Weeping...

...for a friend.

A friend died today.
I did not know her.

She was the daughter of another friend.
I do not know her either.

Except here.

I met the mother on facebook.  I had posted to Anne Lamott's facebook page, and this woman sent me a friend request and a message.  I saw her avatar photo and my heart said (to quote Derek Sivers, another internet friend I do not know) "Hell yeah."  And we have posted and messaged ever since.

Over a year now.

A year during which her daughter has died of breast cancer.

They gifted us with their journey into another place.  They traveled with joy and color and music and a connection to each other and to me and to all of us that I am just learning to know.

As a mother I can only weep for her loss.

And be grateful to have had her in my life for this year.  And through her, her beautiful daughter.

These friends I do not know.

Hi, Mom!

Hope you're having a great day!

It's a stunning morning here in Southern California so I had to take a meander through the garden to see what's awake.  Weeds are wide awake, as is spring grass.  There are some treasures up already, though.

Geum "Totally Tangerine."  One of the best plants I've ever grown.  She seems to be having an epiphany this spring.
 

Geum "Flames of Passion."  Dramatic name for a tiny little thing.  Flowers are the size of a 50-cent piece.  I'm afraid she's going to be choked out by the veronica that grows here, so I'm going to move her someplace safer.

Brunnera "Jack Frost" in bloom again.  What a treasure this has been.  It seems to be spreading so I'm going to try to take a runner off and replant it somewhere.  It can take over my yard if it wants to.

This is funny.  This is a stephanotis.  It decided it liked it here last year.  I want to repot it but am nervous as to how to unwind it from that hook.  Very patiently, I guess.

I moved a couple of dead-looking heuchera (coral bells) over the winter.  They are both putting out new leaves so guess that was a good decision.

Third year on this heuchera.  It's getting a jump on spring, too, and should bloom into the fall.

Lots of new growth on the passion vine.  I've already seen a fritillary on this plant this year.
 

 "Joseph's Coat."

 "Honey Perfume"

 "Brass Band"

"Hot Cocoa"


Things have been crazy busy here and I haven't had a chance to post the news from my last trip to Disneyland with my mom.  Finally have a weekend free so that's next on my list.  First, though, a little news from other realms.

There has been a tiny bit of stitching.  It seemed to take forever - one stitch at a time - but I finally rescued the green fairy's bustle from my previous mistakes.  I'm trying to schedule in a couple of stitchy nights each week to move this piece along.  My plan (which I've probably mentioned before but doesn't hurt to remind myself of - continually) is to finish the floss, block it onto q-snaps for the metallics and beads and then take it - still on snaps - for framing.

Thanks again to everyone who voted for my son in the drumming contest.  He didn't win, but considered it a terrific experience.  He connected with drummers he had not yet known as well as a Brooks videographer who now says he wants to film only drummers.  He had a great time, made new contacts and new friends and has now moved on to spending more time with his other drumming experiences.

He is drummer for several groups.  One is a jazz trio that has grown into a quintet.  I haven't heard them yet.

We are all excited that he is now drumming for Bearkat and Paul Starling. They have a dual concert at Zoey's in Ventura on Thursday, March 22.  Can't wait!  Here they are at O'Brien's in Santa Monica last month.  Playing "Summertime" by Bearkat (Katy Pearson).  Music and poetry is phenomenal. 

My journey through Transformation continues as inspiration continues to fall into my path.  I'm working another Julia Cameron program...

... and have been profoundly moved by Tom Shadyac's documentary, I AM...

... and continue to read and re-read (and watch and re-watch) Brene Brown's work on vulnerability and connection.

Connection.  

This is where the transformation begins and leads.

And sometimes it leads to Disneyland with my mom, so Mom, here's the update you've been waiting for.

Saturday, February 22.

We chose this date because we'd read that the Coke Corner would be open again on that day and we hoped to catch some ragtime piano there, but it was not to be.  The Corner is now open again, but wasn't ready on that Saturday.  Still, we did not hurt for entertainment and delightful surprises.

