Monday, June 23, 2014

Please yourself first


For workaholics, pleasing yourself first is a real challenge.  There's always more work to do, meetings to arrange or articles to write.

I have finally come to realize that not every hour of the workweek needs to be spent in a meeting or pinned to your office chair, no matter how lovely an office you have.



I started small, forcing myself to go out for lunch rather than eat at my desk.  If I don't go out to lunch, then I work in my garden for at least part of that hour.

Then I signed myself up last August for a watercolor class on the premise that painting would exercise some additional parts of my brain.  And because I had never had lessons before.   I knew that whatever I might understand from looking at art most of my life might be of some peripheral use, but that I was in uncharted territory with a steep learning curve.  I was fortunate enough to pick a wonderful teacher, Jan Morris, who is the least directive teacher you can imagine, but who conducts the classes with grace and humor, and helps whenever asked.

Finally, I plan to recognize summer as a time I can loosen up a bit.  I plan to add a couple of other classes at the YMCA to increase my core strength and flexibility.  And I've got three four hour painting workshops booked.

This week, when I travel to New York for meetings and a conference, marks the formal beginning of my summer.  Once I'm back, I'll be full on the new book.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Phoenix wedding

Our grandson Alexander Porter and his lovely bride, Lindsey Walker, are by now in London on a backpacking trip around Europe.  But above, left to right:  Kate Porter, Alex's sister; Reed Porter, our son-in-law; Lindsey; Alex; Sabrina Porter, my stepdaughter; and William Porter, Alex's brother.

They were married on Saturday evening at Villa Siena, the amazing Italianate event space imagined and run by his mother, Sabrina Porter.  The courtyard ceremony was followed by a reception, then dinner, then dancing.  Here are a few more photos we took during the evening.

Leroy suited up at the reception.
Me too!
Leroy caught on the dance floor with Kate, Sabrina and grandson Matthew.
The morning after, Sabrina and Reed hosted a brunch where the couple opened presents.  Here Alex holds up the French knife and steel that we gave them.

The weekend flew by, and we are now ensconced back in Seattle, with this, the last week of classes, while Alex and Lindsey explore Europe before they move to Boston for graduate studies this fall.