Up to my ass in hot water.

This morning I awoke to Jen: "honey, I can't turn off the hot water in the bath tub." Great way to be awakened on a morning when the temp is -11 degrees below zero! I was just going to sleep in. HA! She gets to go off to work, I get to stay here and deal with THIS!

I scrambled to find a plumber and called one to set up an appointment. They will be here "sometime between 10 and 12". Great- my hot water is POURING down the drain.

I hate to waste water, and gas.But guess what? No shut off valves to the bathroom in a house built in 1977! And I am afraid to shut off the water at the main valve because it is SO cold my pipes might freeze. I shut off the hot water heater, and so far I have topped off the hot tub, filled the kitchen sink and now am working on the washing machine- in the basement, in the opposite corner of the house. It's -11 degrees out and I am sweating like a pig, from running up and down the stairs with 3 gallon buckets of water every 3 minutes.

The washer is almost full and I am trying to figure out what to do with the water next. Can't fill the tub, the plumber will have to get in there when he comes. The animals are all looking at me like "what the f*%$?"

And as if that isn't enough, as I am running up and down and in and out, one dog puked in the living room and the other shit in the hallway- cause it's so cold he won't stay out there long enough to do it outside! Got it cleaned up, though. Don't worry, didn't step in it.

Good morning!

The words to this song by Samuel Barber:

Sure on this shining night of star made shadows 'round, kindness must watch for me this side the ground. The late year lies down the north, all is healed, all is health. High summer holds the Earth, hearts all whole. Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder, wand'ring far alone for shadows on a star. On this shining night.

This song is one of those mysterious things that has touched me to the depths of my soul. I cannot put into words what I feel when I hear this song. I have tried for 20 years to put those feelings into words. I can listen to this song over and over for hours. And everytime I hear it I have the same indescribable feelings. Surely, it is a "G-d" thing. ( I am using the Jewish spelling here- which is done out of respect for the awe and wonder of the Supreme being.)

I considered not writing anything and just posting the video. But I just had to say something. I want to know if anyone else has something that does this to them? To what do you attribute this?

WHY?

So- I am getting ready for this Open house/Boutique which I have been planning for months- and along comes Sojourner the Inquisitor!

"What the heck are you doing this for? What is it in the big picture- it's not like you are going to make tons of money or anything like that. And everyone already has all these parties and crap to go to. And so many people hate December and Christmas and all this hoopla... and you don't even consider yourself a Christian anymore... so what?"

Okay- questioning Scrooge! Just bring me to my knees why don't you. But here- I will try to answer some of this for you. First of all- I love to make jewelry..and well, I can't keep all of it. That would be ridiculous.

Second, I want people to know why I make jewelry. I want them to see that it is about sharing my Spirit with them- opening people's eyes, if you will, to the connections we have. And in that same spirit, I donate a portion of my proceeds to causes that I believe to be worthwhile, further expanding the spiral of connection.

Third, I love to share my home and food, and self with others. I love to bring people together from all the pieces of my life, and for one weekend, sew the pieces together in a big beautiful quilt. It will warm us all for a little while, and hopefully the memory of it will warm us a little longer.

And then there is Tracy. My neighbor across the street, who emailed me a few weeks back to tell me she has stage 4 lung cancer. I called her this week to see how things were going, and she told me how she wants to call some of her lady friends in the neighborhood and bring them together at the Open House, and asked if that would be ok. She said " We haven't gotten together in a long time". And in her voice I heard...and maybe this will be the last time for me. So- Sojourner- I want to bring people together for what may be their last times. The Advent Scriptures talk about "The end of days" this week. We are all waiting for our own end of days. Maybe we can help each other fill our end of days with love. That's all- really- that's all the whole thing about is love.

Last week, Cheri, over at Blogthismom, wrote a lot about Prop 8 in CA. I read all of it. She sent me a link to JointheImpact.com where they were organizing a national protest to be held simultaneously in as many cities and towns across America as would participate. I went to the site and found out that Omaha had, indeed, organized to participate.

So- I contacted my friends to pass the word along and made my plans to participate. I worried a bit... this is the Midwest, after all, a pretty conservative place. I have had names and insults hurled at, me in my time. I have seen protesters at Pride rallies. I have had friends beaten up outside gay bars. But we have never flinched. I participate in Pride every year, I have marched in the parade since the first year- when I was still in the military and marched with a paper bag over my head! So- I wasn't about to sit this one out.

My partner and I drove to the campus of U.N.O. at 11:45 am on Saturday, and met one guy and his wife carrying a Rainbow flag and an American flag. I was already moved. But thought- well, maybe we will see 25 or 30 protesters. And I was sure there would be counter-protesters as well. Omaha, NE 11.15.08

But there were already a few people on the bridge as we made our way there with Tom and his wife. And the folks from Channel 7 were there. And soon we could see others making their way from their cars, 2 or 3 at a time, at first. We stood atop the walkway that crosses the main artery of Omaha, outside the campus of UNO, to the largest and most beautiful park in town, in front of a large Catholic church, where perhaps 5-600 cars per hour pass by on a Saturday morning. There was a blustery, icy wind blasting us, and a few flurries were about.

By noon there were already more than 25 people up there on that bridge- with signs and flags, and banners. People were still coming, a steady trickle of men, women and children, bundled to the teeth, smiling and greeting each other warmly.

At first, one or two cars every ten minutes would honk and wave. But by the time the crowd on the bridge grew to 150 strong(!), 2 to 3 cars a minute were honking loudly, drivers and passengers giving thumbs up and waving wildly. Once in a while someone would give a thumbs down, I saw one person flip the bird, and one guy hollered "fuck you faggots!" which was disheartening. But the overwhelming majority of people passing by were supportive, and that moved me to tears! And- no counter-protesters. If you want to know more about this issue and about why we protested. Head on over to http://blogthismom.blogspot.com/2008/11/why-protest.html