It Was All Of That And More

Well, that baby of Lis's was born last night and with all the attendants of magic and powerful good wishes you'd expect to find in a fairy-tale.

And you know what? I forgot to take my damn camera. I have had several people promise me that they will send me some pictures and I hope they do. I will be smacking my forehead for the rest of my life over that mistake because there were so many beautiful images I wish I'd caught to share and keep. People dressed up! Women in velvet and hats with feathers and men in suits and ties and even tuxes and there was glittering jewelry and high heels and everyone looked perfectly suited to usher in not only the new year but the new CD. Everyone had one theme and one theme only as we all smiled and hugged and that theme was, "Isn't this wonderful? Our Lis...Oh! Our Lis!"

And she was so beautiful in a cut-velvet dress and her antique beaded sweater and vintage jewelry and she did indeed sing like an angel and Lon smiled the entire evening.

Everyone did.

People danced! I have never seen people dance in St. Augustine but they danced last night, gently waltzing under the trees to the sweet music.

The food was delicious, the drinks flowed, there were blue twinkle lights and shimmering beaded curtains behind the stage. The weather was warm and only about fourteen raindrops fell and most people were under tents anyway.

I don't think it could have been more perfect.

And now we're home and I just wanted to tell you that. It's going to get cold here tonight, I think. The new year has well and truly started. I hope it's a good one. I just pray it's a good one, although I am kicking tradition and superstition to the curb and have made a tuna casserole for our supper instead of black-eyed peas.

I am tired and I want to try and get the Christmas tree down before I go to bed. I swear to God, I have never in my life left a Christmas tree up this long. But I've just had so much to do this year. The parties! The glamor! The GRANDSON! whom I miss so much I can barely restrain myself from getting back in the car and driving to town to hold and smell and kiss, even if only for a few moments.

But no, I need to get that tree down so that tomorrow I can start life holiday-free. Time to put the make-up away until the performances of Sex Please! We're Sixty at the end of February. Time to put away the velvet and the jewels. Time to change the calender and write in all the birthdays and annivesaries for 2010. Time to start learning my lines. Time to stop eating sugar and white flour and cheese and bacon. Time to stop thinking of chocolate as a daily-necessary food-group and time to stop thinking of martinis as a reward for getting through another day.

Sigh.

And yet, won't that be glorious? To have time to take care of things including myself?

The house we stayed in last night belongs to a very dear friend of Lis's and of mine, also, and it's the most amazingly perfect house I've ever personally been in. Lorie's house. She has an eye for color and design and everywhere you look in her house and her yard there is something shining, lightfilled and lovely. And it's so clean that I think she must paint it every other week. Honestly, I can't think of any other way it could always look the way it does. Her cabinets are more orderly and arranged than mine were the day I moved in here. I had to take a few pictures this morning and I've used one of them for my new masthead. It makes me feel serene and peaceful just to look at it. I hope it does you, too. And being in that house inspired me to want to do better with my own home, which I do love so very much.

Lorie is one of those people- like Lis- who makes you feel as if your presence in her home is exactly what she has been looking forward to forever. Her boyfriend, John, is the same way. They define loving graciousness. They make you feel cherished and cared for in more ways than I can describe and they do it so gently, so heart-fully. They've inspired me too.

In a short while, you'll be able to order Lis's new CD at her new website. In the meanwhile, I'm thinking I'd like to do a giveaway with one of the ones I brought back. I'm not sure how I'll do it. I'll think about it tonight. As I have said before, I wish I could send one to every one of you because every one of you has in some way inspired me this year, or encouraged me or lifted me up when I needed it, or made me laugh or made me cry or made me THINK and if there is any way in this world I could begin to repay you all, it would be with the gift of these beautiful songs by Lis.

Happy New Year's. Let's get that tree down. Let's put on our walking shoes. Let's go change the baby. Let's all dance in the hallway. Let's drink more water and remember to eat food, mostly plants, not too much. Let's be in wonder at what light does with blue glass. Let's be gracious and loving.

Let's get on with it.

See you tomorrow.