January 19 - 25, 2008

Jim and I are married 30 years now - Mom and Dad for 60 years!
Mom keeps all the wedding photos on one table. I like weddings and long marriages.


Attacked by the 'futon monster' on Sunday, Xan is happily surfing the net - waves at Long Beach must not be good for ocean surfing....




Saturday Art Studio 544!

Cape Ann artist Molly joins me for a quiet afternoon of watercolor - we enjoyed the nice light as it turned into the "blue hour" - Xan and Jim returned from frostbiting to view our paintings...

.....and enjoy a salad creation - we shared with friends for dinner....

Mom's Book Group on Wednesday.

Mom is the on far left in her favorite color (green). She is with some of her book group friends - Book Group has been going for 30+ years.


I read Saigon Dog Robber by William I. Murphy to my dad while mom meets with her book group. My automatic switch on my Cannon Elf is taking this shot as we laugh about something funny Uncle Bill wrote. This is a book about his year in Vietnam - 1962. What a year! I hope it gets published so you all can read it. Uncle Bill mentions the flower fairy I remember at the end of his book.

When my Uncle Bill arrived home from Vietnam, he drove his new Chevy Corvair through the night to our house - I remember expecting him. He called to say he'd arrive in the morning sometime. My parents, my four brothers, and four sisters were all excited to see our fabulous uncle. As an eleven year old girl, I thought about what I could do to welcome him - I waited with anticipation. Early in the morning, I peeked out the window and saw him in his car in the driveway. I put on my recital ballet costume - full tutu and all - snuck down the stairs - opened the front door slowly, snuck out to the big brick front porch - I needed this audience - he seemed pretty captive -I performed my whole dance routine for him. I even incorparated declining the three brick steps into the show so I could use the entire front lawn for my stage. I bounced on top of the fresh cut lawn. My pink leather slippers just nicking the fringe of grass. My dance became more elaborate when I saw that he was enchanted with me. Music? The early morning bird song was enough to keep me with the beat of my very rehearsed recital performance. After the finale, I gracefully took my bow, then flew over like a flower fairy and gave my Uncle Billy a big hug through the car window - we both had teary eyes - after reading his book I know why he teared up - but for me, my tears were for his tears. I was in the moment - HAPPY - in a dream.... this wonderful morning - then laughing we rushed in the house hand in hand and woke everyone else up - Uncle Bill always caused a ruckus. All the Donovan kids (just 9 of us then) loved commotion and uproar!

Writing a cookbook: I am writing a cookbook to celebrate my parents' 60th Wedding Anniversary - compiling recipes from my mom's extensive collection, my collection, my daughter's, and all my siblings' families. I wrote one for their 50th - so I know it is possible and worth all the time, energy, and effort.

January 25 - "rainbows of my own" -
I am happy to see that our cut glass window is splashing rainbows all over my morning!

Jan 24 - Christmas cactus - my mother gave us back some spigs from her plant which is from spigs from our very old ( and now gone ) plant which we had started from a plant that she had (now gone)....all really part of the same plant....generations continue...

I love Christmas cactus blossoms!