Happy Heavenly Birthday to my Dad

If my Dad were still walking the earth he would be 87 today. He made it to 83 which I consider quite a feat for him. See, as a child he often started a story or lesson with this sentence, “I have to tell you this before I die.”

To a young child that is a terrible way to start a story. It just made me think, “Are you about to die?” And not hear another word after that.

Ed was a man of big gestures. When I went to summer camp he sent a care package to the whole camp of “sweet honesty” tee shirts and merchandise. “Sweet Honesty” was a teen fragrance that my Dad invented at Avon where he worked. I have no remembrance of the fragrance but the shirts were really cute in pinks, greens and baby blues. I was very popular giving out the loot my Dad sent to every camper and counselor alike.

When my Dad worked at Avon in NYC he would take me into his office a couple of times a year. I loved going on the train with him, even if he did make me stand in the bar car on the morning trip in where he would spread his paperwork out on the bar and work, since the bar was closed in the morning. He also made me stand in the bar car on the ride home as it was open.

He had a corner office on the 27th floor of 9 W. 57th st. over looking the Plaza and Central Park south. It was so glamourous. When Avon moved to the building they let each executive decorate their own offices and my Dad hired their Wilton Decorator, Warren Fett who was mainly an antique dealer.

My Dad knew that the antiques he would buy for his office would be depreciated as office furniture and when he left Avon he bought them for cents on the dollar. My breakfast room English Yew chairs still have the Avon inventory tag on the underside of them and the leaf green leather that Warren of Wilton, as my father called him, had put on the seats.

Even though my Dad started a lot of lessons with the “before I die” line, I did learn so much from him. I know that my data and analytical skills come from those lessons. Also, my interest in other people.

My father spoke to everyone wherever he went and usually started out the conversation with them the same way, “Where are you from and how long have you been doing this?” CEO’s to Taxi drivers all got the same treatment. Consequently I remember people by where they are from.

I was lucky to have so many good years with my Dad, although not all of them were good. I try and not think about when he was difficult, but he could be. One thing that was very hard was he usually was smarter than everyone else and sometimes that would frustrate him. But when he wanted something he could really turn on the charm and usually win people over, as long as he had not already called them a dope to their face.

I hope he is in heaven having a grand old time in the smart section and the dopes are in a different section. I would hate for him to be considered difficult in heaven, but chances are…

Dear Friends are Important

Jan and I went to lunch today to celebrate my birthday, quick before her birthday gets here next week. We tried Common Market up by East Campus since neither of us had been there. We had an enjoyable lunch mostly talking about our dear friend Holley.

Holley was just such a one-of-a-kind and we know we will never meet another like her. We also talked about how sad we are for Holley’s family and her very close friends. The thing about having a known illness is you have a lot of time to say everything you ever wants to say. Holley made it easy for us to do that. It was just such a long goodbye.

After lunch we had to go back to my house for the HVAC guy to come and do some maintenance. Since he parked Jan in we played many hands of Siamese mah Jongg. It was great fun and a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday with my dear friend.

I am just thankful that her knee replacement is healing well and her hair from her cancer treatment is growing back. After what we went through with Holley I need to keep my old friends around.

In the last couple of years I lost three dear long term friends. I know that I can’t live long enough to make new thirty-year friends so I have to keep the ones I have alive. Stay well dear friends. I need you. .

Farewell Holley B.

If I had to cast a person to play the roll of Sunshine my number one candidate would have been Holley Broughton. Sadly, I am too late to create a production with her as the star personifying brightness and light in the world because she lost her battle with ALS on Tuesday. But a battle she put up. Who she was had nothing to do with ALS and she never let us forget that.

I met Holley very soon after Russ and I moved to Durham. My first memory of her was at a party when she came up to me and said, “We are moving to your neighborhood.” Since I was not sure we had met previously I just went along with it. Turns out we had met a lobster night and I am so thankful that she made the connection with me because I quickly recognized her as one of the most fun and positive people I have ever met.

Holley was sparkle and substance. She loved fun, but was also tender. She was spiritual and a good time. Everything about Holley was creative. Holley absolutely had more friends than any human because she was genuinely interested in all people and she met each one with kindness and generosity.

Many years ago she had a girls party at her house. The theme was “high school prom.” That was funny since it was just girls. Some people came in their actual prom dresses. I thought, one – who still has their prom dress and two – who can still fit in it. Well, a couple of people, who took Holley’s theme very seriously. I came in my Lanz nightgown since I went to an all girls boarding school and Prom what not exactly a thing there. Holley embraced my choice as “fabulous.” Because Holley always was affirming everyone else.

Holley and I shared many parallels as we are exactly the same age. When she was in her early twenties she lived in Washington DC at the same time I did. We know our paths must have crossed many times because we haunted the same places in Georgetown at exactly the same time.

She and her husband Paul and four children, George, Penn, Julia and Weezie vacationed many many years at Pawleys Island as my family also lived there and spent many times there.

We have lived in the same neighborhood, belonged to the same clubs and been friends for thirty years. We have played games, cooked and eaten good food, planned and gone to many parties, fundraisers and meetings together. We have handed out ribbons at swim meets together, made flower arrangements, chaired garden club meetings, celebrated birthdays, done arts and crafts and up-cycled all kinds of stuff Holley dragged home.

Holley was a constant in my world. She was best friends with others, but she always made you feel like she adored you just as much. She always greeted me with a “Hi Honey.” I can still hear her saying it even though I have not heard her speak an actual word is almost a year.

When Holley first let us all know she was diagnosed with ALS, she could still speak and eat and walk, but her voice was affected. Holley was a professional talker so this was hard. She didn’t let any grass grow under her feet as she met this diagnosis with same “I can do anything,” attitude. Her positive spirit and generosity helped lead us through dealing with her ultimate demise.

Her will to live was greater than anything I have ever seen. And her gratitude for each day was hard to argue with. If there was a master class for how to exit the world, Holley could teach it.

So even though she prepared us well, the light in the world dimmed when her tiny ravaged body finally gave in and she crossed over into the heaven she believed in.

Holley leaves behind more loved ones and friends than can fill a stadium. My heart is broken for all who knew her, because if you met her you loved her.

Holley instructed us to clap when she left. Just like a star exiting the stage, I clap for her lifelong performance as sunshine embodied. Holley B was a true original and there will never be another. I am so thankful I was lucky enough to have my life touched by her.

Voice Threatening Device

I was gone from 7:45 this morning to 9:45 tonight, teaching in Cary. By the time I got home it was pitch black out. I pulled in the driveway and opened my car door to the worst crying sounds of coyotes. The sound was right at the end of my driveway.

My neighbor had told me she had heard them a couple of weeks ago, then another friend had posted that one came after her while walking her dog early in the morning. She had screamed at it and it did not deter the animal. The sound this animal or animals were making was awful.

So I did what I do best. I screamed. No, I did what Carter calls, “voice threatened them away like the operator on the ADT commercial.” I screamed so loudly and so low it almost scared me.

