Wine, Movies, Art & Dem Sum

Good morning my fellow bloggers and stalkers.   Hope all had a great weekend and looking forward to another great week of learning, creating or just vegging, what ever floats your boat.  I'm still trying to get used to this firggin' format, but I'm sure in time, I'll become quite accomplished at figuring it out, making it as user friendly as a quantum physics assignment at MIT!

I had a pretty good weekend.  Friday I finished up the auction pieces for the Rotary dinner we attended Saturday evening.  The food still sucked and as for the wine, the only decent one I found ran out right away.  They had a plethora of red, which I love, but my allergy to them keeps me at bay, and they had lots of white sweet wine....I hate sweet wine!  When I visit my daughter in Austin, we go to Specs, this wonderful warehouse filled with all kinds of  spirits and luckily we have them here in El Paso now...one just down the street from us, heavenly!  Anyway, I digress as usual, but Andria loves Muscata...makes my teeth ache just typing the word.  I recall liking sweet wines when I was a young person, age wise, not mentally since I still have yet to grow up!  However, when we moved to Germany, I discovered all kinds of great wines.  That winter of '76 when I arrived,  happened to be one of the best grape growing years ever in that country, or all of Europe, I assume, since I "tested" many wines all through the continent and they were excellent.  It has been an especially dry Spring and Summer, making it great grape growing.  So we enjoyed the '76 wines throughout my entire time living there, '76-'79.  As '78 approached, the cost of '76 wines began to escalate due to their popularity.  I did bring some back with me, but they have long been enjoyed.

 I was a real snob back in the day when it came to wine...French or German was all I drank, then I discovered CA domestics when visiting my older sis in LA in '80, plus the cost was more suitable to my budget, as it still is.  Then during a trip to Santa Fe and other parts of northern NM, I discovered NM wines and I've been in love since.  NM has some awesome wineries and luckily, as many of you know, NM is just up the road or across the train track down the street from me. So we pretty much buy domestics now.  I had a neighbor back in my other life who was German and began a wine import from her native country.  She used to bring by bottles of our favorite wines at Christmas and we looked forward to that gift every year.  I still see her on occasion at the Sprouts up the street from me, but she is now hawking NM wines too...she too has seen the light!!  LOL

Again, there I went...tracking again!  So here are a couple of pics of what I sent to the auction.  They were alright and not my usual sort of work, but as I said in my last post, my dolls were never popular, too strange for this group, so I prostituted myself and made this stuff.  I do enjoy making the religious candles, though and I think I'm going to make a few more, except with my own small painting instead of a post card...now where did I put those water colours??!!??

Virgen de Gaudalupe Candle

"Love" book marker & daisy earrings

They were fun and easy to make and took me no time to put them together.  They did get a few bids, but again, my friends ended up with the above book marker and earrings...don't know who bought the candle though.  I think it was the young woman who was holding another one of her prizes, a certificate from a local attorney for a free Chapter 7 bankruptcy!!  I won't even comment any further on that one.

Since I'm waiting for the "monsoon" season to begin, hence the end of our swamp cooler's effeceincy to keep us comfortable during the summer, I'm making lots of different meals and freezing them for microwaving or toaster oven heating.  Last week I made "chilaquiles," a sort of enchilada casserole.  I usually make red ones, but I decided to make green chile and chicken, plus, a large "olla" (pot) of beans.  I made a huge baking dish of it and froze half of it as did the beans.

I added more green chile, NM of course, which I purchase at a little shop up the street from me.  They roast long greens  and jalpenos daily, so I no longer have to roast them myself.  If anyone is interested in the recipe, just let me know....will email it to you....it's so easy, a baby can make it...well, ok, I exaggerate, but it's real simple.  I also got a couple of ideas for another easy Mexican dish for "Albondigas," meatballs.  For those of you who are not acquainted with Gloria over at http://glorv1.blogspot.com/ you really do need to check out her blog.  Gloria is one of the sweetest, creative and just down right nicest ladies I've had the pleasure of knowing.  Her blog is full of her wonderful paintings, her childhood stories and her love of family and life...she's a gem.  This morning she posted a recipe for albondigas and it's the same one I grew up eating...lots of veggies included.  So if you want to try something new and easy to make, hop on over there and get that recipe...I promise, it's delish!

