Author: lizardek

24
Apr
2006

THE PICTURE NEXT TO DISREPUTABLE IN THE DICTIONARY

All the cats in my life, from the time I was a child, have been, for the most part, well-groomed and personable. Sure, they had their little quirks, but they were generally approachable and polite. Tish was the first in a long series of Siamese that became a part of our family. She traveled with us to Europe and back again six years later, and lived to the ripe old age of 17. We added more Siamese to the household over time, some strays, some not, a string of loud-mouthed, lovable characters that populated my childhood and teenage years: Woodstock,...

23
Apr
2006

WHERE I WAS WHEN I WASN’T WITH YOU

On Thursday night we drove 4.5 hours north to Sotens Fiskeby, a little sommarstuga village on the rocky western coast of Sweden. The coltsfoot are blooming, faking me out with their dandelion-like faces, and all the willows, large and small, are full of pussywillows. There were maybe a handful of other people there, since it is well before the season starts and it was very quiet in the village. We explored the next morning and climbed the rocks behind the cottage up to the highest point on the island. We went to Nordens Ark, a lovely and wonderful zoo that...

20
Apr
2006

POETRY THURSDAY

I love Marge Piercy with a huge, fierce love. If you’ve never read her, you’re missing out. The poem below is a long-time favorite that gives me shivers every time I read it, because the imagery is so powerful. It makes me remember what it is to fall in love, and how it is in the beginning; the huge heat that is generated. Can you see the speaker? Glowing as she walks? When I read it, I feel warmer. I put my hands out and hold them close to the flames. I Am A Light You Could Read By by...

19
Apr
2006

WHAT I WOULDN’T GIVE

for her fierce hugs, for her animated faces, for her bouncing, never-stop boisterousness for his twinkle, for the chance to make his dimple appear like a blinking star in the velvet expanse of his cheek, for his concentration and creativity for his hands on me, his arms around me, his careful, thoughtful ways that fill up my days and make my home a haven for her quiet smile, and her wise words, for her harmony: a subtle soprano to my supporting alto, and the chance to let our lifelong friendship blossom into maturity through closer contact for a warm, furry...

18
Apr
2006

PATIENCE IS GOOD ONLY WHEN IT IS THE SHORTEST WAY TO A GOOD END

I am not a patient person at the best of times, although I have been known to wait, on occasion, with grace and graciousness (despite, or in spite of, any internal seething that may or may not take place). Things I hate waiting for, among other things, include: traffic jams when I can’t see the reason for the holdup my children to hop to it and do whatever it is I’ve asked them to do people to arrive at a designated time my husband to come home whenever he’s out bedtime certain writers to update their journals (hint, hint) a...

17
Apr
2006

ROUNDUP

Last week was a 4-day work week, because we got Good Friday off. And this week is a 4-day work week because we get tomorrow, “the day after Easter,” off as well. But! It’s also a 3-day work week because we are taking Friday off and going up to spend 3 days relaxing on the cliffy coast of western Sweden north of Gothenburg. Hopefully, we’ll be able to meet up with studiozoe as well, one of those days. I am still feeling guilty and embarrassed because of my mistake last week. It was a result of too-many-Traceys syndrome. See, I...

15
Apr
2006

HOPPING DOWN THE BUNNY TRAIL

Spring hasn’t quite sprung, as the grass isn’t riz, but it’s surely on its way! See the egg in the 2nd picture? That’s EXACTLY what color the sky was today. Friends for dinner cancelled due to a sick child (theirs), so we took a leisurely day to enjoy the sunshine. The whole neighborhood seemed to ring like a bell with the shouts and laughter of children wearing fleece instead of heavy winter jackets and the sun was warm and welcoming. We went up to the nursery and brought home a flat of pansies, now proudly planted in the front-yard pots....

14
Apr
2006

HOLDING PATTERN

I don’t really feel in the now, right now. I think my brain is out on walkabout. I feel as if I’m going through the motions. I wonder if I let go, will I whizz around the room expelling air and shrieking until I come to rest.

13
Apr
2006

POETRY THURSDAY

There are buds in my garden, peeking out from under the blackened blankets of moldy leaves. The ground is completely sodden, spongey with rain, and the grass is still last year’s yellow leftovers. Puddles reflect the sound of running water; through the ditches, into the drains, it teases the ear. There is a lightness to the days now, beyond the cloud cover and shining through it. Every year, this miracle. Every year, this return to green and light and renewal. I’m watching the trees with a sharpened eye, hoping to see spring burst, from brown to green. When I went...

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