tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21987067475297054092024-03-04T23:32:27.947-05:00SmallButCharmingflwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.comBlogger778125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-57815895438133347502016-01-25T11:16:00.002-05:002016-01-25T20:15:09.727-05:00Hello......( with all due credit to Adele)<br />
Well if being housebound on day 4 of #blizzard16, plus a really lovely email or two from <a href="https://redpenrita.wordpress./">Rachel </a>doesn't light a fire under my no blogging a*s, what would?<br />
<br />
Plus I woke this morning just blanketed by cats with a silent house and a chill in the air. I have an oil burner. It usually makes its presence known. <br />
<br />
All signs pointed to no heat. The signs were correct. It was time to call the oil company and sit down at the computer.<br />
<br />
Yes, I'm layered. I have a space heater, I am doing laundry trusting the heat from the dryer will help us out here. The oven is warming awaiting ...who cares, the oven is on. Electric, no worries<br />
<br />
I have on a hat, fingerless gloves and my ever present iced latte. Still crazy after all these years.<br />
<br />
November and December just a work blur, the blur was enhanced by one of the front clerks underlining all the important details on orders with an orange hlghlighter. My eyes don't take in orange, it was if whole sentences were entirely blacked out. This made a busy season even more challenging.<br />
<br />
I had a week in Miami early January. Best coffees ever, best music on the radio, too much food but since I was visiting my vacation buddy Larry there were many mornings at the gym, then more food.<br />
<br />
I saw "Carol", it made me cry. I saw "The Danish Girl", it made me yawn. Edit people,edit.<br />
<br />
I slept long and late. Larry is a 6am riser. You must have needed the sleep he said. Well yeah, my mind, body and eyes were spent. And with no Gus around I could sleep in. Sorry buddy, you're a pesty alarm clock.<br />
<br />
Gus and Lucy? As charming, annoying, hungry, no I don't like that food, I want some crunchies, please turn on the faucet, let me out, let me in, as ever. B. is still our roommate and they live for the moment he opens his bedroom door and they can rush into his room. Gus to lounge on the bed,Lucy to teeter on the ironing board being all flirty.<br />
<br />
We appreciate his presence. He assumed all shoveling duties for the storm keeping the door open for neighbors with babies, potluck dinners and football viewers.<br />
<br />
We have not been bored, the power has stayed on, food has been plentiful, and Gus only fell in one snow drift. Though that was a worrisome few moments for me until a little wet,orange head popped out.<br />
<br />
Just counted and realized 4 sentences have started with I. Not to make it all about me...<br />
<br />
Have I forgotten anything? Yes, my doctors office wrote a very persuasive letter to my insurance company and my full migraine prescription is intact. <br />
<br />
And you? Tell me about you.<br />
<br />
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UPDATE: The heat is on, the heat is on....apparently I was out of oil. Petro, my oil company is so far behind on deliveries they don't know when they can get a truck to my house. The tech ran out to a gas station, put 10 gallons of diesel in my 100 gallon tank and then said if they're not back by the time I use this up, approximately 2 days, I should get 10 gallons of diesel and fill it myself.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is so wrong. I pay a great amount of money year round for automatic fill up, 24/7 service calls 365 days a year.<br />
<br />
The tech could barely carry the gas cans around to my back yard tank. And now I'm supposed to top it up? And B goes out of town tomorrow?<br />
<br />
This is so wrong in so many ways. Lucy is very grateful tho. That's something.<br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-85253502456472642042015-11-09T20:34:00.000-05:002015-11-11T17:53:24.650-05:00What I Did For Love<br />
I went to the Catskills. In November. Enough said?<br />
<br />
My darling neighbor Vicki was getting married to the equally adorable Ben.<br />
<br />
Since I was going I offered to do the flowers.<br />
<br />
She demurred, I insisted.<br />
<br />
I got to bring a plus 2 along. I invited my next door neighbors, the Irishman and his 7 weeks from due date wife.<br />
<br />
We loaded their SUV up with flowers, made our 1st Starbucks stop and with an assortment of Ted Talks at the ready plus a rocking country music playlist hit the road.<br />
<br />
We arrived 6 hours later, at the Full Moon resort in a wilderness reserve. All the leaves were gone. But some of the trees still had red apples shining on gnarly branches.<br />
<br />
Friday night was all about BBQ and apple crisp, a firepit where we toasted smores and late night dancing in a tent.<br />
<br />
Saturday morning was all about oversleeping and starting the wedding flowers an hour and a half behind my imaginary schedule.<br />
<br />
Even with a pregnant accountant as my assistant and guest cameos from the wedding party and their relatives bringing waters and iced coffees, time was tight.<br />
<br />
As any florist knows, 13 centerpieces, a bridal bouquet, 3 bridesmaids, 2 flowergirls, 6 boutonnieres, 1 corsage, 1 place card table arrangement, 1 piece for the programs, and one pink glass depression ware pitcher plus 4 glasses, 2 vintage bud vases and a coca cola wagon to fill takes time.<br />
<br />
I had less than 6 hours. By the end the pregnant neighbor had learned to wrap bridesmaids bouquets and even did one wagon arrangement herself.<br />
<br />
Plus she kept the music pumping and ran over to the main lodge to bring us back some lunch, there was also a 15 minute liedown for her. Baby not amused by her new career choice.<br />
<br />
But we made it. Not enough time for me to shower, but enough time to change clothes and meet the other guests in the grove.<br />
<br />
With the gentle sound of a stream behind us and sheltered from the wind, Vicki and Ben were married.<br />
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<br />
<br />
He cried, she cried, his brothers cried, we cried and smiled all at the same time.<br />
<br />
Then there was music, and food, and speeches and more tears, more laughter, and finally we all moved outdoors where the bride and groom walked under a canopy of 24inch sparklers held by the 100 guests.<br />
<br />
It was so beautiful they ran back to the beginning and did it again. Seriously, how often will you get that opportunity?<br />
<br />
Then the next morning we reversed our steps leaving behind 35 degrees and mountains covered with naked trees.<br />
<br />
By the time we hit Baltimore there were leaves in the trees and when we got out of the car in Virginia it was in the 70's and we were kicking off our boots and unwrapping the scarves from our necks.<br />
<br />
I still hadn't showered, I had been squashed behind the seat of a 6ft4" driver for 6 hours and I needed to pee.<br />
<br />
Yet I was as happy in my heart as if I had been lounging on a Caribbean island.<br />
<br />
And the icing on the cake?<br />
<br />
They're expecting on April 1st and it's a girl!<br />
<br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-67428091682491330402015-10-28T19:30:00.001-04:002015-10-28T19:30:12.827-04:00Not That You Asked...<br />
Oh these cats! Gus has one job around here and one job only: to get me up in the morning early enough that I can let him out, feed Lucy, let her out, let him in, feed him some crunchies, let him out again and still have time to ice a latte and go back to bed to read till 7:00am.<br />
<br />
