Christmas in August

Christina Hendricks

Mad men's second episode was nothing less than weirdly awkward. But at least it was an improvemnet from last weeks somber, sober, boringness. That unpleasant feeling of being in a difficult situation overwhelmed the show. It is difficult to describe that feeling in words, but that is why the show is so fine, it utilizes the emotional and visual to convey that which would be pathetic depiction otherwise. "Ill at ease" comes to mind, also embarrassed and uncomfortable, but I'll take Peggy's confused gaze over these words any day.

The sophomoric behavior of a number of characters was unnerving and upsetting but hopefully will lead to complicated story lines. I do love the chubby disturbed Glen and hope he becomes a regular creepy character.

disapointed

Mad Men finally returned to television last night. I was anticipating the show too much I think - and was disappointed. There just wasn't the same sexiness and interesting undertones - couldn't even find one metaphor - oh well it is still better than any thing else on the tube.

Here is a picture Aster took using the tripod. We went shopping for boots, as fall attire is in the stores now. These were last year's style on sale for only $20!

new toy

Allen got me this Handy Button Machine at a yard sale in Pennsylvania. It is a beauty and makes 3/4" buttons (about the size of a nickel). I have a limited amount of fronts and backs but am searching for a supplier. I haven't had much luck yet - I guess I will have to call the Handy Co. tomorrow.

Collage Treasury

Summerline created this amazing treasury of collages. My "coming home" collage is included!

Inception corrections?

Last night, Gage and I saw Inception, written and directed by Christoper Nolan (writer/director of the demented memory flip book that is "Memento" and the freakery of Gotham City in "The Dark Knight").

As in his other films, Nolan again created a complicated, multileveled (in theory as well as narrative), challenging, cerebral experience. This time around, he delves into the creative process, the construction of experience and concepts of inspiration. I was disappointed when these themes disappeared as the story became more about the of the actual espionage and continually occurring obstacles, rather than the conception of the plan.

Heightened by time disparities, exact punctuality becomes essential and creative problem solving becomes more than just necessary, but life saving. I suppose that the creative process is threaded through out the film by these clever solutions and Nolan does have a wonderful way of placing a familiar genre inside a visual landscape that seems new... I feel I have no justification to criticize such genius, but the basic heist, caper, job (whatever name you want to give it) is still just that.

There were also some ideas that I think went amiss, I don't want to spoil any of it - seeing this movie more than once seems inevitable. As with Memento, you need to know the details of various levels in order to create your own spin of it all. I think I will bring a notebook and pen with me the second time.

Birthday Dinner

We all went to Good Luck for Aster's Birthday dinner. I never had such amazing food and fun! Aster asked me to wear a dress and heels because she was dressed up - so I did. We all laughed and ate too much. Here I am holding the leftovers which come in boxes that say "Lucky You."

Birthday girl

It is my sweet little girl's 14th birthday today. Here she is pictured at 3 years old-Here she is at 13 and 9 months- dangerously photographing herself using a tripod on the train tracks.

And today at 14 years old -

Allen created a poetic scavenger hunt for her birthday presents, although she was not exactly thrilled, she smiled through our shenanigans. Below she is on the phone with Grandma Carol as Gage tries to keep her on task-

happy birthday honey! Love you forever!

treasury

Letthemeatkate from Australia created a wonderfully wintery treasury and included my fingerless gloves!

Bedroom Changes

The bedroom seems to want to be something different then I intended. This gorgeous comforter from Anthropologie called out to me and I do love it. I had wanted a quiet meditative space for our bedroom, but I replaced the couch with a work table/desk so I think what I really need is some inspiring energy rather than calmness. Nemo obviously likes the new bed cover!

keepin' on

This little guy caught a dragonfly.
And this foundling has a special secret message.




I keep working at the little bits that need completion, Feeling rather productive as it seems like I have made so much this week, when really I have just sewn a foot here, added a button there. And today is actually Frieda Kahlo's birthday, Google jumped ahead.

Frieda

1931

Google kindly let me know that it is Frieda Kahlo's Birthday today. She was born in 1907, but Kahlo claimed that she was born in 1910 so people would directly associate her with the revolution which began in 1910. In her writings, she stated that she recalled that her mother would usher her and her sisters inside the house as gunfire echoed in the streets of her hometown. She was a strong, independent artist, with political passion and unstoppable physical endurance.

She married Diego Rivera in 1929. Kahlo and Rivera both had fiery temperaments and both had numerous extramarital affairs. The open bisexual Kahlo had affairs with both men and women, including Josephine Baker. Rivera knew of and tolerated her relationships with women, but her relationships with men made him jealous. For her part, Kahlo was furious when she learned that Rivera had an affair with her younger sister, Cristina. The couple eventually divorced in November 1939, but remarried in December 1940. Their second marriage was as turbulent as the first. Their living quarters often were separate, although sometimes adjacent.

