Southern Sushi

Back to Reality

2012-01-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

We're back! What a trip!

Gifts from the Grave

2011-12-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

Had a bit of eggnog at a Christmas Party tonight so I'll go ahead and make apologies now for any content, formatting and grammatical mishaps. I wish I could have captured the pure wondrous joy on Edie's face this morning when she found that Santa had delivered her wish under the Christmas Tree. It was a magical moment and her face was not big enough to contain her smile. I will never forget that look of sheer happiness. Glory be! My mom had given my sister, Jill, a bracelet to give to Edie so we opened a present from Gram. It seems like I am always getting gifts from the grave. My mother has given me so many things and I'm constantly turning them up in my daily life..... little gifts from the grave. Edie and I went to a Christmas party at Edgar Meyer's house the other night. He has the most fabulous tree house outside and fantastic Steinway piano in his studio. I introduced Edie to Stuart Duncan, my favorite fiddle player, but she was more interested in the tree house,the laser dreidel and Riley Bubb. I loved the asparagus, the stinky cheese and the amazing musical talent per square foot. Recently, like tonight, I have brought roasted brussels sprouts to dinner parties I have attended to rave reviews. More people like brussels sprouts than you might think.

Station Inn and Belly Laughing

2011-12-23T07:23:00.000-08:00

Saw an incredible show at the Station Inn the other night: Tim O'brien and Darryl Scott. My date that night, KOOKIE, also put on an incredible show but she was not on stage. Tim is one of my very favorite artists and I usually go see him whenever he's playing in town. The only other musicians I do this for are: Richard Thompson, Mark Knopfler, Larry Sparks, and Yann Tiersen. Tim played Senor which has been on my most loved song list for many years. I am becoming acutely aware right now that I am a list maker. Before coming to the computer to blog I was making a grocery list. I think I only make lists of things I love not of what I don't like. Anyway, the combination of Tim O'brien singing and my convulsing with laughter at Kookie made Wednesday night forever etched on my list of wonderful winter solstice experiences.

In other news, Edie and I are enjoying the holidays by rollerskating, making cookies and doing good deeds. There is nothing like a bowl of oatmeal on a winter's day and nothing like the magical innocence of a seven year old to put things in perspective. Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories....

Missing Gram

2011-12-17T20:38:00.000-08:00

Busy day of holiday parties.... Nice but exhausting. This evening Edie started crying because she misses Gram. I tried to comfort her but I miss her too. We just cried together..... two brown eyed girls. Everywhere we look we see Gram but it seemed to hit home with Edie tonight that she will never see her again. I may still be in denial. I still hear her voice, but I had many more years hearing it than did Edie. She only had seven. I hope she always remembers her Gram as I know that would please my mother to no end. We love and miss you Gram.

BREATHE

2011-12-15T19:20:00.000-08:00

Still high after the Dean Lerner workshop I attended this past weekend. The setu bandha sarvangasana was heavenly. I coupled the workshop with an amazing meal with a good friend and a trip to the new bookstore Parnassus, so it was an ever so wonderful day and weekend. Praise be for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories.
I've been teaching some yoga classes at the Vanderbilt Center for Integrative Health and I love it. It's so gratifying to see people get relief from pain through yoga. I am teaching a back care class and a restorative class. I don't normally teach much restorative so it's fun to focus on the breath. It's all about the breath. It's all about the breath. It's all about the breath. It's so simple yet so challenging to breathe sometimes. I would never buy a rock or a necklace or a t-shirt with "BREATHE" on it, but I understand why one would feel the need to make such a thing or to buy it.
My Edie is unbearably precious. She says, "I don't want much for Christmas, Mom. I am so happy with you and our happy house." Hallelujah! I shake my head at all my good fortune. It's the simple things: a delicious deep breath, a happy, happy daughter, a perfectly ripe mango or avocado, and some very special friends and then some.

Ahimsa and Yoga Sutra 2.16

2011-12-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

I have many favorite yoga sutras, but today I am thinking about Heyam Duhkham Anagatam: "The pains that are yet to come can be and are to be avoided." Although Ahimsa is the practice of not harming anything, ahimsa recognizes self -defense when necessary, as a sign of a strong spirit. Do you see the connection? Just sayin.....
Still listening to Yann Tiersen, Serge Gainsbourg and Chris Thile. I saw Little Willies (Norah Jones) the other night at 3rd and Lindsey. Her voice is so velvety.

Giving Thanks!

2011-11-24T18:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I have much to be thankful for..... especially for my dear, dear Edie. It's crazy how much I love her and admire her. In the second grade curriculum in a Waldorf school, they learn about Saints and read fables. Edie is taking all the stories of Saints to heart and has developed an overwhelming desire to do good in this world. It's precious and admirable. I wonder sometimes how I got so lucky. So Larry Sparks was fantastic. Edie loved it. We were filthy dirty as we exited the cave.

I am hopelessly obsessed with the music of Yann Tiersen. It moves me. I am thankful for all of my teachers in this world-- good and bad, for the perfectly ripe avocado, for my yoga practice and study, for my dear friends, for music that slays me, and for the perfect turn of phrase that delights me. And of course, for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and Hisae, Tomo, Yusuke and Hiro.

