Saint Lucy

Saint Lucy
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

Last Sunday, while I was back in Philadelphia, my Mom and I took a little trip back to my old gradeschool, Saint Lucy's. My goal was to make it into church so that I could see the statue that has made such an impression upon me. Here she is, and yes, those are her eyes on a plate. Here is some more lovely history of Saint Lucy.

for Uncle Joe

Uncle Joe
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

Chris' Uncle passed away yesterday. This photo was taken this summer while at the family shore house in New Jersey. We had a great time that weekend.
Our last night there, most of the "adults" (Chris' aunts and uncles) had left, Uncle Joe had stayed. We ended up having this amazing thunder storm, which we watch move around the pennisula and over the bay. We lost our electricity. The younger kids loved it, and the thrill was exciting. We even had a dance party when the electricity came back on.

The memory of that weekend is truly a gift. We are so glad to have the photos. It going to be a hard week.

open: 2 friends meet on a train platform

Recently Sue sent myself and our friend Bea an email about two friends that met in High School and how with a small gesture and an offer of friendship, changed their lives entirely. Sue had said it reminded her of how she & I had met. Bea wrote back and asked where we did meet and Sue sent back this story.

Well, Jenna was sitting on a bench at Rosemont station, having just missed the train. A few minutes later Sue arrived on the scene. She sat down on the same bench as Jenna and turned to her and said "Just missed the train, huh?" (she could tell because Jenna, smoker for several years, was still out of breath from her mad dash to the train.) "Yes " said Jenna in her polite, yet "I grew up in Philly and we boo Santa Claus" way. Not detered in the least, Sue then, (still high from being allowed into such a prestigous college as Rosemont and determined to make new friends in her best "I'm from Jersey, but don't hold it against me" way) turned to Jenna and said "Oh, we're going to be friends!" Jenna then looked at Sue with that wary Philly eyeball (you know the one you give those crazy homeless people at 30th Street station and asking for your last quarter) and said "Yeah Right" Sue, knowing that she really was crazy (afterall, the gallons of Aqua Net inhaled during her Mall rat, Big-spiral permed hair faze, had to have effected her, although at the time perhaps it gave her a quick buzz) and having once been homeless for three weeks herself, took this as conformation.
The two have been best friends ever since.

That accurate depiction definitely made my day. Thanks Sue.
& we live happily ever after.

key card

key cupboard
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

Still all quiet on the northern front. We are waiting to hear back from our perspective digs in a northern town. As a funny side note I found the most excellent apartment in Portland. Complete with yard, garage, tub and lovely landlord. If only we decided to stay, but I do believe we are going north, my dears.
I received a check in the mail this week for selling 18 of my cards over the past two months. I am very excited. My first money from my own creations. It feels really good. So on with the positive and more new cards. Here are some of my new favorites for Valentine's Day.

space

Chris and I are contemplating a move north. We have been thinking of moving from Portland for a while and recent occurances have been motivation. First, Chris had the most miserable, awful, disgrace of a day at work on New Years Day. our current neighborhood. I am tired of living across from "Mobile Masterpiece Theatre." Our new neighbors above us have, I do believe, been filming adult videos loudly about twice a month for till 5 in the morning. Unfortunately their "stage" is right above our bedroom. Third, the Property Management Co. and the complete nimrod that s the president of the Management Co...I could go on, but I don't want to dwell. Its time.
SO while perusing the rental ads, I stumbled upon a little town about 45 min. above Portland that advertised an apartment + artist studio space included in the low rent, with all ammentities included. We immediately made an appointment to see both the apartment and studio. Geoff, the owner, was great and met with us the next afternoon. The apartment was okay but the studio space was amazing. In the center of town, located in an old dance hall with 15 foot windows.....it is great. Its huge. We are definitely sold on the studio space. See photo above, which does not do the space justice at all, its quite bigger than it looks.
Now what to do about the move?
When we left Philly we wanted to be in a more rural small town setting. Portland is definitely small town. About 64, 243 people, which is comparable to Roxborough/Manayunk, my town back home. After having lived here, I am craving smaller.
Opinions are welcome....

pedaling

pedaling fast
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

This year Rob Brezsny, my all time favorite astrologer gave me this lovely predicition:

"Though millions of other people may be flirting with glamorous badness and crafty nastiness in 2007, I bet you'll have a minimal attraction to negativity, no matter how interesting it might allegedly be. Drama kings and drama queens may try to seduce you into the crazy chaos they stir up through their addiction to pain, but you'll be pretty immune to their temptations. Seemingly reasonable people might hope you'll buy into their gloom and doom, but you'll be too smart for that. Congratulations in advance for your determination to be free of the stupid suffering that so many people love to entertain themselves with."

& with that I just feel like I must keep ahead of all the negativity that skulks (is that a word?) around. So I am making this photo my reminder to keep ahead, keep pedaling. This year, perhaps, I will stop choking on what I want myself to be and just be it. Fill myself with joy & be who I am, whoever that woman is. Take the lesson from my little buddha and just be....learning and growing.