As is our custom, we headed straight into the park for breakfast.  Our favorite Carnation Cafe is still not open (undergoing some exciting rennovations) so we headed to the Riverbelle Terrace and then back to the front gate for the first Disneyland Band concert of the day.

We hit the character jackpot.  Not only our favorite Hatter/Alice duo, but White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, Mary Poppins and Bert, Cruella deVille and even Goofy showed up at the end of the set.

 

 

This was the first time we'd seen the Band and characters grab audience members for a joyful dance party at the end of the set.  Talk about tolerance of diversity and connection, check out who Bert is dancing with in this video!

After this party at the gate we "dashed" ("dash" being a debatable word choice for our move across the park) to the Golden Horseshoe, assuming that since the Coke Corner was closed and the Mark Twain in dry dock for renovation we might catch some piano there.

Score!

Jonny May is one of our favorite piano players!  We listened to his first set and I was delighted when he included some intentional discord in his arrangement of "The Entertainer."  Discord can be such a fun "joke" in music.

After Ragtime Jonny's set we "dashed" again to the front of the park for the Town Square Disneyland Band Concert.  I guess Saturdays will always be the movie tune set and it was awesome as usual.  I love the flower show in town square, and this visit they were celebrating with a fabulous spring flower display.

Anemones.

My favorite variety of "Johnny Jump-Up" violas.

Red tulips catching the sun at the train station.

After this concert...

...we headed back toward the Golden Horseshoe again, hoping to catch another piano set before Billy Hill and the Hillbillies.  Before that, though, Mom and I decided to stop at the Adventureland restroom (one of the easier stops with the wheelchair) and had our second delightful surprise of the day.

The legendary MAYNARD!

 

I'd seen his picture and read of other DL fans running into him around the park, but in all the visits I've made here over the decades, I've never seen him.  I noticed a familiar face as I passed the Tiki Room, then stopped in my tracks (not easy to do while pushing a wheelchair) when it hit me who that familiar-looking castmember was!

He was talking to a couple of guests when I took out my camera and snapped a profile shot.  They finished their conversation and he turned to "pose" so that I could take another.  I shook his hand and said how great it was to finally meet the famous Maynard.  He shared a humble moment, then asked if we were going to the Tiki Room.  I answered, "No, we're headed to the Rest Room."  "Ahhh," he responded, "the water rides."  He then started walking with us toward the restroom and sang us a delightfully silly song he said was from his days as a Jungle Boat skipper (something about a lion).  As he finished his song he looked down at the empty double-stroller that was rolling past.  "Oh, it's the invisible twins," he exclaimed.  "Everybody's here today!"

That was about the end of the line (honest, I didn't really think he'd go with us into the restroom, honest) and so we said good-bye to this memorable character.  Now I know how legends are made in the Magic Kingdom:  charm, warmth, humor.  He has it all.

As we neared the Golden Horseshoe we saw a scene I had NEVER seen at Disneyland before.  About a half-dozen teenagers running screaming through Frontierland.  As I pushed Mom around the corner toward the entrance to the Golden Horseshoe, I noticed Farley the Fiddler standing and staring toward the Steamboat landing.  I followed his gaze and was blown away as a swarm of bees made its way down the street.

I don't know if you remember, but I photographed and mentioned the bees - and the fact that I had never noticed them there before - in the Town Square flowers.  And here they were again, searching for a new home.

I wheeled mom into the theater where the Billies were finishing a set for a packed house...

...and watched out the lobby window as the swarm of bees tried out a small tree as a possible new home.

 And what happens at Disneyland when you have a swarm of bees move in?  The next thing to move in is a swarm of castmembers to protect the guests.

Or were they protecting the bees?  Hard to tell.

We waited until the theater cleared, then got a great table for another Jonny May set on the piano followed by our own Billy Hill and the Hillbillies performance.  We never get tired of these guys.

By now it was past 2:00 and we were ready for linner.  We made our way to Redd Rocket's Pizza Port and our favorite, the Pizza Salad.  The outside patio is usually a comfortable spot to eat, but this day was a little on the cool side.  Why they had the AC on we couldn't figure out.