I discovered this great show a couple of months ago on the Science Channel.  It's called "Oddities," and here's the link for you to check it out:  http://science.discovery.com/tv/oddities/.  The couple that run this little shop of some horrors in NYC seem pretty normal, but it's the characters that come into the store to buy or sell....now they are  the real oddities!  I wouldn't mind having a few of their wares, and display in my studio or living room, but there are people who's entire home is nothing but...amazing collections.  Anyway, go check it out...it's really a fun show and later on this month, there will be another store added, one from San Francisco...looking forward to the west coast version.

I should close this down and publish but I have one more link I want to share with you.  My daughter was encouraged by a friend, who works for Nickelodeon, to write a blog about being a mommy of a litter of kids, 5 of them to be exact.  Andria has always been a terrific writer...she can make you laugh till you realize you need to wipe both tears and boogers or just wipe tears.  I know some of you either have adult children and grandchildren and some of you have no children at all, but I can promise you, you'll enjoy reading her thoughts about life as a full-time mother of children ranging from 12-5 months.  For Mother's Day, she wrote a really funny and yet beautiful blog about moi.  After reading that, you'll know the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  So please check it out and check out her "like" page on FB.  I think she has a giveaway of a gift basket filled with goodies...just what those goodies are, still not sure, but check her out and please pass the word on...she could use the traffic:  http://andisjournal.com/wordpress/2012/05/ 

Before I bid you adieu, just wanted to let you know I went to see "Snow White and the Huntsman."  Folks, I'm not one to go to the movies much, we're  Netflix kind of people, but since I've been getting together with a couple of old high school buds, we've known each other for 41 years, I've been doing more theatre than television.  Charleze Theron is incredible, so evil and yet, so lovely, the Huntsman is a total hunk and a half which  made the $6.25 admission a little more palpable and the special effects were fantastic, but over all, it was a stink-o-roo!!  Kristen Stewart recently admitted that she sparks up now and then, well, she should have sparked lots more during the filming of this movie...she was a real downer!!  Let's just say it's not your mama's Disney version!!  In spite of that, we still had a great time and that in itself was worth it.  We're going to see the new Andy Garcia movie this week, “For Greater Glory.” It's about the Cristero War, during the mid-late 1920's in Mexico when the Mexican government revoked the practicing of Catholicism in that country.  My mother told me when she was a little girl, my grandparents took in a Franciscan monk from Mexico who took up residence in their basement.  He did household chores, cooked and sometimes, played babysitter to my aunt and some of her rowdy friends when she had her club friends over.  He ratted out one of her friends to my grandmother, telling her this little girl kept getting into the brandy!!   LOL   Girls will be girls and monks will be...whatever!!!!


Well, time to shut this down and get my afternoon started...need to get myself back into the studio and begin creating more "coco-head" dolls.  Peace out.

WTF!!

This is a short one, folks.  What in the friggin' hell happened to Blogger????  I admit, I haven't been around in some time, my bad, but really??  I'm gone for just a couple of months and all these changes...hey, if it's not broke, don't fix it!!!  I'm still trying to figure out this new format, so if it looks strange, it probably is!!  Well, it is Monday and I had a looooong weekend, so I'm grumpy.

Was sick in April, most of it, then off to Austin to visit the grands in early May. There I fell in love again with my adorable little Zoe (umlaut on the e, making a long e sound...haven't figured out how to insert unless it's a doc).  She's this little ball of sweetness, all plump, pink cuteness.  Do I sound like a grandmother or what!!??  Also, got acquainted with my Sammy who is 2...cuteness too!!  Had a blast with my older boys, who are here right now in El Paso, visiting their dad, so I'll be seeing them in a week or two...maybe for an overnighter, or not!!
  

As for creative endevours, well, let's just say the well is dry for now...can't seem to get my stuff together.  I think when I was sick in April and of course, not creating, my muses decided to take a vacation and they haven't returned, the bitches!  I was asked to donate a piece for this wine/food event coming up this Sat.  We attend every year, the food's horrid and the wine, let's just say that if I had tasted horse urine on a dare, that's what the wine tastes like!!  In the past, I've always donated one of my dolls, but either our friend or my honey bid on it and I end up taking it home...OY!!  They just don't get me or my work around here.  So I decided I would do something different...I'm making a necklace (idea I got from Pinterest...I heart Pinterest), a pair of cutsie earrings for a little girl and a book marker.  How random is that??  They all have one thing in common, though, they're all created from polymer clay.  I will post pics later, that is, if they turn out alright.  I call this my "prostitute" work since I don't normally do this stuff, but I believe I wrote a blog about that some time back, so won't go into it.  Anyway, it's for a good cause and doing it for our buddy who's in this organization,The Rotary Club.