The crying stopped immediately. I hope I scared the shit of it. I screamed again and again so I could get in the house without it thinking about crossing my path.

You know, with the government we have right now I feel like we have enough to worry about out. Wild animals do not need to become a thing. We will not be letting Shay go outside alone. Not without her “voice threatening companion.”

Sad Day

It’s a sad day. I can’t go into the particulars as it is not my story to tell today, but will be more transparent soon. I just want to say Bye, Bye Miss American Pie. We are all clapping and sending love. I promise to write more tomorrow.

Birthday Month Continues

My friend Shelayne is always good about celebrating my birthday. Today she took me to lunch and gave me a gift. Traveling and teaching keeps me from getting to spend enough time with friends so I appreciate how hard Shelayne works to find a day that both of us are free.

Since she had five grown kids and ten grandchildren 7 and under she is crazy busy too. Thank goodness she retired or I would never see her.

When Russ got home tonight I told him Shelayne gave me an Apron with boobies on it. He was quite excited.

Points For Mother’s Day

Russ and I took my Mom out to a new restaurant for Mother’s Day lunch today. Thankfully Gradutions were taking place during lunch time so we were able to snag a reservation at a new place, TeTaco in downtown Durham.

My Mom is always happy to be taken out to lunch, especially on Sundays so she can eat half her lunch and take the other half home for dinner. When I was away a couple of weeks ago Russ took my Mom to some hole in the wall Mexican place and he thought she liked it. So he suggested this New Mexican place.

It’s not that she likes Mexican so much. She just wants to go anywhere. She made more than one comment that this place was so much nicer than the last place. Russ needs to read the cues, just because she is happy to go out does not mean she liked the place. Thankfully she did like TeTaco.

My favorite thing she said was, “Mother’s Day must be a new thing. I don’t remember ever doing anything for Mother’s Day before.”

She might be right. I don’t think we ever made a big deal about Mother’s Day when I was a kid. I remember other women coming to church with orchid corsages, but none for my my mother.

My Dad always cooked breakfast on weekends so Mother’s Day was no different than any other Sunday. We always brought my mother coffee in bed on everyday, so Mother’s Day was no different. She had us well trained to wait on her on regular days. No wonder she didn’t think it was celebrated. She was smart, get us to do things for her all the time.

Well, now we have messed it up and taken her out on Mother’s Day. Guess I know what we are doing next year.

Graduation Chaos

It’s graduation weekend here in Durham and Chapel Hill. Both UNC and Duke hold graduations this weekend. Why these two schools can’t come together and negotiate holding graduations on different weekends I do not know. To top it all off they are always on Mother’s Day weekend.

This means we have to stay at home and hunker down because the roads, restaurants, hotels, stores, sidewalks, parks and every other inch of our two towns are packed with joyous celebrants.

Thankfully it was a rain free beautiful cool day here today. This helps so much. Sadly the forecast for tomorrow is rain all day so I am unsure if they can even have the big stadium graduations. That is sad, but by the time they get to Sunday morning everyone is partied out and just exhausted. Time to pack it up and go home and celebrate the mothers who made these graduates.

We stayed home all day, gardening and cleaning the furniture on the terrace. I also got in a huge amount of needlepointing.

I am looking forward to the student and parent departures and having Durham quiet for a bit. Congratulations to all the graduates. I hope you all have jobs soon. Welcome to the real world. It’s not half as much fun as college.

Pink Throne

I was cleaning our Pink bath room today. It’s all original to our almost 80 year old house. The grout is original and in perfect condition, the tiles are all perfect. They may not be in style, but it is so well built I hate to change it. When we redid our primary bathroom our contractor told me that he had never seen such a well built bathroom and hated tearing out our old tub because it had an eight inch cement base that he said could hold a tank.

So as I was looking at our pink, low toilet I noticed that the seat could use replacing. I have not begun the search for a new matching one. I just remember our good old plumbers telling me once that we might want to replace the toilet just to get a higher one.

I have never understood why in the world anyone needs to replace the porcelain part of a toilet unless is is cracked or has a hole. How can the porcelain go bad. Yes, the workings inside the tank can need to be replaced or the wax ring, but why the throne?

Now styles change. Like higher and longer toilets now. And then there are the fancy toilets with heated seats and built in washing contraptions. Those are just things that can break. But the basics of a regular toilet should not change.

I am not in the market to change out my pink toilet, only the seat. As far as flushing goes it works great. It is basically over a hundred year old technology and I don’t anticipate getting what goes in it out of the house in a new and different way in my lifetime. If it ain’t broke…

Pope Leo

While I was in the middle of my last day of teaching the fabulous ladies in Wilmington my wrist started buzzing and my phone was blowing up. A new Pope had been elected…An American!

My Dickinson Book club group was weighing in. Rose, the catholic among us reported that newly renamed Pope Leo had gone to Villanova in Philly, where her boy friend is a professor. I was getting insights from one’s who know.

It is quite exciting to be alive when the first American Pope was elected. Especially since it happened fairly quickly in terms of Vatican voting. The reports that I got from the insiders is he is a social justice guy. Feels good to me to help right some of the social disorder coming from this part of the world.

I feel like perhaps it is a divine hand of God saying, “Hold on now.” This gives this old Presbyterian great hope. God bless Pope Leo.

Wilmington is Tops

I love coming to a new club and blowing a whole new group of women’s minds by showing them new ways to think about Mah Jongg. These women in Wilmington are just a really fun group and I have been having a blast with them. Thanks to Margaret Robinson for keeping after me to come here.

This afternoon after class I returned to Jon and Lane’s house and met Jon’s friend from college, Tim and his husband Daryl who are visiting from Hawaii. I got to hear all about Jon in College. We went to a great seafood restaurant and then to Jon’s favorite ice cream spot. Where is Lane when ice cream is on the agenda?

My time in Wilmington has been jammed packed. Classes tomorrow and then I drive home to be with Russ and Shay. Need to rest up for one more big day tomorrow.

Wilmington Mah Jongg

For months and months I would get a regular message, “don’t forget about coming to Wilmington to teach Mah Jongg.” Nice Margaret wanted me to teach at Cape Fear Country Club and was determined to find a date. Finally last fall I suggest this week in May and it worked for them. So at last I am here at Cape Fear.

I had two giant classes today and then came up to my friend’s Lane and Jon’s house on the water to stay. Sadly Lane is home in Raleigh, but Jon is here taking his wooden boat building class.

Jon and I went out to dinner and now I am ensconced in the room upstairs that Russ and I always stay in with the best view of the Intercoastal. Day one is always the longest day since I drove down early this morning to set up for the 9am class. I am ready to crash so I can get up and do it all again tomorrow. I am just so happy that I have finally worked Wilmington into my rotation.

Some Friends Know You

Birthdays are a good excuse to be with friends. Aging with friends makes it so much better. My friend Michelle gave me a card that says it perfectly.