Of course by the time I get out of the shower Lucy is perched on one window sill or another meowing hysterically because clearly, this time, I have snuck off and left her in the wilds, alone.<br />
<br />
Recently Gus has been sleeping in and I'm on a course of muscle relaxers that my doctor hopes will break up my ever present migraine cycle.<br />
<br />
So neither of us is bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning.<br />
<br />
I've been forced to set the alarm on my phone and as soon as it goes off Gus is up and ready to go, while I am fumbling and stumbling to turn off alarm and get to the front door ASAP.<br />
<br />
The only day of the week he is guaranteed to wake up at 6 or earlier is Sunday, swear to God.<br />
<br />
How does he know that's my day to sleep in?<br />
<br />
The only time Lucy wakes me up is if I'm sleeping after 7 and Gus is out and she is in.<br />
<br />
And that is with a gentle paw on my face. Not jumping up and down from my body to the floor, from the floor to my body, over and over like a feline robot.<br />
<br />
Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this drug regime works because when I got home last night I had a letter from my insurance company stating that as of January 2016 they will only pay for 9 sumatriptane tables a month.<br />
<br />
This is the medicine I take for my migraines and I take the full 27 that have been allotted me, there have been years that I needed a second different prescription for back up.<br />
<br />
If I only have 9 pills a month, I would possibly spend up to 15 days in bed with an ice pick through my head, unable to eat, think, work or let the cats in and out.<br />
<br />
I'm a little rattled. Strike that, I'm totally freaked out. I suppose I could pay the full price for 27, close to 200.00 a month, though that seems daunting financially.<br />
<br />
I had success with physical therapy but it didn't work the last try, maybe acupuncture? Has anyone tried that?<br />
<br />
Any suggestions?<br />
<br />
We/I have two months to solve a problem that has haunted me for years.<br />
<br />
<br />
And perhaps there will be will be an answer that will make me shake my head in amazement that I hadn't tried it years ago.<br />
<br />
What a drag it is getting old-er.<br />
<br />
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<br />
on a happier note here are two quick shots of what the pampered pets are doing as I am writing this.<br />
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Truly my raison d'etres</div>
flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-77337643631782029332015-10-15T21:51:00.002-04:002015-10-15T22:10:52.929-04:00Seeds Of Change<br />
Still can't find my camera, only the charger. Found a camera GG left behind, but no charger.<br />
<br />
One's a Canon, one's a Kodak. Never the twain shall meet.<br />
<br />
So I've sent away for a charger for the Kodak. 19.95 seems like a safe investment.<br />
<br />
We'll see. In the meantime I'll keep searching my files for a unpublished photo or one no one will remember 'cause no one read me then.<br />
<br />
I got an exciting email today from my friend Diane P asking me if I'd read/ heard of this offer:<br />
<br />
http://www.messynessychic.com/2015/10/14/meet-the-new-england-innkeeper-moving-to-paris-and-giving-away-her-charming-inn/<br />
<br />
I clicked it and indeed, there is a charming inn to be given away to a lucky someone with 150.00 to invest in their future and 200 words to spare. All you have to do is lay out your heart and convince her that I/you are the right person to get said inn.<br />
<br />
I'm in. Who else?<br />
<br />
Wouldn't that be a fantastic next life?<br />
<br />
I didn't know how much I would like to make a change until the window opened in front of me.<br />
<br />
Of course we are talking Maine, long winters, late springs, 3 month top growing season, ice, snow,cold. Brrrrrr.<br />
<br />
Then we consider lobster rolls, living close to Boston and some of my favorite people there, fall leaves, the ocean, and the fabulous slogan: Maine "The Way Life Should Be". I could use it as a hashtag on all my IG pictures.<br />
<br />
Now there's a good reason to completely change your life: social media. But really,"Virginia Is For Lovers" has not done me a lick of good. And she, the innkeeper, seems to have found a girlfriend and is moving to Paris! Hello.<br />
<br />
Of course 200 words...I do tend to run on a bit as you all know.<br />
<br />
Will I get the inn? One chance on a million.<br />
<br />
Will I decide to keep my eyes wide open and welcome change? Even seek it?<br />
<br />
You betcha.<br />
<br />
There I already sound like a Mainer. Off to look for a pic, maybe one of the cats?<br />
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Or maybe one of carnations. The flower I'm always trying to get our customers to love, no luck there.<br />
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Better luck with the essay, eh?<br />
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xo J<br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-60781451444379714992015-10-07T22:42:00.004-04:002015-10-07T22:42:46.230-04:00Small World And All That Jazz<br />
Well this is perplexing....where is my camera?<br />
<br />
And am I allowed to write posts without pictures?<br />
<br />
If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it does it make a sound?<br />
<br />
<br />
I could just hit publish and wait for answers but I will forge on ahead.<br />
<br />
I have been busy hostessing.<br />
<br />
If you are in University anywhere in the UK but mostly Cambridge and you are coming to Washington to do research, I guess you stay with me.<br />
<br />
Every one seems to want "a proper room", not a hotel.. Once they get here they like to"go on a bit<br />
of a wander". Everything about my house is "lovely". The cats are "gorgeous". And sometimes they want to go for a run but they have forgotten their "kit".<br />
<br />
What more can an Anglophile want?<br />
<br />
Cuppa? Don't worry someone is always making one.<br />
<br />
The only problems that have arisen, and these are only problems for me, are sussing out peoples nationalities.<br />
<br />
If you live in London and are a director at a hospital there, I think you will be English. But no, you turn out to be Irish.<br />
<br />
If you say your place of residence is Berlin and you travel between there and Cambridge, I assume you are German. But I would be wrong, you are a Brit.<br />
<br />
If you live in and study at Cambridge I assume you are British but no you're a German.<br />
<br />
Geography has never been my strong point but I'm beginning to suspect there is a large international conspiracy to confuse me.<br />
<br />
Have any of you heard about it in your homelands?<br />
<br />
And if so assure "them" it is working.<br />
<br />
These last two months have truly been my favorite time of airbnbing<br />
<br />
I'm in thrall to the accents, the stories, the massive amounts of attention given to the cats. Who as you can imagine soak it all up shamelessly.<br />
<br />
I shut down the inn at the end of October when B.(remember him) comes back from training and assumes his permanent position in the other bedroom. And hopefully at the grill.<br />
<br />
But I have loved my months as an American Ambassador.<br />
<br />
I've learned so much about other ways of life that it seems my world has exploded..<br />
<br />
Since March I have hosted people from China, India ,Brazil, Australia,Cuba via Miami,one of the Stanzs, England, Canada and all parts of the USA.<br />
<br />
Incredible experience. I recommend it highly. And to my friends' vast relief, appear to be coming through alive and unharmed, a little wealthier and a whole lot wiser.<br />
