Making Biscotti by mistake

Ok, this blog is so typically me. Bee made some delicious pumpkin bread which we took up to Coniston last weekend. For breakfast on Sunday morning, I put a piece in the toaster (the new one that Crick and Meg gave us for Coniston) and left it, forgetting that I had put it there. Later that day I spotted it in the toaster and pulled it out and ate it. It was just like Biscotti. Maybe a little moister, but it was pretty close. This is how people invent things, by making mistakes. I have a few Biscotti recipes, but now I have another one.

Jackson Pollock now

The first time I saw a Jackson Pollock painting, I was in my 20's. I was also pretty cynical at that age, and wondered why anyone would ever think that piece of crap was art.

How things have changed? When I saw this image on Google this morning, I knew it was Jackson Pollock and I actually like his paintings now. I really loved our visit to Mass MOCA in November, when we saw stuff closer to Jackson Pollock than the classics.

Some of the reason I have changed is that I have done more art since then and realize that we are all artists in a way, just different media and techniques. Some of my quilt projects are a la Jackson Pollock, throw a bunch of different colors onto some muslin and see how they come out in the end.

On another note, I own a website the-smart-chicks.com. A friend and I have been talking about what to do with the site and over dinner last night we decided that we are going to find "Smart Chicks" to write chapters in a book. We want our mothers and daughters to write some chapters as well. Obviously all authors should be women and smart chicks. So, I think my chapter is going to be on creativity and innovation. Of course, that could change but on this date 1/28/09, that is my plan.

I am sure that Jackson Pollock would have said that we are all creative. In a past life I did a lot of work with Creativity and Creative Problem Solving. One of the main premises, is that we are all creative.

I reinforced this when we were teaching the quilted jacket classes. Some of the participants did not feel creative, and doubted whether they could actually finish their jackets. One woman, Margaret was just about done. She had one seam left to do. I asked her "Do you want me to finish that seam?" She threw the jacket at me and said "Yes, please!" I must have seen her struggling and wanted her to have a completed jacket. She put her sewing machine out on the curb the next trash day. HOWEVER, she did finish her jacket and has a creative effort that she wears around.

I digress, but my chapter now might be on jacket making and creativity.

Stay tuned for updates on the book and the website which I need to make active.

Vermont is a small state

Last night we went to the VSO concert in Burlington VT with brothers, sisters-in-law and niece and nephew. In the lobby we met the woman who has been incredibly helpful getting our small group ministry group started at First UU Society. Next to her was standing the father of a fellow NELS staff member, and a participant at NELS himself. This is complicated but the woman is the grandmother of someone I know pretty well from having been on staff for 3 years with her. She herself is now an ordained UU minister in Rutland and Bennington.

For about 3 minutes, my tiny little brain could not compute and all during the concert I kept trying to imagine this relationship. When I see J today at church I am still not sure I will be able to "see" her as E's grandmother or D's mother-in-law. She is still J for now, a woman who has been so supportive helping us get connected at First UU Society.

93 to 89 is my transition

As we were driving up to Coniston today, I realized that this 3.5 hour drive is my transition. I love the drive. I leave stuff behind on the way up here, and pick it up on the way back.

Lots of people, when we tell them that the drive is 3.5 hours way, "Wow, that a long drive!" I have not yet felt it was a long drive. It still feels like I am on vacation when I am up here. I relax more, I read, I sit and watch the snow drift, or watch the clouds swirling around Mt. Mansfield and Camel's Hump. It is supposed to be -20 degrees tonight. Rod said we must be crazy to be looking forward to -20.

This is where I recharge, relax, read and get more prepared to face another work week. I am glad that we bought Coniston last year, because with the current financial climate we would not have even looked. Things happen for a reason.

We have committed to being at the Burlington VT UU Church on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month to facilitate a Small Group Ministry group. We have 3 members plus the 2 of us and hope that others will join.

On a positive note I have heard in the last few days about 2 people who have gotten jobs. This must mean that the economy is really all that bad. So there is hope . . .

Hard to have Hope - but I do

I know that President Obama can not solve all of the world's problems. There are a lot. As I hear of more people who are losing houses, losing jobs, losing retirement savings, etc I get pretty depressed. During the election I was pretty addicted to CNN and MSMBC, and since the election up until the inauguration, I watched. I am still watching. I watched Obama go into the basement of the White House and introduce himself to the media. I watch him in the Oval Office in his shirt, no suit jacket. I hear and am interested in his positions on the big troubles of the world.

