Mets - 5 

Angels - 1

My very first baseball game was a double header at Shea stadium in 1964. What I cherish about the day was that although most of us in the bleachers were strangers, we sang together, we cheered together and for a few hours we were the best of friends. That was the day I fell in love with the Mets.

This past Sunday we went to Angel Stadium for a dual between the Angels and the Mets. They Mets have been having a not so good season so far, but I had faith they could make a huge comeback from a very bad April.

I had a hard time clapping every time they hit a homer, but pain be dammed.

 

Maud Lewis

Back in the 70's, I had a friend named Henry. He was a sweet guy whose hobby was creating folk art paintings. No shading and very simple stick figures, but oh so pure and innocent. I wish I had his talent but no matter how many times I tried, my paintings never resembled his.

Fast forward 20+ years and by chance I discovered Maud Lewis. A Canadian folk artist, her life was like a novel. Disabled and a life filled with poverty and heartbreak, but she never gave up. In 2017 one of my favorite actresses Sally Hawkins starred in the film Maudie. It is one of my top ten movies of all time which is fitting since Maud Harris is also one of my top ten favorite artists.

Back in 2025 one of my goals was to complete several paint-by-number kits. I painted Frida, RBG and retro Volkswagen bus. Mission accomplished, but I was left with close to 50 small tubs of paint. Then I happened upon a few tiny canvases on easels for just $1.25 each at the Dollar Tree. Kismet. 

My new goal is to copy a Maud Lewis painting with just a tad bit of EllenB flair. Wish me luck!

 

“I paint flowers so they never die.”

I discovered Frida Kahlo in the 1970's. It wasn’t just her art that fascinated me, but her life story. She endured endless physical pain and yet she transformed her suffering into extraordinary art. At close to $55 million, she holds the record for the highest amount paid for any artwork by a female artist.

I went to the Frida Kahlo Immersive Experience when it came to Los Angeles. One thing I loved about the Experience was seeing dozens of girls wearing Frida Kahlo accessories, like flowers in their hair and Frida Kahlo t-shirts. Count me in, because I wore my Frida earrings and bracelet.

I have seen every film made about her plus, have read and own countless Frida Kahlo books – from her biography to her cookbook.

I have learned so much from Frida. She had a lifelong philosophy of courage and determination. And most of all, she taught me to take off my blinders and see the world as she did – in full color.

Thank you, Frida.

 

FOUR THINGS THAT HELPED

1. SLING - At Urgent Care, after X-rays confirmed my broken arm, the nurse brought in two slings. A size small and a size large. I was in so much pain that I didn’t ask but assumed they were out of medium slings. I was fitted with the large sling…and it was, Large. Too large. I was in so much pain that I could barely talk, so didn’t complain. But the very next day I went on Amazon and ordered a size medium sling.

2. PJ’S - My sleep outfit has always been an Xtra Large T-shirt and cotton pants. But because I couldn’t bend my broken arm, putting on a T shirt was impossible. I ordered 3 sets of the cheapest short sleeve button down pajama sets I could find on Amazon. They do the job, and I am looking forward to donating these to goodwill.

3. SHORT SLEEVED BUTTON-DOWN SHIRTS - Prior to the accident I practically lived-in long-sleeved flannel shirts. I tried rolling up the sleeves on one of my shirts, but I still couldn’t bend my arm enough to get the shirt on. I ended up purchasing my first Luau shirt off Amazon. Wish I was vacationing on the beach in Hawaii instead of recuperating in Canoga Park!

4. A CARING HUSBAND - Every day since the accident Tony has made me breakfast, lunch and dinner. At night he brings me ice packs. He never complains. He has done all the shopping. All the laundry. He has been encouraging and sympathetic. I could go on and on, but I think you get the drift. BTW I didn’t find him on Amazon, but Veggiedate.com.

 

How I broke my humerus

It was a normal day. Up at 6:00AM, breakfast and then off to the Beehive for an hour on the Treadmill. Next on my TO DO LIST was a quick Target trip for household paper goods.

Made it home and started unloading the car. Our indoor ladder is barely 3 feet high, but I needed to be on the top rung to stack the 2 large 18 rolls of toilet paper in the garage. One down and holding onto the 2nd packet and as I tried to place it atop the first it slipped and instinctively, I tried to catch it. Missed.

It felt as if I was falling in slow motion, but it only took a few seconds for me to land on the hard concrete floor. 

Screams. Blood. Tears. 911.

 

 

Follow Your Heart - I did!

I have a long history with the Follow Your Heart Cafe. I first heard about it in the 1970’s and although I didn’t live in the San Fernando Valley, I drove the distance to sit at their counter and dine on one of their vegetarian delights.

My first date with Tony was at FYH. What I remember about the night wasn’t the food or conversation, but that in the parking lot he gave me a rose from his garden. Our visits to FYH continued throughout our relationship. So much so, that we chose to have FYH bake our wedding cake.

Twenty-four years may have passed and we still love FYH. And Tony still picks me flowers from our garden. Yesterday it was a gardenia.

On Saturday to celebrate my first outing since my accident we had brunch at FYH. Some things never change - lots of love and laughter. 

 

 

Elderly Young at Heart Perfume

My all-time favorite perfume is Shalimar by Guerlain. I wore it for so many years, that it became my trademark. After my divorce I switched to a vanilla perfume. It was expensive but it was worth it to smell like a cookie. I say that because I once attended a play where the lady in the seat directly in front of me, turned to her companion and said, “I am craving a chocolate chip cookie!” In retrospect, I think I might have used just a tad too much perfume that night.

Over the years I went from $$$ perfume to $ Bath & Body Works Calypso Clementine Perfume Spray. I love the scent of orange blossoms, and it fitted my “retired elderly” lifestyle. But then everything changed last August when I went to NY and discovered Desert Kush by Dilo. I know zilch about the psychology of perfume, but it made me feel young again. 

I then started thinking about the power of something as simple as a scent and wondered if there was such a thing as a school for budding perfumers. Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather! There are actual schools in France and throughout the US where you can learn the art of perfumery.   

I now have a new respect for the complexity of perfume. I used to only wear perfume when I went to work or someplace special. Not anymore. Someone worked damn hard to create Desert Kush and I will proudly wear it every single day.