<br />
I have always been grateful for the kindness of strangers.<br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-33538904470560945162015-09-23T21:00:00.000-04:002015-09-23T21:00:04.461-04:00Now I'm Back, Just To Let You Know......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hi.<br />
<br />
<br />
Don't ask me. It's like going to the gym or AA meetings or anything else that makes you feel good.<br />
<br />
Stop doing it and it's so hard to get going again.<br />
<br />
But I'm gonna give it a go. Play catch up.<br />
<br />
Iwentontwovacations,atelotsoflobster,readtoomanybooks,walkedablisteronthebottomofmy footinP'Town,sawsunsets,sundowns,sufferedthroughhottestmosthumidsummer,lostplants,<br />
lostornamentalplumtree,livedonhardboiledeggs,avocadotoastandmelon,helpedstopagunstorefromopening.<br />
<br />
Wait, this deserves it's own time and space.The gun store did NOT open in August.<br />
<br />
The community made such a loud and constant noise that the landlord gave up. He owns a hair salon on the same block and his business was over. Kaput. Day after day he and the other hairdressers sat there, day after day no one came, well except to complain or to drop off a letter telling him why they weren't coming.<br />
<br />
He kept telling me he had made a mistake but what could he do. He had a lawyer, he got another lawyer, the gun shop had an NRA lawyer. I would go to the NRA website and read about the far left liberals who were attempting to stop this former Marine from fulfilling his life's dream. a second store with more room to stock assault weapons.<br />
<br />
When you are mentioned by name twice on such a website it makes your eyeballs spin around in your head.<br />
<br />
Then the fateful day arrived, the owner got his permit from Richmond, the capital of Virginia. he was now licensed to sell guns in Arlington.<br />
<br />
He brought the letter to the landlord and waved it in his face and asked what he was going to do about it.<br />
<br />
The landlord did the right and honorable thing, he bought him out of his lease. And then he made two signs that looked like they were drawn by schoolchildren. They had smiley faces all over them and the words "no guns".<br />
<br />
The town went wild! People came racing onto the block jubilant. They went into all the stores hugging and congratulating all of us who had dodged the bullet.....literally.They honked and waved as they drove past. Not a week goes by that someone doesn't come into the store and say how happy they are about the outcome.<br />
<br />
So many people told me you can't fight the NRA, they have lawyers, guns and money.<br />
<br />
But we had heart and soul on our side.<br />
<br />
And in a rare instance of justice, we won.<br />
<br />
Now that's a happy ending!<br />
<br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-21347881142102997662015-07-06T21:16:00.001-04:002015-07-07T18:45:49.183-04:00Once Upon A Time<br />
I wrote a long blogpost a few hours ago and then the computer ate it. Editing? <br />
<br />
I don't have the heart to do it again so I'll just give you the bullet points.<br />
<br />
Owners out of town for 24 days, 4 to go.<br />
<br />
In that time we have had our flower cleaner quit, our driver tear ligaments in his ankle and massive amounts of rain fall both from the heavens and from our roof, close to the computers natch.<br />
<br />
And not just one rainfall. <br />
<br />
While we haven't been busy at work, we've been busy at work.<br />
<br />
On the home front the Swiss intern arrived on the 3rd just in time to experience total hood immersion holiday style.<br />
<br />
The party started around 4:00. I left at 11:pm, she came home at 2:00am and the stalwart rocked it until 5:30am. <br />
<br />
We take the 4th of July very seriously around here.<br />
<br />
She was amazed by the welcome; her calender is full, the neighbors are smitten. We hate to leave the block so when I show up with a fairytale creature all long limbs, black hair and navy blue eyes, tatts and an accent....<br />
<br />
Well let's just say my black bean/ brown rice salad was redundant.<br />
<br />
I had already paid the price of admission. <br />
<br />
So when shop owners return on Saturday and I get the hell outta dodge on Monday the 13th. the cats will have a built in babysitter, the neighbors will all be babysitting the babysitter and the garden will grow thick with weeds. ( outta dodge is off to Cape Cod and my friend Susan's house which contains the best guest room in the universe. Not to mention a stream of delicious food, 3 white doggies, proximity to lobster rolls and a perfect showerhead)<br />
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Weeds. That's the Brothers Grimm twist for you.</div>
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-5144185616193500222015-06-23T18:57:00.002-04:002015-06-23T18:57:54.798-04:00Of A Tuesday<br />
Just two more guests and I'm out of the Aibnb bizness till September.<br />
<br />
The Italian guy left this morning about 8:15, giving me a few minutes to strip and remake bed before work.<br />
<br />
I arrived home with time to spit polish room, add fresh flowers and give the bathroom and kitchen a shine. All this in 100 degree weather, with the window units laboring mightily to keep the house a cool 80degrees in the living room, 74 in the bedrooms.<br />
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<br />
The Italian guy turned off his airconditioner and the overhead fan saying it was too cold to sleep.<br />
<br />
Italy I don't think so, I think he came from Hell. It's never been too cold in my casa.<br />
<br />
Now I'm waiting for the Australian.<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure he will speak English unlike my guest of the last three nights.<br />
<br />
Hard going for a communicator like myself. I finally downloaded the Translate app, which helped me immensely.<br />
<br />
At least I could express my feelings about the USA/Columbia soccer match last night. Bon mots such as "they play dirty" flowed from my fingertips.<br />
<br />
But no app was needed for Enrico and Lucy to communicate, it was love at first sight for him.<br />
<br />
And even though Lucy is married I detected a lilt in her voice and a tilt of her head which made me suspicious.<br />
<br />
Then I saw her tail disappearing into the guest room and I knew it was all over for Lucy and B. At least until the next time he comes over.<br />
<br />
She has not learned this behavior from me, I promise.<br />
<br />
Unless she has managed to find my dairies.<br />
<br />
We are waiting for another storm to hit with winds up to 60 miles an hour and hail.<br />
<br />
Oh joy. My backyard has just drained out from last Saturdays tropical storm.<br />
<br />
Gus of course rushed out into the inferno as soon as I got home and will undoubtedly wait until he is ready to wring from the rain before I see him again.<br />
<br />
Kids. What are you gonna do?<br />
<br />
The sky is turning black, this will be my second guest to arrive in a Wizard of Oz fashion.<br />
<br />
Gotta run, need to put my umbrella down and start the plaintive cries of "Gus, Gus" so often heard round da hood.<br />
<br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-81645154690581605702015-06-15T22:31:00.001-04:002015-06-15T22:32:43.246-04:00Life Can Be Both Wave And Particle*<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Whew. Now I can finally write a blog post.</div>
<br />
As I'm sure anyone who's been reading me for any length of time knows, when something big is brewing, I go into radio silence.<br />
<br />
Wait, not necessarily true, sometimes I spill the beans before they're even cooked.<br />
<br />
But if I'm not writing about what's happening, I'm not writing.<br />