Goat Rodeo in a Cave

2011-11-18T18:50:00.001-08:00

As I type this Edie is jumping rope next to me. She is very proud of her jump rope skills and so am I. We are listening to masters of the violin and just hanging out. We love Fridays because we try not to plan anything, and if we can successfully avoid committments after violin lessons, we enjoy hanging out together without any pressures of work and school the next day. It's as blissful as it gets, I suppose but I don't like to think in those terms. Too much pressure. As I type I hear the darling Tatiana Hargreaves fiddling in the background. So Lovely. Tomorrow we are going to hear Larry Sparks in a cave. I love Larry Sparks so much I'd go see him in a swamp, I think. I posted about him nearly two years ago. http://southernsushi.blogspot.com/2009/12/blue-moon-and-larry-sparks.html and http://southernsushi.blogspot.com/2010/01/vairagya-becoming-at-ease-with-what-is.htmlI used to think that listening to bluegrass in a cave was too gimicky but then my friend who produces PBS specials from the cave says the sound is incredible so I decided to give it a try. But, like I said, I'd go see Larry Sparks in a volcano. Edie says she's excited too, but I recently took her to the Blair School of music for Bill Monroe tribute and she could not have been more miserable. It was a good lesson for me. I have raised her since birth to appreciate folk and bluegrass music and I believe she has a discerning ear. As Del McCoury and Peter Rowan hit some high lonesome notes, I thought her head was going to explode. That night, I could not for the life of me get her to take notice of Stuart Duncan and nobody is better than Stuart Duncan on the violin/fiddle. I have been listening a lot to the Goat Rodeo sessions which has several of my favorite musicians.....my man Stuart, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, Yo Yo Ma, and Edie's buddy Aoife O'Donovan. I should plug Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono but I'll save that for another day!

Eleven Eleven Eleven

2011-11-16T19:38:00.001-08:00

Last Friday (11/11/11) evening we celebrated Martinmas with a lantern walk on the grounds of Edie's school. I am not an expert on St. Martin. In fact, I had never heard of him until this year, but from what I understood watching the 2 minute play the second graders performed, he was a Roman Soldier who came upon a freezing beggar so he took out his sword and split his red cloak in two and shared it with the freezing beggar so that he would not freeze to death. In a Waldorf School, grades one through three make a homemade lantern to symbolize their inner light as the days grow short and dark. Edie and I made a beautiful paper mache lantern of which we were extremely proud, but what I enjoyed most about the celebration was the South Park quality that it had. As the children holding their lanterns and singing sweet Martinmas songs marched into the meadow bestowing their inner light to the heavens, a team of Hells Angels on Harley's zoomed by and drowned out any sound and provided an interesting juxtaposition to the event. Then, on top of that, a homeless person showed up asking for money. Though Martinmas is all about helping those in need, most of the attendees pretended not to see the crying homeless woman who was begging for help. More ignored her than helped her, but I guess that's how it always goes no matter what the holiday is.

Death and Life

2011-11-13T06:15:00.000-08:00

It is windy and the marigold bush outside my window scrapes the window screen as I type. The flowers are still bright orange dancing in the mid November breeze. Is it global warming or just a calendar shift? In any case, it is Sunday morning and I am back. Without really having left, I have been many places. I lost my mother, Evelyn Adams Sartain, on August 10. Rest in Peace, Gram. I have reminders of her everywhere so it's almost like she is still here. I hear her voice in my head daily.... sometimes it's a chiding reminder like, "Mari Beth don't leave your shoes everywhere" and sometimes it's something she's said like, "Make sure you take good care of your little girl." I wonder when I am gone, which of my messages will replay in Edie's head. I can only hope they are messages of love, support and encouragement. Edie loved her Gram and vice versa. Edie was so good with her in her last days on this earth. We miss her and we love her and so it goes, and so it goes, and so it goes.

Eleven

2011-01-12T19:22:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all our many followers out there! We wish you peace, happiness, good health and joy. We also wish for you to be prosperous and purchase as many Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories as you can.
It's cold and snowy here in Music City. School has been canceled all week and will be tomorrow too. Hisae and her boys will come over. It's been so long since Tomo&Edie have had a playdate. Edie asked me the other day, "Mom, which friend have I had the longest?" "Tomo," was my answer. They have been good buddies since they were just a few months old. I treasure my friends and I hope Edie will do the same with her friends. It is 2011 and eleven is my very favorite number so it's bound to be a very good year!

Tomo&Edie Organic Baby Kimono

2010-08-23T19:27:00.001-07:00

Things just shouldn't be so hard. My mom underwent a second surgery today. She's a tough old bird. I can't imagine enduring what she has endured at age 80. I am reading the Bhagavad Gita. I read it once in college but am re-reading it for a lecture series at the yoga studio. It's a wonderful book and it helps me become more detached. I like not caring about outcomes. It feels good. I try to move around life with correct actions, but I am human.
I love my little Edie. I wish more people loved Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories!

Basement Garage Sales

2010-06-30T18:44:00.001-07:00

So I printed off some materials on how to have a yard sale... now all I have to do is read it and do what it says. Sometimes I confuse printing information as having almost completed the act. Oh well, oh well. I've been reading all of these books on meditation which profess that one should be being kind to oneself. I don't think that's my problem. I have to be tougher with myself. I sometimes wish I could stay angry, hold a grudge and walk all over people to get what I want. I told this to my therapist once and she gave me a sideways look and said, "No, you don't.".
I went to my yoga hero Jan Campbell's class tonight. I only aspire to be half as cool as she is now at age 77. My friend MacKenzie came over this afternoon. It was so good to see her. She used to sit over here and help us work on our Tomo&Edie organic baby clothing and vintage kimono hair accessories until she decided that she could be working for herself and actually make money. She started her own line of super cute kid's clothes. Check it out here

Summer Solstice

2010-06-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

I wait and wait all year for the longest day and then, just like that, it's over and we inch towards winter. It's spooky hot here, but not as hot as it will get. We have had several orders for our Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. One from a fabulous store in Boulder, Colorado called Poppy and another from a new store in Calgary, Alberta!

I've been a little pre-occupied with my basement. It's a place I avoid because I do not know what I'll find down there. Lately, I've been going down there every day to empty a de-humidifier and I realized that I avoid a lot of dark places in my personal life too. That which you resist persists. I am trying to tackle the areas I rather not visit-- like parsvottanasana, yoga teacher training, my storage shed, and my junk drawers. Edie wants to have a yard sale and it might actually happen sometime this fall!

