A Small Room

Recently my Dad became a resident of a long term care facility.   A couple of years ago Dad suffered a series of small strokes that effected the balance center of his brain.   A series of falls has seen him go from a walker to a wheelchair,  after much hedging and deliberation it was finally decided that for safety sake,  Dad would need around the clock care.

I knew from the start that for Dad this was a momentous, life changing, and possibly terrible thing.  I know how much I love the space that I live in, my things just where they always are, the way my house smells,  the way my favorite chair feels when I flop down into it after a long day.   We become so accustomed to the space we live in, we depend on it, we gravitate to it, it IS what is home to us.  How do you tell a man that has lived a long, full, independant life, whose life has slowly gotten smaller and simpler, that the one best pleasure he has, his home, must be given up ?

There are positive aspects to this move as well.  Dad is a very social being, since his strokes he has been at home and much less out in the world.  This affords an opportunity to meet and interact socially with people.   The dynamics between he and his second wife  changed from husband and wife to patient and care giver, this was now an opportunity for them to spend time together once again as partners.  But even the positive aspects of this change, this new stage ,did not make it less heart wrenching.





One day when visiting it occurred to me that the process of life comes full circle regarding space.  We are born, we take up very little space.  As we grow, our rooms get larger.   We marry (or not) and find we need several rooms to hold all the things we are acquiring as we "live".   We reach the age nearing retirement and find we need less space, we simplify and downgrade.  This is the stage when our spaces or rooms become smaller once again.  The progression continues for some to……….. one small room.  We are back where we were as a child, occupying a very small space.  It still brings a tear to my eye when I picture Dad in his recliner near his window in his small room.  I want so much for him to be happy in this new space, I cannot seem to coax from him the sum of his emotions.  It is difficult to gauge his reaction to this vast change in his circumstance.  I want everyone there to love him as I love him, I want them to know who he was, to know that he had a whole big life before he was moved into this small room.

I must show them, they need to see for themselves.  I put together a small photo album including pictures from the beginning of my Dads life as a child, a teenager, a middle aged man and then as he is now.  The nurses were very grateful for the chance to see him as he once was, and thanked me.  The jury is still out on how this will go for Dad, but in the mean time I will give him love and attention as much and as often as I can, I will urge others to think about those they know that are perhaps in "a small room" somewhere to reach out to them, give them your time, give them your love, because your time really is the most precious thing that you have to give.

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St Mary's Undercroft Chapel Westminster

A few years ago in mid August Brian and I found our selves with a significant few days off from work.  What shall we do ?  The ideas ranged from diving, which we had done far too much of frankly, to Acadia National Park,  to Europe.   We had never been to Europe.   While we  had traveled down under and to the Caribbean frequently, we had never jumped the pond to see where it all really began.  Enter "the travel agent" Brian, remember this is the man with the plan, his German heritage shines when he is problem solving, focused, determined, unrelenting, list maker that he is.   The tireless work paid off and he came up with a very affordable trip to London.  Ah ! London, cherrio old chap.  We have loved the history of the Tudors, we are extremely fond of medieval architecture, and for our first trip to Europe it was a country without a language barrier (motto: start small).

We still look back so fondly on our time in London, our hotel adjacent to Hyde Park and the tube stop made travel throughout the city effortless.  We made several trips outside of the city to see Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, and Hampton Court Palace with its magnificent history and gardens.   We even managed a day trip to the walled city of Canterbury, famed for Chaucer's tales and the magnificent cathedral.

The event we still look back on with shock and awe occurred during our tour of Parliament.  The structure itself is easily recognisable throughout the world, with  the iconic clock tower  Beg Ben , and the gothic Victoria's tower standing tall above the city skyline.  We could not believe our luck,  the public was allowed to tour the house of lords and the house of commons, to walk within the intimate spaces used by this countries government.  We had been to Washington D.C. post 9/11 and remember vividly that we were corralled in the center of the rotunda of the capital building and only allowed ten minutes to look around before we were escorted out of the building.  No visits allowed to the house or senate, absolutely NO tours of the White House.  We were in heaven ! here in London.
The tour culminated in Westminster Hall, a vast medieval building dating back to 1097, one of the two surviving structures of the long lost Westminster Palace that was destroyed in a fire in  1512.  The other surviving structure was St. Mary's Undercroft Chapel.  The tour guide had brushed over this place lightly while we were seated in the house of commons.   We were told that the chapel, that was directly beneath us, was not open to the public, EVER.   The chapel  was used by MP's and their families only,  for weddings, funerals, and baptisms.  This is the same chapel where Baroness Margaret Thatcher lay in state last April.

As we enjoyed our look about the great hall, taking in the massive history, this is the room where Sir William Wallace (1305)  and Sir Thomas More  (1535) were condemned to death.  It is said that some sort of tennis ball was found lodged behind a roof rafter and is believed to have belonged to Henry VIII, who was known to hit balls against the vast walls for practice.  Imagine, standing in a space where so much of history occurred, it was thrilling.

