She's My Oprah and I'm Her Gayle

When I heard the date of the final Oprah show, I knew immediately who I wanted to watch it with. Thirty eight years ago, in the Pacific NW Bell Directory Assistance office, I met Gina. We were both 18 and we both had Pinto's! It was a friendship waiting to happen and it became sanctioned one evening when we decided to drive out to the tiny town of Estacada, to find some "real" men at the Safari Club. From that night on, our friendship would be cemented with secrets and truths. She is always up to participate in my silly shenanigans and when I do things "I shouldn't do" she still loves me.



She said to come over ~ that she would make us happy hour hor d'oeuvres. She's one of the best cooks I know. I made face signs so that Tom, Gayle, Stedman and John could join us.



I arrived and true to form, she had outdone herself yet again. Hummus and Pita Bread, Veggies and Cheeses and the best Pickled Green Beans I have ever had!





We fix our yummy plates and she pours our champagne. We are set and settled in to watch Oprah's farewell.



It was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. She truly is my Oprah. She knows so much and is always the first person I call when I need to know something about anything. Her memory is impeccable. And on top of that, she has this keen sense of knowing what to ask me to get me back on my path again.

The show is over and she gives me that last part of my birthday gift. She knows that I love to receive mail and also that I love white wine. So how great is this?



The next weekend Stan and I along with Gina and Don and "Slick" Vic decide to visit Mary Olson's Airlie Winery. (She's one of the Vice President's I used to do budgets for; she is for sure one of the greatest to ever work for!).






We finish the day with a quick stop at the Dairy Queen by the winery.




It's like I spent the day with Oprah, Stedman, Tom and John. Wine, soft ice cream, french fries and great friends. Bliss!

Tiny Books From Gigantic Talent

The "Tiny Book Swap" that was hosted by Lenna Andrews has come to an end.
Today I received four magnificent tiny books from four very talented women.



One came from Donna, that was beautifully wrapped with a pearl stickpin.



Each page so colorful and the last one had the famous Fortune Telling Fish tucked inside!



Next I opened the book that Kiki created. I soon learn that she lives close by in Salem and that we both have taken classes at the same place and we both know the infamous Dayna Collins! Every page of Kiki's book has a tiny pocket with a secret tag in each!



The third tiny book came from Linda in Pennsylvania. Filled with wonderful quotes - there is one secretly tucked away which has my 2011 word...."JOY" in it! The colors and art she chose and did are fabulous!



And then I open the last one. Oh my.....it's Corinne's book. She is the person that told me about the book swap. Her art is amazing; everything she creates is so unique and awe-inspiring.



Such wonderfully talented and creative woman - they are true inspirations! How lucky I am to have received theirs!

Thank you Donna, Kiki, Linda and Corinne!!!!

My FAV

My Uncle Leon finished his 35 days of radiation last week. Each day from the start I would send him an envelope via snail mail with inspirational cheer leading thoughts and a lottery ticket. The idea behind the lottery tickets was that we would take our huge winnings and go to lunch at the end of the radiation treatments. Half way through I decided that I needed to beef up the # of tickets unless we wanted Burger King. His last envelope contained all of the by now "usuals" but I also included a book I had made for him about why he is the best ever.

As I sat there thinking what it is that makes him so great and special to me, the first thing that popped into my head was that he is a man of his word; if he says he'll be there-he's there, if he says he likes it-he likes it. I cherish and admire that quality in his being.

A couple of days ago I had a conversation with my "brain" professor. I was telling her how much I dislike flakes; pretty much any kind of flakes but particularly people flakes. Our conversation reminded me about my uncle who has never been a flake in my life. I have always known where he stands on issues and if he says he will be there, he's there.

He's a fantastic listener and very good-looking - we call each other "fav". He is a true inspiration and I truly do love him. It looks like lunch might just be Burger King. What's great about that is that neither one of us will care; it's the company we keep that truly matters (and even though it's Burger King, I'll know he'll still show up!).

I love you Fav!

A Serendipitous Saturday of Sketchbooks

On Saturday I took the train up to Seattle to see Nikki's Sketchbook that she had submitted for the traveling Sketchbook Project.

I was suppose to meet up with a couple of people - Helen who is another participating artist from the Collage Collaborative group I am in and Jamie who was my budget work buddy twenty years ago. I had to get up at 5am (which still is not my favorite hour of the day). While on the train I read the messages that Helen was going on Sunday instead of today and Jamie had to go in to work...BLEGH! Oh well.... I would see what the day still had to offer (and what a fabulous offer it had!).

Taking off from Portland....




.... I got to Seattle and took a cab downtown to the Form/Space Atelier building. I had been told ahead of time by Helen that space was tight - that you would be sitting on a flight of stairs or outside on the sidewalk.




As serendipitous luck would have it I am standing next in line to a person named Keri. We start up an easy conversation about the books. She hands me her business card and my first glance sees "alzheimer's" in big bold letters. I tell her I am in school getting a degree in Gerontology. We are soon exchanging work ideas and art class ideas (of course I had to tell her about Dayna!).