For those of you who don't FB, I'm posting my coco-head dolls for your viewing enjoyment or terror.  I sold them already, one is here locally and the other has found her new home in VA...thanks again, ladies.  Time to get off this and head on to the bedroom to get ready for another wonderful day at Walmart...remember, it's Miss Daisy Day.  Have a great week and promise not to stay away so long, but my planet has no Internet!!  Peace out.

Hellooooo, Remember Me???

Well, I thought it was time to sit myself down add a post to my forgotten blog. When my computer broke last month, I got out of the habit of going online...even emails have gone unread. My life really doesn't require earth-shattering, important emails anyway, if it's that important, call me!!

Some of you know I've been down with some awful bug and it looks like it really wants to stick around a bit longer....house guest, fish and bugs...all have much in common! After 3 visits to the doc and multiple series of antibiotics, for the upper respiratory infection which was an added pleasure (insert sarcasm here), nebulizor breathing treatments, steroids, etc., etc., etc., ya think I'd see some light at the end of the tunnel...NOPE...it's still hanging around. Thursday morning I woke up and felt like a million bucks. I was happy to report that the 2nd round of antibiotics were kicking in and I felt great. I spent a wonderful morning talking, laughing or rather, gafawing (spell check is clueless on this one), with my dear buddy, Anne. I felt pretty good after our usual marathon phone call and went into the studio and was ready for some work. I'm having a tutu made for my little Zoe and I bought a onsie last month that will match it. I also had purchased a blingy little skull and cross bones decal for it, but I had forgotten what I had done with the original one since I had purchased it back when she was still baking in the oven, so I bought another one. Well, for the life of me, I couldn't find that one either...OY!! I spent about an hour and a half looking for that bag, moving bins, throwing up dust, cursing, when I finally found it on top of another bin that had been placed there by our cleaning lady...I know my studio drives her bonkers, but it's off limits to her...my mess and I know where everything is. After all of that, I was short of breath, loss of energy and I still hadn't put dinner together. By the end of the evening I was beat up and went to bed quite early. I slept till 8:30 yesterday, something I don't do unless I'm sick...ok, then, first hint!! I had to go to the local store to pick up some fresh veggies and fruits on sale and the entire trip took me about 15 mins. I came home put it away and then collapse on the couch and there I stayed till I went to bed again early last night.

Today, I'm feeling pretty good, but I don't intend on perusing any kind of activity that may put me down again. Ok, maybe a little look-see in the studio...damn, I'm so bored!! Anyway, I have to resolve to gaining my health back because I'm leaving in two weeks for Austin. Yep, I'm Austin bound again and will be visiting my grandchildren. I'll also be able to hold my little Zoe girl for the first time. Isn't she just precious???

This was taken on Easter Sunday. She has inherited her mother's crazy, birdie hair, as I called it, which means she'll develop a gorgeous head of hair someday...nothing like the ol' Meema!! I can't wait to pick her up and hold her sweetness. Now do I sound like a gushing, doting grandmother...ya damn right!! LOL I'm also looking forward to getting acquainted with my little Sammy guy, who is now 2 and of course, the other members of the Penis Posse..they crack me up.

Before I took a spill into the bronchitis vortex, the week prior to that, the hubster and I decided to take a short weekend trip up to Albuquerque, NM. I love that city and it has so many interesting places to visit. We decided not to go up the road to Fanta Se (Santa Fe) since it would eat into our time, besides, there's just so many galleries and snobs one can stand in one day!! That Friday evening, we dined at one of our favorite restaurants, Scalos, for some delicious Northern Italian cuisine. We hadn't been there in some years, but I must say, the quality of the food has declined a bit, as has the menu, but I was looking forward to the best Tirimisu I had ever had. Again, a big disappointment! Oh well, I guess you really can never go back again, and we probably won't. The next day, we met with one of my oldest Yahoo/Blogger buddies ever, the lovely Linda Wildenstein, who you can find at http://lindaomasoldebaggsnstuftshirts.blogspot.com/. We met at this great little eatery for breakfast and from the moment we met, we didn't skip a beat. My sweet man sat there patiently (actually, he really enjoyed listening to our crazy discourse) as Linda and I yacked away. You know, there are people in your life that you meet and for some reason, you feel as if you've known them all your life and Linda is one of those people. I can only guess she and I were friends in another life, but whatever the reason, we enjoyed our conversation and great food.

