He is the Pirate King

Yet another fantastic performance by Kuba in Pirates of Penzance.

Kuba played the pirate king and was perfectly suited to the role.  His costume was absolutely awesome and so was his character.

He hammed it up and caused the audience to break out in rolling laughter many times.  I loved watching him so much and especially loved his very lively bow at the end.

Check it out here:

https://youtu.be/pfUqCPhbwkM

 

The Two T's

 Tiger and Thea 

Tiger, is a terrific and tender cat.  He is completely independent and hardly asks for much. Some wet food to eat, a cozy box to sleep in, a lap every once in a while. A wool blanket to suckle.  But that's about it.  He's completely content and NEVER EVER makes you feel guilty for not giving him more. He is satisfied with everything he has and what he has is enough.  

Thea's energy is SO BIG it can put our home into a tizzy.  Nothing is enough for her. She gets more touch, more attention, more treats, more nature walks than anyone else in this family and yet, it's never enough for her. PLUS, to add insult to injury, she accidently rips our bed sheets as she twirls for just the right comfort zone, she accidently scratches us as she bats at us with her paws, she accidently wrecks our hardwood floors with those long sharp dog nails, she accidently harasses us by begging for more, even more food, she accidently causes alarm as she charges at people who enter our home.   

Yet, here they are - totally committed to these tame pets that we love. 

 

Song for Nobody

A yellow flower (Light and spirit)

Sings by itself 

For nobody.

Thomas Merton

I've survived the darkest months of winter by bringing home flowers.

Loads of flowers.

Tulips, Daffodils, Daisies, Grape Hyacinths, Paper Whites, Roses, Amaryllis, and more.

I need them like I need the air and the sun. 

Joy   Simplicity   Repose

They sit there, a monument on our table (or the counter)

singing for nobody, 

or for all.

I like to think the flower knows how dear it is,

knows I am awestruck and present.

I like to think the flower is Hope in the 3rd dimension. 

I like to think the flower (Light and spirit) beams everyday

reminding us of every reason to live.

E I G H T E E N

 

Oh what a splendid day!  Anders turned 18 today and it's been a day of celebration. We started it off with singing and breakfast in bed.

This was followed by a waffle brunch with family.

This was followed by a surprise trip to Ben & Jerry's where his friends were waiting for him! Then he scooted off to a dress rehearsal for Very Merry's Spamalot. And finally - dinner at home with just us, plus a delicious raspberry meringue cake. Happy Birthday to my eldest son!   

Valentines 2023

 

Friends, family, homemade valentines, 

heart cake, heart ring pops...

It's always about love.

Parent Paparazzi

 This is the way we act when our kids get all dressed up and go to the semi-formal.

Semi-Formals and All that Jazz

red tie, red heart socks

Anders and Kuba attended their winter semi-formal this past weekend. Anders went with a bunch of his friends, and Kuba went with his. It was the first high school dance for both of them.... Kuba as a freshman, Anders as a senior.  The feedback from both was that it was lots of fun!

Our Dining Room Table

In our home (at least since we've had the dining room table where it is) we most always have fresh flowers and candles framing the edge of the table.  They sit on top of a linen table runner - usually one from Sweden, and sometimes they coordinate with the colors of the season. There are oftentimes books/papers/projects/Pokémon cards/art supplies/laptops, etc. strewn about the rest of the table. Our table is 104 inches long, a great length. Luckily, there is still space enough to eat meals. It's sometimes messy, though more often than not, cleaned up and beautiful. In the winter months we use up a lot of candles.  We enjoy the soft, warm glow of the flame, and we have lots of them. Usually, one of the boys lights the candles. I think my favorite candleholder is a very solid, very heavy, black dala horse that we bought in Sweden more than 19 years ago. But I also like the orange, modern candleholders too. Our table is worn and tired. Though it is also soft and cozy.  It's ordinary and marvelous at the same time. It is an old oak table that we bought secondhand twenty years ago and have coveted ever since. I want the boys to remember our long wooden dining room table with the flowers and candles and the books and the papers and the junk that sits upon it. I want them to remember the countless meals we've had around it, both formal and informal, both delicious and awful; the countless evenings of homework; the hours and hours spent playing games; the amount of dough we've rolled out for pies and cookies and dumplings and even croissants. If this old table could speak it certainly would tell us how happy it is, how warm it is, how central it is to the hum of our life. I think it really appreciates us. 

If this old table could speak.