A Night At Tuckers On Vine

Tonight was an unusual Sunday night for Howard and me.  As a matter of fact, it would have been unusual for any night of the week!  We ate at Tuckers On Vine which is around the corner from Liberty Street; not an area you want to be in after dark, but we were there long after the sun went down and weren't worried.

When one of the employees invited me to be the guest artist this month, I accepted the invitation. Tonight was the art opening which included a buffet, live jazz and a poet reading her work.  You can see her in the black hat in the photo on the right.  Each poem was written on a one- dollar bill.  Don't ask me why.  I'm still trying to figure that one out!

Live Jazz @ Tuckers

Ralf & Gillian

We took our neighbors Ralf and Gillian with us.  They had a great time, and so did we!

Welcome to the Traders Point Christian Academy

Traders Point Christian Academy held their annual fund-raising banquet Friday night. It was exciting to hear what has been accomplished through the school. Howard continues to serve on the board.

The Academy's Logo Made Into a Sculpture

"Back Home Again In Indiana....la la la la..la..la..la.."

Howard & I are not only singing this song, we are living it as well!  We have decided to make one more move and that's it!!!  Where else would we go but back to the Circle City.

We spent Friday touring downtown lofts and condos in and around Massachusetts' Avenue.  The building called Mill No.9 had two lofts that got our attention.  The factory had been a nylon hosery mill back in the 20's. Contemporary-style lofts were built a few years ago. High ceilings, open pipes, weathered hardwood floors and walls filled with huge windows remain to remind one of days gone by.

Most of you are aware that our son Craig recently moved to Washington D.C. He is working in the area of healthcare.  He is not involved in the controversial issues you read about or see on TV.  His focus is in the area of IT. At this point, his family is staying behind.  Taylor graduates in a few weeks. Crosley will do the same this time next year. It was not a good time to move them.

Craig wanted us to move here so Howard could get the best healthcare from a noted doctor who specialized in treating Parkinson's Disease. Now that Craig has moved, the dynamics of living here have changed.  The doctor has taken good care of Howard, and he will continue to do so after he moves to Indy.

We were concerned about the grandkids, but once they got over the surprise, they were fine. They decided it would be "cool" to bring their friends to Indy and stay downtown. They will like it even more when they realize that Bazbo's Pizza is around the corner!

I know they will enjoy the new Cultural Walk whick takes you through downtown, the canal, museums, art galleries and restaurants.  This path goes right past Mill No.9.  Indy's downtown is very exciting.  It is listed in a recent retirement magazine as one of the top places to retire.  Howard and I will give it a shot and see if they are right! When we know our new address, we will put the WELCOME mat out with the hopes you'll come!

Perserverance!

Last year about this time we hired a landscaper to come in and push the dirt around in our backyard. The surface needed to be smoothed down, top soil added and then a layer of sod put down.  We built a long flower bed on the back side of the yard with bushes and trees planted alone the new fence. 

We could not believe it when we looked out the other day and saw this tulip in the center of the yard.  The elderly lady who lived here most of her life planted a row of them along the section of chain-link fence that protected her dog.  We had the fence removed since it sliced the yard in half, and we had no poodle. 

I dug up all the bulbs and replanted them in the new flower beds.  Somehow this one got overlooked.  It was not going to remain behind.  It pooked its head out when the ground got warm enought, and here it is in all of its splender saying, "Yeah....I made it!" (The grass got mowed as soon as the camera clicked!)

The Junior Prom

Last night was our granddaughter Crosley's Junior Prom.  She and her date stopped by to let us see her all dressed up. She loves to go camping and plays on the school's soccer team.  She will lifeguard at the community pool this summer. It isn't often we see her in a white chiffon dress!

Crosley was born on my 50th birthday, so whatever she does today, more than likely I did it fifty years ago!

My Personal Tour Guide

Jason was my own personal guide as we toured his shows in Chicago last week.  (I'll post some of his work.)  I went up thinking summer had arrived. Much to my surprise, it hadn't!!!  Erin loaned me a jacket, gloves and a wool scarf before the tour began.

 

Is This Your Shopping Bag?

The Chicago Brammer cat crept into my shopping bag uninvited.  I had a hunch she was posing for her picture to be taken since she made no effort to get out until after I clicked the camera.  Cats are a lot smarter than we think!

Art Piece #1

Private Collection

I doubt that Jason & Erin will ever let this painting be moved from over their couch.  It measures around 6 ft.by 4 ft. It is acrylic over a faux finish of burnt unber.  The lighter sections are metalic gold.

Art Piece #2

This piece is made of wood with horse reins looped on the top and bottom. The light inside the hole is painted.  He removed the circular design from a dresser drawer found in the alley.  A steel weight from a plumb line hangs at the bottom. The little thing on the top front is a small wooden pully.  The entire surface is crackled.

The Return Trip

The return trip on the Megabus was a little more complicated that the one going up.  We gathered at a downtown bus stop in Chicago waiting to board the big blue bus for home.  When the driver introduced herself, read all the rules and we got settled, she turned the key but nothing happened.  The engine died on the spot!  She called for a backup.  It arrived an hour later. It could have been worse.  Had the engine died down the interstate, we would have had to wait much longer.  I was glad we were safe and sound while waiting.

"Back Home Again In Indiana......"

It will probably surprise you as much as it did me when Howard and I looked at each other recently and said, "Let's go home!"  We have lived here in Cincinnati three years now: three good years I might add.  Being around the corner from our family provided an opportunity to know our grandkids better and become acquainted with the neighborhood kids they call friends.  All of them are wonderful people who are in the process of making the world a better place.

