Gnomeo?

Household still life, Monday pic

     I never saw that movie, but I do intensely like Black Forest gnome figures.  Perfect spot here for one on a painted deer chest that I picked up from a neighbor’s driveway when she moved away a few years ago. Such an object keeps her in mind -“keeps her memory green”- with wishes for her well being, as photos of loved ones do as well.  I think I already posted this guy before, when his package arrived on a cold dark evening when a wind broke off the tip of his cap. Turned out well, looks good with leftover Christmas ornaments coming out the hole.  

     So I’m repeating myself. Old people do that. 

    C and Nola visited last night.  They had a good trip to TN, including the Suffragettes monument and fried green tomatoes on grits. 

     Jour ordinaire shaping up. We’ll see .

A walk in the woods, sort of

Yesterday, a mile from home:  a nest (wasp or bird?), power  line, well groomed snowmobile trail, happy dog on the trail

     That may have been our best walk of the year yesterday: brisk pace, crisp temperature, clear sunshine and shadows, seven snowmobiles passing at different times, two pleasant encounters with people and dogs.  Life doesn’t get any better.

     In contrast, webinar last night was unpleasant. G immediately started whinging about ICE and “politics” and what Work can be done to possibly improve her state. Everyone else jumped into the liberality, including of course Leader R, who said this time OK to talk about events  that trouble us. I dropped a bomb late with, “Would you smile at an ICE agent?” And added a few more choice comments, including: we don’t all believe/ accept that point of view.  How you feel about ICE is how I feel about riots posing as peaceful protest that could lead to civil war .  We all just want to confirm our own opinions. We're all rich (no we’re not; of course we are, yet we/you target the wealthy —for (implied Trump, Epstein) sexual exploitations. Now you’ll vote me off the island. No we won’t,  we still like you.  And I still like you. I want to stay in the work. And my aim is to develop Objective Reason. And serve the Absolute (for god’s sake don’t say God!).  Guess I momentarily wrecked a real Kumbaya hour, but R pulled it back together, as usual, Coach.

     I have no illusions in this group however.  Just reminded them where I stand, as I did at least two times before. They certainly do not know me, likely dislike me, and probably don’t want to hear me talk. Early in R marveled at the wonder of words, that is, development of speech, language, reading, writing.  I also remarked, unheard pretty much, that for two previous sessions, my only comment was essentially words D’s are failing me. All I say is lifted from someone else, even if Work writers. G jumped in with “talk about your experience; how do you get along with husband?” and I brushed that off. Mentioned instead my rift with Sis L since Minneapolis. “So sorry.”  I also made a terrible flop joke about Sis C becoming an “inconvenient woman” by surviving cancer (I told her that, too, though it doesn’t excuse my attempt to relieve my own stress and grief by resorting to what I classify as irony that actually eludes my intended audience.

     I wound up by pointlessly reading two lines on self remembering and consciousness from Orage via Lee, repeating R’s link of the two concepts.  This emphasizes to me we’re all reading and repeating each other.  But I had already said more than enough. If i want to talk about an inconvenient woman , just look in the mirror.

Stop it

 

Darn cute. Timmy 2005

     -Stop talking to me that way. You talk to me that way. To give you a taste of your own medicine.  You are trying to tell me what to do.  No I’m not; I think I’m trying to commiserate; I guess I’ll just have to stop talking to you.- 

     Grousing. How many times? Daily? Weekly?  Too many. Old men and old women. Contempt.

      -Did I tell you today I love you?  Yes. I love you, too.-

    What’s the truth?  Well, we’re good with ambiguity, aren’t we?  What do these exchanges reveal about self love— none,  just right, or  too much?  

      All of these questions. Who am I asking anyway?

      So we talked about the problem.  Now we will see if it changes. 

Dark and light

 

On the trail yesterday

     All about contrast.  Phone call to bro, sis D and sis C yesterday and today, caught up on family news more or less.  

     Two work conferences to consider, Montreal in fall or Charles Town WVA in May which I like to consider as an Amtrak trip. We’ll see.

Yesterday and today

   MMC from Intermed yesterday

     Doctors appointment yesterday with her nurse, very pleasant. Nothing unusual to report. I mentioned the appointment I was supposed to have with Cardiology last fall, but never did and ironically got a call about an hour ago for the test for amyloidosis next Friday. I’m a little nervous.

     Spending my time watching TV. Especially Rember the Titans and Dark Winds.

