more”.

Alaska.  Reunited with mountains, ocean, my best friend and his growing girl.  Endings and new beginnings and my heart is unlocked forever.  Free to love.  To help complete a broken family.  This child that bestowed the honor of mothering upon me…  This man who said “yes” when I proposed amongst glaciers.  Experiencing the quickening and growth in my own womb.  Together we have joined life, rescued life, created life, and learned to live life as fully as we can.  True friendships, meaningful fulfilling work, raising our young, hard play, continued personal evolution…. 

Us four.  Held in the heart of this mountain valley.

Photo by Mathew Crockett Photography

 

WELCOME 2012!

Power's out!

 After 3 days of winter camping in a cabin with no running water,  Nordic skiing and sweating up a storm hauling all of our gear to and fro, the 4 of us were fairly RIPE by the time we headed out for home.  When we hit town we found the traffic lights were all out and hoped that an outage wasn't the case up at our house!  We prayed on the 7 mile trip up the mountain that all we would have to deal with once home was the shoving and tripping over each other to get to the shower first!  No such luck. According to a text from a neighbor, the power had gone off around noon...luckily, the house was still warm compared to the single digits outside.  Miles and Dylan eventually headed back into town to shower at the gym.  Willa and I stuck it out at home putting away camping gear, manning the wood stove to keep the house warm, and playing cards by candle light.  We enjoyed the true solace in a house quiet with NO electricity running through it.  Miles and I figured that if the power wasn't on by the time we went to bed we would have to box up all the stuff from the cooler and put it outside!  It was quite the relief when the power came back on around 6-ish.   We all headed out for the annual neighborhood New Years block party.  The usual extreme sledding, socializing and firework watching fun.  I had my glorious shower afterward to warm up and settle into the sleep I was desperately needing!

The tiki lit sledding route down the road and into our neighbor's driveway

MEME FOR THE NEW YEAR:

1.    What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Visited St. Louis.  It’s a ghost town.  Meh.  Miles and I had fun being together, of course, visiting the zoo, going to a Rams game, dinking around town, going up in the Arch, touching the Mississippi, going for runs, eating some fabulous meals, and getting gussied up for NYL events.

2.  Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t set out to make the New year’s Resolution. But this time of year does lend itself to change. After the ruckus of the holiday season, when things calm down and return to normal, why not re-do the routine with some aspirations? Getting some CEUs under my belt and putting more “spirit” into my massage practice, trying to streamline my daily and household routine(more efficiency, organization, etc.), surpassing my current comfort threshold regarding exercise and training….doing at least ONE half marathon!

3.  Did anyone close to you give birth?
My step-nephew had a baby girl!

4.  Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.  My dad, my uncle, and a young family friend.  It was a tough spring/summer for me…..

5.  How many people will you romantically kiss in 2012?
Just my hunny!

6.  What countries did you visit?

Whitley Strieber’s Unknown Country?  Aliens and UFOs and news of the Weird and whatnot.

7.  What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?A.Finished.New.Addition.Thankyou.

8.  If for one year (2012) you could choose to be any age, what age would you be?

50-60-ish?  To get perspective on what I really should be appreciating right NOW as far as my physical abilities and self image.  They’re not bad, mind you, but not as positive as they should be.  When I think of the negative crap I thought about myself 10 or 15 years ago, I just want to go back and kick my own own ass and say,"In 10 or 15 years you'll WISH you we're your younger self!!!" Next year I’ll go back to 25!

9.  Will you be looking for a new relationship?

I would love to find a group of women to run with!
I love to run solo as well as with Miles, but I think it would also be fun to have some female running camaraderie and energy! 

10.  Where did most of your money go?

Our new addition….which is getting’ fuckin’ OLD!!!

11.  What was the best thing you bought?

I don’t know how popular they are in the Lower 48, but my SkhooP insulated snow skirt has been a GODSEND!  It’s like wearing a thin sleeping bag around your legs!  http://www.skhoop.us/ I bought the long one and it makes any outside winter activity perfectly comfortable!  I don’t use it for running or skiing since I can generate plenty of heat that way, but for walking downtown, standing around outside, picking up Willa from school, or staying warm after a workout this skirt is the THANG to HAVE!

12.  How many times will you break and/or lose your cell phone in 2012?
Hasn’t ever happened in all the years I’ve had a cell.

