Happy New Year!

A new decade, a new year...may it bring us all new joys to replace old sorrows!!! XOX

Bull Dance at Tesuque

My favorite Pueblo had several Christmas dances from which to choose an occasion. I always intend to be at more than one dance, but it never seems to work out that way. As close as Tesuque is, it's still north of Santa Fe and we're 17 miles south already. This year was a great line-up though. Christmas Eve dances right before Midnight (well, 11pm, that is) Mass - Ellen and I attended that once, in the old church, much more intimate and sweet than the new church, which was built after vandals burned down the old one,sad. Christmas Day was a Standing Deer, always a lovely dance with the pine boughs and antlers on the men's heads. Yesterday was a Snowbird Dance, which I have never seen but hope to, someday. Today, another one we haven't seen, the Bull Dance, men only (52 of them, Stephanie counted), each with faces painted black on top, white on the bottom and with a red horizontal stripe across the nose, for some of them. In their left hands, they held a gourd rattle, in the right, sad to say, I don't remember, pine boughs, maybe? (boughs seems to be a winter thing). Percussive anklets, one drummer wrapped in a deer-hide, one lead dance captain with two other dance captains. The dancers also sang, not so common as a group of singers and several drums. They spread out in a line, and moved in a U-shape from one side of the Plaza to the other, and when they moved, in-between dances, they bellowed (ya can't say they moo-ed, they're men, but the sound was moo-ish). We stood on the sunny side of the Plaza, all bundled up and it seemed to be mostly Pueblo folk, think we were early for whiteys, although we were actually late and only saw the last 1/4 of the dance, I think. Then we brought cookies over to my pal (thanks, Papa, I like that word) Flo's house, with all her grand-kids and great-grandkids, all with crazy non-Indian names like Arwen, Jessica, Patrick, Donovan (!) and Dmitri (!!!). Although it's probably spelled "Demetrey!" Zachary, I get it, it's biblical.

Anyway, Edward is taking the gang out to dinner at the new pub that opened here, Eldorado is a tough sell for a restaurant, seems like people eat out when they're in town already. It will have to be good AND reasonably priced...

Tomorrow is a Bow and Arrow Dance, seems like kind of a funny choice for Holy Innocents Day, but maybe appropriate, who can afford to be innocent around here anymore???!!! Get out yer Bow and Arrow! And innocence should be celebrated and protected, especially at the same time as the Christ Child's birth, although I am not much for martyrs, never was, the thought terrifies me to this day...St. Lucy and her eyeballs on a platter, as Patty Muth would say, "gack!"

Xmas Eve A La Familia

Sittin' wit me laptop in the living room with a pinon fire in the kiva, posting with the wireless router Cristian just installed for me! Very nice to have a technocrat in the family! And a fellow Cleveland cook, thanks, Dan, for help with an excellent rack of lamb from Whole Foods, he and Mom's apron prevented an overcooking disaster! Mama, you woulda chawed a crispy bone, mmm! Roasted veggies and lima beans, more yum! A May Company lambswool sweater from the 60's for Jess, harajuku haberdashery for Ev, Assassin's Creed for the brother, Mark Bittman's best for Dan who helped master-mind the meat.

They've all gone now 'cept us, listening to Gregorian chant, conjuring the memory of how Papa was so lovable on Christmas Eve, pipe in hand, a wee dram, a shining tree...and how nice to have a daughter who loaded the dishwasher before she left...Happy Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Ice Cream Buddies

Well Tom, for some reason, I couldn't make a comment on this last photo, truly your piece de resistance, a recreation of his one guilty pleasure, scraping away a spoonful at a time, dear dear Daddy, we miss you...

Remind you of anyone?

Celebrating Dad with Words and Music.

I, too, spent the day with Dad, but I remembered him with words and music. One of the books I just brought back from Cleveland was Brendan Behan's "Borstal Boy," one of my all-time favorites, a book I have enjoyed many times over for the sheer extravagance and Irish-ness of the language. I used to have a copy, even carried it around the world with me, but it had gone missing. I was so happy to find it on Dad's bookshelf (actually, it has Sue Foley's name in it, so he must have liberated it at some point) and opened it up today and, as usual, was caught up in the poetry of Behan's words. As the hour approached, I went on to the Irish Tenors and finished off with the Three Tenors, weeping when Pavarotti sang "Nessun dorma," just as I did that last afternoon I spent with Dad. There I was conducting and singing and yelling "Bravo!" with tears running down my face. But Dad managed a "Bravo!" too. You know, I can still close my eyes and bring up the image of his face that day, bright with joy. It's a comfort.