Quel difference

 

Grey ice yesterday

     Definitely not in Florida.  Maybe I stay here because the weather gives me so many beautiful things to complain about.  You can’t feel the wind chill when you look at this bright white image, but I did.

State of mind

SB pics, yesterday 

  The great state of Florida.  I really should go visit her.  I really don’t know what keeps me sitting still all the time. I will need to ponder it. 

  

   If bro moves to Cleveland, will I ever travel to Oh to see my sibs in the flesh again?  I doubt it. Wake up dream was images of very difficult journey back to ME from OH; no one would take me to the airport, necessary to find my own way by train, many doors, ladders, lines of people blocked me, flight reservation uncertain. Woke without getting home. Not a new dream, just a variation

New and old

 

Excellent new products from Costco yesterday

      Some days just not much to say. I did a lot of Deutsch English reading of BT. Webinar today too, very good. I like my friends very much, so kind and knowledgeable on both sides of the water.

      I suffered gravely low grade anger much of the morning, internal considering maybe, maybe not. Felt rudely handled saying what I know of the esteemed DM. It’s purely intuition, but I feel unliked in that group, as if that should matter.  And if I “deserve it,” what then?  I’m also feeling disgruntled with sis L. A says let it go, don’t call.  But it is suffering.

What next

 

Near the Park1-9-26, snow too deep to visit today

     

     Not expecting much today— probably a Costco trip for veggies and beef. Vacuum up the crumbs and sand from past 48 hours.  Read.  Fiddle with devices, like now.  Definitely a dog walk today. RS webinar this evening

   

      I should set a work aim for the day, but that feels hazy.  After all, I read/listened to a couple of Lee's podcasts.  And I’m lumping it vaguely into reading, specifically the German version of BT. Yes, I know how insincere and self justifying that is, going through the motions, not really aims at all…..

    Patties lost the big bowl game, but they weren’t even expected to be in it four months ago, so I’m OK with it.  Interesting postgame emo temp:  I can imagine a tingle of elation for today if they had won, and somehow I feel its lack. Yet how can I miss something I didn’t have?  But it’s not disappointment or an opp to play the blame game, all too common among media commentators.  

     C returned yesterday from MA, so we visited with her and Nola toward the end of the game.  Her daughter’s vball traveling team won all 12 of their games, and she suffered a bloody nose blow but no concussion, so stayed in the game.  Next weekend is their big TN trip. She reports that this activity is fun but more exhausting and expensive than expected. Plus she misses her other daughter and. little Nola. Both doggies have manifested some mild anxiety for their changes in habits, including their nightly visits. Like humans:  automatons.

      Alright, alright already! Stop nagging myself!  Work aim du jour:  before dinner, a serious sensing meditation. Got all those other things to do now.

Newspaper comics &. puzzles

Sudoku, 2-9

     About the only reason I want to subscribe to the newspaper these days is the comics and the puzzles. I’ve read the comics daily since I was a kid, so more than 65 years.  The strip people are generally excellent artists, offering wisdom and humor,  although I’ve had my favorites over the years whether they were excellent or not. I miss some of the ones that have disappeared permanently, such as Apt. 3G, Ali Oop, Snuffy Smith, Judge Parker, Mary Worth, Steve Canyon, and of course, Dick Tracy. I suppose Prince Valiant is my favorite oldest timer still here, and it’s a good example of how the graphics and social POV have changed over more than half century.  So is Dennis the Menace, one of the many characters not allowed to grow up, even as I did.  Mark Trail was a favorite that changed for the worse in its most recent iteration. All said, I’m glad when old strips get republished as is, such as For Better Or For Worse and Get Fuzzy and of course Peanuts.  I’m also pleased to see control and production pass to heirs of the originators.  Seems fitting. Then there are terrific relatively new comers, like Ray Billingsley’s Curtis, and Steven Pastis’ Pearls before Swine.  And I should be enthusiastic about the old folks my age in Pickles, but I really like sweet Luann’s crowd better.  So has any historian picked up the topic of this “ordinary” art form yet?  Must’ve, but if not, it’s a gem waiting to be found.

     The Jumble and Sudoku are my favorite puzzles, and I’ll boast a bit about them. I’ve worked Jumble so long that I can most often see the words intended immediately, and it’s not difficult to work out the long riddle, sometimes without the letters. Sudoku is the challenge, I rarely complete them, and I can get OCD about them often, spending up to 11/2 hours before I solve or discard, defeated.  I solved the three above in these past two days of frigid weather, what I called wasting time yesterday in a blog post.  But oddly I feel a mild sense of accomplishment, likely unjustified.  By the way, the first done was level 4, second level 2, third level 1 started three days ago.  The 1s seem so schwer zu mir.  Is this what youngster video gamers feel after hours in front of a tube?  Hmh.  