We spent the rest of the day going up and down the street of Nob Hill (or Snob Hill as Linda called it) enjoying the art, fun and funk. It's right by the university, so you can imagine what kind of characters the area attracted, and I'm not referring to students either!! LOL Sunday morning, we headed out to another little eatery which is down the street from the one we met Linda. Had some delicious French Toast and hubby had red enchiladas. For Mexican food, I'll eat that here at home and the fact we have access to wonderful NM chile, I don't need to venture out much. We returned home around 3 and settled in for the evening, knowing the next week, it would be full-out...it was, till the following weekend, when Vern and I struck with the grunge.

I wanted to post one of my completed coco heads. I had done all the preliminary work prior to our NM excursion, so all that was left to do was glue the little hanger in the back and the head. I have 2 more of the series to complete till I begin another body of work and who knows when I'll be up to that.

I've been having fun making these little masks and now have to update my Etsy page and get things moving. I'm even considering adding PayPal...yes, dragging me into the 21st c...kicking and screaming, but it's necessary if I want to find new homes for my stuff.

The other day, I was on blogger and read a post from one of my favorite ladies, Clementina at http://tazadechocolate.blogspot.com/ She was having a giveaway that really brought back some wonderful memories. She was giving away a molinilla for hot chocolate and a gift package of Abuelita. I really don't recall if she asked us to tell who we'd like to have a cup of chocolate, ie, someone we loved and now deceased, but I told her the story of my grandmother's dirty bird, which was a true story. If your interested, you can go to her blog and ready all the entries...there some wonderful ones too, but you know me, I always tell a good spin. Anyway, I won the whole thing and I'm just so excited about my winnings. I grew up with Abuelita and my grandmother showed me how to use the molinilla in her kitchen...great for mixing and frothing. I was surprised that Abuelita came in granulated mix form. I'm accustomed to the little, solid chocolate discs which I add to my mole, when I've made it, and red enchilada sauce...getting hungry for enchiladas now!! Anyway, here's a couple of pics from my winnings.

Well, my friends, time for me to "pack it in," as my old friend from Manchester used to say and bid you all a fair adios. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a most creative week. Peace out.

Obeservations and Art

I took my mother to Mass on Ash Wednesday. I was hoping it wasn't one of those "high" masses where you stand for most of the pomp and ceremony...OY. So I asked my mother how long a Mass goes for these days...she wasn't amused. She told me they can go sometimes over an hour, then asked me why. I told her I had a very low tolerance to boredom...again, not amused. She then went on about wasting all this money on our Catholic education, however, I reminded her I was a product of "dual" education, private and public, whereas my sister went through the whole shebang...elementary, high school and 2 years at USF, University of San Francisco, a Jesuit college, so please practice a bit of levity when it comes to Church and Georgina!

I told her I wanted to go early in order to beat all those "holiday" Catholics, you know the ones, they show up for Easter and midnight Mass at Christmas...another OY! I'm a "no holiday or any day if I can get away with it," kind of Catholic! We got there and the main parking lot was filling up. We spotted a handicap space but the SUV in front of us got there first, however, my mother was a bad sport about it and glared at the poor gentleman as he was vacating his car...so much for a holy heart!! LOL We entered the cathedral and she then "darned" the people sitting in "her" pew. My mother became quite ill last year and hasn't attended the physical Mass in about a year. She got the ok from her priest, who we ran into last summer at World Market, to watch the Mass on what I call, the Catholic channel. Now where can you participate in a Mass said by the Pope on Christmas Day while relaxing in the comfort of your den, wearing your warm robe and fuzzy slippers??

