Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Swimmin with the fishies…
For some reason I had very vivid dreams all night last night. I only remember one very clearly, and it was an amazing dream. I was living on an island, but it wasn’t a traditional island. It floated out in the ocean on top of the water, so you could actually swim under the island if you choose to. I was standing out on a dock, looking out at the blue expanse of the water. The sky was brilliant blue with a few wispy clouds hovering through the sky. The colors that I saw were ultra bright and vivid. The greens were truer, the flowers brighter, the whole island was more alive than any place I’d ever seen.
As I looked over the water I realized it was teaming with life. I could clearly see whales, dolphins and other fish swimming around in the water. I looked straight down and saw a giant whale gently floating beneath the island. Several of the dolphins were jumping near me, chattering to me, calling me to go swimming with them.
I jumped into the water and grabbed hold of one of the dolphin’s fins and it pulled me through the water. We swam for awhile, not really going anywhere, just enjoying the feeling of being alive and in the water.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Happy Holidays!
How do I begin to recount a week’s worth of adventure, excitement, and wonder? It feels like an insurmountable task. I’m not sure I feel up to it. But I will try none the less.
We were supposed to go to Crystal Mountain for the Holiday. Freeman’s brother had rented a “cabin” for the weekend. At one point there was to be 10 of us staying together. Needless to say I was very nervous about it. For some reason I had this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t really identify the feeling, but something with this trip made me uneasy. I didn’t want to go. I really didn’t want to go. It wasn’t his family. I’ve been together with them for extended periods of time before. I know what to expect. The adults drink and Ray runs circles around the living room. I didn’t think it was the family that was getting to me, but something was.
Fortunately it all worked out for the best. Frank (Freeman’s brother) and his wife Jenn came into town Wednesday night and headed to the mountain. They arrived to find the “cabin” too small and no snow on the mountain. It proceeded to rain all night, a nice warm rain, that sealed the deal. No skiing trip to Crystal Mountain this Christmas. Instead we’d go for plan ‘b’.
Frank and Jenn spent the night with Freeman and I in Ballard on Thursday. It was so much fun. I haven’t really spend a lot of time with Frank and Jenn with out the rest of the family present. We took them to the Jolly Roger, our favorite tavern in Ballard.
Friday we all headed down to Freeman’s mom’s house. We spent Friday and Saturday there. It was the usual Christmas shenanigans. Lots of food, enough for 2 families, and lots of drinking, games and chatting.
Sunday morning we headed to my mom’s for Christmas day. We all opened presents and enjoyed each other’s company. Then I opened the gift Freeman for me. I was shocked and amazed. I couldn’t believe it.
He got me a laptop.
A laptop people!
The very thing I need for my writing. The very thing I need to be able to take my story anywhere at anytime and write! I have so much work to do on my story and I have been so frustrated with not having it with me all the time…this is the best gift he could have given me. Even now my eyes tear up with the thought of being able to take it all with me.
For me, this Christmas has been very wonderful. I can’t believe how lucky I am.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Last night…
Freeman came running into the living room about 3:15 yesterday afternoon. He put on some hot water and told me to get some warm clothes on; we were going to the beach. And to the beach we went! Armed with a large mug of hot cocoa and warmly dressed against the cold, we headed to the beach with the camera in hand.
Freeman took these beautiful pictures as I sat and watched people.
There was a couple with a small child, probably 5 or so. The woman was playing with some electronic toy, the man and the child were running around the park, playing a game. I felt a little sorry for the woman, if it was indeed her child she was missing a very precious moment between father and son.
There was a couple standing on an outcropping farther down the beach. They stood, silhouetted against the darkening sky. It was a very romantic picture.
I watched other couple walk the beach, hand in hand. I listened to snippets of conversations. Loving conversations, worried voices, concerned responses, and a few angry people here and there. I watched people come to the waters edge, enamored by the sinking sun, cameras in hand like Freeman, snapping a moment in time.
