PHOTO FRIDAY - PORTRAIT

I have not participated in the Photo Friday for some time now. Today I took a look. When I read the subject matter, Isreal immediately jumped to my minds eye.

Taken at the airport in Merida Mexico awaiting evacuation after Hurricane Wilma. We had been stranded in Mexico for seven days before finally flying to St. Louis ...American soil.

MY LIFE IS AN OPEN BORE

Repetitious Rubbish

I'm experiencing that as this blog nears the Three Years Mark that a type of cycle is emerging. Next week end I am going to The Dublin (Ohio) Irish Festival. I have written about that twice. I am seeing the Saw Doctors who will be performing there (this will make the 5th time I have seen them and the 3rd time this year!!) God knows I have written about that before! In two weeks, I will be going to the MidSummer Night Run in Lexington, been there done that. The week after that is the Woodland Arts Festival. And so it goes.

In the famous words of Dylan Thomas, "Someone's boring me. I think it's me".

For example: My week-end. Nothing out of the ordinary. A typical two days of predictable occurrences and behavior.

I went to the Southside Farmers Market early Saturday morning and bought delicious vegetables and these beautiful gladiolus. I was there early enough to snag some! They normally have disappeared by the time I arrive.

I have been hitting the New Haven Nature Trail, dodging the beastly bicycles and have pushed myself to just about 2 1/2 mile run. I am walk/running close to 5 1/2 miles. Sweaty stuff.

I have fallen off the Healthy Food Wagon earlier this week. My boss made me by taking me to a Mexican restaurant where those chips and salsa were calling my name so LOUD that it was all I could do not to devour them entirely while he watched me, astonished at my ravenous behavior. After that it was a Blizzard. After that it was a sub sandwich.

Living the Healthy life is not all it is cracked up to be...so I tell myself. So I have hit the trails again...running that weight off.

I have been working in the garden trying to keep it alive. When we first moved up here, last spring, so many people told us we were going to enjoy the mild summers. What mild summers? They have been torturous!! 90 degrees or more is not unusual! My poor flower beds are burnt up!

After an hour of weeding and snipping I drank a beer and passed out for two hours.

I then went to the local nursery and partook in their "wagon sale" where you fill up an entire wagon with whatever you can fit into it ....all for $20!! Last year it was $15 and they allowed you to double deck...not this year and the lady had her eye on me. I had the look of one who would do such a thing in a heart beat!!

I came home with tons of stuff to replace the dead stuff.

Today will be more of the same. Cooking, cleaning, boring, boring, boring.

But then again...next week-end!! Irish Festival and Saw Doc's I'm counting the hours!!!!

HAY!!

CAN YOU SAY PINK, BIMBO?

For almost thirty years my parents have lived in the last house on a lovely dead-end street. It is a very mature 1970 era area with beautiful brick homes. Most everyone on the street has been there since the early days of the neighborhood and only leave their homes in the back of a hearse.

At least that is the way it use to be. Next to my parents home is an empty lot. Not exactly empty, it was owned by a gentleman on the next block, and backed up to his property. He has a garage, very nice brick building, that sat at the very back of the property.

He passed away in the past year and his heirs put the property up for sale. Naturally they wanted a pretty penny for the lot as we inquired because...well, we were just use to having all that open space for soccer games, football, volley ball etc. It would have been nice to keep it, but it was not to be.

No...Bimbo bought it.

I have never blogged about Bimbo before. In a nut shell, he has been my mechanic for years back when I did not have a company car and had need for a mechanic.

I love the name Bimbo. I love saying it. Just like I love saying Pink. I just can't think of a combination to put Bimbo and pink together unless it was, "I asked Bimbo if he could paint my car pink..."

When my mother told me that a Bimbo ****** had bought the property, I was thrilled for them! Why? Bimbo is a terrific guy, let alone a superb mechanic. He will be very good to my parents, who are elderly and need a lot of looking after these days.

"Do you think Bimbo is a family name?", my Mother asked

For some reason the neighbors across the street have taken an intense dislike to Bimbo. Maybe its because he is building a beautiful new home, very much in the tradition of all the other homes on the street, right down to a similar color of brick. He has been using my mothers water and paying her water bill.

I think that is what triggered the apparent attack of yesterday.

