Day

Sitting here listening to one of my favorite community radio stations, KHOL....so lucky to have community radio in this wonderful valley. It is cold outside, in the teens, but our house feels super insulated, thanks to the hard work this summer. Thoughts of my day, amazed that it is already the last one in November.

--Freezing out this morning...the car didn't want to wake up to take me to Augies.
--Olive and I took our last walk on Putt Putt (because it closes to dogs due to wildlife for four months, starting December 1). She resisted chasing a herd of deer, with my firm assistance, and instead we played the Boo game. So much fun in the snow.
--Took my time getting to work and was busy the whole day with office activities.
--Took twenty minutes to watch this talk on Ted. com that Babs suggested I watch. Pretty cool when your boss takes you away from your work to sit and watch an inspiring talk on schools and creativity.  www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
--Rehearsals....endless for the next two weeks. But fun too. Glad that I am in the production.
--To bed, and my book!

Snowstorm

We are getting pounded by a huge snowstorm that keeps dumping snow in the mountains and in the valley, a cold wind is accompanying it and the roads are quite treacherous. There is something exciting about it all, the first big snowstorm of the year, and the chore of defrosting and scrapping your windshield and shoveling and pushing snow off your driveway is still novel. And when you have a dog and you adventure out into the white, you can't help but love winter. Dogs love snow.

Highlights of my day:

--Working out with my Tuesday group and laughing a lot. Nice to have another female there today. It has been me and the boys.

--Putting on my snowpants and tromping through the drifts with Olive, rolling around in the snow and throwing snowballs.

--Working on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe sets. Getting to make fake logs look like real log with paint...Working with the talented set designer John, who worked at Disney and has all of these amazing tricks up his sleeve to make drops and sets pop on stage.

--Yoga class, which was bliss-filled and has left my body long and pleasantly tired.

--A warm house, with the wood fire blasting.

A Warm Gift on a Cold Winter Night

Opening this gift and reading the inscriptions on the surface brought back so many happy memories from one of the best days of my life. I know that looking at this painting will always make me smile. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, your taste, and your love my dear friend.

Skiing

It was hard to leave the warmth of the house this morning and go outside. Despite my down jacket the air was cold and everything felt frozen and brittle. Even hiking up the steep slope of Mt. Glory, the wind whipping its way under my shell hood, I had my doubts that this was the place that I was supposed to be today, with a lingering cold. Olive's paws grew splayed with frozen snow, and her little face disappeared under a mask of white, making her look like a polar bear cub. My nose was dripping.

But coming down! With skis on and fresh powder underfoot. That magical feeling of turning through fluff, your legs working, but also the effortlessness that gravity supplies with the help of snow. It made me instantly happy that winter was here. I felt a shift in my attitude with the whole season today. And acceptance always feels good.

Hot cocoa at the end and the day was made....

The Next Book....

Robin and I left work today and walked to the bookstore because we have decided that in order to come up with good book club choices we need to feel the books. We are feelers. And it is true. There is something so different about looking at books and reading reviews of those books online compared with physically holding the book in your hand and turning its pages. I don't think I can ever be a Kindle reader. My eyes go googley (like that word!) enough already at the computer, and I don't need to be staring at another piece of technology to enjoy one of my favorite pastimes. Plus, there really is something to be said for holding paper in your fingertips, for the history that resides in books and their making and creation. Maybe I am old-fashioned in this regard, but I am steadfast at least.

Bookstores are so enticing. I can feel my pulse quicken in them, similar to what happens when I walk into a gallery that has an amazing show. I could walk out with piles, and feel thankful that I am such a good library patron or else I would be poor. I have already told Jamie that I feel that money is not wasted on books though, and that we will have large bookshelves, both to house our collection already and make room for books to come.

I am excited to see what our next book club read will be....I will let you know!

Art this Saturday

There is an opening at one of my favorite galleries on Saturday night. One of the artists is Naomi Safran-Hon www.naomisafranhon.com. And I really like her work. She just graduated from Yale....and is already making it.

I love getting lost in the world of artists websites. It is one of my favorite internet pastimes.

Sick

I feel so uninspired to write after this weekend, because I spent most of it in bed. Or reading. Or watching a movie. Or watching the big, fat flakes fall outside the window. Occasionally, when I am not sick, I wish that I was so that I could read, view, daydream. Of course when I really am, it is awful and I wish I was outside, feeling strong and healthy. But this weekend had some high points.

Before I was sick, on Friday night, I went to this amazing show by this burlesque group Yard Dogs Road Show www.yarddogsroadshow.com. Astounding visuals, great vocals, and a good all around time.

Reading my book, Ape House by Sara Gruen, in my bed, under my down comforter. The same author that wrote Like Water for Elephants. That one didn't blow me out of the water, and this one isn't either. But they are both entertaining reads.

Kombucha, something that tastes good to me when I have a cold.

Talking and laughing with my parents.

Feeling the fresh air in my lungs during a walk with Olive.

Watching Sylvia and feeling so sad for the talented Sylvia Plath; she couldn't realize how amazing she was and put so much dependence on a man.

My new book club, a group of five amazing women.

My Patriots winning against one of my least favorite football teams, the Steelers.

My clean sheets on my bed that is beckoning....