Hi John…

Let’s see….yesterday was catch up day at home.  Not much new…Gabe went to Bolton…I did water softener…walked dogs…caught up on house stuff.  There was snow on the ground. 

Today was busier and colder.  I woke to 12 degrees and it only got to about 20 today.  I made 2 trips today to Williston to fax and FedEx things.  I believe FedEx has become a verb just like Google.  What is it with people who live in cities that need things within 24 hours.  If I put these same items in an envelope they would arrive in 2 days for just a stamp.  And it is amazing to me that some people don’t understand that we do not have a fax machine in our house.  I can send them through email but that doesn’t suit them.  In such a hurry…for what?

I have been helping Max secure a new apartment with his roomies.  Hopefully…if all those FedExs and Faxs arrived in 24 hours…maybe Max will be in a new place in a month.  I guess it has bigger rooms…closer to campus…and 2 bathrooms!  Maybe they will keep one bathroom clean for guests.  The comic strip “Zits” had the Dad fixing the toilet.  The only other toilet available was Jeremy’s, the teenage son.  The Mom chose to drive down to the local gas station and use their toilet over her kid’s bathroom toilet.  For some strange reason I understood.  Anyways, I am keeping my fingers crossed.  The guy I talked with on the phone about the apartment talked so fast I could not even get his name correct (3 times) until I saw it in an email.  I am certainly not a NYC girl.  There truly is no reason to be in that big of a rush that you cannot even communicate your name clearly.  Oh well.  Maybe I am just moving slower.

I did get the dogs out at 17 degrees.  On one of my outings I visited Hannah & Dave at Talent.  Senyah is 15 months and walking so well.  She looks down at her feet and walks carefully not to fall.  I don’t remember our boys looking down nor caring about falling.  She negotiates so well.  Girls are a different species.

There has been debate in the Senate about same sex marriage.  It is fun reading all the points of view and what riles certain people.  I think I missed my calling as a sociologist.  Too bad I thought sociology was the worst “science” course I took in college.  I saw it as such soft science yet I am most intrigue with the study of people.  Hmm.  Anyways, somewhere along the way we forgot that people come in many different flavors and they too can love and chose to live together legally and spiritually.  Again I feel our world gets hung up on words.  So what if same sex folks want to be married.  Why not?  Love only adds to this planet.  Fear hampers it.  In the end, love is all that matters.  For now, I will enjoy the debate.

I guess the bridge people are making good noises and work is underway.  Due to mud season the dirt roads are closed to through traffic.  I guess some cars have been ticketed for traveling through those roads, like Kenyon road.  The complaint is it takes an extra 15 minutes to come by our house.  I remember our bridge being out for a year.  It was nice to have less traffic and yes Bolton was an extra 15 minutes from us.  The bridge closure will be over in a blink.

AIG is still in the news.  I heard that they will be changing their name.  Hmm.  I also heard some nasty comments about bodily harm to those who have wronged the tax payers.  I cannot even write the details I heard because it saddens me so.  To think one would want to kill or harm someone over money.  Yikes.  Sometimes this world is hard for me to be part of.  It’s only money.  We are so much more than our money.  Sure, consequences need to happen to those who have acted criminally or immorally…but not death…and not physical harm.  When all is said and done at the end…the end of your life…it won’t be about money but more about how you behaved with your money. 

Oh I sound so preachy and selfrighteous tonight.  Like I know the way when the way is our own path.  Again…who am I to say.  I guess I miss you as my sounding board.  We could crab and laugh at what we hear and what we read.  Then we would just shake our heads and wonder silently.  Wonder about the meaning of it all.  Again…that mystery.  Living in the mystery…might as well because once you think you got it figured out…there is another bump in the road that makes rethink it.

Enough said.  I miss you John.  I look forward to more walks with you and talks as we live in the mystery together.  Good night friend.  love…d                    

Hi John!

Gabe & I returned from the Burton US Open late last night.  Well, it wasn’t all that late..just too late to write.  As a matter of fact, we emptied the car, hugged the dogs, and went to bed.  Sue and Dylan invited us again this year.  Sue is great with figuring out all the details of what needs to happen when.  She is amazing.  We had a great time.  I loved my talking time with Sue.  Gabe loved his boarding and goof off time with Dylan.

The crowds seemed less this year and the party scene felt a bit quieter.  Maybe the economy?  It still was heavy in the steez factor.  I was the only person with a fleece head band and down vest (until Jane B. showed up).  I did have Gabe’s old torn blue Burton jacket so I wasn’t too far off.  My favorite activity was crowd watching.  I enjoyed watching the dynamics of families and kids. 