Thanks friends !

Young at Heart

Shay is going to be fourteen in two weeks. Her eyesight is not great. Her hearing is not as good as it used to be. She has never been much of blood hound in the sniffing arena.

I was standing in the dining room and saw a mother bunny jump out of our secret garden which is surrounded by three walls of our house. I didn’t think anything of it. Moments later Shay asked to go outside. She ran from the front door around the house, jumped up on the patio and ran into the tiny secret garden. I didn’t think anything about it.

I looked out the dining room window a few minutes later and saw Shay rooting round the corner of the graden by the down spout. A few seconds later I saw some small brown furry animal run away from Shay. I screamed as I saw her with another small furry animal in her mouth.

Russ ran outside and threatened Shay to drop what ever she was holding. I watched the first escapee run to another corner. It was a tiny baby bunny. Then I saw Shay drop her newly acquired friend and it ran the opposite direction.

How in the world did Shay find this buried nest of baby bunnies? They were no bigger than her small toys and every bit as squeaky. Since that incident she has continuously returned to the secret garden looking for her live toys. Thankfully those babies have not returned to the secret garden.

Yesterday Hannah gave me a tea towel from London with a bunny on it. Now Shay wants that. She is bunny obsessed, but we have our eye on her.

Thanks for the Great Birthday

“Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?”

Apparently, the answer is yes. I had a lovely day. Russ helped we with some gardening. And I am hoping it is going to rain tonight to help me even further with the seeds I planted today.

I got so many nice messages and calls from so many friends. I played games. Russ vacuumed and did five loads of laundry. The only bad things is he took the sheets off the guest room bed and they were still in the washer when we left to go to Michelle and Richard’s for a Debby Day party. Shay was not happy we left her home and she went in the guest room and ripped up the foam topper on the bed.

While she was doing that we were having a great time at the party. Richard baked me a coconut cake for my birthday! That was above and beyond.

Russ took me out for my annual hamburger at Bin 54. I ate a couple of bites and brought it home. It will still be my annual hamburger tomorrow.

Thanks for making it a wonderful birthday.

33 and Still Going Strong

Thirty-three years ago today Russ defied his mother’s advice and married me. Thankfully he says it was the right decision. Thankfully I did not know she told him he could change his mind. She had terrible cancer at the time so I don’t hold it against her. I am sorry she did not live long enough to see what a good match we are to each other.

I count my lucky stars that he kept after me even when I did not pay any attention to him. How did I miss that six foot five guy who kept hanging around me at trade shows? Once I did talk to him I quickly discerned he was the smartest person at our company and funny too. Turns out he is smarter and kinder than almost anyone else I know. What a perfect combination.

It’s been the most wonderful 33 years, which seems like three, except for that 26 year old daughter we have. I am looking forward to the next 33 years. If the trajectory continues they will be pretty great.

What Happens When Daddy Is In Charge

When it comes to Shay’s grooming I am usually the one in charge. Not of the grooming itself. The pandemic grooming already proved that is not easy.

I am in charge of finding a groomer, arranging the appointments, taking Shay, instructing on how we want her to look, picking up and paying. This week Russ volunteered to take Shay and pick her up from the groomer. Since I had class I was thrilled he could do this.

Shay has been going to see Rae at Bull City Groomers since December. The first time I brought her she was long over due for a cut and so she had to get trimmed way down. Last time her cut was not as short.

I did not discuss exactly what I wanted this time either with Rae or Russ. So when Russ dropped her off he had no idea how to the answer the question, “how do you want her?”

“Regular?”

So Shay came home very clean and very short. It’s probably a good cut for warm weather, but she looks very French. Russ loves all things French. He would love it if we just up and moved to Paris, even though he does not speak a word of French. He does like bread and cheese and small French dogs. Too bad ours is Australian.

A Day Off

What a glorious day it was not to have to go anywhere. I got up early, despite telling Russ I was going to sleep in. I was glad I did. I went out in the garden and planted the four tomato plants, four zucchini and three basil plants I bought yesterday. Then a sprinkled a bunch of arugula seeds in the arugula bed. I am trying to space out the planting of arugula a week at a time so I can have baby leaves whenever I want them.

After watering I went to planting the flowers I bought yesterday. I put annuals in pots and perennials in the ground, but I eventually ran out of steam and left some annuals to do tomorrow.

The air conditioning repair man came to do the check up on our units. So glad he did because apparently one of our units was not running. Everything in life is upkeep.

When he finished I got the car washed and ran over the Chapel Hill Needlepoint and saw friends and stitched. I just don’t get to do that enough. Nancy mentioned she was making Chicken piccata for dinner and that sounded like a great idea. I stopped at Trader Joe’s on the way home. I also have not been in a grocery store in weeks and I thought Russ would appreciate it I picked up somethings for a change.

Michelle came over and we harvested four gallons of mint for the Kentucky Derby. I do have way too much mint right now, so if you need some let me know.

I didn’t clean anything other than the car, I didn’t teach anyone, I didn’t look at the news. It was a nice easy day that I really needed.

And then I got a nice surprise early gift for my birthday from Carter. Nothing could be better. Well the chicken piccata on a bed of arugula was the icing on the cake. Thanks for the inspiration Nancy.

Last New Card Class

Today I went to Greenville to teach my last new card class for 2025. (Don’t worry if you missed it, the zoom version of the class is recorded and is still available for sale.)

Thanks to Martha for setting up this class. It was great to see old friends and meet a whole bunch of new players. I was happy to see Lee up and walking. She even brought me a beautiful bouquet of Peony’s from Vann’s own farm. And thanks to Lynn for taking me and Martha to lunch.

Since I was in Greenville I decided to stop at Plant and See to get some plants as a treat for finishing 15 new card classes. What a great idea this was. Four inch geraniums were $4.99 and a four pack of tomato plants was $1.50. If my car wasn’t so full of Mah Jongg I would have bought more, but then that would just make more work for myself.

Thankfully tomorrow will be my first day off in eight days so I can plant all that I bought.

I’ll post tomorrow what I create.

Criss Crossing the State

Woke up in Cashiers. Had breakfast with new friends Suzanne and Brandi from Tallahassee. I am going to miss those chef’s at High Hampton, but boy it’s a good thing to be away from all that deliciousness.

It was a beautiful day to drive home. I had thought I was going to stop on the way home, but I drove straight through so I could get home to Russ and Shay. I am thankful to be home for a few hours. I have to get back on the road at the crack of dawn to go to Greenville. Almost crossing the whole state in 24 hours.

Working the weekend really messes up my orientation as to what day it is. I am thankful that I did not miss my peony’s blooming. The season is short but so beautiful. I did come home to my new business cards Carter designed. I adore them.

Tomorrow is my last new card orientation class and then my Super Bowl month is over. I love April, but it’s a lot of work.