After much anticipation (sputter, sputter, cough, cough), the priest came out with his "entourage" consisting of two alter "persons," a man and woman and the deacon, I think...never figured out what his purpose was, but there he was anyway. The "orator" begins the Mass in English, then the priest said his stuff in Spanish...this is where I knew I was in for a long haul. The acoustics at St. Patrick's are horrible...it's like talking in a large cavern. So add the Spanish thing, the bad acoustics and all the new changes, thanks Pope, and it's a maelstrom of disaster for many "Ash Wed." Catholics, I included, but only by default!! You kneel now when you used to stand, stand when you used to kneel....WTF!!!!??? Then when it came to the germaphobic part of the Mass, the giving of peace. It used to be, you'd take the person's hand, usually a stranger sitting next to you or behind you, the one that's been coughing their organs out all through the Mass, and say, "Peace be with you," and they answer back, " And with you also." But oh no, it's changed, now you answer back, "Peace be in your spirit," or something like that. What amazed me is that they not only offered the host, but for those who really wanted to live on the edge, you could take a swig of wine from the "public" chalice!!!! If memory serves me right, during the time of the Communion, you could sit if you didn't participate or sit after you do your prayer of thanks after receiving the host. BTW, when I hear them talk about the "host," all I can think is some alien invading it's "host," and later, eating them from within. Ok, my bad, but during this time, I sat while others stood. The only people that sat were those who were confined to wheel chairs or hove-a-rounds, and Georgina. Talking about, "AWKWARD!" would be an understatement. Of course, I could have stood, but then I'd feel stupid, like I didn't know what was going on, which I didn't, but they didn't know that!!! The one thing I always loved about the "new" Mass, the Latin-less one, was that at the end of the Mass, the priest says, "The Mass has ended, go in peace," and we reply, "Thanks be to God." Hell yea...I'm so out of here!!! Thankfully, that wasn't changed and I felt the same sentiment as I always did after the Mass...some things just don't change. Then there was the ashes...now that was fun!! I noticed people already lining up on the side of the church during the C0mmunion....had no idea why they were standing there...figured we had a full-house. I realized they were lining up for the ashes, so I wasn't going to let some little snot-nose kids try to weasel their way in a line while so many of us were still participating in the closing ceremonies. After it was over, I got up, stood at the outside of my pew, allowed the other lady who was sitting next to me and my 89 year old mother to get in line...I just dared anyone who tried to complain by my butting into the already established line....others began to do the same thing...I'm a trail blazer!!! We got our ashes and left through the side door instead of taking the great walk to the main doors. Reminded me of that Beatle's song, "She came out through the bathroom window..."

So that was my experience attending the Mass. I'm not sacrilegious, I just call it like I see it. I have the utmost respect for those who enjoy attending services...I'm being serious here, folks. I believe I posted my views on God..I think it was two posts ago. Anyway, my mother loves church and she loves her Saturday anticipated Mass via the tellie on the Catholic channel. Like I said, who can attend services at the Vatican?? Personally, I like the ones with the cloistered nuns...didn't know they still existed, but apparently some orders have survived. They remind me of an early Christian group of ascetic women who had themselves bricked up in a church, with only a small area to receive food offerings and prayers from the outside world, People considered them holy and gateways to spirituality and the Divine and came to pray with them. The cloistered ladies must be a branch off that tree.

Alright, enough of my observations and musing about my religion, which I'm thankful for because Catholicism is part of who I am and how I see the world and the Divine. Let's talk art. I wrote a post about being a prostitute, that is, I was going to make things I normally wouldn't for retail purposes. I made these little necklaces for the shop that's renting my Pop's old office space. She specializes in girly stuff and has some great, inexpensive jewelry...it's a fun little shop. I got this idea from some lady on Pinterest, I heart Pinterest! So I decided to try it and for the most part, they came out really cute, yes, I said, cute, of course, there's always room for improvement. So here they are:



I'll be delivering them to Desi today. For those on FB, you can "like" her page, under, "Royally Sweet." She's a great young lady, as is her Mom...two lovely ladies and Desi will be making my little Zoe's tutu for my visit in May. I already have the blingy skull and cross bones decal for her onesie and she'll make the tutu around that theme...can't wait.

Here's a sample of my real art work. I won't tell you what I intend to do with them,but I will tell you I was inspired by Mexican folk art...oh really, Georgina!!!! Duh!! Anyway, I love the Coco Heads and own a couple of them, so this is my rendition of those little figures.

Well, it's time for me to take it to the couch and get some work done, however, after lunch. The hubby and I are going to "Roscoe's" for a generous serving of grease. They serve the best old fashion hamburger and fries. I know I'm going to suffer tonight as Roscoe enters my nightmares and wakes me with a case of heartburn, but it's so worth it!!! I'll just have to work that much harder on the treadmill come Monday!! Have a great day and peace out.

