My Kindred

When you're up
and down
with love,
your senses
perk up.

The little things
over power you.
The smell of
their hair,
the way they
clench their teeth
when they're thinking,
how nice you think
they look
even in the morning...

You listen harder.
Every song lyric
seems to be designed
just for you,
words like syncronicity
come up
in conversation
and you just smile to
yourself,
completely unable to
explain why.

You look around,
every little thing
reminds you of them.

I drove by the lake
yesterday.
I wondered what
new habitat your
ring
was living in.
Rode right on past
the place
where we picked up
a hitchhiker.

Went for a drive
to see a house
for sale
and
it was on the route
around the lake road
we travelled on foot.

So many things to
tell you.
Can't forget why
there are
so many reasons to
love you.

You looked me straight
in the eye
with love present
and let it all go.
You know my soul.

Here's to you
my kindred love,
keep me in your thoughts
we'll meet again.

Cha-cha-cha-changes...turn and face the strange...cha-cha-changes

Sam I am

I'm not the only one that is pensive these days...

So I act like a guy sometimes.

"I'm just sittin' out here on the edge of your aura, honey."

"Dad? Aren't you coming out on the boat with us?"


...flip off the swan...mother fucker sniped me 3 times this summer. It isn't my fault that humans suck!

...look at the octopus stumps in the water! Sneak in close to the shore...a new prop doesn't cost much more.

"You know I'll always watch your back. When someone is gone, they are gone."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm on your side."

"Okay, dad."

"You know, you kind of seem like a guy, because you're easy to hang out with." said Case.

Yeah, I've heard that a lot lately. Wish I could be much more than I am.

Loser

fuckin right. I'm thinkin.

THIS MAY BE A DEATH BED CONFESSION

On the way home today
I was relaxed in my car.
I had the Cowboy Junkies playing...

Slouched in my seat,
I quietly sang along.
I watched the city pass by
and fade into memory.

..."And I don't want you to think that this
is some kind of death bead confession..."


Confessions...
lots of them roll around
in all of our minds.
Never knowing for sure
how to set them free.

My confessions...
too big to sum up
in a single line.
If I had my way,
It'd be okay to disappear.

It's just the little things...

A vetoed canoe trip,
you won't go...
now you don't trust me
so I can't go alone.

I had it coming,
but I won't settle for that.
I'm worth more than
a leash around the neck.

You already know the truth
about me.
and the truth about
about you.

So we wind
through the back
roads of contemplation.
If you knew the truth,
I'd already be walking.

I'm still a good girl
and I'll always be me.

Thelma ~ Paul Simon

If a feeling's born and no one complains
Well that's good luck
running through young veins
And if life is a blessing that brushes the tops of the trees
Well it's a short walk
in a sweet breeze

I will need you, feed you, seed you, plead with you
All for the taste of your sweet love
Thelma
If a heart is an open memory book
That was the chance I took
The more I searched, the more shook with
Thelma

Last night I slept on a rented pillow
A silver moon above my head
A thirsty dreamless sleep released me
And I reached for the phone
by the side of the bed

Now the first time that I saw you
I thought"She's beautiful, but she's too young to be caught"
People aware of my history
Trying to steer you away from me
I left a message at your hotel
Don't let management poison the well

I will need you, feed you, seed you, plead with you
All for the taste of your sweet love
Thelma
The phone is ringing and I realize
we are timezones and oceans apart
The words I speak in the middle of my night
They fall on your yesterday scars

If the sun don't shine, the wind don't break
the clock don't jump off the wall
Thelma, my darling, I will cushion your fall
I will need you, feed you, seed you, plead with you
Without the taste of your sweet love Thelma

I am only a man who has skirted the edge of despair
for a long time now, and I don't care
I watch you sleeping a the hospital bed
The baby curled up in a ball
Winter sunlight hits the family tree
And everything else becomes nothing at all

SYMMETRY

Beauty as a result of balance or harmonious arrangement.

the aforementioned outhouse

A peaceful nap at the lake...as documented by the mischievous!