2010-05-19T04:57:00.000-07:00

Edie wants glasses so I bought her a fake pair and she has been wearing them everywhere-- to school, to birthday parties, to dance class etc. I'm always amazed at her lack of self-consciousness-- I hope it continues for a long, long time.

Got a big fat re-order from the RED BALLOON in Chicago. It's a wonderful store and they have been faithful customers. They love our Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono.

Edie's graduation ceremony from kindergarten is this morning, but my little pumpkin eater is sick. She rarely is sick, but today she is just that.

Hisae, Tomo and Hiro are going to Japan next month for the entire month. I'm excited for them and for Hisae's mom and dad, Mieko and Yoshiyuki. Her parents have not met Hiro yet and boy, are they in for a surprise. Hiro is as cute as can be and loaded with personality!

Saving Trees and Wasting Paper

2010-04-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

Edie and I have been talking a lot about saving trees by not wasting paper. It's a good thing to talk about.
It's raining petals outside. The trees are exploding with blossoms and the wind blows the petals like rain.
My house once again smells like tea, as we have another tea dye bath going. I love the tea dyed Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono most of all.
I went to an amazing art opening last weekend. I love to look at art and ever so often I find myself smitten with not only a piece of art but the artist too. His name is Joel Lamar Batey and the gallery is Ovvio Arte. Check it out.

Shriek with Joy

2010-03-26T19:30:00.000-07:00

I had a friend who used to talk about type one error versus type two. Type one error is where you fail to consider all the options and parameters of a situation and then, of course, that situation gets the better of you. Type two error is where you exhaustively study all those options and parameters, and plan accordingly, only to be outsmarted by unforeseen, random factors. I am type one. Hisae is type two. The combination works well in a business partnership. I am not sure about a marriage. I am not sure if Hisae would want to marry me, but I would marry her. Not because she is type two but because she is a wonderful human being. Anyway, I better stop writing this nonsense or Gram is going to think I am going to marry Hisae. I've had a nagging headache all day long and I don't know why. Maybe it's due to all of this pondering of nonsense.

I am meeting some really wonderful people through teaching yoga. I was thinking about my good fortune in friendship today when some guy started screaming at me from his car because he could not get by me on the street. It was one of those situations where one of us had to back-up and I could tell by the rage in his eyes that it would not be him. His face contorted as he screamed at me. This might have been the first instance when I have felt my meditation practice at work. I looked at him with compassion and backed up. Sometimes staying quiet and backing away is the best option. His rage was not about me at all. This incident was on my way home from Vanderbilt Medical Group office in Franklin. I am starting to teach a yoga class to some doctors there next week. I'm excited about it.

Edie's friend Sarah came over after school. I love to listen to them shriek with joy as they roll down the hill in the front yard. I hope Edie never stops shrieking with joy.

Tonight Edie asked me which I love more: going to bed or exercising. I could not answer her question. I love them both. Right now my book and bed awaits. I am reading The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz. It's about her work merging market systems with development and social empowerment which led her to create the Acumen Fund for entrepreneurs in developing nations. It focuses mostly on her work in Rwanda but also in India and Pakistan. I've been really immersed in reading stories about people who have done amazing things to help bridge the gap between the rich and poor. It makes me acutely aware of my good intentions and lack of action, and that is what I am craving these days-- a good kick in the butt.

Kusakizome Tea (Kocha)

2010-03-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

My house is filled with the aroma of tea. I love it. We did a tea dye bath today and all the Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono are soaking overnight in big vats of tea. They are a lovely reddish tan color which I love most of all. Edie has been cleaning around the kitchen with a toothbrush-- scrubbing all the tiny little areas that are hard to reach--a little trick she learned from Aunt Gwen. It's a good day to do it as there is tea splattered everywhere. We are tired from are travels but happy. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Black Eyes

2010-03-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

Another dazzling day in Santa Cruz. We went on a half-day bike ride at Wilder Ranch State Park yesterday and it was breathtaking. I can't help but envy all who live here and appreciate it. This evening I went and saw a band called Les Yeux Noirs. I read a couple of articles about them in the local papers and it sounded like my type of music: gypsy meets Eastern European folk. It was great until the end when the two fiddling brothers did a kind of gypsy version of Charlie Daniel's dueling fiddles. I was so disappointed that they felt the need to throw such gimmicky stuff into their show, but I know why they did it..... the crowd loved it. Suckers. I could not stand to listen to another screeching note and left. Good stuff though.....especially if you like Yiddish, Russian and French folk songs.

The retailer page on our Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories website has been updated. Check it out here.

Starting Over

2010-03-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

It is lovely here-- the flowers, the ocean, the produce, the yoga. Today the weather was spectacular and Edie and I spent it at a nearby park overlooking the ocean. We stopped at a neighborhood bakery on the way and bought a treat and then I sat on a blanket and read a book while Edie played and played and played. It was blissful until I finished my book but that took about 4 hours and it was time to go home anyway. Yesterday, we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium which Edie loved. I took her there when she was just a little thing but yesterday we both enjoyed it immensely. The seahorse exhibit was amazing! I like the Monterey Bay Aquarium because the focus is on conservation and so Edie learned a lot about respecting the ocean and its inhabitants.

This evening I went to Kofi Busia's yoga class. I have not been to one of his classes in over 6 years, but when I mentioned Jan Campbell his face brightened. He spent a lot of time adjusting me and 45 minutes into the class he was able to determine what I have not figured out in 10 years of yoga practice: my right hip is the cause of all my asymmetries. I liked his class a lot and though I was familiar with all the poses, his observations made me realize how mechanical I have been in my practice. It's almost like starting over which I seem to be doing a lot of these days.

Yoga Ambush

2010-03-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

I am so incredibly high after a yoga class with Manouso Manos. He's an amazing teacher and I left feeling inspired and alive. And, we managed to find a parking space right outside the studio!

