what's the point

I am a sucker for books. Maybe it's a good thing my discretionary funds are invested in those bindings and the pages held between them instead of the black hole of a stock market, oh so nerve racking to watch it spiral quickly downward, our money falling away like the autumn leaves in a crisp seasonal wind. Hmmm, I am easily distracted, I was not writing about the market, but about books (or was it about sewing and knitting) and my obsession with purchasing them, checking them out of the library, sleeping with them, my wild affair with books. So I picked up the Zakka Sewing volume because I was drawn to the sweet graphics and cute patterns. I took on the smallest project - a cozy for a tape measure. Yeah, its about like the time I knitted hats for Easter eggs. It's quick and they are kinda cute. Well, I actually have taken to carrying the darn thing around with me... you know a designer must be ready to size up something... of course this miniature tape only extends 60". It's still fun to pull the tape out and push the button under the batted fabric and send it whizzing back in. It has come in handy for my knitting - a cap for my egghead - not just eggs. And so until I find that cursed cord for the camera so I can share the trip to Baja... enjoy.

I wish I had a River

Tomorrow morning bright and early I eat breakfast and then dinner with designer Eileen Jones from Perkins + Will. Last month I picked up Vicente Wolf in SLC and escorted him to Logan for a lecture. He was great, had an awesome sense of humor. I am in a bit of a funk wondering how to navigate the holidays this year. This song and this one fit my melancholy mood perfectly. I am frantically looking for the camera cord so I can upload my pics of the magical trip to Baja... so much to do. Whew, enjoy the ride.

time since - six months

I crawled out of my sleeping bag on the morning of the 8th and unzipped the tent that was perched on a thin paradise of sea shells... our own "conchita" (shell) island. The day had been weighing on my mind, another day given a number to mark the passage of time. I was born on the 4th, double it to get to 8 the day my mother was gone, add one and you have 9, a personal anniversary that I mark utterly alone, a reminder of the ugliness of humanity, but also of resiliency. I wiggled my way out of the tent and audibly drew in my breath. The sun was brilliantly peeking over the horizon, a dazzling spectacle dancing on the aqua-green water. I thought of the words of Antonio, a fellow pilgrim on our voyage - "we are blessed to be here". I sat, still, on the beach and whispered, "mom" and that was all that needed to be said. The week before dad had moved into the new home, a beautiful gathering place, peaceful in its own right. The wind blowing gently down grandpa's mountain softly stroking this new "conchita". I heard in it's quiet whistling, "daughter".

mia (mexico in action)

Isla Espiritu Santo, our home for a few days

The past 10 days have been life-changing. Darren and I spent 10 days camping, snorkeling, diving, turtle researching, eating, friend making, stargazing, birdwatching, Obama cheering, and many more (an inside joke) in Baja, Mexico. More to come. Oh, how I love when the planets align and you know you are "blessed".