Heaven's to Betsy

I cannot tell you what joy it gave me to actually see a comment on my blog. Someone is reading my drivel and has the temerity to say he enjoys it! I am his slave for life. Plainly that is hyperbole, so please don't think I will be a slave for only one comment. But I am giddy with pure joy, nevertheless. Thank you.

Well. Winter is starting its ugly time. thaw, snow, thaw, dirty snow, thaw, slush, mud, SPRING. I suppose we are in for a few tournament blizzards yet. Who knows? ( For those of you not from Minnesota, it is the going wisdom that when the March tournaments start, the blizzards also descend upon us.) This is not a typical weather year, so we might actually start Spring tomorrow. That would be ok with me, I guess.

I can remember landing in California and being absolutely shocked and thrilled by the GREEN there. When I returned to Minnesota, I had had enough green and was thrilled by the startling WHITE snow. My eyes evidently feast on the color they have not been seeing lately. I am fickle about it all. An equal opportunity color lover. Absence makes the eye love more?

Off to my day. Off to check my daily blogs. Happy Sunday. vicki

Slushy Saturday

A gray day with water, slush and snow out the window. Ugh. However, rather soon they are predicting that we will have significant snow with colder temperatures. We'll have to wait to see what transpires!

Several of my friends may concescend to leave a comment on this blog so I will feel less like a person writing for my own enjoyment alone. I called Naomi and she said just to check "other" and then put your name or initials. You can do anonymous if you choose, but that is only for rank cowards. growl growl. Of course, I know that no friend of mine is a rank coward. Maybe a coward, but not rank. Right.

I am still contemplating the belly dancing deal and have ALMOST (get that almost, Karen?) decided to do it. I will have made up my mind by Monday.

Tuesday is my Book Club. We are discussing "A Passionate Man" by Joanna Trollope. If any startling insights are revealed by the group, I will pass them on. She is a great author. I was intrigued and full of questions after the reading. I will let you know our wonderful wisdom later.

Then in the afternoon a group is getting together in Evansville to work on a book we are going to put out on the occasion this July of the 125th anniversary of the founding of our fair city. A group has already been hard at work for some time and they have asked me to lend a hand as the accomplished writer that I am. Right.

Well. Off to the drudgery of a sludgery day. I hate gray days. vicki

Exercisin'

Wow. I just got back from the gym that I go to. It's called "It Figures" and it is the greatest. Hats off to Barb. She has three new machines in for us to try out to see if we like them, and which of the two elliptical "pacers" (I don't know the correct terminology) are the best. I really like one of them, but my buddies like the other one. Sigh. And a new bicycle machine that I just love. I may get a really vigorous work out if the machines come to stay. I am excited! I go to the "gym" to work out for the good of my body, but the fun we have is SO good for my soul. It is a lively group and my special workout buddy, Karen, has become a good friend. Life is always exciting, and new friends are an especial gift from God.

We are also being invited to a belly dancing class. Hmmm. They keep reassuring me that I can keep my regular clothes on. I don't need the bare midriff (does that have two fffffffs?) and bells, but I have really a hard time envisioning myself doing this. Stay tuned.

Today is rather springlike, although I look out and see snow. If the temperature stays as it is, it should be horrible looking rather soon. Of course, the joke about Minnesota is that if you don't like the weather wait 10 minutes ... it will change. The trouble is, it doesn't always change to the better! However, the variety is exciting.

If I do take that belly dancing class, I promise to include a picture of the outfit I finally decide to wear. I can guarantee that it will be a disappointment! Such fun. Have a GREAT day.

Books are the Best

This is a rather blurry image of a painting I did on commission. It is one of three in that series in my love affair with pears.

I stayed up until 4 last night finishing a book. I am an avid reader, but I haven't done that for a while. The first book I stayed up all night to read was "Beau Geste." I still have that book. It is now 60 years old. I remember pretending to have fallen asleep with the light on and the book on my breast. My brother Bud, who was getting ready to go on his early Sunday morning paper route, was attracted by my lamp, softly tip-toed into my room, tenderly turned off the light, took off my glasses and put my book on the bedside table. He was so sweet but I still remember the feeling of wanting to say "boo" to scare him. I resisted the impulse and played possum.

Today I go to Battle Lake to the board meeting of my art group. That is always fun and invigorating. A feisty bunch. Then I am taking two quilt tops to a shop to investigate getting them quilted. That is the labor of love that I have written about before, the pieces of our nephew Peter's Indonesian shirts that I made into tops for quilts for his two children.