Yesterday I took an iyengar class at the Yoga Center of Santa Cruz. It was a higher level class and I arrived about a minute before it was to start. The teacher arrived several minutes later and placed herself at the front of the class and proceeded to eat. First a banana, then some yogurt and then a piece of bread with what appeared to be peanut butter on it. While she ate she asked me some questions about my yoga practice in order to determine whether or not a belonged in her class, and then she told me, as she crunched on her bread, that she usually waits to start the class because so many people show up late. Nobody would dare to show up to a Manouso class late. I enjoyed the class though it was laced with some non-iyengar style poses. In fact, I think she made some of them up. Her voice was soft and new-agey; Manouso screams his instruction in a Midwestern accent. I felt like a raw beginner in her class because it was so foreign to me. Manouso felt like home. Both were great in very different ways.

Tomorrow I plan to plug Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono with some stores in the area.

The Best Day Ever

2010-03-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

Nothing in the life of a newly turned 6 year old trumps a stunning day on an ocean front boardwalk. Nothing.

It was a magical day in Santa Cruz spent with a very dear friend and Edie. My Edie is fast asleep next to me as I type this.

I am traveling with samples of Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories.

Tomorrow the redwoods await, but more urgently my book awaits. I'm finding great solace in books these days which is something I have missed in the past couple of years. I love it when I can't wait to get to my book.

I am reading Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. It's about Dr. Paul Farmer's efforts in trying to secure health care for the poor in third world countries-- particularly Haiti. The story is disturbing, inspiring and utterly absorbing....

Lucky Girls

2010-03-13T09:36:00.001-08:00

It's been a good week for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories! We're excited about some upcoming changes. Manouso Manos and delicious produce here we come!

I've lately been reflecting on the cruelty of humankind. I think this in part due to my meditation practice, partly due to some recent experiences and mainly due to the book I am currently reading about a boy soldier in the Sierra Leone civil war.

My latest mantra is an old Melungeon proverb: If you keep getting kicked in the stomach, get away from the boot.

Some atrocities are unavoidable, but some we are lucky enough to escape.

Pretty heavy for an organic baby kimono blog.

Tomo&Edie

2010-03-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that it has been 6 years since I vomited in Percy's dog bowl on the way to Vanderbilt Hospital. Edie loves the story of her birth-- especially the part when my water breaks. I told her about it once when we were driving somewhere thinking she would never remember or even understand it. She has repeated it more times than I can count. Her version goes something like this: On Christmas eve when my mom went to turn out the porch light before going to bed, a scared and poor dog was freezing on the doorstep. My mom let her in and took care of her, and three months later my mom had water dripping down her leg and it was black because I pooped in her belly! Kiki took my mom to the hospital and she had to throw up so Kiki gave her Percy's dog bowl and she kept throwing up in a dog bowl. Then I was born.

What can I say? It's a good story.

My sweet little Edie is six years old today. She came off the bus from school wearing a crown. We celebrated by having dinner at a Korean restaurant with Tomo, Hisae san, and Hiro. Two years ago we planted a tiny little dogwood seedling for her birthday. It is now bigger than she.

May she have a firm foundation, healthy roots, be able to withstand storms and have many,many seasons of growth and blossoming beauty.

Tonite she fell asleep with her American Girl doll in their matching pajamas we gave her for her birthday.

My former boss Kashima san sent a birthday greeting. He pointed out that if you say Edie's birth date 03/09 in Japanese (san kyuu) it sounds like "thank you" We are all thankful for and to Edie.

We had another order for Tomo&Edie vintage kimono hair accessories from Salt Lake City, Utah!

Roller Girls

2010-03-07T19:46:00.000-08:00

Edie's party was a success! We roller skated, ate pizza, had cake and then roller skated some more. Edie was so happy to have all her friends there. Happy Birthday Edie!

YT and Ry Cooder and Vomit

2010-03-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

The Chieftains along with YT played a couple of shows with Ry Cooder the other night . Ry is one of my very favorite musicians in this world and so I feel compelled to post this picture. YT is one of my favorite musicians too, but that goes without saying.

Tomorrow is Edie's big birthday bash. The poor kid coughed so hard she vomited in the back seat of the Subaru. I knew it was coming so I gave her a tiny sandwich bag. She mostly made it in the bag. I remember my mom used to give me a bucket, but every time I puked right next to the bucket. I had some sort of thing about puking in a bucket because it smelled like Formula 409. It must have frustrated her to no end but I don't remember her showing it. Anyway, Edie thinks it's the Subaru's fault because last time she threw up it was in the Subaru. I remember hating my grandmother because I threw-up the oatmeal she made. I didn't hate oatmeal. I hated my grandma. And so, Edie now hates the Subaru.

And so it goes, and so it goes, and so it goes.

Sick Pumpkin Eater

2010-03-02T18:40:00.000-08:00

My little pumpkin eater is sick-- the kind of sick where you can see it in her eyes and with every painful and congested cough she says, "I love you so much mama." I stayed home with her all day and we played countless rounds of Old Maid and painted gift bags to give to her guests at her birthday party, but mostly we snuggled. We ordered her birthday cake online. She had many really gaudy choices but she chose the celebrate music cake decorated with musical notes. Maybe the days of pink princesses are behind us.
She is not sick very often so it makes us both anxious. She is sleeping soundly now- my little pumpkin eater. She did not even eat the chocolate medicine I tried to give her. A slow day for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories.

Grandmas and Gurus

2010-03-01T17:14:00.001-08:00

Edie has a little shrine to Gram in her bedroom. Gram has given her all kinds of sweet little knick-knacks which she artfully displays on her dresser. I have a little shrine to BKS Iyengar in my bedroom which I artfully display pell mell on my bookshelf. It's good to have a grandma and a guru.
I got a call about a re-order for Tomo&Edie kusakizome organic baby kimono from a store in northern California. It seems like I always get these calls when I am in the car going somewhere. Today I was going to take Edie to dance class when the call came. It doesn't matter where I am going, it's nice to get the calls.

