Wrapping up

Splendid weekend. I'm wrapping up loose ends, sitting next to my cat - who is talkative & squirmy on the edge of a chair & listening to The Drum Major Instinct by John Hollenbeck. The latter is a combination of jazz music & the sermon by Martin Luther King, Jr. I like it because he talks about how people want to excel & his view of how it can be done.

Today, I joined the Blind Shoemaker's Union in a song at Folklife. They went on to do their set & I got some pictures, here. After almost a week of rain, the sun was out. We danced & sang along - saw most of the folks from our turn class. It was a blast.

I spent most of the weekend immersed in the latest (in some ways the oldest) astrological theories at the NorthWest Astrological Conference (NORWAC). There were folks there who have been doing astrology for 30 or more years & folks who have become scholars in the areas of astrology that require them to learn greek or cuneiform to continue their studies. It was a bracing experience that I fully enjoyed.

Apart from the intellectual stimuli, the people there are lovely, funny and full of life. Next year, I'd like to grab some folks for a get together at our place. I got to soak in all that and still come home to J & Jema at night, exhausted & usually speechless, but ready to use this experience to shape another year of astrological study & application. I spent today sending e-mails to folks I'd like to stay in touch with - and making dates with local cats.

We also got to visit with family this weekend; Jason's Uncle & Aunt came out for a ferry to Alaska & we caught up with them at brunch before they left for the airport to fly back home. They had only good things to say about the trip & we were able to get news on the upcoming 60th anniversary of J's grandparents. We're heading to NC this summer and I can't wait!

After all that excitement, back home, the garden needs tending. Rasberries and blueberries are beginning to form. We've got a wasp's nest to get rid of in the greenhouse shed. There are still dandelions a plenty to eradicate. I wandered about, after re-planting an errant potato. It will take a day or two to get everything back up to where we left it.

I took some time to sit on a log in the back of the garden & just look around. It will be a while before my mind settles & it was great to have a moment of silence to look at - you know, sort of aspire to.

Well, the music has gone off & Jema is back upstairs in bed. I think I'll head up there too.

Quick turnaround

Dad's home & crabby. I've heard that recovery brings crabbiness & hope for the best for him. He's uncomfortable, so that is a tough time.

This weekend I went to the fantastic NORWAC astrological convention & got to visit with & see lectures from astrologers at the height of their intellectual & emotional power. I love that conference!

Got to visit with my brother & his sweetie for the time I wasn't at work or at the conference. We all hung out with the smallest of downsides (didn't get to see Team America together, sigh). I love visiting with my brother & this visit topped the list.

We also went to the Folklife festival. Y'know, my maiden name is Folk. We went to the festival to see J play with the Blind Shoemaker's Union, which we missed by, like 20 minutes. We got there in time to see everyone packing up. Then we wandered around, snapping pics & baking in the rare sunshine of a Seattle day.

Friday night's fun was a potluck with friends & a book exchange, with the left over books being sold & the money going to charity. We left with more books then we brought, sigh. Foodwise, we brought homemade crab cakes, whoo hoo! That was very fun.

Speaking of crabs, I accidentally ordered a bushel of Maryland crabs for my brother's visit. That's around 6 dozen crabs & the time he was out here was hallmarked by his diligence with the crabs. He cleaned out easily two dozen & most for our benefit, as the meat goes bad quicker in the shell. He said he could clearly see the connection between me & my sister Tish through the crab feast. What can I say, I love crabs! Even better, I rushed home from the conference on Sunday, in time to go out for Seattle seafood. Luxury!

Year end work is wrapping up, fiscal year end - that is. It's tough going & I tend to be more brusque when time is running out. I swear I'm trying to listen & do what's best for business - but I can always work on my presentation. In fact, I'll start just now.