Bag Lady

Those of you who know me know the size, or lack of size, of my purses had always been an issue. I hate to carry big bags, I'm usually stuffing everything I need to carry into these tiny little things, it's sort of like a shriners car when I start to unload what's in there.

Well, I've converted. And I may be hooked. Meet my new BIG summer purse. I love the fact that you can just throw anything in there. I mean anything. I can probably shove a set of overnight clothes in there. (Which would have come in really handy this week when I found myself in richmond, and I had forgot to pack underware, but that's another entry.)


So, I no longer will be hanging these dainty things from my arm, that hold keys, cell phone and a couple of bills and credit cards. No than you! I'm into BIG. Shoving it all in, anything I want. I"M LOVING THE BIG PURSE THING!!

Musings from the land of ties

I'm in richmond. Everyone up here wears a tie, or they have purple hair. There is hardly anything in between. One time when I was up here, I was sitting at my hotel bar (there's a surprise) and I was watching all these men flow into "the Tabaco Company" a well know restaurant just across the street, and they all had on the same type of uniform, so I'm thinking there's some sort of convention in town. And all these men were from a group...then on closer look I realized the blue blazer, khaki pants and tie they were all wearing wasn't some assigned uniform, it was the "richmond" uniform. It's just how they all dress up here.

Not a richmond fan. I hope no one from Richmond reads this. It's way conservative up here, or they swing to the other end of the spectrum, swinging so far left, it's punkish.

I guess it's no different where I live, there you don't even see ties. Everyone's either a surfer, Dude! Or a construction worker. Not that I have anything against either one, but now and then it would be nice to see a man in a tie, or at least something other than a ripped t-shrit, and "board shorts" And the politics in Virginia beach, we'll we all know which way they swing, can you say "religious right"?

And if you explore any region, I guess they all have their quirks. NY, too many Vinnie's. Philly: Yo!, California: plastic surgery. One of the more well-rounded areas I lived in was Louisville, of course emphasis on the "rounded" part. There are no edges in the mid-west. Everyone is polite, nice, quite, they dress to blend in, don't offend, and lay low. I used to call it land of the bland. Maybe I need to re-think my opinion of the mid-west. I can't even stereotype Louisville, nothing stood out.

Back to Richmond. It' a pretty place, and the people are nice, I guess it's sort of land of the bland, with a blue blazer, tie and Khaki's. Not so bad, but I still don't like it up here. It's like a wanna-be city. Always trying to be something. Not sure what. I'll finish up my job and head out of tie land, back to "flowered board shorts" land. I may not have ties, but at least I have a beach. And that seems to cover up all the other sins of omission.

Follow through

last weekend I had a small party. I called it a gemini birthday party, and in true form it was two parties in one. A woman in town invited quite a few of her friends and fellow Gemini's and I had my group. Combined it made for a bizarre mix of guests, but as I said, the perfect party for Gemini's. Afterwards, a couple of people thanked me for a lovely time, and complimented my music, promising to share some of theirs with me, as they could tell I would like their collection.

Done, I figured, that was nice, never really expecting to get anything. These days we always drop kind gestures off, "oh, we must have a drink" or "I'll call you we'll do lunch" you know, a bundle of let's do, we shoulds and all those empty promises we make to not only others, but ourselves. Promising to actually get out, broaden our circle, play now and then. Now and then, Now and .....then...Then, life.

Life comes screaming in, and all of a sudden those new faces and empty promises disappear behind our jobs, businesses, housework, family commitments and lack of energy. In fact, really none of us are too busy to pick up the phone, drive by and say hi, or drop an e-mail. Look at me, I have time to sit here and write these darn posts, don't I?

It's habit that's to blame for it all. If we're losing touch, it's habit. Nothing else. I remember my mother's last birthday, I called her, and it was later in the day. I took her for granted, she would always be there, no question. My Godmother, I kept saying I need to get up to NY and see her, she was ill. Again, I felt, we'll there's time. My Godfather, who could of projected his untimely death. Even those we meet and think, nice person, I should include them in my life...then too much time and it becomes a stretch.

I write this, while listening to a wonderful CD that was dropped off at my house with a nice note. After this one, I'll pop in the Bobby Darren collection that was put together for me and mailed, again, with a nice note. And I think tonight I'll pick up the phone and call someone I've not spoken to in a while. After all, I owe it to myself.

It's Garden time

My garden always looks great in June, so I'm sharing my favorite spots with you. I had a morning dove who built her nest right on the ground. In fact, didn't build a nest at all, just used the mulch I already had down there. I've been told morning doves are not very smart.

What was so sad about this, is I watched this little bird look like it had fallen out of it's nest. then next day I saw the mother sitting with it, and she had another little bird. She sat there for days, it looked like she never moved. I'm not sure when she went off to gather food to feed them...but she must have.

I'm not sure what happened to the birds, they're gone now. But my feeling is they didn't make it. I did see a dead baby bird in my driveway, not sure if it was the same one, but the cats apparently left it there to honor me.

I remember when I had a head injury back around 1990. I had been hit in the head with a softball at practice, it was bad. Although it wasn't serious, I did have a slight concussion. At the time Joel was away on some "boys" weekend. So, there I was, wanting nothing more than to go to sleep for the next 10 years, hurting, and crying all weekend too.

And as I was sitting outside, I noticed a mother bird in her nest taking care of her young. I must have watched that bird for hours (you do weird things when you have a head injury). By the end of the day, this bird and I were one. Struggling on our own to take care of and protect our young, facing adversity, rising above... this bird became a symbol of my life at that point. I was inspired, lifted toward new goals, engergized, if this bird could do it.....SO COULD I!!!

Next morning, bird, nest and babies were gone. Knocked down, babies slaughtered, mom off to start a new life (I hope).

I cried all day.

You do weird things when you have a head injury.

Garden photos:




This is my clamatis




I love this plant, I hate this plant. I cannot kill it. but it does reward me with some pretty blooms.




I think of this as my secret path



primrose. It's done now, but in early june it's wonderful



My new front sitting area