Wednesday, February 26, 2025

#vellumdays in progress..


public "Thank You!" to Daisy & Kansen Chu for inviting and treating us to Woven Stories 2025.  Exceptional Performances!  one after another...  honestly.  I found myself saying, thinking, or whispering the word WOW over and over...    and i was engaged throughout..   but i have always had an eye for people who respond to music..  and every dancer does, yes..  of course, goes without saying, but there was a young dance prodigy near the end of this production, and he not only responded, interpreted the music, as a whole..  he could feel, interpret, express every note!  i was mesmerized..     a blessing to be in the audience; to witness all these talented people utilizing and sharing their God given gifts...  at master levels "Thank You!"

p.s.  "Thank You!"  Daisy for the beautiful red Chinese-fashion top you gifted me to wear, and Fancy Nancy for sharing her red boots!    

*****

and, who doesnt repeat themselves; -write.  my husband and i repeat with great frequency, how grateful we are to have met and become friends with the Wilsons,  Awesome Elva, Talented Tom..   who just treated us to lunch for my bady, (which i am very happy to stretch out...)   -and we met them as a direct result of the NOTonNOBLE protest    -as in, we would not have met them, maybe ever..  without this protest

so, my Christian interpretation,  -what the devil meant for harm, God used for our good and blessed us in mighty ways; we not only got the VICTORY for NOTonNOBILE, but we made life-long friends with a really awesome couple!  "Thank You!"

p.s.  Awesome Elva,   -part of a strong woman trifecta, who have recently created and launched a new neighborhood association: Beautify Berryessa   -and they just had their first meeting, which was very well attended! by people in our neighborhood AND city, state leaders...     gives us hope!  People who have lived here for decades, especially, have been eye witness to a slow (and sometimes fast) decline in regard to blight, loitering, criminal activity

Beautify Berryessa is putting the brakes on the decline; and leading us back in the beautiful, well kept and safe direction...     one of their (our) focuses (among many) is the Safeway area of Berryessa Corners..  corner of Berryessa & Capitol   -this has been on the decline since i moved here, 7 years ago..   and in fact, sends many of us to shop at other stores in other areas of San Jose, or other cities..  Milpitas..  Fremont..  

so, "Thank You!" to Elva, Valerie & the one who initiated this new neighborhood association; Natalie!  I do not have a pix from this meeting, but i regard it a #vellumday!

I love to use my imagination to envision what this Berryessa Corners Plaza could (will) look like, with the retaining walls repaired; the landscaping -landscaped; a newly paved parking lot, removal of all grafitti; new, modern signs, a pressure washed sidewalk, absence of panhandlers, on and on, etc.

the plaza directly across the street, Berryessa Hills, has one side that has been beautified!  and what an enormous difference! just driving by..   let alone shopping there...    a fresh coat of paint, clean newly paved parking lot;  new signs...     elevates the entire area!    We don't guess what it will look (and feel) like once Berryessa Corner's is beautified, we get to see first hand...   write across the street!

****

and i don't have a picture from our most recent visit,   -but another highlight in my #vellumdays, my friendship visits over coffee with my life long BMF/FLF's of several decades now..   Catherine & Carla.  "Thank You!"  I do always, consistently feel God's presence..  over our visits, our conversations..  our friendship; our lives.. our families. - so wonderful to get together in person; share the ups, downs, challenges, rewards of life with friends..   progress reports..   and we have a long shared history each conversation is built upon..   so, it makes it easy..    i love them  -watching their families grow.    our (adult) children, all around the same age.. give or take, and we've known them from birth, or pre-school..      [pix from wedding]   We are proud mom's!  


*****


and, also, will add a picture from archives, because i don't have one from our recent dinner with karl & valerie ball   -another couple we love! and are very blessed to have as part of our core group of friends
   -and, WOW, to the dinner valerie prepared!   -but even before that..  a wonderful charcuterie, [uncured peppered genoa salami/sharp cheddar/crackers...] some delicious wines..   and then, one of our new favorite... "can we please have the recipe!" dinners, called
bang, bang salmon   -served with a crazy good spicy sauce, rice, asparagus..     and, my husband, he is the master cook..   and he could not say enough wonderful things about this dinner..  "encore! encore! and thank you!"    -and we loved visiting, and we watched a portion of a movie, i watched, many, many years ago called, 'what the bleep do we know'    -this is fun, because..  karl, physicist mind..   karl/valerie with scientific backgrounds..   and robert and i, Christians..   and everyone bringing their unique understanding to the conversation..    also, CH for me.. so i dropped off my writings to share with them.. my poet & the physicist poem, and my writings about thoughts..   how they mimic the water cycle; change form, based on temperature..   gather together, create brain-storms..      -wonderful evening! cherished friends

****



and before we even arrived at karl and valeries, earlier that day, we landed at the write place, at the write time!  to be spontaneously treated to a most wonderful wine tasting at total wines and more at pacific commons in fremont.  DE-LIGHT-FUL! host..   very knowledgeable, lots of personality, hospitality, fun with his service..  and service with some accents; some irish brogue..       and after enjoying that experience, we stocked up for our upcoming annual st patricks dinner party...  and the staff at total wines..  stellar!   /believe i owe a gentleman named chris an irish lemrick     -not sure my humor translated the way i hoped, but i did share how i know i must be part irish because i love to write poetry and drink beer..  but i can't be 100% irish because my arms most definitely do not stay straight when i'm dancing..   my genetics report/dna..   a good 67% motown

****
add in, for #vellumdays, how robert and i were working on the yard art, and that creates all kinds of wonderful opportunities for neighbors to visit..  so, we ended up with several chairs in the driveway, some water, beer, snacks..  and had our neighbor friends spontaneously take a seat and join the conversation..    richard, gopi, shakti, tim,  -robert and i..   with some shorter visits by passersby..
and i want you to know..   we solved many of the world's problems! as a team...   that's what we do..
in fact, i think the world might just run out of problems if our group from the driveway were able to run things..   

and, thank here shakti, -because he wanted to contribute to our yard art..   we've had several neighbor friends who will jump in..    to help, and because it's fun

so, shakti, a little nervous because he's not an artist..   well, -maybe he wasnt one; but he is now!  -because he contributed by painting foil for the brunette irish dancer.  -this is pure fun, as far as i'm concerned; you can't get it wrong..   you just paint foil, then take different hues of brown, and spill them on a brown background..  swirl it all around.. add some sparkle..    -done.    then the foil gets cut into imaginary strands of hair to create a mixed media wig of sorts..    "Thank You!" for your contribution  -turned out great! 

*****
the point i'm trying make, lesson to teach, with #vellumdays  -is how just normal every day days.. are very special; and when you pay attention to how they accumulate..    ='s gratitude and appreciation

keeps us awake to our blessings..    i'm sure there is more, i'm forgetting write now..  

it's a blessed season in our lives..    amazing grace.. 

 all of it is hallelujah! thank you Jesus & Amen...   

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 11:02 AM

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