Snumn Rumn8s

One of the most memorable days ever was when my was wife and I took my Mum at 85 to Spain and were at the Alhambra. It was magnificent, as was she so buoyed by the magic and perfect poetic beatific mathematics of this peaceful place. It was anything and everything. And she was luminous not wanting to leave. #alhambra #generalife #magic #grenada #memories #treasuredmemories #mum https://www.instagram.com/p/CqEGmuhPHUd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Birds Bullies Bros ~ In the summer my brother asks me to pose for this shot. No high speed iphone shots per second are available at this time, his patience and skill (at sixteen) is outstanding. His negative and image processing etc. equally skilled. I just like spending time with him. Even more remarkable his photo is picked “on wire” by Canadian Press not because he is 16, but because it is good. It is front page across the country. My Grandma from Winnipeg calls so happy! I hear her voice laughing happily. At the London Free Press the phrase beneath reads “Come to me my little Chick-a-Dee!” It doesn’t occur to me the timing may be dicey for someone in my position… a new girl at Orchard Park. “Ha! Bird brains!” One boy in a red and white striped t-shirt, tanned with freckles and black tossled hair yells right at me from across 5 rows in Mr. Aldington’s class. I had no idea what he was talking about. “Bird brains!” He said. I still hadn’t clued in. “Where’s your bird seed?!” He sneered. Then I get it - like a splash of cold water and my stomach dropping through the floor. His whole group of bros start laughing. These little things that kids do all the time go beyond small hurts. My brother and I shared a very rare time together doing that project of his. He’s 5 years older. I am so proud of him. Bullying comments are poisons. They get into the sinews of not only the moment but steep into the fabric of the target and everyone in the room - empowering the unkind, seemingly quashing empathy itself. I am laughed at and called Bird Girl for months until march break of next year. An unfortunate coincidence is my Mother (far ahead of her time) sending me to school with home made granola often with my lunch looking a lot like bird food! So, they have a point there. 🤷 And yet in that time, new to the school it is In duress you really find your people. All this and early teasing for a severe lisp preps me for literal assaults, battles, and discrimination as a woman and lgbt+, and now with disabilities in my life. A lot of teasing is straight up bullying. #teasing #bullies #birds #bros https://www.instagram.com/p/CpllwrPt1rj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

“Exhibit 62b” mixed media- wood, broken 19th c. Watch, moss, pansy, lobelia, paper, string, fabric, wooden box. Time is loaded, broken, packed away, moss covered. It is a relic passed by as if frozen by incantation. Perhaps it was. Qu’en pansy vous? 😘 This piece is part of a bigger set : Muse_Um that I’m trying to work on as my days allow. #journeys #fineart #mixedmedia #nm8trx #analogart #keepinggoing #daringtoshow Please no copying image without credit. https://www.instagram.com/p/CpVnPQiPSxC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Inspired even on a tough day thanks to @traceyerinsmith and my fellow writer/performers in the online version of well known SoulO autobiographical performance workshop. It is so very creatively dynamic with this gorgeous group of of fabulous support. Such fast development of writing and projects! Five weeks to solo shows. In the middle of the doldrums of home isolation, it’s just so beautiful to see the wind fill the sails of project after project. It is also familiar territory offering feedback that is helpful and feels welcome. Tracey mentioned there are more groups starting up soon. If I am unable to complete my work this time around due to migraine or my back (still extremely difficult) I may just take another when we are done. I only add that to myself if I start to worry and yet I have so much writing already. @Soulotheatre Tell your own story via Zoom to an invited audience online. I know we are finding it groundbreaking (and the audience I believe will as well). Honestly? It’s also *joyful* amid this terribly stressful time. Hearing the stories of others whether happy or sad reminds us why it is so vital in the purest sense to care tenderly for each other. Blessed be. #SOULO #SoulOtheatre #onlinewritingworkshop #onlinetheatrewriting #onlinestorytellingclass #onlineautobiography #traceyerinsmith #soulotogether #shareyourstory #thetimetogatherroundisnow #storytimehascome #storytellingtime #speakyourtruth #leaninandlisten #ilovetoevaluate https://www.instagram.com/p/B-xlMtNgsEU/?igshid=1ep8oz5vo0p8g

Trying to stay safe while working toward my goal :Star Wars 10K in 62 days. It is a challenge given my body and brain aren’t cooperating. So I have to stay open to change. Thank you Variety Village and Achilles Canada for options (depending on RunDisney). Fingers crossed ! (The Alinker is still considered a new device) Currently reaching out to them and know others are as well. #varietyvillage #alinkerfamily #adaptiveathlete #achillescanada @achillescanada #alinkerathletes @rundisney #rundisneystarwars2020 #ABI #PCS #multiplemtbis #EDS #learningtobeatortoise #eyelevel https://www.instagram.com/p/B8rsS0uAwEW/?igshid=1sp2f1l6bc95q

House long silent I remain staring at the birthday garland marveling at how we are here - already - at sixteen birthday of our fearless strong daughter who amazes us again and again. While I feel the warmth of the hearth, I feel the childhood of our darling daughter has fallen through my fingers like fast flowing twinkling spring water. So quickly. So spritely. But no regrets as we’ve felt joy and so grateful every day in truth . Such joy. #bittersweet #love #birthdaymum https://www.instagram.com/p/B8BESozAli_/?igshid=d1b7dznvjtb4