So, I latch onto him for hope, and I also know that I need to get active and make a contribution as well. I have blogged about this before, BUT I have to get involved.

When I graduated from college, I wanted to get a master's. Almost 20 years later, I went back to get my degree, after I figured out what I was passionate about; training and development. It won't take me that long to get involved. Youth empowerment, and health care reform are two areas that always bubble to the top.

So, off to our office holiday party (we got snowed out in December) and I intend to have an evening where I don't talk about some of the ills of the world and instead have a drink or two, dance and play some poker in our casino. Off to Coniston tomorrow after Murg gets finger printed for his citizenship application.

Who is my wart hog?

This may be complicated but this is how the conversation went with A today:

S "Consider her a gift and not a wart."
A "She is my warthog.(laughter follows from both of us)"
S "I wonder who my warthog is?"

So for some background, we were talking about someone who triggers A. Her name starts with E (the triggerer that is).

So I was saying to A, use this as an opportunity to figure out yourself, and not E. Hence the gift not wart statement above.

When someone triggers us, it is usually about us and not them. So, just 30 minutes after this conversation someone triggered me, and I DID NOT take my own advice. This person can trigger me by just walking toward me, with that attitude. Maybe I am their warthog and maybe they are mine.

Oh well, so there are people who trigger me, and I need to figure out me and not them.

Thanks A for the conversation and for the warthog image, it is a really great thought.

So, who is my warthog, as if they would be reading my blog and even if they are, would they raise their hand anyway?

The times they are a changin'

WOW, wasn't yesterday just about the most exciting day in a long time!!!!!!

Every move that Obama makes, convinces me that my vote was a good one on November 4th. Seeing him tonight on the news, as he sits at his desk in the oval office.

SO this is what if feels like to respect the person in the White House. I have never in my adult life respected someone so much. Clinton's first was close but his second was eroding.

I have been saying for a while, that we all need to get involved to make this administration successful, and he is going to hold us accountable to get involved. So how am I going to get involved? What is my passion?

On Monday, the day of volunteering, Bethany and I went to the Children's Room. They have a great mission and a non-profit like that could get me involved. Empowering youth and women are definitely my passions.

WOW, watching the news while writing this. Obama is in a shirt. Bush had a rule that you had to have a suit jacket on in the White House and Air Force 1. I am definitely liking this. How about Jeans?

This is an exciting time, and with the economic news, a scary time as well. What can I do right now to help out?

Respect for the White House, . . . this feels like a really great time to be an American.

-19 F in South Hero

WOW, that is cold. I hope our house and the related pipes make it through this cold spell. C and M and A and M are there this weekend. I am so glad that someone will be in the house and using it.

In CO growing up, I am sure it was regularly -19 F and I know for a fact in VT it was -19 F. As I have said before on Facebook, and maybe here, "I love it when my nose hairs freeze." Call me weird if you want, but somewhere around 0 F, my nose hairs freeze. This got me thinking about how people told the temperature before thermometers. P at work does not wear a winter coat. At 12 F, he was in shirt sleeves the other day. I am in my North Face jacket, the thickest you can buy and he is in his shirt sleeves. Yesterday he wore a wind breaker. I was in my North Face.

All this is to say, I love cold weather. I love when the temperature is below 0 F. I really love it when it is sunny and cold. The snow sparkles are different with that mixture.

The crunch of snow under foot is another sign of cold weather. The crunch is crunchier.

So, I think today is the coldest day of this cold snap. Why is it a snap? Always asking why . . .

drum roll please . . .

The excitement is definitely building toward next Tuesday. I just heard from a work mate that she just has to be there along with 4 million others. I am sure this is going to break records for viewers.

Did anyone even watch the last 2 inaugurations? I watch Clinton's first with some excitement but not like this.

I have not watched one with so much excitement since 1961. I cannot remember if we had a TV in Colorado by then, but I do remember we left our elementary school to go watch it, and then lots of months later, we watched the funeral.

Again, I repeat myself, but we all need to help Obama be successful. I am going to try to help out with the medical system reform, and green energy. Shall I take on world hunger at the same time? Once I finish this post I am going to put some action oriented to-dos around these two on my to-do list. For those of you who doubt that I have one, MURG, check my blackberry.