Deplorables

 

We went ‘chopping yesterday

    And met up with a fine, friendly bunch of deplorables.  Red entertained all comers, but his fave was a beautiful mini bernedoodle pup whom we encountered at the checkout with its enthusiastic mom and dad. I liked our efficient and friendly Persian clerk, very pretty with green eye makeup, reminding me of S. I advised her to get the frozen chicken pie; it’s delicious.  Also from Mass; I noticed Canadian frozen pies were also stocked and didn’t see price but wondered about tariff effect.  Nevertheless, stick with what you know.

      The evening’s activity was meditation and healing meditation, specifically for D, who broke 2 ribs and wracked up her knees in a snowmobiling flip that day. L showed video of the accident. We’re thankful she wasn’t hurt worse. I laid my hot hands on her knees, and she reported it made them “happy.”  She also said she generally felt better after this healing circle, so we have some feedback that hands-on healing is beneficial.  I always say, at least it couldn’t hurt. We also discussed healing as a spiritual practice— what’s it like for you to do it?  Not our first rodeo, but always good to weigh in. For example, L said, as a “conduit,” you can always skim off and retain some of that energy for yourself. So I tried skimming off energy for this D’s knee and sending it to my sis D’s broken patella.   Won’t know ever if it “arrived,” but as I said, it couldn’t hurt. Maybe I’ll ask her if she felt a “change in the Force.”

     So now the world gets a clue about the machinations of us deplorables:)

Beauty of the sky

 

Toward Bridge St, from the trail, 2-4-26, 12:46 pm

     I never mentioned, but the fix to my picture posting problem is simply copy and paste instead of upload via the unreliable Google command. Lesson in life, I guess figure it out yourself, can’t rely so much on what you think you can.

       

     Still haven’t talked to Sis L in 12 days, but who’s counting.  I certainly miss her and expect we will be back in touch soon. Spouse says let her call first, she was the one who reacted rudely.  Bro said she mentioned to him she regretted it.  I’m not holding a grudge, but feel it better to hold off calling.  

    

     Hope neither one of us dies while we’re on pause.  That’s not a ghoulish thought: neither of us are “spring chickens.”  If that’s not enough of a reminder, the kidnapping of Mrs Guthrie serves at least as a tangible reminder of  GIG’s abstraction of the need to constantly consider “the inevitability of …death.”

        I mentioned my tale in Tuesday webinar, and our dear Deutsch mentor, E, said he sadly had a parallel condition with his younger brother, essentially resentment over the use of their mother’s house.  They had rarely spoken in 2-3 years.

       I don’t intend to let that happen with L, but you never know how long “civil wars” will last, once started.  Or who the casualties might be. 

      That in fact is the root of our dispute: what I see as civil insurrection, she sees as government oppression.  

        We live in dangerous times, despite that serene picture  of  a small-city’s beautiful blue and white winter peace.

     

Bored is boring

 

Pothole

Road salt & weather damage. Beautiful if you look.

AKA alligator or fatigue cracking per Google

    My days are so repetitive that it’s tempting to say they are boring, especially in the heart of winter. They are certainly mechanical, as GIG says and which I want to deny.  I used to tell kids who complained of boredom, “If you’re bored, you’re boring. Find something to do.”  And it’s still true for me.  Even my “free repeaters” will yield interesting surprises, like the beautiful alligator cracks and the photos I took and edited.  That was from this noon’s “long walk” with Red, just a few yards from home, a daily activity.

     Even better, we met two houses down and engaged cheerily with three neighbor women in the bright sunlight and brisk air.  We had not seen them in a few weeks, which seemed to add to the pleasure somehow.  P told us a story with good humor, although it was certainly an irritating experience for her.  

     She had removed a false lower front tooth and laid it on a table; her dear rascally little Dachshund snagged it up and chewed it into three pieces.  “I didn’t yell at him; not his fault.  But I can’t afford an $800 replacement right now, so this is my new look.”  Of course she looked fine, it’s hardly noticeable; we all commiserated, and talked about dental health in our state a few moments before we went our separate ways. So good to have friendly neighbors!

