Waiting

She sat alone at the table for six. It felt odd being alone, but not because she was uncomfortable being alone in a public place. No, the odd feeling came from wondering how she could have been first to a birthday party where the hostess/birthday girl had not even arrived by the appointed time. After all, she had made a point of arriving at 6:05 so she might avoid being first in the door.

Six p.m. had felt a bit early to her but then she had not gotten home until 5:20 from work and there was dinner to warm up and a nap to take. It had been a rough day. It didn't help that she had left her cell phone at home, her lifeline to solving the great question of where was everyone? And there was no book in her purse, the ever present tool that helped her pass time. Without her tools of distraction, she was in a rudderless boat rocking on a sea of impatience.

Thank goodness she had her journal, she thought, as she drew it out of her purse. Patiently she settled into writing and just letting her mind wander loosely. Or so she thought. Where WAS everyone? Finally thoughts of waiting started to gel.

How much of our time is devoted to waiting? We wait in lines at grocery stores, gas stations, and movie theaters. We wait for seats in restaurants, appointments at offices too many to count. We wait in airports, train stations, bus stops and traffic stops. We wait in stalled traffic. We circle parking lots waiting for a space to open up. We wait . . . WAIT!!

There! A flash of bright red, waist length hair is spotted moving in the direction of the bar on the other side of the room. Jewel! Finally! Someone! She wasn't alone. Where WAS everyone? her thoughts repeated yet again as she hurried to catch up with that swinging head of hair. And there, in the bar, waiting all this time and wondering where the heck is the one missing friend, is the group.

Shock. Frustration. Emotional whiplash. She stood there a collision of feelings taking her to dark and deeply buried places; places that should be kept forever shadowed. With mind wiped clean, she turned and walked away, at least one mouth left hanging. But just as quickly she returned with purse and wrap. Sit. Shake it off. Get a DRINK!!

She loosened up soon enough.

Sepia Scenes #15 - On The Beach

Hand tinted with photo tinting pens

In 1971 my life was on the road to a radical change. Marriage was forever and that youthful mistake was unraveling around my head. I remember being in Berkeley, CA and visiting a local beach near San Francisco. I felt pensive and alone that day. Even though this picture hinted at the truth, all the rest in the series show a young woman acting joyful and hiding from her fears. I like this picture best. It told the truth.

OSI - Scenes at a cafe - Making Time

Altar for old friends

Cushioned seats and countertop

Country for Old Men
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Simple flavors mix

Add excitement to mealtime

Reflections tease
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dust mote lightly floats
Playing between shaded blinds
Skip! Ah, I missed.

A Letter to my friends

Dear Friends,

So - I had this plan. The surprise would be revealed (see bottom of January 24th post). Good plan, yes? Then Don starts putting the surprise together and low and behold, a part is missing. One part order coming up. One reveal delayed. **sigh**

Yesterday was unusual. I saw three movies yesterday. One was early morning on a premium channel - Neverwas. Have you seen it? If not, check it out. Fascinating.

Then I went to the theatre (a rarity) and saw Gran Torino. GO SEE THIS MOVIE. It has exactly the right ending. It's as messy as real life but still exactly right and you cannot help but be satisfied with the results.

And finally, Hallmark had a special movie on last night - Loving Leah - giving the viewer a glimpse into the world of Jewish Orthodoxy.

All in all, a quiet weekend filled with comfort and no stress. There was even a good phone conversation with Q to keep me company on my drive home from Mass on a rainy Sunday night (I really dislike driving at night alone and rain just makes it worse).

Wishing you all a great week,
Annie

It is truly award season. To my delight, I've been blessed with two more awards.

This is the lemonade award, a cute little lemonade stand from Erika.
The rules aren't fancy. Just simply share it with writers you like to read.
The minimum is 10 but how in the world to you limit it to ten? So here is MY plan? If you arrive here and comment (includes any post on my blog), it is yours. I've no doubt been returning the favor for a long time at yours as well.

