blue trees

Last week an artist and a crew of volunteers painted the trees outside Port Moody City Hall bright blue. The purpose of the project is to draw attention to the trees and the importance of trees in general. The paint is environmentally safe and will wash off naturally over time.

Andrew and I walked down to see them on Saturday. I think they are beautiful the way they are, with the blossoms just budding. Andrew thinks they will look so much nicer with the blossoms on. Several of our friends think they are very ugly. I can't wait to see the newspapers and read about any controversy that ensures. It will be interesting to see if anyone stands underneath a blue tree in the rain and gets died blue from the drips.

question: what do you think of the blue trees?

mompoet - blue is my favourite colour

afternoon in cozumel

Our cruise itinerary included an afternoon and evening in Cozumel, Mexico. We knew that snorkeling was our priority, so in advance of the trip, I booked a snorkel tour with Eagle Ray Divers. We decided to go with a small diving company rather than a big party boat outfit, and found that there would be time in the afternoon for a two-reef adventure.

On Wednesday, we woke up still at sea, but we could see the coast of Mexico to the west. We continued south and eventually saw the island of Cozumel. We docked around 12:30. Across from us was a big European cruise ship. While our ship was tied up and shore officials came aboard, we watched people getting on and off the other ship.

Once we were cleared to leave the boat we walked out the pier and into Mexico. There was no real customs and immigration that we could see, just some security and police watching as we walked off the pier into a complex of stores and restaurants. Beyond that we found taxis, and took a short ride to the marina. The taxi driver helped us find Eagle Ray where we met Antonio. I'm pretty sure our Antonio is Antonio number 2 (not the Antonio in the website). Antonio introduced himself as our snorkel guide, then took off on his bicycle to check in with his boss. The boss was there soon (Antonio number 1, I think). He confirmed arrangements and got us set up with cold beverages for the boat. Soon "The Captain" arrived with a small boat. It turned out that we were the only ones booked for snorkeling this afternoon, so we would have a private tour.

We scooted through the crowded little marina, and were just about to enter the bay when a call came over the radio. Captain reversed the boat and sped back to the slip, where he tied up and jumped on board Eagle Ray's other boat and went down below. A couple of minutes later he emerged with an automotive battery and some bottles of water. Antonio explained that Eagle Ray's other boat was stranded in the bay with mechanical problems. We had to make a rescue run before our snorkeling. Soon we were at the other boat. Captain and the other boat's captain had it fixed up quickly. We took 2 of 3 snorkel guests on board our boat, and ferried them back to their hotel dock before continuing on our tour.

This was our first time snorkeling from a boat. I was a bit frightened to jump off the side with my fins and gear, but after that it was wonderful. Underwater we found beautiful coral reefs, including caves and tunnels, which Antonio swam through to amuse us. Captain followed along with the boat while we swam along the reef. We saw lots of colourful tropical fish, including a big parrot fish that looked just like "Rainbow Fish" in the children's book. Antonio swam to the bottom to point out fish to us. Most amazing were big schools of fish swimming together, especially when they swam right through us (it felt more like that than us swimming through them). It's illegal to feed the fish, but Antonio told us some people do. That explained why so many swam right up to us, looking for all the world like our cat, first thing in the morning, "Okay, what do you have for me?"

We ended up visiting 3 reefs, rather than the two advertised - a nice bonus! We saw a couple of other snorkel groups in and on the water, but there was lots of space for everyone. We also enjoyed a couple of beers on the boat. Antonio and the Captain were friendly and kind. The boat was small and fast and it was very cool to have our very own adventure away from the crowds of tourists getting off the boat in Cozumel.

After our tour we took a taxi back to the pier. We showered and changed on the ship, then came back out for a bit of shopping and some supper. I found some good souvenirs and gifts. I had to haggle price with the merchants, which is something I'm not used to. I have no idea if I got good deals, but I sure saw some good theatre at the jewelery store! The furrowed brow, the intense use of the calculator and fervent polishing of the silver pendant. Then the feeling I was buying the guy's first born child for far too low a price to even mention. Oh well, I got what I was looking for, and I stayed within my budget.

For supper we decided to plunge into the touristy lunacy that is Charlies and Carlos. We opted for beers, but saw most guests drinking the famous yard long cocktails. The hosts and servers at the restaurant whipped the guests into a frenzy of singing, dancing on chairs, shouting and tequila guzzling conga line silliness. It was a lot of fun. We were given balloon hats to wear. We loved them so much we wore them back onto the ship.

We returned to the ship at about 9pm, just as the ship tied up at the other side of the dock was departing. Everyone on our ship stood on deck and shouted and waved goodbye to the passengers of the departing ship, who shouted and waved back to us. We left Cozumel about 10pm for our long journey back to Miami.

Our visit to Cozumel was short. I look forward to the opportunity to visit again.

question: have you jumped off a boat into the ocean?

mompoet - I recommend it

cruise photos

more cruise photos

dreambits

Thursday night I dreamed that I stepped on a rotten banana while wearing my good old Fry Boots. I bought these boots when I was 15 years old and I still have them. I haven't worn them in years, but I love that they are mine. In the dream, instead of cleaning the squished banana off my boots, I threw them away. I was conscious of this being a wasteful decision, but somehow thought it was my only option.

Friday night I dreamed that we were on vacation again and I did not know how we planned to get home. I had my vacation binder with all of our flight and hotel confirmations and my typed out itinerary chart, but there was nothing past our last day - no flight info. I was certain I had booked a return flight but had no evidence. I discussed with my husband the idea of just going to the airport in the morning and asking at every airline desk if they had a reservation for us that day.

Last night I dreamed that I slept in on a workday and woke with just minutes to get ready before I had to walk to work. I knew that I had ample time to get ready then drive my car to work, but I really wanted to walk to work, and the walk is one hour.

These dreams have similarities of anxiety, loss of judgment and control and wanting or knowing one thing is right, but doing another. I'm not sure how they connect with my waking life. I'll wait and see.

question: have you slept well and dreamed beautifully these past few nights?

mompoet - restless dream brain

the cruise

Last June, Andrew and I spent a nice weekend afternoon walking around Port Moody. A dozen of the stores and restaurants in "old Port Moody" had a promotion going on. We picked up passports at our first stop, then followed a map to all of the businesses. At each stop, we met the owner or manager of the business, explored the premises and picked up coupons, free samples, etc.and got our passports stamped. We frequent a number of these places already, and were pleased to get to know others. Everyone was lovely and welcoming, and most told us that not many people were participating in the passport game, so we had a good chance of winning the prize - a free cruise. A couple of days later we got a phone call from Joye of Joye's Stone Art Gallery. Joye told me that we won the prize. Hooray!

Andrew and I were not planning a vacation, mostly due to finances. Had we been planning a vacation, it surely would not have been a cruise. But here was an opportunity dropped in our laps. We decided to go for it. We chose from 3 possible itineraries, picked a date and booked it. Andrew researched flights and hotels, and the vacation was on.

