News from CasaNova: exhibit A, a framed photo, a world view, a cookie prophecy, and comfortable heels (?!)

1- Exhibit A

I get a lot of grief about my penchant for wearing black. A LOT. And I get teased for the number of black tank tops I own. 

Yesterday I was in Aiken and did a little shopping downtown. Now, you will NOT believe this, but I did purchase yet another black tank top. BUT, it came from a boutique, so it's FANCY.

So do not say a single word about another black tank top. Not. One.

Because I also bought this jacket, and as you can see ... chartreuse!

2- Sunrise on the River

This past July, Joe and I were  biking along the canal and met a volunteer (Lenny) from Friends of the Rapids who was pulling trash from the river. We had a nice conversation, and then I asked if I could take a photo of him and tag him on Instagram. He agreed, so I took a few photos of him next to his boat. As he was paddling away, his boat was silhouetted against the morning sunrise, so I took another photo. I posted all the photos on Instagram and tagged him. He tagged my photos on the Friends of the Rapids Instagram page. 

Yesterday , Lenny sent me a private message via Instagram saying he loved the photo I took of him so much that he had it enlarged and framed. Then he sent me a photo of it hanging in his house. 

That gave me joy. 

3- The Great High Heel Hunt

Our dining room is the control center for our son's wedding next month. Invoices, to-do lists, seating charts, Italian bomboniere (wedding favors) ... and shoe boxes. 

I've been on a GREAT HIGH HEEL HUNT, and I posted the following question on a Facebook fashion site: Can anyone recommend a pair of comfortable heels? There were over 200 comments, most of them with the laughing emoji. Evidently heels and comfortable do not belong in the same sentence. But I prevailed. At one point I ordered EIGHT pairs of shoes and returned all eight. But I did find a few pair that are in the running, including these ...

4- A World View

With Afghanistan featured so heavily in the news, I decided to re-read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Beautifully written, and especially heartbreaking in the light of the country's current political situation.

"I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night." -Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner

"There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood." -Khaled Hosseini

5- Cookies in a Tin

Every year before the holidays Costco introduces a tin of Italian Cookies, the tin decorated with different Italian cities. And I'm sensing a pattern: one year it was Rome, and we went to Rome; last year it was Verona, and we went to Verona.

This year the tin features Sicily and ... 

Good News in an Airport

As I am writing this, Joe is sitting at the Atlanta airport waiting for his flight to Augusta. He’s tired and eager to get home. Mike Rowe (from the show Dirty Jobs) is flying today, and I only know this because I follow him on Facebook and he posted a photo of himself at the airport along with a commentary about traveling while masked. This morning I read not one, but TWO, news reports of unruly passengers on planes. Yesterday there were three. Airports are crowded, flights are cancelled or rescheduled, and people are communicating through masks which promulgate frustrations and hide smiles.

But you know what? I refuse to believe that the only travel news is bad news. Because I know otherwise …

On one of Sister Gaudiosa’s visits with our family, she told us the story of her first time on an airplane when she left Tanzania to study here in the United States. Her flight involved a layover in Germany, and in the process of walking to her new gate she came across her first escalator. Ever.

She was terrified. Stairs that move? She stood to the side, studying it. She approached it, lost her nerve, and backed away again. She didn't know what to do.

Then she heard a voice ask, "Sister? Do you need help?"

It was a German student, male, in his mid-twenties. When he realized what the problem was, he picked up her bag and took her by the arm. "Not to worry, Sister. I will help you."

And he did. All the way down the escalator, all the way to her gate.

After spending a week with us, we drove Sister to the airport. She was flying to Missouri and had packed two very heavy suitcases. When we helped her check in, the agent said there would be an extra fee since both suitcases were overweight. It was a pretty hefty fine.

I looked at the agent and said, "Everything she owns in this world is packed in these two suitcases." And I knew what I was talking about because I had helped her pack them. Inside were her habits made from thick, blue material, her black shoes, a winter coat, and study materials.

The agent didn't say anything, so my husband took out his wallet to pay the fine.

Except there wasn't one. When the agent took the suitcases he said, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it. Have a safe flight, Sister." And he smiled.

Later that evening Sister called to say she had arrived safely. She then told us what happened to her at the gate: a middle-aged man saw her blue habit and struck up a conversation with her. He said that he had attended Catholic schools all his life and had fond memories of the nuns who taught him. Would she allow him to buy her lunch?

And so he did. It was a modest meal—a hotdog and a drink—but two strangers, a businessman and a nun from Tanzania, shared a meal together.

In an airport.

Where good things can—and do!—happen.

A Hankie for My Pocket

whose shoes

yesterday

in the woods

i met

walking shoes

not walking

just right there

under a tree

empty shoes

someone stepped out of

to keep walking…

without shoes

 

*from the files of very bad poetry by bia

in remembrance

a length of cloth

a whispering zephyr

together, the music of a country

ideals, hope, patriotism

of the people, for the people

 

a length of cloth

a stirring west wind

at odds with one another

love and hate, peace and war

our story

a length of cloth

a gale force wind

an echo of orders given

missions launched

boots marching left, right, left

 

a length of cloth

a dark tempest

through the perilous night

of wars and battles

chaos and bloodshed

 

a length of cloth

still winds

o’er the land of the free

and the home of the brave

silence.

 

heads bowed

in remembrance

*from the files of very bad poetry by bia

Paying it forward (and backward) (and every which way)

This is a true story.

This morning I decided to stop at Starbucks. It was mid-morning, so there were only three cars: Car #1 (a stranger) was at the window, Car #2 (a police car) was next, and then Car #3 (me).

As Car #1(the stranger) drove away I wished I could have been IN FRONT of the police car because I would have paid for his order to show a little appreciation for their hard work.

When Car #2 (the police car) drove away I pulled up to the window.

"There's no charge," said the Starbucks employee. "The friendly police officer paid for your order. The car in front paid for his, so he wanted to pay for yours. It's a happy day."

How about that? Three complete strangers in a Starbucks drive-thru had the SAME EXACT THOUGHT to do something kind for a stranger. 

Despite everything going on lately, there is hope. And kindness. And charity. And thoughtfulness.

A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, 

and the roots spring up and make new trees. 

~Amelia Earhart

Be kind whenever possible.

It is always possible.

Dalai Lama

Life Lately: Granted Wishes, Kitchen Art, Talking about Books, A Stupid Funny Conversation, a Talking Bear, All Grown Up

-1- Fingers Crossed

Last night as I was cleaning up the kitchen Timothy asked, "Do you need any help?"

He was standing behind me, and when I turned around I saw his eyes were closed, he was holding his breath, and his fingers were crossed.

Uh-huh. He was graciously offering to help but fervently hoping I'd say no.

And so I did. 

Because he made me laugh. 

-2- Focaccia Art is a Thing. 

I clearly need to up my game.

-3- Book Lovers' Book Club 

Three years of books, friends, wine, animated discussion. Is there anything better? The very first book we discussed (which we all loved) was Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.

August book selection

September book selection

-4- Stupid Funny

This is a perfect example of a conversation my sister and I could have (minus the curse word) when it is past our bedtime and we are stupidly sleep deprived to the point where everything is funny.

-5- The Bear Talks

"Take me home," whispered the Bear. "Timothy likes me."

And so we did.  

The Bear lasted three days. 

-6- Bookends

To provide clarity that little boys with active imaginations do, in fact, grow up ... here are senior photos of the same little boy featured in No. 1 above. Little boys who grow to be big boys clean up nicely. 

Video Highlight: 2019 Girls' Trip to Italy