After lunch it was time to head back down Main Street (I put almost four miles on my pedometer that day - yay WW activity points!) to get a good "seat" for the parade.  I have to brag - I've lost almost 80 pounds now, and one of the pleasures of this new physical self is that I can sit on the curb (and get up two hours later without a problem) and wrap my arms around my upraised knees.  One of life's little, non-scale victories.

I don't think I will ever "love" a Disneyland parade as much as I loved the Parade of Dreams, but after two (or was it three - seemed longer) years of Celebrate!, this parade is a welcome relief and inching its way up to POD for delightful fun.

Lion King Monkeys caught mid-leap.

And absolutely my favorite part of the parade, the Steppin' Time chimney sweeps in the Mary Poppins finale.  Great choreography and energy and charm from these guys every time!  (Not to mention a fabulous float design.)

After the parade we moved over to the flagpole for the flag retreat (always moving and powerful).  While waiting, I had to get pictures of the gorgeous yellow and white tulips against the lavendar violas.

 

Sunset is my favorite time at Disneyland.  At dusk the lights start popping on all over the park, but there is still enough light to see all the details of this magical place.

Mom and I found places to watch the swing dancers again.  Another reason we had chosen this particular day was because the band we had enjoyed before - Swingtown - was playing again.

As we had before, we enjoyed watching the dancers as well as listening to this band (Sing, Sing, Sing was fantastic!)  But, dang, it was cold that night.

We stayed long enough to enjoy the fireworks again...

(Watch closely.  Did you see her?)

...and then headed to the car (and its heater).  I think it took me a couple of days to actually feel warm again.

But it was, as always, worth it.

Thanks so much...

... for your support.

Voting in my son's drumming contest ended yesterday.  He says it has been a terrific experience and he values the opportunity to see and hear so many fabulous drummers.  He is especially grateful to everyone who took the time to vote for him.  I'll let you know how it all comes out.

Thanks again.

Vote.

Just a couple more days.

My son's drum contest is still running.  If you have a minute, please take a look at the video in the previous post, follow the link and give him a vote.

Thanks for your support!

Garrett Miller: Pot Licker

This is my younger son (I'm so proud). He is participating in the Stanton Moore Groove Alchemy Video Contest (sponsored by Hudson Music and multiple drum equipment companies). Please consider watching the video, then follow the link to vote. 

Thanks!

That's That.

Sigh.

Feeling just a little down again today.  Spent my day off clearing out the storage unit.  Not quite done - son needs to get his stuff out, have to call the rubbish company to pick up the baby crib (sniff) and still have a few pieces of furniture to load up and bring home.  But today I hauled a half-dozen SUV loads of plastic boxes filled with memorabilia home.  It's all stacked in front of one of the family room windows.  Feels like we're living in a  - well - in a storage unit.

And like I took a giant step backwards.

I know I'll feel better when I send that check into my Tokyo savings account rather than to the storage company, but right now it feels...

...like defeat.

I guess I've been feeling stuck all week and this didn't help.

Have a nice four-day weekend coming up, though.  And a full moon.  That should help.

I guess.

How do you spell...

SPECTACULAR.

That was my day at Disneyland yesterday.  Took my mom and - while we agreed we both dislike change in general - the changes in our day worked out splendidly.

We already knew that a half-block of Main Street, including our favorite breakfast place, would be boarded up and under renovation, but we left at our usual time anyway.  When we arrived we were directed to park in a space that wasn't even a real parking space, very much out in a Neverland within the Mickey and Friends parking structure up on the Donald level.  I was a little disgruntled as a handful of cars ahead of us had been allowed to park in the front of the first row in the second section and another whole row behind us was directed to the back part of the spaces in the front of the first row.  (If you know how the parking structure is arranged at DL, that might make sense.)  But we were directed to a non-space right by the exit.  Anyway, I was whining in my mind as I got Mom's wheelchair out as a young castmember approached me and offered me a "1st Visit" pin for being such a good sport about being parked so far out there.  I was trying not to be insulted (being a 57-year veteran and all) when he offered me a different pin from his bag.  I spied a "Happily Every After" pin and asked for one of those instead, which he gave to me.  I pinned it to my shirt and pushed Mom to the elevator which was - shockingly - empty.

