Yesterday I was high on love and laughter. Peg picked me up for lunch at Shelly's. My cousins Ken and Cindy were there, too. So I sat with them for a long time. They had already ordered so they were busy eating while I did most of the talking. They offered to get me a meal but I had planned to have lunch with Peg so I declined. But I sat there so long that when I finally got back to Peg, Linell and Bobby's booth, they had already eaten!
We sat together talking and laughing until someone suggested dessert. Great! I was still hungry. I had cherry pie and coffee. Then I saw Murielle so I went to sit with her for a few minutes. I returned to Peg's booth and we went on talking and laughing like four fools. It was beautiful.
Also my friend Anna M sent me five Democracy Now bumper stickers. I passed them around the table and had one more left for daughter Annie.
I had taken my camera but forgot to take photos. But will include a couple from my house. And a couple of friends and family.

Magnetic Elvis and Johnny.

The broken wizard.

Friends

Family photo by Chey.

Cedar under the tree in her warm coat.

Yesterday I put Cedar on the bus then Murielle and I decided to walk the cemetery road at St Olivet. We went one round but stopped to visit graves and admired several stones.

Murielle

Murielle's husbands military plaque.

Murielle's grandparents.

Moss garden on a tombstone.

Stone cat asleep on a grave.

Cedar's favorite stone is this homemade memorial.

We also went to the flower dump and selected several nice bouquets.

Cedar wearing my sunglasses at the Sunshine Party.

Gloria, Murielle and I made the cake. We also brought all ingredients. It was almost more fun the party?

But the Sunshine Party went well enough and I gave my sunglasses to Ed. They didn't stay up on my nose but kept sliding forward. He said he would use them for driving.

After dark Murielle and I took the lighted walking sticks and went for a more serious walk about the neighborhood. One guy in a truck stopped and said we looked like Christmas coming down the dark road.

I didn't walk today as I had errands in Grand Rapids. But I explored behind the library and around KAXE studio. Look photos of the sculpture garden and decided to visit the studio. Heidi took my photo on the bench then I went inside to chat with Scott.

Sunshine mosaic.

Apple eating bird.

I told Heidi I was wearing my Johnny Depp ensemble. I had to remove black sweater to prove it.

When I got home I decided to make some stuffed jalapenos and rounded up enough residents for a party. Pearl brought pizza. Gloria tea and crackers. Murielle brought snacks. We had a good time and planned cake day... tomorrow. We are baking a sunshine cake!

Randy came down to polish off the last four.

I sat outside at sunset. The moon was watching me. The aspen was so fiery that I could not ignore it.

Murielle and I took a long walk this morning. We went on a trail we hadn't walked before. Along the way we picked up a few buck eyes and filled our pockets.

Chestnuts.

I added another layer of color to Ann's portrait.

Portrait of a friend.

I washed the sheep skin hides that I use to cover the love seat.

Love seat covered with sheep skins.

I hung my Greek calendar on the outside of my door.

Greek calendar from Angeline.

Gloria and I set up the end of the hall window to be a friendly place to sit when it is too cold outside.

The friendly window.

After such a long walk I had to take two pain pills to get through the rest of the day. The new knee was achey and had a burning feeling below the knee cap. I took it easy for the rest of the day.

National Day of Remembrance.

My grandson was murdered on Oct 21, 2005. He was killed with a single bullet. I have died a million deaths in his memory.

Brandon at Camp Sheridan, Black Hills.

Last night I dreamed that I was in the Holiday store here in Deer River. A tall man entered. I didn't know him. He raised a small gun and trained it on me. I asked, "Why?"
There was no reply but he pulled the trigger. I heard nothing. He hit me in the throat and I woke up. But not before I saw myself on the floor with a horrible wound in my neck.
I got up and could not go back to sleep.
In the dream I did nothing to provoke the shooter. I was shocked that this would happen. But I had no time for fear and felt no pain.
"Why?" was my last word. What can this mean?

Colored pencil drawing in progress.

Today I started work on a portrait of my friend Ann M. I have one layer of color down and much work is left to do. She has seen it and approves... so far.

