waiting and NOT sitting

As some of you know, This week I have not been able to sit at the computer, or sit on my couch or sit behind the wheel of my car. Because of that, I have not been able to read fabulous writings by Chuck Palahniuk, or sit and edit wonderful photos from our Michigan vacation, or walk or drive around to commit more not so random acts of kindness.
But I am getting there. Slowly. Painfully. I am almost there.
So, I have to ask you to help. Chalk someones porch or driveway for me today. Leave a toy on a doorstep or banana bread with white chocolate chips on a car hood for me. Do it for someone and you will find that you are doing it for yourself.
I am tired from NOT being able to do these things, I am saddened by it. Being tired and sad makes it harder to heal.
Today my sweet Duke built a mountain of pillows, gave me my pain meds and put his laptop on my lap so I could quickly check emails and do some computer stuff before I have to lay down. So this is my message to you: COMMIT AN UNEXPECTED ACT OF KINDNESS. That, and watch all skin wounds carefully and go to the DR. at the first sign of trouble. Stay away from people when you are sick, even after you feel better and the weather is nice outside. Be good to the world. Even though lately I am surprised at how much bad stuff happens to good people, I still want to be good. Get out there and be good.

Kitty Plates

My friend who lives in California like I do, likes to buy kitschy things at thrift shops and such. One day she came home with this amazing artwork- soft fluffy kitty's under glass. It is actually a plate with fuzzy kitties glued on and then covered with another clear class plate except that you couldn't use it because of the gold stuff (is it called brick-a- brack?) covering the under plate and over plate seam. Still, I love the kitty plate and took these photos with my cell phone to share the lovely art with all who would look:

Here is a close up to show the amazing detail:


So, this past week I went to see my 90 year old grandmother in Michigan- she lives in a small town that takes 2 planes and an hour car ride to get to her 60 acres. After bringing my bags down to the basement room where I was staying, I found on the wall ANOTHER KITSCHY KITTY PLATE! I was shocked and amazed. I brought my husband down to look, then my son, then my dad, then my cousin. We all laughed at the improbability of it all. We compared the kitties on the phone with the kitties on the wall. (My grandma says her's are cuter)

How does one woman buy a kitty plate in a thrift shop in Redondo, and another woman buy a kitty plate at a garage sale in Michigan? Where are the other two that would make up the set? I am determined to find them. The family of kitties must all be united! I have now begun the search to get myself a set of kitty plates. It seems to be my destiny. Grandma has one, Nancy has one... What about me and my needs?

Drive by L.A.

In the spirit of Nancy, Because I love her spirit, I am embracing the drive by L.A. photo thing, except that I am letting my 9 year old shoot, because I am still deathly afraid of another accident.

Here is his recent work.

"Mannequin Pays Parking Meter":

"Blow up Toy on Corner":

Acts of kindness that aren't random

As fun as field toy tagging is, we have been having much more fun tagging our friend's houses, and our friends. Recently I was with my friend and her teen daughters and I secretly and discreetly put a toy in the hood of the oldest girl's sweatshirt. When she got in the car and leaned back against the seat, she discovered the toy and didn't know where it came from.. Their Mom tells me that she and her sister are having fun finding and hiding the toy

In spite of my recent sensitivity to incompetence in the world, I am still working every day to perform acts of kindness that aren't random- they are planned:

This guy is the protector of the field....

I am talking about my cat; "Trumin the assassin" he follows us while we toy tag, because he thinks he's a dog. He also protects us from gophers!

May 6 2008- Chalk Tagging

My Mother died on May 6th 1992.

Some years on the anniversary of her death, I spend a lot of time crying or feeling sad or reminiscing.

Today instead I celebrated the lives of two women I admire and adore and I chalk tagged their homes.

The first one because it is her birthday and I've been chalking her driveway every birthday for 4 or 5 years and I thought she might be terribly disappointed if she came home to a blank driveway. Plus I like to let her neighbors know it's her birthday too, and what better way than with a chalk mural?



I also tagged my friend's porch, just because I love her and wanted her to know.




I still miss my Mom, but today was a good day. I'm glad she taught me how to have good clean fun!