I've been thinking of all of you today, of the extraordinary outpouring of love that flowered on December 23. Of Tom, breathing in Dad's last breath. Of Ellen, having to tell Mom and then fighting her way through the ice to Arden Court so that Tom wouldn't be alone when they came for Dad. Of Terry, having to deal with an accident when she was frantic to be elsewhere and having to make the call to Scott. Of those of us who were not there, feeling lonely and bereft and clinging to the phones to be in touch. And mostly of Mom, trapped in a hospital bed, feeling lousy, and facing the finality of it all. Of Lee and Edward and Hana and Alex and Marge and Kristen and Robert and Cheryl and Rachel and Daniel and Sarah and Mark and Maria and Evan, who wept with us. It's that love that carried us through a year ago and 6 months ago and will continue to bind us. I love you all.

A Few Other Images

These pictures are of: (1) the outside of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (which CC was a part of); (2) the high-rise Nana lived in after she moved from Manor (I think she moved into this sometime in the early 1960s); it is right downtown only a 1/4 mile from Comerica Park and Ford Field (where the Tigers and Lions play; (3) the headstones of Lew, Pa and Nana in Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery (in Southfield about 10 miles from the house on Manor).

Lunch!!!!

Time to break for a Poppa lunch. Love that PBJ, banana and glass of milk!

I WILL POST MORE LATER.

No pictures of a winter sunset

Guess I'll have to get a camera, the posts are DEFINITELY more interesting with pix! I just came back from a LOOONG walk with the rosary...just the kind of weather Pops used to run in, remember how he would come in with the frozen juices hanging from his schnozz? I had started out in snowfall which slowly became blue late-afternoon skies, and the sun returned as it began its final descent into the west. As I turned to head up the last block to our house, I looked back and one single solitary golden sunbeam was shooting straight up from the a low bank of clouds above the mountains. Hello Papa! Then I walked up the street, into the driveway, and one last look found two pink "eyes" of sky above the mountains, the last of the sun, ready to say good-night...sleep tight, Billy-Boy, with kisses galore....

Catholic Central

This is what is left of the Detroit Catholic Central site from which Dad graduated. CC has been in five locations (corner of Harper and Woodward from 1928 to 1934; the site Dad went to from 1934 until 1951; Outer Drive from 1951 to 1978; Redford from 1978 until 2006; and now in Novi). The site Poppa went to was given to CC by the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Msgr. LeFever let me walk through the Cathedral and take pictures. You will also see a picture of a picture of the school as it looked when Dad went there (that stood where the parking lot is in the picture to the left). Dad likely went to Mass in this beautiful cathedral and also likely gave his valedictorian address there as well. Although the neighborhood is now very bad, the homes around this site are huge and where the Fords, Kresges and other wealthy families of Detroit lived when Dad was in high school (I've included a picture of one of the homes). I AM POSTING SO MUCH THAT YOU MIGHT NEED TO LOOK TO THE ARCHIVED POSTS ON RIGHT OF HOME PAGE TO SEE SOME OF TODAY'S PICTURES.

Epiphany School & Church

Here's where all of the Moir children went to grade school and Sunday Mass (the church is now Divine Inspiration Baptist Church and the school is a library and learning academy). It is less than a five minute walk from where they lived. Msgr. LeFevre (more on him later) told me that at the turn of the century when Detroit was booming the Bishop made sure that every Catholic in the Diocese could walk to church and school. Consequently, unlike most major cities, there are literally Catholic parishes a half mile apart throughout the city(although most are now closed are converted to other uses). These buildings are summarily beautiful and you can see why Detroit (per Poppa) was considered the nicest city in America one hundred years ago).

Other Dexter Images

Three pictures here: (1) Sloan Nursery (never did determine which Sloans; not Sloan's anymore but you can see name faintly; (2) grave sites of Mamu, William Sloan, Aunt Mig and Uncle Tommy (sorry couldn't chip the ice off); road sign for Dan Hoey Rd. (Dan Hoey is one of our great cousins).

Dad's House? on Manor

Here's where Nana and Pa Moir raised their kids (the lot at least). The house was burned down about 15 years ago. Most of the homes on Manor are boarded up, burned up (but still standing), burned down or in total disrepair (really amazing in that Manor is at least five miles long). Someone told me it is considered the worst neighborhood in all of Detroit.

