Waiting for the Arborist to Arrive...

It's raining out. I mean really raining out. And today, I get to go outside with the second arborist and either cross my arms or stand with arms akimbo depending on what s/he has to say. I have an umbrella, rain slicker and rain hat to shield me from the relentless rain. I wonder, what does the arborist have for these occasions?

2 Hours Later...

In the pouring rain, I discuss with our second arborist, Tony, the fate of our poor, poor cherry tree. As our clothes soak, Tony's story about our tree is strikingly similar to the first arborist's take on her distress. She's outgrown her space, and her growth is leading to her demise. We can keep her going for a few more years, with pruning, or we can just remove her.

I can't bear killing this tree right now. I love the pink she brings into the house in late April. This spring will be our 12th year together. Ahhh, this tree is breaking my heart! I know, we can plant another one, but it just won't be the same!

Tonight Kathleen and I will be responsible home owners and look over the proposals. We'll make a decision: prune or remove. Which one would you choose?

When It's Time to Call In an Arborist

Our poor, poor, cherry tree. She's going to have to be pruned back or even removed entirely. Stump and all. The builders when they planted our cherry tree failed to remove the root basket, and now she's outgrown it. Lazy bastards condemned our poor tree to a short life. This is what our first estimate from an arborist said. 

I did a little research on our tree. She's a late bloomer (late April that is), and her blossoms are a vibrant and rich pink and double-petaled too. In full bloom she casts our bedroom in a soft pink light on a sunny day. It's fantastic and surreal. I love being surrounded by all that pink, pink & more pink.

I also learned what variety our tree is: Kanzan. A good Japanese name. Did I tell you I visited Tokyo when I was eight...

Tomorrow we'll hear from the second arborist. "Our Poor Cherry Tree" to be continued...

Give a Way For Work

What do you wear for your work gig? My work gig was as a tie-dye artist. It suited me since my business was tie-dye too. I wore the merchandise as a way to market the look. And somehow, for a while, I saw tie-dye everywhere.

My Ex would say it was the principle of selective attending in action. For those of you who skipped that class of Psychology 101, selective attending is basically you see what you want to see, which is really true in both matters trivial and significant. But whatever. I think tie-dye made a little comeback. And people who bought my t-shirts acted liked it was a good fashion bet in this age of nostalgia. Because tie-dye is timeless...-

Well, I've got some other work clothes that are timeless too. Suits. I used to do the professional office gig. And I needed suits for everyday as well as for committee meetings and conferences.

But like the tie-dye, I'm giving them away to charity. Two of my suits, one with the tags still on, have gone to low-income women who need professional suits for interviews. I hope the suits help them get their next gig.

So dig out your closets, ladies and gents. I'm sure there's a suit or two that doesn't fit, or one that you just don't like anymore. Give it away. Create some space in your closet. And just maybe, you'll have room for something new...and someone else will get a job!!!

For The Whitneys of The World

You know how certain names rise in popularity when a celebrity's name gets a lot of play on the radio, on TV or in the movies?  I'm  even named after an actress. Well, my poor Ex, the one whose first name is that TV show, she's got a problem. Her name is Whitney, and Whitney Houston, the singer, just died rather tragically. Everywhere you go you see R.I.P. Whitney...I wonder how MY Whitney is feeling about all this name publicity? 
 
I mean how do you shake the association to someone who died from a prescription drugs and alcohol overdose? Do you just hunker down and wait until the media is finished with the singer, Whitney Houston. And then after a period of mourning, your name can resurface and reflect your own identity in people's minds again?
 
Tsk, Tsk, poor Whitney. Great women often have great names. Sometimes even the same name.

A First Love on Valentine's Day

When you have reached my age, you've done a few Valentine's Days. Some have been better than others. Some were the stuff of romantic fantasies, and others were heartless and lonely.

I didn't really get into Valentine's Day until I discovered that my first female love interest had February 14th as her birthday and our first date. As one might expect of a first lesbian love affair, it had its passions and its bumps. We broke up and got back together at least three times. To this day which is almost thirty years later, we can only occasionally message each other on Facebook. But still, we can't be friends again. Silly really when you think about it. But such are the ways of love on Valentine's Day. It can take on fortuitous significance...

Trending Fashions for Frames

When it comes to fashion, shall I lead or follow? For years I've prided myself on being ahead of the curve when it came to my eye glass frames.  Since my eyesight is progressively deteriorating, I often get a new prescription for new lenses and, of course, accompanying frames about every two to three years.
 
It seems that fashions in eyeware move in and out in three to four year cycles. So if I could pick the new season's trend, I might have a fashion hit that would last my two to three years of wearing the frames.
 
I've had some good picks over the years. My last "hit" would be the black Versace (how could I go wrong with an Italian designer, really, I even sorta look kinda "hot" in them). And then these rimless I'm wearing now have given me a modern hippy boomer look that I have enjoyed.
 
So now what? Do I go with the huge round black frames that seem to adorn every musician from Lady Gaga to Justin Beiber? An already big fashion "hit" I rarely go for. I'm more interested in the emerging trends of fashion instead of with the established "hit" happening today.
 
So, I go to try on frames this Saturday. I hope the optical shop won't be busy and inspiration strikes. Because these frames, guys, are gonna be sitting on my face for years...

Now It's Onward to St. Valentine's Day

It's the morning after the Super Bowl. Yeah, we were stupid and stayed up late. Well, not too late but late enough. The football was good, and I just loved that Fiat car commercial with the SEXY Latin woman. She just breathed hot. So hot. Best commerical of the evening. And Madonna, you are my goddess. Don't you just love older women?

And now it's all back to business this morning. The fun and games are over. Wait, not so, there's Valentine's Day! And for those of us who plan, well the fun's just beginning. It's all about cards, cupids, chocolates and cuddles. Gawd knows we will need all that love and romance. It will be the dead of winter. Definitely something to look forward to.

I'll be getting the chocolate at the Godiva shop. I think I'm one of the few women (gay or straight) that buy chocolate for Valentine's Day. But I don't think that makes me the butch in my relationship. It's just easier for me to get to the chocolate. (Or this is what I tell myself.)

Have fun planning your romantic dinners. The last time we did a Valentine's dinner, we were in Chelsea of NYC. We walked into this lovely restaurant, and we were the only women there. The men were all very amused to find us there. We got great service and were very welcome. The gay men treated us like princesses! The food was divine too.

I wish you the best with your plans for love and romance. And remember that Valentine Day's is over a thousand years old. Much older than the claim by some that it's just a Hallmark holiday. So remember the chocolate kisses. They were just made for this holiday. Happy Valentine's Day.

The Art Team Draws the Disdainful to the Super Bowl

So what's the most important thing happening this week? That's right! It's the Super Bowl. Now don't take me for some big football fan. I've had disdain for football for decades. I just find it all so brutal and so male. But I guess I've also been a bit of an elitist with my I-don't-do-football-No-I-do-the ballet attitude. And then there's this year's halftime show. So how'd they know that I LOVE Madonna?

Yes, Madonna has even lured me, the disdainful, to the Super Bowl. I will even make chili for the occasion. But that's as far as it goes...I'm not buying a wide screen TV or a Smart TV. But then, really, only thing I watch on TV is sporting events. Kathleen and I watch mostly Grand Slam tennis tournaments, but we do so with an addict's passion.

Somehow I don't think I'll be watching a lot of the football Sunday. No, I'm in it for the art: Madonna's halftime show and the commercials. I'm rooting for that team---the Art Team.