Train Travel

One of the best parts of train travel was my attendant from Chicago to L.A., the longest leg of the journey. His name is Vincent. He was sweet and attentive throughout the trip. Sadly, he was not my attendant on the way back, though he was on the train, and I did get to see him now and then, including right before boarding, when I got overcome for a few minutes with sadness about leaving beautiful California and my brother and niece, with whom I had been having such a wonderful time. He was a sweetheart. I would love to do it all again next year, and if I do, I would love to have Vincent as my attendant.

Also above are my brother, Ed, and niece, Erica, she in her "Hooters" shirt. :-)

Purple Flower, Bumblebee, and Abby Dabby Do!

This beautiful flower and bumblebee I found outside the home of my yoga teacher. Inside, lives Abby Dabby Do, otherwise known as "yoga dog." Abby is a great big love of a dog, who sometimes snores loudly with us and once even cuddled with me during "shivasana" (relaxation).

Topaz.....

Here he is, in all his glory, my one and only remaining cat, once number three of three and now king of the hill, as it were, which he really fancied himself to be all along. I started off with two kitties, Amber and Chloe. Amber, Chloe, and I moved to a condominium in June, 2000. Soon after, this guy started appearing on our deck and I started giving him food and water, as he was kind of scrawny and scrappy looking. Once or twice, I brought him in, thinking he might stay, but he would howl so loudly at night, that I would end up getting up and letting him out. And so, he had the best of both worlds, the outdoors to roam and a place to go for food and water when he chose to do so. One day, my come-to-the-house vet was coming by to see one or both of the other kitties, and I decided IF HE CAME on that day, I would bring him in and have her check him out. He did come that day, and I did bring him in. He checked out fine. No outdoor-cat diseases, and that was that. He got neutered that day and became my, indoor, third cat. Sadly, I have lost the other two, Amber, some years ago, and Chloe, this summer. We are down to me and him, probably for the duration. He's earned his time as my one and only, and again, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we may just keep it that way. Isn't he lovely? :-)

Mom's Big Birthday Weekend

Happy Birthday, Mom! (Mom still hasn't been able to see my blog yet, as she has Webtv, an email system for the t.v., and no computer.) It is not clear if she will be able to access the blog. So far, she has not been able to. For her birthday weekend, we went to MGM Grand at Foxwoods Casino in CT yesterday, a frequent destination for her and her friend, Jeanne. Though I have been to Foxwoods many times over the years, I had not been there in quite some time and not since the arrival of the MGM Grand, which is grand indeed. We had a lovely lunch and then hung out while Jeanne played the slots for awhile. I looked in some very expensive shops, and Mom lounged by the pool. Then Mom and I went to the Gelato Cafe, where Mom enjoyed a coffee gelato. Today, we had brunch at a remodeled train station, called, appropriately enough, "Union Station." It was yum, delicious, and Mom enjoyed her gifts. (She is fun and easy to buy for; likes all sorts of pretty and cute things.)

Happy Sunday!

'Tis a gorgeous day here in western Massachusetts, after "a dark and stormy night," which left in its wake water in the basement (a forever problem for me) and a new water stain on the ceiling (a recurrent problem for me), and a loss of internet time last night and this a.m.!

Yesterday was "the first day of school" for me at the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis, where I had been a student at their Vermont campus since January, 2005, until the Vermont campus was closed at the end of June, 2008. The closing was a heart-breaking process for a small community of students and faculty who enjoyed very special relationships in our learning environment, which just happend to be in a remodeled old barn in a rural setting of great beauty. However, life goes on.....

And now for my latest pic. of the trip to California..... (Ain't she sweet?)

Weekend Blogger?

Hi All,


Funny, last weekend, when I was searching about, up popped "Tartx's" "Blogging without Obligation," the idea that one can blog without apology when one feels like it, not necessarily with any required regularity. A "serendipitous" finding, to use Cate's (from "Beyond the Fields We Know") word. Not quite the weekend yet, but a good excuse to post another photo from my trip.....



I loved this building in Venice Beach!

:-) Have a lovely weekend, everyone. :-) Joyce

Day Number Two of my life as a blogger.....

Good morning to my tiny little world of readers. Welcome! And thank you for being here..... 'Tis Labor Day here in MA, along with the rest of the country. Cate at "Beyond the Fields we Know" brought to my awareness that the natural "hum" I hear outside my be grasshoppers singing. I am grateful to be made aware of the sound and what it might be and to be given the idea that I might even go out there for a few minutes.....

Happy September and the feeling of a new season it seems to bring, much as we hate to let go the summer, there is something to be said for the fall. It is my goal to continue to display photos of my trip to gorgeous California, and I am still on a learning curve, so bear with me here..... :-) Joyce

This is my brother, Ed, and my niece, Erica, somewhere in beautiful California, Venice Beach, perhaps. How sweet it was!