The best, however was yet to come.  Standing on the stairs gazing at the enormous stained glass window at the head of the hall a friendly security guard said hello.  We began to discuss our trip to London, were we enjoying the city ?    He told us he had worked in this building for 20 years,  and was nearing retirement, a generally friendly man.  Without any enquiry by us he asked if we would like to see the crypt chapel.   We looked at each other stunned, did he mean the undercroft chapel ?  St Mary's Undercroft Chapel ?  Well yes he did, and by the way, he had the key.  So silently we followed as he took us to this gate.

Now we were in shock and frankly speechless, he led us into the chapel down a dark staircase, we were so amazed at our luck that we were reluctant to snap any photos of the space.  We were allowed to spend a good 20 minutes taking in all the ancient carvings and vivid frescoes.  We were shone the baptismal font where so many nobles and MP's families have christened their children.  It was hard to contain our glee !!  After the showing we thanked him profusely and slowly walked out of the hall into the light of day.  Our walk back to the hotel was one of silence, we were both trying to take in the significance of seeing a space reserved for the eyes of so few, and seen by so many from the distant past.   Little does this friendly security guard know that his small kindness that day was the highlight of our trip to London



.http://www.flickr.com/photos/uk_parliament/sets/72157621765942023/

This link has photos of the chapel compliments of the  UK Parliament

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Chapel of the Magi

 The Medici's

I have talked of the food in Florence, yes the food was a life changing experience for us, we ouu'd and ahh'd our way through every single meal.  The food was incredibly memorable, but you see the reason we traveled to Florence from the very beginning was because of the art.  Oh the art !!  I could write at least a dozen blog posts about the art in Florence.  After all it was the birth place of the Renaissance, that is, thanks to a man unknown to me until a few years ago.  Cosimo de Medici has been called the godfather of the Renaissance for good reason, he and his families contributions and patronage to countless artists in Europe created an industry of sorts that kept artists working and creating for over 3 generations.  Cosimo is alone responsible for Filippo Brunelleschi's dome, but that is a story for later. The list of artists given patronage by the Medici's include, Bernini, Michelangelo,  Sandro Botticelli and Donatello to name just a few.

               

        Cosimo de Medici                                                     

Of all the art of Florence, even above Michelangelo's David, my heart was stopped, no captured forever, by the frescoes  of Benozzo Gozzoli's Chapel of the Magi.  The Medici's power and wealth was vast and this chapel was created to show all who visited it that they were as close to God as one could come.  Commissioned by Piero de Medici, the chapel in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi was the families private chapel for prayer and service.  The brilliant trick to these frescoes was that in the faces of the crowd proceeding with the magi and in fact the magi themselves are those of the Medici's and their most loyal friends.  Brilliant !!

There is no natural light in this small family chapel perhaps that explains the vivid colors that remain in the frescoes.  The queue begins in the courtyard of the palazzo and only 15 people are permitted in the room at time for a maximum of 10 minutes.  Blessed beyond words, on the day we were visiting the queue was none existent !  On our first trip through we were with 5 other people, when we exited and arrived back in the courtyard the docent told us we were welcome to see the chapel again if we liked.  Brian and I had a full 20 minutes  to ourselves in this magnificent room, except for the attendant in a small nook keeping an eye on us.  No pictures ! and as guests in this country we always followed the rules.  Our answer to not having any photos to cherish was to buy several books in the gift shop, support the Palazzo and take some treasures home.

There is endless speculation regarding who the faces belong to in these frescoes, names long lost, perhaps the favorite gardener or cook, or the occasional illegitimate son,   many have been identified beyond dispute including several of  the Medici's and the artist Gozzoli himself.  This was not an unusual practice for the artists of this era, Botticelli's image was added to several of his works and Raphael made it a major practice to honor outstanding figures of his time in his frescoes in the Vatican apartments (yet another wonderful tale to tell).

Can you find the corresponding faces in the fresco above ?

Cosimo de Medici (in the red cap)

Piero de Medici

Lorenzo de Medici

The artist himself Benozzo Gozzoli

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Anna Maria Island Chalk Art, Who knew ?

Spending the day strolling on famous and eclectic Pine Ave. on Anna Maria Island in Florida was so much more than I expected today.

 But I am getting ahead of myself.  Flash back two years, we are renting off island near a wildlife preserve, nice, tropical, a heated pool even, but it really did not have that neighborhood feeling to it.  Frankly I felt a bit isolated, especially when Brian was in Maine working (silent prayer of thanks for my two doggies).  Two weeks before our three month stay was to end we were informed that the owner had sold the house and it would not be available for us to rent next year.   Panic !  Enter……my love, my persistent, determined, problem solving love.   Brian made quick work of our dilemma, after countless phone calls we were on our way to Anna Maria Island to see a property that had just been turned down for re-rent.  You must understand, these homes in this area rarely come up for rent, once a contract is signed renters tend to hang on to them for years, this highly coveted bohemian beachy neighborhood is very hard to get into.  We pinched ourselves the following year when we moved in, a dog friendly, and green to the max community, with a group of community leaders that have bold ideas and tireless devotion to their town.  