<br />
So last Monday I woke up to a bug, maybe a spider, maybe one of those damn flying ants, on my right breast, and when I went to shoo it away I felt a lump where there never was a lump before.<br />
<br />
I poked, I prodded and I fell back to sleep.<br />
<br />
When I awoke I went about my normal Monday morning, pulling weeds, feeding plants and letting the cats in and out.<br />
<br />
It wasn't until I was dressed and ready to go out for lunch that I remembered my strange "dream".<br />
<br />
So I poked and prodded again and found that same lump.<br />
<br />
This was no dream.<br />
<br />
I called my doctor, his office called me back.<br />
<br />
By now I'm in a car with friends on our way to lunch.<br />
<br />
I could have a breast exam in 2 hours.<br />
<br />
We ate a messy lunch of lettuce wraps at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant then they dropped me off to go a little shopping.<br />
<br />
I grabbed an iced latte and headed upstairs to see my gynecologist.<br />
<br />
He examined me, wrote me a prescription for a comprehensive screening. This would start with a mammogram and go thru the circuit of ultra sound, MRI and a biopsy if necessary.<br />
<br />
He asked if I drank a lot of coffee. When I brandished my latte at him, he suggested there may be a link between heavy caffeine consumption and benign fibroid cysts.<br />
<br />
He said he didn't think I had to worry but I did the right thing by coming in immediately.<br />
<br />
I made an appointment at the imaging center for Monday the 15th. And then I went about my business.<br />
<br />
Today, same friends, different lunch spot, we ate Thai.<br />
<br />
They dropped me off and went shopping.<br />
<br />
I entered the world of pink. Pink scrubs for the staff, pink tops for the patients. Even the key chain for our lockers was pink. It was aggressively pink. <br />
<br />
I had a 3D mammogram, which despite more interesting pictures, hurts just as much.<br />
<br />
A radiologist read the results and said all was well, they would send the report to my doctor. I could get dressed and go home.<br />
<br />
Other women were told they could get dressed and go see the radiologist.<br />
<br />
I felt very lucky. I cried a little as I changed out of the pink and into my white top.<br />
<br />
I got an iced green tea with lemonade, my friends picked me up and away we drove.<br />
<br />
It's so random, the way your life can change in one split second.<br />
<br />
Or not.<br />
<br />
xo J<br />
<br />
* Ellen Gilchrist<br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-26943060115978569422015-06-01T21:45:00.001-04:002015-06-01T21:46:14.288-04:00As Miss Pickering Would Say: Lately And In No Particular Order<br />
I am alone in my house for the first time in weeks.<br />
<br />
It's been raining since about 4:00 pm today, it started, it stopped and then started again everytime I tried to leave the house to walk to the store.<br />
<br />
Who cares, I have bowls of ice cold cherries, watermelon and cantaloupe, a pitcher of garden fresh ice mint tea and a lemon syrup. <br />
<br />
They can wait for a new bag of crunchies.<br />
<br />
I had a guest from Singapour via Morgantown, West Virginia who left this morning.<br />
<br />
She was tall, thin and extremely elegant. As if Lucy suddenly became a person.<br />
<br />
She's a poetess who just got her Masters in Creative Writing. <br />
<br />
To hear her talk about demolition derbys and football games and pepperoni rolls, apparently the state food of West Virginia, was hilarious.<br />
<br />
She had a beautiful accent reminincent of a 30's British movie star. She said it's her fake American accent.<br />
<br />
I want one.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile up in the attic was B. His new place around the corner wasn't available until yesterday so I said he was welcome to stay in the attic if he could make it work.<br />
<br />
Several hours later it was clean and organized, he built a tent like structure from the piles of textiles I have stashed up there, bought an air conditioner and an air mattress.<br />
<br />
I think somewhere in the swirl of activity he and Lucy got married, at least I hope so because she moved up there with him too.<br />
<br />
I told the next two Airbnb guests he was my nephew.<br />
<br />
I don't know why. I didn't know how else to explain why a man married to a cat was in the attic.<br />
<br />
So now it's just the 3 of us. Gus is soaked from the rain, Lucy's sulking cause her man did her wrong and I'm missing my griller.<br />
<br />
But tomorrow Carlos (another Carlos) arrives, this one from Miami and the next chapter unfolds.<br />
<br />
Born to host.<br />
<br />
xo J<br />
<br />
PS. Gratuitous squirrel picture. I have never eaten a peach from my tree.<br />
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Public Enemy #1</div>
flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-73054506562619051302015-05-29T08:16:00.002-04:002015-05-29T08:16:54.480-04:00And The Race Is On<br />
Gun shop update.<br />
<br />
The Cease and Desist petition now has over 2000 signatures. There is now a Let her Rip petition, or Open Gun Shop petition with numbers that rival ours.<br />
<br />
If we had another empty space perhaps an abortion clinic could attempt to open, thus assuring constant strife on the block.<br />
<br />
I gave a brief interview to a TV station.<br />
<br />
<div class="paragraph" data-pnum="3">
Jane Winter, who works at the flower
shop next door to the vacant storefront, said NOVA doesn't fit in to the
strip mall that includes a restaurant, hair salon and nail salon.</div>
<div class="paragraph" data-pnum="4">
"People
come here for beauty, they come here for peace, they come here for a
meal," she said. "If you want to open a gun shop, do it elsewhere."</div>
<div class="paragraph" data-pnum="4">
<br /></div>
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Trust me when I say I look like hell in the clip, like Martha after a year in jail, so no link will be provided.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="paragraph" data-pnum="4">
Meanwhile construction continues and the<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/25/gun-shop-proposal-from-marine-corps-veteran-riles-/?page=all"> gun shop owne</a>r gave an interview to The Washington Times, a newspaper that has a different slant on things, to the right , to the right....</div>
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<br /></div>
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But life as we know it continues. Proms, weddings, graduations, births and deaths fill our days with flowers.</div>
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Weeds grow in my garden, strawberries are eaten, raspberries ripen, cats go in and out, the trellis is back up and the grapevine is reaching for the sky.</div>
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I am searching online for a no guns tshirt in xsmall.</div>
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If I'm gonna walk the walk I'm going to do it in dubious style.</div>
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xo J </div>
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flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-45840352843773248872015-05-25T13:21:00.001-04:002015-05-25T13:22:02.907-04:00Little Shop Of Horrors<br />
I don't know where to start. Should I write about the freaking flying ant invasion, the ginormous bee invasion, the mind numbing work of painting a trellis or the gun shop?<br />
<br />
All horrifying but none as bad as the news that the space next to the flower shop has been leased to a gun shop.<br />
<br />