Yes, Tuesday is going to be very exciting. The TVs will be on in our lunchrooms at work for people to watch this incredible day. I cannot wait, and I am really enjoying all of the build up to this one.

Holidays and then the flurry after - accelerate through the wobble

Working the last 2 weeks of December was very relaxing, because a lot of people were on vacation. Work did not start up until January 5th because of the way the calendar worked this year, and many of my work mates traveled that first week in January, so this week has been crazy, with everyone back in the office. In addition, a ton of people chose this week, to schedule big meetings and to visit.

I did not get to yoga either time this week, and it is my fault. Cannot blame anyone else for not taking care of me. I am going to find another yoga class that I can substitute, when the tuesday and thursday morning one does not work for me. There is one at 5:45 am on those mornings, BUT even I am not that crazy.

It is January 14th, and I feel like I have been through a month of work since those 2 precious weeks. This is the cycle of work I think. Flat out, pedal to the metal, and then a bit of relaxing. Rinse, repeat.

Tomorrow is the craziest day, with a professional meeting at 7:30am, women's network meeting at 10, calls from 12pm-5pm and somewhere in there I drive to the airport to pick Bee up from Logan, since she is returning from her trip to Egypt and Greece.

Something will have to drop tomorrow, or like the speed wobble that we talked about earlier this year after a leadership conference. "Accelerate through the wobble". I don't have the reference handy, but might remember to post it once I find it.

2008 - don't let the door hit you in the butt

Last year was horrible for a lot of people. In a weekly meeting someone remarked that they toasted the new year, and said goodbye to 2008. This was repeated again on Friday in another work meeting. Their reasons were not even economy or bad president reasons, but deaths of significant figures in their lives, and troubles with children.

For me, this got me to think about my year. My step-father had a stroke this summer and he and my Mom have been living with that since then. They are finally getting back to traveling so hopefully they can recapture some of their lives pre-stroke. These three incidents lead me to think about 2008. I even gave away some flair in Facebook that said "I survived 2008". There a quite a few people who could use that flair.

So foreclosures, job losses, deaths, normal life events. Were there more of these this year? Will 2009 be better? Will Obama be able to help us climb out of this valley that seems very very deep? We had a very good 2008, but my heart goes out to those for whom the flair is one that rings true. We survived 2008 . . .

This is Why I love my kid, I love both kids BTW

Bee is in Egypt and we have been getting text messages every day from brother G. We also have gotten a few facebook updates and two pictures. At last we got a picaca album and were salivating for more. Above is the screen print from Bee's facebook and all of the responses from her friends, including mine.

Her response at the end in case you cannot read it is: "Whatever happened to showing pictures and sharing stories?!"

I guess we don't get camels and pyramids and necklaces . . .

Medical System Rant - Administurbia

Periodically I hate HMOs. Why do I have to go see 2 doctors every time I need to get something done? 18 months ago, I dutifully called my primary care coz I had an eye infection.

Just go see you normal eye doctor, you don't need to come see me.

I did. The claim got paid.

12 months later, I assume wrongly that I can just go see my eye doctor. Did last time, why not this time? Follow up exam 4 months later. NOW Harvard Pilgrim Health Care wants me to get referrals for those past visits. You all know how easy it is to get a PCP to call you back, "wink wink nudge nudge, know what I mean?".

Next fall we will be transferring out of our current HMO to a health plan where I can go see whoever I damn well please without asking anyone if it is OK.

This system is so broken. Please somebody fix it, or come to think of it, join me in trying to fix it. I would love to re-engineer our health care system. Barack, are you listening?

the tree and related tensions

In our house there is always tension around the tree.

When to buy it? (We buy it in between our 2 December birthdays)

How big should it be? (I always want small, but Murg and Bee usually want bigger than me. This year, we got a perfect size tree, but not without testing a lot by holding them up.)

and most recently When should we get rid of it?

A fellow blogger published a poem that indicates 1/31/xxxx is a good date. As data to influence Murg, I sent that poem on.

His return email said we should start a new tradition of 12th night, which coincides with our local curb side pick-up date, but unfortunately in that same email taken from the town website, it said we have until 1/31 to take it to the DPW.

My return email, read only that last part and said "OK so we can take it to the DPW on the 31st?" Murg proposed a meeting to take it to the DPW on 1/10.

