Heading north....

Yesterday, I rode the Amtrak train north to New Jersey. I’d forgotten how nice it is to ride on a train, the silent start, moving forward slowly, watching the landscape change. Moving from freight train views to landscapes, to, my favorite, industrial views...we were making good time until just before the MetroPark station, where my family was waiting for me. We stopped, we started moving VERY slowly, we stopped, we rolled on, we stopped. It turned out there was an accident involving a person on the tracks, no details, but we did see some firefighters on the tracks as we rolled through the New Brunswick station. We were one of many trains backed up (same rails used by New Jersey commuter trains, I think) We ended up being an hour late, while standing only 15 miles from my stop, but no one was cranky, just curious.

Now, I’m in suburban New Jersey, to be with my cousin, who is doing very well after her surgery.

RUSH, Chuck's exhibition of Glass (3)

Last night, Chuck's show at Quirk Gallery opened to the public. It was the best First Friday in a long time as the weather was perfect. Lots and lots of people were out, walking on Broad St., visiting galleries, so much fun. Chuck talked to a lot of people about how he did the work and sold another piece. Afterwards, we partied in the newly opened two yards. Jack's dance floor was great, Tango dancing experts danced and taught people how to do Tango. Both yards had lights, food, drinks, people. Our nieces, Marilyn and her daughters, came early to set up so that Chuck and I could stay at the gallery. Thanks bunches. People brought food and wine to share. Thanks more bunches. People from different parts of our lives came, diversity abounded! We had a blast!

Rush, Chuck's exhibition of Glass (2)

Last night was the preview for Chuck's show. These are just a few of the many pix I took. The gallery was packed and it felt SO good. Chuck was relaxed and happy, and even better, a piece sold. One of the smaller ones that isn't in any of these images. I've just dropped Chuck at the gallery for opening night for the public, I'll change into some black, going to the gallery clothes, and will join him there.
Afterwards, party time at our place!

Pink

This post is for Dawn. Yesterday, our cousin Dawn had a bi-lateral mastectomy. Today, at my hair cutting place, they were making a cancer survivor chain in preparation for their annual Lance Armstrong cancer awareness day. I added a link in the chain with Dawn's name on it. I'm wearing a pink tee shirt in her honor. (I rarely wear anything but black) She is a survivor. I'll be going to spend time with her in a few days.

RUSH, Chuck's exhibition of Glass (1)

Chuck's been working in glass, a new medium for him, for the past three years. His work accumulated, moving from his studio into the rest of the house, wherever we could find places to store it. Boxes and boxes of glass pieces! Yesterday, was the big moving day. The pieces went to Quirk Gallery for hanging. The show previews tomorrow night and opens for the public on Friday night. We're pretty excited! These images show some of the boxes in our living room, and Chuck, Jude, and Jack working on the packing up. Jude is a glass artist and has been Chuck's mentor. Jack is our neighbor, next door. On Friday night, we're having a big joint party in our backyards. Jack's built a dance floor and we're opening a section of the fencing to combine the yards. it'll be so crazy fun. I hope I'm not having too much fun to take some photos! I'll post photos of the show next. Stay tuned! If you clik on the gallery link above, you'll see a couple of Chuck's pieces.

News about poles (shelf redux?)

The shelf may be gone but the pole remains. I found a blue and red ribbon and an orchid (a real one) on the pole a couple days ago. On Monday evening, while walking Smitty, we saw our neighbors, Jan and Ray, and they told us about something curious on a pole a block further. We walked together and there was a little note, the letters were curiously like worms and there were little birds heads, we looked up and there was a BIRD HOUSE!! Wild! A bit later, on our homeward bound walk, we saw our neighbor, Richard, and he said that there was a birdhouse on every pole, on both sides of the street, for a couple blocks. Now that is really wild! Did the shelf encourage this? I wonder about that, and I wonder, how long will these bird houses stay up on the poles?

Dogs on the Arthritis Walk

Here's a sampling of the dogs that accompanied their human buds on the Arthritis Walk. They were all so well socialized. The husky is named Preston, after Sergeant Preston of the Yukon. The three puff balls of white were so cute. The little poodle, in the foreground, was checking out the Bichon duo. There were a number of Pit Bulls and Bully mixes, whose owners showed how loving care makes for a loving, sweet dog. Big dogs, little dogs, it was nice. And to think, they get arthritis, too!