MaryAlice Musings and More

Yes, the expected high today is 76, I went to bed with windows open. It is almost 60 before 8 a.m. Everyone is outside! Minnesotans are dancing in the streets. It is the first time in over 100+ years no snow in March - that is March Madness! I am feeling sparkly and energized, my shoulders are lower, not hunched against the cold or the wondering if it will creep back. Another winter gone, a new spring. The grass is getting green! The buds are starting to form. Oh and now onto - "April is the cruelest month!"

I am making Blueberry Bread Pudding as a Birthday wish! It has taken all evening. First take off crust off the brioche. Then cut in cubes. Next brown bread in oven. Then cream, half-half, vanilla beans cook to a boil. After that (while the cream infuses with the vanilla) beat eggs and sugar. Slowly whisk cream into egg mixture. Strain and soak bread in custard. Blueberries into bottom of dish, then in goes the bread and custard, bake 30+minutes. Yum. Yum. Happy Birthday love. Hope it will taste so good tomorrow evening! Bread pudding on a summer in March Birthday. Happy Birthday Terry, hope you like it as much as the very first time you tasted it!

What a great drive home from Madison. Sun shining, at one point as I was coming up a hill, the sky looked like a blue, blue lake and then white sky. A moment of the ocean in the midwest. It smells like spring. Now at home, the full moon is just blazing boldly. I am still appreciating how the moon beams danced on the water, and now in my memory. A great souvenir. Big moon, full heart, well rested and glad to be home.

Every loss in life I consider as the throwing off of an old garment in order to put on a new one; and the new garment has always been better than the old. Hazrat Inayat Khan

God is actually born in the womb of your heart. Taj Inayat Khan

The sun has set, the lake is in constant movement. I am starting a retreat with my sufi guide. This afternoon I walked with my bag to the Willy Street Coop, I first walked there 30+ years ago. Such memories, so much growing, and learning, and loving in this great town of Madison. I am tucked away on Morrison Court, a one block street, last house on the block on two sides the lake! How many days I have watched this lake. I am glad for the gift of a few days here, allowing time for my spirit, for listening, for watching the lake and all of its movement!

It is great when I: wake up rested feel the big sunshine notice beauty around me feel big in spirit enjoy big laughs remember what I accomplished, better yet what others have. It was one of those days, even though the wind was bitter, I could smile, laugh and know that it will pass. What a gift when one has a day where even though challenges come, demands continue I feel light! Oh how fine to see the light!

I tried to find a picture since I didn't take a camera (I seldom take pictures so this is not unusual) but I couldn't. Took a walk along the Mississippi River with Radar, it is a testament to nature and man! The locks are right at the point of the Stone Arch Bridge, and on the water holding side of the locks it is absolute stillness, and where the river flows it is churning and whirling and spraying and moving at great speed. Remembrances of white water rafting. People were on the bridge watching and enjoying the first days of spring - that are being so spring like for us. The Mississippi River is a wonder, I love watching this river. Eating on it. Riding along it. Someday I might even take a houseboat down it. Now there is an intention, but not in the spring when the snow has melted, the water is rising, and the movement is fierce! Oh the water.

Best story from today. Remember I work in public policy, health care and human services so there are a number of policy "geeks" there - our percentage of c-span viewers is probably pretty high compared with most other work places! So Maria's four year old daughter asked, "why do they keep calling her Madame Chair?" Another, "how come they all keep saying the same thing?" Out of the mouths of babes. Health Care Bill passed, the republicans are going to keep up the fight. Wonder how we will be able to interrupt their constant drum...can we keep our voices ringing?

Oh what a Sunday. The sun is shining, I am sweeping and sorting and tossing as the basketballs go up and down the court, and I am switching back and forth from the sport of basketball to the sport of the House of Representatives. The Health Care debate is on...it seems that Rep. Ryan from WI is the GOP point person, haven't seen Ms. Bachmann yet, but I am sure she will appear. It is already getting swarmy and tense and the actual vote is hours off. This is when you have to love being in this democracy with such arcane rules and rituals and history! So I keep flipping channels and have a great Lift Bridge Farm Girl Saison close by to honor my working class background and the strides that education and hard work was provided for me and my family. Let's get on with Health Care - I can't even begin to tell you how many decisions have been made in my based on my always present need for health care. I was diagnosed with Asthma at 6 months old in 1950. Spent countless da...

Spring is here, it is official. We are at the Equinox of Spring. I have a day where there were no commitments, the intention was listen to self, notice, act. So on the way to pick up coffee beans, I noticed a sign at the semi-new massage shop on Johnson Street. I love my Johnson Street Corner, Crafty Planet, my pharmacy, Amica Restaurant, Foiled Again (hair), Audubon Coffee Shop, and now Mary's massage. As the equinox p assed I was receiving a great hot stone massage. Ahhhh, Lisa was a great therapist, and I have another appointment in two weeks. I like this being spontaneous, and a great way to herald in Spring! Goodbye winter, you may have a few good days, but your time is done for this year!

It has been a full week, legislative hearing, out of town guests, fun times out on the town. Ready for it to be the weekend. It is sleeping time for me, early and often! Oh just being home feels great.