We took our cruise in early March. We sailed on Carnival Imagination from Miami to Key West and Cozumel. The trip was fun and cruising was interesting, luxurious and enjoyable in many ways. I'll publish some photos in a separate post. Instead of telling the day by day story of the cruise, I'll share a few of my reflections in list form.

Things I liked about the cruise

• the dining room - we sat at a table with 3 other couples which was fun and friendly, our waiter and assistant waiter were charming, and the food was delicious, varied, well-presented and in small portions (that's good in my book)
• you can have whatever you want to eat - I had 3 appetizers and a dessert for supper on my first night in the dining room. You can have pizza in the middle of the night. At any time of day there are at least 3 different places to eat, including room service, and it's fresh and good, with lots of treats and lots of healthy food - more fruit and vegetables than I could conquer, that's for sure!
• friendly people - the staff are all lovely and friendly and obliging. Other passengers are just like us, ordinary people out for some fun and eager to share impressions and stories, always someone to chat with if you are in the mood
• clean and comfy - our second-cheapest-room-in-the-boat was spacious and clean with lovely linens and everything shiny new looking. A cabin steward was on duty at all hours to freshen things up, bring us ice or wine glasses, and greet us as we went out and came back in
• no internet - well, there is slow expensive internet so we opted out. This was a nice break from being online all the time
• excuse to dress up - we wore nice clothes to the dining room and nightclubs/shows every evening. I wore a different dressy dress every evening. This is a rare occurrence and it was fun.
• lounging - you don't have to do anything. You can sit and enjoy the see breeze and sunshine (or shade) all day if you like.
• people-watching - with 2000 passengers and 900 staff on board, there was no shortage of people on parade. It was fun to see couples, singles, families, kids, older folks, etc. What they ate, what they wore, who they hung out with. If you like this, you can do it all day and all night
• entertainment and activities - There were musical shows and comedy shows and musicians, and dance lessons and tournaments and jigsaw puzzle time, and health presentations and art auctions and ice sculpture demos and high tea on the high seas. It was all a bit on the corny side, but loveably so. The comedians were the best. They had late night shows that were very funny and lots of fun.
• the gym - there was a walking/running track on top of the ship. I went round and round that thing every morning in the fresh air and sunshine, then I visited the gym. It was well-equipped and maintained, with a mixture of people working out in a friendly and respectful way. No grunters or posers. Nice.
• sushi bar - 'nuff said
• the sea - it really is beautiful being out on the ocean. The water is an astonishing deep blue, like in Van Gogh's Starry Night. I have not seen that blue ever before anywhere else.
• Outdoors - lots of deck space. We took breakfast and lunch on the deck every day. We lounged and walked and sat and visited and had a drink and stood and watched the arrival in port and the departure from port, and other ships. I really loved the outdoor spaces and being out on deck.
• organization - checking in and getting on the boat was quick and easy. Getting off and back on at ports was quick and easy. Getting in and out of shows and restaurants was smooth silk. Getting off the ship and finding our luggage and passing customs inspection was speedy and uneventful. They know how to take care of lots of people who all want to do the same thing at the same time. I admired that tremendously.
• lots of stairs - we slept on level 4 (deep in the ship) and hung out on levels 9, 10 and 11. We left the elevators for families and older people and went up and down and up and down and up and down the stairs - good exercise to compensate for cruise eating
• time with my sweetheart - honestly, we could have been anywhere and it would have been good just to have this time away and any kind of new experience together. Yup, I love my husband and I love to do things with him. It's been a busy winter for both of us. This vacation came at the right time.

Things I did not like about the cruise

• paying for drinks - We don't drink that much anyway, but drinks were expensive, and add up easily when you are presenting your "sail and sign" card to pay the bill. We bought a wine package for supper (3 bottles at a discount) and carried on the allowable 2 bottles of wine to open in our cabin. We ended up carrying one of those bottles back off, so you can see, we didn't drink much! Two beer cost $15 with automatic tip and tax included. With lots of time to sit around and drink it would have been easy to rack up a huge bar bill. (we did not)
• smoking areas - most areas of the boat, including the cabin areas, were no-smoking, but a few deck areas were smokey, and the casino is a smoking area with no bypass hallway - to avoid the smokey place you have to go up one level, past the casino and back down
• photographers - Everywhere you go, everything you do, someone wants to take your photograph. Lots of people seemed to like it, and lots bought photos for lots of money at the photo sales area. There were even mini-studios set up all around the interior of the ship. You could stand by and watch a family or couple posing with a fake ship's steering wheel or bale of hay. We were asked several times each day to pose for a photo, but never pressured when we said no thanks. That was good. And it was pretty much fun to see some of the people posing for cheesey shipboard shots.
• interior decor - glass, brass, mirrors, neon, patterns on every piece of carpet, fabric and upholstery. The decor was definitely "more is better." I felt overstimulated almost immediately. This must be somebody's idea of beautiful but it was not mine! Our room decor was more simple, thank goodness! Best of all, the outside areas were decorated more simply and tastefully.
• the ceiling at the gym - metal mirror tiles that produced a funhouse image of me exercising. I had not contemplated this before, but now I know for sure. I don't want to look at myself in the ceiling when I am lying on the floor doing crunches!
• stuck on a boat - as nice as it was, and as many things as there were to do, we were stuck on a boat whenever we were at sea, which was a good part of the time. I know it's nice to have a hotel room that travels with you from one place to another, but I'd rather have my hotel in one place, and travel a bit farther on my own time, by my own schedule to see other places.
• short time in port - We got the tourist's eye view of our two ports because we were there for a short time. Cozumel was better than Key West, because I had arranged to do something ahead of time (I'll post about that later). I still had the feeling of being one of the American cows, off the boat with money hanging out of my pockets, coming to gorge on the local commerce before being herded back into the boat.

Things that surpised me about the cruise

• other people new to cruising - Our dinner table companions were all first time cruisers. None of us had actually chosen to book a cruise. One couple bought a car and got a cruise as incentive. Another won it in a golf tournament. The third couple bought it at a fundraiser silent auction. It was fun to trade discoveries at supper time.
• not seasick - I was really worried I might turn green but I did not. Even when the dining room started swaying noticeably on our last night. Even when the comedy club lurched from side to side later that same night. I was okay, without a sea band or meds or anything. This was remarkable and a big relief. I get carsick reading the name of the next stop on the bus.
• the big musical show - it was actually much better than I had anticipated. The "Welcome Aboard Show" was pretty cheesey, so I didn't expect much when we went to see "Shout!" on the final night of the cruise. Well, it knocked my socks off. The dancing, singing, sets, costume and production quality were great! I admired the small cast of young performers who must have been exhausted after their high-energy technically challenging show. I really admired that they did it on a stage that was lurching on choppy waters, but they didn't let on that anything was out of the ordinary. I admired even more that they did two performances back to back. It has to be hard work, but they brought true talent and commitment to their performances. The show was well put-together and a pleasure to watch.
• mal de debarquement - I got vertigo after leaving the ship. I'll post about that separately. Nobdoy warned me abou this one. Luckily, it lasted for just a few days.

