It is going on to 10 something in the evening... The air is full of people sounds. Laugher, conversation, music, motor boats, skate boards, shoes and feet walking on gravel... beer cans being flipped open, cars being started, dogs speaking to the night sky, young children screaming with laughter... wood being chopped for fires, lots of yaaaa hooosss... the new year will happen in a couple of hours, then the fire works... QT goes out for the fire works. (Like USA, they have a great thing with China... China makes some amazing fire works.) China makes fire works for New Years Eve in the Southern Hem... but loans the USA billions of dollars so we can fight useless wars... depends on how you view oil and it's value.
Very soon USA will have to pay back the BIG GUYS and when they cannot do it... well.... those that have been loyal to Asia will survive. It is very simply to figure out. We blasted the hell out of Japan, we destroyed what was once Vietnam and Cambodia and Guam and the list goes on and on... Karma is a dangerous energy.
I made a gorgeous dinner. Cucumber sandwiches, Spanish Olives, Red Beets in Brine, Brie Cheese broiled on French Bread, Baked beans, three kinds of cheese, crackers, Smoked Chicken, Smoked Salmon, my very own mayonnaise made with fresh mint and dill,
Cadbury Black Forest Chocolate... Fruit Cake, and coffee... I had three wines...
At the stoke of 12 I will wish everything and everyone I have or will love all the happiness in the universe. See you all soon.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
The meaning of love...
Years ago, which seems like eons ago to my way of thinking... a piano teacher of mine told me something I had forgotten until the past couple of years! (do not doubt what your mind has imprinted and recorded... everything from your past will come back to haunt you.)
He said: Love is indestructible. Only the ARROGANCE of one's EGO can presume that LOVE REQUIRES PROTECTION! (I was 15)
He was 100% right as far as my own lifetime. I have had some amazing incidents happen this past year that PROVE his point. I will not go into details because the details ONLY BELONG TO ME, but so many things from my past, many many years ago came to life this past year in phone calls, letters, and events that I NEVER DREAMED WOULD EVER OCCURR.
Some of the people that contacted me were from my teen years. They were in the process of dying. Some were trying to link up with some sort of bliss from years ago. I only know that I forgive, and that I hope and pray I am forgiven and still loved by many people.
Love is a strange and magical energy. We are created OUT OF IT'S PASSION.
He said: Love is indestructible. Only the ARROGANCE of one's EGO can presume that LOVE REQUIRES PROTECTION! (I was 15)
He was 100% right as far as my own lifetime. I have had some amazing incidents happen this past year that PROVE his point. I will not go into details because the details ONLY BELONG TO ME, but so many things from my past, many many years ago came to life this past year in phone calls, letters, and events that I NEVER DREAMED WOULD EVER OCCURR.
Some of the people that contacted me were from my teen years. They were in the process of dying. Some were trying to link up with some sort of bliss from years ago. I only know that I forgive, and that I hope and pray I am forgiven and still loved by many people.
Love is a strange and magical energy. We are created OUT OF IT'S PASSION.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
bits a pieces about cooking...
My restaurant, "BRENTHOVEN'S is one of the many precious creations. I have not a clue why, but the past year many people would ask me where, how, when, for what reason I seriously took up the art of cooking! (I am not a graduate of some fancy culinary school... such as...)
One day, possibly one day I will write a short story about how, when, and why!
Most often a necessity demands we learn a certain truth or we discover a GIFT we had no knowledge was dwelling within our DNA / RNA.
When I was in my 20's and 30's I was literally a "vagabond". I drifted around the planet... making music and my music always took me to places and people I needed to see and fall in love with. When I could not find a job playing the piano I would become hungry... well go figure. I am rather dumb, but not stupid. If there was a job where there was food I would eat. Washing dishes, waiting on tables, prep work was never above my LOFTY STANDARDS.
I had some unfortunate circumstances occur once when I was traveling to San Francisco California. I ended up outside of Elko Nevada. I truly was in a mess. (If you have ever watched BAGDAD CAFE, the original movie... well I was there in 1969-70) I came upon a truck stop cafe... pale green paint on cinder blocks......... a sign in the window. "Prep and night-time cook needed. Apply inside." You must understand in the 60's and 70's truck stops and truck drivers were not as fat and homely as today! SORRY. In fact, they were most kind and would help you get to places you had to get to!