St. Joe's Parish

The Church Mamu and her family (including Nana) went to. Mom told me Dad must have gone there at some time as a child. It's in Dexter and was the church Fr. Thomas McNamara said his first Mass circa 1873.

The house the Sloans built in Dexter (corner of First and Hudson Sts.). This is the oldest house in Dexter circa. 1860.

The breakfast of champions!

My dear Sarah who thinks her father has flipped (she is probably right).

The day begins!

I am now ready to run my mile (more would be pure suicide). As I do so, I have images of how fit and trim Poppa was throughout most of his life (you can see I do not suffer the same fate).

Escorting Sheila Home

For all those who don't know, Sheila made it home in unbelievable time in her new/old Ford Escort. She got to Massachusetts the first night and home by 6pm the second! Mom would be delighted to know that her little car was so lovingly tended by Mike Gisondo before it left Ohio. I was hoping to have him do MY timing belt, but I think I'd better get that done BEFORE we next drive to Ohio!

Like Tom, I am planning to take tomorrow off to reflect on Papa; it seems unbelievable that a year has already passed. Snow is expected tonight, and of course our sole gas heater suddenly stopped working, but who can get a plumber before Christmas! Fortunately, we have a load of firewood in the garage ready to stoke the kiva. I'll take a long winter walk tomorrow - sorry, Pa, my knees are too creaky to run - and think about all the wise and witty ways of Bill.

I have to work on Christmas Eve morning, but I got Christmas Day off this year. We have Jessica and the kids for Dinner on the Eve; making a rack of lamb, think about that, Mama, HEAVENLY! I hope the holiday apron that Ellen and Sheila sent will prevent me from over-cooking that expensive piece of protein! Talk to you all over the next few days, and in the meantime, stay warm and ENJOY!

SO Santa Fe Saturday!

We had a new drum beat in African dance class today that made for fun and freedom (not to mention a bit of flailing around!). This is a real stretch for me (pun intended), but it's such a release not to have to think about anything except for putting my legs and arms in the right places. And that's absolutely all I do, no thoughts about anything else at all. It's a bit expensive, $10 a class, but worth it for the exercise and challenge of putting myself out there with all the young girls who can just throw their bodies around so freely. LOTS of fun!

Class today was followed by something else very unusual too: Phil Kline's Unsilent Night. This is a music performance piece for tape cassettes (back then) and boom boxes (now, along with MP3 players and I-phones) started in NYC 18 years ago and performed in a number of cities around the world. It was a walk around downtown Santa Fe with all these music-playing devices, each randomly assigned one of the four CDs or downloads that make up this musical composition. It was really quite beautiful and evocative (especially in the parking garage), very winter-holiday sounding, nothing cacophonous like new music can be. If you've ever listed to Hearts of Space, you'll recognize this type of music. I enjoyed it (Edward sat it out in the library, it was just too cold for skinny men), although it was sad that only 15 people showed up to participate. As the name suggests, it should have taken place at night, but the city would not grant a permit for that. It was organized here by a group called Santa Fe New Music, that operates on a real shoestring. I got involved with them by giving them free rooms for their musicians from time to time. Since then, we've been invited to all sorts of quirky things. Last year they brought in this killer accordianist Guy Klucevsek, who was just mind-blowing, his fingers flew over the buttons and keys, punctuated with stomps, yells and banging on the box - I loved it! I still can't play my pretty little Italian box, sigh, I have such respect and envy now for the Sunday morning Yankovic polka crowd that we laughed at back then.

Snow is predicted for tomorrow, I'm glad I got my laundry on and off the line today. Tomorrow, Jessica, Evelina and I go to the Nutcracker, another lucky freebie (more rooms to give away) that we are making into a tradition. I just love that Tchaikovsky, especially at the end of the first act when the snowflakes fall!

Dim Sum Day but Sum Dam Nite!