We have enjoyed meeting new people, but it is not the same as the ones that come with some history between you.

Craig recently moved to Washington D.C. to work on the nation's healthcare. We are not moving because he no longer lives here, but it did change the dynamics of our lives some what.  His family will remain behind.  His wife will continue with the neighborhood theatre she and a friend started. The coffee shop has a big question mark on the door (not literally.) I stayed with it long enough to know it was not my calling in life. 

We don't know where we will live in Indy, but I'm pretty sure  it won't have a yard to mow.  Our next step is to cull through everything we own and take ONLY what we need....what a job!

I've heard it said, "You can never go home again."  We'll put it to the test and let you know if it's true or not!

Amazing Art in the Cincinnati Schools

Whether you live in Cincinnati or not, I thought you would find this interesting:

By 1859, Cincinnati was the second largest industrial city in the United States (Philadelphia was the largest), and its citizens clearly heard the call for reform.  The primary voice they listened to was that of British philosopher and art critic John Ruskin, who argued that beauty uplifts the spirit, inspires the soul, and transforms character.  Following Ruskin's dictum, Cincinnatians argued that because childhood is an impressionable time, it is also the logical stage in life to begin addressing the transformation of character.  And where better to showcase inspiring works of beauty than in public schools?  So Cincinnati began to beautify its schools by incorporating architecture, painting, sculpture, fountains, friezes, murals and even stained glass into its school buildings.

Visiting The Windy City

I did something I have never done before....rode the Megabus!  The double decker took me to Chicago via Indianapolis in the same amount of time it takes to drive it.  Much to my surprise the trip was delightful: comfortable seats, clean upholstery, quiet passengers and a driver who did not narrate along the way.  On the other hand, what is there to tell about as you drive through the flat farms of northern Indiana. 

Everyone was reading but me.  I can't read and ride even if the road is flat and straight.  It's something I regret when I'm the passenger on a lengthy trip. I stare out the window while sucking on a salty pretzel.  The dry pretzel keeps my stomach from churning. It's a trick I learned years ago.  When Dad put straw in the back of his '49 Ford with an army blanket covering it, he would give us kids a handfull of pretzels about the time he figured we were getting motion sick.  When I got older, I realized he got his clue when we began pecking on the back window of the truck motioning that we were going to throw up.  He would pull over, rip open the bag and fill our hands with pretzels. A pretzel never tasted so good. 

I had a delightful visit with Jason and Erin.  He took me to the four spots where his shows are hanging.  There were a lot more pieces than I expected.  We celebrated Erin's birthday by having dinner at a new pizza shop within walking distance of their condo.  It had only been open two days which accounted for the fact that the big stone Italian oven was more than the chef could handle.  The crust was burnt to a crisp!  We ate it anyway :-)  Who wants to complain when the poor guy was, no doubt, doing his best.

Welcome To Eden Park on Easter Sunday

Inside the Flower Conservatory

The Old Water Tower in Eden Park

There is a type of fishing in Japan where the fisherman wraps the throat of a duck with a string so it can't swallow the fish it catches in it's mouth.  The fisherman grabs the fish from the duck's mouth and tosses it in a large woven basket. 

This bronze sculpture was given to Cincinnati many years ago.  I can't remember what the type of fishing is called or the date when the gift was given.

Our neighbor boy is convinced this is a woman rather than a man because of the skirt he is wearing.  I saw a doctumentary on Discovery that showed the history of this style of fishing, and the fisherman was wearing a skirt like this one.  The neighbor boy doesn't care about that....it's still a woman to him!

More Of Eden Park

FAREWELL CRAIG.....

Craig leaves for Washington D.C. tomorrow.  Howard & I had lunch with him today.  The official explanation of his job is: a position with the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology in Washington to serve as Deputy Director for the Beacon Community program. As a member of the ONC leadership team, he will be working to accelerate the adoption of health information technology, performance measurement and payment reform strategies in forward-looking communities across the US.

His family will remain in Cincinnati where the kids will continue with their schooling, and his wife will stay with the theatre she and a friend started last summer. He will fly home on weekends.


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What's A Skateboard Park?

If you're wondering where these steps and ramps take you, the answer is "nowhere."  This is a skateboard park. You are to get on a skateboard and go under the poles, leap over the ramps and slither down the steps without breaking your neck.
It's amazing to watch these kids do the impossible.

Jason was a skateboarder....and still is for that matter.  (Once a skateboarder always a skateboarder.)  He restrains himself from doing the daredevil stunts he once did.  He is cautious now: no longer on our insurance policy.

These kids were enjoying the spring weather this afternoon at the Skateboard Park behind the Bethany church in Kettering.  I enjoyed watching them since none of them belonged to me.

SURPRISE!!!!

 When Howard read that the Beavercreek Christian Church was wanting to sell their baby grand piano, he immediately thought of granddaughter Madeline.

Madeline takes lessons from "Mr. Carl" the next-door neighbor who retired after spending many years playing with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

She not only loves to play, and is doing well at it, but she writes much of her own music as well.  She recently wrote "Indian Rainfall" for her recital which gave us a goosebump or two when we heard it for the first time.

The price tag on the piano made it possible for Papaw to fulfill a dream Madeline has been carrying, but she never had a clue it would happen now.  Thanks Papaw....you're the greatest!

Brutopia's Latest Art Show

Yily is an artist from Loveland, OH.: a quaint village north of us.  Her paintings have been hanging during the month of March.  She paints on wood with the purpose of letting the grain show throw at various points. Her style is most unusual. Butterflies, cats and human faces are the main subjects in this body of work.