More glorious stars couldn’t have shone through the rain than these two extraordinary crooners last night: seniority and elegance first darlings #johnalcorn @ejpa and the glorious catchmyheartinmyhand #GavinHope were playfully and artfully luminous @rox_daddy . Thank you maestro #BillKing for putting these two together as part of #ROMafterDark Rom After Dark: Luna as it was inspired! John you out shone the moon, the stars, and all. Gavin, as always your powerful performance 😘 carried us over the moon and back. So much joy it was simply #stellar. #comingbackinforlandingstillsmilingaboutlastnightsperformances #ROMafterdark #pleasekeepjazzgoinginC5 https://www.instagram.com/p/B7wRRC1gdT_/?igshid=nqtodzkt3r7w

Talking Rat Terriers with Laurie Anderson, after she was the Guest Lecturer for the 14th Annual Eva Holtby Lecture on Contemporary Culture, at the Royal Ontario Museum. She was wonderful. They didn’t give her a nearly long enough format for her talk. The link for the installation ROM is here. You will thank me if you go. Really. Go!! https://www.rom.on.ca/en/whats-on/to-the-moon-vr-experience #laurieanderson #royalontariomuseum #tothemoonVR #tothemoonVRexperience #laurieanderson #hsinchienhuang https://www.instagram.com/p/B7aB0dlgkpn/?igshid=y2vbbqap9aey

Had I Marie Kondo’d this spot, I’d not opened my eyes from migraine to this happenstance inspiration: Red Riding Hood Triad: Victim/Villain/Hero puppet ~ is She/They resting or arising ? from their magna carta mattress above the gamut of fables and stories? to lead us below a remarkable daisy chain of connected books: American Gods; the Holy Bible; Philip Pullman’s Grimm folk tales; Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales, off to the side past Alice Munro and a beloved Hedgehog we have been safely buttressed by Stroud’s survival techniques. This could align a year’s art work for me. They are like sediments of thoughts remaining from “before injury”. Each book beside each other is a “yes and” with “Medici Effect” as well setting the tone. It’s like walking into a time loop and running into myself. #books #artcreation #idea #bookshelf https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Yixw1A6li/?igshid=1zzfeh69gsw5

Another view of cosy heaven. #ratties know the coziest places to lie. #ratterriersofinstagram #terriersofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #stellabellabingbong #lindyloo #hearth https://www.instagram.com/p/B7MGdF2A8oU/?igshid=rv7lrpdno2zt

By the fire before the storm. They know how to prep for a winter wallop. #ratterriersofinstagram #terriersofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #stellabellabingbong #lindyloo #loveourfireplace #hearthlove #hearth #cosydogs https://www.instagram.com/p/B7MGDmngSwD/?igshid=1gmmdugcvk9u5

Each in hand. Listening to past excitements despite my desire to get it done. The day has its ghosts. Our decor is not designer. No white or pink tree here haha but gifts each with a story. Some are very old. Rod’s #R2D2 is first on and #buttonbear being the last on. Yet I insist on waiting until December 6th every year. #christmasbaubles going away for another year. Now begins a task I try to do before closing up the packing away: writing a short note for myself for when I open up the suitcase that holds the most important decorations. Perhaps I’ll put the #willendorfvenus with the note. Nah, Rod, you win. I’ll put it with R2D2 so I’ll not take myself too seriously in keeping with my New Years goals of moving forward ~my new goto 2020 combo I’m pitching #reverenceandhumour https://www.instagram.com/p/B6_KqneAPVg/?igshid=1aw4odgpp23gk

I love a good tart! #datenight #normaridleylounge #AGO #lemontart #rubensmakesdessertyummier (at AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/B64DOTJA07M/?igshid=7fd7p0s3k5rj

We are finally turning the corner with Lindy Loo! Her appetite is still not good because it’s all low fat bland, but she ran at a squirrel! Such a #rattie ! She had a trot in her step here right after her chase (looking for raccoon poop of course amd going to their “spot”). Today Lindy snuck her head under our hands for pats and has gone into various dog beds. She wagged at a suspense game I play with her. Here’s hoping we keep on keeping on! @jamesonqueenanimal hospital we cannot thank you enough and staff @tveh we cannot thank you enough for helping Lindy out of her crisis state. We know we came so very close to losing her. It is hard to imagine how a dog looks normally. Lindy couldn’t stand when we brought her in. She looked like a typical old gal -yet normally she has a lithe happy trot of a much younger dog . When she is happy she adds a leap like a happy wee pony. As recently as last Wednesday she did such a pony dance before her supper! Then suddenly she got terribly ill with what we learned much much later was -only in part likely - a urinary tract infection. We’ll take it for now. As long as this trot and that tail show us we are making the right choices for her not us. Today it looks like we made the right ones! 😍#olddogsofinstagram l#dogsofinstagram #ratterriersofinstagram #terriersofinstagram #tveh #jamesonqueenah #drsam #dogrecovery #gratitude #keepgoing #soluckytohaveyou https://www.instagram.com/p/B6le4SWg-_L/?igshid=1luze6ifhb9x3

The treasures in the holidays. Nursing LindyLoo Who at home and hoping she is turning the corner. She is definitely more comfortable than on the weekend. “Christmas #healing is within our grasp, as long as we have paws to clasp.” Forgive me Dr. Seuss. We feared this gift would not come. Still keep fighting and resting Lindy Zoo Who significantly more than two. #ratterriersofinstagram #terriersofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #sickdog #olddogsofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B6gOBPPAde2/?igshid=y6f5ran8jr7u

Stella Bella Bing Bong playing along for distraction/treat sake before passing out for a good/long well earned rest. Missing her Lindy tonight. #ratterriersofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #terriersofinstagram #cutenessoverload https://www.instagram.com/p/B6Zk8JUA5CF/?igshid=16kbozvw3zocx