by irene bean
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SOME OF MY FAVORITE BLOGS I'VE POSTED
2008
A Solid Foundation
Cheers
Sold!
Not Trying to be Corny
2007
This Little Light of Mine
We Were Once Young
Veni, Vedi, Vinca
U Tube Has a New Star
Packing a 3-Iron
Getting Personal
Welcome Again
Well... Come on in
Christmas Shopping
There's no Substitute
2006
Dressed for Success
Cancun Can-Can
Holy Guacamole
Life can be Crazy
The New Dog
Hurricane Reenie
He Delivers
No Spilt Milk
Naked Fingers
Blind
Have Ya Heard the One About?
The Great Caper
Push
Barney's P***S
My New Security System
Bullets for Perfect Days
I finished all 549 pages of The Warmth of other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and yearned for another 549 pages. It's subtitled The Epic Story of America's Great Migration. This references the 1915 to 1970 migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities. I highly recommend this book. I stared at it for a couple of weeks because I was intimidated by its heft and then I flew through the pages.
I commissioned a small painting by one of my favorite artists, Javier Mayoral. His work is edgy and witty and clever and then he throws in a dash of more edgy. I'm keeping the commission subject a secret until I post it here. You can Google him.
Last week at Harris Teeter in Nashville there was a table brimming with Girl Scout cookies. This is always a problem for me - well not always. These days I'm especially restricting calories yet I wanted to support the Girl Scouts. I quickly created plan B. I told the girls that I wanted to support them, but could I buy some cookies and leave my purchases with them to give to someone who might not be able to afford them. (I hope that makes sense.) It was a pay it forward kind of request for them to follow up on. The mothers in attendance swooned over my idea. *smiling*
David, my son, and his girlfriend, Olivia, are arriving this coming week. I'm so excited I'm counting the minutes. The visit will only be 3 days with lots packed in. I plan to do a silly amount of cooking this week - probably sending them back to Lexington, VA with provisions.
I've met someone I really, really like as a person and artist. Her name is Emily McGrew and you can Google her to get a sampling of her amazing talent. She was sitting in the pew in front of me at Church last Sunday at Morton Memorial where I attend. When possible, I make a point of greeting people who might be visiting - though it's hard to tell these days because I'm off the mountain so much. Anyway, she's living in her parent's second home near my home. She does portraiture. *zing* I've been researching possibilities with various artists and their styles. I have a portrait of my mother. It was painted in 1957. I was 10 years old and remember going to the artist's home, which was perched on a bluff overlooking the Long Island Sound, I believe. I've enjoyed this painting so much. David would like one of me. While he and Olivia are in town, Emily is joining us all for breakfast to talk strategy.
Portrait of my Mother
I recently found out my daughter, Rachel, plans to join us all for David's graduation in May from W&L Law School. My father is gallantly clinging on to life. Well, more than clinging. He just returned from Panama where my sister lives, and is packing his bags again to go on an 11 day cruise. He's actually veryveryvery ill, but soldiers on. He inspires me. He plans to be at David's graduation, too. This is so terribly exciting for us to realize we'll all be together!
The clinical trial I'm in does not have placeboes. That's partially why I chose it. I learned last week that FibroGen (the pharmaceutica) will be starting clinical trials with placebos in 2013. The reason this is exciting is that it means the trial I'm in is showing marked improvements. I'm in the Phase 2 cohort group, which receives larger doses. Phase 2 takes research beyond the lab to evaluate safety, tolerability, and efficacy of FG-3019, which is the drug I take by infusion every 3 weeks.
My most recent tenant moved out after 2 weeks. It's not as grim as it sounds. I swear to you that she's the sweetest woman to ever walk this earth. She was especially precious. Sadly, I didn't get to know her too well with me being in Nashville and all, but she rented my apartment because she'd decided to leave her husband of 15 years. Joan, my housekeeper aka property manager, took care of the interview and all the additional particulars. I did talk to the new tenant before she moved in and this is pretty much what I told her: "If at any time you and your husband are able to repair your marriage that would be the most important thing and I would be pleased to no end." Well, after 2 weeks, she's moved back home and they're going to try to mend their marriage. I like happy endings.
(My recent tenant took on a second job in order to pay rent. I chose to refund her 50/50 of the remaining two weeks. She didn't ask for the refund. I just did it. Many people might think I'm an old fool. I don't care. What I do care about is that too often the world is cruel and thankless and petty and predatory and easily discards people and considers kindness a weakness. Unfortunately, I take it personally, but I can't change who I am. *sigh* I like my happy endings.)
That's about it for now. As always, thanks for listening. Nighty-night.
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