Into Light

Dear friend and great being, Tofah Eileen, slipped into the other realm yesterday after a courageous dance with cancer. Her life love, Jay, wrote so eloquently every step of their shared experience and for that I am so grateful. His intimate stories revealed the piercing beauty of their time together and let us all feel nearer to them. For me, Eileen will be remembered as a Sufi priestess, a smiling shaman of radiant power and a laughing goddess of enlightening. She ran deep but had a brilliant cackle, like an ancient body of water that is tickled by every skipper ripple at the surface. An irresistible star, she drew so naturally a constellation of loving community around her and burned so brightly in her last days that her physicalness became incidental. She approached the crossing and literally became the Light that is her name.

You are loved and missed, Eileen.

Last Summer Flings

On Monday we launched India up to Not Back To School Camp so now it's just we three for the next few weeks trying to squeeze in some last minute summer fun. Swimming in the mineral pools out at Morton's Warm Springs, a trip to the beach, eating dinner outside, night walks, bike rides, dance class, hooping on the lawn, eating ice cream and tomato sandwiches, stargazing, staying up late...we are cramming it in. I hung out with my dad during his physical therapy today to see the haps in preparation for his imminent return on Tuesday. He's waxing strong and lively. Raring to come home. He wants to join in our antics. Meanwhile, I'm angling toward more time in studio and hatching plans for some new work. Yes, indeed, life is good.

Tidbits

I’d never heard the term tidbit tray before last night when I bought one online. Rob was aghast “What the hell…?” It is admittedly a way cool tidbit tray, as far as tidbit tray’s go. Well, judging from my limited experience with the tidbit tray. I like the telltale name. Is it cousin to the tea cozy? Tidbit tray, I love how your tiered plates of russet glaze are shaped. Like leaves and hearts both. Perfect for holding succulent aphrodisiacal tidbits. I am not ashamed of admiring you. This fit of frivolity will fade but right now it feels just fine. I’m about to turn 43 and I can damn well buy a tidbit tray if I please.

Forty-three years gets you pretty much a mixed assortment. 25 tidbits from my life thus far:

1. naïve optimist
2. quiet radical
3. terminal dreamer
4. raunchy sense of humor
5. nonfiction reader
6. trance dancer
7. homebirth two kids
8. no college
9. goat milker
10. self deprecator
11. sucker for packaging
12. nearsighted and vain
13. artist for life
14. third generation Santa Rosan
15. Jupiter conjunct Venus in the Eighth house
16. brave and loving when drunk
17. closet guitar player/ songwriter
18. daughter of beautiful parents
19. tree hugger
20. weak ego
21. wife 20 years
22. inarticulate intuitive intellectual
23. shy recluse
24. lazy hedonist
25. believer in magic

Oh, and I guess I should add that I am an unashamed materialist, at least I tend to appreciate things...like the tidbit tray.