13.  Whose behavior merited celebration?

Updated 4/4/2012:  MICAH TRUE "CABALLO BLANCO"  Rest and Run in PEACE...

A few…in this messed up world,,,,but I’m feeling lazy, so there.

14.  Whose behavior disgusted you?

All riding in the GOP Clown Car!

15.  Any trips planned?

Welp…it’s our 10 year anniversary this June!  And we had batted around the idea of celebrating in Ireland/Scotland…but in all reality, we HAVE to finish this room before committing to anything else.  Totally bums me out, but I know once the room is done we’ll make this trip happen!  Otherwise, it’s the usual but highly anticipated Russian River fishing trip, as well as our trip to New Jersey-or perhaps we can talk my Mom and step dad into meeting us in some other location, like Hawaii?  I also hope we can fit in some exploratory road trips in AK.

16.  What about yourself will you be changing?
Letting go, and….just continuing to evolve.

17.  Will you be nicer to the people you care about?
Nope.  Gonna go for REALLY MEAN this year!  HELLA nasty! Yeah.

18.  Will you be nice to people you don’t know?

Something disturbing I noticed over the summer while hiking out on our increasingly popular trail-SO many people passing by without a “Hi-gorgeous day, huh?!”  or even eye contact.  Huh?  This is a hiking trail out in god’s country, not Rush Hour, NYC!  What’s happening?!  Where is the connection?!  So, yeah.  I’ll be in your face with a hi! and direct eye contact.  I will also be trying to smile more..sometimes my face does not reflect what I have inside.

19.  Will you still be friends with the same people you are friends with now?
Of course!

20.  What do you wish you’d done more of?

Playing outside in inclement weather.  Lot's of times crap weather has been an excuse not to go outside.  I need to remember there is a different beauty in the wind...the rain...the fog...and I want  my family to experience this, too.

21.  What do you wish you’d done less of?

Alpha stating on this computer.  But that’s a whole nuther post…

22.  Will you be looking for a new job?
Yes. Yes I will, methinks.  I need steadier work and a boss that actually respects and promotes their therapists.  I'd also like to use a wider range of modalities.

23.  Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is such a strong word…  I try to realize that when I feel “hate” it’s really more of a lack of something….respect, empathy, etc. because of that person’s actions.

24.  What was the best book you read?
BORN TO RUN.  It’s in my top 5 best EVER.

25.  What was your favorite film of this year?

We’re still working through 2011’s films via Netflix…..but methinks Hobo With a Shotgun is residing in our mailbox down the road as I write this!  And you KNOW that flick is gonna RAWK cuz Rutger Hauer’s in it!!!!!

26.  What happened in 2011 that you didn’t think would ever happen?

I sold some paintings at art shows and cafes and a gallery in Anchorage wants to show me exclusively!!!!!

27.  How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Kynd BohoArtchicNordyrecREIation?

28.  What new thing would you mix with chocolate in 2012?
BEER!!!!  I can’t wait for my chocolate bock to be DONE!!!!  I’ll be bottling it next weekend!

29.  Major lifestyle changes?
More like “tweaking” what’s already there.  We’ve cleaned up our diet more by adding some great healthy meals to our list, I’ve gotten more serious about training for an actual half marathon-or maybe even a full, I’ve remained dedicated to living STRONG.

30.  What political issue stirred you the most?
I’ve been so shaken and stirred the past year I can barley manage to follow the news anymore…stochastic terrorism…the relentless nay saying of the stalwarts in the House/Congress…corporations are PEOPLE?!?!....the insidious turning of our great country into an oligarchy…my disillusion with our President-although I still support…the potential of the Occupy movement/the snafu,fubar,chaos of the Occupy Movement….Fuckin’ A.  Too much.

31.  Who did you miss?

Mel

  32.  What was your biggest achievement of the year? 

Getting my name known as an artist in town!

33.  What was your biggest failure? 

I don’t think I fucked up in any BIG way…but I do get on myself daily but all the minor fuck ups.  I need to show myself a little more compassion…

34.  Did you suffer illness or injury? 

Surprisingly, no real illness despite other members of my family getting sick.  There where a few times that I was sure I felt something coming on, but by the time I woke up the next, day I was fine.  This is a rare thing!  Pretty cool!  Hopefully that says something about my all around health.  Injury….a little funk going on in both shoulders when I do something I haven’t in awhile like cross country skiing.  Working on keeping those shoulder girdles loose and strong.