The Angel caregiver for my Dad informed me of a terrific uproar on the property next door yesterday. The guy across the street had his finger in Bimbo's face....Naturally The Angel had to get in the back yard to see if she could over hear the details.

Lots of cuss words and threats from the neighbor. "My nephew is chief of Police and I will have you arrested."

For using my Mother's water? For cutting down the diseased trees that bordered both properties?

For agreeing to keep on eye on Mom and Pop and knock on their door if The Angel is not there between 8-830am and call 911 if the door is not answered?

Bimbo came over and was hotter than hell.

"I'll call the police on that So & So if he ever gets in my face like that again! By the way, does your visitor (my SIL Laura) need any help painting the trim?"

Drama on the Dead End.

Wonder if Bimbo would paint the trim Pink?

MERMAID CONVERSATIONS

It seems that I have been in a certain place at a certain time, the opportune time, to overhear some juicy stuff from total and perfect strangers.


At my favorite consignment shop, (which I made a bee-line for the moment I landed in Lexington), in the changing area, which is actually four stalls in the middle of the store, protected from prying eyes by cloth curtains....

All was quiet and solemn, as it must be when trying on sizes too small for you, two girls burst into the dressing area.

Giggling, talking like they had not a care in the world about who might over hear them.

First part of the conversation: "He can't tell me who to be friends with and he can't block me from messaging him because he is mad and does not agree with the friendship!! And I told him so after work....in the parking lot on the way to our cars"

Delicious stuff.

Suddenly the other one screamed in amusement, "I look like a Mermaid"

The other countered, "I look like a Mermaid too!!"

They ventured out of their dressing rooms to admire each other. This was followed by more giggling and more exclamations of how beautiful they looked when a third party entered the conversation.

"You two girls look like you have somewhere important to go."

"Oh no", one of them replied, "We just like to come in and put on the dresses!"

With that they exited the dressing area in pursuit of more.....I can only guess.... Mermaid dresses.

They returned and resumed their exuberant chattering.

"Quick, let me look at you."

"Wait a minute, this has sooooooooooooo many buttons!....Oh, Oh, I look so corporate!"

"You look special!"

"I feel special!!"

What I was feeling was the over flow of their fun. I felt special too.

I only wish that when I was their age that I would have had the brilliant idea to go play dress up at the consignemnt store with one of my best friends.

Big Girl Dress Up.....how much fun is that!?

TRUCKIN'.......GOT MY CHIPS CASHED IN

Going to hit the road in a few minutes. I have one stop to make, at the Southside Farmers Market to pick up some of that wonderful bread made by that articulate writer, and this totally terrific hand cream made at home called " Country Honey". Besides smelling divine, it is the best stuff I have ever smeared on.

I'm headed home to Kentucky for the monthly gathering of my clan. My mother has several out of town guests staying with her. Including my brother from NYC and my Aunt from Florida. It will be a wonderful dinner tomorrow. My Mother is always so animated and happy when she is surrounded by her family. It is a joyous occasion.

I am struggling (again) with the boundaries I must set while writing this blog. I think it is imperative that I protect and respect the privacy of not only my family, but the people I come in contact with on a daily basis.

My life feels like I am in the middle of the spider web and all my experiences and the people who are part of them, instigate them, inspire them, are the webbing that reaches out far into the universe. No telling how far out they reach...can reach.

Yet, this is my history. I think all these personal blogs are our written history. Maybe polished a bit, certainly embellished a little, but they are ours and only ours. They would be less engaging and charming unless they include all those characters who come in and out of our lives on a daily basis. And also, those who are here to stay.

Those who are here to stay, like the Husband, who I promised never to make him look bad in any way on these pages. Some of the funniest, most gut splitting antics are not included here, not because they would make him look bad, but because I think it would upset him. He tends to think this lowly blog is read by millions...hahahah!!!

This is my history and it should include the downs with the ups.

Even if I change the names to protect the guilty.

So, I am going to mull things over during this trip down South to home. I am having the most vivid, sad dreams about certain things that are going on in my life at this moment, this place in time in a very difficult struggle with my daughter.

On well, what is life if it isn't interesting?

Tangled up in Youth

Recently my Boss entered the small cramped office room my co-worlers and I share. "Anyone heard of a Big Name Band having a concert at the Wizards Stadium?"

We turned and showed each other our quizzical expressions, shrugged and returned our attention towards him.

