Buffalo Day 716

Tuesday was Buffalo Day because the area code for Buffalo, NY is 716. Since Buffalo is called the queen city of the great lakes, I thought it was rather appropriate I attended the Queen & Adam Lambert concert in Phoenix, AZ. Yes, I live far away from the town I grew up in. We have been enjoying the Arizona sun for twenty years now.

Seven one six day
Celebrate Love of My Life
Indeed a great date

Date Night Selfie

Last week I was reading a rejection email for one of my poems, feeling bummed and as I scanned down my list of unread emails I saw one from 95.5 the mountain. I clicked on it and read, Congratulations, you’re a winner! Yes, we were able to go to the Queen & Adam Lambert concert for free. Both Shawn and I loved the concert. Everyone involved put on a great show. Today’s #haikuchallenge word is indeed. I’m a little rusty on the haiku front; haven’t been writing much this summer.

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Back from Buffalo

Vacation over
Housework keeps husband busy
while I supervise

 

Okay I did steam mop the bathroom floor and cleaned the shower before doing the hard work of supervising. It’s amazing how dirty floors get leaving three cats alone in a house for a week. I cleaned out the litter box yesterday before watching TV; then went down the hall to scoop out the one in the girls’ bathroom and found Rachael beat me to it. And somehow this morning Gretchen went off to 4 Paws with Rachael to clean more litter boxes. 😉 Actually Rachael says Gretchen plays with kittens more than cleaning.

Meanwhile we are still minus one dog. Nonnie worked yesterday not sure about today, trying to find out as 4 Paws is close to her house and the girls can pick her up on the way home, but haven’t heard anything from Nonnie. It’s strange not having a dog underfoot, but it has made it easier to sweep, mop and vacuum all the hair accumulated in the house by three cats.

In other news before we left on vacation, Rachael started working at the ASU research veterinary clinic and Gretchen finished her summer classes at EMCC. She got a B in Public Speaking and an A in Sociology. Well I should get back to cleaning while I’m still minus a couple children and a dog.

Sunny Desert Winter

Last Monday I was chilly; it only reached 60 here in the desert. But over the weekend, it warmed up nicely. Yesterday it was 80 and I went in the backyard to soak in the warmth.

Selfie of me in the backyard

While I was out there enjoying my desert heat, I read Ken’s blog – Missouri weather.  He wrote a cherita. It was the first time I saw this poetry form and since it it short, I had to give it a try. I borrowed from Ken’s piece as we are both Buffalo transplants.

Arizona weather

nothing like
Buffalo

sun will shine
no need to shovel
soak in the warmth

This website as more info on the cherita poetry form.

Then when I checked my following reader page on WordPress this morning, I saw more desert pictures from a post by Jasmine, Driving through the Arizona desert. I agree; I love my desert. Can you believe by the end of this week it’s going to be February? Friday, February 2nd is my mother’s birthday and groundhog’s day, marking the halfway point of winter. My mother disliked the bitter cold and snow of Buffalo winters. Shawn and I moved out to Arizona 19 years ago now, and I have to admit I do not miss the snow and cold. Also the humidity all those things affect my CP and the Arizona sun and warmth keep me a much happier person.

Enjoying the sun
my little slice of heaven
sits in my backyard

The #haikuchallenge word on twitter today is slice.

Happy Anniversary

Wedding Dance

Wedding toast

My niece and nephew

October 12, 1996

Since both girls were on fall break, my in-laws flew down to visit over the long holiday weekend, and I think we had a fun-filled time. Friday October 6 was opening night for The Monster Menagerie at Alwun house. We went and saw Shawn’s artwork. Then Saturday afternoon everyone went out to eat over at PF Chang’s. You know you frequent a place too often when the waitress walks over to your table, smiles and says, Oh it’s my friends one Bloody Mary and Virgin Bloody Mary. Sunday afternoon we had lunch at Denny’s and then spent some time at Barnes and Noble. Monday morning we got up bright and early to drive up to Sedona and spent the day there walking around and shopping. Tuesday it was off to the movies and then dinner at Oregano’s in Tempe for Mimi and Poppo’s last night in Phoenix. Wednesday they shuffled off to Buffalo and Rachael headed back to school. Gretchen has the rest of the week off until her college class Saturday morning. Last Saturday her professor was impressed with her essay and I posted it on Facebook. The evil twin replied, Umm… it’s Saturday. Is it really?! Yes, the poor child has school 6 days a week.

