Watch the World Go By

Watch Flickrvision. It's hypnotic.

Mothers for Peace

I never knew this...

"Mother's Day was originally started by Julia Ward Howe in 1870 as a protest against the Civil War. "



Sign the petition.

Magic

This is a picture of me and my Mom. It's washed out and tattered because my Mom kept it in a frame for years and brought it with her everywhere she ever lived. When Mom died, I tucked it into my wallet so I can take it out and look at it wherever I go.

Here are just a few reasons why I love this picture.

When Mom and I were younger we used to laugh about how we were big floor-sitters. It seemed like we always ended us sitting on the floor - to talk, fold laundry or work on a project. It's funny - because even when Mom was younger, it wasn't easy for her to get up and down from the floor - but, just like this picture, there we always were.

In this picture Mom is wearing a red flannel nightgown that I remember vividly. She wore that nightgown for years, until it was threadbare....because that's what you do when you find a really good flannel nightgown.

I can still remember snuggling up to her like I'm doing in this picture. Snuggling was big. We used to have this thing where I'd get up and crawl in bed with her in the mornings - and she'd say "back to back" and we'd curl up touching, back to back.

In this picture I'm wearing my Jack Kemp pajamas. Jack Kemp was then quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, and not yet a Republican politician. Knowing how much I loved Jack Kemp, my Mom bought a pair of boys foot pajamas with little football players on the top and cut out Jack Kemp's number from a piece of felt and sewed it on the front. I wore them until they were threadbare, until my feet popped through because I got too tall...because that's what you do when you get a really great pair of pajamas like that.

So in this picture we're sitting on the floor, in our favorite pajamas snuggling in front of a crackling fire. It's magical.

Moms do and say millions of things that guide their children on their way. But the thing that proves they really are magic? Just a touch from them can make you feel better, safer, loved.

Actually, the magic is even more powerful than that. All I have to do is take out this picture and look at it. And I feel better.

The Ass Family

Thanks Barb - I had a good laugh over this one.

Indexed, the movie

One of my favorite cartoon blogs...now on YouTube. Brilliant!

Jane and Stephen

If you're a fan of Stephen Colbert...this is a must-see.

Rain

Got this beautiful picture of Jessica from Nancy the other day called "Watching the Rain."

Wow, did it ever take me back to days when my little boys and I would watch with wonder at the rain coming down...and that smell...that fresh smell in the air when it rains.

I wrote this poem about one of those days back in 2000...

Spring Blessing

It’s funny
The thunder booming
In May
As if it were August
As if this weren’t New England
But the Midwest
Where the storms
Move like freight trains
Along the unbroken highways
I yearn for this kind of freak of nature
To break me out of my self
Plant me on Earth
My boys are always on the planet
and together we jumped at it
Huddled under my Grandmother’s afghan
We turned off the lights
the crackling fire flickered
against the walls
we opened the northeast window
the smell was intoxicating, fresh
water poured down
the road was a river
whooshing wind-driven rain
like a new sheet thrown over your head
the feel of it wafted down
smelling clean
we giggled and squirmed
thankful
for our warm house
for Drew’s little
toes curled under my leg
for Dylan indulgently
throwing his arms around
our shoulders
as we sat cheek to cheek to cheek
being blessed
by Spring

Happy Spring everyone.

T-Shirt

Molly: "So did anyone say anything about your new tshirt?"

Dylan: "No people didn’t say much about it, but I like it because it demonstrates the duality of mankind…War/peace, enlightenment/ignorance."

Happy Birthday to you

We celebrated Dorothy's birthday at Legal Seafoods. I'm pretty sure we ordered every form of fish in the food chain. And then of course we had to do the big embarrassing birthday cake and candles thing.

Travelog

Random favorites from trip to San Francisco in April...

Hotel Monaco - Kimpton does it best

Bambudda Lounge - funky, kind of LA

Amoeba Records - in the Haight, classic vinyl, live shows, a rare breed

Cole Valley - fav neighborhood

Fillmore - walk it end to end

EOS - best meal by far and that's saying something

The DeYoung

Vivianne Westwood, even




Best beer




Most appreciated glass of wine


Bar at the St. Regis



Always showing up at the Top of the Mark when it's closed


This one is for Caitlin