very old. heavy. warm. as in, W a r m. Big Pink. it somehow seems like years ago since she's been "out". though I know it would have been last year. and yes. She was where i'd imagined her to be…the very bottom of that far bin in the bathroom closet. Bed is made for tonight. first the Tina, then Her, then Little Grey. Close cotton then 2 Wool. perfect.
Go look at Marti's comment on yesterday's post. Truly Wonder Full.
Something is going on with me; it is as if I am a conduit, selected to be placed in a moment in time, when I can be present to offer a kind word, a hug…it feels as if I have been given a purpose after this election. Please do not think that I am tooting my own horn. What I am doing is sharing certain events that have come out of the blue…and maybe that is a pun, or maybe that is the point for blue is for Democrat and blue stands for kindness, openness and caring…
Yesterday morning, I took Rich to get a haircut. We went to his usual place, a tiny barber shop run by a very nice young Mexican man, Ezequiel is his name. He has a courteous and kind staff who always greet Rich and wait patiently as Rich navigates his walker across the floor. Lots of joking, laughter and music, loud rock music, at times, deafening music! I want to ask if they ever play salsa music but do not. The barbers always go out of there way to make Rich comfortable, sometimes even throwing in a shave, trimming his eyebrows etc. Rich does not wear his hearing aids when he gets a haircut so I stay close by.
I don’t think I will ever forget the tragedy of yesterday morning. Just a few minutes after Ezequiel started cutting Rich’s hair, he got a phone call. I overhead him gasp and say, “how did it happen… It sounded like he was talking to his wife, told her to hug his kids and that he loved her. When he got off the phone, he looked shaken and I asked him if he was ok. His eyes filled up with tears and he told me about the phone call:
His best friend John had just been shot and killed at his tattoo shop on 4th street in Albuquerque. He said he was a well-respected graffiti artist as well as a tattoo artist and had traveled to Europe for some graffiti events. His friend had built his shop from a tiny place to employing several and even had added a cafe to his shop.
Ezequiel had grown up with the victim and said he was a wonderful friend, always up for a good time, gifted and always the first to lend a helping hand. I told him how sorry I was and that we could come back another day but he insisted on continuing with Rich’s haircut. I asked him some questions and let him talk and he did, reliving memories of the many exploits he and his friend John had gotten up to. How John’s Mom became his Mom, yelling at the boys when appropriate and how his Mom did the same when John would come over. He spoke of how the Moms loved to cook for their rowdy boys Told me about getting his first tattoo, and the irony of doing so since he is afraid of needles but there was this girl and he wanted to impress her. John wanted to fix his tattoo because he said it looked terrible but Ezequiel always refused. He grew quiet and said, he would offer up his whole body for John to tattoo if it would bring him back and that is when I cried… Rich looked up and wanted to know what was going on so I gave him his hearing aids, told him, and he turned around and shook Ezequiel’s hand and told him how sorry he was about his friend.
In the midst of all of this sorrow, Rich got a fine haircut and as we got ready to leave, we were thanked for our kindness and caring. Ezequiel turned to me and said, “No charge for the haircut” but I insited on paying him, told him to get some flowers for John.
The murder is an on-going investigation and there is not much info but this was in the Albuquerque Journal:
“The owner of a well-known tattoo shop was shot to death inside the business Thursday morning in Downtown Albuquerque. No suspects have been identified in the death of 41-year-old John “Bale” Sisneros Jr., the owner of Por Vida Tattoo, said Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos.”
grace, did you catch the name of John’s place, Por Vida, for life, same as your email address…
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Yes .
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Thank you Grace. I did go back and read Marti from yesterday and yes, it was a gift.
I have just returned from a few days in Oakland. First time round trip on AmTrac. I loved it. Mostly I loved talking with others on the train. I had forgotten what being out in humanity felt like. And it felt good.
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I’ve come back because I really wanted to comment on your old, warm blanket this morning but the events of yesterday were so fixed in my mind and heart. I have an old blanket from my parents, the satin binding has all some off, it They don’t make blankets like these any more, at least I haven’t found them. I too have an old wool blanket, the satin binding is all off, It is white with flower bouquets on it that also have drawn ribbons around the bouquets. It is the warmest blanket that we have. It always comes out to put on the bed in November and feels like a hug from my Mom and Dad. Yours makes me want to dive in and under it, it looks that inviting and comfy.
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Sorry for my kind of messed up comment grace, I am more rattled about yesterday than I realized.
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yes. for Life.
I wonder if it’s that we are becoming Sensitized by all
that’s transpiring and Opening….that there is a vibe to that, the lazy way to describe currents of Energy, that
can be felt by people that are feeling so vulnerable
in our own vulnerability, we are so Open
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I love this…Thank You for telling….We now can all
share your joy
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I would love to see the one with flowers…and yes…
Jude would know things about them…what makes them
so how they are
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to be rattled is good
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Oh Marti, how difficult and sad. What a tragedy for his friends, family and community. I’m glad you were there at the time his friend heard the news, for yours and Rich’s kindness had to have helped some. (((hugs)))
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Grace~ I had a mint green blanket like this, satin trim split open with age, but otherwise – not too bad. At the beginning of blog life, I sewed a moon face onto it and made big plans. Then I ended up giving it away to another blogger who worked with wool (Morna Crites-Moore, I believe), because I am allergic to wool anyway. It gives me warm feelings picturing you cozy under your pink blanket and Tina quilt and Little Grey. Sleep well.
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windthread 
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