Cottonwood Dance (#26)

Cottonwoods curving near
long red grasses;
both guarding irrigation streams
on sacred native lands.
Passing evenly-plowed
tidy plots of land
in the shadows
of the Santa Ana Mesa,
waiting
for sun
for warmth
for spring
for planting.
Cattle and horses
graze on rounded tufts
of green
while the
silver-edged
cottonwoods
dance
near the water.


(Please note;
photography
on native lands
is not permitted.
This photo was taken
near Tesuque.)

Spring in Santa Fe (#25)

After six inches of snow -
over one inch of ice
two days ago...

Ahhhhh spring.
M

Railrunner - Santa Fe & Bernalillo (#24)

Our first trial run on the Railrunner passenger train
The pride and joy of New Mexico.

Short trip today;
Santa Fe to Bernalillo, NM.
(population in 2003: 6,986)








Late lunch at The Range Cafe in Bernalillo
(Mary, you were right - the food was great!)





Wandered around the town for a few hours
and then a quick train ride home.





Score for the Railrunner experience?
Great! I just wish it ran on Sundays, too...



M

Tax Cat/Potsticker Cat (#23)

Luna
at her best:

Fine dining



Helping with taxes


Good cat.

#22

I'm too tired to think.
Wait, maybe not:

Marty's Universal Truths
About Being A Patient
In A Hospital:

****Caution!!!
The term "crap" is used
in this blog.
If you could be offended by
the term "crap",
please read no further.
****Secondary Caution!!!
The term "butt" is
also used -
beware!


Rule #1
Have family & friends who will visit
who are not afraid
of hospitals
or nurses
or doctors
or (possibly)
seeing your bare butt...
Make sure one or two of them
are by your side most days.
Remind friends
to let you sleep
whenever you are tired.
You are not there to
entertain them -
or they - you.

Rule #2
Post a calendar/clock
where you can see them at all times.
Mark off each day - yourself!
Keep a journal of
timely events;
such as types of medicine
and times for medicine
and the name of your daily nurse
the phone number of your room
your doctor's name
"unknown" terms to be checked later,
and start a list of
your dream foods to be enjoyed with freedom.

Rule #3
Question the doctor
about your medicines
when you can get rid of that **** catheter
about your tests
when you get your freedom,
and work very hard for
that freedom.

Rule #4
Do not put up with any crap.
Be firm, be strong, and
decide what treatment
works best for
YOU
-not your doc
-not your nurse
-not your friends/family,
-you.

Rule #5
Be careful of hospital food.
Sick people eat that stuff.
Check with your nurse;
I bet a friend can bring in food...
Enough said.
If hospital food tastes good...
You need more medicine,
because you are still sick.

Rule #6
(If they deserve it;)
be nice to your nursing/therapy staff.
Try.
They want you
back home
as much as you do.

Rule #7
Bring whatever you need:
Good slippers.
A nice robe.
Several good books.
A radio/CD player.
Lotion of choice.
Your own toothpaste/brush.
Stuffed toy?
Whoopie cushion?

Rule #8
Please shut off the TV
and keep it off.
Convince your roommate of the same.
TV will
suck your brains out
if given half a chance...

Rule #9
Get outside if at all possible.
even if it is raining.
Or snowing.
Rain/snow won't kill you -
stale air might.

Rule #10
Do everything
in your power
to stay out of hospitals.
They are not fun.
If you find yourself in one;
get better
and get out.

M

#21

What would YOU do if you knew you would not fail?

(Comments from #21):

Silver Fortress said:

Hurray for leaps of faith! You and John are keeping it real - very inspiring!
-NMT

Mercia said:

What a beautiful reply!

What a beautiful life!!!

(We all miss you both in France. Keep enjoying and exploring life in the Southwest:)

Globalgal said...

Really lovely! This is how I feel about my last few years. Thanks for the opportunity for happy reflection!

Your turn!
Comment or email me
and share your thoughts;
of what you would do....

If you send the thoughts
I will post them all!
M

#20

What Would I Do If I Knew I Would Not Fail?

I asked that question of others,
and
now
my turn:

I would travel
where I've not gone before;
over oceans
and into
unusual lands




where
customs
and
people



and
language
and
food
and
traditions



and experiences
are unknown
and amazing to me.