The movie hat is based in her biography is fantastic! Maybe I will watch it today as a birthday celebration. Salma Hayek is one of my all time favorite actors. She is super sexy, smart, funny and a mother (at age 41).

lazy days

I have finally been motivated to get some work accomplished. I have many projects that just need finishing touches and I find that kind of work annoying, but I put my mind to it and got a little bit completed yesterday. I photographed and sewed, glued and scanned. I posted a few vintage items and one foundling on Etsy and hope to get more posted soon. I did waste some time in photoshop playing with this image of a yellow finch at the bird feeder.

The original photo-

Treasury

Lilliputloft put my foundling in a lovely treasury. You can see it here

im-tickled-pink

Milkweed

I keep thinking about sitting on the beach with the wind cooling off the hot summer sun as I am home in Rochester. So I am working like crazy to keep from feeling sad about not being in Cape May. I have really cleaned up the basement and have begun to get Aster's room ready to paint. I took pics of the garden as we are rarely here these weeks to see what is bloomin'. The milkweed is gorgeous and I was hoping to find monarch eggs, but instead found theses muddy moles on the leaves. Any one know what will come out of them? I happen to really enjoy the japanese beetles on the asters, they have not posed a problem in the past, so I live and let live.Aster took this lovely picture of me and Allen...

Stories that don't end

My dad is an extremely amazing man. In the picture, he is looking overly concerned at me, so I am guessing this in the Autumn of '66. My dad is 75 years old and has been a practicing dentist for close to fifty years. He has only recently had to "take a break" from working, as he has aplastic anemia, but he is strong and healthy and will be better soon, and then back to drillin' an fillin' for only God knows how many more years. My dad has a huge circle of friends, volunteers at church, with the Boy Scouts, for his alma-mater Bucknell University, his fraternity Kappa Sigma and attends all his grand children's sports, music and other school events (all while working sometimes 10 hour days). Last year when Allen was in the hospital, my dad came up with my sister-in-law Lisa to help us. They drove ten hours for a two night stay, did laundry and shopping, gave Allen their love and drove the long trip home. I wish we did not live so far away, and I wish I could see my dad everyday (along with the rest of the family) and I wish he did not have aplastic anemia. I love you dad.

Yard Sale

We are having a yard sale tomorrow. I am so proud of myself as I have really made a difference in the black hole that the basement has become. And my favorite thing about being a completely disorganized hoarder -

is that I make discoveries as I clean out.

Here are a couple of wonderful items...

1976?

What do you think mom? I can't figure out what year this picture is from, but I know it was a church picture. We used to get our portrait taken for our church member's book each year. I am the youngest in my family, and I think I look about 10 years old here, which would make Susan 14 and Robert 17. I just don't know...

friends

A boy is walking down a street when he falls into a deep hole and the walls are to high for him to get out.

A doctor walks by and the boy shouts to the doctor, "Can you help me?"

The doctor write a prescription and tells the boy to see him in two weeks.

A psychologist walks by and the boy shouts , "Can you help me?"

And the psychologist says, "Breathe, and see me two weeks"

A friend comes by and the boy shouts , "Hey man, can you help me?"

And the friend jumps into the hole.

The boy says,"Why did you do that, now we are both stuck in here?"

The friend says, "Yeah, well,I have been here before and I can help you get out."

I want to thank all the amazing friends we have. We are not out of the hole yet, but lots of people have helped us and although we count our blessings every minute, sometimes that just doesn't do the trick. Thank you to everyone who understands.

1910 Typewriter

Well it wasn't the Brooklyn Flea, but we went to a neighborhood of yard sales this morning and got a number of wonderful items including a 1910 typewriter. Information from the Typewriter Conservancy :

The L.C. Smith type-writer incorporated some advanced features. As far as we are aware, the No. 2 (actually manufactured before the No. 1) was the first machine that was basket shifted instead of carriage shifted. However, the typing basket shifted up instead of down. The platen was easily removed without tools by moving back a clip over the axle between the platen and the platen knob on both sides of the carriage. This not only allowed replacement of worn-outs platens, but the quick insertion of platens for special purposes, such as manifolding and typing index cards.

Busy Birds and Pearl Jam

It was raining on Wednesday and the birds were just crazy at the feeder. They finished off the entire container in two days. And below are the (edited) lyrics to Pearl Jam's amazing song, Breathe. I was sure it was a new work by the great Crash Test Dummies, as the vocal sounds very similar to their 90's songs, but I finally found it on the internets and downloaded it from i-tunes.

Yes I understand That every life must end

As we sit alone I know someday we must go

Oh I'm a lucky man

To count on both hands

The ones I love

Some folks just have one, Yeah others they got none

Stay with me

Let's just breathe

Nothing you would take

Everything you gave

Hold me till I die

Meet you on the other side