I would love my People

2010-02-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

It's a sunny Saturday morning. Edie spent the night with her friends Lucia and Mira so I am here taking advantage of the quiet. In my meditation class, I have moved on to compassion meditation or karuna bhavana. I am empathizing with 1) those in need 2) those who do wrong or are hostile to others 3) those who are neutral -- or people you don't really notice in the world 4) those who are dear to me 5) myself. That's a tall order and it's really easy to slip into feeling pity instead of compassion. This style of meditation is more challenging than the mindful breathing or lovingkindness meditation and sometimes I can't keep my mind from wandering, but still I try each day.

In other news..... our updated website with an updated cart system should make its debut soon!

And, we are working on something else but shhhhhh. it's top secret!

The Note

2010-02-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

Each day my heart beats rapidly in anticipation as I wait for Edie's bus to bring her home. I smile as I watch that little kid disembark. Today as we walked up the driveway she said, "Mom, I have to show you something and I think you are going to freak-out." She opened her backpack and pulled out a note from the music teacher which said, "Edie talks too much in class and does not pay attention." I have to sign the note and return it. I admonished Edie for talking and she said she would do better. By this time, Ava showed up to play with Edie so we did not discuss it further. My friend Omid came over and we had a play date while Edie and Ava had one. Then my neighbors came over with their kids for dinner so we had a very active and fun evening. As I put Edie to bed, she started crying about the note saying, "I don't ever want to go back to school again" and "today was supposed to be perfect because it was my show and tell day but it was the worstest day ever!" I think my little five year old had her first big taste of humiliation and all I could say was, "Some days are like that Edie.... tomorrow will be better, you just have to go back to school and try a little harder." Some days are like that don't I know it!
We had some orders from our website for our Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono!

Falling Through The Looking Glass

2010-02-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I taught Chris Clawson's yoga class at 12 south yoga. I find sometimes teaching yoga quiets my mind more than taking a yoga class. After my performance, I had to rush to another performance: Peter and the Wolf at the Nashville Symphony. I did not realize how much Edie knew about the story and the instruments, but she translated everything for her little buddy, Ava, because the story was told in Spanish. It was really great. After the show Ava and Edie played in the sunshine-- it's been a long time coming. I can't tell you how deep was my sigh of relief and release. We had dinner with many friends at a neighbor's house and everyone laughed as I told the story of trying to buy Edie a Vienna city subway ticket at a methadone clinic in the subway station.
I just got back from Gary's Sunday morning yoga class. He did some pranayama (breath work) which was just what I needed because I've lately felt like I have been falling through the looking glass. My epiphany is this: I can't feel bad about something I didn't know I didn't do. It's pretty simple. I'm off to hike with my yoga guru, Rachel Moss Mitchell and then to a Chinese New Year's Party with my buddy Jack Silverman at some swanky restaurant here in Music City. Eight courses of Chinese yum.

Back Bends and Meditation

2010-02-16T19:35:00.000-08:00

I shipped an order of Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono to Chicago today. Edie was out of school again today because there still was a millimeter of snow on the grass though the streets were clear. I swear, this has been a rough winter for Nashville. Yesterday, we hung out at Hisae's house and made a video of all the footage Hisae has taken of Edie since she was a baby. It was quite a hike up and down Memory Lane, but it was a good one. Today some of the neighbor kids came over and asked me how to sit meditation style and then they all proceeded to pretend to meditate. Funny.

Doll Infirmary

2010-02-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

We've been celebrating Valentine's Day since Friday. I have never seen so much love and hearts and candy! Thank goodness it is almost over!

Edie has all of her dolls in an infirmary in her room. They have various ailments and injuries and she has to tend to each on before bed. I hope this means she is going to be a doctor or a nurse anesthetist.... but it's too early to tell.

I taught a yoga class at Vanderbilt yesterday. I taught backbends because it has been so cold and everybody walks around shivering with closed chests. I thought it would be a good way to open the chest and spread the love. On the way to the class someone called me to place an order for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono. They visited the website but thought it seemed easier to just call.

We're working on making our website more user friendly. I am looking forward to spring and new beginnings!

And I leave you with my dharma contemplation for tomorrow.

Better than a thousand useless words

is one useful word,

hearing which, one finds peace.

Better than a thousand useless verses

is one useful line,

hearing which, one finds peace.

Better than chanting hundreds of useless verses

is the chanting of one verse of Dhamma,

hearing which, one finds peace.

One may conquer a thousand times

a thousand men in battle,

but a nobler victor

is one who conquers his self.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-11T19:32:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned before, Edie leaves me "I love you Mom" notes all over the house, but Valentine's Day has gotten her into a heart and rainbow drawing frenzy! I marvel at her level of pure and unabated joy and her capacity to both give and receive love. I'm a very lucky Mama. Today we sent out invitations to her birthday party. She is having it at the roller skating rink and we invited her whole class. She's so excited I think she might explode. We have had a couple of orders from some stores in California for our Tomo&Edie kusakizome organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. One lady wrote us to tell us that someone had donated a Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono at a swap shop event and she loved it so she searched and searched on line for us but could not find us. I think sometimes people get the name wrong... like Tom&Eddie or Moto&Eli or Omot&Ellie .... I guess we should have found a more mainstream name but nah, we don't want to be mainstream. We just want to make a nice product that people love.

Off-balance

2010-02-08T19:28:00.000-08:00

There are big flakes of snow falling outside my window right now. You know, the big quiet night flakes that cover the ground quickly and make everything still and silent.

This morning I woke up feeling like my head was still asleep and I haven't been able to shake the feeling all day. Hisae san thinks I have an iron deficiency, but I think I might have spent too much time upside down this past weekend. In any case, I am off-balance and dizzy. I'm hoping that a good night's sleep will make this feeling go away. We sent out a marketing blitz today with a 15% discount on wholesale orders. And, we are working on re-vamping our website.

