Sunday, March 30, 2008

question

why is there a dead mouse in my dining room? During the time it took just now for me to go into the cellar, put clothes in the dryer and start a new load of laundry, a dead creature has been deposited in the (well-travelled) doorway between the kitchen and dining room. was it the cat? was it the dog? where had it been before I went downstairs? Pickles isn't saying anything.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

I don't like to balance

Last feb - may 2007 or so I started taking Bikram yoga fairly regularly. I really liked the way it made my body feel and I got pretty flexible.

My least favorite poses were the ones where they included balancing on one foot: the tree and the standing head to knee. Meanwhile, the eagle, bow and stick, although they are balancing poses, I was more able to do them, not for the full 60 seconds, but I could almost do them alright and so would have more inclination to try to get back into the poses when I fall out. Anyway, I didn't like the balancing poses very much.

On June 26th, I broke my ankle. I had stopped doing bikram more than a month before that because the man, Charlie, who owned the Northampton/Sunderland Bikram, was a total dick and I didn't want to get him my money. After breaking my ankle, I often found myself inadvertently balancing on my left foot. I missed sweating and stretching but there are no other nearby Bikram classes so I stayed sedentary. Fast forward to January 26, 2008 and what happens? I break my other ankle and spend a solid 10 days balancing on my right foot. So bizarre.

I still miss the Bikram work out and I found out in Putney on Friday nights there is a class and I vow to go, which I did yesterday.

Forget about the balancing poses, especially on the newly broken ankle. I can sort of do balancing stick on both, can do a little bit of the bow on the right foot but I cannot balance on my toes in the awkward. I've always loved the fixed firm. It felt so good and I was always able to go right into it. Now, whenever the pose starts with sitting on my feet, I'm fucked, I can't do it. I can't sit on my feet. I'm afraid and it hurts. waah.

I think I am going to continue going on Fridays in Putney. I would like to do it and I cannot get any worse! The teacher is understanding and although I feel frustrated from the first time out, I believe bodies can recoup and so I would like to help mine do so.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

good coffee good face

I have my new bright brown pants on this morning and I'm feeling pretty good. The frisbee was bobbled a bit but I recovered it and I am strong enough to toss it 50 yards in a straight line.

My ankle might not be able to support me as I run over the rutted field but if I stand stock still in some shin-height rolling ocean with smooth sand underfoot, then I'm safe.



yep, feeling pretty good about these pants.
photo of me and my pants at Gettysburg by DbR

Monday, March 24, 2008

sigh

back at work.
overwhelmed.
having some very nice coffee.
not sure of anything.



photo of little bird at Gettysburg by DbR

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

vacationing in nashville, tn

I worry a little about Pickles as I am surrounded by 3 other dogs who are pretty fun and funny.

I'm pretty sure he's fine and most of his needs are met but I bet he's a little lonely. Little dog.

The vacation is going well. I sang some righteous karaoke and enjoyed some seedy nightlife at the "bongwater" aka Sweetwater, a divey bar near the Parthenon. The Parthenon was lovely to see and DbR + I are leading a fairly relaxed existence amongst the background of his childhood home. It's nice that there are parents out there who stay together and live in the lovely house which they have been in forever. I'll never feel the same way about the house I grew up in, even though my father still lives there, it will always be my mother's home from when I was a child and now it is just kind of cold and empty with him in there. I guess it would have made more sense to me in my heart and head if she stayed there and kept it warm and lovely and he took one of his apartments at Sedgwick Street. But that's not the way it worked out and although my mom has acquired a pretty nice little house, it's not history.

That's okay, I have always wanted to make my own history anyway and although it is too late for that, I can surround myself with things which please me and move forward through the every day as if I belonged somewhere.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Three pants in 3 days

i bought myself 3 pairs of pants in the past week and i have to hem each pair as my inseam is 27 and waist is too big.
now i must work on the final pair which i would like to wear today.
meanwhile, the idea of combing my hair seems fruitless

didn't go out to see a studio band play last night. i regret it now, as i usually do when i opt for snoozing instead of live music. oh well. this morning has been chock full of laughs and good times even though i've barely left a 5 ft. area.

my face is very dry.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Happy St. Patrick's Day~

whee! lets drink beer. oh, yeah, that is everyday.
Hey, im in nashville, tn and i think i am going to go buy some shoes! my ankle is better and would like to sport something more interesting than these LLBean rubbers.

im hoping for some doc martin maryjanes-something clunky and sassy that i can dance in.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Happy

Have you taken the time to check yourself? I have and I'm happy. It's pretty cool.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Fire

remind me to relate the coincidence of Dbr and I both causing fires in beloved restaurants.