The contractor told us. And then he told us again. I worried, talked to co workers, talked to tenants of other shops. We are located in small non picturesque strip mall with a frame store, a nail salon, a hair salon, a yoga studio and two restaurants. <br />
<br />
The next day I started writing emails, anonymously of course, even though my email address of flwjane led everybody right to the flower shop.<br />
<br />
I was happy to be in the fight but trying to keep the shop owners out of it.<br />
<br />
Suddenly a rep from Arlington County was in, out local news blog, <a href="http://arlnow.com/">arlnow.com</a> reporter was in so many times he became a customer, <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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and as the word got out customers streamed in the door.<br />
<br />
Many to say goodbye, they would not frequent a block that housed a gun shop.<br />
<br />
As much as I couldn't blame them I saw my income leaving too.<br />
<br />
Then the neighborhood list serves got into it and finally we had a petition.<br />
<br />
When I signed it there were 110 names, within 48 hours there were 1400 and it continues to grow.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.ooyuz.com/geturl?aid=6479354">Washington Post</a> has reported on this, the local TV news has reported, the landlord says he's cutting the lease but the new tenant has issued a statement saying he doesn't care what the community has to say, he's moving in this summer.<br />
<br />
I don't know what I'll return to tomorrow. Hoping it's peace not war.<br />
<br />
Guns and Roses will not be our next Valentine's special.<br />
<br />
A move might be in our future.<br />
<br />
The amazing thing to come out of this has been the community reaction and action.<br />
<br />
Soccer and baby showers took a back seat to the future of our city, our street, our school children.<br />
<br />
And for that I am grateful.<br />
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Peace be with you.</div>
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-61061346997308578322015-05-17T08:42:00.002-04:002015-05-17T12:18:55.467-04:00The Week That Was<br />
Notable dates in May thus far:<br />
<br />
<i>May 16th</i>: first mosquitoes and first big rain arriving just in time to batten down the peonies and iris.<br />
<br />
(Note to all of you, please remind me next March to cage my peonies. This is now on your shoulders).<br />
<br />
<i>May 13th</i>: the date my favorite Airbnb guest arrived to stay for 6 nights while looking for permanent housing. Instant connection that will eventually end with him moving into house as full time house mate in November. <br />
<br />
In the meantime I have room booked/being booked until July when an intern for Swiss TV will arrive to stay through August. Thus assuring cat care while I take a couple of weeks vacation.<br />
<br />
B., the present guest has found a temporary rental around the corner until he goes to Quantico in August for 3 months training. He too will be visiting the cats while I'm (not) sunning on beaches.<br />
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<br />
<br />
He loves the hood and finds everyone so welcoming. I told him it (the hood) picks its people and for better or for worse he is one of the select.<br />
<br />
He's a cat guy, especially gingers, spent 4 years as a vet tech while in college, so hopefully will be able to help me get cats into cages for yearly vet visit ( previously GG's job) and made the mistake of telling me he was handy.<br />
<br />
The equivalent of handing the keys to a candy store to a diabetic. I love handy.<br />
<br />
<i>May 12th</i>: the day I had my stitches out and was released to garden. With the caveat I wear a bandaid over site, and a ginormous hat. And no sun for a year. And no eating apples, picture here doctor stretching mouth very wide at least 5 times in succession to show me what not to do. Finally I told him thank god I was gay.<br />
<br />
He told me the site looked good tho, like earthworms were at work.<br />
<br />
<i>May 11th</i>: the day my friend and hairdresser went into shop on his Monday day off to do emergency surgery on my hair. Resuming life as a bobbed blonde hidden under huge hat.<br />
<br />
<i>May 10th</i>: the day I wrote my last post and told you my day would be full of nada. Here to report I kept my promise. Though that led to a very busy Monday. <br />
<br />
I will now insert gratuitous flower pic and head off to yoga. Looking forward to hearing about the week that was for you. <br />
<br />
xo J<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-36121064218957307732015-05-10T10:11:00.001-04:002015-05-10T10:13:23.555-04:00Done And Dusted*<br />
It's over for another year.<br />
<br />
Love to all the mothers and a round of Advil for all the florists.<br />
<br />
I was walking through the kitchen this morning and when I glanced at the clock I thought, oh my god, it's 9:00am and I haven't done anything.<br />
<br />
And then I remembered by that time yesterday I had been hard at work for 2 hours.<br />
<br />
And remained so till after 6:00, surrounded by buckets of peonies, hot pink roses, pale pink sweetpeas, fragrant lilac, friends and coworkers, bottles of water and empty Starbucks containers.<br />
<br />
There may have been too much laughter for my sutures, but they do say it's the best medicine....<br />
<br />
And when I dragged home carrying a handful of pink peonies, I found yards full of neighbors, an empty chair waiting for me and eager ears to relive my day with.<br />
<br />
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<br />
As ever we trailed from house to house, yard to yard, inspecting this one's garden, this one's home project.<br />
<br />
Finally at 10:15 I hauled myself up and staggered across the street to bed. I don't know when any of us ate any dinner. But my appetite was for sleep.<br />
<br />
Even the cats were ready to come in.<br />
<br />
Before I continue my busy day of doing nada, I want to send Happy Mother's Day wishes to all my friends in the clouds.<br />
<br />
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<br />
And I'm handing out red charm peonies from the garden to each and every mother in da hood.<br />
<br />
Come on by!<br />
<br />
xo J<br />
<br />
* Thank you<a href="http://usefulorbeautiful.blogspot.com/"> Lucille</a> for this phrase, new to me but already in heavy rotation. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-9754445782178284362015-05-06T19:05:00.001-04:002015-05-06T19:07:02.977-04:00Post Op<br />
As you can imagine,4am came early on Monday.<br />
<br />
But despite the alarm, the lights and my shower, the cats slept on, curled up on my bed in their usual spots, oblivious to all the angst and action.<br />
<br />
Thanks guys.<br />
<br />
And who knew that a normal ride from my house in Arlington to Georgetown Hospital would shrink from 30 minutes to 10, leaving me standing outside the doors waiting for them to open at 5am?<br />
<br />
And who knew that Tini, Mr. B's mother would make it there at 6:50am to keep me company till the witching hour of 7:30. And appear shortly after I regained consciousness with an iced latte in hand?<br />
<br />
I was on my home, slightly Frankenstein in appearance, by 10:30, exhilarated as ever by the cocktail of drugs whirling through my body.<br />
<br />
Anesthesia peps me up.<br />
<br />
The incision looks to be in good shape 2 days later, and I know this because I ask every stray nurse or pharmacist I run into.<br />
<br />
The hardest part is eating, talking and laughing. And these are three of my favorite things.<br />
<br />
And not weeding of course.<br />
<br />
A customer told me today I looked like a cat had gotten at me. A big cat he said.<br />
<br />