Four Days, Seventy New Friends, Five Thousand Laughs

Today was the final day of High Hampton Mah Jongg. As always the new people arrived a little fearful that it would be hard, but all excited. The returning friends arrived knowing it was all about fun. By today everyone knew more than they ever thought they would learn and having had way more fun than they excepted.

For me, my voice is tired, but my spirit is revved up. High Hampton drew people from all over the south who were just as lovely as they could be. The hardest part is that there were 70 of them and I just did not have enough time to get to know each one.

Tonight after the classes were all over a few special students came to the farewell dinner in the wine cellar with me. It was so great to get a chance to get to know them personally. In the small world connection one my students, Kelly, grew up in New Canaan and Wilton when I did. We laughed about having to climb the rope in middle school. And then she told me she went to Duke and was just at her good friend’s house in Durham, Mark and Mary Eileen. I told her they were my across the street neighbors and friends.

I am ever thankful for the wonderful staff of High Hampton. They did everything they could to make sure everyone had fun. One manager thanked ME today for bringing the fun. How could it not be fun?

I wish my college Professor Bob Cavanaugh was alive so I could show him that it was good to make sure everyone is always having fun. He once told me that not everything was about fun. I have created a business based on fun and everyone is laughing.

Mah Jongg Student Love

I know I am the luckiest person on earth. Not just because I have a loving family and cutest dog, (who by the way does not have cancer), but because at this late stage in life I get to do the most fun job and meet the nicest people.

I can honestly say in the tens and tens of thousands of people I have taught there are very few I just didn’t like. There was that one girl who arrived at class drunk and drank all the way through class who heckled me like I was doing stand up and not teaching her a game, but outside of her I can’t really say I don’t care for all my students.

It is a pretty good bet if you end up in one of my classes I am going to like you. So when High Hampton called me to ask if there was something I could do for two students who signed up for this class before we changed the dates and because of the change they were missing one day of class, I offered to have dinner with them and then play a little if they wanted that as a consolation.

I was fairly certain I would like them even though I didn’t know them. They were not so certain and they did some research on me. Well thankfully after finding my blog they didn’t cancel coming to class all together.

After class today I met Paula and Layla for dinner. They were delightful. Since they were in the class of 50 I had not really gotten to know them and it was so fun to learn all about them. It was a most fun evening ending with playing a little mahj. They promised to return next year, which I look forward to.

As they left two sweet girls, Kate and Kerry who had come in January and returned to this class came in to play mah Jongg followed by their husbands. One husband said, “If you want to know who your biggest grouppes are they are right there.” I adore them because they challenged me in class in January and then came back this weekend and told me that they did what I taught them and have been winning so much more. I had to get a picture with them since they promise to come back again when I come back.

Then there is Mary who came in January and is back. She is a major student of Mah Jongg and she follows all the major Mah Jongg influencers and teachers. This afternoon after class she read me a text from one of those mah Jongg big wigs she is friends with. Mary had told her something I had taught Mary. This teacher had never done it that way and she told Mary she would think about it. She recently texted Mary and said she had thought about it and said, “I think that teacher you had at High Hampton must be very smart.” Wasn’t that nice of Mary to tell me that? I think it was also great that as an expert herself, she even thought about it and considered learning something new.

I know that I am just so lucky and am so grateful to meet these nice people and to have them come back and spend time with me more than once.

High Hampton Day 1

Well, I thought we did well here in January with great classes, but today broke the record. Full class of beginners, which is perfect, but break the bank class of 50 in Beyond beginners.

It was wonderful to have so many repeat students. I love having them tell me, “I was dead set against organizing my tiles the way you told me in January, but now that I Win all the time the way you taught me I can never go back.”

Convincing people to change the way they play is the most fun part of my job. It’s like they know there might be a better way, why else would you take a class, but when I tell what that way is, they fight it sometime…and then.

The saddest thing to me is the number of students who show up having been taught to NOT do the Charleston. Any teacher who tells you, “no reason to ever continue the Charleston you are not going to get anything,” should not be allowed to teach.

Of course I can’t do anything about those teachers, except keep spreading the truth, the way and the light.

We had a lovely cocktail party after class tonight and then I went and had a quiet dinner. I was invited to eat with students, but I just needed to not talk for a bit. Imagine me not talking!

I was just enjoying my cucumber smash, being happy that the first day went swimmingly.

Good Timing

Today was my driving day. I had to drive from Durham to Cashiers, in the North Carolina Mountains to High Hampton for Mah Jongg Weekend. Thanks to this over sharing blog I had two wonderful invitations from four of my favorite people I don’t get to see enough.

First on my way through Ashville I stopped to have lunch with my cousins Mary and Ward. They have a place there, but never seem to be there when I am nearby. So I was thrilled was when Mary contacted me last week to say she was free and to see if we could get together.

The timing could not have been better. I pulled up to their place at 11:30 and I met her newest dog Teddy and then we went to lunch. It is always good to catch up with Ward and Mary even if it was a short visit.

I got back on the road and made it to High Hampton in time to get at the bugs worked out in a Two TV system for my classes that start tomorrow. I checked out my room for the weekend and it is as lovely as the last room I stayed in. The inn left me a fabulous gift bag of sweatshirt, tote and yummy smelling candle.

I couldn’t dawdle because I was off to Margaret and Jeff Jones’ house for dinner. They moved away from Durham years go and have been missed by so many. They now live in Kansas City and Highlands. Seeing them felt like I had just been with them. Margaret made a delicious dinner and I could have sat at their table all night, but I had to get back to the Inn to sleep before classes begin tomorrow.

It was such great timing that both Mary and Margaret were here when I was too. I just forgot to take pictures of everyone, but trust me they all look great.

Play the Hard Ones

I know I teach a game for a living. If I had known when I was younger that this was a possibility I would have started sooner. Teaching a game is the most fun job. Today in class I had a student who said, “This was so fun because you are so funny.”

“It’s a game. It should be fun and if your teacher isn’t funny you get bored.”

So I have to keep my skills up as a mah Jongg teacher. This means I am always challenging myself to try the hardest things to see, How hard are they?

Today I played online and won two hands that are in the hardest singles and pairs section. I want players to feel encouraged to try those harder hands. If you don’t try them you will never win them. I tried two and I won two. It is possible. You can do it.

I’m winding down my Super Bowl month of new card classes. Last night was Smithfield, tonight was Greensboro. Tomorrow I am off to Caishers for mah Jongg weekend at High Hampton and then next Tuesday I have Greenville New card classes. Then I’m done with new card.

Anyone who wants a the zoom video of the new card class it is still available for purchase. I’ m not as funny on zoom as I am in real life, but you will learn a ton. And maybe you can play and win harder hands.

Dog Smart

When I am at home Shay does not jump up on my bed. No, she walks in and looks at me until she gets my attention. Then, while holding my gaze, she backs up into my bathroom like a truck backing up with a “beep, beep, beep” sound to alert others, “hey a big ass truck is backing up and you better get out of the way because he is big and is not responsible if he drives over you.” So as Shay backs up into the bathroom, once she hits the bath mat outside the shower she sits her ass down and looks up at me.