I would stay there
for more
time
than any
previous vacation
before.

I would enjoy
challenges
food
drink
language
new friends
and life.


And even with
approved
"leave of absence",
I would
"lose"
the job that had been
"waiting"
for me back home.

I would grow
and discover
"monster.com"
and thank the stars above
every day
for
friends
and family
and connections
(and internet)
and
find
a job
back home,
while in a strange land
thousands of miles
away.

A job that pays
much
more...

And grow
and make friends
and experience
new skills
and consider
travel
once again;
to a new unusual land
with giant skies
and lovely landscapes,



holding
different
customs


people



language



food
and experiences .


I will move there

(with my sidekick
co-pilot
husband
partner
best friend)

with
no lodging
no employment
no contacts
and
a little
money.

Find good work
challenging me
to learn
with new friends
in unusual
(and wet)
places.

Find expanded learning
for myself
and my co-pilot.

And keep
in the back of my mind
the idea
I can do
this
again
and
again.

Nearby Streets

"The Fighting Cats of Upper Alto Street"

aka - part of a strange and yet beautiful
statement
this evening.

I'm sure there is either
a great story there
or
a title for a great song...

I'll think about it,
over this weekend...
M

Chihuahuas and Great Danes

I worked with a patient
the other day;
she had been fighting cancer
"for several years now",
and had a new
medical concern
to address...
But NOT cancer.

A condition
requiring
a short surgery...
but NOT cancer.

And we discussed
having cancer,
and how some
books address
cancer
as
"A Dragon at the Backdoor",
or
"The Monster that Never Leaves".

This patient
considered
cancer;
a fierce Great Dane at her back.

I reminded her
in her exhaustion
and
disappointment
and
frustration,
that
this "current concern",
although
troublesome
was not
"A Great Dane" problem.

So following a long conversation
we determined that
non-cancer problems
are
Chihuahuas
in a Great Dane world.

Still nipping at her heels,
but she will not
feel the hot uncomfortable breath
over her shoulder.

And I told her
to shoo
those chihuahuas
out of her room
as soon as possible.



M

Together.

The devil walked into the kitchen
bearing a tray
of chilled luscious strawberries
dipped in dark chocolate...
And thus ended my time
at the party of the night.

I am wondering
(with the recession),
if house parties
and get-togethers
and pot-lucks
and group grill-outs
and picnics
will make a recovery.

Tupperware
will become
"the-party-to-go-to",
casseroles
will enjoy
a renaissance,
recipes will
once again
be copied down
and swapped,
and maybe
even
hand-churned
home made
ice cream
will reappear.

A recession
may make
us
better...
Together.

Good Eats! Cold Beer!

Unhappy feet

A greater percentage of my socks
have holes in them
than those that don't.

The socks themselves are various ages,
black, white, or multi-striped,
and all levels of
thickness or thin-ness.

Why?

And how are holes formed
along the top
of the foot?
(Nowhere near the toes).
Three different socks have
holes along the top of the foot.
Five socks have holes
where the big
toe
goes.

I know what you are saying to yourself...
Darn it!
M

Luna Rules & Regulations

Luna Rules:
#1 Never step backwards - I will be under your feet.
#2 I will yell at you at all hours for no reason.
#3 If you clean my box, I will immediately dirty it.
#4 The water dish is a moving target when you lift it.
#5 Ditto for the food dish.
#6 I like to spill other stuff, too.
#7 I allow you to sleep on the bed - not the other way.
#8 Do not move when I am on your lap or legs.


#9 Do not shut curtains - I like to look out my windows.
#10 If you buy me a catnip plant- put it up high, or I will eat it all.

Brains

Brains intrigue me.
They are "plastic"
and they have the ability
to learn or re-learn
or even shift their
"specialty"
if another area
has been injured.
And yet some brain injuries
do not heal
as expected.
Expectations regarding
the healing of brain tissue
are never clear
or concise.
Bones heal in a precise
time period.
Skin and organs
with the proper treatments
heal on a certain schedule.
Brains do not.

