This is absolutely joyous

Just have to send this link along - I found it a real lift! What a joy - turn up the volume and I dare you to not be boppin' by the end of the tune! Enjoy enjoy.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741

That was wonderful! Was it recorded simultaneously?

I've seen that before and thoroughly enjoyed it again!! Thanks, Laurie. Good to see you post. I know you are quite busy.

I don't know Neo, I leave that to you to work out - you are the expert on all things photographic, but it is beautifully done.

So glad you liked it Jan - (I'm suppose to be doing write-ups, but checked my e-mail and got totally distracted by it - just had to pass it on).

Back to work, head down - well, a cuppa first I think.

Ha, I wouldn't consider myself an expert! I have a good camera and have taught Photoshop for ten years. But I am not a photographer. The instructors in the photo department let me know that. :)

It is good to hear from you, I was thinking about your virtual tour of the greenhouses last year, so lovely, they really stuck in my mind. But those twine trellis you put up are the most amazing thing to me. They are art in and of themselves.

Please send more photos of what you are doing, when you get time!

Loved it!! Thanks Laurie.

If I am not outta this world, that was a BB King song. One of my very favorite's.
You rock.
Thank you Laurie, It touch my heart very much and my DH. To me it lifted my spirit
today, after burying my sons dog. long story we don't know what killed him.
Hugs

I got it via email, too. It's a terrific video! Thanks for posting, Laurie.

Neo - tell the instructors in the photo department 'Pants'! We, all of us here on DGPNW says 'Pants' to them - they just haven't a clue. We have seen the evidence. We know a photographer when we see them.

Tills, I had exactly the same response - I was doing the endless paper work that goes with the job, really flagging when that popped into my box, and a few minutes in I was just dancing in my seat - just loved it. So glad you did too, and DH too!! Hurrah.

And Thistle down and Pix, excellent, more dancing queens, please, wonder!

where's sofer? I'm sure he would enjoy it.

I saw those guys! Sometimes they were together and sometimes only one would be playing. The place is the 3rd street Promenade in Santa Monica. The city permanently closed the street to vehicles in those few blocks and it is a wildly popular place to hang out. You can barely walk on Saturdays! There are also a group of breakdancers who perform and they are great.

Oh, Portland! Wonderful!

They also have a wonderful Farmers' Market every Wednesday. Even a lot of movies star types go there to buy produce and Santa Monica is very accustomed to that so no one pays them a bit of attention. Lots of outdoor cafes, too. I think it has become like the European town square - a vital public place that most US cities are sorely missing. It's so important to have places where people come face to face with each other instead of zooming around in their cars. My least favorite places are indoor shopping malls. When you are inside one of those there is no indication of the surrounding community. You could be in Iowa or California or Georgia. Very impersonal. Give me busy streets with people doing their stuff and sights all around to connect you to the community!

Here we have Pike Place Market in Seattle for that wonderful environment. I love the street musicians there and will gladly toss a buck or two in there case after listening for awhile.

Portland, I agree with you - in London we have a lovely little vest pocket park in our neighbourhood that keeps such a record of the day and varies by season: opens in the morning so the commuters can shortcut to work, then the school kids and parents, then the first of the sitters come to use the benches. By 11 its busy with shoppers and office workers having a coffee and a cigarette. Lunch time it is crowded with every seat taken (we even have fold out lawn chairs that the council provide for free). Lunchers leave, and the afternoon sitters come looking for sun, and then the school run reversed - the other day was a birthday party with mum and friend serving pieces of cake on napkins all spread out on the paved path. the commuters shortcut back to the tube station, and then, in the summer the local residents use it in the evening to sit, picnic and just wait for the end of the day. It is perfect - can you tell I go there often.

And although we also have a farmers market on sundays something I have noticed is how supermarkets have taken some of the role of the square, particularly in the afternoons. Early afternoons is the retiree and young mums running into each other, stopping for a chat in the aisle. 1-2 is office friends looking for lunches, usually queing for the take-away counter, chatting while they wait, often with 2 or 3 people between. 3 pm is locals getting there before the offices get out, I can't remember the last time I didn't run into a neighbour at that time - and 6-9 is office chums. The amount of meeting up and conversing is quite interesting, and there are often small groups spread out through the aisles, weighing fruit/vegtables or waiting for service, talking the entire time. Interesting how society has a real need to find those quick impromtu chats, to find time to run into others but not make a commitment of time - they seem to have adapted the square to what is available.

Certainly here, those community moments still exist, sometimes we just have to reattune ourself to them.