This is my cue to get up and pick her 23 pound body up and lift her onto my bed, where she stretches all 23 pounds out diagonally in the middle of the bed, legs pointing out as if she is flying through the air, thus rendering the rest of the bed unavailable to any grown human.

She acts like there is no way she can jump on that bed. “Carry Me is her motto.” She was stand her ground next to the bed, no matter how enthralled I am in a TV show, or needlepoint or playing mah Jongg online. She gives me the evil eye until I look at her. Then the beep beep beep back up dance.

When I leave the house and she is standing on the landing at the top of the steps giving me that look, “you aren’t really going to leave me here all alone.” And I do. And before the garage door is even down I can hear the crying as if she just watched Old Yeller and found out the dog died. That’s when I wonder how long is she going to cry or is it just a guilt trip until the car is out of the driveway?

I eventually come home. The house is silent. No crying. I call out to her, “Shay?” She does not come running. I come up to my bed room and there she is. On the bed and she is giving me this look. “I’m stuck up here and need you to come and pick me up and put me on the floor.”

I look at her and say, “If you can get up on the bed without me when I’m not home then you can get off the bed without me when I am.” And she just looks up at me and gives me that look, “But I thought I would snuggle with you when you pick me up.” That is when I know she has me exactly where she wants me.

Poor Baby Shay

Getting old sucks. Shay had two night time accidents that involved me doing a lot of laundry Today. She slept through both of them. Probably because she heard me talking about her dental cleaning this morning.

Russ took her to the vet very early for her to have her annual cleaning. Doodles have terrible teeth. She has to be put under for this cleaning and coming out of anesthesia is not great for her. Today beside the teeth cleaning the vet found s suspicious node on her tongue. They removed it and sent it off for a biopsy. Please pray it is benign. We won’t know for 10 days.

I had to leave a lovely birthday lunch for Michelle earlier than I wanted to go get Shay. She was happy for me to free her from her holding cell. She came home and is so stinky, I think from her night time accidents. So Russ is going to take her in the shower. She has no idea. This is going to be her least favorite day ever. Teeth cleaning, node removal and a bath all on the same day. Horrific.

God’s Creation

Easter is late this year, but the Lady Banks Rose over our garage made a great Easter Show. The rose over the front door was spectacular this year, but it blooms before the white one on the garage. The front door one is yellow and the garage has a little yellow on the right side, but majority of white on the left and center.

The yellow always arrives first. On the front door it is because it gets warmer faster thanks to more sun, but even on the north sided garage the yellow comes first. The white smells of the most beautiful fragrance which is not too over powering.

I am glad they come in succession and not all at the same time. It would be such a waste to have them come and go together. The flowers and fragrances don’t last long, but are so worth it. The greenery is lovely on its own, but I live for the spring Flowers.

I noticed hundreds of buds on the peonies. They should show up in time for my birthday after the lady banks have had their final bow. I love how nature daisy chains the blossoming of spring flowers.

I learned in Chris’ sermon at church today that Sunflowers soak up radiation that leaked from nuclear disasters and takes the radiation out of the ground. The sunflowers clean the earth of the toxin. Beautiful and miraculous. Isn’t that amazing?

Happy Easter to all who believe. I hope you enjoyed God’s creation today, believer or not.

A New Sport For Us

When Russ asked Carter and Claire what they wanted to do when they came to visit they nixed the same ‘ole Durham Bulls game for a new sport… the NC Carolina Courage. The professional women’s soccer team in Cary was a sport we had never gone to see.

So Carter purchased tickets and Russ planned the outing. We went first to our new favorite hole in the wall Chinese in Cary, Chengdu 7. We had an early dinner of so many random things spun on the lazy susan, making it easy to taste each dish.

Then it was off to the Wake Med soccer park five minutes away. It was dog night and that made it fun to see so many cute dogs, but we were glad our little brown dog stayed home because she would not like sitting in the stands.

Claire explained all things soccer to me. I was still confused about why the refs made certain calls and not others, but Claire said my instincts were right, there were some bad calls. The San Francisco team scored one in the first half and that was enough to beat the courage. I felt like they didn’t make enough attempts at goal, proving the old adage, “you miss 100% of the goals you don’t attempt.”

It was still a fun night out doing something new. It was certainly a popular night with kids as they were plentiful and boisterous. The two kids behind us who were probably both under 8 were the most informative commentators. I learned almost everything I needed to know from them. If I ever go back I hope I sit in front of them again.

Thanks to Carter and Claire for a great suggestion.

The Perfect Spring Day

What a glorious day it was. With the sun shining Carter, Claire and I drove out to Creedmoor to Lyon’s farms to pick strawberries. Since it has not rained this week the strawberries were fantastic. It took us barley twenty minutes to almost fill three baskets that we brought with us. It was less than half the cost to pick them ourselves as it is to buy them at the farmers market and way more fun.

This afternoon Carter and Claire surprised me with a visit to the WaDu for high tea to celebrate my birthday early. Russ had arranged this excellent celebration which was very sweet of him. It turns out Claire had never gone to high tea before. I was happy to be there when she learned why Carter and I love this as our favorite meal.

What a happy afternoon we had leisurely sipping our tea and nibbling on scones while we talked for hours. This perfect afternoon was made all the better because we came home to play Mah Jongg.

I am one happy Mama. Love having my girls here for a visit.

So Many Fun People

I started the day delightfully with my friend Jane Brothers. We had tea and yak’d away. She told me she was a Colonial Dame, and I surprised her with the fact that my cousin Mary was the “president” (don’t know if that is what she is called. I call her the Dame of Dames) of Colonial Dames. Jane was very excited to tell me all the people I have taught Mah Jongg to who are Dames. I guess I am just the teacher of Dames.

As we were shooting the s%#$ I got a text that my car was ready. So I had to hurry to get ready to go. I jumped in the borrowed black land cruiser they had lent me which was parked right next to my original black Land Cruiser which the Brother’s now own.

I pulled in and my car was just coming out of the car wash. They had changed the oil. Rotated the tires, fixed my tailgate and it was all free. They unloaded my stuff from the Land Cruiser and put it in my car and I was off to Rocky Mount. THE BEST SERVICE!

Had lunch at Benvenue with Catherine Combs who brought me to Rocky Mount the first time years ago. Then we had new card class. Such nice people. I was sorry I had to leave quickly but I had to get home.

Carter and Claire flew in this morning for the long Easter weekend. Russ took my mother with him to pick the girls up at the airport so they could have a little visit.

It was so great to have C & C in the house. Russ picked up dinner from Thai Cafe which was nice so I didn’t have to do anything. Carter and Claire challenged me to stay up with them. We snuggled on the big sofa and had the best time talking. I started the day yaking and ended it the same way.