I am glad we went on the cruise. I won't go on another one on purpose. It was nice enough, but not really our style. If we want another lazy vacation, we'll book into an all-inclusive resort and make it our home base.

I'm grateful that we won this prize and had this adventure together.

question - do you cruise? do you like it?

mompoet - now I know

towel art

I promise I'll tell you more about the big old cruise and Miami Beach vacation. For tonight I want to show you towel art. At the resort in Mexico a couple of years ago, we got towel art one night out of 7, on our wedding anniversary. On the cruise, we had a different towel creation (plus chocolates and turned-down blankets) every night. This is surely because of our wonderful cabin steward Rodney, who fixed up our room every time we stepped out even for a few minutes. I found out that there was one worker for every 2 guests on the cruise ship. We were grateful for Rodney's attentive care, although I must admit I left the cruise with mixed feelings about towel animals.

Towel animals are an important feature of the cruise ship experience. You can watch a channel on your cabin TV, totally devoted to ice sculpture and towel animal-making. I wonder if anyone goes home determined to make an ice sculpture every Saturday, and take turns with the hubby/wifey to make each other towel animals for bedtime every night? I am both amused and repulsed by the towel animal aesthetic. I'm not sure how to put it delicately, and perhaps you'll draw the same conclusion from the photos alone, but here it is: I think towel animals look something like croissants, and something like male genitals.

Needless to say, I did not buy the towel animal DVD or booklet. I'll leave the memories of the towel animals on the boat and accept them as a sign of Rodney the cabin steward's kindness and attention to detail. I hope that I will not encounter too many of these towel animals in my lifetime because I also think I am a little bit afraid of them.

question: do you like towel animals?

mompoet - I like towels that are flat, or occasionally folded into fans - no definitely flat!

kimmy wasabi laver

My friend Diane gave me a packet of Kimmy wasabi flavoured laver (seaweed) at work on Thursday. "You'll like this," she said, then warned me that it has a very intense flavour. Diane knows that I like wasabi peas, and said I would like this too. I took it home and enjoyed it with a beer after supper. It is wasabi-hot in a way your wouldn't expect nori seaweed to be. It is good though!

After I ate it I read the package and found the description of suggested uses as delicious as the snack itself. You can check this out on the product web page.

I hope I will get some more laver to snack on soon. Or perhaps for a fun beard or whiskers.

question: tried any new treats lately?

mompoet - the world is full of delicious adventures and fun whiskers

total irritated

Verbal trends and fads are irritating to me. I like to think of myself as a friendly and loving person who will tune in to the intention rather than the delivery, but sometimes, I get bugged by a particular way people are saying things, especially when lots of people are saying something wrong, all the same way. I don't speak perfectly correctly every time I open my mouth, but there are some things that people say that I just don't like. Maybe my brain is tuned in to these more than other people's brains. I don't know the reason. I just know that it irritates me.

Specifically, right now, it's the elimination of "ly" from adjectives. It's a trend that has been rolling along for about a year. Here's an example I heard on the radio yesterday:

"I was absolute astonished when..." (did you mean absolutely?)

Or what about this ad for toothpaste for sensitive teeth?:

"It worked instant!" (that's good, did it also work instantly?)

Are people allergic to saying "ly?" Is it some kind of shorthand that nobody told me about? Why do we do this to our perfectly good language? It's messed up enough already. I am totally LY LY LY irritated by this fad. So here's what I have to say. Does it sound okay to you?

I woke up this morning, particular__ ear__ and thought to myself, "It's time to go for my year__ appointment at the eye doctor. I walked to the bus stop and the bus arrived prompt__. I was so complete__ grateful because I get embarrassed when I am late for appointments. My Mom always told me it is total__ rude and ungracious to keep people waiting. Even so, I don't think my ophthalmologist would be too upset. He's a totally gnar__ dude who understands people like me, who sometimes have an alternative relationship with time. But still, I thought, "It would be sil__ to keep the eye doctor waiting. Let's get this appointment taken care of, then I'll go for lunch." After my eye check I went to the vegetarian restaurant, where I had a great tofu and bar___ soup which was fair__ delicious and wonderful__ garnished. That's one of the great things about living in Vancouver. Even if people follow goofy verbal trends you know you can get a consistent__ good eye examination and a reliab__ delicious tofu and barley soup. The tofu must have had a good effect on me. I calmed down after that and thought, "This is not a tragedy, just a bit of lazy unoriginal mis-speaking. People are good, even if they talk stupid. I can be friend__ and neighbour__ and stop being irritated by something that is real__ not important.

question: have you noticed this? or am I the only one whose ears are saying "OOOOWWWCH!"

mompoet - cashing in my annual allowance of grow__ harumphing

ps - I know I cheated on the barley, I'm just sayin'....

going away again

It's finally time for Andy and me to go away together. Last June we won a cruise in a contest sponsored by the businesses in old Port Moody. To enter, we visited a dozen stores and restaurants in our neighbourhood. Owners and managers were there to talk about their businesses, offer free samples and giveaways and get to know the people in the neighbourhood. At the end of the walkabout we turned in our passports for a prize draw. Mine was drawn and now we are off on a cruise. Thank you to the Port Moody merchants for your wonderful businesses, and for the great prize!

We had a choice of destinations. We decided to fly to Miami and sail to Key West and Cozumel. It's a short cruise - just 4 nights, but it will be an awesome adventure. Neither of us has been on a cruise. I don't think it would be my first choice of vacation if I was booking. Still, it will be great fun and a new experience.

Being me, I have been researching our destinations, our ship, and cruising in general, so we can get the most out of the experience. Andy researched and booked the flights and hotels. We'll drive to Seattle Saturday morning and fly out mid-day. We have a couple days at either end to enjoy South Beach in Miami, and we've booked a snorkel trip for our afternoon in Cozumel.

It feels weird to me to go so many places in such short time this winter. I guess that's just the way things happen. We'll probably travel a bit more when Fiona goes away to university. She'll mostly come home on her breaks, but I'm sure we'll want to visit from time to time. I guess this is the beginning of a new phase for us. Still, I don't think I'll be flying far away three times in two months again any time soon.

I am grateful for our good fortune, and for the wonderful opportunities that present themselves to us. Life is sweet.

question: where are you going?

mompoet - not packing again yet, but soon!

the red pot

Cathy sent me a facebook message last week, alerting me to a super sale on "the red pot." On Saturday, I bought it. It's a cast iron, enamel dutch oven that goes from stove top to oven to table top with awesome cooking power. This is the pot that Cathy has brought to Sechelt for our past couple of Septembers, to prepare our Julia Child feasts. Now I have one of my own.