Really? Looking forward to doing his mothers day flowers.<br />
<br />
Another customer said "oh, that must have hurt".<br />
<br />
I said " well, I was sedated". I must look like I was in a knife fight. With a big cat.<br />
<br />
But I'm delighted it's over, the Doctor said all looks good, and the stitches come out next Tuesday.<br />
<br />
Life goes on. I'm primping for tonight's' previously scheduled Airbnb guest and praying for more rain so I won't feel guilty about not watering. But how nice is it to be able to walk out the door and cut a few stems of flowers! Glass overflowing. And I say this without benefit of drugs.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Thank you all for your comments, emails and text.<br />
<br />
And the flowers in the house, both on your blogs and on Instagram. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
You truly do give me courage when I start to falter.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
And I am always grateful.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
xo J </div>
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-41051668887848570102015-05-04T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-04T12:06:16.745-04:00It's A Party Now: FITH May 21015 Hello my lovelies.<br />
I am le tired.<br />
In an attempt to distract myself from tomorrow's 4am wake up, I have been keeping busy.<br />
<br />
Yoga,
farmers market, gardening, visiting with neighbors, more gardening,
freaking out, vacuuming, stressing out and a bit more gardening.<br />
<br />
Now it's dark, only the cats and the very full moon are out.<br />
<br />
Outside it's summer, 78degrees at 8:40pm, inside it's spring.<br />
<br />
The garden has offered up pink lily of the valley, a fragrant yellow iris and a stoneware cup of violas.<br />
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California flew in peonies. I flushed them out with a few stems of homegrown weigela and lambs ear .<br />
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<br />
The stoneware is from yesterdays flea market and the pitcher from a friend's visit to France.<br />
<br />
What more can a woman want when she is surrounded by friends and flowers, stoneware and pottery?<br />
<br />
Well, besides wanting the cats to come in? <br />
<br />
A visit to and from you would make it just right.<br />
<br />
Here's fingers crossed Mr. linky still works!<br />
<br />
See you Monday?<br />
<br />
xo J<br />
<br />
Post Op Update: all went well, I'm home now, but I'm talking too much and incision keeps opening. Tine for a nap. When I come over only let me mutter out of the left side of my mouth!<br />
<br />
xo <br />
<br />
<link href="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/styles/default.css" media="all" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"></link><script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/loc_en.js"></script><script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/opt_defaults.js"></script><script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/misterlinky.js"></script><script src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?mode=standard&owner=flwjane&postid=04May2015&meme=7388" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-2772057661221879192015-05-02T19:40:00.000-04:002015-05-02T19:41:16.752-04:00You Are Invited....To join us in May Flowers In The House, Monday the 4th.<br />
<br />
If you've been here before you know the drill.<br />
<br />
If you're a newbie, just take a picture or two of some flowers in your house.<br />
<br />
They could be spring, they could be fall. This is clearly summer.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
All continents welcome.</div>
<br />
Then you scoot over here, link up your blog with the magic Mr. Linky and leave a comment if you're so inspired.<br />
<br />
Then prepare to entertain people you might have never met before or your old and true blog buddies.<br />
<br />
If you want to serve a little something delicious not a soul would refuse.<br />
<br />
I'm going to put up a link to an old<a href="http://flwrjane-smallbutcharming.blogspot.com/2013/07/flowers-in-house-of-hydration-july-2013.html"> FITH</a> so you can see how it's done.<br />
<br />
And those of us who participated can stroll down memory lane.<br />
<br />
I won't be by to visit as early as usual but once I'm home I'll be right over.<br />
<br />
My doors open at midnight EST. <br />
<br />
xo Jflwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-13017843329589471532015-04-29T19:07:00.001-04:002015-04-29T21:48:59.934-04:00Pre Op<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This has been an unusually stress filled week, and it's the week before Mothers Day rolls around.<br />
<br />
Triple stress action coming.<br />
<br />
My dermatologist found some skin cancer on my chin right under the left corner of my lower lip.<br />
<br />
It's just basal cell so apparently no great cause for alarm.<br />
<br />
But this coming Monday I roll out of bed at the ungodly hour of 4 something am to be at Georgetown Hospital at 5:30am for surgery at 7:30.<br />
<br />
How lucky was I that somebody cancelled that spot?<br />
<br />
On GG's suggestion, I went to Plastic Surgery At Georgetown, where she worked for many years to see her favorite Doctor.<br />
<br />
Now you must remember my legal name isn't Jane, it's rather long and very Irish Catholic.<br />
<br />
So I go by Jane.<br />
<br />
Imagine the surprise of both myself and the nurse when Dr. Pittman was "Are you GG's ex?"<br />
<br />
When I said "yes", the nurse whirled around on her stool and said "Jane"?<br />
<br />
Outed. Again.<br />
<br />
And imagine their surprise when the "responsible adult" who comes to pick me post op is GG's sister, mother of the former Mr. B, now Mr. Big Shot, who just had her own surgery, same Doctor, though a much more difficult procedure a scant two weeks ago.And do you know how hard it is to find a responsible adult who isn't working on Monday morning?<br />
<br />
I think the stressful part comes from all the phone calls from different departments in the Hospital asking me the same questions. My answers are pretty much "no", which makes me feel very healthy. But one more round of this and I might take some recreational drugs.<br />
<br />
Just for fun you understand.<br />
<br />
Oh my god, the worst of it all? No gardening for 10 days after surgery!!<br />
<br />
Why oh why is it always no gardening just when I've gotten strong enough to dig up and move a rosebush by myself?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Glass half full: </div>
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I'll be able to fill the house with lily of the valley</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
And lilac.</div>
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And I'm promised a little scar which might make me at 5'2 and 110 lbs. look a tad more dangerous.</div>
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Get back Jack!</div>
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-54680801758076746302015-04-27T22:18:00.000-04:002015-04-28T08:08:26.015-04:00We Never Go Out Of StyleLatest review from the world of innkeeping:<br />
<br />
"Beautiful neighborhood and beautiful cozy home. If you've watched The
Holiday, think of Iris Simplins' cottage. Very close to bus stops and
metro stations. Overall great experience and great time."<br />
<br />
My favorite Hollywood house! Score 1 for smallbutcharming, 0 for Gus and Lucy this time.<br />
<br />
My turn to smirk.<br />
<br />
Quite honestly it is not a beautiful neighborhood, it's a little shabby.( But hey, at least the RV is gone from down the street).<br />
<br />
