Breaker breaker

This morning I tripped a breaker.

This girl was using too many appliances at one time...hee. Just trying to get the day going. I searched and searched for the electrical panel, inside and out. Not much luck. So I called my landlord.

Now, you see, I adore my landlord/lady - Cyd. She lives right across the street, and from the first moment I met her...I knew we were kindred spirits of sorts. Cyd has short, spunky red hair and the personality to go with it. She is so magnanimous and genuine and we really get along well, even if our interactions have been few.

A few days after meeting Cyd, I met her husband - Bill. Now Bill is a pirate to boot! For those of you who don't know...I am a pirate. (Probably my love of boots stems from this - recent purchases are the proof). I have several mates, and us pirates know other pirates when we meet one. Bill is one of these - long silver hair tied back in a pony-tail; misty blue eyes - like he's seen too many days out at sea, but still - is ready to set sail any day now. He walks and talks like a classy pirate...he just is pirate. He's fantastic and quickly became a favorite. We have an understanding with each other of kinship and loyalty - attributes that stem from days of yore. (ZPQ, you must meet Bill).

So Cyd came over to help - then Bill came over to solve the problem. "Just make sure you recycle both the switches if it happens again. On off on, on off on." "Okay, I will. Thank you."

Most of their year is spent here in Salt Lake City...come early spring they set sail and only return after having spent three months in India...learning this only confirmed my deductive reasoning of piracy. You should see the inside of their house! WOW - just absolutely enchanting, organized well, with all the right eclectic details collected over the years from various places around the world. Perfect.

"And don't run too many appliances at one time." "Okay, I won't - thanks again!"

*******************************************************************************


A drawing done by ZPQ's friend, Jessica Hymas - I claimed it as mine...for my brother Christian and myself - us pirates were born on the same day 11 years apart.

Chicken and Mozart

Sitting here eating chicken and preparing to listen to Mozart by warming up with some Satie. Next weekend the Utah Symphony plays Mozart's Requim. So I thought, come Monday, I will purchase a ticket, then spend the remainder of the week listening to the three movements of Requim so as to prepare myself for the anticipated evening.

But for now I'll stick with Satie, and leave Mozart for Monday...such wonderful evening music the Gymnopedie's are...really puts me in the mood for sitting by the fire, nestled into an overstuffed armchair...with the flicker of flames and the soft glow of a lamp providing the only gift of light. Soft, rich and deep.

And I guess that's all I have to post this evening.

Goodnight. Pavane pour une infante defunte takes me away to sound slumber...


Mozart


Satie

I am grateful for...

...quality craftsmanship, people who know how to fix cars, the occasional sound of my wind chimes coming from my Juliet Balcony, my mom's Costco card, my future real bed, little frogs, that the earth is not one degree closer to the sun, LOTR soundtrack, people who understand crazy music theory, mailboxes with meaningful mail inside, and forgiveness.

RRLS

Besides loving the LOTR soundtrack, I love Lip Smackers Red Raspberry lip gloss. Years and years ago it became a staple in my life, like red meat...

?

There aren't very many stores that carry the Red Raspberry variety, so when I was lucky enough to come across it while perusing the make-up aisle, I would buy all that they had, knowing that I might not come across it again.

Jean pockets, coat pockets (several), bags and purses, in my car, in my drafting table drawer, on the counter...I buy in bulk, so that no matter where I am at - I always have my Red Raspberry Lip Smackers handy.

Today I went to my special Red Raspberry Lip Smacker's store .... *GaSP*

...no RRLS.

May we all be thankful for online shopping...

11 more things I am grateful for

* Leaves on the lawn
* A chance to wash the dishes after being made and served dinner
* Thermals
* Wood
* Lamps
* A future REAL bed
* My in-laws
* Time
* My West Point sweat pants
* A little black dog that sat on my lap today
and...
* Garbage men (round of applause)

My New Place ~

This is what I get to come home to every evening. It's not a dog, or a bird, or better yet - a person...but it's a great front entrance to an apartment.