It’s been a Big talking week. Hell, it’s been a big talking month. I pray I can get some sleep. So many fun people tends to keep me awake. Not like Russ. He passed out long ago. So many fun people.

Kinston All Day and Night

I purposely plan my tour around Kinston so I can spend as much time with my friends here as possible. See I have already taught the whole town how to play mah Jongg. I have taught most of them many classes. Without new students the only class these friends need is new card class once a year. I am thankful that they all come out for a morning class and pay rapt attention. Thanks to Kristi for organizing the class.

The other reason it’s great to be here is I get my car serviced at Massey Toyota. I bought my car there because they are the best car dealer in the state. It was the easiest buying experience I ever had. Mike Martin delivered the car to my house and spent hours in my driveway teaching me how to use all the gadgets.

I Called Mike up last week and said I needed service and I didn’t know what number to call. He said I did, his number. So he came and picked my car up from class. Turns out I needed a part that was not on hand, but I needed a car. So they gave me the owners land cruiser. If my car is not ready tomorrow when I have to leave to go to Rocky Mount, I am driving the Land Cruiser back to Durham and they will drive my car back to me. Now that’s service. That’s the way it is in Kinston.

After class we had lunch played some Mah Jongg and then went back to Jane’s for a rest. We needed the rest because we had a Mexican dinner at a great new restaurant in Downtown K-town called Plaza del Mariachi. Oh my the portions were so much to big, but practically the best Mexican food I have had outside Mexico.

After dinner Jane, Becky and I met up with Warren at their church for a Tenebrae service for Holy Week. It was a kind of service I have never heard of but great,y enjoyed. Warren introduced me to their priest when we came in and before Warren could tell him my name, or relation to them the priest said, “Are you the mah Jongg teacher?” I guess my arrival into to town was well announced before I got here. Even clergy know about Mah Jongg.

Eastern NC Tour Week

It came as a surprise to Russ that I was leaving this morning for my Eastern NC Tour. He said, “You don’t have a class today on your website.” I asked him if he was only using my website as the way to keep track of me?

I told him that the class I was teaching today was at a club that did not allow non-club members to join so I didn’t put it on the website. Not every class I teach is made public since they are private. Always consider only about half my classes are public. I easily have at least twice as many classes as you can see.

I drove down to this private class in New Bern. I taught it and then got in my car to drive to my friends Jane and Warren Brother’s house in La Grange, my eastern North Carolina Home away from home.

As I was driving the deserted stretch of 70 between New Bern and Kinston I noticed that there were emergency vehicles on every over pass with their lights on and big American flags. It went on forever. Since it was the middle of no where, the over passes were many miles apart, yet on each one there were the trucks with lights.

I asked Warren if he had ever seen that and he said yes, but neither of us knew why. I looked it up online and it turns out to be the custom when a first responder passes away and their body is being driven on that road to go to their final resting place.

It was a lot of vehicles. A nice tribute, but I hope no emergencies were happening at that time since so many first responders were out on the over passes.

I am always grateful to Jane and Warren for having me. It makes life easier that I don’t go home and turn around and have to drive back out here. Tomorrow will be my big Kinston Day. It’s more like a celebration for me than a class. I need to rest up for all the fun we will have.

Zoom Class Day

Three years ago my Lyford Students asked me to do a new card class on Zoom. I didn’t do it that first year, but did it last year and it worked out great thanks to Russ.

I scheduled one this year and had a record number of people sign up for it. They didn’t have to be on the zoom if it didn’t work in their schedule because it was recorded and then they got access to the recording.

Now I have a new card class all recorded if anyone can’t get to a live in person class and just wants to watch the video. Doing. Zoom class is not as satisfying because I don’t have big audience interaction. My friend Carson texted after class to say she loved it. I told it it is much funnier in person. She said it was still funny. So I told her I don’t get to hear her laughing alone at home. She suggested I ask the audience to unmute for two minutes and they could just laugh.

I am back to on the road for real live in person classes, just the way I like them.

Message me if you want to buy the recording version, or better come to a live class.

Master’s Sunday Just Got Longer

When you have been watching the last round of the Master all day, following Rory, go up and down and then at the last minute Justin Rose ties on 18 what do you do?

I did not watch Justin all day. He’s great, but now I am totally invested in Rory winning and he has to go to Sudden death with Justin.

Who knows how long this will take. They are both great players, but I would like Rory to win quickly.

Back to watching. By the time you read this it might all be over, but you will have to find out who won yourself.

Doing Nothing

In April I try and not plan anything on the weekend. Except this year Carter and Claire are coming to visit next weekend. That means this weekend I have to get the house ready for their visit.

I should be working on my garden, but it’s just too cold. So I cleaned the house. Russ did a bunch too. I didn’t do it all because by the late afternoon I finally hit the wall from my class week.

So instead of planting or cleaning I just watched TV. I feel so bad that Russ has held down the first all week and is going to do it again this weekend and I just laid around. But I have to recover. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Six Hours Driving for Three Hours Talking

Class seven in four days was at the Beach today. I drove down to Dunes club three hours. They always are so welcoming. Jordyn had set the room up great and laid out a big spread for the students.

Thanks to Maria for getting this class going. There were a number of people who were “Dana Mah Jongg” virgins. Not all of them made it all the way through class. I wish I knew what they were expecting and if they learned what they needed to know. .

One of my favorite things is when I find out that my students also know my friends. What I like even more is when my students are my friends.

Sue made sure we took a photo together to send to our friend Lane to show we were together.

I listened to a great book on my drive and made a two mile detour off my route home to stop at the new Wawa in Goldsboro and bring Russ home Wawa soft pretzels. It seemed like the least I could do for him since he has been doing all the chores at home this month and will continue until new card month is over.

Week one of classes is done and it was the big week. Next week I’ll be back on the road.

From Senior Living to College Campus

Two more new card classes today. The first one was at Hayes Barton Place in Raleigh. The dear sweet Ann Janvier organized the class there. We met early to have lunch with Margie, Jill and Bit and we got to go see Bit’s fabulous new Apartment before class.

If I lived in Raleigh I would be putting my deposit in on a place at Hayes Barton Place. It is so beautiful. Every person I met who worked these could not have been nicer and the lunch was delicious. They hired the chef from the Umstead . No sysco food there.

The class was attentive, smart and inquisitive. I think I will go back and teach some more classes there as it was a most wonderful group to teach.

From there I had to just go down the road a bit to Meredith college. I adore the whole Alumae office women and they run a great show. We had a hiccup as someone double booked our auditorium, even though my ladies had booked it months ago, but like all smart woman they pivoted quickly and we moved to a different space which was even better. Thanks to Hillary for redirecting all the students from the original space to the new space.

This class was also a fun filled group. I should be exhausted from six classes in 52 hours, but I really am just energized. Tomorrow a quick to to the beach and back. One last class this week.

