The nation likes me today. I like the country for some of the best times I’ve had in my life. I went with my sister for my 25th birthday, and again for my father’s 70th.
We traced the trail of Odysseus. While we were not greeted at the end by Penelope and Argos, we did it in style for Dad’s 70th birthday. Thank you for being so kind to us.
Ephkaristo, Dee
My third “Musketeer” the morning my father died was an art aficionado with eye problems. He spent an hour looking at art works and couldn’t believe that my father took up art at age 80. His wife was in the hospital recovering from hip surgery at the time and is fine now.
I brought in a charcoal sketch of dancers to my framer. My best guide, K was off that day. T made me choose everything myself and threw a Hail Mary at the last second.
When I called the next day K answered. I told her I awakened in the middle of of the night thinking I had created and paid for a disaster. Dad gave me that dancer drawing 27 years ago. I wanted him to have a photo of it before he died. It was not finished until two days after his funeral.
It is gorgeous and I look at it every day. He knows that he gave it to me eons ago but would be proud of me for making the Velveteen Rabbit real, in a real frame that honors his commitment to art, music, dance and education. That’s what he taught me. I’ve a plan that will at least bring it back to his gravesite, which I’ve not seen since the day he was lowered. They drove us all over the place so I had no idea where we were.
As for the Third Musketeer and his wife, they’re coming over for Brunch later this month. I’ve new works for him to peruse and his wife has never been here. Here’s to neighbors! Dee
Curveballs. I’ve never hit one. I learned that my college sisters were all lefties so our team was Lefties, Inc. No-one who mattered ever showed up to challenge us so we ended up in the finals without ever playing. Yes, we lost. I was the pitcher and a switch-hitter. Ambidextrous is the word.
While my husband thrived on mechanics, how things worked, science and math I looked at people. Soc/psy was my bailiwick. Perhaps that’s why we get along so well, we’re different, smart thus somewhat similar.
Let’s just say that I choose art museums and he chooses others for planes or motorcycles. We both learn when we go together but getting him into an art museum is a chore.
Know how to meet and greet your neighbors. Who is best at that task? Old dog Zoe. Everybody knows her and pets her. Years ago when an old elected official tried to hit on me I asked how daughter Sally was doing in art school, and how is his wife Judy? It was so good to finally meet her. If you want to nip something in the bud without saying anything about it, I found it was the way to go. Learning about life. And politics.
Life and consulting can be different. Often there are different factions, the Board that hired you and the administration who has to deal with you. My new car was keyed, then when the miscreant was named executive director he fired me and took my key to the office. The next day he called me and demanded everything I had on the organization including confidential data I promised the Board I would never disclose without their approval and me in the room. I said “I’m fired. I don’t owe you anything.”
A few moments later I was at the Chairman’s office and we laughed. The guy was gone at the next Board meeting. That’s learning. Both of us learned. The Chairman played everything and everyone and I ended up on the Board, working hard for free. That was probably part of the plan. He got canned and I got “knocked up” to supervise the enterprise that is thriving today. It is difficult changing from consultant to Trustee. But I’m a proven multi-tasker. Ask my husband, who is not.
Another story. I told my park woes to a confidante so he made me a VP of another board, one where the chairman spent meetings reading mail. Snore-fest, indeed. It was over lunch-time so everyone had to bring their own and there were some sodas and iced tea. My hips are getting better but I don’t know if or when I’ll be back. Pass it around the room, spend ten minutes of my day. Let’s get to an agenda. Let’s do SOMETHING.
I learned to formulate off-the-cuff motions and order them. Second. All in favor. Passed. For years the Minutes show that I made all motions when ripe. My favorites, J, K and S agreed and seconded. Unanimous votes followed. I re-wrote their by-laws, spent months of “free time” and they were passed after significant opposition by an opponent. That is how I spent my single life. With a dog and two cats. Now I’ve a husband and an old dog and things will change once again after 16 years.
Before I went to those park meetings I would de-compress in a free museum nearby, upon which my recruiter and fellow VP friend was on the Board. I sat in a room with my favorite Italian altarpieces and just breathed for 15 minutes before the Board meeting. Then I could be gracious to those who denigrated me.