Today Shawn and I have been married for twenty-one years. For our big 20th anniversary we spent the day enjoying The Ales on Rails train ride at the Verde Valley Railway. It happened to fall a couple days before our anniversary due to when Rachael had fall break and the train schedule. When I posted the photo of our trip on Tuesday, I realized I was short one limerick for year 21. At Oregano’s I noticed they had Italian wedding soup and I ordered a bowl. Well Shawn seems to enjoy taking and sharing the most unflattering photos. I told him he has no one but himself to blame for this limerick.

Foolish husband holds up camera and peers
through its lens until his wife sneers
he snaps a quick shot
and being a twat
shares it on Facebook to haunt her for years

And no, I am not posting the photo here so unless you are friends with me on Facebook, you will just have to imagine how unflattering my facial expression is. 😛

Happy 45

Happy 45! Shawn and me at PF Chang’s Goodyear AZ

 

Black and white photo
celebrates another year
keep on loving life

On Saturday Feb. 25th, we went out to PF Chang’s to celebrate Shawn’s 45th birthday. The restaurant was overflowing, so we decided to dine out in the front, bar patio. No crowd, a lot quieter, and the weather was perfect for outdoor dining. Rachael took this picture of Shawn and me after dinner. The first few shots, the lighting created some strange effects and everyone was laughing. One reason why I like this photo; it isn’t an exact smile but Shawn does look happy. He so rarely smiles in photos. Then photobucket had canvas prints on sale. I was able to get a 10×10 print for $20 (including shipping and handling). The print arrived today. It turned out really nice.

Then On Sunday Feb. 26th, Shawn and I went to the Sabres/Coyotes game with other Buffalo State alumni. We also invited a neighbor from my old street in Hamburg, NY. I was wearing my Hamburg, NY sweatshirt. And when someone walked past me, to get to his seat he said, 1 4 7, no 1 4 0 7 5. At first I was a little confused as to why he was giving me numbers. Then he said, Hamburg’s zip code, right? Lol! Yes, I am wearing a sweatshirt that read, Hamburg, NY the town that friendship built. I kinda forgot – When I was 5.

Speaking of time flying, I can’t believe two months of 2017 have gone by. Right now Rachael is on spring break and next week will be Gretchen’s turn. And before we know it napowrimo 2017 will be here. Hopefully I will be able to write a poem a day this year. I have signed up over at napowrimo.net again.

NaPoWriMo 2016 Day 29

Hometown Goodness 

Sahlen’s hotdogs sold
in Arizona, brings me
taste of Buffalo

Shawn and I decided to move out to Arizona at the start of 1999. Shawn was recuperating from losing his spleen back in November due to mono and we were living with my mom and dad. At the beginning of 1999, we had a lot of snow in Buffalo. Both Shawn and I were tired of dealing with snow and cold. We decided to move to warmer climes. When we first moved out here, we would fly home to visit family every summer and pack an extra box of hometown food to bring back to Arizona. We can now buy real hotdogs at our local grocery store. Yesterday Rachael and I went out to get an oil change for the car. A first for me – you know 42 is the meaning of everything; I guess it’s a good thing I learn how to keep the car maintained. Note – I do NOT have a driver’s license; it’s not as bad as it sounds. But since Rachael got her license at the end of last summer and she’ll be going to college at the end of this summer, I thought someone should teach her vehicle maintenance. Then we went out to Yogurtini for some frozen yogurt and to support 4 paws, the local cat shelter Rachael works at. She asked me what we were doing for dinner. Well Nonnie did say Fry’s had Sahlen’s hotdogs.

Remember summer
playing outside after dark
catch fireflies in jars

NaPoWriMo Prompt – Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem based on things you remember. Try to focus on specific details, and don’t worry about whether the memories are of important events, or are connected to each other. You could start by adopting Brainard’s uniform habit of starting every line with “I remember,” and then you could either cut out all the instances of “I remember,” or leave them all in, or leave just a few in. At any rate, hopefully you’ll wind up with a poem that is heavy on concrete detail, and which uses that detail as its connective tissue. Happy writing!

Speaking of memories, Silver Birch Press is running a learning to drive series now. Lots of great poems and memories on how it feels to drive for the first time.

Happy New Year!

http://1300elmwood.buffalostate.edu/issue/2015/winter/classnotes

 

2015 was a busy year. Shawn entered his first art exhibit at Alwun House. In March we went to a Sabres Coyotes hockey game with other Buffalo State alumni who transplanted to the valley. In May, Gretchen graduated from 8th grade and Rachael took a summer course in order to graduate with an AA in May of 2016. Then in June I met two Star Trek writers, Kevin Dilmore and Dayton Ward, and The Great Gatsby Anthology was published. July we drove over to California, spent a couple days on the beach and then went to Disneyland to celebrate its diamond jubilee and Gretchen’s graduation. Silver Birch Press posted my Veronica poem while we were on vacation. And when we got back, I wrote Disneyland for the perfect vacation series.