My first recipe produced in the red pot was Chicken and Vegetable Coconut Rice from Canadian Living Magazine. It was really yummy! The recipe really makes a lot of food, stuffing my 3.5 quart pot to the brim. We enjoyed it for supper 2 nights in a row, and there was leftover enough even so for 2 work lunches and a bit for breakfast yesterday (served with a fresh mango for tropical flair).

I wonder if anyone would actually buy this pot for $99.99? As you can see from the Canadian Tire listing, I got it on sale for substantially less. I think it's worth a million bucks.

Cathy sent me a link to her favourite red pot recipe for beef and mushroom stew. I will try it soon!

Thanks, Cathy, for helping me get my own red pot.

question: do you have a favourite cookware in your kitchen?

mompoet - in love with my red pot

no place like home

I slept in this morning, for the first time since returning to work after Christmas break. It's lovely to have a quiet-ish weekend at home after a lot of busy days and weekends. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to go on trips and attend events and have exciting fun times with friends and family, but I do love home.

Right now, home is pretty messy, but very sweet. I was home most of the day Saturday, but instead of cleaning and organizing, I read the Saturday paper and watched an episode of Glee on shaw on demand and hung out with Andy while the kids were at work. In the evening I went to my friend Vic's parents' place for Vic's birthday supper, then on to my parents place to see my sister, who is in town for the weekend. I ate only a bit of the big Italian supper that Vic's mom cooked, so I was happy to join my own family at Cap Hill Szechuan for our usual big noisy yummy family supper.

Last Sunday I woke up in New York. This Sunday it was Port Moody. I can't wait to go back to New York when I get the chance, but I love Port Moody the best. I guess that's one of the nicest things about going away - you appreciate your own home even more when you return.

Today I made a yummy breakfast for the family, then I lounged while Fiona and her friend baked cookies and cupcakes for a fundraiser at school. I cooked lunch for Alex before he left for his afternoon shift at work, and bought opera tickets online for my Mom and me (the simulcast Met performance at the cineplex). Andy and I discussed plans for our upcoming vacation. Sunday after next, I will wake up in Miami Beach. I did spend some time Saturday getting our itinerary typed out, our cruise ship pre-registration done online, and travel papers organized into a binder (a lifesaver when you make your travel arrangements a la carte).

Now it's three in the afternoon, and I think I might do a bit of tidying. This cozy nest is even more lovely with clean bathrooms and and a freshly-swept kitchen floor. I have plans for a coconut chicken recipe from Canadian Living magazine for supper, and Fiona made a blueberry cake for us for dessert.

Life is sweet, and suitably slowed down for an in-between weekend. I am happy. My heart beats slowly. All is well.

question: what do you do when you decelerate?

mompoet - just being

Peter Rowan

I am loving this music right now, especially this song.



question: is your cage better than my cage?

mompoet - just odd

avenue q

On Thursday evening, after our day with Al and our visit to the Empire State Building at dusk, and after our second visit to Yum Yum Too Thai restaurant for a second really yummy Thai supper, we saw Avenue Q at the New World Stages.

This was our fifth of five musicals during our week in New York. The New World Stages is "off-Broadway," not because the other theatres are on the street called Broadway and it is on a different street. It's "off-Broadway" because of the size of the theatre. So it was in a smaller venue than the other shows we saw that week.

You have probably heard about this show. It's touring and in Vancouver right now. There was an article about it in the Sun yesterday. If you haven't heard of it, imagine Sesame Street for grown-ups. Definitely not for children. In the way Sesame Street addresses all of the stuff kids go through, with frank, funny and concrete illustration, Avenue Q looks at the lives of 20-somethings. There are songs like "It Sucks to be Me," and "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist." There are lots of references to sex. There is sex (with puppets). When I watched it I felt uncomfortable, and I laughed, and I said, "OK, I can relate." In the show, there are people portraying characters with puppets and people portraying characters as actors, and a strange feeling that everyone is portraying his or her own self. It was weird and wonderful and had some surprising layers of experience and meaning.

Don't take your kids, but if you get a chance to see it, I recommend Avenue Q.

question: Q?

mompoet - Q

the big apple is a friendly place

I'm trying to tell the story of our trip, bit by bit, while the memories are still fresh. My mom told me yesterday that when you travel, your memories do stay with you, and you have the benefit of remembering and re-living the experience long after it happens. I will always remember our day with Al Riggi.

Al Riggi is a volunteer for the Big Apple Greeters organization in New York City. He is one of 300 volunteers who show people around their city. We found out about Big Apple Greeters on Trip Advisor in an article on inexpensive things to do in New York. While we were not allowed to pay Al, we made a contribution to the Big Apple Greeter organization. Our experience was priceless.

When we arrived at our hotel, there was a fax for us, confirming the arrangements for our visit, and requesting that we phone Al to confirm. I called him right away, and he was happy to hear from us. He asked us if we were okay to walk, and told us he'd meet us Thursday, in our hotel lobby, at 10am. About 9am Thursday, Al called to say the trains from Queens (where he lives) to Manhattan weren't running. We ate breakfast and went out on an errand, keeping in touch by cell phone. Al took some buses instead, and met up with us in Times Square at 10:30. It was a chilly bright day.

Al took us through the streets and buildings of mid-town Manhattan. We saw the the Roxy Theatre, the Empire State building, the Chrysler building, Macy's, Bryant Park, the New York City Library, The Pan Am Building, Grand Central Station, St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Thomas's Church, Trump Tower, a bunch of amazing stores around 5th Avenue, Bloomingdales and Central Park. He would have liked to have taken us out on the subway and the Brooklyn Bridge, but we had to cut our visit short after 3 1/2 hours, because we had an appointment in the afternoon. Al told us he often takes visitors walking for 6 hours!

Along the way, Al showed us treats and treasures that we would never have encountered, had we simply walked around with a guidebook in hand. He told us the history of many of the buildings, like how the New York City Library stands on the site of the old city reservoir that took several years to demolish before the library was built. He told us how the library works too, with 6 sub-ground levels of stacks in which 30 staff run around, fetching books requested up in the reading rooms. The books are sent up to the correct location by a conveyer/elevator system built when the libary was, about 100 years ago.

Al showed us wonderful Bryant Park, which I will describe in a separate post. Suffice for now to say it has the world's finest public outdoor restroom. He took us into Trump Tower and the churches, where visitors are welcome, but we wouldn't have known that. He introduced us to the amazing underground Apple Store, which is open 24 hours a day, and teeming with people buying the latest computers or just checking their email. He found us free chocolate and introduced us to his granddaughter who works at FAO Schwartz toy store. At FAO Schwartz, Fiona played the giant jump-on piano. We went to Tiffany's Jeweler, where Al introduced me to a salesman who invited me to try on a beautiful sapphire and diamond bracelet, featured in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. The bracelet cost $85 THOUSAND, so I did not buy it.