36 Years ago, Sasha was born at 5:15 p.m. CST. She was so amazingly perfect. I still absolutely remember holding this brand new baby and looking into her eyes and saying, "Hello Sasha"! What an adventure of love and life. Happy Birthday Sasha, you are such a great addition to the world, and to my life.

Today the Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the Governor's ability make budget decisions through "unallotment". Yeah for Legal Aid, and the six people who were affected when the Governor ended the nutrition program through unallotment. The power of the Gov's pen and how he has wielded the pen vs. interpretation of the state constitution are at the center of this suit. I am glad that a long time Legal Aid attorney was willing to call the question and stand up for the little guy and our big constitution!

Oh it was beautiful, the sun shone strongly today. It reached 60 degrees. I basked in a weekend where I successfully maintained outside of eating and making the bed, I didn't have to do anything - it was great. I watched a little b-ball madness, went for long walks with Radar, and tried a new restaurant (for me, Rinata) to support "Fork the Fire" - a fundraiser for the two restaurants that were destroyed in a fire earlier this month! It is spring like, it is spring, winter cannot win (only for hrs or so!). I have adjusted to the time change and loved walking around the lake at 6:30 p.m. AHHHHHHHHHH, the beauty of a little warmth, a little sun, and great companionship!

A Saturday without any "have to's!" It is still gray, a little windy, and no big change in sit. The trees are softening, there is some green to be found, and I am feeling a little shack happy. Have chicken in the oven, potatoes on the stove, and going to braise some chard and fresh new carrots! Watched Julie and Julia last night, finally! What a great performance by Meryl Streep, off to attend my chicken rubbed in lemon oil and stuffed with lemons and garlic. Bon Appetite!

March Madness in Minnesota does not just refer to basketball and hockey tournaments, high school sports mania, and college NCAA playoffs. No, it is about snow, snow storms. In like a lion, out like a lamb. In like a lamb out like a lion. The lion may be the effects of precipitation that is not snow. It has been warm (well for MN) it has rained, it has rained steadily. We have lost 8-16" of snow pack. My basement is a little soggy and in some places wet from water that seeps up through the floor! Now there is much talk about floods. Lots of them. Stay tuned. It is gray, looking rather untidy out here and much of the same to come. Winter-itis has set in, I don't have plan to go to the sunshine, but it might be imminent! Despite all of that in the 50"s (above zero) sounds great! I'll take it.

The last two mornings I have woken up to a chorus, this is even without an open window. Birds in my neighborhood are happy. It is warmer, it is lighter (even on our cloudy days), and I am imagining the birds are listening to that deep wakening that is occurring under the remaining snow. So fun! I am liking the tunes!

Myah, age nine, a member of the Stillwater Ponies U-10 B-Black girls hockey team skated to a 1-0 Victory at the National Sports Center! It was great fun driving up to the Schwann's (yes the ice cream delivery folks!) Super Rink - it was super! Myah has improved a lot this year, she's having a little trouble sorting out how to skate with her new 2+ inch recent growth spurt, but she was a great defense person last night. All the girls were great, it was a really good game, and they skated and skated and skated. The olympic rink looks really big with girls under ten years of age on it! A lot of ice, I kept saying to Myah's Dad. Sitting with my daughter, son-in-spirit at the game, reminded me of bringing both of them as high school students to the WCHA playoffs. Here we are watching granddaughter Myah skate. Progress for girls, benefit for all! Well done Ponies!

March 8th. What effects one woman effects all women. In 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women's clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament, greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women's Day was the result. The very first International Women's Day was launched the following year by Clara Zetkin on 19 March (not 8 March). The date was chosen because on 19 March in the year of the 1848 revolution, the Prussian king recognized for the first time the s...

Rooting for Meryl Streep - Julia would be proud~This is the first year, that I have seen only one of the best picture nominees - Avatar - and I didn't get why it is such a blockbuster. I have Julia and Julia on CD at home, so that will be the second, and after tonight... I'll have some idea about #3!

Off to Roller Derby tonight. I remember as a very little girl watching on the black and white TV in our upper flat in DeKalb, Illinois the Roller Derby. Those women seemed just wild to me, off limit but intriguing. I love that a new generation of very amazing women are making roller skating bouts theirs. One of teams in the bout tonight is Garda Belts - here is a look at the women who will be skating tonight. If only my Mom could be with me tonight - she would love it, or it might just push her over the edge. She was a really good skater, I'll be thinking of her, remembering my first roller derby tv shows, and having some good Saturday night fun. ALISIN CHAINS ANGELFIRE BLOCKER / JAMMER ANITA SPANKSTON BLOCKER / JAMMER / PIVOT ANN E. BRIATED BLOCKER / PIVOT Inactive CASSIE ROLLE BLOCKER / JAMMER CITIZEN PAIN BLOCKER / PIVOT Co-Captain CUPCAKE BLOCKER / PIVOT Inactive DAMNZELSLY BLOCKER DEMORA LIZA BLOCKER / JAMMER / PIVOT DIEANN ISIS BLOCKER / JAMMER HANNA BELLE LECTOR BLOCK...