35.  Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? The same I guess…and that’s pretty happy!

b) thinner or fatter? 
A pound or 3 weight gain after loosing 25 last year..but I’ve also put on more muscle

c) richer or poorer?  In what respect Charlie?  Richer in life experience for sure.  Financially…the same.

36.  What kept you sane?
SWEAT.  Getting outside…running...hiking…skiing

 37.  Do you expect 2012 to be a good year for you?

I will  make it the best it can be!

 

Russian River 2011: The rest

I am SO behind in posting all major stuff that we've done this summer since the Russian trip!  There's one more post from the last day of this trip coming-a GREAT hike that we went on with friends that was out of this world, another short weekend trip to the Russian a couple weeks later, our dipnetting trip, New Jersey trip...and various other sundry things.  All in good time.

Here are some photos of the many flowers and ferns that carpet the banks of the river as well as the other stuff we did:

SO handsome!  As long as he's on the other side!

In the RV heading home

We were sad to find that our fairy house that we built and had survived 3 years was gone.  It looked as if they had expanded that campsite, whacking down the brush where the house had been.  But I'm pretty sure those fairies knew what was coming and magically relocated to a more safe and secret spot!  ;)  So Willa and I built another one at this years site! 

"Frodo" riding a dragon!

The reward after our long hike along the river.  Beautiful falls!

<3!!!

Grandma is addicted to SKYPE!!!!!

I miss my mommy :(

We had a great visit when she came out from New Jersey for 10 days.  Her annual trip to Alaska...braving the single digits and cat hair on the couch!  The weather was not very co-operative this time.  We hadn't gotten any fresh snow and after a mini-thaw what snow we did have was old and and hard.  Not very conducive to the snow shoeing she was so hoping to be able to do.  But she did take lots of walks and played outside with Lo.  I had to work a few of those days and Mom was happy to hang around the house cleaning(She LOVES this) and dinking with the cats.  And, MAN ALIVE, it was a treat to come home to a super spic-and-span house!

We had a couple days to ourselves while the girls were in school.  It was fun to check out the stores and to show her the 3 galleries in town where I'm showing my work.  After a trip to the make-up counter at Nordstroms(I need to learn me some updated techniques and palates for the fancy-shmance shin-dig Huz and I were going to!)we had a fantastic lunch at a wine bistro called Crush.  Perfect and appropriate portion sizes, great marriage of flavors and I REALLY enjoyed my heady Portuguese Dao.  To DIE.

So, on a slow day I hooked Mom up with Skype, threw the last year's of photos on her laptop and make her around 10 cds worth of killer mixes.  From classical to Fergie.  Now that she's home, my mother is COO-COO for the SKYPE.  Three times a day.  It REALLY is very cool to be able to communicate like this!  The other day she brought her laptop outside to show us all the snow they'd gotten.  Lo loves to grab random toys, pictures, and artwork to show and tell with Grandma.  Mom's looking forward to seeing the girls grow and change with this wacky technology. 

 I'm in the process of loosing my father-too many emotions to wade through....but I feel I'm gaining more of my mother.  And I need that.

Here's a peek at some of the stuff we did with Grandma:

A visit to Lo's classroom

Teaching Mom some healthy recipes...and then indulging with good friends

Lo's swim lesson

Viewing one of my Buddha paintings at Dos Manos Gallery

Hanging at a sports bar to watch the playoffs



Don't you just want to CHOKE eateries that serve 6 year olds a glass that size?!?!?!??!



Introducing Grandma to AVATAR

AND....Twas also time for the annual New York Life Kickoff Dinner!  Froo-froo time!  Grandma and Dea babysat Lo so that Huz and I could stay the night at the hotel where the dinner took place.  This year I went for the risky dress!  I've worked my ass off-both of us have-the last few months and goddamn I went for it!  And I didn't even need SPANX nylons!!!!!!  It may have taken 41 years...but I can honestly say I feel comfortable in my skin...The cool thing is that I started to feel this way when I was 25 pounds heavier.  An acceptance of myself on some level that I've never experienced.  And now that I'm healthier with the weight off...and feeling fit and athletic again, my self confidence is only enhanced.  It's a fekkin AWESOME feeling!  And my sweetie.....lookin' HOT, too!