Potpourri

So you saw Sally Melville. What did you think? I remember when I saw her, she talked about Yin Yoga and I ran out and bought a book and CD which sit here in my office, keeping me company, but never calling out. Yet.

I have a question for you. Do you know which bird this is?

It is a teeny-tiny bit bigger than the chickadees that it often arrives with, but not as timid. It will hang around pecking at things, while chickadees swoop in, grab a seed, and swoop away. Brian couldn't find it in our two bird books. It's got a gray breast, slightly darker back, and a black hood over the head, as you can see.

My time these days is spent in schoolwork, and doing physical therapy for a rotator cuff injury - remember I talked to you about it at Christmas? It's getting better - they tell me that I caught it before it became "frozen."

So - you and Jeni together. I am jealous. Send pictures. Love, Mary

Creativity

Hi Mary,
It is sleeting out. We are possibly getting 4-8 inches of snow but I think, hope, it will stay warm enough that we only get a half an inch of ice.
I went to a talk by Sally Melville tonight on Creativity. She said that you are most creative when you get the most sleep. Your brain does most of it's problem solving in the last few hours of an 8 hour night.
Mine too. Nine is better.
She also said to lay still when you wake up and try to visualize your dreams and then put words to the visuals. The visuals are right brain and the words are left brain. If you wiggle around you will 'jiggle' the visuals and they will disappear before you can remember them.
And she said there are no mistakes, just learning experiences. I say your mistakes aren't mistakes, they are just design elements. It is about the same thing.
It was a good talk and then we got to feel a whole bunch of her sweaters. I also had her sign the one book I brought down that had a design of hers in it. My Meg Swanson edited book on lace called A gathering of Lace.
Sally designed a sweater that is in it and she signed the page.
Another thing I learned while there was about this book called Great Carriers, Purses and Totes, which has a wonderful pattern for a felted bag in it. The lady sitting next to me was carrying one and knitting one. Lots of fun to see. I don't know who wrote it but I know a librarian. Maybe she will tell me.
Love,
Nancy

Mom Says "Hi"

Hi everyone,

I took my camera and Alice to the Park Rehab Center today. Alice greeted Mom and then went under the sofa. Mom allowed me to take a few pictures.

Dad spends lots of his available time with Mom holding her hand.

Mom told me that when she was in the hospital he would pet her

constantly and set off her monitors.

She is done with those monitors now and is happy to be free of

them.

Love,

Nancy

April Fools

STOP THE SNOW ALREADY!!!

Ever since the middle of March we Minneapolitans have been expecting Spring. And, ever since the middle of March we have received SNOW. There are people who call this Minnesnowta.
We are rather tired of it this winter.

The latest storm started on the 31st of March. It ended on April Fools Day.

Here are a few pictures.


Love,
Nancy





This was taken at 4 a.m. Tree had just left for work.






Here it is when I woke up for good at 7 a.m.





Jim doing a little pre-work shoveling.



Interesting views on the way to work. This snow was really
heavy so it didn't blow off the trees till late in the day.
Have fun at library school.
N.

Just for fun....

...here's a picture of the first "home" I ever owned, with co-owners: man, dog, and cat.

Circa 1979-80, I would say. You can barely see Frisbee the cat (so named because we used to throw him out of the bed) in my lap, and Kasta the German Shepherd, and Jim with a hat his Dad gave him that he liked even though I think someone had sat upon it once. Oh, and check out the knee high moccasins. I still have those, but that skirt, I loved, and it got stolen in Mexico. Well, it wouldn't fit me now anyway.
I remember giving the most successful dinner party I ever had there. I forget exactly what was eaten, but the high point was making whole wheat sopapillas in my wok that turned out perfectly! We were all impressed, because of course, there was no gas, electricity or running water.
I believe I could live again without the electricity, but lord, give me indoor plumbing!

Closing Day

The Ol' Bear and I visited Missoula last weekend, and spent Easter with Christy, Ben, and his fiancee, Amanda. It was a good thing.

We got to see the house that Christy moved into late last year, where she lives with 2 roommates:















We were treated to dinner at Amanda and Ben's, and it was just as good as Mother's Day was last year. I can't wait until their wedding. Wait until you meet Amanda, she's super (and I hope she doesn't mind me posting a picture of her loading up a ziplock of her superior chocolate-mint glazed brownies.)



Argh! I wish they weren't all gone -
but it's just as well! Here's a picture of a bunch
of friends hanging around the table at Amanda and Ben's after dinner:

Unfortunately, we had to leave so as to get back
to Whitefish. I worked at 8:30 Monday morning.
But it was grand to see them, and meet Christy's friend Karissa and walk dogs along the river, and just generally hang out. Didn't get to play cards,but maybe another time.

Omigod, I almost forgot:

Today we bought a house.

And that's about it for now. I've got school in Seattle next week, and Montana Library Association the week after. Ol' Bear left for Alaska to work today, so things are definitely going to be quieter. Except for PJ. He's very anxious to keep me posted as to life in kittyworld. Now I think I'll check in on the Caring Bridge site and see how Mom's doing. Love, Mary

A Snowy Spring Morning

Hey Mary,
Guess What? Spring started yesterday!


Really!

And then,

this morning,

it stopped!

Love,
Nancy

I made Mom a caring bridge site.

Hi Mary,
I made Mom a caring bridge site tonight. Here is the link.
www.caringbridge.org/visit/maggiedrew
Love,
Nancy