Adios, ADO

Sadly, the wonderful art doll organization, ADO (Art Dolls Only), will be shutting it's doors. Thank you for your hard work and dedication for providing so many of us a place to be at home and meet other wonderful doll artists.

Adios, ADO, y muchas gracias. Peace out.

Today, I Am 60

Today I'm officially 60, have been for the last 2 days. I turned the big 6-0 Feb. 1st. I was born at 11:55 pm. and I will say, I'm grateful my mother made that extra little effort so as I wouldn't have to deal with all the "ground hog" jokes. So how do I feel being a 60 year old lady, well, don't feel much different as when I was 59 on Tues.

I asked myself this morning, "What have you learned in your 60 years of life, you bonehead?" Well, then I was hit with some Zen kind of feelings, it's not what I've learned, but how much more stuff will I learn??? Well, that's easy, I want to learn as much stuff as I can. Many years ago, in my senior year of high school, I read "The Once & Future King," by T.H. White. I recall a particular conversation Merlin (the magician) was having with his young student, Aurthur and the quote just stuck with me, well, ok, I had to look it up in my book of "quotes," a hobby of mine. So here it is:

"You may grow old and treading in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for them--to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting."

So I took that as a sign, eventually, to begin my journey to learn "how the world wags." I've hit many walls in this life's venture, but who hasn't. I've been disappointed by many, but also loved by many and I have to say, it's been a great ride. Like Merlin said, can't regret it.

Another thing I've learned is that the older I get, the baser my sense of humour has become, or is it due to four grandsons??? There all about boogers, farts, and all that is just plain disgusting about human bodily functions, but I find it hilarious!! Although, I come from a family who used to discuss their morning constitutions. I recall my now ex was visiting me, was during our courtship days, and my maternal grandparents, aunt, uncle, and my parents were discussing "poop." I had to translate and I didn't think anything about it...hey, I grew up with this, so I felt no shame or embarrassment. Later on he told me he had never known such a "shit conscious" family!! LOL However, I didn't carry this into my own family but my kids grew up hearing their grandparents talk about it, so again, the legacy continues.

Another thing that I like about getting older is that you just don't give a flip about what people think, at least I don't. I see these young women trying so hard and I feel like shaking them and telling them to stop it!! But like I told my mother, once, "Mom, give me the chance to grow and get to where you are, but for now, I'm doing it my way!" She would tell me how I shouldn't fret about certain things and I was a young woman, with little ones. Not that I was one who ever needed to compete with the "Jones', " hardly! But I had to go through the regular stuff and since I was married to a dentist, well, there were certain social hoops I had to jump...and hated every second of it. I didn't attend many of their luncheons. As a mutual friend of mine who was in the same situation said, she had better things to do than show off the newest fashions and listen to speakers tell us on how to care for our diamonds...what diamonds!!?? LOL Not all of them were snobs, but a good proportion of them were. I didn't have hot and cold running grandparents who readily took care of my children at a minutes notice or even a months notice, so I had a very good excuse not attending. I was asked once by the newly elected president of the local dental assoc. wives club to sponser a luncheon and I groaned and she knew it, but she said she depended on me to come up with something fabulous and I did. Back then, my dear friend was a local fashion designer and model, so I got her to do a fashion show for me, using some of the members, which I personally liked, to be models, another friend who designed jewelry to accessorize the clothes and the lunch was catered by a very trendy eatery which was partly owned by another high school buddy. I had it at the presidents new house; she wanted to show it off without having an open-house!! LOL They talked about that luncheon way after I stopped attending, after Ian's birth.

This weekend we'll be celebrating the 60th b-day since my hubby is currently in Albuquerque, NM taking a continuing ed. course to keep up with his aborist certification...he returns tonight. Then there's Super Bowel (yes, I spelled it that way on purpose) Sunday. Personally, I don't watch football and the Super Bowl is no exception. I do like the commercials...miss those really funny Bud commercials...the parrots, frogs, iguanas, etc. I love the E-Trade babies....so funny. Well, this year, I don't think I'll be attending any party. My hubby wants to see it over at a our friends house, but there will be to many smokers, don't think I'll be able to handle that...been there, done that. Traditionally, we've always gone to my friends house where I catch up with other friends...only time I see them, but the hubby wants to do something different, so I've decided, I will too. I will take Ian back to his father's at 3, swing over to my friend's house for a bite and some visiting, then come home and maybe do a Red Box movie. Now that's my kind of Super Bowl Sunday!! LOL

Before I depart, I wanted to show you a couple of things I've done. I made this doll for the Mixed Media Artists exchange, but I haven't heard from my partner yet and if not, it's going up on the selling block. The Virgen de Guadalupe is for the Blue Heart Campaign, an organization sponsored by the UN which is against human trafficking. The wonderful ladies that I sell my work in Ruidoso, NM are sponsoring an auction and I volunteered to send them one of my paintings.

