Random Notes from the Sandwich Life
1. I've really been humbled and amazed at all the wonderful comments you have left about my testifying at the health insurance hearing. I never get that many comments----unless someone dies HA! You are all extraordinarily kind. Thank you so very much.....they really, really mean a lot to me. I guess I feel surprised and a little humbled.
2. It's funny.....my friend Kenny left a comment a post or so ago, saying "you're a fighter C" and that really struck me. Becaues I would never describe myself that way in a million years. It stayed with me and made me think. Of course that's exactly how I always described my father....and I must say that just yesterday I was saying to my friend/colleague Nancy how much I have been thinking of my father--knowing how delighted he would have been that we had gone to Springfield. I said to her that there perhaps there was a little Joe Voelkl coming out of me.... More than anything I wanted to call my parents yesterday. My Dad would have been bursting with pride and my mother would have just gone on and on and on about how about what wonderful boys I had lol. I'm really glad I did speak and I am grateful to my friend Teri McCarthy for suggesting it. I think speaking your piece can just be good for your spirit so I felt happy and relaxed last night despite my continued worries about the whole thing.
3. Yesterday I set off the alarm at my job. I've worked there coming up on five years....same alarm code the whole time. Let me tell you....that thing is REALLY loud....and it's REALLY hard to remember a code when an alarm is whooping in your ear.... It's times like that you think about the history of Alzheimer's in your family....and you just WONDER a bit.....
4. Today is the Artists Against Aids opening----one of my favorite events. Tomorrow Ernie works a bit at the WILL Vintage Vinyl Sale and then we pretty much have no plans. Yardwork perhaps? Maybe it's time to plant my windowboxes.....perhaps I should look at the Ebertfest schedule....
5. I gotta say that while we went into the Eric Brace/Peter Cooper house concert last weekend as fans, we left as FANS, capital F, capital A, capital N, capital S! Ernie has been playing and playing their first duo record, You Don't Have to Like Them Both, and is crazy about it. And as much as Ernie loves music, he can be a hard sell and he is NOT one to play something over and over (unlike me) but as we drive he'll say, "oh, I want to hear my song again" and go back to I Know a Bird by Eric Brace. For Ernie he is almost gushing....and he keeps saying, "oh, yeah....we gotta see them again...." It makes me pretty damn happy. I love seeing him love music.... And man do those guys have good taste in songwriters....my beloved David Olney, Todd Snider, Kris Kristofferson, Jim Lauderdale....I mean whew! Yet their songs stand up strong beside them. Wow.
The crowd is a little loud in the beginning...but keep listening...it's worth it....this is Ernie's favorite song....
6. I know people have been complaining about coverage of the royal wedding and I just don't get that. Don't watch it if you're not interested. We really do have free will.
And hell, why not enjoy the fact that something positive is in the news...even if it has no impact on your life? Hell, two people love each other....I may not care about them personally but why not just be happy to hear something good? I'm happy for anybody that wants to tell the world of their love. I mean...geesh. If that's your complaint right now in life....I mean good for you...I got other things to complain about (but I won't because I'm in a good mood despite myself today).
7. The poor flowering trees....the always look vaguely embarrassed to me when the petals are dropping and the leaves coming through....
8. My dogwoods are starting to bloom....the white one is for my Dad and the pink one (of course) for Judi....and my Mom's tree should bloom pretty soon as well. Spring.
9. Ernie took me out for a glass of wine after work last night. A few sips in his phone rang. We both sighed and he handed it to me. Owen said in a trembling voice, "Mom, Leo called me a BAD name.' I could hear Leo screaming "NO, I DIDN'T OWEN" in the background. I said, "I don't want to hear about it. You guys work it out or we'll talk about it when we get home." They continued with their back and forth and I said to Owen, "Are you BLEEDING? Are you hurt physically?" And in an injured and dignified voice he said, "Yes, I am physically hurt in my feelings." I tried not to giggle and I told him I loved him and we'd home later, they needed to work things out themselves. They were fine when we got home and no mention was made of it....but I just love that...."Yes, I am physically hurt in my feelings." Man I love my sweet peas....