At the tram station we parked as usual at the top of the wheelchair ramp, expecting to wait for the next tram.  A young family with a stroller was waiting to be allowed to board in the wheelchair seat, but the young mother motioned to us and told the tram operator that they would wait since he had a wheelchair waiting.  He misunderstood her and kept all of us waiting until the next tram.  The young family was confused and disgruntled and said something polite but questioning to him (he had allowed two other families to move ahead of them into the handicapped seat).  It turned out that he thought we were all together and since we all wouldn't fit in the area (there was already another family in the seat), he had us wait.  I commented that the young woman was just being kind to suggest we go first, but that we were not together.  It occurred to me then to give her the pin I'd just been given.  She was thrilled; couldn't stop thanking me and asking "Are you sure?"

Oh, yeah, I'm sure.  It was a kick to help such a nice young woman get her day off to a happy start.

It was a stunningly beautiful day at the Park yesterday.  Santa Ana winds are the pits in Southern California and we'd had a couple of days of them, but the growth around Disneyland does a pretty good job as a windbreak so the result for us was a crystal clear day and mild temperatures.  In fact, I was a little uncomfortable in my sweatshirt for a few hours in the afternoon.

After a breakfast at the Riverbelle Terrace (a painless experience) we started our day with the Disneyland Band at the front gate.

Usually when we're there to enjoy the band we also get to enjoy the antics of the Mad Hatter and Alice, but they weren't there yesterday.  Not disappointed, though, for the extra time that the band wasn't playing into the Hatter Show, they played some numbers we had never heard before.

After this performance, we moved to Town Square to wait for their next concert.  The flower beds in Town Square were full of Iceland Poppies, one of my favorite flowers.  Bees were busily collecting pollen.  Sometimes the oddest things pop into my head.  When  I saw these bees I was first grateful to be seeing bees at all (new data suggests we've been killing them off in the billions with pesticides and are on the verge of a food production disaster).  Then I remembered when one of my colleagues was preparing to take a few dozen eighth graders on the annual Washington, DC trip and was approached by a parent insisting that my colleague contact the airline used for the trip to inform them that they could not have peanuts on board the flight because her son was allergic.  I wondered for a moment if anyone had ever insisted that Disneyland make sure there were no bees in the park because their child was allergic.

Probably.

While we waited we enjoyed the antics of Dale as he played with children wanting autographs and photo.

The DL Band did one of my favorite shows of Disney movie themes.

Disneyland, where even the poppies dance.

After this concert we made our way up Main Street.  Change - improvement - is coming to the Carnation Cafe, ice cream parlor and Candy Palace.  I don't know what is planned for the Penny Arcade but with all I've read about the renovations to the others I fear the Penny Arcade might implode.  The Refreshment Corner (aka Coke Corner) is also boarded up which means...

Sigh.

The Coke Corner piano corner has been a favorite hang-out for Mom and me since 2005 when I "discovered" Johnny Hodges there.  Well, seems we had work to do.

And we did it.

I love the Mark Twain trip along the Rivers of America and Mom and I enjoyed the "new" addition of the piano. 

Thank you, Ragtime Patrick.

I'm nuts about water wheels and manage to photo this one every day that I ride this boat.  Never get tired of it.

Well, here was something new.  I'm quite used to the ducks and coots that live on the river, but this is the first time I've seen one of these.  Double-crested cormorant, I believe.

After our trip around the island we headed for a break at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon and the fabulous Billy Hill and the Hillbillies.  We were early enough to get a great table, and by the time of the show the room was packed and everyone in high spirits.  Nothing like audience energy to guarantee an exceptional (rather than merely terrific as usual) show.

After the Billies we decided we wanted to hear some more piano, and the challenge was raised.  How do we figure out when this piano player was going to be on the Mark Twain?  We took three rides in a row then finally connected up with him on the fourth.

It was worth the effort.

This was my favorite number of the selection on the program yesterday.  Having fun with discord.