Yoga Bliss

2010-02-06T17:42:00.000-08:00

Ooooooooh I am insanely blissed out. Mary Obendorfer taught backbends in the morning session and pranayama (breath work) in the afternoon. Between that and all this lovingkindness I'm flooding into the universe, I'm completely spent -- physically, emotionally, and mentally.

I learned that these are the benefits of metta meditation:

We will sleep soundly
We will wake easily, like a lotus opening
We will have only pleasant dreams
People will love us
Non-human beings will love us
Deities will protect us, as a parent guards a child
Poisons, weapons and fire will not harm us
We will not pick at scabs on on our hearts
Our mind will be easily concentrated
Our face will be serene
Our death will be peaceful and unconfused
If we are reborn, it will be in fortunate circumstances

Guess which one I made up.

We had yet another order for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories from ZOEB Organics!

Distracted Mind

2010-02-05T07:37:00.000-08:00

This meditation stuff has not much improved my concentration. This morning I sat here at the computer to do some Tomo&Edie marketing when I heard the song "Senor" by Tim O'brien play on my stereo which is almost always set on Random Shuffle so I'm forever surprised by the next song. Anyway, I lept out of my chair and started to dance in the middle of my living room. I do this often with Edie and I probably do it more than I should by myself-- especially in long underwear. Tim's version of the Bob Dylan song got me through my long trek through the Himalayas. I will never forget giving all the Sherpas a turn to listen to it on my mini disc player. That song saved me. So then I was thinking I needed to post it on my blog, but I was unable to find a decent YouTube performance of it by Tim, but then I watched some other Tim YouTube and got kind of lost in his artistry. There is some really good old footage of him. So then I had to watch a Nickel Creek video of a song Tim wrote that makes me cry every time I listen to it because he wrote it for his son Jackson and I think every parent must have the same sentiments about their child. You can watch it here. (sorry about the commercial) It's a sappy video but a great song. So now here I am an hour later having danced, cried, and eaten some oatmeal.
I'm excited for some new changes to Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories and I better get back to work on them.
I am in an Iyengar yoga workshop led by Mary Obendorfer this weekend starting this evening. She is a senior level instructor. I have done several workshops with her and they are very challenging in many different ways. She blew my theory that in order to be any good at yoga you have to be little. She is about six feet tall and big boned. I have been sending lots of lovingkindness out there in the universe....has anyone felt it?

Metta or Lovingkindness

2010-02-03T19:44:00.000-08:00

In today's meditation class I learned about a new meditation technique called brahmavihara bahavana which I will start in the morning. There are four brahmaviharas (divine abodes) and we will work with each of them. They are: lovingkindness, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity. I am looking forward to learning this method as anapatasati or the mindful breathing technique only left me with a sinus infection-- though I understand it works well for many, many people.
Edie leaves notes all over the house that say: "I love you mom". It is the sweetest thing ever. I find them in all kinds of places and they always bring a smile to my face. Talk about lovingkindness.... By the way, "metta" is translated into the compound word "lovingkindness" because the word love is too casual and not strong enough anymore. But not with Edie, I know she REALLY means it when she says or writes it to me. Tonight I taught a yoga class to employees of a progressive software company. It was really fun. Tomo&Edie received some samples of our new organic baby kimono. It is awesome. Stay tuned for its debut!!

Five Mental Hindrances (5MHs)

2010-02-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

Oh my, with all of these hindrances, obstacles, distractions, and afflictions it is amazing I make any progress at all. In my meditation class I learned about the five mental hindrances which prevent me from meditating successfully. They are: 1) desire for sense experience 2) ill will 3) sloth and torpor 4) restlessness and worry and 5) skeptical doubt
In yoga we have 6 enemies that disturb the mind, 9 obstacles, 4 distractions and 5 afflictions which can mess up our yoga practice and quest for peace. I will spare you the details lest you find yourself trying to jump off a cliff without Deepak and Suzuki. I have not yet seen any benefits of sitting quietly watching my breath for 25 minutes twice a day while my legs fall asleep, but I do not seek instant gratification. I apparently seek instant discomfort and frustration.
Last night I watched the movie Revolutionary Road. I liked it I think, but I wish I would have read the book written in 1962 by Richard Yates. When asked about his central theme of his book Yates replied: "If my work has a theme, I suspect it is a simple one: that most human beings are inescapably alone, and therein lies their tragedy." I wish the main female character, April, would have gone after her dream instead of going along with her husband.
Okay wow, I'm depressing myself now. Though it has not snowed since Saturday morning, Edie is still out of school. Can I tell you about the sheer joy in her face as she careened down the icy slopes in her sled? This image is seared into my brain forever, unlike the five mental hindrances, which I will never have memorized due to my sloth and torpor-- roprot and thols in latin.

Snow!

2010-01-30T18:54:00.000-08:00

School was canceled yesterday because of the snow. Once again we woke up and there was no snow, but it started to fall around 10 a.m. and did not stop until this morning. Edie and I went sledding at the park down the street: Sevier Park. The conditions were good for sledding but today they were even better. There were people sledding on cardboard pieces and in laundry baskets and all kinds of creative inventions. Edie actually has a sled but no snow shoes. That was a problem yesterday, but today we borrowed some from our neighbors. Because the snow turned into icy rain at some point in the night, the hills were icy and hard and perfect for picking up speed on a sled. And, because of the full moon- the brightest one of the year, we kept sledding after dark. Our cheeks are still rosy!
Yesterday Abigail Washburn stopped by for some Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. She's been a faithful customer of ours and we love her music! She's a girl banjo player-- just that is pretty cool, but she also speaks Chinese and her music is infused with Chinese influence. Some people try their whole lives to break into the music scene, but Abby is an accidental musician. I love stories of people stumbling into a passion. I love her work with the Sparrow Quartet, and I think she is a sweet, precious light in this sometimes dark world.