"Some old guy" he continued, "Like my age."

"Jimmy Buffett" Smart Aleck #1 asked.

"No...but someone like that". He then proceeded to quote us the figure they wanted for our Corporate Suite that night. The price for 20 people to attend.

"Wow" said Smart Aleck #2. He immediately got on the phone and called the Stadium the moment Boss left the room. He got the name of the Top Secret not yet released name of the Big Band!

"Thanks" he concluded, turned toward us and waited for just enough time to gain an air of drama.......

"Bob Dylan."

Pause.

"Who's he?" Smart Aleck #1 asks.

Co-worker #3, The Hunk leans back in his chair and twirls his pen between his fingers, "I never liked him much." Looking at me he says, "You tell them."

I begin.

"Blowing in the Wind". Blank faces from the Smart Alecks.

"Rainy Day Woman". Still blank.

"Like a Rolling Stone". Now head shaking.

"Mr. Tambourine Man" More head shaking.

"Subterranean Homesick Blues" They both look incredulous. I begin to Rap the words (like Dylan did all those years ago)......


"Johnnys in the basement
Mixing up the medicine
I'm on the pavement
Thinking about the government"

Now they look like they are going to start laughing.

I suddenly had the image of my Mother rapping Guy Lombardo trying to convince me 30 years ago there was no better music than THAT.

I gaze across the abyss of the generation gap and suddenly it hits me!

"Guns and Roses?" Finally they nod. "They covered his "Knocking on Heavens Door".

"OOOOOOOOKKKKKAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY" Smart Aleck#1 says in his Napoleon Dynamite imitation and they resume their tasks at hand, ignoring me and the Hunk.

"Gun's and Roses is over the Hill for them" he informed me. Then he resumed working.

I sat semi-stunned.

BEAUTIFUL BOUNTY

What $8.50 will get you at the Farmers Market

My heart softens about this city when I find someplace as wonderful as Southside Market. It took me awhile to locate the spot, as it is in a part of town I am totally unfamiliar with. I even thought I was in the wrong place and had somehow gotten the address incorrect. This was a neighborhood!

Then there it was. People were coming out carrying large hanging baskets full of summer flowers. I saw others walking on the sidewalks with plastic bags draped over their arms. The building itself could make you smile. Shaped like the letter E, paint long ago stripped from its wooden slats.The doors thrown wide open the entire length of building so you could just glimpse in and know something was going on inside.

Once I was in I realized how much fun this place is going to be. I felt like I had stumbled into an open air market in the Bahamas! Color was everywhere. No only were just farm produce and plants offered, I also found soy candles, a butcher shop, a grill, beads and chimes, cut flowers, loads of enticing baked goods, and in the back corner a musician had set up and was serenading us making the whole experience lovely.

Before I made my way out, I came across a gentleman sitting behind a booth (cafeteria style table with sturdy legs!) reading a book. I was drawn by the smell! Laid out in front of him were baked goods wrapped in cellophane. Small breads and large cookies.

I choose the cinnamon bread (for Joe) (a treat, he has put up with me the past week with this fast).

We began to talk. "Did you bake this?"

"No, but its my recipe. Heath Department has all these rules."

We talked about the virtues of lard verses butter.

He told me he had made a Peach cobbler recently and would love to make a blackberry one. Had I seen the prices of blackberries?

He told me about making the crust and kneading in the butter and separating it out into three separate sections and rolling it out just so.

I was impressed. I told him I just slap it all together without much thought.

"Cooking is like art." He began. "I myself am a writer. I get an idea, I write about it and then I go back and edit it. I add a little here, change a little there. When I am finished, it doesn't resemble what I started out with at all".

I asked him to make me a peach cobble and hide it under his table.

I'm certain it is a masterpiece.

THE RESULTS ARE IN

I must admit, I am impressed.

Checking the book out of the library and devouring the pages in a single sitting, I developed a lot of expectations. I wanted to "feel like a kid again". I wanted to have the mental acuity that was a by-product for the author. I wanted to have my nose free from the suffocating feeling I experience in the mornings. I wanted to free myself from my sugar cravings. I longed for more energy. And the thought of the weight loss tantalized me.

The fast was to be for 10 days. Telling my best bud D. about it over the phone right before I began, she asked, "How long do you think you will last?"