Hi Laurie, So true about the markets. Since I quit golfing, I see more of my neighbors and friends at the Fred Meyer in Shelton than anywhere. It can take a while to get the shopping done.

Hi Laurie, thank you so much for posting that clip. One of my most favorite songs, just goes to show music knows no borders. Nicely done.

Glad you enjoyed it Sally, it is really a great song.

willowwind, it does sound like you have a lovely community where you are - glad to hear that it isn't just here that the supermarkets are becoming a meeting area.

Laurie, does Ian McEwan live by that park? I am reading Black Dogs.

Your park sounds perfect. The best 'gathering areas' are those that are used by people going about their daily lives, and the activities change with the time of day, just as you described. How nice that you get to experience that!

He lives quite close to here, he lives in Fitzroy Square - but in one of his books, oh shoot, I've forgotten the title of the other one you mentioned - his character does visit Marylebone High Street and mentions our fish monger and book store. Ta Dah, we are famous - well, the neighbourhood is. The other one that sets some of her books in this area is Ruth Rendell, she lives just north of us in Regents Park - very posh, very very posh.


Has anyone enabled their mobile phone to make international calls? Would any of you be willing to send me a text messages between the hours of 5 and 7 pm ish (or as late as you want! We won't be finishing until 8 or 9am our time) to keep me walking during those dreaded early morning hours of 2am - 4 am? The Walk the Walk is this Saturday, 16th May - and we start walking at midnight. I think we will be fine for the first few hours, but I can imagine that those deep sleep hours are going to be less easy. Since all of you are wide awake at that time, I thought it might be fun to have you wake me up! Any takers? Dmail me and I can send you my mobile number - but please do check to make sure you have spare text minutes, and what the roaming charges are, I don't want anyone to get walloped for charges. thanks in advance, xo.

Laurie the other book was 'Saturday', which is my favorite so far. Well, i also loved 'Enduring Love' - so many books, so little time.....

I just got time to open that link when I could wait for it to load on my very slow computer, and it was definitely worth the wait. What a fabulous, international rendition of that song!! It had me in tears.

Laurie, I'll be thinking about you and your long walk on the 16th. I don't have a cell phone, so can't text, but I'll definitely do soul to soul messaging, no technology required.

Wish I had a cell phone and I'd definitely pitch in to call you. Alas, I'm resisting the technology. I will be thinking of you, though.

The energy from all the thoughts will be the extra propulsion I need!!

You won't need any extra propulsion - you are inspired!! Just think of all the garden planning you can do while you're walking . . .

I'll be sending my good thoughts too!!

Hey Laurie...A little late in posting but thanks for the link. Music truly is the universal language. And the miracle of technology makes the world seem to small. Beautiful music from beautiful people. Thanks.

Hello, hello - the marathon walk was last night, and we did it!!!!! It was absolutely fabulous and the weather was picture book perfect - I have never seen the Thames at 3am, and I can tell you how beautiful it was. What a great event. I'm off to bed (again, been napping all day) so more tomorrow. Thanks for all the support, it was a big effort make lighter by everyones wishes. xoxo.

WOOHOO!! Glad to hear it went well. Now, get some sleep :)

Laurie hope you got my text - not sure if it went through. Sounds like the walk was a great success! What an experience!

Congrats Laurie, on a job well done. Nothing like crossing that finish line...especially when there's a good reason! Good job!

I was afraid I would be late is saying, YaWhooooooo I new you could do it.
My server was down for the last 24 hours, But I was on turpo power yesterday and was senging all that emgery to you.

Con Grats
Hugs

Job well done Laurie!!! Give yourself a pat on the back from all of us.

Congratulations to you, Laurie, and all your fellow trekkers.

You are an amazing woman in more than one way!!! It's good to hear that the walk was a great experience and the weather was cooperative. You sure deserve a good rest now.

Way to go Laurie!

Thank you to all for your congrats and wishes - I just have to post these here.

My friend and I starting - (that's me on the right)

Love the visors!!

And at the finish - note the smile. We just couldn't stop smiling - The moonwalk quotes Mother Teresa's saying "its impossible to walk rapidly and be unhappy", (well, in my line of work I'd have to add 'it depends on what is pursuing you'), but for this event she is absolutely right! We couldnot not smile. I loved every step, and looking forward to doing it again next year.

Again... Congratulations on a job well done!! Thank you for sharing and allowing us to take a small part.

Sally - it was amazing - there was a stream of pink hats as far ahead of us as we could see, and as far behind us as we could see! All reflecting!