Central Park is a beautiful place, and was filled with people, even on a weekday afternoon in the middle of winter. Al showed us the zoo, where he visited as a boy to see lions and giraffes. The zoo has fewer animals now but is still a treasure for families. He told us about how the park was designed and built, and how every one of the 30-some bridges has a unique design. We had time only for the northernmost tip of the park, but he showed us the roof line of the Dakota Hotel, over the trees, so named because when it was built, it was "out in the country" as far away to some as Dakota.

As we walked, Al told us about his life. He was born in Manhattan, and played stickball on the streets as a boy. As a teenager, he got a job at Bloomingdales. He was drafted to the army on the same day that America signed the armistice agreement, and served two years in the States as an air force photographer. After serving, he returned to New York. His old boss at Bloomingdales offered him a job in the electronics department, where he stayed for the rest of his working days. Al told us about some of the famous people who visited his department. He once sold 3 small electronic keyboards to the Queen of Spain for her children. He played 2 demo songs for her, and she played a song for him. Al worked part time as a professional photographer. That's how he met his wife. A buddy was sick, and asked Al to fill in for him, photographing a wedding. He was invited to stay and eat, and he met the love of his life at his table. Al told me several times how he has led a life of great good fortune. Now widowed and long retired from working, he volunteers as a Big Apple Greeter and as an ESL teacher, and he delights in his family. We are truly fortunate to have met him.

As our visit wound up, Al took us to the subway station and showed us how to purchase a metro card and use it to get past the turnstile. He showed us how to find the right train to get to our destination in downtown Manhattan, and wished us well. We left Al grateful for a warm, wonderful and friendly visit to a beautiful city, knowing we had surely met our first friend in New York.

question: did you ever spend time with a generous stranger who became a friend?

mompoet - blessed

prom gown

Fiona is on semester break, and I got the afternoon off work, so we went shopping for a "grad dress" which is what we call the gown you wear to your high school graduation dinner dance in these parts.

We went to brideville in New Westminster. Did you ever notice how bridal stores are in little clusters in various places? If you find one bride store, chances are there are six or seven in the same block. The closest one for us it about 20 minutes from home, on the bank of the Fraser River in downtown New West.

Lots of girls and their moms, and girls and their friends, and one girl and her boyfriend and mom were shopping for dresses. We visited about a half dozen stores, and found and purchased a dress in just a couple of hours. Fiona says I can say whatever I want about the dress, but I don't want to give everything away, especially in a specific way that I will explain soon. So here is what I have to say about moms and daughters and grad dresses.

When a mom shops with her daughter for a grad dress, she wants her daughter to look and feel beautiful at a special celebration event. Invariably, she remembers her own grad night and the gown she wore to it. She tries not to tell the story of her own grad (for the 50th time) nor to describe the gown she wore, nor to reminisce about how she sewed her own gown, or how they all drew their grad dates out of a hat (no lie, the whole class).

She hopes that her daughter's choice won't be too expensive, and if her daughter is sensible, she will assist in this, by discreetly checking price tags before trying on gowns. "Pouffy gowns,' the ones with layers and taffetta ballgown skirts and lots of fake jewels and frou-la-las start at $500. "Slinky gowns," the more form-fitting ones, start at $200. After that, the sky is the limit. The girls trying on dresses at the bride store look approximately like the women who walk the red carpet at the Golden Globe awards. The dresses are that fancy. (They are, however, not quite as expensive as those Golden Globe dresses.) Still, they are that fancy.

Once a number of gowns are tried on, and the right one is found, measurements are taken, colour swatches are consulted and a choice made, then the mom pays a down payment, and we all go away for about 3 months. The gown will be made to order in the correct size and colour. Then the girl and the mom go home. On the way home, the girl text-messages her friends to say that she has found the gown, and to advise that the deadline for orders at one shop is this Sunday. After that, the samples go on sale, and you take what you get. The mom tells the dad that the gown has been bought. The girls' friends start asking, "What does it look like? Did you take a picture?" (the gown store says no pictures please) The mom thinks about how moms describe their daughters' gowns to each other by gesturing towards their own bodies, showing how the bodice and skirt of their daughter's gown go on their own shoulders and hips. The mom tells the girl she will not do this. "I don't want to describe your dress on my body!" The girl says it's ok that moms do this. The mom resolves not to do this, even so.

So, here's what I will say about the dress. It is romaine green at the top and brussel sprout green at the bottom. It has taffetta under one half of the skirt and spandex under the other half. It has a satin belt in a grilled eggplant colour, with embroidered ladybugs with sequins for eyes. The sleeves are long, for modesty. On is a trumpet sleeve, with a real trumpet built in for band students. The other is a fitted sleeve that is hand-painted to resemble tattoos celebrating the school name and year of graduation. The skirt can be converted to a mini, using a carefully concealed zipper. It is biodegradable. It has a turtleneck at the front and a lizardneck at the back. It laces up with a piece of licorice. It comes with matching shoes, which is to say the shoes match each other but not the dress. When I step back and look at it, it makes me think of Newark. It cost $14.99.

question: what did you wear to prom/grad?

mompoet - just zipping it and enjoying the celebration

double double

Wednesday would be our two-show day, we decided. There are matinees and evening shows Wednesday. We got up bright and early and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at our hotel. I can't say enough good about our hotel. We stayed at the Hampton Manhattan Times Square North. It was affordable and right in Manhattan a short walk from Times Square and it was really nice. The room was cozy but totally clean and modern with nice furniture and decor, great linens and a splendid view from our 11th floor window out to bustling 8th Avenue below us. The breakfast room was amazing! There was space for about 100 guests, and lots of people came and went from 6am-10am while it was open. There were hot foods (bacon, eggs, sausage, hash browns), 2 waffle-makers, cereal, breads and pastries, yogurt, 2 different fruit salads, fresh fruits, oatmeal, granola, hot chocolate, good coffee, juices and a good selection of teas. The staff in the breakfast room kept everything fresh, tidy and stocked-up. The coffee bar stayed open 24 hours a day, along with a gigantic bowl of fresh apples in the lobby, and fresh cookies that appeared there every afternoon. There was a concierge who helped us figure out how to get places, free computers and printers and plenty of front desk staff to help with whatever we needed (to borrow a 3-hole punch, for example). There were free newspapers, fresh flowers in the lobby and outside the elevator on each floor, and kooky little black and white photos accompanying informational signs. We felt safe and comfortable and pampered every day and night we stayed there. It felt like a place where guests are valued and enjoyed.

So, after our morning love-fest with the hotel, we headed out in search of rush tickets. It was a bit complicated, seeing as different theatres sell their discount tickets at different times, and we had 2 shows to pick. It took some strategizing when we didn't find exactly what we wanted at first, and a fair bit of running around (really running, I mean) but after about 2 hours of work we had tickets to two shows.