I noticed that people are all too willing to leave right after the sun sets. As soon as the great ball of fire was below the horizon people left the beach. They left too early. My favorite part is right after the sun sets, when the clouds catch fire and look like molten gold. The colors settle into a pretty pink before turning blue. The sunset doesn’t end just because the sun has set.
I’m so glad that I am with someone who insists that we spend time watching the sun set and the sun rise. Someone who takes pleasure in nature, the simple things that cannot be recreated on a whim. It was a special moment.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
No way, it’s been a week?
What a week it’s been. So, promptly after my last writing class I got sick. Not kind of sick with a cough and a sneeze, but sick with a fever, the chills and upset stomach. It wasn’t very pretty. I came home from work early on Thursday and spent the afternoon lying on the couch moaning, shivering and burning up. I felt better by Friday afternoon, but I was still very weak.
Saturday was an adventure of a different kind. One of the ladies in my critique group is a season ticket holder at the Paramount Theater up here. Her dog just got out of surgery, so she was unable to go to the show. She offered tickets to me and I snatched those babies up!
They were for Mama Mia, the musical based on the music (of all things) of ABBA. I took mom to it. We had a blast. I think it’s the most fun I have ever had at a musical. It wasn’t serious, as most traditional musicals are. The storyline was fun and the use of the music and costumes turned everything up a notch. The seats were fantastic, 9 rows from the stage. It was…amazing, fun, the cast was energetic and lively.
After the “end” of the musical portion, the cast came out and did a few dances and sang a few songs, in full costume. They had us dancing in the isles, singing along to the greatest hits of ABBA. I immediately bought the CD of the performance.
One of the best parts about seeing this musical was going with mom. She’s been having a stressful time at work and I know that life isn’t always what she would like it to be. I don’t spend as much time with her as I used to, I get all wrapped up in my own life and neglect her. So this was really special to me, I got to see a great show with my mom.
I honestly don’t know how much I will blog over the next two weeks. Work is picking up again and with the holidays, it’s tough to remember to do everything. My plan is to work on my schedule after Christmas so I can figure out what I am missing, what I might be over doing and what I need to add back in. I haven’t done a very good job these last few months of keeping up the things I want to do. My fault completely, but I’m stating to get cranky.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Yawn!
My last writing class for this term was last night. It was kind of fun, in that I got there a little early and sat around with my critique group and chatted before class started. It was also fun because the people in my group seem to have some similar opinions regarding things that happened and have a bit of a snarky attitude. Which is great fun. I try not to be mean, but sometimes it’s just fun to be snarky.
I didn’t realize that we were supposed to bring treats for the class. I’m glad I didn’t because the few people who did brought plenty for everyone. And you don’t need to eat a lot at 9pm. We were supposed to connect the treats to our stories in some way. My character likes this because…which is a good way to get a scene going. One guy said he didn’t have a scene connected to his character, he didn’t think chocolate chip cookies really existed in the 15th century. I laughed and said, “The character’s name is Maria, she likes to bake chocolate chip cookies. Oh, chocolate chips make her so happy, so happy.” I said it with a disjointed accent. It was pretty funny. And his cookies were fabulous!
I would have made my cheese cookies if I had known. They are easy and oh so cheesy. They were a hit at work, people gobbled them right up. I might make some for Christmas. Yummy easy cheesy cookies.
So, I walked up to my bus stop last night and looked around. I usually read all the headlines on the papers and take a gander at all the people waiting for the bus. There was an older couple there, it looked like they were waiting for the bus. They both had walkers and I remember thinking, “how cute.” Then I walked past the women and she was puffing away on a cigarette. Ewe. I hate cigarettes. But she had a big broad smile, so I grinned back at her.
The bus approached and I got in line, expecting the older couple to get in line as well. They didn’t though. They suddenly took off down the sidewalk at a pretty rapid pace. Then I noticed that the man had an oxygen tank hanging from his walker, while the woman had a carton of cigarettes hanging from hers…
As you wake in the morning
What do you feel?
Does a rush of happiness
wash over you when,
Suddenly, you realize you are alive?