********************************************************************

The award "Premio Dardos" is for the appreciation of merits—culturally, literary and individually—of every blogger who expresses him/herself on his/her blog.

1. be tickled pink ;) Consider me tickled.
2. copy and paste the award picture to your blog;
3. write down the regulations;
4. link the blog who bestowed you the Award;
5. and finally nominate 15 blogs for the Award.


I've decided to honor art sites with this award. These are bloggers from my early days of blogging. Their inspiration is what got me started and even though I am now traveling a path that in many ways is different from theirs, they are still greatly admired. If you have not visited them, please do so and let them know you found them through this post.

http://ascenderrisesabove.com/
http://brain-bubbles.blogspot.com/
http://cre8tiva.blogspot.com/
http://awhimsicalbohemian.typepad.com/a_whimsical_bohemian/
http://vintagemoonstudio.typepad.com/vintage_moon_studio/
http://www.ullam.typepad.com/
http://turquoisecro.blogspot.com/
http://cozyrosy.blogspot.com/
http://www.moonstarsandpaper.blogspot.com/
http://indigopears.blogspot.com/
http://jkbees.blogspot.com/
http://brushstrokesfromtheheart.blogspot.com/
http://kristenrobinson.typepad.com/
http://arttealife.blogspot.com/
http://rodrigvitzstyle.typepad.com/rodrigvitz_style/

Things Are Afoot

Friday, Krista arrived home from work after I did. She opened the door to the garage to toss something in the trash and immediately cried out, "Whoa! WHAT is THAT?"

I immediately got up and went to the same door and what I saw is to your right.

Don was at the computer grinning from ear to ear.

"What is that?", she said.

"Why is that? When did that happen?", I said.

"I put it together all afternoon," he answered. Of course, this did not answer any of the what, why and when questions that preceded his answer.

In short, Don was told by the umpteenth doctor to start walking to improve his cardio-vascular condition. When he was working, he would use the gym available to all of the police department personnel. Now that he is retired, that is not available to him anymore.

So the doctor suggested joining a gym and use the treadmills there. That idea didn't fly. Next suggestion stop - "Are you able to afford a treadmill?" Bingo. The right bus had stopped at the suggestion bus stop.

I think Bill, owner of our small Sears appliance and tool store, must get a little chill every time a member of the Jeffries family walks in. In the last two years we have purchased a new refrigerator, a cook top and microwave, an oven, and a dishwasher. And of course, there is the now famous radial arm saw at Christmas time.

And now? A tread mill. I have to say - things are looking scary in plasticland but I refuse to worry about it. Don seems to always have a plan. This time though, I'm going to get him to talk about the plan with me.

I had not really intended to write about this but a little over an hour ago he went out to take care of some errands, some of which were treadmill related. My expectation was that when he returned home, we would take care of our grocery shopping. Uh uh. Didn't happen that way.

Car door closes. Tanner flies to the door. Someone is home. Grandpa? Mommy? Grandpa!!

Grandpuppy hops around as Grandpa steps purposefully into the house. I look up and, oh no! He's got that "look", the look that says, I have a secret and I'm having fun with my secret.

Quickly I learn that grocery shopping is not happening yet. I am expecting the garage door to open at any moment but after completing some mysterious purpose which I actually missed seeing, he's GONE. Again.

And here I am, curious and writing. What in the world does he have in store for me now? Since he has a habit of teasing me with big build ups that don't amount to a hill of beans - I DID say tease - I'm just going to go back to my crocheting and watching Cities of the Underworld on the History Channel.

Julie recently gave me a Proximity Award. I've known Julie now for a couple of years and visiting her blog is always a pleasure and a learning experience. If you have not visited Julie, I encourage to stop by and say hello. It's also her blogiversary this week. Happy two years, Julie.

The authors of this award says - "Blogs who receive this award are 'exceedingly charming'. This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!

"Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award. According to the rules I must mention eight more bloggers with whom I wish to share this:"

Julie said it well when she said - "I don't have to show favoritism by hinting that this person or that person is a better blogger. This award is about Proximity, and I feel there are some of my Blogland friends who really fit that profile, by becoming more than just a commenter. These people are "there" for me, from sending me gifts, to e-mailing me, to giving me a boost - or a shove - when I need one, and even phoning me, in a few instances".

Thank you so much, Julie, for sending this award to me. It truly represents my deepest reasons for being in the blog world. I have found a wealth of friendship here and as a result, have redefined friendship and its limits. Limits? There are NONE. So, without further ado and in no particular order:

Fida - who sends me the funniest and sometimes edgiest links.
Autrice - for her sardonic and edgy wit

Corey - for her humility and strength of heart

Tammy - the most courageous person I know
Biene - sister of my heart and a friend before we ever discovered blogging

Jone and Marilyn - two reasons why I will NOT give up my dream of living in Oregon someday

and

Sioux and Deb - sisters of my soul

There are many I might have picked but surprise, surprise - they had already received the award. And there are so many others I would like to pick. I'm thinking I need to create an award; something I can send to everyone, something that can be received multiple times; something that simply says how important you all are to me.

Hummm. It looks like I have another project to add to my list - this one, high up there.

Flat Tire

Flat Tire, originally uploaded by AnnieElf.

Sometimes life is just like that. Can you identify????

Sepia Scenes

This week, I'm easing back into a writing and visiting mode. But the need to think and reflect is still leading me away from regular visits here. However, today is Wednesday and it is Sepia Scenes day, a day I have missed contributing to.

Last summer when I was at Mt. Angel Abbey in Oregon, I recorded the interior of the chapel and if I had dared, I would have sat here for a while. Somehow, though, it just didn't seem like the right thing to do. Things are still on my mind, matters of health and self-care, so even though I didn't sit in these chairs, I can create the idea of it in my mind as I continue my quiet time away.

Share this image by photographer Karine Doche with your friends. Make it circulate!

Saying good-bye to Ken

I've been thinking a lot about Ken this week. Ken is our technician, he who helped Don and I get our cabinet moved home from Goodwill.I first met Ken when he started here as a student. He went on to become our department technician after Dale Monday retired. Dale came back half time as our piano technician and this left a half time tech position for Ken. It's been like that for almost four years.

In that time Ken has married and he and his wife, Rachel, have a cute little boy now, Evan. Even though Rachel is a teacher and Ken works half time here and pt with his dad and with the rural fire department, it just was not enough to give financial stability to his family, not to mention, time stability.

Early in October Ken received a phone call from the instrument technician at CSU East Bay. He was retiring and he wanted to encourage Ken to apply for his full time job.That offer opened the door to some hard negotiating on our end with the various money powers that be, to get Ken upgraded to full time. The best that we could get from the PTB's was a maybe in July when a new fiscal year starts. End result? Ken accepted the position and we lost Ken.

Composition facutly with Ken on the right.

His last day was Friday. There was lunch. There were pastries after work. We had a fun but definitely reluctant farewell.

We have a very good alternative already lined up to replace him, one of our graduates and is hugely respected by the faculty. Phil Short is a good guy and I will like working with him, but . . . Ken, you did the right thing. You put your family first and I wish you all the best, but damn, I'm really going to miss you.

A 30 year Dream Comes True

Sometimes when you take a break and simplify life, the best things happen. And when THAT happens you just HAVE to share.

Yesterday was a plain and all around good day. I made a killing at Goodwill and painted one of the frames and framed one of the Lynn Barron watercolors. Then I found a Michael's coupon so instead of waiting until Don's next payday to get the photo tinting pens, I can get them now and at 40% off. Then TODAY happened.

Don and I weren't sure when Kris would arrive in Modesto from Tahoe so we went to morning Mass at St. Anthony's instead of evening Mass as we usually do. Later we went to Hamilton's Cafe in Hughson. I had not been there in a couple of years but mom used to like going there very much when she lived at Samaritan Village. Later, when she moved to St. Thomas Assisted Living Center, I took her there as well.