I walked in and talked with the head chef. He would be my age now!!! He was a drunk. I watched this man pour a water glass full of vodka every morning at 6:00 AM and drink it before 8:15 AM and still be able to stand on his feet and pour another full glass of VODAKA... He lived behind the cafe in a small trailer with a American Indian woman. She was very nice and had gorgeous hair. He was as kind as any father could be.
I knew NOTHING about a grill, and all the other equipment inside a restaurant. This man showed me everything I actually know to this day. He was a kind and most generous person. I fried and cooked over 300 eggs on that damn grill alone one morning, but mind you, I was young, dumb and full of adrenaline. I LOVED ADVENTURE and to top it off I DID IT.
He showed me how to make sauces. Beranaise, Hollandaise, white sauce, brown sauces, cook a steak, fry eggs, boil potatoes and most of all the fact: FOOD IS SACRED. It absorbs your emotions. If, you are hateful the food will taste like shit! (his very words.)
Well, I ate and drank extremely well and made it to San Francisco in one piece and with a lot confidence. This man had cooked in some very fine restaurants from NYC to CALIFORNIA. I know he is long gone from this planet, but he watches over me.
Here are some simple things he taught me.
1. Use ONLY kitchen scissors to cut bacon or other meats into thin strips.
2. Freeze overripe bananas in plastic and use them for shakes, cakes, muffins and pancakes.
3. A MOUTHFUL of WATER or a SILVER TEASPOON held inside your mouth will cut the tears when cutting onions.
4. Always rub olive oil around a pot before boiling pasta
5. Always put a TEASPOON of Sea Salt in a pot of water when boiling eggs. Keeps the shells from cracking.
6. Only use REALLY GOOD CHEF KNIVES. Crush the sides of a garlic bulb, so as to peel the skin from the garlic.
7. Freeze left over wines, Red or White in Ice Cube trays for sauces etc. then use them in soups etc.
8. Never whip an egg white unless it is at room temperature.
9. A small pinch of Baking Soda will make mashed potatoes lighter and fluffy.
10. NEVER EVER PUT HONEY IN THE COOLER! The honey will loose it's texture.
11. All SPICES MUST be stored in a dark, cook cupboard. Otherwise they loose their flavor.
12. Proofing bread dough. Place the bowl in a sink of warm, NOT HOT water... and DO NOT let the plastic wrap touch the
water! It works. (These were the days restaurants made their own breads)
13. If a soup is salty ADD CHUNKS OF RAW POTAOE. The Potato will absorb a hell of a lot of the salt. (simply never add the
salt until the end of the TASTING process.)
14. Honey or raw lemon juice will save all fruits from turning brown.
15. Before grating cheese. (Mind you, we used to grate it with a grater.) Put the grater in the freezer for a few MINUTES. The
cold metal will not allow the cheese to stick to the grater.
16. He used to INSIST that putting potatoes end up in cup cake pans and baking them cut the baking time in half. Well, I have
not always found that to be true. But he was the BOSS!
17. Put Walnuts in the water when boiling cabbages. It keeps the stink inside the room at a nothing degree.
18. ALWAYS pour red wine over hamburger, steaks etc. keeps them moist and tender.
Then of course was his last rule: Put a slug of alcohol into anything too dry, red wine makes a store/distributor purchased pasta sauce lose and it will loose it's MANUFACTURED FLAVOR... like he always poured RUM over certain cakes!
I am not condemning his techniques. They work. Over the many years of cooking I learned things on my own. Blessings as it were from my parents, grandparents... and other ghosts. People that have passed on many years before me but lived in my DNA... Oh, one last thing! Always wrap CELERY in FOIL. It will keep it crisper. Most of all know you will not live very long without food and it is a blessing from the green planet we live within and upon. We only live on the crust of this amazing orb.
Will write after New Years unless I get anxious and need to vent about something! Happy eating and most of joyous cooking.
One day, possibly one day I will write a short story about how, when, and why!
Most often a necessity demands we learn a certain truth or we discover a GIFT we had no knowledge was dwelling within our DNA / RNA.
When I was in my 20's and 30's I was literally a "vagabond". I drifted around the planet... making music and my music always took me to places and people I needed to see and fall in love with. When I could not find a job playing the piano I would become hungry... well go figure. I am rather dumb, but not stupid. If there was a job where there was food I would eat. Washing dishes, waiting on tables, prep work was never above my LOFTY STANDARDS.