We saw the matinee performance of Wicked at the gargantuan Gershwin Theatre. I had heard that I "must" see Wicked, and knew it was a very popular show. I guess I thought that it couldn't be as good as all that, but I guess we had better see it to find out what all the fuss is about. Oh my goodness. I am so glad that we saw it. Wicked was, by far, the most grand of all the shows that we saw. Costumes, scenery, company size - everything about it was grand and opulent. But it was better than that. The story was compelling and clever and funny and sad and sweet in turns. The performances were stellar. I was totally captivated and swept away into the world of Oz. I caught myself not breathing a couple of times. It was totally delicious and satisfying and great and definitely worth all the fuss.

We had time for a quick supper before our evening show, so we went to Angelo's pizza for supper. Their brick oven pizza was recommended to us by a friend. We thought it was pretty darn good! We ordered a small, and couldn't finish it.

Our evening show was Memphis. This was the best music of the whole trip. The story is set in the 1950s in Memphis. It's a love story about a radio DJ and a singer. It's about race relations, family, fame and music. The singing and dancing was fantastic. It was funny and moving and fast paced. We wanted more when it was over. The audience jumped out of their seats for a standing ovation, and stayed standing to watch and cheer the on-stage orchestra as they played the closing number. Memphis had not been our plan for the evening, but I am so glad that we saw it. So far, I think if I had to recommend a show I'd say go see Billy Elliot or Memphis. Both have strong, authentic story-telling and amazing music, singing and dancing.

We got back to the hotel about 10:45 and phoned home because it was just before 8pm there. It was hard to explain what a great day we had. What a treat to see two Broadway shows in one day, two such different worlds. I remarked to Fiona that we were experiencing realities completely different from our own. She told me that she is actually an African American coal mining munchkin and also a zombie. What a day.

question: did you ever gorge on shows?

mompoet - always room for more...

slushy

It snowed overnight Monday. Tuesday morning we woke to slushy slick streets with freezing rain falling continuously. Luckily we packed lots of warm clothing, good warm waterproof boots and umbrellas. I wish I had packed my rain gear too!

After breakfast we walked over to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre to try for rush tickets to The Addams Family. By 10:30 we had our tickets so we set off on an adventure in the yukky mucky weather. We decided it would be a good day to have a look around so we got on one of the New York sightseeing buses - the kind that have an open top in the summer. In the winter they install plexiglass covers so you can still look up at the tall buildings, but you have some shelter and warmth. We took the downtown tour and saw Macy's, the garment district, the Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, SoHo, the Lower Eastside and East Village, the Financial District, Rockefeller Center, Battery Park and the Staten Island Ferry.

We mostly stayed on the bus and marveled at the different buildings and businesses and homes and people outside. The tour guides gave us a mix of interesting history and weird trivia. We passed a Bhuddist temple with a bookstore below offering something - we're not quite sure what really. It was good to do this because it gave us an idea of what to come back for on another day when it's not raining ice cubes.

We got off the bus near the World Trade Centre site, and saw ground zero and the re-construction. It's very moving to see how huge the area of destruction really is, and how ordinary shops and buildings cling tightly around the edge. We sat in a coffee shop and wondered what it must have been like for people stopping here that morning. We imagined running up the the street outside, away from the blast. The day before we had spoken to a man in the TKTS lineup whose cousin, a NY firefighter, had died during the rescue effort. It's still immediate and very real here.

We also visited Century 21, a multi-storey discount fashion department store. If you've been to Winners in Canada, imagine 25 X Winners and you'll get the idea. We found a few things to buy, but became overwhelmed by the volume and variety. There are designer items for 1/4 the regular price and also nicer retail lines at super deep discounts. People were dragging rolling baskets around, heaped with coats and dresses and handbags and other things. If I lived here, I think I'd go there a lot.

By the time we got back to the hotel, we were cold and damp, so we warmed up with hot chocolates from the hotel coffee counter, and changed for the evening. We had some sushi for supper. 9th Avenue seems to be a very good place for small, affordable non-franchise restaurants. We were surprised to see no yam roll. I wonder if it's just that restaurant, or if yam roll is not something that people eat here?

After supper we saw The Addams Family. It was hilarious as a musical, with the same grim/cheery humour of the New Yorker cartoons and the TV show that followed them. Just before curtain time we were advised to turn off our cell phones and refrain from taking photos or recordings. We were also told that use of firearms, axes, guillotines, nooses and thumbscrews was not permitted during the performances but strongly encouraged during the intermission. Nathan Lane played Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth played Morticia. The songs were just splendid and dark and intelligent and funny. There was some puppetry and a bit of flying and just generally dark and dangerous and funny fun. I laughed all the way through it.

This morning we decided to go slow. We're going to try to do back-to-back shows today, so we'll go out soon to try for the lottery for matinee Wicked tickets then see if there are any rush tickets for Avenue Q for the evening show. This week is going by quickly!

question: do you ever take thumbscrews to the theatre?

mompoet - oops, forgot to pack mine

first day in New York

Finally found a few minutes to post a couple of photos. These are from the day we arrived.

question: how much can you get to know a place in 5 days?

mompoet - getting

a strange and wonderful place

Our plane from Dayton to NY was very small - just 48 passengers at full capacity. The flight took a little over an hour. As we descended towards Laguardia airport, I saw the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, then the tall buildings of Manhattan. It felt totally surreal, like we were watching television through the airplane window.

We grabbed a taxi into the city and found our hotel. It is a wonderful, lovely, friendly, gorgeous and (relatively) inexpensive hotel. It was noon, and our room was not yet ready, so we registered and dropped our bags, then headed out to find show tickets.

We checked first at the New World Stages Theatre for rush tickets to Avenue Q but they were already sold out. It was a bit of an unusual Monday for theatre, being Martin Luther King's birthday, so shows that don't usually run Mondays were running, and probably people who don't go see shows were going to see them. We headed over to the TKTS booth in Times Square. It's a place where you line up for mid-afternoon sales of discount tickets to most of the Broadway and Off-Broadway plays and musicals. We were about 5th in line 90 minutes before it opened. It was very cold there, so we were glad we dressed warmly. Fiona went to find hot chocolate for us while I stood in line. We chatted with the people around us - a young man visiting from New Zealand, a lady from Tampa Florida and a retired teacher who lives in New York. About half an hour before the booth opened they announced what shows they had available. We decided to try for Billy Elliot instead of Avenue Q, which we think we can see later in the week. We got half-price tickets in the 4th row. We were headed to our first Broadway show, on our very first day in New York.

My first impression of Times Square (by day) was sensory overload and wacky wonderment. It feels safe here, with so many people just out reveling in the weirdness and commercialism and mix-up mashup of people and purposes. There are police officers all around, smiling at you when you jaywalk or jump the walk signal, and also guys dressed up in pharaoh headgear to promote the King Tut exhibit, and Elmos from Sesame Street. Multiple Elmos on adjacent street corners. I'm not sure why. There are giant billboards many storeys tall on the sides of buildings flashing electronic messages and images and videos. There are big stores and little stores and vendor carts and people standing on the sidewalk trying to get you to go to tapings of TV shows and other attractions.