Better than cake and coffee


I love this guy.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Dog on Dog Kind of Day

I've been walking the dog. Or should I say, "limping" the dog? I started small and now I am up to the usual lunchtime dog walk. Used to take me 15 minutes. I'll let you know when I get up to speed. Now it's about 1/2 hour, but I didn't time carefully.

Today is cold but sunny and at this time of day (5 pm), there is prevalent dog walking traffic. We saw a lady with a big grey terrier walking in front of us in the same direction. When she went into her house with Grey, Pickles wanted to join them. Then we saw a loose dog up the sidewalk, heading in our direction. I don't want to tangle so I crossed the street, never a sure move. The dog was white, longish hair with dalmatian dots and dashes. The dog's face was charming but I was in no condition to make nice as Pickles is unpredictable and with my achy, (also unpredictable) ankle I was cautious.

I made Pickles sit and we watched the dog approach casually down the sidewalk across the street. I glanced around and I saw another dog walker-actually a couple-also at a halt, on the same side of the street as loose whitey, watching his moves. The woman saw me and asked, "Do you know him?" I replied that I did not and we observed the dog stand around a little and walk a little and then a car pulled up and the whole family got out at the house near the dog and it became clear the dog belonged there, to them.

"Don't ask who left him out!" The mother exclaimed wryly. She looked familiar to me. I liked her immediately. Pickles and I continued on our way. When I glanced back at the other dogwalkers I saw that they were walking a monster bulldog. Cute. A couple houses up and there was a young guy walking his smallish doberman. We again avoided. My legs felt tired. Dog is looking out window now.

Friday, March 07, 2008

yesterday and tomorrow

The roofers came yesterday and found they did not have the correct implements and materials to successfully complete my job so they put it off until today-Friday.

A coincidence, however minimal, occurred with my good friend, DbR, who is waiting for some parts to come in for his car to get repaired and those parts inscrutably weren't available for his job to be completed.

These strangenesses take place in my life with more and more frequency as the asteroid which is set to wipe out life on planet earth propels forward closer and closer. I'm going to try to remember to note them here with the label, "coincidence".

And so. Coffee coffee coffee.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

remind me

to tell ya'll about the otherworldy interaction I had earlier with housemate.
too much.

8 a.m. Waiting For Roofers

I'm considering a home equity loan and I can't stop thinking about all the things around the Bricker which need help and upkeep. Then, there is the whole wave of things I just want: screen doors, paintjobs, roof.

I also have a serious dutch door fantasy which involves reading on the back porch with my future roommate-to-be and I handing each other drinks and snacks over the open part from the kitchen while the dogs badger us about the meat we have sizzling on the bbq. He, on the other hand, lusts after a chain link fence which will keep dogs secure and active.

I also have serious plans for 2-3 more replacement windows and an insulation event. The basement needs a serious overhaul as well. My friend Karen lives in an apartment which has the most amazing basement. Every wall, every corner, is broom swept clean and painted white where it can be...meanwhile, fresh foil covered insulation hangs tidily over the seepy Greenfield stone walls. It's bright and super-lovely. I would like mine to look as nice. More lighting is needed. I should have an electrician come in and put an outlet in the upstairs hallway as well as a light fixture in the downstairs hallway and fix the bum light fixture on the ceiling of the baby room. That's never worked.

And oh, the bathroom.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

There's Laundry



Dogs still bark and Pickles occasionally humps but they're making good art.

hey, little doooooooooooooooooooooooog!

Stopover overnight in Northampton at Casa David's while I get my brother south to Bradley Airport. Morningtime isn't bad with the appearance of coffee and boyfriend in upstairs sleeping chamber. Patrick tries to numb himself to prepare for flight.

Host takes a shower and reapplys pyjamas-both men smoke cigarettes in the kitchen while Peretz and I enjoy our mutual appreciation society as a train whistles by the town.

I think Spring is planning a trip north. I'll believe it when I see/feel it.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

March First

Man, I'm sure ready for Spring, ya'll.
Week's visit with the brother is wearing me thin. I hope I am not too annoying to others as a ripple effect, oh, boy.

Today I came to town with DbR and after dropping kid off at galpal's house immediately fell fast/dead asleep at his house. I interrupted some plans we had had for the day by snoozing right through the afternoon. He seemed nice enough to forgive/tolerate such rudeness. Oh, well, I guess I needed to shut down.

Felt guilty later because we had left our visitor up in Greenfield so I made elaborate plans to get him carted south to join us for dinner and a movie. He still seemed miserable and later asked to be dropped off in town at the bar.

I came home and made my apologies to the kid, came upstairs to catch up with myself and my secret internet life, ha ha.

Actually just going to continue with 1876, at long last.