Sun

Our source, setting, January 8, ‘26, 4pm

      Interesting newspaper article this morning, featured our financial advisor, being sued by a client who was scammed out of his substantial life savings by a bitcoin con ring, I imagine like the call center pros featured in the movie, The Beekeeper.  One court has already rejected his case, rightly in my opinion, but he’s appealing.  Sad for him, but I’d say he’s trying to recuperate from the closest “deep pockets,” to the potential harm of clients who did not make his mistake. 

     Money is our First Being Food, that which we require to literally feed us and keep us alive for  a scant few years on this beautiful planet.  But its distribution is scandalously random and uneven.  Are cosmic influences toying with us?  Testing us for honesty and compassion?  I know loved ones who say yes and suffer greatly with lives of insufficiency, if not some mismanagement.  I wish it wasn’t so.  And I wish scammers immediate departure for the deepest pits. Of you know where.

One dollar after another

Orchid, 2023

     No point in complaining or stressing. People are more important than $$. I am grateful that I have enough to feel I can share. Certainly didn’t always believe I could.  It’s been a chaotic year $$ wise. So much of our use of “our daily bread” is in our minds. I think the sense of economic security is the most significant and worrisome factor for most people between birth and death.  Does it not motivate us more than soul/spirit?

Later, Dude

Chihuly Exhibit, Franklin Park, Columbus Oh 2006 

Nothing to say today, except sis D at Dr today for broken knee.  Not much to be done except stabilizing casts. Also spoke a few minutes with I, and that is all it takes to make me a little happy .  His music posts are getting better and better. I like his singing a lot.

Ancient times

Red takes out his dogbed to go sledding, 2-8-23

 

And brings out a pal to join the fun.  2-8-23

2-16-17. Just as deep as ever.  

Red is less enthusiastic about going out in the backyard snow these days.  Older and wiser.  But that’s enough drift memory for now. We’re going to walk in the park and maybe snag Micky D nuggets. 

 

Where did they go?

 

Flat snow on the river. Duck tracks or not?

     We walked in the park yesterday about 2:00 pm, 26 degrees, specifically wanting to see if the ducks were there. Not a one.  Wonder where they disappear to in this harsh, snowy weather?  Also wonder how deep the ice is frozen under that smooth layer  of snow.

They’re baack

I

January 18 pics;  too cold to go to the park these days to check on them. Hope they are not freezing their paddles off.

Here they are hunkering down on January 9. So grateful I have a nice warm house instead of duck fat to keep me alive in winter. 

     Bad news in the local rag this morning about that lack of shelter: 10 people in New York City have died this week as a result of exposure to the extreme weather, at least 5 more than is typical for the whole season in past years. What a terrible thing!

Ho Hum

That’s my boy!

Home. From the groomer finally

   Red is at the groomers today.  I miss my little bestie.  So my whole morning feels dreary despite bright sunshine, also because temperatures are extremely cold and because my whole body feels like I’ve been run over. I did my grocery shopping after I dropped Red off, also fatiguing when it usually energizes me to be out among people and good things to eat early .  Then too I may not have drunk enough caffeine, having delayed my morning “decaffeinated” tea ‘til elevenish.  Whatever the combination of factors I feel dull and achy. No perky pup or centering exercises to pull me out of it yet. Body sensing feels odd and silly distractions interrupt concentration on work in these conditions, especially this low grade overall body pain.  I’ll bet I’m the only one who knows that—ha!

     Webinar was really good last night, as our new mix of people discussed BT chapters 8&9, very complex including the nature of humanity and the creation and meaning of Loonderperzo and Anulios in Gurdjieff’s cosmos. You will never fathom the gist of this tale in one lonesome reading.

     Baruch emailed us more info about amber this morning, a very romantic Scandinavian story about Odin’s daughter. Freya somehow drove away her husband and her punishment was to wear a necklace by Loki the rest of her life and to weep tears of gold on the earth and amber on the sea if they dropped that far. 

     Now I need to read that whole myth and locate my amber necklaces.  Guess I have the time to do it if I can whomp up the energy. Tomorrow is another day.  I hope.

Calm after the. Storm

 Love my wind spinner— Color and sparkles!

     I think I’ve said most of what I need to in the sandy ‘s shift post. Catch me later if I change my mind 

Roots

 

Bob, Columbia White, Mary Helen Bryant, Nolan WVa c 1943

     Won’t say much yet. Mom with her good friend (sister in law) and youngest brother, presumably at home, a company shanty in a coal town.

Holding pattern

For future use if needed

future insertion in case Google won’t let me

Chihuly Exhibit 2006 Columbus