2007-05-10

We broke into double digits (the 10th) in May’s days today with Mick’s 60th birthday. It was up almost to 90 F in the afternoon and blindingly sunny all day. Jim said the grass was jumping out of the ground! After Morning Offering he set off for another very full day of mowing in the morning and gardening and clearing in the afternoon.

I turned to the penultimate item on my to-do list, catching up my e-mail Inbox. By the end of the working day I had the letters left to answer shaved down to 38! A very good day of catch-up.

The bulk of my day was spent taking time with each MacDuffie classmate’s update letter and responding to it before setting the letters themselves in a special folder which I will use when I write the update in June. Seven ladies have responded so far. That’s about a 10% return on my request letter, but then the bulk of those were sent snail mail. All the letters I have back so far were from those who use computers. I suspect the responses will continue to come in via snail mail.

I responded to my brother, Jim’s request for family photos and also his comments on next Christmas’s gathering of the clan. He does not feel he can make any gathering next year, as Kai – his wife – is knocking herself out at her new Thai restaurant and he feels she won’t have the time to attend a gathering.

I wrote to thank Paul C, who is now working on a transcription of one of my song-and-story tapes. At the same time, another volunteer is scoring the songs on that tape! One day soon we should have a handsome e-version of all the texts and the tunes as well up on site. I also thanked him for transcribing Elkins’ speech on the Spiritual Significance of UFOs, which we now have on site.

I had blanked out on when Mother’s Day was, and it hit me today, so I took some time to go get cards for Mom McCarty, Mom DeWitt and Linnie W. I wrapped Mom McCarty’s gift robe up with her card and sent that to her by first class priority, which should get her package to her by Saturday. I also sent off the other two cards, which also should arrive by Mother’s Day. Mom DeWitt is my in-law from my now-distant first marriage. I love her so much! I call her my “out-law”. She was wonderful to me back in the 60s when I was married to her son and we still get together when we can. Linnie, working full-time, takes care of a retired husband and a menagerie of cats and dogs, and we have a decades-long habit of remembering each other on Mother’s Day. We’re both childless, but we have the kitties and for her, a dog as well, for kids!

I again lost part of my day to a bout of illness and lay down for part of the afternoon. It was a good rest and I felt much better in the evening, which was good because Mick’s birthday "party" commenced shortly after I arose from my nap. After our bath, Jim and I shared a birthday tryst, raising much good energy for ourselves and the Creator.

We eventually descended to the first floor for a pizza and a strange movie starring Nicole Kidman which was an imaginary biography of Diane Arbus, the photographer. Robert Downey, Jr., played opposite her as a hirsute recluse with gypsy tastes in décor and dress. It ran perilously close to buffoonery. We abandoned the tale halfway through. You have to credit these actors for taking on such an alternative project. The production was elegantly mounted and the ensemble acting was intensely felt and flawless. It was the script that wandered off into a cul de sac and threw itself away in the dumpster at the foot of the alley.

On the other hand, the pizza was excellent!

Jim opened his presents – a denim sports jacket tailored in the Western mode and a biography of Muhammad Ali from me, with music CDs still to come, and from his Mom, a pair of new jeans and some spending money. Gary also had ordered a gift for Mick that had not yet come, so the Mick Man will have some goodies trailing in to enjoy next week.

Mick did not want to turn 60, and asked that we pipe down on any big celebration. In total sympathy, Gary wished Jim “Happy Thursday”.

We offered the Gaia Meditation, with Gary praying at the end, and then said good night to him and came upstairs for our bedtime kitty snuggle, turning out the lights at 11 PM.