Friends
Name Index
Friends Part II
Friends Part III
Friends Part IV
Friends Part V
Friends Part VIFerry Photos * Kids on the Ferry
Wow...folks (total strangers!) have really responded positively to these pages of photographs of my friends. On a few occasions, I've needed photographs of myself to accompany reviews, and for years I really had nothing worthwhile. I had pictures of "things" on Orcas, events, but not great photographs of my friends, nor of me. So, in 2000, I started snapping, sometimes handing the camera to the subject to shoot back at me. It's becoming an expensive hobby, but it is fun for now. If you're one of my friends and you aren't on these pages yet...I'll get to you eventually! I am WAY behind scanning! Also, the "rules" for this page...recent shots that I take or the subject takes of me. This is like a "fresh take" on things, so don't go plowing through your old photo album. Most are pictures taken of friends on Orcas Island, but New Age music fans will seem some familiar faces. My family is also getting the treatment, too. Will put up a separate index for them.
See the shots of the preparations for the Summer Solstice Parade.
Antoinette Botsford
My bestest friend, Orcas Island storyteller Antoinette Botsford, enjoys her new tambourine
at her surprise (belated) lingerie party to celebrate her marriage to Vance Stevens, below.
I also gave her the album TARANTATA by Allesandra Belloni (Sounds True).
A must have for wild women everywhere!! Below, she shares a diamond moment with her hubby, a jeweler who crafted the ring she's admiring. We became best friends by one day (ten years ago?) just DECIDING to be, inspired (if I recall) by a book titled CIRCLE OF STONES. One day, I decided to call 911 cause I couldn't breathe. But I called her first. She sometimes tries to doll me up, but nothing sticks. Nice try!
Sandy Anderson and I have been friends for a long time. We always promised we'd do lunch one day...for years! Eventually, we did, and now have dinner together almost weekly at some Eastsound restaurant. Bilbo's Mexican Restaurant is a favorite haunt, but this day, we ate at Outlook Inn, a century old inn right at the tip of East Sound. One can actually walk to Indian Island at low tide. Sandy's a talented writer and playwright whose one-act was just accepted for production at the county's one-act play festival.
We never lack for things to talk about. I'm shown in a rare moment, mouth shut.Mary Meyer
This classy lady is the talented Mary Meyer, who can play almost anything by ear with grace and style, and say it in eloquent Spanish, too. Si! Last fall, she played piano on one of the Norwegian cruise ships. Mary's so animated, it's hard to get a good picture of her as one lively expression leads mercurially to another. Mary's the music director for our local production of "Nunsense," and I have had the greatest fun turning pages for her. See photos of us in our nun outfits! We often went out for something after rehearsal, and she never seems to tire of my stories, nor me of hers. Mary hit a real clinker (let's say a stinker) one day at rehearsal, and I had to smack her knuckles with a ruler. But honestly, Mary transposed in all sorts of keys to accomodate the performers. Susan Osborn, below, played Mother Superior with a broad comic flair, and of course, vocal prowess.
I first heard Susan's voice on Paul Winter's Common Ground album singing "Lay Down your Burden." I thought, "I'd give ANYTHING to hear this woman sing live!" A few years later, she's movin' not five miles from my house here on Orcas Island, and I now do PR for her performance venue, The Living Room. (I'm probably very behind updating this site...sorry!) At any rate, we were both involved in the local production of the musical comedy, "Nunsense." (I turned the pages for Mary Meyer). At the rehearsal break, the backstage doors were flung open, and the trees outdoors were bathed in liquid golden light of the setting sun. Susan was twirling around in the parking lot, the light catching the fire of her auburn hair. Actually, this grandeur is a typical reaction for her, as she's shared her wondrous voice in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Grand Canyon, the U.N., the Japan Olympics, and the memorial services at Hiroshima. After bathing in this magic, we both decided that Orcas was a pretty cool place to live...after all.
