Magic

About a year ago
I decided that J & I
"have magic"
when it comes to:
finding lost items
getting things done
adventure travel
being lucky with a really old car
having close family ties
enjoying good health
catching & releasing hummingbirds
being comfortable with simple
finding what we need
knowing what we want
and being lucky.

Well the good news is;
All those crossed fingers may have
done the trick.

The not-so-magic news is;
our little red car
(just shy of 300,00 miles...)
aka "mouse"
is sick and is visiting a mechanic.




We have magic.
Everything will be OK.
M

Crossing Fingers

The custom of burying St. Joseph
to assist with the sale of a home...





(Excerpts from the booklet:
"St. Joseph The Worker...
Sell Your Home With the Help of St. Joseph the Worker!"
edited by Mark Etling)

<< The custom of burying a statue of St. Joseph
in the yard of one's home at the time of sale is now common.
Its origins, however, are somewhat obscure,
and at least two possible explanations are offered.
Some say the statue should be buried upside down
to symbolize that St. Joseph is being challenged to answer
the seller's prayer quickly so that he won't stand
with his head in the dirt for too long...
Another, more popular story has it that St. Teresa of Avila
(1515-1582)... prayed to St. Joseph for more land for Christian converts.
St Teresa encouraged her fellow Carmelite nuns
to bury St. Joseph medals in the ground as a symbol of their devotion,
consecrating the ground to St. Joseph.
Eventually this custom evolved to the point where
statues were used instead of medals.>>

A few pointers:
-Most people bury the statue upside down
in the yard of their property.
-Face the statue toward the front door of the home.
-The most common location for the statue
is the front yard, usually near the "For Sale" sign.
-Have faith, and pray for St. Joseph's intervention.

What we did:
First: One 4-inch statue, is buried upside-down
near where the "For Sale" sign is located.
Second: The statue (or what is left of it...
Long story- won't go into it now...), is facing the door.
Third: Invited "a religious person" to assist with the prayer/ceremony,
and recited:
" Let us pray. Almighty God,
through you all things are possible.
Grant us now, in your loving mercy
and through the intercession of St. Joseph,
your help in finding a family to purchase,
live in, and care for this home.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
the Lord, Amen."

I have since repeated this prayer
several time in the first week following our move,
and about once a week since then.

Cross your fingers
St. Joseph is working...
M

Jabba the Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough:
a very large lump of pizza dough
on a sidewalk
in the middle of the afternoon
in Santa Fe...




Jabba The Hut
in a galaxy far far away...




Similarities?
Coincidence?
Same guy?
Yes, I think so, too.
M

Baby, I'm Amazed

I'm amazed:
-at friends who have taken
four foster children into their
previously-childless lives,
with hopes of future adoption.

-at two friends in different parts of the country
who were unhappy;
have gotten divorces,
and now seem
happier and brighter
than I've ever known them to be;
with new lives,
new jobs,
and new men
who strive to make them happy.

-at my daily gaze on mountains
in all directions
within my view
at the post office,
or the grocery store.
or my job,
or my back door.

-at meeting friends of friends
and enjoying
our first time together
with a feel of;
wow, this person
is also
"Good People" .

-at laughing so hard
my stomach hurts
tears run down my face
and I want more of
this
everyday.

-at jellybeans;
sour
tangy
fresh
multi-colored
only-in-the spring
multi-vitamins of choice.

-at my Mom
who is
87
today,
and who "digs" her flowers
in her front yard
in her side yards
in her backyard
and throughout her house,
who feeds and waters
the wild birds outside
everyday,
who still subscribes to
"National Geographic"
and "Audubon",
who enjoys
sparring
over opinions
at her monthly
book-club meetings,
and still hates to cook,
but isn't afraid
to eat a Hostess pie
(individual-sized and
grip-sized)
while she drives
and then only complains,
"the steering wheel
was really
sticky
by the time I got home".

-at my life
and how lucky I am;
being amazed
every day.
M

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