I guess its heart and soul shines through.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqv7pA7evOpQ2CeDyg-6LihkKWDLeyVuzHnlmRArSlutCMMGPOOH9cg8fJV6AGiTankh3ym9g_rvVLOCqTIWOZoF09o0-0jurDhajq1CfzT2hQ7CrXkFFe9jicy8J2pWd8P0HtISlFZOgr/s1600/IMG_0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqv7pA7evOpQ2CeDyg-6LihkKWDLeyVuzHnlmRArSlutCMMGPOOH9cg8fJV6AGiTankh3ym9g_rvVLOCqTIWOZoF09o0-0jurDhajq1CfzT2hQ7CrXkFFe9jicy8J2pWd8P0HtISlFZOgr/s1600/IMG_0314.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<br />
Though today was a day to try the patience of anyone with a soul.<br />
<br />
Carlos was going to reattach a piece of lattice that had come down in February on my back deck when the winds were gusting at 35 miles an hour. It had only gone up in November so I was eagerly looking forward to summer when it would be covered with grapevine, birds eating grapes and cats trying to catch birds.<br />
<br />
What should have been a 20 minute project according to the boss became an all day affair requiring 3 trips to Home Depots, a lumber store, breakfast, lunch and a tank of gas.<br />
<br />
Oh and a new drill bit for Senor and whatever else the hell he wanted. <br />
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Anything that could go wrong did go wrong and finally there we were in the parking lot of the final Home Depot where I was laughing so hard I was crying.<br />
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And the installment process hasn't even begun yet.<br />
<br />
This is gonna take all week. And Thai food.<br />
<br />
I may be unlucky in the choice of deck refinishers/trellis installers, but I sure am lucky in friends.<br />
<br />
In real time and in IT time.<br />
<br />
I just read this beautiful piece by Denise at <a href="http://chezdanisse.blogspot.com/2015/04/in-middle-of-it-all.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChezDanisse+%28Chez+Danisse%29">chezdanisse </a>tonight and it got me thinking.<br />
<br />
Is it true no one reads blogs anymore?<br />
<br />
I don't believe that judging from the number of pageviews I get and I'm not offering anything of much consequence.<br />
<br />
Or teak chairs like<a href="http://66squarefeet.blogspot.com/"> Marie.</a><br />
<br />
But I don't want blogging to go out of style like a pet rock or scrunchies. <br />
<br />
So I'll keep reading if you keep writing and vice versa.<br />
<br />
Deal?flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-90048889253174702652015-04-22T21:47:00.001-04:002015-04-22T21:48:49.234-04:00Spring Break<br />
Before we get to the important news, the garden, let me give you a quick update on the innkeeping.<br />
<br />
Lovely guests, one from Seattle brought me coffee beans and tea, another from Nebraska brought treats for the cats. Gifts for Gus and Lucy.....they were beside themselves with excitement.<br />
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A tiny ball and 4 pieces of ribbon/cord/string to chase. Of course all gifts disappeared with minutes of being received, probably to be found, at a later date,by Olga the housekeeper.<br />
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Olga calls Gus "Puss in Boots", said with requisite Spanish accent, well she is from Bolivia, and can often be found playing with him when she meant to be dusting.<br />
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Or maybe she's just picking the mulch off of him, which certainly constitutes cleaning.<br />
<br />
Because with the sudden outbreak of spring we're all in the garden(s).<br />
<br />
One Sunday I had two neighborhood husbands <strike>helping </strike>rather digging up the mounds of scilla that were threatening to overtake Virginia.<br />
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They also removed a ring of sparkle grass that was driving me crazy and replanted several hunks of phlox.<br />
<br />
Carlos announced my garden is a community garden. <br />
<br />
I did not demur.<br />
<br />
I did agree to take him out for Thai.<br />
<br />
We have decided we are like a mob of meerkats, leaving our homes only during the warm weather to socialize with one another and work in our gardens.<br />
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We've had our first cookout,first baby shower/rave, first drinks party, first hanging out, moving from house to house following the sun or sheltering from the rain.<br />
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We've exchanged plants and recipes, gossip and confidences.<br />
<br />
If it feels this good to throw off the winter in Virgina what is it going to feel like in the Northeast?<br />
<br />
Nirvana awaits.<br />
<br />
xo J <br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-36052203915236429232015-04-13T20:17:00.001-04:002015-04-30T20:47:54.381-04:00From Where I'm Standing<br />
Clearly being an innkeeper keeps a woman busy.<br />
<br />
Laundry, fresh flowers, removing cat hair, attempting to remove cats....duvet cover on, duvet cover off, duvet cover on.<br />
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Duvets covers are my Achilles heel,or maybe my rotator cuff?<br />
<br />
But you know me, I enjoy the hell out of each guest.<br />
<br />
New faces, new stories, different reasons for being here.<br />
<br />
An internment at Arlington Cemetery for one, a work conference for another, visiting the museums and an old friend for the first. Todays guest is a t-tiny Ukrainian photographer from Brooklyn here to take pictures of the cherry blossoms.<br />
<br />
There's always a reason to come to DC.<br />
<br />
And for those of you who worry, I do check peoples reviews from other hosts, make sure Airbnb has all their information verified and usually exchange several emails with them before they darken my doors.<br />
<br />
I've had two men but all the rest are woman traveling alone and they want reassurance that my neighborhood is safe and that I am sane. Well, the hood's safe.<br />
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I've had lovely reviews and the cats were finally mentioned in one. To their delight and my amazement they were described as cute and friendly but not intrusive, that's the part that made them smirk and me shake my head in disbelief.<br />
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Okay, not intrusive, but maybe a little stalkerish?</div>
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In other news Hilary Clinton is running for president and spring has sprung in the garden.<br />
<br />
And who else watched the clip of Martha roasting Justin Beiber? Wowzer!<br />
<br />
xo J<br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-88478993840025428332015-03-29T18:50:00.000-04:002015-03-29T18:50:49.088-04:00The Bone Collector<br />
I don't know whether to start with just shoot me or don't shoot me.<br />
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For I fear I may be belaboring a point here.<br />
<br />
And what you thought (or hoped) was ancient history is being dug up again.<br />
<br />
But GG just left, finally, two years later, taking most of her gear from the attic.<br />
<br />
Books still remain, but all the sporting goods are gone, family china, boxes of clothes, rocks, bottles, feathers and shells..<br />
<br />
She's moving to Atlanta to be near her GF.<br />
<br />
This has been years in the making.<br />
<br />
Probably a much more sensible way to have a relationship. I'm like come on over, oh I like you, stay.<br />
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And though we have had many awkward moments together, she's still my first person to call in any medical emergency, when I have an urge to eat Thai and go to Home Depot ( these things may not go together for everyone but they always worked for us) or for a little garden inspiration. <br />