My husband always says that my life was easy. He has to deal with profitable organizations. He doesn’t know the half of it. Non-profits can be really good, or snake pits. They keyed my car. Dee
Yes, all dogs and cats out in neighborhoods around the country where I cared for you, I was bitten in under a second, in an elevator.
The dog was with a first-time pet sitter with a new company, no-one told her of the dog’s temperament or that he is usually carried to keep him from biting adults, children and other dogs.
We’re awaiting his shot records in case I have to go to the ER. An incident report has been filed because he has been after me and our old dog for years. This time he drew blood. Here comes hydrogen peroxide, Bacitracin and bandages. Yeah, owner never offered to pay for that or a visit to the ER.
Sanctioning inept canine blood draws is not acceptable so I registered a complaint. I’ve worked with up to 4K shelter dogs and shelter and feral cats for years but have never been bitten by them, or so viciously. I’m just lucky old Zoe was not with me at the time as she would have taken the brunt of it. She may have offered herself up to do so for her food wench and disciplinarian. All I did was nod my head to say hello, never reached out to pet him or moved my body.
I don’t need a tetanus shot, but should get one anyway as I’m overdue. An advocate of responsible pet ownership, our Zoe has all her shots and is a model of good dog behavior. When owners get a dog and don’t spend any time or training and teach them that anything they do is OK that’s a problem, especially when they are a danger to all.
With a human, they would be put in a psych ward on a 72 hour hold for what this dog did to me. I don’t know what happened to them but haven’t seen them in a few weeks. Animal Control may have to weigh in on this. I’m keeping a stick under our door so the dog’s owner can’t come get us if they take the dog he didn’t train. Sadly, I think the dog was underserved by its owner. That is never a good thing. No cheers right now, Dee
I think they go together. I’ve a vision of life, but my physical vision is going as I age. My husband told me a story of his childhood. His parents always loved him and took care of his health. His teacher asked them to take him to the eye doctor. He was fitted for serious glasses at an early age so that he could later correct a math teacher and ask questions she could not answer.
When he walked out on the street with his new glasses he could actually see cars and the business names across the street. He thought being half-blind was normal, as kids do. I thought all grandpas had one leg. It was normal. He doesn’t tell that story, except to me and immediate family. I cry when I hear it because he couldn’t see the blackboard but still knew more than anyone else. He had to try harder, and milk cows in the morning and after school on the dairy. He can see, has vision and another vision and purpose as to life.
If one is reading every interviewer answer as a potential consultant from books that give vision and wisdom 101, they may be hired because Daddy said so. We never worked that way.
My husband and I know the answers to our respective professions. Why? One cannot teach wisdom from a book, it comes from age and experience. As is vision. Mission, vision you have to be able to sit there in a client interview and answer questions from expertise and maturity. And wisdom. For that there is no shortcut. Dee
Getting to know all about you. I was in The King and I, a high school musical, when I was a very young violinist. I was so shy then I refrained from leading the pack, for which I was chosen, to be one of the twins.
Getting to know you is something one needs to know to succeed in life. Note that I did not say business, life will lead to that. We moved around a lot for Dad’s jobs and I had to make new friends everywhere.
Opening oneself up is difficult, especially if you’ve been taunted or spurned by fellow kids. So you just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again. Learn to know bullies from good people. Character assessment. Guys always talk of handshakes. They’re correct.
We rafted a really fast river years ago with a guide. I was wearing two wrist braces to protect me from doing too much. The expert guide would have given me a great handshake but he saw the braces so just touched the tips of my fingers. NO! They’re for support, I am not ill, I use them for packing boxes and moving! We did a five hour raft trip in two hours. That is what the Army Corps of Engineers gave us that day, Cat 4 rapids. Yes, we looked for it.
I digress. In life, you want to get to know the people you wish to know. I kissed a few frogs before I met my husband of nearly 15 years. He had all the traits I wanted and a few enervating habits. As a physicist, software engineer, leader, consultant he is very methodical. I got to know his family over the years and love them.