Well, the dim sum was certainly delicious, but by nightfall on Saturday, things were much changed. A trip to the ER, no NOT Mr. Ed! She of the sudden and extremely painful cystitis instead - yours truly, MOI! 5 hours in a beautiful state-of-the-art 6-month old ER (ah, Ma and Pa, how the UH-ER was a sad sort of cheat, sorry you won't have seen the new one to come). We were so lucky, in that the U of A Med Center was literally right down the street (could have walked if we'd had to) AND blessedly not having a bad Saturday night (we Moirs all know what a university ER can be like, but I never heard a siren once until we left). Good docs and good nurses,good response to the IV antibiotics I'd received by the time I woke up this morning, and an RX to take home. We were also lucky not to have to drive today; we went to see the old mission church as we'd hoped to do, and it was something, lit the traditional candle for La Guadalupana. Some average-grade fry bread and beans on the way out, a drive up to a view spot (naturally we'd find the barrio spot), and then a quiet evening here before we leave tomorrow. In no rush to go, so we'll take our time, since we'll be getting home after dark anyway. This is definitely one of the nicest hotel experiences I have ever had, despite some unexpected drama, and I have had plenty for a working stiff.

It's Snowing in Maine

Well, we're finally getting our first snowfall here in Maine. Hasn't even threatened before this. Three to six inches are predicted and, since, of course, I have to open the market tomorrow morning, I'm hoping for the three. I'll be driving Lee's van because my poor Subaru is back in the shop. Actually a different shop. The supposed radiator problem that Jimmy couldn't find reared its head again and the car was overheating so badly that I had to park it in the library parking lot (there's a phone in the library) and call Lee to come rescue me. The next morning, I took it a hundred yards down the road to our local car guy rather than having it towed 25 miles to Ellsworth. It was the cheapest option, but comes with its own price. Richard's really good but it's a one-man shop and your car can sit there for quite a while waiting. That's the only reason I don't ordinarily use him. So the car went in on Tuesday and it's Saturday and he still hasn't looked at it to even start to see what might be wrong. I may have to resort to the six-pack-of-Bud bribe. I haven't driven the van much in the snow, but I'll just go slow. Yay! The snow plow is just going by. We have really conscientious plow operators here (of course, they do get paid by the run). They probably laid down some sand and will be around again before morning. What a way to make a living! Out all night in the crappiest weather. Another job, probably right after telemarketing, to be glad I've never had to do. I just hope I don't have to shovel to get out. Maybe Lee will do a bit before he goes to bed. Guess I'll just have to get up early. But here we go into winter.

Dim Sum in the Desert

We actually found dim sum after a visit to the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, which in truth is FOR the Asian community, not visitors. East Indian dance classes, a Tai Chi class using fans, and an exhibition about the early Chinese markets in Tucson, which were located in the barrios. Back for some ping pong at the Inn and the end of tea time in their beautiful library here; when this resort was built, it was at the edge of the desert. More overcast today, although still clement, some touring by car on the west side of town to say to the cacti, prior to lunch. I think dim sum runs until 3pm everywhere, best was the sesame-coated fried sticky rice balls frilled with a gluey seaweed, but it was all yum. Tomorrow, hope to go to the mission on the rez...

Toooo-Sahn

Several visits here already have come and gone, so we're looking around at new stuff, found the Jewish Historical Museum, congregation moved out in 1949 - outgrew the space and moved to the 'burbs. Got there too early, so we took a walk and ended up at Mass at the Church of Saint Augustine, just in time for the sign of peace and communion. No candles to light but a visit with Maw and Paw nonetheless. A nice bit of catholicism, lower-case c. High 50's, low 60's, sun and no wind. Sitting around waiting to go out for tacos, would love to watch the Cavs play the Bulls, but Mr. Ed just can't tolerate sports for long (baseball would have maybe had a snowball's chance). Very pretty neighborhood here and a very charming old hotel right in the neighborhood. Tomorrow we'll eat Dim Sum and make a visit to the Chinese Cultural Center, another different discovery. Hope to see some saguaros up close as always, and would also like to see the mission church at the Tahono O'Oodham reservation, see the AZ native scene just a little bit. Don't think we'll make it to the Observatory at Kitts Peak, never have and probably never will, may not even be allowed to, might be my fantasy. The change is refreshing....

Gittin' Outta Dodge

The Blogorrhea Sistah here! Lettin' you all know that we are escaping to somewhere warmer - yes, I know Santa Fe may be sunnier than where you are, but believe me, it ain't warmer! We leave for Tucson tomorrow, back on Monday. It's a decent day's drive and we love the cacti, we've got a nice hotel, and the car is gassed up...too bad I had to work late tonight, still gotta go home and cook that road food - I ain't Gussie's daughter fer nuttin' honey!