Here is a quote from the web page for the chalk art festival :

Taking place January 18th and 19th, t he 1st annual Anna Maria Chalk Festival is a collaboration between the Pine Avenue Restoration group, the Tourist and Development Council, the Historic Green Village, members of the Anna Maria Island’s artistic and cultural community and Sarasota Chalk Festival founder Denise Kowal. The festival will take place January 18th and 19th with a VIP Artist’s Reception and Dinner on January 17th at the Studio at Gulf and Pine. The event will be a two day local community festival that will reflect the historic and unique qualities of Anna Maria. Street painters, also known as I Madonnari, will use chalk as their medium and the road surface of Pine Avenue as their canvas to create oversized masterworks of art while the public becomes an integral part of the creative process as the viewer. Local artists are encouraged to participate and able to receive instructional classes prior to the weekend event. Students in grades 7-12 can have their own spot to chalk and the younger children are invited to chalk in the Children’s Area. Participation is free to all and chalk is provided. The theme will be ‘Historic Anna Maria, from Pirates to the Present’ spanning the length of Pine Avenue, which stretches from Tampa Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. Pine Avenue, which has been called, “The Greenest Little Mainstreet in America” is a live/work paradise sprinkled with residential cottages, professional offices and retail shops serving the surrounding community as well as visitors from around the world. The street is a vibrant example of how responsive development done within, not upon, a community can add value to the culture. This has helped position Anna Maria on the cutting edge of a global transition movement, based on local initiative, in which, individuals, neighbors, neighborhoods and communities take into their own hands the economic, environmental and cultural destiny of their communities.

The Anna Maria Chalk Festival is a logical extension of the many green initiatives that have been implemented on Pine Avenue over the last six years. And while the artist will get dirty, the festival will keep everything clean and green by using sustainable, non-toxic pastels which nature will wash away.
   

Great right ?  I know, I am still pinching myself  each day that I wake up and walk out on the balcony with my coffee and wave to my neighbors and their endless variety of dogs passing by on their morning walks.

So to the festival !  this is an aerial shot of Pine Ave.  (we are one street over on the right on Spring Ave.  four houses up from the pier)  this was completely shut down for traffic this weekend so the art could take over.  Imagine the street filled with strolling families with dogs and children, countless electric golf carts and bicycles, musicians playing music and artists deep in that meditative state that one reaches when working on something you love,   covered in pastels of chalk.  Heaven really.

This is a chalk drawing of the artists husband as a pirate.

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Dining with Florentines

 

The food in Tuscany for us was unsurpassed anywhere so far on the entire globe.  We are wondering if any of our future sojourns will prove us wrong, but we are very willing to continue the hard work and research such that it is.

Looking back on our recent trip to Italy conjures up so many delicious visual and olfactory memories.  While contemplating and  planning our next adventure Brian and I took the time to compare notes on our most memorable gastronomic moments in Florence.  We both agreed hands down, and simultaneously I might add, that the liver pate in the nearby deli over the Arno was TO DIE FOR.   Funnily enough we both shouted  out "olives !!!" at each other when we mentioned our next favorite food.

 Of course we cannot forget to mention our dinner with the Florentines where we were treated to the experience that is bistecca alla fiorentina, Florentine steak.  This lovely group of locals, one of which is related to my dear friend Heidi, met us at our hotel and walked us through Florence to their favorite restaurant.  Mind you this was a place that locals eat and one we never would have pulled out of our hats if left to our own devices.  The language barrier was a small challenge I had very little Italian and Paola Romanini and Monica Matteini were much more successful with their  English thank goodness.  Regardless of the small barrier, there was amazing food, fabulous wine and huge belly laughs throughout the night.

  The Tuscan porterhouse steak was better than any beef I have ever experienced, served pre-cut on a wooden platter, a delicious juicy piece of meat.  Our Italian friends were brilliant in their wine choices, saving us stumbling through the wine list, and Brian and I had the chance to taste our first grappa, a sweet warm liquorish tasting grape based brandy you dip biscotti into.   I cannot say enough about the warm and embracing welcome we felt from this lovely group of locals, after dinner they walked us all the way back to our hotel so that we would not get lost.  Along the way while passing through the Piazza della Repubblica we were given the chance to ensure our return to Florence.  Near the Loggia del Marcato Nuovo, know by locals as loggia del Porcellino we met il porcellino himself.  A bronze fountain of a boar dating 1634 sits adjacent to the market, it is said that by rubbing il porcellino's snout you will once again in your life time visit Florence.  By the appearance of the pigs nose Florence will be a very busy place for some time to come.  We happily gave the snout a hardy rub, and put a coin in his mouth to drop through the grate below for good luck.    Thanks Paola and Monica for a wonderful evening, you were both kind beyond words and Florence would not have been as memorable without our "dinner with Florentines."

Grazie ai nostri amici fiorentini, inviamo il nostro amore a tutti voi.

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