Now it will be to decide how they should be quilted. Decisions, decisions! I have previously hand quilted four quilts. As I finished the last of the four I made a decision never to hand quilt another quilt. I am sticking to that decision and taking the tops to a professional machine quilter. Machine quilting makes a stronger quilt and is a whole lot easier on the finger tips.

Take care and have a wonderful Tuesday!

Favorite Minnesota Lake

I am trying to enter this painting in the juried show at the Lake Region Arts Council Gallery. It is a painting I did of the lake at Scenic State Park, our favorite place in all the world. I priced it high hoping that no one will buy it, and if they do, it will be enough to assuage my sorrow. This painting thing is so interesting.. to paint so that it is interesting to you. Once I was able to paint semi realistically, I no longer really wanted to! "Been there done that" kind of feeling. I am beginning to feel that I will go back and do it again. Yes. I think I will. Especially when summer is here and I can do it plein aire. We haven't been camping for awhile, so we can do it again. I will take all of the paraphernalia for painting with me and we will set up a screen tent and I will paint.

We sleep in our conversion van and set up two screen tents... one for cooking and the other for painting and reading and just lolling around. It is a great thing to do. Yup. This summer.

Meanwhile, I will take three pictures of paintings up to Fergus Falls this morning and then we will eat Chinese food for lunch. Sounds like a plan. Have a great Friday!

Back at it

Well, I had to remind myself why I chose the name two pair and a spare for this blog. Here it is again. One of my paintings that George titled.

I am presently trying to paint. It isn't going too well. So I just keep on painting. I have a notice on my computer room door that quotes Van Gogh as saying "By Painting one becomes a Painter." If that is true, maybe there is yet hope for me! I am persisting.

Last night after choir practice we came out into a gentle snow. Today there is an accumulation of about two inches. Enough so that the trees are slightly flocked and the world looks clean again. And we are as clean as the snow because of what Jesus has done for us. We are in Lent. A time to contemplate the life, death and ressurection of Jesus.

Have a great day. I will be painting. Wish me well! vicki

I have so much to say

Yesterday as I was driving along in the car, I composed a whole message. I was taking two paintings up to the annual spring show at the Community College in Fergus Falls. Before this time they called themselves The Fergus Falls Community College. Straight-forward and information-giving name. Now their name is Minnesota State Community and Technical College. I never know who is sending me the message until I open the envelope and realize what it is. Like calling a housewife a domestic engineer. Or all the other politically correct changes. I wonder if all the community colleges now have the same name and you have to look at their mailing address to figure out who it is? Probably.

Well, that was not the message I composed. But then I got detoured by my disgust with all the pc business. My daughter-in-law kept correcting me when I said someone was oriental with the information I should say asian. etc., etc. I doubt if I will be able to keep up with all of the changes in vocabulary, but I'm game to try.

Now, back to the message I composed in my head on the way to Fergus... and back. One of the things that was said in the books I read in California was that the US was the first country EVER to be founded on the idea that every man was created with equal rights. (At the time they didn't include black men or women, but we are attempting to correct that.) The European nations had royalty and other entitled types that were born in a higher position that others and automatically were able to boss the rest. And one person (I think it was John Adams) said that the south was attempting to go ahead in the European mode with some people just being born above others. He predicted that if there ever were a civil war it would be fought over that issue. He felt the south just wanted to be another country under some king, preferably the English king, with the plantation owners being the nobility. Interesting to think about.

We are the first country to be founded on equal rights. We have, through the years, taken this fantastic idea forward and are attempting to continue with it. It is difficult because we have sort of faltered on the features necessary to stay independent. Our citizenry has become lazy and filled with feelings of entitlement rather than feelings of responsibility. I am filled with apprehension about the next years. We have made it for more than 200 years, can we continue? It will take the dedication of our citizens to education and an abandonment of self indulgent life styles. Hmmmmmmmmmm. A large order. vicki

Hippety Hop

I'm home again! The trip went great. I love looking out my window and seeing SNOW. I thought that way about green grass when we first arrived in California, but the SNOW is just wonderful. So bright and pristine.

Being at home is wonderful and relaxing. Everything right where you like it. All the cliches are cliches because they are true.