I had some unfortunate circumstances occur once when I was traveling to San Francisco California. I ended up outside of Elko Nevada. I truly was in a mess. (If you have ever watched BAGDAD CAFE, the original movie... well I was there in 1969-70) I came upon a truck stop cafe... pale green paint on cinder blocks......... a sign in the window. "Prep and night-time cook needed. Apply inside." You must understand in the 60's and 70's truck stops and truck drivers were not as fat and homely as today! SORRY. In fact, they were most kind and would help you get to places you had to get to!
I walked in and talked with the head chef. He would be my age now!!! He was a drunk. I watched this man pour a water glass full of vodka every morning at 6:00 AM and drink it before 8:15 AM and still be able to stand on his feet and pour another full glass of VODAKA... He lived behind the cafe in a small trailer with a American Indian woman. She was very nice and had gorgeous hair. He was as kind as any father could be.
I knew NOTHING about a grill, and all the other equipment inside a restaurant. This man showed me everything I actually know to this day. He was a kind and most generous person. I fried and cooked over 300 eggs on that damn grill alone one morning, but mind you, I was young, dumb and full of adrenaline. I LOVED ADVENTURE and to top it off I DID IT.
He showed me how to make sauces. Beranaise, Hollandaise, white sauce, brown sauces, cook a steak, fry eggs, boil potatoes and most of all the fact: FOOD IS SACRED. It absorbs your emotions. If, you are hateful the food will taste like shit! (his very words.)
Well, I ate and drank extremely well and made it to San Francisco in one piece and with a lot confidence. This man had cooked in some very fine restaurants from NYC to CALIFORNIA. I know he is long gone from this planet, but he watches over me.
Here are some simple things he taught me.
1. Use ONLY kitchen scissors to cut bacon or other meats into thin strips.
2. Freeze overripe bananas in plastic and use them for shakes, cakes, muffins and pancakes.
3. A MOUTHFUL of WATER or a SILVER TEASPOON held inside your mouth will cut the tears when cutting onions.
4. Always rub olive oil around a pot before boiling pasta
5. Always put a TEASPOON of Sea Salt in a pot of water when boiling eggs. Keeps the shells from cracking.
6. Only use REALLY GOOD CHEF KNIVES. Crush the sides of a garlic bulb, so as to peel the skin from the garlic.
7. Freeze left over wines, Red or White in Ice Cube trays for sauces etc. then use them in soups etc.
8. Never whip an egg white unless it is at room temperature.
9. A small pinch of Baking Soda will make mashed potatoes lighter and fluffy.
10. NEVER EVER PUT HONEY IN THE COOLER! The honey will loose it's texture.
11. All SPICES MUST be stored in a dark, cook cupboard. Otherwise they loose their flavor.
12. Proofing bread dough. Place the bowl in a sink of warm, NOT HOT water... and DO NOT let the plastic wrap touch the
water! It works. (These were the days restaurants made their own breads)
13. If a soup is salty ADD CHUNKS OF RAW POTAOE. The Potato will absorb a hell of a lot of the salt. (simply never add the
salt until the end of the TASTING process.)
14. Honey or raw lemon juice will save all fruits from turning brown.
15. Before grating cheese. (Mind you, we used to grate it with a grater.) Put the grater in the freezer for a few MINUTES. The
cold metal will not allow the cheese to stick to the grater.
16. He used to INSIST that putting potatoes end up in cup cake pans and baking them cut the baking time in half. Well, I have
not always found that to be true. But he was the BOSS!
17. Put Walnuts in the water when boiling cabbages. It keeps the stink inside the room at a nothing degree.
18. ALWAYS pour red wine over hamburger, steaks etc. keeps them moist and tender.
Then of course was his last rule: Put a slug of alcohol into anything too dry, red wine makes a store/distributor purchased pasta sauce lose and it will loose it's MANUFACTURED FLAVOR... like he always poured RUM over certain cakes!
I am not condemning his techniques. They work. Over the many years of cooking I learned things on my own. Blessings as it were from my parents, grandparents... and other ghosts. People that have passed on many years before me but lived in my DNA... Oh, one last thing! Always wrap CELERY in FOIL. It will keep it crisper. Most of all know you will not live very long without food and it is a blessing from the green planet we live within and upon. We only live on the crust of this amazing orb.
Will write after New Years unless I get anxious and need to vent about something! Happy eating and most of joyous cooking.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
EXPLANATION
The photos are of:
Christmas Tree 2010...
Tomato plants in my garden boxes. Some Strawberry plants...
SOPHIA the cat! What a love she is... 10 months old and she is SMARTER than HELL.
The Lake Wakatipu... Notice the ORBS!
