Life's a Beach

We headed to Chincoteaque at the crack of 10:30 a.m. on Saturday after deciding we didn't really want to drive down there in the rainstorm on Friday night. Good thing, too, because after dinner and half a glass of wine at 4712 Jim was conked out by 8:30 p.m. and slept like the proverbial log until 6:30 a.m.... got up, read the Post, and then went BACK to bed for another nap!

Anyhow, it was a beautiful drive down, the day was as pretty as it could be, and we got there about 2. John, Brigitte and Miles had waited for us to have lunch so that was first on the agenda after we took a quick tour of their lovely new house. After oyster stew, crabcake and fried flounder fish sandwiches at a local seafood restaurant, we drove to Assateaque to walk along the ocean. Then it was a short driving tour of the island and back to the house for music, wine, cheese, and conversation until a late and luscious dinner (kudos to Brigitte), bed, a lazy Sunday morning, a drive back to Assateaque for the nature preserve walk and another look at the ocean before picking up sandwiches and a salad for lunch...eating and packing up. We departed about 3. Home about 6:30.

Besides not being able to find a gas station that also had a public restroom on the way down, the weekend was just about perfect. If you consider the fact that that is only a minor annoyance, not after all a real problem, the week-end was, in fact, perfect. Sometimes life really is a beach!

Too Pooped to Paint!

I've been working like a maniac all week on Theo's mural - sometimes I think if I could I would just paint day in and day out, endlessly - but this morning the thought of even trying to pick up the brush was exhausting. On the upside, it seems like the exercises the p.t. gave me may be doing some good....that, I suppose, and the ibuprofen and laying off of Curves for awhile. I've certainly been getting enough exercise without it, though, this week. Murals are very physically challenging/taxing. And this week-end, we will be walking along the ocean at Assateaque!

New Poem. Not Sure What Brought This On

I Have Nothing to Say

When I read essays or poetry
By people who write as if they believe in their own depth
And authority;
Or listen to talking heads on television,
Endlessly debating matters they sincerely
Believe are of consequence
And equally, that their opinions really matter,
I become more convinced than ever.
I do understand the paradox.

P.E.Ortman

A Lovely Little Week-end

Jim went to the cabin for the week-end to help his Dad clean up the yard. Apparently Robert and Ericson also made it down from Vermont and even Bruce managed to get up there from Conn. on Sunday with Lila and Nicholas. So it sounded like he had a good time, though he got home late last night and was quite tired and more than a little sore.

I started drawing on Theo's wall yesterday, with Theo, in preparation for starting the new mural today. It's a picture of a huge coyote and a baby coyote, both howling at the moon. According to him, one, the bigger one, is a little sad and the little one is joyous. In any event, I think it's going to look very cool.

Saturday I went to Montgomery Mall with Anja and the girls, a.k.a., the Loops. Just shopping for school clothes for them...all I got was a calendar and a little tiny stuffed cow to send to Moo...Talked to Carey on Sat. a.m. and she's sounding better. T.O. called last night to discuss the entry way project at Mom's which he is finishing up during the cold weather. Sounds like he's doing a great job. He said he would send a picture when he gets it done. Wanted flooring recommendations since he ripped up the horrible all weather carpeting they had had down there for the last several years.

Pray for the Cure, Every Which Way

I heard from my friend Jennifer Malkin the other day that my little watercolor collage prayer painting I had made especially for the occasion and donated at her request (9" by 12", "Pray for the Cure, Every Which Way") had fetched $150.00 at the breast cancer fundraiser they had last week-end. Whoo Hoo!

Charley Lauren

I've been spending most of my available work time the last two weeks on this 16 by 20 inch portrait of my niece Charley Lauren. My sister Kaye wanted to have it done as a present for her, so we're splitting the cost and will probably give it to her for/on her birthday in November.

Things Fall Apart, Part II

So, for a couple of weeks my back had been acting up more than usual and so last week it was so troublesome I decided it was time to try to get it attended to, yet again.....After my bad experiences with p.t. earlier in the year I was feeling discouraged about finding some useful treatment. However, after much research and investigation, I have an appointment with a physical therapist that our friend Gordon highly recommends, "raves about," and he should know, since he's apparently had a lot of it over the years. In the meantime, I've had to put Curves on hold, again, and have spent a lot of time on the heating pad. We'll see what happens. At least with this guy, I will have the same therapist all the time so the right hand will know what the left hand is doing and there should be no glitches, or "treatments" that end up exacerbating the situation. Keeping a good thought.... and in the back of my mind is the possibility of seeking help with through the services of a neighbor, Stephanie Becker, who is a natureopathic doctor....As my mother so famously says, "We'll see."

Earl Scruggs

On Sunday night, Jim and I and our friends Gordon and Peggy Bare went to see bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs (http://www.earlscruggs.com/) at the Birchmere (http://www.birchmere.com/) in Alexandria. It had been awhile since we had been there and we had seen Scruggs with another group, though the same name, a couple of years ago. This year the group included "Dobro Gal" (http://www.dobrogal.com/default.asp), some guy who had played fiddle with the Grand Ole Opry house band for several years, a drummer, and three superb guitar players, as well as his son. As Jim said, "That was so good, it was ridiculous."

Things Fall Apart

Never made it to NYC, Boston or Providence.

First, Stephanie called to say that she and Florin were in the hospital with RSV, so we immediately agreed it would not be a good thing for me to come there after NYC. Then I called Carey to let her know that I would be meeting her at the hotel on Thursday instead of at the train station, because I was going to drive up with Jim, but John told me she was in the hospital and the whole trip would have to be postponed or cancelled, they were not sure which yet. Carey spent that week in and out of the hospital instead of on the train to and in NYC with me!

The good news is that after all the testing and poking and prodding, they have figured out the various problems and nothing seems life threatening and everything seems treatable and is being treated. She spent the week after that, this past one, still feeling pretty punk, but when we talked to her on Friday she was starting to get back on track.

Florin and Stephanie were in the hospital, also, for a few days, but steadily improved and then were continuing to rest and recover at home with both grandmothers, apparently, in attendance. This was a relief to Stephanie and Chuck who were a little annoyed that they hadn't given Florin the RSV shot in September as they had been inclined to do, except that their insurance didn't pay for it until October and their doctor didn't recommend getting it earlier.

C'est la vie. And all's well that ends well, but spending the week being anxious wasn't as much fun as it would have been spending it with Carey and Stephanie and Florin.

Eliza's Mural