odds and ends

It has been a while since I gave up television, longer than I'd thought. I'm not surprised that I haven't missed it, but I am surprised at how easy it has been to live without it. Perrie misses the news and the weather, for which we are thankfully able to stream to her live on the computer. I do not miss the noise or the necessant plea to find something engaging. The only channel I miss is OVATION, a channel dedicated to the arts - music, photography, fine and modern art, film, jazz . . . That I miss. But nothing else.

More time for sleep. More time to read. More time to live. More time for music in our home and dance in our feet. More time to discover what one does post hostage.

Last week Perrie sang and danced in the Road Show. Her group sang a song by Taylor Swift called 'You Belong With Me'. Perrie was assigned to be a cheerleader, copying the theme from the music video. Before the road show I played the song over and over and over again (on the internet) so that she could sing along with it. This years theme for the Road Show was American Idol, with each group (12 total) comprising one act. Perrie was probably the only person in the auditorium to be completely unfamiliar with the concept of American Idol. All she knew was that she was going to be on stage singing with her ladies group, with a crowd cheering before her. I did a little hand sewing and created cheer bows for her hair and a felted pennant for her top with the words cheer cut out in felt, outlined in white, and then placed on the felt pennant. Her colors were red, of course, and she had red pom pom's to match. Being in her wheelchair did not phase her a bit, on stage she sang and moved and had her pom pom's waving! It really was a joy to watch her having so much fun. Last year their theme was a Time Machine that traveled to hear music performed in each decade, Perrie played the role of Joan Jett (her group represented the 80's). Thankfully we have thus far avoided any reference to Miley Cyrus, I am unsure why but the young women in her ladies group seem to be obsessed with Hannah Montana. Four of the twelve acts were Miley Cyrus songs!

Well I need to be off to bed, again; I awoke and came downstairs for a drink, but I thought I'd stop and pause and leave a few words. Tonight I watched "No Impact Man" on Netflix instant streaming, my sister-in-law Amanda recommended it. That along with a crisp Moscato wine ended a great evening. My sisters and I, along with my mother and sister-in-law(s) spend conference saturday having a girls night out. It was just what I needed.

Standing outside my back door a bit ago, with the glow from the kitchen illuminating the sky before me - I stopped - and I watched - as a winter snow embraced the ground and trees and filled the air with memories of winters night already come. It was beautiful to watch and taste and smell and feel.