Stuff White People Like

2010-01-28T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hisae san brought a book for me to peruse. She handed it to me and said, "Read this. I think I am white." The book is "Stuff White People Like" by Christian Lander. She said I should read it because "those people are our target customers." There is a checklist in the back of the book to see how white you are. I skimmed over it and assured Hisae that she is still yellow. The book has made me laugh out loud a couple of times because it is funny and true. The author went to Indiana University but he's Canadian. As much as I want to claim him, I can't.
Edie and I have been reading Nubs. She got it from the library at school. At first I was wondering why they are allowing little children to read about war, but as I got into the book I was fighting back the tears. It's a story about a marine stationed in Iraq who befriends a dog. The dog travels over 70 miles of desert to find him. Edie loves the book so much we are going to write a letter to Brian and Nubs today.
White people love organic baby especially Tomo&Edie organic baby clothing.
I ate the most perfect avocado today. It was perfectly ripe and tasty. It's like hitting the jackpot when I have a avocado moment like I did today. White people love talking about their food experiences.

Anapanasati and the Nutcracker

2010-01-26T19:02:00.000-08:00

I am learning the Anapanasati meditation technique in my meditation class. It's mindful breathing or focusing on the breath as you sit upright for 20 to 30 minutes. What I have realized is that I can focus on the breath and still think about other things. I am not a huge believer in multi-tasking so I was surprised to discover this ability in myself. I liken it to being a mother of a small child. No matter what I am doing when Edie is around, I always have my mind's eye on her. Like I can be engrossed in conversation with a friend, but I know exactly what she is doing. It was much more so when she was younger. So my breath is Edie and that stays steady and constant and then my mind wanders along its neurotic path. I'm okay with it. That's why I am taking this class. I meditate after Edie gets on the school bus and then at night right about now. We watched the Nutcracker this evening again and when I put Edie to bed she told me the song from the Nutcracker (she hummed it) was stuck in her head. My friend Jack told me the Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono he gave to his friend at her baby shower was a total hit! That makes me smile. Okay now to my meditation position.

Rainbow Monday

2010-01-25T19:08:00.000-08:00

I don't think meditation is supposed to leave me so scattered but scattered I am. I have so many topics to cover, I don't know which to choose. Some nights as I sit to write, it's all I can do to jot down some uninspired babble, and other nights I feel bubbling over with wisdom and wit. I know it's all the same: empty and I am a speck but that's irrelevant. Some nights I feel like an important speck.
Okay, so first of all, shingiku is not part of 5-S but a delicious leafy green vegetable. Hisae san brought me some fresh shingiku (edible chrysanthemum or tung ho) and I believe I am OD ing on it. I roasted it with garlic and olive oil along with Edie's broccoli and asparagus and I'm still thinking about it. You know something is good when you are still thinking about it when you are satiated.
Second of all, we had a rainbow Monday. Edie has ballet and Suzuki violin (fiddle) lessons on Monday. Her ballet teacher gave her the DVD from her Nutcracker performance so I can re-wind and be reminded over and over about how I've spent thousands of dollars to watch 2 minutes or less of Edie fighting with Ava on stage at TPAC auditorium. It's worth every penny. Edie watched the DVD and then danced around like the Sugar Plum Fairy the rest of the night. But, before we settled in to watch the Nutcracker DVD, we went to our fiddle lesson. It's funny, this past weekend I visited Vanderbilt's Blair School of Music Suzuki String Program, and I could feel people cringe as I called the violin a fiddle. I am in love with that instrument: both the fiddle and the violin but I appreciate the rich tones of the bluegrass fiddle a little bit more. So what. Though the Suzuki Violin Program at the Vanderbilt Blair School of Music is impressive, I am very happy with Edie's teacher of Suzuki Violin: Robin Sanders Eckert. She is a recent graduate of the Indiana University School of Music with a Masters in Violin Education and she is young, talented, beautiful and Edie loves her. I am not sure who enjoys our lessons more. I leave every lesson hungry for more. Edie leaves every lesson hungry. If you are looking for Suzuki Violin Lessons in Nashville, TN, Robin Eckert is your gal!
If you are looking for an adorable and unique baby gift: Tomo&Edie Organic Baby Kimono and Vintage Kimono Hair Accessories is it! I have blogged myself into a meditative stupor. Mission Accomplished!

Good is better than perfect

2010-01-24T12:16:00.000-08:00

I continue on my 5-S sojourn. Today's target is my own closet. Yikes. I will have to borrow a truck to haul everything to Goodwill. I feel about 20 pounds lighter already. Getting rid of clutter coupled with my meditation class is the best diet ever. I can eat whatever I want and still feel lighter!
Lately, I have had several new moms tell me that they love their Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono best of all.

I am thankful for Hisae san and 5-S

2010-01-21T19:38:00.000-08:00

"I am thankful for Hisae san," Edie said tonight as she fell asleep. I could not agree more. Hisae san loves to organize and finally the other day I let her loose in Edie's room (at her request). The outcome was amazing. Now all Edie wants to do is organize her room. I bet Gram is bursting with pride. I am too. Edie and I have been working hard on the 5-S's. I know the two people who read this blog will find it amazing that in my previous life in manufacturing I used to train employees on the importance of 5-S. Here for your enjoyment and my own recollection I list them:
1) Seiri
Tidiness
Throw away all rubbish and unrelated materials in the workplace
2) Seiton
Orderliness
Set everything in proper place for quick retrieval and storage
3) Seiso
Cleanliness
Clean the workplace; everyone should be a janitor
4) Seiketsu
Standardization
Standardize the way of maintaining cleanliness
5) Shitsuke
Discipline
Practice 'Five S' daily - make it a way of life; this also means 'commitment'

That's all I'm posting for your amusement tonight. We received an order for Tomo&Edie kusakizome organic baby kimono from a store in Sacramento, California!