Nine Hours, Talking

That does not sound unusual for me…nine hours of talking. Except this was nine hours of me lecturing hundreds and hundreds of women on the new Mah Jongg card. I don’t use a microphone because I am the loudest woman on earth, but even for me nine hours is a lot of talking.

This is my hardest day..it is my biggest day in terms of numbers of people, but it is also a day filled with so many wonderful students who are friends. I loved seeing so many smiling faces. There were new people who had never taken any classes from me and I hope they weren’t too shocked. I am a lot.

I had some extra fun today. Lunch with Mary Jo and Holly between the morning and afternoon class. Then after the afternoon class I played mah Jongg with three students and it was so fun. One beat us all three times! I won one game quickly, which I hate to do with students my, but they all did a great job holding their own!

I appreciate what great attention everyone pays when they are having to sit in chairs for three hours. I hope everyone learned a lot!

Thanks to the Carolina Country club for always treating me so well. I tried to take a picture of one of my big classes, but apparently I was too exhausted and this is how it turned out.

Tomorrow only two classes. Practically a vacation.

One Down, 14 to Go

It was opening night on New Card classes. It’s always good to play to a home town crowd at my own church even. He had a big turn out. Thanks to my friend Jan for making the door and taking notes on mistakes on a couple slides so I could fix them.

My friend Jeanne did the yeoman’s work of bringing my Mom and helping her read the card. I think her eyes are at the point that I need to get her a giant card. She hung in there as long as she could.

There were very attentive learners and good questions. One of my favorite comments came from a text after the class. “I always feel smarter when I leave your class.”

That is exactly what I want for all my students. I don’t want to show you things, I want you to learn how to see things for yourself. Teaching you how to think is my goal.

My favorite thing is to tell everyone something and watch the lightbulbs go off as they are just getting a new concept. There are a few of those ah ha moments in this class this year.

The best part about Mah Jongg, expanding and using your brain in new and different ways. You should do it for your whole life.

Big Birthday Celebration

No matter how busy I am I am never too busy to celebrate two dear friend’s big birthdays. Needlepoint Nancy hosted the most lovely dinner in honor of Kate and Deanna. I volunteered to bring a nibble so I made pimento Jalapeño cheese stuffed tomatoes with candy bacon on top. I should have taken a photo, but they were gone too fast.

Friends from near and far came to sit around Nancy’s table. It was especially wonderful that Ann Hannon came all the way from St. Louis and drove her famous homemade rolls to the party. Elizabeth drove back from Orlando today for the party and we were thankful she did not crash getting back.

Nancy made the best Shrimp salad with an orange twist, farrow and arugula with Parmesan which was my favorite and a massaged Kale with blueberries. The show stopper was an ice cream cake with three dog toppers. Kate was very happy.

Kate and Deanna said some heartfelt words about how much this group of needlepointing friends mean to them. It was a warm fuzzy moment.

True to form, Nancy had a party favor for us all, the cutest bags. I was lucky to get a lobster roll one, which was very fitting.

I don’t get to sit around the stitching table as much as I would like to, but I love these women and am happy to celebrate with them. Happy 60th to Kate and Deanna.

Get It Done

I am not a last minute type person. I am a planner and a get-it-done now kind of person. I never pulled an all nighter to write a paper. I turned in plenty of mediocre papers I wrote well in advance. At least I had a good night’s sleep.

I schedule my New Mah Jongg Card classes months before the card comes out. The card is supposed to come by April 1 if you order your card on January 1. Typically I give myself between 7-8 days to get the card, analyze it, play it and write my class curriculum.

This year I have 15 new card classes scheduled and multitudes of people already signed up. I do this on the belief I will get my new mah Jongg cards around April 1. I have been ordering scores of cards for years. Last year my bulk order did not arrive until April 9, well after my first New Card Class. Thankfully my friends shared their cards with me so I was prepared. It was very hard on a do-not-wait-until-the-last-moment-person.

This year when I placed my bulk order, I also ordered a single card under my husband’s name. His card came on time. My bulk order has still not arrived!

Thank goodness I tried this experiment. I have needed all these days to get my thoughts together on this card. I finally finished my 85 page power point tonight. I have to proof read it a few hundred times. As we all know I am a terrible speller.

I could have made this power point 100 pages, but I thought people might poke their eyes out with needles if I did. I spent more time teaching people how to think about things, rather than just showing them all the answers. Don’t worry newbies, I show you plenty of answers.

So thankfully I am not a last minute person. I have two days before my first class. It is going to be a rip roaring week. One class in Durham, Tuesday, three in Raleigh Wednesday, two more in Raleigh Thursday and then one in Atlantic beach Friday! Seven classes in four days. Can’t wait to see everyone. It’s my April Maddness!

Just Madness

I know it’s technically April, but this would normally be known as March Madness. Yes, it is final four weekend for both the women’s and men’s NCAA basketball teams. And since Duke is in it Durham is a buzz.

But the madness is not all about basketball. More madness took place all over the country. Americans are up in arms about what Rump, Leon and and all the Red Ompaloompas are doing to ruin the country.

Looking at the photos and reports online I am thrilled to see such red places as Salt Lake City coming out to protest the mess Rump is making.

It’s time for the red Ompaloompas to fear the people more than they fear their dictator. Leon has proven to be bad luck for red people taking his money for their elections. The people are mad and it’s not just about basketball.

Sure there are plenty of Magats who don’t have any money in the market so they didn’t lose anything this week. But when we have a Rump created recession they will feel it. Rump won’t care. He has grifted off all of you Magats to get more money than he ever lost in seven bankruptcies.

Keep fighting. The good people can win.

Crafting for the New Card

Every year I have to make a large format teaching card for my classes. At first it was just on card board, then foam core. Then I needed one that I could take on airplanes, so I had giant car magnets made that attach to a white board.

This year I made a foldable foam core card that is hinged with almost five feet of Mah Jongg joy. I also have the magnetic cards made, one for each panel of the card. At this point I could cover my car with all the old cards. I’m sure it would cause a car accident as people who don’t know would be trying to figure out what in the world it is.

The last bit of crafting I need to make is two large elastic loops that I am going to braid into bungee like cords. I don’t want to use real bungee cords because the hooks could damage the foam core. I have to make this thing last a whole year of being driven around the country and dragged in and out of clubs everywhere.

I considered having a fabric card made, but considering how important it is to be able to read it, I worry that one little wrinkle in the fabric would change the whole game.

If only the card did not change every year I would needlepoint a giant card. That would make it easy for me to make the needed corrections in the printing of the card. Someday the NJML is going to hire a professional editor. Not that I have an opinion about that. At least this year they did not write, “Any odd or even number.” That was the dumbest statement ever. Any odd or even number is all the numbers.

Now that crafting is done, it’s back to the computer writing the new card power point. Up to 60 slides so far, much more to go.

There are still seats in many new card classes. http://www.learnmahjongg.com. High Hampton is sold out.

