Tag: Stories

Soulstice


Here I am, on the eve of Solstice, the tree’s been on all day, my shift was canceled and I’m home listening to ESPN’s “Around the Horn.”
Watching my daughter make several trips into the kitchen for warm Mexican Weddingcakes (my niece’s father is Mexican) aka Russian teacakes (my son’s girlfriend is Russian) aka nut balls (the rest of us).

On the phone earlier confirming one of the teachers for the November 2010 BEAR. That’s right — November already! I haven’t posted much about my process in manifesting this retreat experience, partly because my laptop crashed and this wee notebook Marty got me for Christmas to replace it is taking some getting used to.

But one thing I learned in the process of organizing the March 2010 retreat is: line up your people early! I am blessed this go round as everyone fell into sync with it as I am sure they were meant to. The retreat site has been secured, I had one/half a teacher for several weeks and then all of a sudden within the space of days, I had four more and they’re perfect. The chef soon followed (an art school dropout wanting to return to her tribe).

I am enjoying the back and forth with everyone and am looking forward to introducing them (or asking other bloggers to introduce them). I have the registration and info drafted and the instructors are crafting their classes. In the meantime some basic info:

The Name: BEAR Spring 2010 — Bay End Art Retreat
Where: Overbrook House, Buzzards Bay MA
When: Thursday March 25 – Sunday March 28, 2010
Number Participants: approximately 20

The theme: Art, Nature and the Goddess

The structure: 4 teachers each doing 2 (different) three-hour workshops apiece, 10 students per workshops

The teachers:

Laura Gaffke

Diane Hanna

Stephanie Anderson Ladd

There are one or two more teachers in the works. Come explore your divine goddess nature through art, nature, movement and more in a beautiful natural setting, sharing and enjoying the process with other women.

** image from American Bear

Near

Today at work my 90 year old client told me she’s ready, she’s tired, she feels her time is near. She said she’s lived a full life, that she’s told her daughter not to be surprised. I found it reassuring to hear, it made me less afraid and more hopeful where death is concerned. When it’s timely — if there is such a thing as a timely death.

Okey Doke

I am actually fairly computer literate, but i do need some tutoring with new programs, etc. I know dreamweaver and photoshop basics, but dang if I can’t figure out how to turn the speaker on and off on this laptop. My cousin’s an NPR commentator and I wanted to listen to one of his latest stories but the sound’s off.

Okey doke, Marty just came downstairs and showed me where the speaker icon is. I’d been looking on the keyboard. He said it was on the right and I didn’t realize he meant in the way little right hand corner of the screen. So anyway, now I can listen to Sean tell me about the Latchkey Cup. Just listened to his story on the best and worst jobs in America. The link is here.

Evelyn Speranza Pizzo Bash

Today would be my beloved mother-in-law’s 80th birthday. I think of her just about everyday, how I loved her, and how I wish I had thought to have her move in with us instead of us leaving Vermont. It would have been hard living together though — we were both headstrong, independent, sometimes too proud women.

I hope she knew how much I loved her. I could be a real jerk in the early years of my marriage to her son, but even when Jason and I divorced, Evelyn continued to be a big part of mine and my children’s lives.

Alzheimer’s finally got her, as it did her father. It was a long goodbye, with the final send-off this past April. She used to say put her on an iceberg and let her go. Christine held ice cubes in Evelyn’s hand on a visit and said to her mother, “It’s okay, Mom. You can go. This is your iceberg.” On some level I think this reached her and she was finally able to let go. She was a beautiful woman, the best mother-in-law a girl could ever ask for and a fabulous grandmother. She adored her grandchildren and would do anything for her kids. Evelyn was there for me many times when my own mother wasn’t. She was a mother to me too, prickly as I could be. Thank you Evelyn. I will always remember you with a heart full of love and the lessons I learned from you.