I have to say, though, that one of the things I love about this riverboat ride is the quiet among the chaos that can be Disneyland.  On a glorious winter day like yesterday the park can get very crowded - and it was - and this 15-minute voyage is a calming break.  I was grateful for the three quiet tours we took, and won't be sorry when the Main Street renovations are complete and the piano returns to Coke Corner.

By then it was nearly 3:00 and time to eat.  Our favorite lunch/dinner place is the Pizza Porte which I'd read was also closed for renovations, so we decided to try the new Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe (former Blue Ribbon Bakery).  Adorable Mary Poppins theme.  I had the Caprese sandwich and it was delish.

The restaurant is themed on the penguin waiters from Mary Poppins.  Aren't the windows adorable?

During the 2005 50th Happiest Homecoming I really enjoyed finding the Mickey icons throughout the park and, in the process of finding them, noticed for the first time the use of clever weathervanes throughout the park.  So I got a big kick out of this one on the new bakery cafe.

The yellow and white section of tables in front of the cafe is one of the best people-watching spots in Disneyland and we always enjoy the show.  As we lingered I noticed the scaffolding to facilitate the changes to the Matterhorn.  I've read they're installing new bobsleds to this old favorite of mine.  I've also read that they will be a new style, one, it seems, that will give a little more security to the rider.  I know some will grieve the loss of the cuddle factor on this ride, but the last time I rode this I nearly ruptured a disc in my back and I haven't been on it since.  It makes me smile to think I may be able to ride it again.

I am often dissatisfied with my job as a middle school teacher.  8th graders can be a challenge.  But when I consider what I might do instead, I guarantee anything that involves functional thinking on scaffolding like this is off the list.

It turned out that our table was also a decent place to enjoy the Soundsational parade, although we agreed we would return to our favorite spot on the sidewalk in Town Square in front of the railroad station in the future.

After the parade we did return to Town Square for the retiring of the flag.  Disney does a brilliantly inspiring job of this every day, but Saturdays are special.  Disneyland Band playing patriotic marches and tunes, Dapper Dans joining them.  A "real" color guard to bring down the colors.

My favorite part of the program, though, is the honoring of vets and military guests.  As the theme for their branch of service is played, they are invited to come to the flag pole to stand and let us applaud to thank them for their service and sacrifice.  I admit to getting goose bumps every time when one of the Dapper Dans joins them when the Army song is played.  I enjoy singing the National Anthem when the flag is lowered.  Everyone needs to take a half-hour from their Disneyland day at least once to experience this thrilling ceremony.




The poppies were especially pretty in the twilight.

After the ceremony we made the trip up Main Street one more time to do something we'd been promising ourselves for a couple of years now.

It was time to enjoy some SWING at the Carnation Plaza Gardens.
 

Sets were scheduled for 7, 8, 9 and 10, so the sun set while we were there.  By seven the floor had been cleared, swept, mopped, inspected and hand dried. 

Time to swing!

Here's a surprise for my older son.

I gotta learn this one.

And yes, I know I'm only showing their feet.  I don't want to violate the dancers' privacy too much by showing more than their feet without permission.

I can't believe how much fun this was!  I thought we would stay for one, maybe two, sets, but we couldn't make ourselves leave.  This is a "small" community of about a hundred people (as many as 40 couples on the floor at one time) dancing and watching and applauding and mostly just enjoying fantastic music and the closeness that comes when a community of people with a shared passion collects.  Just before the last set the fireworks played and it was my all-time favorite show, "Remember, Dreams Come True."


Our time spent here made our day complete.  We usually like to end our day tucked in with the piano at Coke Corner, but on Saturdays that became awkward for us.  Now we have a new and - frankly - much more fun hang-out for our Saturday evening visits.

I'd been wearing my pedometer all day.  Including the trek back to the Neverland parking space I logged five miles (and earned 5 WW points).  Once in the car I noticed the advantage to that space - a quick right turn and I was heading down the exit ramp.  Traffic was light, not too many drunks and we were home about 12:30 am.

Grateful for another terrific day with my mom at our favorite place.