This little guy is called, "Corazon Espinado," or thorned heart, but since I have no thorns growing anywhere in my neighborhood, I used nails!

My auction offering.

I also made a clock similar to the larger one I made for another auction for Xico, Inc. She's smaller than the original one and had lots of fun making her.



For those of you who have been asking about my little Zoe (umlaut on the e), she's doing great. She's been home for a while now, is getting used to the sounds and smells of 4 brothers, a dog and a nasty cat, and of course, two very doting parents and come May 2nd, a very doting Meema. Here she is, sent to me on my birthday. My little girl all in pink!!


Well, folks, hope you all have a wonderful weekend, have fun, relax, chill out, tune out and whatever else the late Timothy Leary said!! Peace out.

God

Ok, so now that I have your attention, I'm telling you, I'm not feeling very funny today. My newest grandchild and only granddaughter has pneumonia. Yea, that's a real bummer to say the least. Apparently, it's common among babies born to mother's with gestational diabetes. So my Zoe (add umlaut on the e) is in that "common" quota ...sometimes I hate the word, "common." She'll be hospitalized for the next 7 days and treated with antibiotics. My daughter decided to stay at the hospital while her hubby, Michael, holds down the fort with the Penis Posse.

So why am I thinking of "God?" Well, I hear people giving Him either far too much credit or bashing Him because "shit happened." This is my take on the guy, it's a mixture of Catachism, religious studies in college and a little awareness thanks to Zen. When I was a child, I attended St. Patrick Parochial school and that was our parish anyway. I was there from kindergarten to 7th grade. My parents decided that since my 7th grade teacher wasn't certified yet, hell, she hadn't even gotten her B.A. yet, for the $$, I was getting a shoddy education. I'm a parent, I suppose I would probably have handled it the same way. When I was a teacher's assistant at a local Catholic school, after the ex and I split up, I realized things hadn't improved on the "certification" thing. While I was there, the diocese decided that it's educators should have at least 12 hours of education courses under the belt. One teacher who had been there for 15 years quit instead of working on his 12 hours....come on, it's only 4 courses!!

So I digress, as usual. I was one of the last of our generation to be taught by nuns. Yep, it was the ol' penguins back in the day and of course, we always wondered if they were really bald underneath their habit until one day, Sister Rebecca Marie was showing a tiny bit of hair line, hence the mystery was solved. From first grade and onward we were taught to learn and repeat, ad nauseum, all these little phrases, such as, "Who made you?" "God made me." "Who is God?" "God is the Supreme Being who made all things." etc., etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. The first of the sacraments was Confession and the First Holy Communion...they went hand in hand. I still somewhat remember my first confession with Fr. Alderete:

Fr.: Yada, yada, yada (in Latin)
Me: Bless me father, for I have sinned (was 7 years old, of course I had a few sins under the belt). This is my first confession.
Fr.: Yes, Georgina, continue (back then they knew who we were!).
Me: I have used the name of God in vain (called my little brother a GD dummy...my pops was a class one profaner so I had lots of vocab under the belt...in two languages to boot), spit in my sister's milk because she was mean to me, got mad at my mother because she got mad at me for spitting in my sister's milk. That's it, father.
Fr.: (Trying not to laugh) For your penance, Georgina, you will say 10 Hail Mary's and 10 Our Father's)...Go in peace. (then he blesses me in Latin and shuts that little window).

So I knelt at the alter rail, said my penance, more or less, and was on my way to my first Communion...and got to wear a preeety white dress with a veil, white silk purse, brand new rosary and a Mother of Pearl cover missal (prayer book). So all that kept me going till the next sacrament, Confirmation. Got another swell party and white dress for that one too, plus a Godmother, who's still very special to me these days.