We arrived Friday morning and Gabe & Dylan took off riding.  Sue and I visited the publicity tents and then went for a snowshoe.  Both days were sunny and beautiful…a real Spring feel…actually it felt passed the beginning of Spring.  We spent the late afternoon watching the quarter pipe event.  This was right below the half pipe.  It was awesome to watch.  Big air was part of it.  Gabe reminded me how scary it must be because you are riding down fast into what looks like a wall of snow.  I won’t go into the body hits some of these athletes endured.  You would wince several times.

After the quarter pipe we stayed for the boys to watch the RJD2 concert.  They had interesting and disturbing old & new films playing while the DJ played the music…or created the music.  The crowd was younger at this point.

Saturday we dragged the boys out early so we would get a good parking place.  That was not even really needed like last year because they were still parking in the same lot an hour after we arrived.  Still is was good to get there early.  Again the guys took off and we shopped, ate and sat in the sun watching the half pipe finals. 

Oh, I did stop by the High Cascade tent and talked to Matt who was the counselor in Gabe’s chalet 2 years ago.  Nice guy.  It was good to talk with someone from there.  Most other camps you stop in and say “hi” at the end.  This one ends with most kids getting on a plane.  Gabe stopped over later to talk with him.

So that was our weekend.  Right now it is snowing and I woke up to an inch of snow on the ground.  Now I am going to unpack from the weekend and take the dogs for a walk.  Gabe will probably head up to Bolton.  Here are some pictures…

                  

Gabe, Dylan & Sue.That is where Sue & I enjoyed the sun while we watched.

Well I am off.  Talk later.  love…diane 

Hey John…

Yesterday was so busy I never got to really tell you about it.  I had a great talk with Homer.  I was thinking of calling him and low and behold he decides to give me a call before I could get to him first.  He leaves a beautiful heartfelt message which I have saved for you when you return.  We talked about all sorts of things, which is the way with Homer.  He has been so inspired and excited about doing his art out of other peoples stuff and creating joy for them.  I don’t think I could do his words justice.  I did like a quote he had by Marcel Duchamp…

I force myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own taste.

I like that.  Mull that over for a bit.

He also got me hooked on The Daily Show by John Stewart while talking about AIG.  Don’t worry, by the time you read this it will be another investment/banking company that will be in the news.  It is only getting crazier out here…the walls are crumbling.  Anyways…I watched it on the internet and it is a riot.  OMG I cannot believe that we get the true news from a comedy show.  Only in America.

Here are some pictures from the “Long Trail Market”…

Dan the man.  

Those meat hooks I told you about…

After talking with Homer Kathy & I went to get your Prius.  It is all shiny and new looking.  I found this can of “new car scent” in the car.  I don’t know about the cleaning job…it didn’t smell before…the rugs were just dirty.  Hmmm…not sure about this cleaning job if they need to cover up the odor.  None-the-less…Gabe & I will be using this on the stinky Subaru.

Here are the pictures from Fiddler on the Roof.  I loved the musical.  It was fun seeing drama again.

Anne, Kathy, me & Betsy.  Just like the old MMU days of going to see kids in a play.  We had such fun being together.  This is the second week in a row we have gotten together.  It is so easy yet seems to take so long to make it work.  Notice Betsy & I have the same sweaters yet different colors.

Shy Ty…

Elsa and Paul…

Candace and Elsa…

Elsa and Andrew.  He choreographed the whole play and did an amazing job. 

So that was yesterday.  Here is Jessi and the end of my Thursday.  She came by to visit and we went grocery shopping together.  Thank goodness she came to keep me awake and focused at 10:00 at night.  We closed the store down at 11:00.

My day was filled with yoga.  I had my 8am class then my toddler class at 10:00.  Today I had a special event at St. Mikes with the CVU 10th grade.  I was one of a few yoga and meditation classes.  That was a nice way to end their event.  It was fun for me.

From there I got Gabe…stopped in to say hey to Hannah & Dave at Talent…Gabe got a much needed belt…went to the chiropractor…dropped Gabe at Bolton…cleaned and cooked…got Gabe…visited with Jessi.

There.  Can you tell I am tired?  That 1:30 am sleeping time is too late.  Well, it is almost 1:00 right now so I better get to bed.  I am up early tomorrow.

Much love to you John.   love….d  

John…

I am exhausted and going to bed.  I just returned from seeing Elsa in “Fiddler on the Roof” at Castleton.  I have pictures and tales for tomorrow.

Good night.  love…d