Enjoy. Will post more later.
Christmas Tree 2010...
Tomato plants in my garden boxes. Some Strawberry plants...
SOPHIA the cat! What a love she is... 10 months old and she is SMARTER than HELL.
The Lake Wakatipu... Notice the ORBS!
Enjoy. Will post more later.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Jean-Robert Ipousteguy
In November I visited my sister who lives in New Orleans. I have always loved New Orleans because of the food and music. It has one of the only air ports I know of that is named after a great musician... LOUIS ARMSTRONG!
Many many years ago I worked in Tibidoux LA. In the heart of the sugar cane district. I was living in Dallas TX at the time playing piano where ever the agency found me a job! Sheraton Hotels had built a kind of Motel/INN in the sugar cane district for sales persons that were forever in and out of the area. There was a small collage near by, "Nicholas State College"??? (I believe that was the name of the school).
Some nights students from the theater dept. would frequent the piano bar and sing show tunes as well as all kinds of old jazz and blues.
I was going through a very difficult period of my life in the late 60's and early 70's and I self medicated on a sweet liquor called JACK DANIALS. I did drive into New Orleans on Sunday and Mondays... days I had off. Even went to Baton Rouge ounce. BUT, the music in NOLA always lived inside my head.
Well years later I return to NOLA. My sister is a fantastic artist and therefore she KNOWS the places where the music is HOT and the ART is above average and the wine... the food... you name it.
She is your angel guide to the city as well as being a great cook herself she can explain things like
MAC STUFF (computers etc), ART, CATS, BOOKS, POETRY and COMFORT THINGS like no one else on earth.
She is one of those people that has a gift of invisible intuition.
She took me to a place I will dream of forever and hope to return often as well as she allowed me to discover an artist I had no knowledge about until the afternoon we spent in the SCULPTURE GARDENS in New Orleans. Please go to this site: http://www.sculpture.net/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/519 or if the address fails google the Sculpture Gardens in New Orleans.
We walked and I drooled and I sighed and sang praises to some amazing pieces of art, then we came upon something that went straight to my gut and heart... GRAND VAL DE GRACE 1977... by Jean-Robert Ipoustoguy. French!? Well, New Orleans is my little part of France in America!
This sculpture signifies Birth, LIFE, and DEATH... the natural light of the day played a touching melody of light and shadow on every curve and angle. Peaks, valleys as well as flat surfaces screamed out of pain, joy and most of all surrendering to the eternal truth: DEATH EQUALIZES US ALL.
I walked slowly around this piece... I kept thinking about it during the night... I looked Ipousteguy up on a google search when I was in NYC. Everyone has a "moment" as it were, where everything comes together in one word, a sound, a scene, a color...
I thank my lucky stars for me sister sharing the garden with me as well introducing me to something I NEEDED. She also traveled to Rome Italy years ago. I was with her! She was like having your own travel guide and most of all ARTIST EXPERTISE as a guide. She explained so many paintings and great elements of the world of art and artists me. (of course the trip to Italy will always hold a special place in my heart... I went to Christiphories Museum... He invented the PIANO)
It's Wine Time so I must stop writing and wine about everything I possibly can.
Many many years ago I worked in Tibidoux LA. In the heart of the sugar cane district. I was living in Dallas TX at the time playing piano where ever the agency found me a job! Sheraton Hotels had built a kind of Motel/INN in the sugar cane district for sales persons that were forever in and out of the area. There was a small collage near by, "Nicholas State College"??? (I believe that was the name of the school).
Some nights students from the theater dept. would frequent the piano bar and sing show tunes as well as all kinds of old jazz and blues.
I was going through a very difficult period of my life in the late 60's and early 70's and I self medicated on a sweet liquor called JACK DANIALS. I did drive into New Orleans on Sunday and Mondays... days I had off. Even went to Baton Rouge ounce. BUT, the music in NOLA always lived inside my head.
Well years later I return to NOLA. My sister is a fantastic artist and therefore she KNOWS the places where the music is HOT and the ART is above average and the wine... the food... you name it.
She is your angel guide to the city as well as being a great cook herself she can explain things like
MAC STUFF (computers etc), ART, CATS, BOOKS, POETRY and COMFORT THINGS like no one else on earth.
She is one of those people that has a gift of invisible intuition.
She took me to a place I will dream of forever and hope to return often as well as she allowed me to discover an artist I had no knowledge about until the afternoon we spent in the SCULPTURE GARDENS in New Orleans. Please go to this site: http://www.sculpture.net/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/519 or if the address fails google the Sculpture Gardens in New Orleans.