As to me, I’m getting better, due to him, about being less emotional about slights to each of us, mostly job-related. I was a consultant and always a leader as well, in a very different line of work. When he tells me of a consulting issue I try to tell him how to solve it, because I’ve more years of experience in that field, and he hates that.
We got married and we wanted to have a kid but I advised that we had to get a dog first. She’s nearly 14 years old, sleeping more, limping a little. Between us we chose the best dog in the world. She’s a mascot around the neighborhood. Everybody knows her name. It wasn’t until my husband took her out for a walk a few weeks ago that two ladies behind them said “that’s Dee’s dog.” Fourteen years and someone knows my name.
Open up, choose wisely. Yesterday a new friend was flying home. I saw an SUV with four hands waving. Last week she made me a pot of delicious butternut squash soup. They stopped the car. She said thank you for everything and held my hand. I thanked her and said safe travels. Meeting new friends is an adventure. Always embrace it. Dee
knows his name. Like Cheers, my husband likes to be as pale as can be and blend in with the locals. He did in Scotland, now wants to do so in Australia. He’s just a head taller than anyone else so if I remember the shirt or jacket he has on, I can find him. He’s usually in strange produce or ice cream.
You want to go where everyone knows your troubles are the same. You want to go where everyone knows your name. Well, everyone knows our dog’s name and says hello. They don’t necessarily know our names but everyone knows Zoe.
We used to have a restaurant close by that is now a flower shop I frequent, back then we’d just show up at the bar and have a burger. Everyone knew our names. Dee
Yes, I’ve had a few over some of the life choices I have made.
Back in the day I was kind of the organizer for staff and team events. When there was a birthday, newborn, engagement, retirement et al I was the go-to gal.
What little gem did I find? An old beanery from the Depression era, still the same. In the 1930’s folks would line up around the block to get a bowl of beans for five cents.
Nearly 60 years later I found it. Great corned beef and cabbage sandwiches on rye bread with deli mustard and Pabst Blue Ribbon quarts.
I would call and ask for a reservation and was always told there were no reservations. Is David there (the owner)? Tell him it’s Dee. Table for 12 at 11:30 a.m. OK. When we arrived on time there were linens on the table, four quarts of PBR and corned beef and cabbage on the stove. Yes, I can make things happen. That’s why they call me Dee. Cheers!
A paper due at school, yes.
Bullies, no. Actually I had others to plead my case there. Thank you!
Dad taught me to think for myself and do for myself. I had many mentors throughout life but he was the best.
I would not submit to any discrimination including gender, Title IX, or sexual harassment, way before those laws were passed. I got the city and county agree to make a crosswalk, one they do not re-paint and that no-one stops at. But I got them to agree, a rare thing.
Yes, I can submit an issue to government. But I do not need to submit to them, as a voter. There is something called the 1st Amendment. Cheers! Dee
Nearly 30 years ago I quit my job and went to cooking school, spending my lifetime savings on school, two Henckels knives (10″ chef and 4″ paring) and a Kitchenaid mixer.
A few weeks ago my husband decided to sharpen his favorite knife for cutting apples, the parer. When I used it to cut something for dinner, I sliced open my thumb. Nasty, deep cut. I had a Nexcare bandage on it for weeks while it healed and my skin peeled away in layers from the adhesive.
Guess what? My right thumb is the signature for me to log into my cell phone! I couldn’t get in at all. The other day my husband prompted my phone to re-scan my thumb print. I still can not get in, except via a six digit code.
I never thought this kind of thing could happen, and asked him not to sharpen any of my many knives again. Just to cut an apple a day? Please. I cook three meals per day.
Today is Beef Carbonnade. Beef, onions, bacon and beer. Saute bacon and remove. Saute the onion and remove. Cut up chuck steak and dredge in seasoned flour. Add everything back to the pot. I am using a new local microbrew to come halfway up. Braise on low on the stove or in a slow oven for 1.5 to 3 hours. Serve over egg noodles. Yum. Eat well, Dee
Cooking with Dee 