Working on New Card Presentation

I can’t even comment on the stupidity of the day. The one thing I will say is that one does not get credit for fixing a problem of their own making. So if and when things come back the one who ruined it in the first place gets no credit for fixing it. Please god let that one person fix it fast because I am not sure how much more stupid I can handle.

In an attempt to keep my head on straight I worked all day on my Mah Jongg New Card Class power point. I have seen and read what some “experts” have to say and I am shocked at how much more I have to say. No one should be surprised that I have a lot to say. Of course I don’t put this stuff online. You have to come see me if you want to know what I think so I can teach it to you.

Since I teach over 2,000+ people a year I tend to think about the card from a new player’s perspective. I try and explain things in a way that new players will understand. Experienced players will understand it anyway.

When creating my PowerPoint I try and use repeating symbols to help explain things so I don’t have to repeat the same information over and over again. This year I decided I had so many symbols that I needed a key for them right up front.

I am currently on slide 39 and I think I am barley half way through all my thoughts about the 2025 card. The last time I felt this way about a card it was 2020 and we know what a shit show that year turned out to be. So far 2025 is beating 2020.

Tomorrows Going to be Ugly

The Trump tariffs are out and the after hours market tanked. Tomorrow is going to be very ugly. I suggest you don’t look at your 401k, or you look at it and say, “why the hell did we elect this idiot?”

For those of you who are saying, “he’s doing great things,” I hope you are secretly screaming in your pillow as you watch him destroying the best economy. If you aren’t screaming in your pillow “I’m not unsure you have the brains you were born with,” as my grandmother used to say.

It’s April Fools Day

This should be a wonderful day. It’s my darling friend Laura’s birthday and it is New Card day for Mah Jongg. That alone should make it a great day. OK, It’s Laura’s Birthday and that is great.

The new Mah Jongg Card came out and both the standard size Card and the Large print card each have a mistake on them and amazingly they are not the same mistake. It is not the end of the world, despite the wailing from so many. I cut up an old card and fixed mine because I had to create a Giant teaching card. Apparently the National Mah Jongg League is going to send out replacements. I am still waiting on my large group of cards to arrive. They will all be wrong, but I can teach around it.

I am not holding my breath for replacement cards considering how long it takes them to get out the regular cards. I hope they hire a professional editor for next year. This mistake of printing a line in all one color twice is an over site, not as bad as the year they purposely printed “Any odd or even number.” Come on, “any odd or even number” means Any Number. We don’t play mah Jongg with magical numbers.

The last thing is today is April Fools Day, which as far as I am concerned has been made redundant due to the amount of foolish things coming out of Washington daily for the last ten weeks. I can’t think of anything more foolish than what we have already heard, but I am surprised everyday when they come up with another even more stupid thing to do.

Maybe we really need April Smart Day. Then again that would go over the head of so many people.

Spring Greening

I walked outside today and looked off toward the horizon and I could have sworn I had on a veil or maybe two. The haze was so thick from tree pollen that it looked as if I had spread Vaseline across my eyeballs. The Vaseline would have felt better than the cruel pollen that felt like tiny needles to the eyes.

We have not had rain in days and the pine trees sex organs are in full overdrive, like a sixteen year old boy with a box of playboys. You can see the yellow pollen practically squirting from the male cones.

The pollen is even getting to Shay who woke Russ up four times in the night. I bought her Claritin today which my vet had told me to give her last year and I forgot until now. I hope that we can get her system calmed down from these allergies.

When I went to my car I did not recognize it as it was a neon green. Driving to lunch was like following the yellow brick road, but the road turned into a cloud. I made sure I had my car on recirculating mode so new fresh air was coming inside, since this air is anything but fresh.

We just got a tiny amount of rain. Not enough to pull all that pollen out of the trees. I hope we get a good hard soaking. I know the pine trees are just the start of the “green season.”

I now understand why we have “spring cleaning,” to clean up all the mess that spring brings.

Sunday Thoughts

Despite all that is going on in this country I always have hope. I can’t do the opposite. I have lived long enough to know that whatever is happening today is not necessarily what will happen tomorrow. Humans tend to think when things are good they will continue to be good and when things are bad they will continue to be bad. History shows us that neither good times nor bad times continue unchecked.

I had a great example of that today in Church. For our affirmation of faith we read from the Confession of 1967. Times in America we’re not so great in 1967. We were in a senseless war in Vietnam, civil rights were challenging and women were tired of being second class citizens.

The Presbyterian church gathered to write the confession of 1967 in response to our times, but it feels very familiar to our current times. The joy I got from reading this was not that times are bad now, but that they were bad then and then things improved. The fact that they don’t stay good or bad is nothing new.

My friend Warren shared a prayer he wrote for his church in Maine. As a deacon he was supposed to read it there today, but his church was canceled due to spring snow. I thought it was too good for someone not to hear. My prayer is that you have hope (and take action). Hope alone is not enough.

Oh God-

For always hearing our prayers…those spoken and unspoken;

For giving us reasons to hope when we’re feeling hopeless and in despair;

For comforting when we’re hurting or in mourning;

For helping us find the strength and courage when we’re facing hardships and challenges that threaten to break us;

For those family members, friends and even pets who accompany us on life’s journey, lovingly sharing our ups and downs;

For community, like this one, that sustains and bolsters us;

For those among us who advocate for justice, peace and those most in need;

For the little joys and blessings that bring smiles and laughter: a favorite song, a spring flower, a stranger’s smile;

For all of these and most of all for the life and love of your beloved son, Jesus Christ, now wandering in the wilderness, we give you our heartfelt thanks.

Save Democracy, Teach Mah Jongg, Not at The Same Time

Save Democracy, Teach Mah Jongg, Not at The Same Time

My day was a tale of two stories.  It started with a meeting at my Friend Jan’s neighborhood clubhouse.  You know Jan, the one who had cancer last year.  Now she is having a knee replaced in two weeks.  Between beating cancer and getting a new knee she is most concerned with saving democracy.  

Thankfully Jan is good at gathering troops and setting them on a mission.  So I joined her neighborhood friends and we discussed what we were most worried about and how we want to move forward to fight against the things we are worried about.  The list of what we are collectively worried about totaled about 999 things so there is little time to waste to speak up.  It is time for us to overwhelm those who should be leading that we don’t go along with the way they are not leading or destroying our country.  It felt good to talk about these things with like minded women and to actually do something.  

The second half of my day was a mini mah Jongg beginner boot camp for a realtor having a  customer appreciation event.  I started the class with the caveat that they can’t learn to play mah Jongg in three hours, but they did a pretty good job at it.

The thing that is good about teaching mah Jongg is I am so fully in it when I am doing it I can’t think about democracy being ripped out from underneath us.  So I am glad to know that Jan is working on that.  

I would love to hear from anyone who has good ideas of actions we can take to make our views known.  I joined indivisible today and plan on going to a rally and have joined economic blackouts, but I like big impact ideas.  Please share ideas you have that are non-violent.  

Then when I’m not teaching mah Jongg I can Work on them.