I think about this;
as J drinks a beer and
makes chocolate chip cookies,
and I read a book about
brain surgeons,
while I sample
the cookie dough.

Lucky Charms

Food I still carry with me from my childhood;
Lucky Charms
Cocoa Puffs
Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
Frozen Snickers
Dr. Pepper or Mountain Dew
Macaroni & Cheese from a Box
Bologna Sandwiches
Hot Dogs with Ketchup Only
Cheeseburgers with Ketchup Only
Sliced Peaches in Cream
Rice Pudding
and
Canned Corned Beef.

It is the
Canned Corned Beef
which surprises me the most.

St. Patrick's Day
is soon
and I am thinking about
Canned Corn Beef
and
Lucky Charms.
(But not all at the same time).

M

Cat Stretch

The past two weeks
have been filled with
Feldenkrais technique
instruction;
laying flat on my back
or on my side
or on my front
or various positions
sitting,
and exploring
how
I move and transition
from one position to another.
Also learning
new ways to assist others
in their own exploration
of movement.

And when I watch my cat;
she knows all the techniques



without
training.

Good cat.

M

I Do

I love receiving hand-addressed
anything
in the mail.
I also love
the quick give-and-take
of chatting
and teasing
and silly pun fun
(almost) in real time
on Facebook.
I like getting
long drawn out
full-of-thoughts
and
information
and
gossip
and
hopes and dreams
emails
from friends
in the same town
or across the country
or across the world.
And knowing that
somewhere
someone
is taking the time to
think
and to
write
to me.
I hope they feel the same way
I do.

Sun

Throughout the day
at 7,00 feet;
sunshine
seems brighter
and warmer.




Morning rituals;
shower
breakfast
brush teeth
and now
apply sunscreen every day.




Driving to daily
activities
less frequent car washes
more dust
and constant
sunglasses.






Water
is precious:
Aware now
when cooking
cleaning
and planning
our garden.

Rain, Mist, Sleet, Hail, Fog, Snow

Hail woke us Saturday.




Wet snow this morning.



The first and second example of precipitation
since we arrived back on February 13th.
M

Gran Torino

I had a girlfriend in high school
who owned a 1970's Gran Torino.
It was huge
and red,
with a red-to-gold stripe
running the length of each side
and loud
and beautiful,
in a sleek and powerful way.
And a for a petite 17-year old girl;
driving such a vehicle
gave her presence.

It was also
horrible to maneuver
in the snows of Illinois,
difficult to park in a small garage,
and you could not see very well
out the tiny
ill-placed back window.

But it was a wonderful first car.
And I think it gave those who saw her
driving such a muscle car
an appreciation for this tiny girl's
own power and control.

I thought of her
and the car
and the power;
after watching "Gran Torino"
this evening.

She fought prejudice
through grade school
and high school
(and maybe beyond).
But she always seemed
tough enough
to handle the slurs
and the ignorance.

Dani will always be
as tough
as Clint Eastwood
in my book.

M

Spring Forward and Look Back

Travels past have been close to home.
No more than 60 miles.
And yet, the landscape
and the people
and the smells and flavors
and experiences
are infinite.

Anticipation

Anticipating fun and challenge
tomorrow
with planned writer's workshop.

Also anticipating enchiladas tonight.


Chicken green chile enchiladas...
With Raven, Maggie & John
on a cool wet windy night;
no better time.




Where did they all go?!









Thanks Raven & John -
We love it when you cook!
M

Saving Daylight

Daylight Savings Day.
Can someone please explain this whole concept to me?
Yes, in the fall, we "gain" an hour
(to sleep, or stay out later at a bar, or just to think),




But in the spring we simply lose an hour.
Is this concept like "losing weight";
if we lose "it"
does someone else have to "find it"?



And if saving time/losing time
is necessary
(as it probably was during harvesting and planting seasons -
when it was first suggested to assist the agrarian societies
who needed extra light to complete their chores)
is it STILL necessary?



OK I'll drop it.
J says I'm being like Andy Rooney
discussing saving time.

Photos:
Top: Sunset, Argenton Chateau, France, June 2007.
Middle: Sunset, East Moline, Illinois, October 2007.
Bottom: Sunset, Santa Fe, New Mexico, one year ago - today.

M