I had a hard time getting my internet connection working. I had over 300 e-mails to access, and my server wouldn't work. This morning I called the help desk and they informed me it was because someone (Karen) had sent me something that was just too much for my poor dial up to handle. Sigh. I have everything done now, and it is great to be back in touch.

I will try to get my mind around it all for tomorrow. Right now I'm still just wallowing in the at homeness of it all. Right.

Minnesota, here we come

This is our last day in the land of green grass and sun. George has hit a few golf balls and we are busy finishing up our laundry and getting packed. Six weeks is a long time to be away from home. I am sad to leave our family here and excited to see our family and friends there. That's the way it goes. There is usually someone who lives far away and you don't see often enough.

We are so blessed with the technology that we have. We can e-mail each other to the ends of the earth... We can phone each other every day. I have just finished reading the biography of John Adams and trying to get my mind around the seemingly endless lapses of time between the happening of something and the realization of it by people on the other side of the globe. We know of things instantly, then it took three or four months or longer. Hard to imagine. Husbands and wives would be separated for three or four years with very difficult communication possibilities. On the other side of the coin, however, they wrote letters which are still in existence. John and Abigail exchanged a record number of letters over the years with a wonderful window into what was happening at the time. Fascinating for us to know now.

Our e-mails are ephemeral and there will be little or no record of our feelings. I wonder about blogs.. they will also disappear without a trace, I imagine. So immediacy as a good thing can be balanced by lack of permanance as a negative quality.

We have enjoyed our stay with our four year old and his mother. She is a great mom. He is cute and very bright!. We will miss them.

See ya in Minnesota on Saturday!

Dwindling Days

Today is Tuesday and we are heading back to Minnesota on Saturday. We will miss our little family here, but we will be glad to get back to our own digs. Something great about having things just the way you want. Outside of staying with my parents on our way to Brazil, I think this is the longest we've ever stayed with someone. We stayed in Florida for about three months waiting for our visas. First it was George, John and I, and eventually we added the brand new baby! And all of us sleeping in a single room. We managed that, but it was hard at times. My folks put up with us all with grace and always made us feel welcome, though. Such a wonderful time.

Now I am staying with our grandson who is a year or so younger than John was then. Brings back memories. He is just as adorable as John was all those years ago. And our daugter-in-law is the greatest. Fun.

I am eager to get home so I can add art to these blogs. Yeah! vicki

President's Day

I really miss the days when we had celebrations for the presidents individually. There was Washington's Birthday, the same as my brother's birthday, and Lincoln's Birthday. Now we celebrate mainly so that we can have a three day weekend. What an effete bunch.

I am reading John Adams a biography by David McCullough. It is heavy but interesting reading. The trials and tribulations of our founding fathers are laid out in a wonderful way. We should all do such reading. I have read Killer Angels, and 1776, one about the Civil war and the other about the revolutionary war, and now John Adams. I am so entranced by the books and the characters in them. Our forefathers. and mothers. Wow. and double Wow.

Happy President's Day. Hopefully our ship of state will sail on for another few years. vicki

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Well. It is a red letter day. My daughter's birthday. She is the light of our lives and a truly magnificent human being.

When she was two months old we headed to Brazil and she spent her first 5 years there. She spoke Portuguese as her native language, and understood but didn't speak English until a visit to the states when she was three... then she became bilingual after three months. Children are so amazing in many ways, but especially in their ability to learn and use language. She no longer speaks Portuguese, but I imagine it is buried somewhere in her brain awaiting new birth.

Happy Birthday, sweet one. love, mom

TV Addiction

I found the 2 am Starting Over program. So I didn't hit the hay until 3 am. Then up at 6 to take the sprout to school at 7:30. George always gets up early, but I usually don't get up until 8 at least. Am I starting a new trend? Nah.

Have a great day. I know I'll be watching Olympics and then another late night - or early morning, which ever you would like to say! vicki

Valentine's Day

Well. I slept in. So I didn't get this blog done in time for one of my friends who is devastated that I didn't commemorate Valentine's Day. One of the most artificially pumped days of our Hallmark society. We celebrated last evening. Flowers and cards. And candy for our little sprout. All in order.

