Monthly Archives: December 2009

(Community Matters) from our dear friend, the Rev Faith Bledsoe

Dear people of St. Francis,

The age of these old bones prevents me from traveling to be with you, but let me see if I can’t tell the story you’ve asked about. I remember that night. It was cold. Folks had been coming into the city for days. The Romans had decided to count people. I’m not sure why, but then they did a lot of things without telling the rest of us why.

I lived in Bethlehem then – a small town next to Jerusalem. I lived there with my husband and 5 children – 4 boys and 1 girl. My husband owned one of the local inns in town, where folks could come and rent a place to sleep for the night. That night, we doubled and tripled sleeping space, even opening the courtyard. There wasn’t a roof over the courtyard, but the wall and the gate kept out any dangers. Continue reading →

Merry Christmas from Steven & Eugene . . . and the godkids

Shaun Holifield, Luke Hayes, Melissa Henderson, Steven, Nico Selby, Eugene, Cameron Lockley, Ben Knaplund and Austin Knaplund    (not in picture: Lauren Mayes)

photo: Matt Rainwaters

(Community Matters) My brother-in-law, Craig Tomlinson, sent this pic from out their front door (Tulsa, OK this am)

(Community Matters) The first of David’s five stones that may eventually take the Goliath down

David only needed the first

(Community Matters) Just finished Michael Crichton’s Pirate Latitudes

I quite enjoyed.  I hadn’t read a silly little novel in too long

“Hunter, you son of an English mongrel bitch.  Lavasseur, you son of a French farmer and his favorite sheep . . . ”

“Sanson, you French pig!  Hunter, you English pox of a sheep!”

While Steven reads French deconstructivist philosophy (says it all)

(Community Matters) Happiness is . . . . going to bed snuggling to get warm, then waking up warm and toasty

. . . . then squeezing oranges for fresh juice, making fresh tortillas, black beans, fresh salsa, eggs, cheese & bacon for the world’s best breakfast tacos . . .  then heading back to bed . . . . all in Marfa, Tx w/ Steven Tomlinson

(Community Matters) Driving through a blizzard, snow coming straight at us, was like being inside a snow globe . . . . or watching one of those wheels that hypnotize you.

Alas, the snow had already been through Marfa – not snowing once we arrived.  We unpacked, then nice dinner at Cochineal – Tom & Tochi, Tobi Levy, Mary Farley, Liz Lambert, Valerie & Robert Arber and Caitlin Murray all there too.  Totally chilling for a week, then arrival of our friends/family

(Community Matters) Steven and I are halfway to Marfa. Wow, lots more to do getting out of town than planned, not just work but on all fronts. So boned tired, I think we are going to hibernate for a few days before joining the social scene on the desert plains. Happy holidays, merry christmas and happy new years to all. Posted from me blackberry. (Btw, alexer, don’t forget to feed my fish)

(Community Matters) So the young woman begging for money, holding a sign which reads, “Laid Off. Yes I’m embarrassed but I’m doing this for my children,” is the same young woman who came to my door a month or two ago selling magazines and claiming to be a neighbor’s high school daughter raising money for a school trip.

(Community Matters) Occurs to me reading this morning’s article on Texas healthcare stats (I’d link to AAS but can’t figure out how to find specific articles) – including one in four Texans uninsured, one in three working adults – Senators Hutchinson or Cornyn could have extracted extraordinary financial assistance for Texas if they had negotiated their support for the healthcare bill.

(hey, I’m not defending the egregious deal making that rewarded Nebraska and Louisiana, I’m just saying . . . )

(Community Matters) What was once an annual tradition hopefully got back on track last night – dinner and 37th St strolling/light viewing with our dear friends Kip Keller & Michael Barnes.  Post 3-day family gathering I decided last minute I was no longer up for cooking, so we enjoyed Fonda San Miguel’s hospitality, then a most delicious 2003 Black Cougar Ridge cab (thx guys) and dark chocolates for dessert.

37th St lights aren’t back up to Jamie Lipman’s days (who with his wife Sharon Smith has left the hood) but they’re coming back.  The crowds are thinner – at least they were last night – but that’s a good thing.

Continue reading →

(Community Matters) Is it just me or is the new website format the most user UN-friendly site anyone has ever seen?  Previously, I went to the site multiple times a day.  Now, I do so much less because it is such a source of frustration. Sorry guys; it is seriously bad.  I’ve withheld saying anything as long as I can.