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So I will miss her again.Or still.<br />
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But she has had a tough time of it in the last two years and I cheer her on for her bravery and persistence, her ability to laugh at herself and make me laugh and her persistent bossiness. <br />
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And I wish her much happiness.<br />
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In the words of one of my favorite Irish singers, Lisa Hannigan "<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=safe+travels+don%27t+die+youtube&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8">Safe Travels Don't Die".</a><br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-199376325650172102015-03-27T21:35:00.001-04:002015-03-27T21:35:57.037-04:00Open HouseOkay, now that we've dissected the joy of sex and aging, on to the next adventure.<br />
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As you may have noticed I haven't mentioned a roommate in a while.<br />
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The little doctor left in December and since then the right person has not presented themselves.<br />
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This is unusual. But I didn't fret. I am a lover of solitude, especially in the dark, cold months.<br />
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But I am also a lover of money in my savings account and that is shrinking more rapidly than I would like.<br />
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Many of my friends use Airbnb when they travel so last night I decided to give hosting a try.<br />
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I set up an account this morning and imagine my surprise when I got my first booking hours later. For tonight. Whaat?<br />
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Imagine the guest's surprise when Lucy joins him in bed to sit at the window scoping out the activity on the street.<br />
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I did stress must love cats. And I posted a picture with Lucy sitting on the very bed he will be sleeping in. But everyone is not a connoisseur of details..... <br />
<br />
Oh dear god, I just got a message from him, he expects to be here in 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
Well, the bed is made, the cats are fed and in fine fettle. the house is clean and flowers and plants abound.<br />
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Wish me luck. The guests write reviews of their stay.<br />
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I hope the moniker "crazy cat lady" remains a hashtag on Instagram and not an internet comment about my house.<br />
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But let's face it....does he look like he cares one whit about his reputation?</div>
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Didn't think so.</div>
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PS. the first guest has arrived. Smart, polite and seems slightly amazed that I have cats!?!</div>
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What did I tell you.</div>
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-46135983353031647602015-03-23T19:49:00.000-04:002015-03-23T19:51:28.816-04:00 Further Thoughts On Using It Or Losing It<br />
Ladies, thank you for your candor, your helpful suggestions, for your willingness to discuss this in a public forum.<br />
<br />
I learned, I laughed and I listened.<br />
<br />
Kathe, from Annapolis, had an experience that sent me to Physical Therapy today with questions, the first one, could they crank up the music, since there were people on tables to my left and my right, the second was are there people in our area practicing Pelvic Floor PT. I was rewarded with two big yeses.<br />
<br />
She also told me when her class was asked who would be interested in training further in this area, she was the only one who raised her hand.<br />
<br />
I said I though this was a field that could use more practitioners. There are million of baby boomers who are NOT going to go gently into that good night.<br />
<br />
I'll get some suggestions from my PT soon but in the meantime I have found a group at Virginia Hospital Center here in Arlington.<br />
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I'm gonna check it out. Though I am not having sex now, when and if the occasion rises, I want to be able to engage wholeheartedly, knowing I will be both present and pain free.<br />
<br />
Guess this is what we call taking one for the team.<br />
<br />
Cause none of us want to have "atrophied vagina" stamped on our permanent record.<br />
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Am I right?</div>
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xo J</div>
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PS. I've noticed how much easier it is to blog when I'm writing from the heart. Thanks for being so receptive.<br />
<br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198706747529705409.post-58249823468879119822015-03-20T20:00:00.000-04:002015-03-21T08:19:00.884-04:00The Womans Room<br />
Well I guess the price you pay for living social is you have no time for blogging.<br />
<br />
But tonight is mine own and here I am, sitting at the computer, hoping I'm not going to write about what is on my mind.<br />
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But if I don't I might as well go take a bath.<br />
<br />
So, if you're male or under what, 50, 55 years of age, you might as well walk on by.<br />
( I don't know why I put those ages down. I went into menopause at 47) All women, of any age, keep reading. <br />
<br />
Let's talk about sex baby.<br />
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And the aging process.<br />
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Shudder.<br />
<br />
I've been a proponent of Prempro for some years now. It helps me sleep, takes away the crazies and the hot flashes.<br />
<br />
Last year my gyno suggested I start taking it every other night. Fair enough.<br />
<br />
Two weeks ago my doctor suggested every third night. This is when the wacky made a return appearance. Waking up to find I had stripped off my tshirt in the middle of the night.Rushing to the pharmacy to buy acne cream because suddenly my face is breaking out. Piling on sweaters at work because I have chills. Extreme exhaustion forcing me to lay down and try not to nap at odd hours of the day. 6:00PM nap? I don't think so. But I want one.<br />
<br />
And sex? Been there, tried that. Ow.Ow. Ow.<br />
<br />
Really? Men have Viagra and we have what, HRT, but not forever?<br />
<br />
I have checked in with my girlfriends of certain ages, most happily married, happily having affairs, or both and they're like yeah, hurts. Get a prescription. One that probably your insurance won't cover or not too much of.<br />
<br />
And my BFF wants to know why everyone says sex is so much better post menopausal.<br />
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So tell me, is there something we're missing?<br />
<br />
Or are you thinking, wow, she's lost it now. Better go back to every other night.<br />
<br />
I don't know if there is a whole world of blogging where this is discussed. If so, send me over.<br />
<br />
If not, why not?<br />
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Anonymity could be your friend here, if you want to be heard but not seen.....just saying. <br />
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<br />flwrjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905305551745652868noreply@blogger.com41