lovin' this holiday weekend!

                                                          Fun w/ Janelle Monae, We Are Young.

I was browsing Youtube for a song that I wanted for today's blog and decided on this because I really like it, and it's upbeat, and it takes me back to the 70's to this song:

 

                                                       The Night Chicago Died, Paper Lace.


Why the correlation? I have no idea, but there it is. Anyway, Labor Day weekend has finally arrived after an intense week of Rim fire and a topsy-turvy work schedule that had to be placed in effect due to the above fire. I think I need a t-shirt that commerates having survived the work week.
I don't know how 35 hour work week could feel like a 96+ hour work week but it did. This crazed week was like one of those dreams where you are in your car, or whatever, and you need to be someplace but you can never make it there and when you finally do make it your dream ends or shifts into another dream or you wake up never having reached your destination. It was kinda like that. Although, inspite of half a dozen things occurring at once throughout each day, I did have moments of accomplishment, pushing forward...
Which brings me to now. Yay (!) I love holiday weekends. There's a different vibe to them. I don't know if it's because our expectation level increases, or it's a carry over from childhood, that unbridled enthusiasm of experiencing the moment w/out looking ahead to the next scheduled event of the day. Whatever it is... I love holidays and their long weekends.
So, after work yesterday afternoon I dashed into Wal Mart for pet food, then into Safeway for corned beef that I will be cheffing up tomorrow so I can make our traditional corned beef hash that we serve up for Labor Day brunch every year-- it's a tradition. Then it was on to Grocery outlet for miscellaneous food items and beverages. Finally arrived home. The temps were a swealtering 96 degrees.
By the time Jeff arrived home I had showered, changed into my scrubs and tank top. Since spaghetti was on our dinner menu we decided to have a late European timed dinner. At 8pm
I began to chef up a tossed green salad w/garbanzo's in an Italian dressing. Jeff started boiling the pasta and placing the garlic bread in the oven. By 9 pm dinner was underway. Temps were still in the lower 90's, the cooler as well as the ceiling and floor fans were on. Dinner was very casual and we enjoyed it so much because we knew we didn't have to get up early and to work this morning.
Our holiday breakfast this AM was waffles w/bacon. I think I love holidays so much because ours are centered around food, family and conversation. Aims is catering an event today and checking in at the Vet clinic tomorrow for work while Dave/Erin get to exhale and enjoy their home without further worry of evacuation-- unpacking suitcases. etcetera. It's Jeff and I this holiday at home and so far we are having much fun. I've moved my laptop into the writing room to hang out w/ him as he's working on an art project-- lots of conversation and ideas floating about.
We have books we want to read, movies to scope out, magazine to get caught up on, writing, art projects...

 

So whatever it is that you plan for this holiday weekend... go out and enjoy!

Sick in Sonora

I chose this photo for a reason. The reasoning behind the selection is this (pull up a chair, pour a drink and put your feet up, then precede to read): I decided this AM to just accept the fact that I am really sick and to stop trying to act like I'm not.  Here's the deets: We've had 2 weeks of heavily smoked filled air from fires. This caused my chronic asthma to kick in Tuesday. By Wednesday, it was apparent that something else was seriously going on.
 My voice would come and go. I had/have a sinus headache along w/ ear ache, sore throat, running a fever. It felt and still does like bronchitis. Coughing. I think I've hacked away almost both lungs at this point. The original plan was for me to drive over to Dave/Erin's and pet sit after Wednesday evening's meeting. Which I did. What I hadn't anticipated were my symptoms worsening. By the time I arrived I had no voice left, couldn't stop coughing and was gasping for breath. I was warmly welcomed by Kristopherson, who had been in the backyard stalking deer. He walked over to me, meowed his greeting and followed me into the house where we both were welcomed by Phoenix.  I immediately headed toward the guest bath to take a shower (hoping to be able to breathe better). Afterwards, we all went into the bedroom and fell asleep. Until I would wake unable to breathe due to uncontrollable coughing throughout the night. Yesterday was spent alternately sleeping, waking, hacking. Repeat.This morning were more of the same symptoms. However, I had to force myself to get out of bed because I had to get cat food for the indoor/outdoor gangs and didn't want to do it tomorrow on my way out of town.
Here's where the above photo comes in... as I was looking in the bathroom mirror and wondering just who the heck was that girl w/ the dark circles under here eyes? I reminded myself it is what it is, get over it. So, I brushed my hair, dressed and threw on a pair of the most over-sized sunglasses I could find before heading over to Wal Mart.
My question is this.. Which part of Murphys law is it that says that when you wear makeup you will never ever run into friends or acquaintances, but when you're not wearing any makeup whatsoever, and look like something that the cat desperately needs to drag across an open field and bury that you will absolutely run into almost everyone you know or ever met? What's up w/ that? It's just wrong on so many levels... 
Arriving back at the homestead, pulling into the graveled driveway, a mama doe was casually, or, I should say, indifferently strolling across the driveway to the backyard to lie down in a manzanita patch to nap. I walked past her on my way up the back deck stairs into the house. 
I personally think that when you are really sick that you should celebrate the small things-- here are a few that I am celebrating:

1. That Dave/Erin have the most comfortable bed-- it shapes itself to you-- it's beyond
    wonderful.
2. One of my fav things is the clear winter light we get in the Mother Lode-- it's arrived early
     this year. It's magic. The house is filled w/ this light coming in from the many windows   
     and doors.
3. The sunlight on the many cedars, sugar pines, manzanita, oak trees and foliage is
     breathtakingly beautiful.
4. There's an intermittent breeze whooshing through the treetops making them sway
    gracefully from side to side.
5. The tinkling of chimes from the back deck being carried on the breeze.

Other things to celebrate: When I'm here I seem to be able to catch up w/ the intellectual half of myself. While I didn't have the attention span to watch TV last evening, I did listen to my fav poet/journalist May Sarton w/ her wonderful voice read poetry on Youtube.

                                               My Sisters, O My Sisters, May Sarton.
 

I began to read a few chapters of Harlot's Ghost written by Norman Mailer in 1991.

                                                        Norman Mailer speaking of Harlot's Ghost.


                                       Whatever you're doing this Saturday enjoy!

Melissa Ethridge in concert singing "I'm the only one"

I wanted to share this long version of I'm The Only One from last night's concert since you weren't there to see it. And give you a visual of how much fun we had. Actually, the long version performed last night went on for an amazing 20+ minutes that brought the crowd at Ironstone to it's feet-- giving a 2 minute standing ovation for an encore. Enjoy!