Ahhhh, It's Over... Until Next Time

I'm here at the Centre for Spiritual Living. Almost ready to go, just packing up my 'stuff' and was about to put my laptop into my case when I decided to sit down for a moment's rest and do a blog post. I had hoped to do some blogging earlier today and didn't get to it. So... what was I doing all day? Was I laying around sleeping? Reading? Well, if you read this blog and if you have a good memory (snicker) you might know I had a Pasta Productions to put on this evening.

This afternoon I met with my friend Stacia, and DJ who had called while I was getting ready, wanting to go for tea and I invited her along on the shopping :o) We went to the Great Canadian Supperstore (often known as Stupid Store by some people I've encountered) and did the grocery shopping for our meal for which Stacia was the cook. We then came to the Centre, here by 3:30, to start prepping/cooking the meal. DJ came with us and visited, ran an errand to the nearby thrift store to purchase a large mixing bowl, chopped a very nasty onion & 3 bell peppers - red, yellow & orange, nice harvest colors. Dinner consisted of: baked Butternut Squash, cold slaw with shredded apples in it, sauteed peppers/onion, sauteed mushrooms (which got put into the microwave to reheat after being set aside a bit too long, and got left there until I found them later), alfredo sauce, tomato sauce, hamburger, and apple crisp for desert. Great meal!! I helped with the kitchen work this time, something I don't usually do. I also did most of the set up of tables. This after planning it all, etc. Two out of three performers didn't show up, and several people who had promised to come tonight also were no-show. So it was a small crowd and we had a very nice time.

As always, I was the MC... Chief White Buffalo Man Many Feathers (who I knew for many years as Dean, before he was given that name in ceremony) talked awhile then did his traditional native dancing... very good dancer!! He was pouring sweat by the time he was finished. I then gave everyone a 10 minute break before getting into the second half of it, which I started out by giving a speech. I had to fill in the entertainment section somehow and had thought to share some of my poetry... it turned out not to be on this laptop, so it must be on the other one which is at home. Therefore, an impromptu speech would be the only way for me to go. I told them all that my life had gone to the birds, then proceeded to tell about how, about a year & a half ago, I had had 1 dog, 1 budgie, 1 rabbit & 5 chinchillas when I was asked to babysit a parrot for 3 months. This lead to how DW came to stay with me permanently, and all the way through to me now having 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 rabbit, 4 chinchillas, 1 Pacific Parrotlet, 2 Indian Ringneck Parrots & 5 Cockatiels. Everyone seemed to enjoy the story. Lorraine was here, it was her daughter Darleen who was the previous owner of (slave to) DW. Granddaughter Kayla showed up just after supper to see her grandmother & so after I gave my speech she asked if she could get up and say something. She's somewhere around 13 or so and gave an amazingly good talk on DW and the other 2 Parrots her mother had/has. I was impressed that a young gal would get up in front of strangers & talk like that. Anyway, then Chief went back up and did some wonderful singing & drumming, also in the native traditional way.

All that were here seemed to enjoy the evening. Dean's sister Carol came too, and told us later that this is the first time she's ever seen her brother dance. Oh, he dances around the house a bit, she admitted, though not like on stage and she'd never seen him in his regalia before. So it was a very special evening for Carol.

It is a bit disappointing when people don't show up for something like this, especially considering all the hours I put into these events... and yet, it is still gratifying when, with a full belly and a full heart, I look back on the evening and know that the right people were here. I feel that this was a special evening for Kayla and for Carol, and maybe even for others that didn't express it in quite the same ways. I heard several times what a nice place this is and what a nice evening it was. Ellen is new in town and had dropped in here on Wednesday when I was doing the programs for this Sunday. She ended up buying a ticket & coming this eve. Wendy, walking by and seeing the light on, came in to see if we had a schedule of things that happen here so she might come some time... and stayed for the entertainment, having missed the meal already (paid half price). And hey, I got 6 kisses (just pecks) from Chief before he left, and hugs too. Those always make my day. :o)

So... after Pasta Productions is over you'd think I would be looking for some Panama City beach hotel reservations... but no time for that. Tomorrow Stacia is involved with the hosting of a Chili Cook-off in the small town where she lives, about a half hour drive from here. I will be going out there to help her. Pay back...sigh. And this evening I was asked if I'm putting on a Halloween Games Night like I did last year. Two people wanted this to happen, so I said sure, we'll do it. So on Sunday I will have that put into the announcements... and start planning for it. Everyone is welcome to dress in costume and come play some games. No charge, just come have fun... OH and bring some munchies to share.

Of course, I will soon be starting to plan the next Pasta Productions... though it will not be happening until we find some better ways to market the events here. I put in way too many hours to have 9 people show up... and that includes the volunteers & me. Yes, we must work on the marketing. Anyone want to volunteer??