Hamilton's holds a lot of happy memories for me. Kris won a drawing for a giant 6 ft. tall Christmas stocking filled will all sorts of goodies. She was 18 years old. She kept some of the goodies but much of it was distributed to kids that we knew. And whenever Toni can manages a trip from Long Beach, this is a major destination place for food when she is here.

Hamilton's is a small, hole-in-the-wall place that serves up great food at good prices. They are never open for dinner but they ARE open everyday of the year because some of the regular locals would be lost with nowhere to go on Thanksgiving or Christmas morning. Staying open, in this case, is a good thing.

So, Don and I are having breakfast and I remember a piece of furniture I saw at Goodwill yesterday. It was a huge one piece buffet/hutch unit. For 30 years, I've wanted such a unit. As the years have gone by, it has become less and less likely that it would ever happen and consequently my mom's china, my Christmas china, Franciscanware, crystal and silver, and linens have all been stored in boxes to be taken out and used from time to time on special occasions only.

The unit is a simple colonial style and I thought it was a style that Don would like. I knew he would like the price - $199.95 and it looked entirely unused. I would love to know the story and I'm thinking I will go back and talk to the Goodwill manager tomorrow and find out where it came from (if she knows). Anyway, I mentioned it to Don over breakfast and he agreed to go see it. It sounded like a good possibility. So I kept my fingers crossed that it would still be there and it WAS. We found out from Sharon, the manager, that they had had it for 2 weeks listed at $350. They had just dropped the price. How lucky was that???

Once it was paid for, we had to figure out how to get it home. Enter Ken from work. He agreed to help and as it happened, his dad and mom were visiting from Lake Don Pedro and his dad's truck was loaded with stuff HE planned to drop off at Goodwill. So, Ken, his dad, and Don headed back to Goodwill with two trucks and I headed home to empty the small cabinet/hutch I had and cleaned it up to give to Ken and his wife, Rachel.

Talk about the end of an excellent weekend. I even collected two more Michael's coupons for a total of three. I have some serious looking around to do at the regularly priced items. I'm in such a good frame of mind from the total downer I was early last week, that I'm even looking forward to work tomorrow. Well, sort of anyway. LOL

So now it's back to my break. I've been writing, painting, and freeing my mind as I wait for February to arrive. Hopefully my groove will be totally back by that time.

A quick moment in and then back to my break

I was just visiting at Autumn Cottage Diarist where Roz has posted that the last Woolworth's in England had just closed.

I think all of us have very fond memories of this magical place. I don't know if it is nostalgia that makes it magical or if it just WAS. Nonetheless, I immediately started thinking about the Woolworth's in my area that closed over 20 years ago.

Exploring old images of Woolworth's, I ran across this wonderful site that will send anyone with Woolworth memories into raptures.

When I think of Woolworth's, I immediately think of their fabulous soda counter, comfort food, its distinctive red and coca cola design, piles of fabric, wide open display counters divided and presenting treasures to tempt the eyes of children of any age and no doubt inspiring many "Mommy, can I have . . .?" I remember tiny golden perfume bottles shaped like fans, solid perfumes, pinwheels, tooth brushes wrapped in cellophane, pink plastic hairbrushes, trading cards and pens, stickers, and fuzzy coin purses in all sorts of crazy colors. And watches!! with funny faces; watches that lasted next to no time but where treasured long after they broke.

If you are a reader of a certain age, you no doubt have Woodworth memories. What do YOU remember about Woolworth's?

I'm taking a short break

The beach blurred by

as we drove past somewhere south

of Point Arena

For Skywatch Friday - Somewhere in the world it is Friday

January 1, 2009 - 4:38 p.m. outside my front door.

Clouded Dawn arrived and never left. She stayed until nightfall, crowding out a glimpse of brother Sun.