Hi friends,
For our birthdays, Bob gave us tickets to go see Garrison Keillor in Salt Lake City. Last night was the night, so we made our trek down to meet him and Peter. I didn't really know what to expect, though I knew it wasn't the whole Lake Woebegone thing. It turned out to be just him on the stage for the whole time, and he was funny, sweet, contemplative. He just walked out on stage unannounced in a dark suit--rumpled just as you thought it would be--a red tie, red socks, and red sneakers. He started out by singing--no accompaniment--about Holy Week and it just rambled on from there--stories, songs, reminiscences. Well needless to say, we loved him, and the time went by in a literal blink. If you listen to his radio show, you will know how sort of universal his stories can be. He talked a lot about his childhood, then rambling on through winter snow, boys living in basements, to crock-pot suppers. It so took me back to my youth and made me really a bit nostalgic about the past and families and growing up. Afterwards, as we walked through the city to get back to our car, Christian asked me if I thought the stories were true. I said I thought they were based on true things that had happened to him and his family and friends. He looked unconvinced and thoughtful, his 14-year old mind sifting through its black and white parameters. I just smiled and thought to myself that perhaps we all re-shape our pasts over the years--gently softening the edges, intensifying the dramas--becoming the people we want to be. I just whispered to him--remember it all--your own life-- and keep it in your heart. Garrison Keillor finished the evening by having the audience sing a simple, spiritual-type song together with a few verses. I was pretty much into the singing--quietly, of course, but Teri said she stopped for a minute and listened to how beautiful it sounded--all these disparate voices and harmonies. I was inspired and awed and for a moment felt connected to the world of strangers around me and beyond. I sort of hummed all the way home and tried to remember the words. Then I woke in the middle of the night thinking about it and I couldn't remember the tune. It made me sad. Isn't that just the way with life and connections. Keep hold of them when they come. I'm pretty sure I will remember it, sometime.
For our birthdays, Bob gave us tickets to go see Garrison Keillor in Salt Lake City. Last night was the night, so we made our trek down to meet him and Peter. I didn't really know what to expect, though I knew it wasn't the whole Lake Woebegone thing. It turned out to be just him on the stage for the whole time, and he was funny, sweet, contemplative. He just walked out on stage unannounced in a dark suit--rumpled just as you thought it would be--a red tie, red socks, and red sneakers. He started out by singing--no accompaniment--about Holy Week and it just rambled on from there--stories, songs, reminiscences. Well needless to say, we loved him, and the time went by in a literal blink. If you listen to his radio show, you will know how sort of universal his stories can be. He talked a lot about his childhood, then rambling on through winter snow, boys living in basements, to crock-pot suppers. It so took me back to my youth and made me really a bit nostalgic about the past and families and growing up. Afterwards, as we walked through the city to get back to our car, Christian asked me if I thought the stories were true. I said I thought they were based on true things that had happened to him and his family and friends. He looked unconvinced and thoughtful, his 14-year old mind sifting through its black and white parameters. I just smiled and thought to myself that perhaps we all re-shape our pasts over the years--gently softening the edges, intensifying the dramas--becoming the people we want to be. I just whispered to him--remember it all--your own life-- and keep it in your heart. Garrison Keillor finished the evening by having the audience sing a simple, spiritual-type song together with a few verses. I was pretty much into the singing--quietly, of course, but Teri said she stopped for a minute and listened to how beautiful it sounded--all these disparate voices and harmonies. I was inspired and awed and for a moment felt connected to the world of strangers around me and beyond. I sort of hummed all the way home and tried to remember the words. Then I woke in the middle of the night thinking about it and I couldn't remember the tune. It made me sad. Isn't that just the way with life and connections. Keep hold of them when they come. I'm pretty sure I will remember it, sometime.
Well, talk about rambling. Here we are at Spring break and I am back to balancing work and a child at home and getting everything done. It hardly seems like Easter, since it is only mid-March, and the weather is not very nice. But a break is a break and what is not to enjoy. I finished my Mom-Day piece after I got home, so now I am jazzed to get it graphed and finished up. Tonight I will have that displaced feeling of having finished a project without one in the wings. Not that I don't have a zillion unfinished things, but not really one ready and waiting. I'll tell you one that I would love to do. It's not of my own design, but is by the same folks who do the new Quaker Christmas, and it is called Quaker Virtues. It is such a lovely sampler--lots of beautiful Quaker motifs and virtuous words spread throughout it. If you are in the mood for a large, heart-felt project--this might be the one. We finally have the rest of the Red Thread motifs in and one of the girls has been finishing it up. I would like to say that Teri could put a pic of it at the end of this letter, but you would have to have your computer hooked up to the screen at your local theater to see it all. Ok, it isn't quite that long, but it is very darling. Now she gets to pick special buttons and give it to poor Jill to frame. Oh, I almost forgot--have you seen the May Bauble? Maybe she can put a picture of that one up. It is darling. Sweet May flowers and hand-picked buttons on each one. Of course she changed the colours and used the most adorable backing fabric. If you aren't doing this wonderful little series, you are definitely missing out.
May BaublesUntil next week--
fondly, Tina
