Happy Birthday (to me)

I keep waiting for the birthday that comes with an engraved invitation to the secret grown-up club...  Apparently I haven't reached it yet, because no such invite arrived in today's post.  But, I did get a wonderful birthday card from my mother-in-law, and a hand delivered card from one of my girlfriends, sneaky!  My cell phone greeted me with good morning birthday love from my mother and my oldest bestest friend first thing this morning; always a great way to wake up.  And, of course the FB yielded a collection of delightful birthday wishes from far away friends (and some not so far away).  I am so lucky to have all these people in my life!  Birthdays are always a sweet reminder of who you have in your corner, they are like an annual support group check.

Now on to the celebration, since I am still running around in my adolescence (at age 34) I will be dressing up, feather boa and tiara included, and heading into Seattle to squeal with glee as men in dresses serenade me.  That's right!  Look out, Le Faux Show, I'm coming to town, so make it fierce!  Time to go wax some things, and charge up my camera battery...  Tomorrow there will be pictures!

This New Year

It is that time of year again.  Everyone you know is reflecting on the past twelve months and projecting into the void in front of them.  I suppose I am too.  This morning I went for a walk in the sunshine to look at the frost. 

It was beautiful, but it was also sad.  It reminded me of home, and of friends too far away to reach.  I used to have such lovely walkie talkies with my girls back in Cali, and I miss them.  But, I have made some wonderful new friends here in the PNW, and I am thankful for them. 

It was indeed a happy new year at my house yesterday, even though we were ALL very tired from our revels.

So heading into this new year I am wishing you love and joy, go soak them up!

Crack Heads Are People Too...

So it is a beautiful, sunny day here in the Pacific Northwest.  I am avoiding chores so I decided to walk down the street to peek inside a new antique store and grab an iced tea from the corner drugstore.  On the way I passed some people hanging outside their house smoking, chatting, and generally enjoying the sun.  They inquired as to my destination, so I offered the antique store bit, just to be polite, and quickly went on my way.  "There goes a classy lady," I heard one of them say to the other, "she's going antiquing."

Now don't get me wrong I am not adverse to a chat with a stranger.  Just last weekend I got some wonderful gardening tips from a couple I stopped to chat with outside their home in Fremont.  But in my neighborhood you get the occasional "crack head," and I try to avoid them.  I have a bit of a curse when it comes to attracting attention from crazies, especially the homeless ones, so I just try to be friendly and keep moving. 

Well  I made it to the little shop, it was nothing special, though I will probably go back and buy a Thai tiffen set I found for $17.  I popped into the drugstore and grabbed an iced tea, and I headed home.  As I walked I realized I either had to pass the same house with the crazies, or go a different route.  I decided to be polite I should walk back past them, they could see me coming and it just seemed rude to turn down a different street. 

I ended up trapped in conversation with a delusional butch lesbian, a drunk, and one seemingly normal guy who just wants to move out of Washington (I am sure he is on something too, just not right now).  After about 5 minutes, and an invitation to visit the woman's house on Whidbey Island for some "crabs and butter clams," I finally got my out when the guy who actually lives in this house came cruising up with his rolling trash can full of other people's recycling (Friday is garbage day in my 'hood).  This man I have had the pleasure of meeting many times before, he is an older Native American gentleman with a very serious drinking problem, he is sweet, but he makes me sad.  As everyone started their hellos I said my goodbyes and walked away with my new friend Heidi shouting out her fondest farewells.  Yeah bitch I am cool with you too...

Blog Hop...

Hmmmm, I have never heard of such a thing, but it is clever.  I like clever things, and I like making new friends so I will play too.

F!@#* Cancer

I have some really great friends.  I am truly blessed in this department.  It took me a long time to cultivate these friendships and sadly these days most of them are long distance.  I still make an effort to remain in contact on a regular basis because friendships take time and commitment, just like a marriage, or a family.  I need these people and these people need me.  Thank goodness for the telephone and the internet!

Because I value friends very highly I am picky about who I give my time and energy to.  I believe I have chosen some of the most wonderful people on this planet to be friends with.  I hope to make new friends in this lifetime, but they will be in addition to the friends I have, not instead of...  I plan to keep these friends until, well, until forever!  Which is why the health and well being of my close friends is really important to me.  That being said, the sole goal of this post is to let you know that one of my best friends has cancer and no way to pay for the quality treatment she needs and deserves, but you can help.

I met Janice in grad school.  She had just picked up her entire life, career, husband, children, everything and moved from Minneapolis to Northern California.  I was in awe of her bravery.  We were taking an Art History seminar together.  There must have been good relationship vibes in the room, we became friends and two other attendees started dating and later married  I am so glad I took that course, the reading was a bear, but my new friend was worth it.

Janice is an exceptional woman.  She is talented, creative, intelligent, funny, and so generous, she is the kind of person that I strive to be.  She is an artist, an illustrator of beautiful children's books, and a teacher.  Her three sons are some of the sweetest, smartest, most wonderful young men I have ever met, and that means she is an excellent mother.  I struggle to take my cues from her as I raise my own little boy.  I could go on, but you get the picture, she is rad, and I love her.

Cancer treatment is expensive and Janice could use a little monetary help right now.  If you can help please follow this link: for janice and give whatever you can.  Thank you for reading this, thankyou even if you can't help, but thank you more if you can.  Now go hug a friend, or call a friend, or text a friend, or whatever you do to stay in touch, because life is short and friends need each other.