When you first get there, you get a "library card" which allows you to check out two books at a time. They get and find the books for you (since there are over 10,000 books). They suggest I get Nikki's first and another one from her themed section "the view from up here". Keri checks out her first two and we head outside. Heaven....I get to see and touch Nikki's work (I almost felt like I was getting to spend the afternoon with her!).





Back inside for another round of check-outs, the person helping us in none other than the projects' creator Shane Zucker!



And did I tell you that Keri likes to get her picture taken as much as I do! It felt as if I was hanging out with mini-me....how great is that?!

Next up I check out Helen's wonderful book.



The rest of the afternoon is spent looking at other books and meeting a couple of their creators. The turtle by Latrice Smith was painted using tea bags and the black and white bicycle was made using duct tape.







The afternoon is over and I catch a taxi back to the train station (but first I stop at my all time favorite store in Seattle to get a wonderful bag of bibbles and bobbles to take back home!).

The train trip back to Portland gave me time to reflect on the day just spent. Always a believer in serendipity, had Jamie and Helen not cancelled out I wonder if I would have met Keri. Had I not met Nikki, I would not have known about this amazing project.

The sun was shining on the trip home and its warmth felt so good.




I ordered their Mac 'n Cheese (it's truly one of the best I have ever had) and a glass of wine and settle back in for a quiet time of reflection (and a much needed nap). From a day starting with a blegh ~ it comes to an end with an abundant feeling of gratitude.

I look forward to doing the Sketchbook Project this coming year and hopefully getting to see Keri when the project travels to Portland (it's one of their scheduled stops in 2012). Hopefully Nikki will submit another book so I can spend the afternoon with her again! Thank you Nikki Soppelsa for submitting your "the view from up here" sketchbook to be shared with new found friends ~ it was a great afternoon!

An Art Day With Ava

Pitter Pat...Pitter Pat, so goes my heart when I get to watch Ava. We had breakfast and lunch and played outside and.... we did ART! Best day of the year ever.....









.....and she still has my heart!

Take My Funk Away Doughnut Man

A little over a month ago I was out in my yard playing in the dirt. The sun was out for one of its first times of the year. It felt wonderful - I can't remember feeling that good in a long time. School and homework have taken precedence over digging my hands in the dirt for well over a year, in fact, I think it has taken precedence over everything in my life. While digging and pulling I realized something else. I think....I've been in a funk! Way too much focus and time on school and little else.

As a true believer in serendipity, that weekend I read about TEDx on Paul's facebook page. I sent him an email and asked what it was about and soon had tickets for Kristi and myself.





As we arrived we were given gift bags and a wide array of goodies to eat. I had my very first Sin Dog (Lord have Mercy!) and my very first Voodoo doughnut, a vegan maple bar (made with banana instead of butter)!



Mid-break we went outside to enjoy the sun rays that were trying to break through and there he was....Tres Shannon, the creator of Voodoo Doughnuts! And yes, of course I needed to talk and get my picture with him. But women, let me tell you something....that doughnut guy "knows" things, yes he does! He's very TRES-ious!



A day of true inspiration, the speakers were wonderful, delivering their powerful words and ideas on community, sustainability, the environment, simplifying your life and surrounding yourself with activities and people you are passionate about.

I've been in the dirt several times since. I think my funk...has begun to disappear!!!!

Pixie's Mom....That's Me!

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. I love the reason Mother's Day began (it's not a Hallmark conceived holiday which I tend to dislike because I think they are forced upon people). It actually started in the United States by a woman named Anna Jarvis who was on a mission to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community. I love a woman on a mission!

I absolutely love being a mom. From the first moment when the doctor confirmed I was pregnant, I was so giddy with excitement. She is the best gift I have ever received ~ there is nothing in my life that I treasure more.



I love that she is Pixie and I am Dixie.
I love that she loves Flower Drum Song as much as me.
I love our talks at the kitchen counter.
I love playing order with her.
I love when she and I have inside jokes.
I love having a secret place that we go to sit and eat and no one knows about it.
I love belly laughing to tears with her.
I love that she takes control of our trips in other countries.
I love hanging out with her.
I love when she understands my sadness.
I love when she sends me random text messages saying how great I am.
I love sharing winks between us.
I love that she is not only pretty but VERY smart.
I love that she was the catalyst for finding my mojo at age 50.
I love that she is honest to tell me when I keep doing the same things over and over.
I love that she sends me emails late at night when I am upset over something.
I love that she went with me to spend my day with Beth.
I love that she understands how I feel about my Dad.
I love that she loves children and that she is kind to the elderly.
I love that she is proud of me for getting my college degree.
I love spending the night at her house.
I love dancing to Blue Moon with her in the kitchen.
I love that she makes me feel that I did a fantastically great job of raising her.
I love that she loves my art.
I love that she is my daughter.

Thank you Pix for making me such a lucky and happy and blessed Mom ~ I love you more!