John Waters Pillow

I bought this fab Tees4Togo t-shirt a couple years ago but it just looked dreadful on me. So I bought a pillow insert and in December I chopped it up and sewed it over said insert. The best part is that it doesn't matter that the image is wonky and tilted and the different coloured thread shows, because if John Waters is anything, he is unique, and so his pillow should reflect that!

Chili Onion Tofu Greenery

Oh my gosh this was so yummy and simple as hell! Zuke noods, Trader Joe’s teriyaki tofu, broc, bow tie pasta that I had in a jar in the cupboard, kale, Trader Joe’s Soyaki sauce and their Chili Onion oil. Throw it all in a skillet and that's it! Can't wait to hit TJ's tonight to get broccoli and a zucchini so I can eat this again tomorrow.

Foxes Everywhere

For years I've heard people talk about "their spirit animal" and I've always inwardly rolled my eyes. It felt so absurd. Really? You're a wolf? A cheetah? It just seemed like people would choose a cool animal and say that was their "spirit animal". It was irritating. 

Beginning in maybe 2022, '23, I started seeing foxes. I didn't pay much attention until the time I drove to the post office in the next town over, at well after midnight, and saw by the forest, at the edge of the parking lot, a little fox peering over the tall grass at Roark and me pulling in. I'm a very big dork and so I squealed with glee and more than likely rolled down the window to say hello, thus scaring them away. I totally forgot about it until a few days later when the. exact. same. thing. happened. I couldn't believe it. I mean, maybe it was a different fox, but holy cow. It was really memorable for me. When I was living mostly at Mum's, I would stand out late at night and have a smoke and sometimes a fox would cross the street and head into the swamp. Once while driving to my place from Mum's I turned a corner by the woods and saw a small animal hopping and thought, "oh, it's a fox...wait, is that a corgi? Is that someone's pet?" So I did what no one else would do. I rolled down the window and said, "Excuse me, are you a corgi?" They stopped and looked at me and that's when I realised, nope, it's a fox. (Thank goodness, cuz what would I do with a corgi?!)

Starting the middle of last year things went off the rails in my personal life and that's when I found that I kept seeing foxes. On stickers, blankets, ornaments, stuffed animals, t-shirts, and even Emily was wearing a tiny orange fox necklace recently. That's when I felt like, ha!, maybe foxes are my spirit animal. Kayla was the one who brilliantly said, "they chose you", and honestly, I really feel that way. I still love vultures and squirrels best of all, but now I feel especially lucky and like I'm on the right path when I see a fox.

Text pic from Kay - one of her "kids" had a fox stuffed pal!

New Year's card that I had in my huge Rubbermaid tote of holiday cards. I sent them out this January. I had completely forgotten that I bought these UNICEF cards at Ikea a few years back.

The fox has long been considered a witty, quick, and intelligent animal.

PS - Oh! And there was that one time that Anne and I were coming back from a garden (I think out in Germantown) and got off track. We went through a neighbourhood and a little fox darted in front of the car and through someone's yard. We turned left then while looking left to see if that street went back out to the main road, that same fox dashed across and cut through another yard. Ha! We drove on, made a left on the next street and the little bugger ran out in front of Roark. And I realise this is of no interest to anyone, but I remembered it and needed to add it to this post for future reminder-ings.

Monday - 24 April 2017

Heading Home to PHL 

up at 3AM (Harriet my period arrives) - can't sleep til about 6 - up at 7ish - call Express Taxi 7:41 for 8:10 cab - Keith Dempsey arrives on time

Notes from cell phone about Keith:

{has} Four kids - two boys two girls 

16 year old daughter to study ballet in Russia and he will be with her the first two weeks

23 year old son: bio-chemist

Twenty year old daughter makes crafts

Other son an artist

Keith just turned 50 this year. Short shaved head with beard the same length - salt and peppery like Michael Keaton. Simple wire framed glasses. 

Got his cab license in the first go when he was 18, was a gardener / landscaper, wants to write a play or short story / collection of the stories. Recently became a physical therapist. 

{Recently at a} Stag night {he was the} fourth cab in taxi rank at 3:30 am {and there was a} nudie patootie - {received a} hundred euro tip paramount hotel Vlad the concierge and woman screaming {I have no memory of what that means!}

An 18 year old girl who was on her way to rehab ten years ago - father in prison, mother a prostitute, heroin addict since 15, met someone and wanted to turn her life around. 100 meters from the place she changes her mind. Keith pulls over to talk and she says she doesn't want them to think she's doing this on her own. He was driving, at the time, a black Mercedes S Class with just the taxi sign on the roof. Takes it off and pitches it in the boot then walks her in. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and says "goodbye Dad" - he went out to the car and had himself a little cry. {I am so glad I wrote this down.}

Excellent hug.

Keith Dempsey - €19.60 + tip = €40

at DUB the bags are overweight - take them to the re-packing station - fella at counter was nice - handsome in a boy band way w/dark hair & a close shave scruff/beard - finally pass then off thru TSA - I get a random check (my good silver scissors are confiscated) - US PreClearance at 9:30 

Gate 401 by 10: 20 - board 11ish 

take off 11:45 - Bella asleep - I watch "Raiders" and start "Toy Story 2" - Bella up - eat - we simultaneously watch "Raiders" (she'd never seen it) {I cannot believe I managed to hit those damn sensitive buttons and line it up exactly to the millisecond!} at 3pm DUB time/10AM Philly 

then the same with "Midnight in Paris" - land 2pm 

leave PHL 2:30 when Mum and a sleepy Jax picks us up 

he wakes up at 3 

drop Bella - Mum's to peepod - Jax to MeMom's at 6ish  

home to drop luggage - Panera - Mum's - eat - chat about Dr. Davis, who we adore - show pix of Edinburgh - out at 9:30ish - home - bath - start "Falling for the Highlander" watch Hart to Hart "Old Friends Never Die" - bed around 11:30pm

My Valentines!

From Barbara:

From Lucy:

Dear Aunt Lisa,

your the best Aunt in the world for

taking me places I have never been befor.

I have many memories about you, me, 

and Jackson.

Happy Valentine Day

to my smartie Aunt

From Amy:

From Mum:

And mine, which I mailed to myself, like the gigantic nerd-o that I am!

Kay's Valentine Decor from 2024

So cute!!!

Blobby Valentines

If I had a colour printer I would so be giving these out for Valentine’s Day! 

Amy's Valentine Tree 2025