When entering a Catholic high school, I had one year of Public Ed. under the belt....sure had a lot under the belt!! Most of my old friends from St. Patrick never knew anything about public schools, so I was special!! LOL Anyway, we had this wonderful religion teacher, Mrs. Dusbabek. We would get her off the subject of religion and talk about other things, like the occult...even took my Quija board once...that was entertaining!! We one time questioned her about what's this with Lot and his daughters living in a cave after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah...if ya don't know the story, look it up...in the Old Testament. Anyway, what I'm saying here, is that this layman or layperson to be P.C., but when have you ever known me to be pc, began making us think beyond Catholic doctrine and catechism...it created a dialogue..a no-no in the Church, or at least it used to be...been a while for me...been away a long time. Then I entered college, but I was too busy rebelling and flunking out, then getting back in, then bailing again because I fell in love and got married.

My ex is a Baptist. I defiling my faith by being with a "protestant!" Not really, luckily, I was educated by the Nuns of Loretto and Jesuit priests...very open about lots of stuff. However, he also opened my eyes to other ideas....I discovered I was a bit more "Calvinist" than Catholic....it happens. I recall once going to his church and the preacher was what I always imagined, "FAR N' BRIMSTONE" kind of guy. It was Mother's Day and the preacher asked "Will all you Mothers please stand." My f-i-l began to rise...I almost lost it right there, in front of God and his congregation! A memory I shan't ever forget.

After my ex and I separated, I began a journey of self (that's the Zen part). My older two accused me of becoming selfish, and I guess I was...still am to a certain extent, but hell, I'm looking at turning 60 in two weeks, you betcha I'm a bit selfish!! Anyway, I really got back to attending Mass and of course, working in a Catholic school reaffirmed my faith. We split up in the early summer of '96, and I went out to look for work, and within 2 weeks, I was employed....hadn't had a job since '76 when my ex graduated from dental school and we took off to Germany for 3 years while he was in the Army.

I realized while at that school two things: my mind hadn't changed since I was 15, I didn't want to be a teacher (or a nurse) and I couldn't make a living working part-time at minimum wage if there was an impending divorce ( we still talked about a reconciliation in the future). So I gave my notice the following Spring and that Fall I entered college...hadn't been a "coed" since '72. So I took all these courses and some of them were a waste of time, but others were a source of enlightenment. I balked because I had to take 9 hours of humanities....really????? I could have minored in it since all I would have needed was 9 more hours. Well, they turned out to be pretty interesting, plus, since I was an art major, I had to take some hours of art history...really interesting. My art hist. prof was a real tool, but he was a damn good teacher...learned quite a bit, not just about art, but about lots more. So began my re-thinking on the Divine.

This is the way I look at it, God is so far above our understanding, that to say things like, "He works in mysterious ways," which he does, or when someone dies, like a young person, "Well, it was God's will." I personally hate that one. I don't think God wills suffering, death, hardship, etc., etc., etc. I doubt the greatest minds in the subject of theologies can really understand Him/Her/It/Force/Light/Whatever, so they try to explain it to us as simplified as possible because we're all just too lame to understand it, it's too much...our brains just don't have that capacity. It reminds me of when I was a kid and I saw an artist's rendering of the Earth compared to the Sun. I'm not saying we're dismissed, hell no, He's listening...wow, talking about hearing voices....constantly!! I'm amazed at how many times He's come through for me and mine. He's doing it right now...my little Zoe is much improved and things are looking up. My wonderful and dear friend, Anne, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer, is becoming one of Peru, IN's miracles and it has to do with praying.

So there you have it, my take on the Big Guy/Girl...whatever. He's all about life, not death or suffering. But I firmly believe in an afterlife, and He's there too. When you hear about a vengeful, selfish God, don't know who that dude is, but he's not mine....I like mine lots better.

I thought I'd show you a pic of Andria and me right after she was born. The "artsy" pic was taken when Andria was 5 days old by my cousin, Julie. She and my aunt and uncle were visiting relatives in Germany and came by our place for a couple of days before they headed back to Paris where my other cousin was living. The one below that one was taken when she was about 2 weeks.


Now here's a pic of my Zoe taken within an hour after her birth this past Sunday.


See a resemblance??? She also thought her hair was wavy, but in fact, straight up and fly-away, just like hers when she was a baby...called it "birdie hair." Once I tried to train it by applying baby oil on it...she ended up having spikes....she was right in fashion, though since it was the beginning of Punk Rock in Europe. Well, it's time for me to get back into the studio and do something constructive, maybe make a doll or paint a saint...?quien sabe? But I'm off. Peace out.