A much needed reminder

 Everything is on fire,

but everyone I love is doing beautiful things

and trying to make life worth living,

and I know I don't have to believe in everything,

but I believe in that.

 

Nikita Gill

 

 

A recent visit to Chicago was helpful to have had before

the country started its quicksand sink into the pit.

 

A dose of family and reminders of the ties we choose

have been important in grounding me 

in what truly counts and who we can truly count on. 

It was also fun to have family meet the youngest, who hasn't been able to travel until now.

 

The Crew at the Zoo. 

It was worth the miles, frustration of trying to coordinate schedules for 15+ people

and weather, which is always there to remind you that you are NOT in control of anything! 

There are now NO elementary or middle schoolers up North;

only high school and college kids!

How did THAT happen?!

A visit to the Home Alone house was a highlight for a kid 

that knows the dialogue and every stunt in the original movie;

it's on sale for a few million dollars, if anyone is interested.

Not something we'd pick up, so it's yours.

 

 

 

After a cold rainy day at the zoo,

we were rewarded with the quintessential beach day.

And, boy, did we soak it up!

Have to be honest, some of the glow was dimmed when, 

upon my return, in fact, even before I had unpacked the car,

the decision had to be made to have my companion of 12 years put to sleep.

Oreo had a stroke, in the car, on the way home from the kennel.

I firmly believe she was just waiting for me to get home.

Not going to lie,

adjusting to the new normal without her has been hard.

Anyone else feeling that, sometimes, getting older 

is simply loss upon loss.

Such a good girl;

she'll be missed.

 

Here's what I know to be true

 * for more than 3 years, I woke from sleep every morning

without fear in the pit of my stomach:

waiting to discover that some tweet or post

had sent our nation 

or a group of vulnerable people in it

into the chaos 

that both existed in

 and were created in,

 a demented mind.

 

*I was able to believe that decent, honorable men and women

were working in all 3 branches of government,

implementing policies that would contribute to the general good of all.

 *I believed what I had been taught in Citizenship class in high school:

that no one was above the law

and that while an infraction of any law might take awhile-

for gathering evidence and prosecution-

I believed that justice would, at least, 

be attempted and meted out.

*I acknowledge that my perception of 'the system'

was based on my privilege and whiteness

and that not everyone had experiences that reinforced those beliefs

or allowed them to believe in the impartiality of those systems.

But, after a turbulent 6 years, it felt that the ship had, at last, been righted.

I believe I let myself be duped -

and I know that I am not some Pollyanna who is easily scammed

or someone who closes her eyes to the reality in front of her.

 Yet, here we are.

 

Project 2025, 

all 900 pages of it, 

waiting in the wings to be implemented 

the minute another conservative Republican president gets elected - 

or put into office by a corrupt Supreme Court. 

 

Jesus H Christ...

and ghost of Richard Nixon -

"If the President does it, it's not illegal."

A President has now been replaced by a King;

the pivotal book from my adolescence/early adulthood 

"Our Bodies, Ourselves", 

would now be entitled 

"The Government owns your ass, 

as well as your uterus, Fallopian tubes and va jay jay" -

ok, so the title would have to be punched up...

*I also know to be true that I'm scared -

as is every other woman I know 

and more than half the sentient, well-intentioned men I know, 

despite all my rhetoric, also true, about the patriarchy and all the ways

it needs to be eliminated.

 

I also know I'm pissed -

because anger is more energizing and empowering than fear or despair,

although no more real.

 

Maybe Michelle Obama can afford to take the high road when they go low;

she does, after all, have enough money

to hide out with an ocean view in Hawaii;

I want to burn it all down, get into street fights

(a highly questionable choice given my mobility issues and cane)

and be so much of a pain in the ass to those 

supercilious pompous bastards in charge 

that my name makes the list of folks headed to Qitmo.

Other than that, my week was great!

How was yours?

Lilac season in Taos

 and, needless, to say, it was gorgeous!

The opportunity presented itself for a few days visit

to see my oldest son in Taos -

and I jumped on it!

Road trips are always fun for me -

and this one was no exception.

I love watching the transition from prairie to mountains

as you drive across MO, KS, then into Southern CO

and, finally, Northern New Mexico.

New Mexico is its own brand of beauty;

totally understand why its called the Land of Enchantment.

 While there were indications of spring being on its way -

there were nights of hard frost 

and even a day 

with snow flurries and a dusting of snow on the ground when we visited

one of our favorite parks -

Rio Castillo.

 

As much as he wanted to go fly fishing with the new rod he made,

it was too cold to sustain the effort for long.

SO good to have time with my first born.

We didn't spend all our time in state parks;

we also hit up our favorite spots in town.

 

It also made me smile to watch him teach himself how to knit/crochet/loom a hat!

In an afternoon, while we sat and talked...

who does that?

Anyone want to make a bet we all get hats this Christmas?

The other thing that made me smile was seeing how involved he's gotten in gardening...

ornamentals as well as produce.

While I type this, it's still 90 degrees in St Louis

(at 8:30 pm);

as hard as it was to believe, 

while in Taos, they still had nights below 40, 

so nothing's in the ground yet.

We had wonderful conversations about how gardening cultivates hope -

and couldn't we all use more of that!

While talking about what kind of fencing - or enclosures - to use,

I suggested that he use his new skill to make a wattle fence -

and wouldn't you know it, 

he did!

To be honest, I'm really envious;

I think it looks great.

 

I'll only brag about him for another second.

Years ago, a wonderful, talented and loving friend gifted me 

with a painting of my great grandmother.

I loved it -

and I managed to accommodate the almost life sized canvas as best I could

in my tiny cottage.

 

However, after living with it for years,

it simply seemed like too much body and background,

neither of which was necessary to tell her story.

 

After transporting her to Taos,

Mike helped re-size her and its SO much better now!

As much as I loved it before, I love it even more now!

I'll finish with a few more images from around town, including my souvenir -

which I also love!

At the end of the lane as I was leaving.

I was home for almost a week before I headed out again -

but that will be a post for another day!