Little Sadie says Good-bye

Chris has been in town the last few days packing up his partner and her children to move them to the West coast with him. He called a few times, we missed each other then finally today I was able to drive over to say good-bye. Again. We've been in the good-bye business for the last year.

The Red Diamond Inn was jumping with friends and family helping with the packing. I made my brief appearance and headed out to the street where I saw five year old Sadie sitting alone on the stoop with her head lowered to her fists.

What's wrong Little Sadie, I asked sitting down beside her.
I miss my friends, she wailed.
I pulled her onto my lap.
You'll make new friends in Seattle and it's beautiful there.

She said, I don't care about seaddle! No one asked me if I wanted to go, I was told. I wasn't given a choice!

I was astounded by her self awareness, eloquence, and understanding of choice.

I realized telling her about Seattle was only dismissing her grief.

Why will you miss your friends, I asked. Because I know the power of separation and how poorly I had just handled it with Chris. I was practically indifferent not wanting to become emotional and distract him from packing and the time line.

They are nice to me and fun to play with. They like me.
She then told me about one of the older boy she would miss as I admired the part of her hand where she has dimples and I have knuckles.

What else will you miss?
This house. My bike, I don't get to take it, my Mom is donating it (this was said with a bit of despair). I want to stay here!

We dawdled a bit as I talked about the mountains and flying in an airplane. The people will look this big she said as she jumped off my lap and showed me a small rock.

I took her plump hand, and we crossed the street so she could take a good look at the Red Diamond Inn. To say good-bye to it I guess.

I see something you don't see she announced.
I remembered the game and asked about the color. She grinned. We played the gane for ten minutes.

Eventually she pushed her bike back into the yard, hugged me and waved good-bye. A good-bye much more graceful and poignant than I had managed.

Chris, I forgot to tell you I love you.
Of course you know that...I just needed to say it.

Friend Bruk

On the coldest winter days a bundle of warmth with cold fingers arrives at my door to help me move stuff around. She hauls boxes to the car, debris to the alley, chases hangers, helps clean, gives advice, runs seams and has worked in my yard.

But these things aren't what make her invaluable.
It's that she's so worthy of love.

The front room of Bruk's home with her shine to music.


Here's Bruk in her studio


Some of the shirts:

Uniform shirt for Bruk's band MAIDRITE

Vintage 40's cotton patch

Her Rodeo Revival label

CLICK ON THE POST TITLE TO VISIT BRUK'S BLOG.

CHRIS COMES TO VISIT

Chris visits from the NW and brings Gerber daisies.

We've all had definitive moments or events that have shaped our lives and made us who we are. Most of this happens prior to becoming a teenager.

If you're fortunate, you may encounter a few others in your adult life who contribute to your awe of being alive by their mere physical presence. Because of your history together, you enjoy a special friendship that is mutually celebrated.

And you know where ever that person is, you are always considered, revered, understood, and appreciated.

HEELS OVER HEAD IN LOVE

WOWSA!
My Christmas present from Bruk; hand knitted socks with a Southwestern color scheme (I loves me some turquoise).

Catch her here: http://bruk66.blogspot.com/

JEN'S GANGWAY

How I met Jen.

It started with taking Beau to the Mann school yard at night to let him run. Jen lives across from the school with her pup Peanut. Peanut would hear Beau playing and would bark and wave to us. Eventually Jen came down and Beau and Peanut fell in love.

Sometimes I drop things off at her door: a blanket, some gloves, a scarf and I get to walk this fascinating gangway.

This does not apply to me.


Old elevator loading gates and a drain.



Jen's gangway garden.

Iron grill over window.


Nails in the rotting wood....that'll keep them out.



Interesting place for shutters.


The shutter hinges rock!


Beau and Peanut making out. It's constant, they're in love.


Jen and Peanut come to visit.

Steve Wilke-Sharipo Bon Voyage Soiree at The Royale

How depressing.

Steve Wilke-Sharipo (one of my neighborhood heroes) is leaving St. Louis so I organized a party at The Royale but it just wasn't fun. Sure, it's always great to see neighbors and friends but the event underscored another loss of dazzling brilliance.

As I was leaving, Royale owner (and the coolest Daddy-o I know) slipped me a 100.00 donation for Marti's Memorial garden.

LOVES me some Steve's!

The RED DIAMOND - Benton Park West

When I first met Chris he was living in this building in Benton Park West. This made sense to me since the Red Diamond is the rarest of gems and accurately describes the inhabitant.



I love Chris.

ANDY LEIGHT

I recently visited with Andy Leight in his two family home in Tower Grove Heights where he has lived for 12 years on 38 Humphrey. I first met him when we showed together at IN/FORM, a gallery space in the old Lemp Brewery building.


ANDY LEICHT







Leicht works exclusively with oil on canvas, using color to first define the space of the piece he is working on. He does both abstract and figural work.

His use of color is both outrageous and cohesive, promoting conflict and yet, a blended harmony in his work. His ability to push color on canvas is extraordinary and intuitive.

Leicht is presently working on a series of portraits based on black and white obituary photos found in the St. Louis Post. What initially intrigued him was the photo that the family choose for publication. For example, he showed me an elderly woman's obituary but the photo provided was taken when she was decades younger.

Part of the challenge for Leight is to render the two dimensional black and white photographs into color, and paint the portraits as if they were posing for him. He develops a relationship with these photos, bringing mood and tone to the canvas with a profound reverence for the subject.

DIMPLE BRICK

I was driving down the alley behind 40 Potomac with my friend Chris Deckard last week, telling him how I give names to different brick when I spotted these bricks on two different garages. He suggested the name Dimple Brick. I have to give him props for calling brick.






Dimple Brick!