My counter proposal was to take it to Coniston, and put it on our burn pile.

This back and forth allowed me to let go of the tree, so last night we put away, MOST of the Christmas things. We always forget to put away something. This year it was a mug and glass. So the tension only is for a month, unless we leave the tree up until 1/31, then there is tension for 6 weeks.

My Uncle Chuck always left the tree up until April. His cleaning lady once took it out at Valentine's Day and he went outside and brought it back in. I am with him on this one . . .

Ice and lakes freezing

For the past few days up at Coniston we have had some amazing experiences with ice forming, lakes freezing, and in general with winter. Our first morning here on New Year's Eve, it was -3 degrees F when I got up at 7am. My nose hairs froze when I went outside for the first time that day. Our "Channel 1" is the lake and with no leaves on the trees, we can see a lot of the lake. Our first 24 hours here, Colchester Bay was still waves and water. 4 days later is is frozen pretty solid. The ice fisherman are all out there each time we drive across the causeway to Colchester. They sometimes have a little tent over themselves when they fish but today they were standing out on the ice with no tents.

Yesterday we took the ferry from Grand Isle to Plattsburgh. In the summer, it is nice to get out on the ferry deck. Yesterday it was pretty cold although John and I did get out on the deck on the return trip. We hiked in Pointe au Roche State Park. While walking along we could actually hear the ice cracking and forming. We practiced taking movies with out new camera of the ice and water. Pretty neat. We were going to snow shoe but there was not enough snow.

My sister in law grew up going to the ocean so water freezing is new to her. Ken Charles and she took a night time walk (to try to get Thomas Henry to go to sleep) and came back with a big piece of ice, which until it melts is now a piece of art out in front of our house. My brothers, Ken and Charles, carried the ice from the lake. It was probably zero degrees F that night.

We actually shovelled off our pond on New Year's Day in anticipation of a hockey game, but it was way too cold. We played Apples to Apples instead.

It is definitely a science experiment to live in this house and watch Channel 1. Growing up we spent most summers on the lake but we rarely went there in the winter, except for the ranch. Ice and winters are very interesting, and in fact awe inspiring. I don't think I will ever be an ice fisherwoman, but maybe. It is a pretty solo activity with long days out in the cold.

I bought a new parka today. If we are going to spend winters in this house I need to be warm. The next time I put ice in my glass I will look at it a new way.

Change and reflecting

On one of our VERY cold walks yesterday at Burlington, VT first night we had yet another Myers Briggs conversation. I don't like to spend much time alone, in fact in my extreme state of mind I would say NO TIME ALONE. As I sit here on New Year's Day and no one is up yet I thought about this time I often have when no one is up yet. A part of me is waiting for someone to get up to talk to. A part of me cleans up loose ends to start the day and a very little tiny part of me, sits back and enjoys this time alone. Mostly, I wait for someone to stir and get up.

With the New Year, I thought of changing the appearance of my blog, but why change something that works and is recognizable. I added a new quote today but only because the old quote was just that OLD and it is New Years Day after all.

So today I make the resolution to use a mug for coffee and drinks rather than use throw away stuff. I might need a belt clip to put my travel mug on or a camping one that collapses put in my handbag.

Last night was interesting. I needed to connect with our family traveling in Egypt and I did that via text. Rod was late connecting with England 2:45 am their time, CLS called just as he and Meg were going into Grace Potter and Mom called me at 10pm as we were leaving Burlington VT to go home and watch the fireworks from our very warm loft. Lots of extended family were touched in one way or another and some of the rest are helping us continue our First Foot tradition at Coniston. Only Ted and Margaret will need a phone call later today.

I did not write this yet but it is a true Sallyism. Tuesday night as I needed to kill some time before I picked Miss Amy up, I went to the Library. Truth be told, I needed to use their bathroom, but while I was there I decided to browse the recent returned fiction. That is the closest section to the bathroom. In that section was "Death on the Nile" and I grabbed it. What you need to know is that our traveling family got on a cruise of the Nile today their time. Why was that book there? Why did I chose to use the bathroom and browse for 30 seconds the recently returned fiction books? Why did I grab the book and think is some way that someone put that book there for me? I have never read it, so what an opportunity.

Typical blog, typical early morning basking in the recently appearing sun over Camel's Hump. Onto mugs and sub zero winter days in Vermont.