"Five days."

I lasted SIX!!

At the beginning of the fourth day I abandoned the lemon juice concoction and made a huge pot of fresh vegetable soup. I then drank the broth the remaining three days.

I lost 10 - 12 pounds.

The metal acuity alluded me, but I have an astonishing ability to focus!

I feel I have more personal mental energy.

I no longer felt the mid-afternoon urge to find somewhere warm and cozy to lay down. Instead, on the drives home at the end of the work day I would marvel at how un-tired I actually felt!

My head still feels stuffy, but that tells me I have to work on that. Or I am sensitive to the chemicals floating around this area. (big industrial farming).

My joints are great!! Great I'm telling ya!! My barometer is how I get out of the bed in the morning. In the past, as I have eased into middle age, the ritual of staggering down the hall way like a drunken sailor because of the stiffness in the knees and back has been a major concern of mine.

Gone.

The next hard part begins now, beginning a healthy eating life style.

I'm off the Farmers Market!!

DETOX IS NOT FOR WEENIES

Day Three and still no adverse effects.

The diet is like this....of course I only read a portion of the book and listened to the CD, so when I started I had no idea what I was doing, other than flushing out my system.

First of all, there are many variations of the diet to choose from. I naturally went with the most radical. If at any time I think I am going to pass out, or keel over...which I do anyway without being on a detox.....or am just uncomfortable, I can switch to a friendlier program within the parameters of the anticipated end.

The radical one I am doing is the Lemon Water Wash Out (my name).

I drink water, 8 - 12 glasses (8oz), of this particularly nasty yet comforting glass of fresh squeezed lemon juice..(one lemon is about five tablespoons), maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

I kid you not.

The first time, I felt the fire going down. First my mouth, then my throat and about 20 minutes later I felt it spreading through out my stomach. Something in this mixture suppresses the appetite and gives you the necessary energy.

Then you drink lots of bottle water inbewteen. After the first day, I have not been confined to the bathroom! Go figure. And you can have chamomile tea and any tea that is a diarrhetic.

Major Flush out the body is the name of the game.

According to what I am reading, the organ cleansing begins with the top and works down. Brain power! I certainly could use more of that.

When your body tells you it has had enough, you begin back gradually and then your new life of a healthy eater begins.

No more meat, no more sugar, no more alcohol, no more caffeine, fried foods...forget it!

I guess I may become a vegan!

The good thing is this, our foods and our envirornment are so full of chemicals that we don't realize how poisioned we have become because we are just use to feeling this way. Stuffy nose in the morning, joints that hurt and ache, skin problems, allergies...the irratants in our enviornment that cause us harm is endless.

It is day three and I am feeling pretty good.

A TOXIC GRAND SEND OFF

The most ordinary things can bring the unexpected. Such as taking my Brother-in-Law to the annual week-end gathering at Norris Lake in Tennessee. He hitched a ride at the half way point for me, Louisville, en-route to eastern TN.

He supplied the entertainment, an envelope of CD's he had received from New Dimensions. Thought provoking interviews conducted for broadcast over the airwaves, akin to NRP.

I thoroughly enjoyed most the CD's but by far the most interesting was Dr. Elson M. Haas. He took approximately one hour to convince me to consider his "New" Detox diet.

I considered it all week. And I decided to do it! I figured Friday or Saturday would be the best time of the week for life altering changes.

If I was going to totally change my eating habits, saying good-bye to alcohol, caffeine, sugar etc. etc. etc, then I really needed to give them a Grand Send Off.

What a week!! First I had to list all my favorite stuff and them stuff them into me.

Donuts from the terrific bakery that is a hole in the wall in New Haven.

A lunch at the Chinese Buffet in Auburn.

A Blizzard from DQ.

McDonalds. The McGriddles.......yum. And double cheeseburger.

Burger King...Whopper and Onion Rings.

Lot's of Coconut Rum.

My unbelievably delicious dish of chicken and squash cooked in a wok and smothered in Swiss Cheese and fresh tomatoes.

Frozen Custard...Chocolate mint with M&M's.

A cinnamon crisp from Panera's.

Oh, a mixed berry muffin from Panera's.

That's about it.

Now I am detoxing and well into day two. Not too bad at all. It is a pretty radical program and I am surprised that I am not hungry at all.

Should I be? Gosh!!!