I am obsessed with natural light - and with windows facing east, south and west - I can't complain. Great trees line the street out front and charm is what surrounds me as I leave the house.

You are welcome anytime.



What welcomes me as I walk through the front door. I love detail.



Number 3! I adore odd numbers. So I feel right at home here.



Another small detail - I like the heat grates.



This small window greets me as I open the door to my apartment. I open it to hear the bells that sound from the Cathedral of the Madeleine. It's what I call my Bell Window.



My brother says that my place reminds him of France. My sister says that my place reminds her of New York. I think I like both of those comparisons.



So this is the door in my kitchen that opens to my Juliet balcony. Maybe this will do the trick!



Hmmmm...maybe I should start with the dress...

Gratitude

After sincere thinking...11 Things that I am grateful for: (because 11 is a great number)

* Indoor plumbing
* A future bed, a future REAL bed, that is
* Electricity, so that I can blow-dry my hair
* Clean water
* Space heaters
* The grapefruit that is sitting in my fridge, waiting for me
* Very large, deciduous trees
* That all of my appendages and phalanges work properly
* That I don't have lice or fleas or bed bugs
* Flatware
* Close friends that I hope to meet in the very near future, "Cause ya got to have friends!" (Bette Midler - the version from her "Experience the Divine" album is hilarious...it's really a great song, my life right now! Hee.)

Oahu

Now I understand.

Humidity, Pineapple, Waikiki Beach, Turtle Bay Resort, Pipeline, Scooters (so fun), Snorkeling (couldn't stop laughing), Waimea Bay, Sun, Matsumotos, Lost (both kinds), Swap Meet, Getting Thrashed by Strong Waves, Hilton on Waikiki, Whitest girl on the beach (no complaints, I like being white), Walking on the Beach, Jason and Michelle (awe-suum!), Beach Mats, Hot Tub with a View, Beach Hopping in the Rain, Haleiwa Eats (local Thai, North Shore, best food ever - small, local, surfers...mmmm), Keikis, Keena Point, PCC, Sheri Dew Fireside (most amazing choral performance), Beach, Plumeria, Volcom House, Kind People, Shopping Waikiki, Low MPH (nothing like the Mainland), Coconut, Duke's!, Seafood Chowder, Pool Lounging, Boogie Boarding...kind of...,Sunset Beach, Tiki Torches, ABC Store, Hawaiian temple of Pu'u 'o Mahauka Heiau, Drive Through the Middle of the Island, Slight Sunburn.

Ready for a second trip!

We ended up using three different means to take pictures because of trip-up's here and there...and I can't say this is the best picture trip I have ever taken, not because the trip wasn't worth shooting, quite the contrary!! It was the photographer (Me). So here are some photos...Mom - I'll post more of you upon approval! :)


A Walk in the Rain - we did see plenty of rain while we were there, but it didn't dampen out spirits!



Mom loved the water and the waves...whether we were sunbathing or not!



Me with Jason and Michelle - our favorite Hawaiians!!



I Love You Too



At dinner



The way to get around the Island! Waikiki in the evening and on the coastal roads were so much fun!



Anyone recognize this bus?



If I was a fireman, I would want a surfboard on my engine.



The showoff at Turtle Bay



Mom at dinner



Reviewing the menu



Look out



My companion while watching surfers at Pipeline. All the pros were there since they are in competition!



This was the second time we stayed at Turtle Bay - our view the first time was much more amazing...but I still couldn't complain!



Thanks for coming with me Mom! It was a blast.

HI

Right now I am feeling mostly curious. Because honestly, I would not put it on my top ten list of places to go...I am afraid that I might miss the grandeur of great architecture. (Which is why Rio is so perfect...European architecture, tropical palm trees, beautiful beaches - certainly an intriguing city).