August both girls started high school. Gretchen her freshman year and Rachael her senior year. Rachael also passed the driving test. September, October and November were busy with school and then my 42nd birthday. In WordPress’s year in review, my second most popular post is the 40th birthday poem I wrote for the evil twin. They suggest I write on the topic again. I have news for them, I have posted birthday poems the other two years. No one is interested in googling for a 41st or 42nd birthday poem. On days when I have had only one visitor and view more times than not it’s someone looking for a 40th birthday poem. I fear mine must be a great disappointment, because as a double dactyl it is very specific and really can’t be shared for anyone else turning 40.

Now we are in the last few days of December. I’ve been very quiet this month. I posted the recording of my mom reading, Twas the Night Before Christmas. We had a slight panic when the book couldn’t be found. I don’t pack it away with the other Christmas decorations. They are stored in the attic and Arizona summers get very hot not good for a recorded story book. It gets put away on a shelf in my closet. Only Shawn cleared out the closet to redecorate it and the book was not returned. But we did find it in the den where everything was moved.

New York School Poetry

Wedding toast

Wedding Dance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nineteen years ago
Delaware Park Casino
Buffalo, New York

I’ve been perusing the ModPo MOOC and they will cover New York School. And yes folks, Buffalo is in New York not Canada. Although I do have to go to the post office to mail the RSVP to my friend’s wedding to Canada – no postage. Shawn said we could go Monday, but I’m feeling generous and I’m going to let everyone have a day off to celebrate my anniversary. In April of 2014, one of the napowrimo prompts was New York School. I wrote about all the lovely places we took photos on our wedding day. Then in October of the same year, Delaware Park was named one of the Great Places. Shawn and I were trend setters. 😉

Three more days and I’ll be posting a limerick.

A Long Time Ago…

My niece and nephew

In a galaxy…
er…um…Buffalo, NY
nineteen years ago

There they are adorable two-year-olds all dressed up for their Aunt and Uncle’s wedding. Wonder what happens in nineteen years?

My niece and nephew September 6, 2015

Wonders why he is
still single when he wears an
I pee in pools shirt

Ha-ha the #haikuchallenge word today is single. In case my nephew hasn’t figured things out on his own. 😉 This photo was perfect for a haiku this morning.

Yesterday we had a nice picnic at Nonnie’s house. Caitlin and Mack met again after almost 19 years. We also saw my cousin and uncle for a little while. And we had Sahlen’s hotdogs. Nothing like bribing your nephew to drive up from Fort Bliss with some good ole Buffalo, NY hotdogs. He’s heading back to El Paso this morning. He has a dozen hotdogs with him, hoping it’s enough for one cookout back there.

NaPoWriMo Day 18

Leary Trip

Bleary
Weary
Dreary
Sneery
Day eighteen of bleary, weary trip
My verse becomes dreary, sneery quip

Me, myself and I at Buffalo State (alma mater)

NaPoWriMo Prompt – And now for our (as always, optional) prompt, which takes us from 2015 back to the 1700s. After all, it’s the eighteenth of April, which means that today is the 240th anniversary of the midnight ride of Paul Revere! Today, in keeping with the theme of rush and warning, I challenge you to write a poem that involves an urgent journey and an important message. It could historical, mythical, entirely fictional, or memoir-ical.

My journey (and it is by no means enhanced by anything more than beery) started at Buffalo State where I earned a BS in English Secondary Education in 1996. When I saw the poetry resource today – Our poetry resource for the day is The Electronic Poetry Center at the University of Buffalo, where you’ll find an extensive online library of resources devoted to electronic, digital, and formally innovative poetry. Including flarf! I knew I had to include a picture from Buffalo. Recently Shawn and I got together with fellow Buff State grads transplanted to the desert at a Coyotes/Sabres game. The first video lesson for the How Writers Write Poetry MOOC talked about bank registers as a type of journal. I noticed the other day I paid for the game with check # 1996, the year we both graduated from Buff State.

Sign for Alumni get together. Photo Credit: Nick Mahoney

It popped out at me because of the MOOC. And may or may not be used in future poetry. Hope everyone enjoys the last 12 days of this poetry trip.