Our supper was at a nice Thai restaurant on 9th Avenue. It was delicious and not expensive. We were still pinching ourselves that we were in New York. After supper we visited Times Square at night. There were about 3 times as many people there as in the daytime. We went inside the M&Ms store (3 floors of M&Ms and M&Ms paraphenalia) and the giant Toys R Us with a full size ferris wheel inside the store. It was really cold out by now so we got tea at Starbucks and walked around hugging our cups for extra warmth.

Finally it was time to see the show. Billy Elliot is on at the Imperial Theatre. It's really grand inside, with lots of red velvet and gold leaf and giant crystal chandeliers. Our seats were amazing. The show was even better than we had expected. The 11 year old boy who played Billy is an incredible actor and dancer. The show told the story of the 1980s national coal miner's strike in England, and the story of Billy, a young boy growing up in a doomed town, who discovers his talent and passion for ballet. The two stories were woven together beautifully in song and dance. I liked that most of the story was told in the music and movement. The ensemble was great too. The ballet girls were all very good dancers and good actors, portraying awful dancers in most of the dance school scenes. The adult cast and ensemble members looked like good working class people from the 1980s, but then they danced. It's hard to explain how police officers and coal miners tap dancing can authentically convey a sense of time and place and circumstance, but they do. I cried about 6 times through the show, mostly due to the story, but at least once because I realised, "I am in New York, watching a Broadway show."

When we got back to the hotel it was 11pm, but only 8pm at home, so we called home and rattled out everything that had happened in the last 10 hours. It felt incredible that we could already have done and seen so much. We fell asleep tired and happy and excited about the days ahead.

question: what's more believable to you? a tap-dancing coal miner? or a police officer in a tutu?

mompoet - the luckiest mom in the world

it's monday this must be dayton

Last night we turned in the rental car. I can now say that I have driven an SUV (with summer tires) considerable distances on midwest freeways in the freezing cold and light snow for a few days. Luckily the roads were clear and dry and the GPS worked. Except for one hilarious loop-de-looping misadventure on Saturday evening, I have found our targets neatly and quickly. I'm not sure what happened Saturday. I guess that I am not good at following precise directions in rapid sequence while traveling at high speed. We circled our hotel area on instersecting freeways for about 10 extra minutes going on-ramp/off-ramp/on-ramp/off-ramp. Our dear GPS, nicknamed "Audrey 3," just said "Re-calculating route" every time I missed the correct turn, and she got us in to where we needed to go, eventually.

This morning we shuttled in to the airport from our hotel, and now we wait for the plane to New York. Fiona is looking at Broadway musicals online. I am checking email, facebook chatting and posting this blog. Gotta go. They're calling us to board.

question: what do you recommend in New York?

mompoet - going NOW!

the traveling pajamas and the sock monkey

Here's a photo of me wearing the famous traveling pajamas while Cameron and I check email in the hotel room. The pajamas are on this trip but will probably not make a public appearance. That will be Cameron's job.

question: what's cozier? flannel PJs or a cuddly sock monkey?

mompoet - Nelson the rat stayed home to keep Andy and alex company

more sock monkey pix

Here's Cameron at a safe place (in case of a tornado), eating lunch at an airport restaurant and in Grandma and Grandpa's car, driving to Seattle.

question: wouldn't you like to get around like Cameron does?

mompoet - stay tuned, tomorrow Cameron and the traveling pajamas appear in the same blog post

on the road with a sock monkey

It's hard to believe how quickly we traveled so far from home. I'm passing a day on a university campus with plans to meet up at day's end. I'm keeping the details of the universities out of my blog, because that's not really my story. I will try to share some of the impressions and experiences of the trip in general. At the moment, it's surreal, all the imagining: will this be the place? what would it be like to visit here? How can it feel so ordinary to be in a strange city at a strange university just sitting here eating a salad, watching students walk by, posting my blog?

Fiona and I have agreed that Cameron the sock monkey will be our traveling companion. Cameron was crafted by Carol, one of the amazing craft-making members at the seniors' recreation centre where I work. Carol estimates she has made 50 sock monkeys by now. Cameron is mine. My plan is to introduce Cameron to people as we go, ask if I can take a photograph and post it to my blog. In New York, we're going to find out if anyone will believe that the heart on Cameron's sweater is representative of the Canadian flag, and that on February 1, 2011, Canada will change its flag from a maple leaf to a heart.

Fiona has taken some of the photos, and I haven't had time to switch them from her sd card into my computer, so these are just a few of the photos. We introduced the monkey to our seatmate on the plane from Seattle to Denver, a nice young man, recently graduated from Michigan State University. That's Matt in the photo, holding Cameron on the plane. Cameron is wishing Matt a good visit with his Mom and Dad who live near Boulder, and also wishing him success in his career in animation for computer games.

Cameron also helped Fiona practise her monologues, and sat with me for a while, to reassure me that driving a rental car around the midwest in January wouldn't really be all that bad. So far, he's been right.

We are have a good time here, managing to get where we need to go and do what we need to do. First round of auditions will be finished Sunday afternoon, after which we'll fly to New York for a few days of fun before one more audition then home.

question: would you like to be photographed with Cameron?

mompoet - taking it all in and sending some of it back out

en route

We are on our way today, flying out of Seattle airport. This is the first time I have traveled with a portable computer, so instead of reading a book or magazine while we wait for our plane, I am reading email, checking facebook, and posting my blog.

We spent the night in an airport hotel after eating supper with my parents, who kindly drove us to Seattle for the start of this trip. We fly today to Detroit. The next 3 or 4 days will be the most challenging for me, because I'll be driving around in a rental car, finding places in cities I have never visited - or at least never visited as the responsible adult in charge of getting places. I brought the GPS with me, and I've mapquested our city-to-city trips. I'm sure we'll be okay, although we might take one or two of what Fiona has always called "Mommy's Scenic Route."

Please wish/visualise/say a prayer for our safe journey.

question: where have you traveled lately? did you do anything new? go anywhere strange?

mompoet - nervously optimistic

up and away

In a few minutes Fiona and I will hop in the car with my parents, who will drive us to Seattle. Tomorrow, Fiona and I will fly away on a trip to visit universities and to spend a few days in New York City. NEW YORK CITY! NEW YORK CITY!

We have never been to New York City. We are excited.

I'll try to blog a bit along the way. Stay tuned.

question: have you ever been to NEW YORK CITY?

mompoet - did I mention? I'm going

sour is my favourite

When Cathy asked me what kind of drink I would like at my birthday celebration, I did not hesitate before telling her I wanted it to be sour. I think I said "tangy," actually, and later she checked and clarified. Whatever I said, I know that sour is my favourite. The drink that she concocted was both tangy and sour - sour enough to please me and also be fine for those who are not as appreciative of the pucker as I am.

These potato chips fall into the same category. They have a mustardy edge that is balanced by a bit of sweetness. I love them just as much as I love salt and vinegar chips. They are kind of a more grown up version of that old favourite. I have to admit that while pregnant I was addicted to salt and vinegar chips. I ate lots of healthy foods too, but I simply could not get enough sour. I also ate tons of grapefruit.