But free lodging is hard to come by, and I am looking forward to getting away - like, out-of-the-continental-united-states away, even if it still is part of this country - and so we're making a go of it! Sundresses, shorts, t-shirts, swimsuits and shades for a whole week. See ya'll in a week!

Emmaus

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about a threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people...

...and they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

A wonderful gift

Today I received a wonderful gift! A pencil sketch that my Grandmother had done of me when I was 8 years old. (I am pretty sure I was 8, maybe 7?) I don't know if I had seen it before today - my Grandmother was a fantastic artist. I do miss her.

Roses and Haystacks

Today I put my roses down for the winter, tucked them in tight and wished them pleasant dreams for the next few months. They smiled hope, like a child does who was just tucked in by her father. She looks up in sweet innocence (as a rose would), is given a tender kiss on the forehead, one more check to see if the blankets are tight enough, an "I love you," and then the chain to the lamp is pulled and the lights go out...goodnight sweetheart. How I loved to be tucked in as a child.

As I gave my roses a bedding of straw, I thought of Monet. I imagined that I was creating a painting, maybe one of his paintings, as I tucked my roses in. And I wondered...why are we so drawn to stacks and bales of hay and straw? What is it about the mounds of gold that uniformly line the fields of Autumn time? I don't have an answer, except to say that that vista calms me and settles me.



My stacks were not quite this poetic.

Lunch Hour

My eyes meandered quickly through the various small rooms as I walked down the hall. Seating was becoming scarce as it was shortly after 12:30. I walked down the hall to the last room, hoping for an open table.

He was alone at a small table for two. "Mind if I have a seat?"

"No, not at all."

I sat down and looked at the man sitting across from me. "Are you from Salt Lake?"

He looked up from his food, "Yes, I am. You?"

"No, but I am moving here soon."

He had pleasant blue eyes that contrasted well against his white hair and beard.

We exchanged smiles.

Quiche and steamed onions adorned my plate while vegetarian meatloaf adorned his. "You would never know this didn't have any meat in it!" He stated as he motioned with his fork toward his dish.

"I'll have to try some. So, have you lived here all your life?"

"Most of it, I was born here, went to school here."

"Do you have family around?"

"No...I don't have a lot of family..." His voice trailed. "A sister and a brother, one in California, one in Colorado."

"Oh."

"And you? How many brothers and sisters do you have?"

"10."

He laughed. We both laughed.

"And what brings you to Salt Lake?"

"Work - I'm a landscape designer."

"Do you have a card? I would like one."

I pulled out a card and handed it to him. He examined it.

"Lorien?"

"Yes - you are one of the few people who pronounced my name correctly after the first time reading it!"

"Well, I did hesitate there for a moment."

The onions were sweet, sweet to taste and sweet to smell. A good choice.

"So, what do you do during the day?"

"I'm a lawyer...well - a judge, a federal judge." He looked like he could be a judge.

"Do you like to travel, I mean, have you traveled a lot?"

"Oh yes, both. I travel for cases, up to Alaska and other places for weeks at a time. I enjoy it."

"Do you ever lose sleep over your cases?"

"Sometimes, yes...have you eaten here before?"

"I have, I love it here. Found out about it over two years ago. Great place." The quiche had some green olives which made for some salty spots, but was still rather agreeable.

"Do you like to read?"

"Oh I read - but not for pleasure. Not as much as I should. I read a lot for my work. A lot of legal documents. And I read the newspaper." He smiled.

And so we chatted our way through the lunch hour - enjoying our food and each others company. He said he would "save my seat" for me while I went back to get some of the vegetarian meatloaf - he ate slowly and stayed at the table until I was finished so he could walk out with me. He was very much a gentleman.

"Well, it was nice to meet you. I am sure I will see you around again."

"Yes, I am sure you will."

Today

Today is Wednesday - and it's been a good day. The second half has become an organizational day - it seems like I've had a lot of those lately. But it's the fall time and the fall time is great organizational time. I have thrown out so much paper...ooopps - I should have recycled.