Swiss poon and a Weekend at the Lake

Oh how sweet summer is...and how wonderful a 3 day holiday weekend can feel!

Happy Fourth of July!

The Fourth is probably my favorite holiday because I associate it with watermelon and boat rides and water skiing and corn on the cobb! Don't forget the friends and fire works and horse shoes and even ping pong! What a great holiday.

On this particular fourth of july weekend, we were invited to camp out at the Gray Heir's camp in Lake Ann. The camp was purchased for very little many years ago and is used by the kids of the kids of the original buyers: the Gray family. Their grounds are on a few acres of a private lake called Pearl Lake. The lake is very deep, very clean and very natural. There are few homes on it as compared to our over populated lake in Howard City. The property is situated with a dozen 1950's type campers, many water toys, 2 fire pits and even an outhouse! The family even had a big red, white and blue banner strung between the huge pine trees in celebration of the holiday!

We were excited about the prospect of a three day weekend camping and playing in the water. The group of people that go there are a great bunch of close knit friends and relatives who like to have a good time.

Of course the ride up was not free of the usual missed turns and bickering and trying to juggle the dog and my chicken tenders around the pile of gear in the back seat, but we managed to make it there. We pulled in late with our wave runner in tow and our ton of stuff to be unpacked. When we opened the trunk and started getting the lot in order, I realized the magnitude of the work ahead. (You packed the air compressor?! Talk about travelling light!?!)

A quick split in duties resulted in the guys unloading the wave runner and me on the other side of the property in the dwindling light putting up the tent. Not to worry, though, I am the kung fu master when it comes to putting up that tent. (Years of partying and drunkened tent elevation in the dark has shown me the way!)

Once I brushed the dust from my hands, I sought out my brother to go on a road cruise to the store. We grabbed Emily on the way through and took a ride that was probably too long for the purpose of just going to the store, but whatever! The mission was Jagermeister and some beer. We wound through some beautiful Northern Michigan roads on the way and passed the pipe. We got to the Lake Ann General Store only to realize that they didn't have alcohol. Eventually we found a store that did and we were on our way back to the lake.

When we pulled back into the camp, a bon-fire had sprung up and a few people were drinking around the fire. The 3 of us headed to the pit and found spots to sit and talk. The bottle of Jagermeister started to make it's way around the fire and after a few Oberon's and a few swigs off of the jug, we (I) were lit up and having the best time bull shitting! I stood up and tried to tell everyone that I was going to the car to retrieve my industrial size jar of "Swiss Mix," (which if you haven't ever had it, I highly recommend this trail mix!) when I blurted out something that sounded like "I'm going to get my Swiss poon out of the car." Laughter erupted from around the fire. When I got back with my jar in hand, I passed the mix around. Soon, it was 3 quarters of the way gone and a new name for the mix had been cemented! It was no longer "pass the trail mix, please," it was "GIMME some more poon!" or "This IS as good as poon!" Even better "I need to eat out of the sweet poon jar!" Vulgar? Yes! Funny? Yes! But, it occurred to me that sometimes it's the silly, easy fun that makes life that much more beautiful. We're all better people for it, I think.

I fuzzily woke up in the tent in my same clothes on Saturday morning with the taste of poon still fresh in my mouth. Well...not so fresh, but poon none the less. We collected the rest of the hung over souls and went for greasy breakfast at Money's Platte River Inn. After over eating what is actually called "The Violator" breakfast, we were on our way. We spent the day in the water, navigating through water passages, playing ping pong, napping and listening to music. AHHHH!

On Sunday we went to Frankfort on Lake Michigan and walked the pier. It was very warm and sunny. The water was the perfect temperature for wading and we got nice and wet from the waves coming in.

We pulled out of the camp Sunday night dirty, tired and ready to go home, but not before I reminded the group to get their daily dose of poon. We laughed and went on our way. I Slept the whole way back...can't think of a better way to end a fun weekend.

Cheers!

Water which is too pure has no fish.

~Ts'ai Ken T'an

Me on the Pier in Frankfort...Fourth of July weekend. 

Frankfort, Michigan