Easter Eggs from Dad's Ties

It's funny.  I remeber standing in the foyer on Ardmore Road, in front of Dad as he stood at the full length mirror on the door of the open hall closet and tied his ties. I guess I watched the whole process backwards, and in awe: Dad in the mirror, flipping the tie around, pulling it through the knot, moving his neck side to side as he knotted his ties. He was a handsome daddy. I remember him in striped ties, mostly.  The ties we used for dying are his patterned ties. We did this last year, too.  Took Dad's old silk ties, cut them, wrapped them around eggs (silk side facing the egg) then wrapped the bundle in pieces of old white sheets, put them in a pan, covered them with cold water and 3 tablespoons of vinegar, bring the eggs to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes, cool and open the bundles. That is the best part, opening the eggs. In some places you see the pattern, inverted, I guess the same way I watched Dad tie the ties. In some places, you see the wrinkles of the wrapping. Lots of wrinkles.  Here are a few pictures.

I wrote a poem!

In writing class, we are supposed to "immerse" ourselves in poetry. This morning I was immersed in spring snow and bored dog. Tonight i am immersed in tequila.


Here is my go at poetry: (yes, i know it doesn't rhyme)



Terrarium


My fingernails are brown with earth
I have patted to the bottom
of the wide mouth glass jar.

Soil sits on top of stones
stolen from the shore,
grains of sand that will never be.

Button ferns and baby’s tears
and one begonia –
(because they are hearty
and like to keep to themselves)
tucked next to one another
but soon to look like one –
the way the forest, seen from the highway
is just a forest,
not one fern, not one fir, not one moss blanketed linden

Placed too close together,
each knows it’s place
as green encircles the red begonia

I crave spots of beauty these days,
Little living things I can put a top on
And admire and not worry about.

peaceful houdi, peaceful minnie

a rare moment of calm for houdi and minnie . . . seeing minnie in the M22 sweatshirt makes me want to be up in glen lake, sitting out on the beach with sue, drinking cold beer, peter and don starting the grill . . . many moments of calm in glen lake

Life in a Box

These boxes showed up at our door.   Two Staples copy-paper boxes hold eleven years of office life.  I'll give the company a point for recycling. Boxes. People, I guess are disposable.

knitted baby dress, and Patron

I knit this baby dress for a city baby.  not a great photo shoot because you can see all the crap on my desk in the background (wait until Dida finds out that pile of crap is my billing "system").  But look closely at the Patron bottle.  It is a lamp! Patron lights me inside and out!  A friend gave me this lamp as a gift for no reason, which is such a lovely way to receive a gift.

Dida at Home

Today is day 2 of DIDA AT HOME.  Left his job.  Not going to talk about that because I don't want to jeopardize future stuff, like another JOB perhaps.  Yesterday he wore old man sweatpants to run errands with me. More specifically, old Greek man sweat pants. All he needed was a gold chain. I did all of the driving.  Like old retired people. Like he just had cataract surgery and I was off to bridge.  He thinks I drive too fast and hears a new rattle on the passenger side. I think he should go to some Cubs games, long bike rides something, anything so that I don't feel guilty about knitting group tomorrow.  He is interested in looking at my bill paying "system."  Aren't we all?