I have gone through all of my files and folders and receipts and even started getting ready for the tax season (Lyn - you would be so proud of me).

As I sit and thumb through my life, keeping parts of it and discarding other parts - I am accompanied by the Waking Ned Divine soundtrack. I just love Celtic music. Have I ever told you how much I love Celtic music? I love bagpipes, I love uilleann pipes, I love whistles and fiddles - and since I am a repeat person when it comes to tracks, I have listened to track 5 (Cursing in Heaven) about...too many times...and still, I am listening to it. It's probably best for me to organize alone. I think people would get tired of the same song over and over and over. But when you organize with people you have conversation...so that's different. Anyway - at the very end - the last 23 seconds absolutely takes me...and that's why I listen to it over and over and over...for those last... 23... seconds... Normally it's number 11 that's on repeat - An Angel Will Cry.

So now I have a pile of miscellaneous items that are sitting here to my right...what to do with them - I do not know. A red ribbon, a silver spoon, spf 30 sunscreen from Brazil, two composition books (one black and yellow, one black and white), a roller thing for clay, 2 dispensers of clear tape, a small black button, a leather change holder from Ecuador, another leather change holder from Poland, a butterfly patch, two white Apple stickers, a bookmark I made from flowers that I picked while hiking through the amazon, an invoice from Round Valley Surveys (paid), powdered facial tissues, a sticker for STRAND (18 miles of books...NYC), Benadryl Allergy pills, incense rings, an unlabeled CD, Elmer's glue, a card for my brother-in-law from his family (Kim?), plastic round things, a Preach My Gospel manual, a combination to a lock somewhere, a letter from Brazil, a card telling me how to take care of my Uggs, "There Is No Death," by Sarah Menet, an I Will Lead You dvd, last years planner that I love to look at (the cover that is), a plastic tray, a candle tray, stack of business cards, Sunday School study guide, structural drawings for a gazebo, my Grandmother's day planner from 2005, a small stack of lined paper showing all of the names that appear in the Book of Mormon chronologically and how they interact and relate to one another, and my old thought book...

...oh yeah - and my reminder to register my car (due back in August...that's another post...still trying to get that darn sticker).

Well - since typing this list, I am sure that I have lost half of you, and that you have now moved on to bigger and better blogs. And since re-reading this list, it seems that it shouldn't be that difficult to put all of these items in their proper place.

I'll start by tying the red ribbon in my hair...

Election Day

Tonight we had an election party at my sisters house - anything red, white and blue. Most of my siblings were there, it ended up being quite the family gathering. We sat around, watching numbers and polls unfold on the various news stations, laughing about the latest SNL, and eating chips and salsa and all kinds of chocolate! And while half of the group voted for Obama, and the other half voted for McCain, we completely enjoyed each others company, and the difference in voting opinions didn't lessen the joviality of the evening one bit. Maybe even the opposite.

Mahna Mahna

A favorite Mahna Mahna to watch with my nieces and nephews - or all by myself.

Oh ho!!! - I know what I am going to be for Halloween next year...

MY OH MY

My oh my oh my oh my oh my!

It's a quite Saturday evening...and I am winding the day down by organizing (a favorite winding down activity), and listening to the beauty of Leontyne Price sing Visse D Arte from Tosca - so divine. So divine.

As I was putting away socks and hanging up shirts - I was thinking to myself that a perfect, perfect Saturday evening would be spent in Paris (I have been wanting to go SO BADLY as of late) - attending a showing of Puccini's Tosca (to die for!), with a light dinner afterward (afterward because you don't rush nice dinners).

So, as I was in my evening-dreamy state of what life could be like, I decided to look on line to see if Tosca was showing somewhere close next year.

(Google is a wonder)

My oh my oh my oh my!

Opera Bastille - Paris, France - 5-30-09.

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is fate that has brought us together. A non-stop flight from SLC to Paris, France is close enough. I am already out the door to go dress shopping!

(Um - May 30th is a Saturday, the stars have aligned).

So in love.