I dreamed that Annie and I were at a big seminar but I lost her at the general assembly and when I found her she had not saved me a place to sit. So I walked on and sat in the first available seat on the end of the row. A woman who was trying to save the whole row put her feet on the next chair.
Soon Ann M arrived and stepped over me so she could sit next to me. She looked at the woman with her feet on the chair and said, "Excuse me, but I'm sitting here." The woman moved one seat over and put her feet on the chair next to Ann who smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you."
After the keynote speaker (who droned like Charlie Brown's teacher) finished talking we went to several break out sessions and visited several booths. Soon we had bags full of gifts. We didn't want to carry them so we decided to go to our room.
While I tried and tried to open the gate to our patio/courtyard/fountain/pool, Ann got her key and opened the gate without difficulty.
"Look at your key," she told me. It was the key to my mailbox. How we laughed!
We entered the area that also contained an underwater dining room and a huge porcelain bath tub.
Ann raised her eyebrow, led me to the door and opened it. We dumped our bags of loot on the beds.
We had each got a small quilt. She gave me hers so I had two. I had several shopping bags and gave her a few. We had umbrellas, watches, mirrors, etc.
But I had to go to the bathroom. I promised to get back right away. I didn't want to miss anything and told her to wait for me. She folded her hands and I left.
But I woke up and lost the connection just like my Smart Talk phone does when she calls me from Xalapa.

Made the seasonal wardrobe change today. Summer stuff into storage and winter stuff in the closet. They do smell a bit like moth balls but they're clean.
Mr C and I found some interesting sights on our walk. Ed took him for the late walk while I and Gloria reminisced.

Norway in a spruce.

Me and my shadow.

Elk vane.

Parking for heroes!

Wow! A rabbit just ran through the yard!
I'm going to watch "Young Man With a Horn" because I don't want to do dishes! Also because Kirk Douglas is such a beautiful man and Doris day is a fantastic singer.

I got the laundry done and began my sewing. I succeeded in transforming an Elvis T into a work of art. I mended a robe by hand. Then I cut out a winter night dress based on an old style French men's shirt. I did it from a picture. I had no pattern. It looks like it will turn out all right.

Old singer that I bought when I was 19.

Gloria made pumpkin pies so we had a party in the henhouse. We even invited Neil Diamond and Elvis.

Neil Diamond.

Elvis

I went for a walk with Mr C.

Yellow trefoil.

The seeds look like a bird foot.

Tony T.

Love Me Tender.

Then Ed and Gloria invited me to watch "Love Me Tender" on the western channel. I saw that movie more than 50 years ago. Tony Tiger was on guard so we all felt quite safe.

Cedar.

Put Cedar on the bus after she measured herself on the sign post. She remembered that last year she was up to the first screw. Her finger is on it. Now she is much taller. We plan to mark the pole with a white crayon on Monday.
Then went to Grand Rapids for paint, a chair pillow, two used clocks, an irresistible coffee cup, a shirt for Geezis, a blue Hawaiian shirt for the fabric, a bathrobe and some cash. Came home and painted my Elvis Blue Hawaii shirt and was interviewed for a documentary on today's indigenous culture.

Nick

Jack

Split limb on big tree.

Jack owns an independent production company called All Rites Reserved and operates the camera. Nick handles the audio.

Sunset through the big spruce.

Mr C and me.

Red pine.

Empty Habitat House.

The hydrant used to be yellow.

Henhouse pretzels.

After the day wore down I walked a square block with Mr C. I saw some interesting things through the camera's eye.

Today I decided not to walk a square block. Instead I walked the Comstock Dr circle. Mr C did most of the work as he pulled me along. If it wasn't for him I might stay at home. But he pesters me out the door and down the street.
The first thing I did was put Cedar on the bus. Then returned home for another cup of coffee.

Cedar's peace bag.

Cedar and Mr C.

Woman in red... it's me!

Then I checked the mail and found package from Faith. It contained two books and a wolf postcard. I also got a movie, Iron-Jawed Angels.

A treasure of books.

Eventually I went for a neighborhood walk and discovered some interesting things to photograph.

Wired.

Mel's flowers.

Bicycle bouquet.

When I got home I decided to add a few more photos to the day's collection.

Rose of Puget Sound.

Hidden iguana.

Frog on guard.

When I went around the building I found three friends.

A gathering of friends: Gloria, Ed, Murielle and Mr C.

Murielle's toe.