Harumpf!

Well.   

Sometimes things just don’t go as we planned, do they?

Sorry for not writing anything for you last week. My plan was to write to you from the great state of Minnesota ( hopefully amidst a blizzard ) while visiting my family for Thanksgiving.  Two days before departure, I got sick.  Really, really, really sick.  The kind of sick where you start calling your friends at 4am to ask them to drive you to the ER......and then realize everyone turns off their phones at night! 

So I couldn’t go home to Minnesota.  Or eat.  Or stand up.  Or think.  All I could do was sit or lay down and not move.  Saltines and ginger ale were my food groups.  When I was daring, I tried a graham cracker.  Ever so slowly, I started to get better and then….Avalon got sick.  Really sick.

Avalon

Avalon is my rabbit.  I will probably talk about her a lot, so you may as well get to know her.  Want to see a picture?  Of course you do!

Awwww! 

I know.  She's totally cute, right? 

I’m convinced if everyone could meet her, there would be world peace. I digress......

So just as I am able to kind of get around, she becomes seriously ill; needs to be hand fed (syringe feed); Sub Q fluids each day, medications, possible impending surgery, etc. etc.

So, let’s just say…..I am bummed out.  Worn out. Tired out. Exhausted. I have the blues. I am frowning. Frowning. Frowning. Frowning.

I know it will all get better.  I know it could be much worse. I know.  But right now….

And so I am reminded these days of one of my favorite poems and poets.  

I used to practically stalk (in the nicest way) Galway Kinnell in college.  And after college.   He was often speaking someplace in the Midwest, be it Minneapolis or Chicago or Madison; all places that were easily traveled to in a few hours. And then when I moved to Berkeley he was at Cal pretty often for their brown bag lunch poetry readings. 

I have been thinking of this particular poem the last few days:

CRYING

Crying only a little bit

Is no use.  You must cry

Until your pillow is soaked!

Then you can get up and laugh.

Then you can jump in the shower

And splash-splash-splash!

Then you can throw open your window

And, “Ha ha! Ha ha!”

And if people say, “ Hey,

What’s going on up there?”

“Ha ha!” sing back, “ Happiness

Was hiding in the last tear!

I wept it! Ha ha!

(from Mortal Acts Mortal Words, Galway Kinnell)

Are you well enough to go out and have fun this weekend? Then do it!

One of my all time favorite events is The Dickens Faire, happening weekends only through December 18th.

http://www.dickensfair.com/  Sometimes there is a coupon for a small discount in the Pacific Sun or in the SF Weekly newspapers.

Ice Skating!!! Yes! Ice Skating!!  There are seasonal holiday rinks at the Embarcadero Center and Union Square.  It's especially wonderful at night with all the twinkly lights.  Put on your hat and mittens and go!

Personally, I love walking through Christmas tree lots.  I never buy anything, but it smells so wonderful, and they have music playing, often times.  My favorite lot is in San Francisco in the Marina, in the Marina Middle School parking lot.  It's my favorite because this is the lot where a lot of the fancy hotels get their huge trees, so it feels particularly magical with giant trees towering over you.  I go and get a big hot chocolate from a coffee shop and walk through at night, with all the lights glowing, and just.....unwind and relax and enjoy.  (plus, except for the cocoa, it's free).

Holiday Open Studios at Mark Drive Studios  http://markdrivestudios.com/

December 3-4, from 11-5.