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