We walked and I drooled and I sighed and sang praises to some amazing pieces of art, then we came upon something that went straight to my gut and heart... GRAND VAL DE GRACE 1977... by Jean-Robert Ipoustoguy. French!? Well, New Orleans is my little part of France in America!
This sculpture signifies Birth, LIFE, and DEATH... the natural light of the day played a touching melody of light and shadow on every curve and angle. Peaks, valleys as well as flat surfaces screamed out of pain, joy and most of all surrendering to the eternal truth: DEATH EQUALIZES US ALL.
I walked slowly around this piece... I kept thinking about it during the night... I looked Ipousteguy up on a google search when I was in NYC. Everyone has a "moment" as it were, where everything comes together in one word, a sound, a scene, a color...
I thank my lucky stars for me sister sharing the garden with me as well introducing me to something I NEEDED. She also traveled to Rome Italy years ago. I was with her! She was like having your own travel guide and most of all ARTIST EXPERTISE as a guide. She explained so many paintings and great elements of the world of art and artists me. (of course the trip to Italy will always hold a special place in my heart... I went to Christiphories Museum... He invented the PIANO)
It's Wine Time so I must stop writing and wine about everything I possibly can.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
In New Zealand at last!
The trip from Wyoming to South Island New Zealand has been some what of an "AWAKENING" or better yet lessons in aging and sage-ing... by aging with sage-ing I mean discovering hidden gems of wisdom within the process of aging.
Because I do not have the same "bench-marks" as other people meaning: you have a marriage, you have children, they begin grade school, there are activities and marks along the way and eventually graduations and they marry etc... however, in my case there are moments when I honestly FORGET how old I AM! My body reminds me, but I toss it off by taking a pain pill or a glass of wine!
We drove out of Wyoming in a blizzard. Stopped by the home of two of our oldest and best friends to say goodbye. Then flat out to Utah. Made it to my parents around midnight. No problems... but with my parents in their mid 80's and one in her mid 90's the picture takes on a different light as well as we drove our two cats to Utah. The back of the truck was FULL. Suit cases, boxes of things... the back seat of the truck had my other mother strapped in, two cats and tons of blankets and water on board. God all mighty we made the "Beverly Hillbillies" look like normal people.
All went well thanks to the magic of coffee and four wheel drive. Spent 6 days in Utah. I could never ever liver in that state again.
Way too many people... there is nothing of my past that exists. My Grandmother's house, the houses I grew up in are GONE.
The corner where I used to catch a school bus all through grade school and Jr. High is a major 4 lane intersection with a Super Wall Mart, Wall-greens, every kind of eatery and even a 24 hour gym! WTH!!! It was full of cattle, corn and tomatoes when I was a kid.
My father lives in a different time frame... everything relates to the PAST... NO future or reality in the now... my dear mother works her butt off caring, cooking, cleaning... but her own health is very fragile. Dementia is a cruel disease. I hope to GOD I never have it... I doubt I will because I think I did have it when I was younger. Therefore been there. Denial was a great way to live in my 20's and 30's..........
Between Doctor appointments, shopping, hair DO's etc. it was quite a week. Thanksgiving was a success. Then the bomb hit!
I had booked our flights to LAX on December 29th instead of November 29th! I called Southwest... they changed it to the tune of 50 dollars per person except Anne... We made the flight. From LAX to Auckland NZ is about 12 hours. LONG. I had asked my physician if I could obtain 4 tablets of AMBIAM TO HELP ME SLEEP ON THE FLIGHT. I took one with a glass of wine when they served the dinner... could not sleep... by damn I opened my back pack with all the meds and read on the bottle... "TAKE WITHOUT FOOD" SHIT! what a waste of money and sleep. So, I put on my Bose head set and drifted in and out of a fitful sleep.
We landed smoothly and in one piece in Auckland. Took the shuttle to DOMESTIC FLIGHTS and boarded for QT. Love this country. Things are different than in America... they are relaxed... they are kinder and they seem to honestly care.
As if planned our cab driver from the Air Port knew us and we had a great welcome home riding with him in his cab. The house is perfect. The roses are in bloom, my garden is full of ripe strawberries and I am loving my piano and NOOK. YEP! I love books but I had downloaded a ton of books before leaving the states. Whoopee.... I am so into computers...