We tried to explain Valentine's Day to our Brazilian friends. They couldn't understand why we sent cards to everyone. They could see the lover angle, but not the school friends, the moms, the kids, etc. No matter how hard I tried to make sense of it for them, they couldn't see it. I wonder why we can? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? vicki

Monday

Wow. The Olympics. I am getting immersed in them. I am a late owl, anyway, and a TV addict, so the combination is daunting. So far I am really enjoying myself. The Flying Tomato! I ask you. Is he cute, or what! For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, The Flying Tomato is one of our (the US) skateboarders. He is awesome and cute and wonderful. And he won the gold medal to boot. Wow.

Well, I am trying to find Starting Over. It will be on at 2am the next two weeks here. As it is shown on NBC, and NBC is the Olympics channel. My time allotment will be interesting. I will let you know how I handle this crisis. Right.

Off to my Monday. We are getting Matthew to school so there are some things I have to pay attention to. He is such a cutie! vicki

Saturday

We went to the mall today to the kiddy park there. Wow. Mayhem. Oodles of little kids just tromping on each other. No one crying, though. Miraculous. We finally give it up. No room to do anything. Went and had lunch.

The big news is the great weather. Sitting in the sun. Relaxing. Wow. It's great. I miss all my Minnesota buddies. I'm lonesome! vicki

Abbott and Costello Moment

Or maybe Laurel and Hardy. Chevy Chase? Who is the current person doing slapstick comedy. Help me out here.

My husband, grandson and I went to the driving range at the golf club yesterday. George went in to get his clubs and I was in charge of getting balls out of a machine that dispenses them at the sliding of a card through a slot. Next to the machine sat a group of seven people having a meeting. I think it was all of the people who had to do with the running of the club. We tried to be as quiet as we could be so as not to disturb the flow of their conversation.

I ran the card through the slot and golf balls started spewing forth in all directions. I had not realized that I needed a little basket to put under the slot from which the balls would spew forth. I thought the onslaught would never end. The business people all got up to help field all of the rolling balls. The balls hit the cement with a loud report and then rolled all around. We all started laughing (thank goodness) and everyone was helpful. Matthew kept on finding more balls. George came out of the club house and wisely pretended not to know who these maniacs were! He says it was because there was nothing more that he could do. Truer words were never spoken. I had managed to do it all.

Hope you have a great day! vicki

Monday again?

Goodness gracious. How time flies. It's already the beginning of another week. We have more or less three weeks left of our stay in California... We don't seem to do anything but just what we do at home plus play with our grandson. My husband, of course, gets to golf which he couldn't be doing in snowy Minnesota. Although with the moderating temperatures they have had there earlier, some did golf in Minneapolis. Wow. This weather thing is strange at times.

It is sunny and warm here this week. If one can trust the prognosticators of such things, the warm and sunny is going to continue for most of the week. So we will go golfing this afternoon. I drive the golf car and give expert! advice on how to golf to my husband. I occasionally even monkey with the clubs like a real caddy. We have fun.

I actually painted a bit yesterday. And I just realized that it isn't Monday, it's TUESDAY. I really am on vacation... losing track of even what day it is! Ah, well. vicki

Hi Ho

The blog.spot is having technical difficulties. I was unable to get into my own blog this past three days, but I think the problems have been corrected. We'll see. My last post was lost in cyberspace. We will see if it ever surfaces. Probably not.

Monday after the Super Bowl. Ugh. Terrible officiating. Mick Jagger is still a peripatetic goof ball. He's great. I never liked him, but I had to appreciate his energy for what the paper termed a "septuagenarian." That means a 70 something, doesn't it? Wow.

While we are out in California, I miss all my reference books. I know I could look anything up on the internet, but I have (until this time) chosen to stay with the printed page between covers. I love the feel of a book. The smell of a book. In short, I love books. My husband despairs because of the prevalence of books in my life. They take up lots of space and they cost lots of money. I look at it as an investment in my sanity... such a it is. I'm only slightly kidding. They really have saved my sanity more than once.

Have a good week. vicki

Friday

It's great to get to know my grandson a bit better. He is going through a period of finding himself and stubborness creeps in occasionally. Then I find myself doing what I realized was something that my father did with me. I go into an overcoming clown mode. I talk really loud, wave my arms and make menacing faces. He forgets all about whatever he was being stubborn about and gets the giggles. Mission accomplished. The adults around me are rather taken aback, but the boy and I love it. And we go on with whatever it was we were trying to do.

I first realized I was imitating my father while I was doing this when I was teaching. It worked for me then and I became rather famous for doing outrageous things. Maybe infamous would cover it better. I do love doing it, though. Maybe it's in the genes.

Have a great day.