Chara Curtis lives in "nearby" Anacortes. It's nearby if one ever leaves the island, that is! (I seem to get off every the rock six months.) Chara is one of the best writers I know, and I met her when I worked for Illumination Arts. Her children's book, All I See Is Part of Me, is their bestseller...a classic. She also writes for big folks and is leading journal writing workshops. We love to chatter up a storm when we can get together. Now, this next story, you won't believe... Susan Osborn and Chara "Patty" Curtis
Chara Curtis has been a friend for years, as has Susan Osborn. As a matter of fact, they've shared position on this photo page for many months! I finally lured Chara from Anacortes to visit me here on Orcas for Susan's concert, the debut of her album ReUnion. Susan is from Minnesota and began her introduction of "Nola" talking about Austin, Home of Spam. Chara gasped, and Susan asked, "Oh, is someone from Minnesota, then?" Yeah, said Chara. "I lived in Austin." "Oh, when would that have been, then?" "Between 1955 and 1959," replied Chara. "Well, I lived there then, too! What school did you go to?" Said Chara, "Banfield." "Well so did I! What was the name of your second grade teacher?" "Mrs. Tollefson." "SO WAS MINE! How old are you?" "Fifty." "Oh, my God! Me too. WE WERE IN THE SAME CLASS!!! What was your name? Mine, of course, was Susan Osborn." "Patty," said Chara."I don't think I remember you," said Susan. "I don't remember you, either. I'll bet you had a crush on George Wright!" "GEORGE WRIGHT!!!" Susan screamed, covering her face, laughing. "I don't believe it!" Chara said, "He took me to see 'Lady and the Tramp.'" "Well, did he now? Well, he chased ME home every day from school for four years. He lived four houses down....Now I wonder WHO was the tramp in this picture?" And on it went. They also discovered they attended the same church, had the same string teacher (Susan on violin, Chara on cello). And the same blond haired girl made them both jealous. What was the name of that album again? REUNION!
JaneAnne Narrin, Reiki master, author, and poet. I first met her when she took her first degree Reiki class,where I was assisting. She remembered my burst of energy when I worked on her feet.
She went on with her Reiki training, but I did not. But the next time I met her, she was being initiated as a Reiki master. Another coincidence brought our next meeting. One night, I felt drawn to go to eat at Bilbo's. Even though I finished my dinner, I lingered over a few cups of coffee, reading a magazine. I felt I just couldn't leave for some reason. Finally, I couldn't linger any more and stood up to leave. There, at the same table (but behind a divider) was JaneAnne! She'd come to Orcas specially to find me and was discouraged we hadn't run into each other. She picked my brain about publishing, and she went on to publish her award-winning book ONE DEGREE BEYOND. Here we are eating at Bilbo's Festivo again (best Mexican restaurant in the world) in the outdoor patio garden. The feline interloper has many names -- my fav is Crab Bait -- depending on the restaurant he sneaks into and the waitress who is on duty. (Don't tell the health department.).
David. He told me his last name, but I forgot. Doesn't everyone have someone like David in their lives? As soon as he sees me, he yells, "Hey, where's your broom??!" For many years, he was a regular counterguy at Doty's A-1 (Church of Good Eats) in Eastsound. He'd dish hash and insults with equal measure. Notice, he's dressed in snazzy attire, here, his waiter uniform from the more upscale Rosario Resort. When I walked in today, he was harrassing two waitresses at once, and they were both leaning over the counter to get at him. I usually hassle him about sports, which he hates. Today, I grilled him about how he thought the Mariner's Edgar Martinez was doing, and we traded snarls.
The grey-haired lady behind the counter is Velma Doty. I think she works 24/7...either that or she has two clones! Coffee, two-bits. Day-old donuts, half price. Seating family style. "Carol, your order's ready!" (You think we're going to wait on you? Come get your own food!) The faded old sign above the restaurant reads A-1 DRIVE-IN / GOOD FOOD. It hasn't been a drive-in for over 20 years! When we say to tourists, "You can get breakfast at Doty's," they don't know what we're talking about! I doubt anyone in Eastsound knows what the sign really says. We also have a convenience store named The Village Stop. It's called that because years ago, it was named Con's Pit Stop. I asked Con why "pit stop"? and he couldn't remember. Anyway, to most of us, it will always be "Con's."
Here I am at the Marin Tennis Club (Calif) visiting with Suzanne Ciani after her 6-0, 6-0 victory match. (Made me want to get out and exercise!) We chatted for a few lovely hours before I drove north on Hwy 101 to return to Orcas Island. Suzanne lives and composes at her Bolinas home overlooking the surf of the Pacific. Her record label is Seventh Wave. If you email her, she'll answer you herself! Look for my interview with her in June's New Age Voice. A short interview with Suzanne is located at the barnesandnoble.com website. A half year later, I visit her again. See photos. Name Index
Friends Part II
Friends Part III
Friends Part IV
Friends Part V
Friends Part VI