I awoke this morning after 10 hours of sleep and ate a late breakfast on the patio in the sunshine. Have not joined the gym yet. WHY? BODY PAIN. I have worked out for over 40 years. When I turned 60 I still maintained a 15... and more inch arm... well, I over did many things because of ego, vanity and fear of growing old, only to surrender to the reality of TIME... Cancer, hernias,
bladder, my left arm's triceps muscles have been destroyed... they are re-growing... sight, and heart seem pretty good, but I have had to make friends with Arthur, Right-is and a few other energies I never dreamed I would embrace.
Walking and making music save me and my soul. A kind word and wide smile can make my day. When I am down in the village shopping... buying food items, wine, the bakery and the daily papers... young people remember me! They say: Welcome back. I remember you from last year! I remember them too.
Will write in a few days... in the mean time life is gentle and so good.
Because I do not have the same "bench-marks" as other people meaning: you have a marriage, you have children, they begin grade school, there are activities and marks along the way and eventually graduations and they marry etc... however, in my case there are moments when I honestly FORGET how old I AM! My body reminds me, but I toss it off by taking a pain pill or a glass of wine!
We drove out of Wyoming in a blizzard. Stopped by the home of two of our oldest and best friends to say goodbye. Then flat out to Utah. Made it to my parents around midnight. No problems... but with my parents in their mid 80's and one in her mid 90's the picture takes on a different light as well as we drove our two cats to Utah. The back of the truck was FULL. Suit cases, boxes of things... the back seat of the truck had my other mother strapped in, two cats and tons of blankets and water on board. God all mighty we made the "Beverly Hillbillies" look like normal people.
All went well thanks to the magic of coffee and four wheel drive. Spent 6 days in Utah. I could never ever liver in that state again.
Way too many people... there is nothing of my past that exists. My Grandmother's house, the houses I grew up in are GONE.
The corner where I used to catch a school bus all through grade school and Jr. High is a major 4 lane intersection with a Super Wall Mart, Wall-greens, every kind of eatery and even a 24 hour gym! WTH!!! It was full of cattle, corn and tomatoes when I was a kid.
My father lives in a different time frame... everything relates to the PAST... NO future or reality in the now... my dear mother works her butt off caring, cooking, cleaning... but her own health is very fragile. Dementia is a cruel disease. I hope to GOD I never have it... I doubt I will because I think I did have it when I was younger. Therefore been there. Denial was a great way to live in my 20's and 30's..........
Between Doctor appointments, shopping, hair DO's etc. it was quite a week. Thanksgiving was a success. Then the bomb hit!
I had booked our flights to LAX on December 29th instead of November 29th! I called Southwest... they changed it to the tune of 50 dollars per person except Anne... We made the flight. From LAX to Auckland NZ is about 12 hours. LONG. I had asked my physician if I could obtain 4 tablets of AMBIAM TO HELP ME SLEEP ON THE FLIGHT. I took one with a glass of wine when they served the dinner... could not sleep... by damn I opened my back pack with all the meds and read on the bottle... "TAKE WITHOUT FOOD" SHIT! what a waste of money and sleep. So, I put on my Bose head set and drifted in and out of a fitful sleep.
We landed smoothly and in one piece in Auckland. Took the shuttle to DOMESTIC FLIGHTS and boarded for QT. Love this country. Things are different than in America... they are relaxed... they are kinder and they seem to honestly care.
As if planned our cab driver from the Air Port knew us and we had a great welcome home riding with him in his cab. The house is perfect. The roses are in bloom, my garden is full of ripe strawberries and I am loving my piano and NOOK. YEP! I love books but I had downloaded a ton of books before leaving the states. Whoopee.... I am so into computers...
I awoke this morning after 10 hours of sleep and ate a late breakfast on the patio in the sunshine. Have not joined the gym yet. WHY? BODY PAIN. I have worked out for over 40 years. When I turned 60 I still maintained a 15... and more inch arm... well, I over did many things because of ego, vanity and fear of growing old, only to surrender to the reality of TIME... Cancer, hernias,
bladder, my left arm's triceps muscles have been destroyed... they are re-growing... sight, and heart seem pretty good, but I have had to make friends with Arthur, Right-is and a few other energies I never dreamed I would embrace.
Walking and making music save me and my soul. A kind word and wide smile can make my day. When I am down in the village shopping... buying food items, wine, the bakery and the daily papers... young people remember me! They say: Welcome back. I remember you from last year! I remember them too.
Will write in a few days... in the mean time life is gentle and so good.
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