I like acidy apples, puckery grapefruit, vinaigrette salad dressing, sour candies and lemon and lime juice for sauces and seasoning. I love hard apple cider with fresh lime wedges. When I pour an ice tea, I like to rub a lemon all around the rim of the glass for an extra little hit of sour with each sip.

question: do you like sweet? sour? salty? creamy? what's your favourite flavour element?

mompoet - pucker up baby!

my birthday party at Cathy's house

When Cathy moved with her family to Newport last year, she told us that she would celebrate each of our birthday's at her place, AND invent a signature cocktail for each of us. When my birthday rolled around in late November, everyone was busy with the Christmas rush, so we gladly postponed until after Christmas. On Friday, we gathered for my birthday.

What a fun evening! Cathy responded to my request for something "green and tangy" with a green apple sourpuss martini, garnished with a gummi worm. Everyone bought great yummy snacks, and Cathy baked a delicious Kentucky gingerbread cake, which she served with warm caramel sauce and ice cream. The Ladeez gave me great cards and sweet gifities, and we had a generally lovely evening. I introduced everyone to Cameron, my sock monkey, who was welcomed to our circle like an old friend.

I am blessed to have such wonderful women friends and such great times.

question: how long was your longest birthday?

mompoet - not sure if we're celebrating late for 49 or early for 50 (or both!)

what else could go wrong?

This is from youtube - video of a community theatre production of Peter Pan. Watch carefully after the curtain re-opens. Peter Pan appears at the window. The script calls for him to fly into the room, have a conversation with grown-up Wendy (to the right, in the rocking chair), then fly off with Jane, Wendy's daughter, who is in the bed on the left. Whoever was flying the actors must have pulled on the wrong wire. Watch as Peter stays grounded on the windowsill, and poor Jane is yanked, unexpectedly from bed.



question: who is flying?

mompoet - loving the unexpected, especially when nobody gets hurt

desserts of 2010

Yesterday was almost the last day of the year. Andrew, Fiona and I drove down to Bellingham to shop at Bellis Fair for a couple of hours. On the way home, we stopped at the wonderful Edaleen Dairy for milk, and decided to get ice cream cones too. Neither Fiona nor I could finish our "single scoop" cones. We decided that next time we must order the baby cone instead. Andrew, on the other hand, devoured the "super" size soft serve that he ordered.

Later, we went to the home of our friends, Robin, Ralph and Emma for supper. We were joined there by Louise, and also by my Mom and Dad. We enjoyed a delicious potluck supper and lots of laughter. Louise made the exquisite towering cake and ice cream creation that you see in the photograph. It was almost as tall as Andrew's ice cream cone.

question: what dessert do you choose for your last one of 2010?

mompoet - happy (hippy) new year!

big apple greeters

I just submitted a request for a tour with a Big Apple Greeter. It looks like a great way to get to know a New York City neighbourhood a little bit better - something we'd never find on our own.

question: If you could show somebody your favourite neighbourhood, what would you show them?

mompoet - hoping we are chosen!

$99 for laser hair removal in brooklyn

Fiona and I will be in New York City in mid-January. It's part of a college audition trip she'll be taking (and I get to go along!) to some prospective universities. In between Dayton Ohio and Montclair New Jersey we get a 5 day stopover in New York City.

I have been researching good deals for while we are there. Fiona's on top of how to get rush tickets to Broadway musicals. I'm looking at the other stuff. I have been checking out Groupon deals for New York City. So far I can get a cheap dental exam, Bikram yoga sessions and laser hair removal, but that's not quite what we're looking for. I'll keep checking, though!

As well as New York, Montclair and Dayton, we'll be in Ann Arbor and Berea (near Cleveland). We'll fly the big legs, then drive around Michigan and Ohio. I am praying for favourable weather. This will be a challenging trip for me as the transportation and accommodation coordinator and loving support mom. It will be even more challenging for Fiona to perform at the auditions. We'll both get a chance to look at the schools that she is considering, and think about what it would be like to live and study there.

If you know any great things to do or see that don't cost a million dollars, please let me know. Our touristing will be confined to the New York part of the trip, because of the tight timeline to get in and out of the other cities.

question: How much would you pay for laser hair removal in Brooklyn?

mompoet - figuring it all out

movie

In the middle of all of the eye-piercing ear-splitting spectacles and heart-jolting suspense thrillers and over-inflated romantic comedies, there are some gems. I just found one of them. Alex and I saw The King's Speech last night. It was understated and lovely. I recommend it. Like a crisp fresh pear among all of the plum puddings and turduckens.

question: seen any good movies lately?

mompoet - liking the ones that are mostly about people

I remember

This is the song "I Remember," written by Stephen Sondheim for a TV musical drama special called Evening Primrose. It aired in 1966 on ABC Stage 67. It's newly available on DVD, and I ordered it for a birthday present for myself. Charmian Carr, the actor who played Liesl in The Sound of Music, plays Ella in the TV special. Anthony Perkins plays Charles, a young poet who decides to escape the harsh world outside and live secretly in a department store. He is surprised to find Ella and a community of other people already living there.

Watching a show made for TV in the 60s is a little bit strange. The production style and quality is somewhat distracting but the story is strange and compelling, and the characters simply drawn but authentic. Anthony Perkins can talk/sing his way through a song pretty well. Charmian Carr is lovely, lovely, lovely. Stephen Sondheim is simply splendid, as usual.

question: what do you remember?

mompoet - feeling the beat of my heart in the rhythm of a song

Irv RIP

One of our friends from the Cold Wet Weather Mat Program died outside on Sunday. Here's a news story about his death. I feel sad to know that his hard life ended far too early. I wish that we would have done something to make a different outcome for Irv.

Please continue to support the establishment of a permanent shelter for homeless people in the tri-cities. These are our brothers and sisters.

question: what can we do?

mompoet - pondering

cleaning house - response to fernando's burrito

my vacuum cleaner
cleans floor
like a
teenager
cleans bedroom

45 minutes
of angry smelly
injured cursing
like
I just asked it to
hijack the mail truck
to the children's hospital
or tell an untruth
on its
twitter feed

it picks up nothing
kicks through
the stuff on the floor
picks up nothing
shouts about stuff
I must have taken
and hidden
(like I would have
any reason to
take and hide
its stuff)
it picks up nothing

finally
finds one thing
it wants
takes it to another room
drops it there
complains
it is too full
too hot
too tired
too busy
too teenager
to actually suck
at anything

I pick up that this is a time
to pick my battles
and retreat
for now
wondering
is this a stage
or a permanent disability?
is it my fault
that my vacuum cleaner
won't suck?

It's only the bedroom
we can close the door
I'm not resentful

but for now
I will not call it a vacuum
I will call it a vacum
because it doesn't pick up anything
it doesn't suck
and it doesn't deserve
to have the letter u
twice in its name