Satya and Tolstoy

2010-01-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras talk about "satya" as truthfulness or honesty. It is mostly depicted as something shown towards others and not referenced in terms of oneself. Tolstoy says, "To deceive oneself is worse than to deceive others." Mb Sartain, another great thinker says, " One has to be honest with oneself before one can be honest with others. Otherwise one reeks of self righteousness." That is so totally deep that I am signing off for today. Remember.....Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories are filled with love and satya.

I love you like a Maniac

2010-01-19T19:03:00.000-08:00

Tonight when I put Edie to bed she said, "Mom, I love you so much- like a maniac." This poetic simile made us both smile and Edie added, "I don't know why I said that. I have never said that word in my life." It's true. I have never heard her say "maniac" in her almost six years of existence. She must have heard it enough over the years that it came flying out of her mouth naturally. I think a lot about language acquisition. I often draw comparisons to my yoga practice but Suzuki violin pedagogy preaches the same thing. Suzuki says that talent is not a gift. Children in Japan learn to speak Japanese- not because they are gifted but simply because they are immersed in the language. He says the same is true for playing the violin. Parents are supposed to play (on CD in most cases) the violin tunes the child will learn so the child is well acquainted with the music before he/she actually learns to play the songs. Just as in learning a language.... hearing and comprehension comes before speaking. I always think my yoga is like a language. I do poses over and over again but it takes some time before I make them my own and can teach them. I immerse myself in yoga and eventually I string comprehensible (and in tune) sequences together. Am I making any sense? Do I need to work more on my English language acquisition?
Info@tomoandedie.com is back on line and we received several orders while we were down. Thank you to all who can spot the preciousness of our Tomo&Edie Organic Baby Kimono and Vintage Kimono Hair Accessories!

Grated Raw Brussel Sprouts and Me

2010-01-17T20:01:00.000-08:00

Today started off terribly dreary and rainy. It was a perfect day for yoga-- so I went to a yoga class and then taught two more classes, and by the time I was finished, it was sunny! I just got home from dinner and a movie with my buddy Jack. He took me to the City House and I loved it. We had a delicious brussel sprout salad which was made from grated raw brussel sprouts. It had red onions, raisins, walnuts, and maybe some cheese and the dressing was a little sweet and sour. My description maybe does not sound that good but it was really wonderful. We also split a kale, garlic and potato pizza which was incredible. Jack eats there quite a bit and everyone knows him so the service was excellent. After dinner we went and saw the movie Black Dynamite. It was a little stupid and a little funny- just like I thought it would be.
Our email: info@tomoandedie.com for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories is down. I am not sure why but hope to get it resolved tomorrow.

Vairagya--becoming at ease with what is

2010-01-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

Today, I taught a yoga class at the new Iyengar sister studio in East Nashville called South 11 Yoga. It's a beautiful space, but it was a little freaky because the studio is located in the same building where I attended a fateful party on December 6. And so, I had to face my demons before I even step foot in the door. My theme was "vairagya"-- the practice of detachment. I couldn't have chosen a better concept on which to focus and I nailed the class. Ya!
Last night my friends had a happy hour to celebrate jumping off a cliff. Sarah and Jason, Rachel, Rj, Chris, Jack, Omid and Sadie, Michelle and Sarah, Hilary, Chris and Jason (yes, that's right: there were 2 Jasons and 2 Chris's) all gathered to wish me well. I was very touched by the kindness of my incredible friends. They all are big supporters of Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories!
Tomorrow I am teaching two yoga classes at 12 south yoga. I think my theme will be "abhyasa" or practice. It seems fitting for my current state of mind.

It's a cold and rainy Saturday night in Music City and there is no place I'd rather be than snuggling with my sweet e.
Listen to my favorite Regina Spektor song: A man of a thousand faces

And if you can stand the goose bumps, listen to the soul in Larry Sparks' voice

Jumping off a cliff with Deepak Chopra and Shinichi Suzuki

2010-01-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

Okay, yes, you should be worried. Tomorrow I plan to jump off a cliff with nothing but platitudes to break my fall. I have been seeking counsel in two books and many, many friends. All are in support of my decision and are even willing to give me a little push but nothing more.
I guess that's why it's called a leap of faith. As Deepak says, "uncertainty is my path to freedom." and "let the universe handle the details." But on a recent stairmaster to nowhere episode, I read an article in the Economist which signaled the truth sirens in my head. It was about Barbara Ehrenreich’s book “Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America” . Ms Ehrenreich sees an “ideological force in American culture…that encourages us to deny reality.” She offers many examples. At a confab for motivational speakers, she is told that anyone can achieve “infinite power” by resonating in tune with the universe. (Deepak anyone?) From a popular preacher in Houston, she discovers that God will give big houses and nice tables in restaurants to those who sincerely wish for them. After slogging through countless books and lectures, she learns that food doesn’t make you fat unless you think it will, and that you can solve many of life’s problems by avoiding negative people.
Okay, Okay my head is spinning already. I dive for Suzuki's 1969 book "Nurtured with Love" The heading of the section reads: " Five minutes every day versus 3 hours everyday." Now mind you, this is about playing the violin, but it's true about anything from Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage hair accessories to my yoga practice. Suzuki says
"Practicing according to the correct method and practicing as much as possible is the way to acquire ability. If one is faithful to the principle, superior skill develops without fail. Those who fail to practice sufficiently fail to acquire ability. Only the effort that is actually expended will bear results. There is no short cut. If the five minute a day person wants to accomplish what the three hour a day person does, it will take him nine years. What one accomplished in three months will take the other nine years. There is no reason why it should be otherwise."
So tomorrow I jump off of a cliff into hard work and no excuses.

Listening for Silence

2010-01-12T19:27:00.000-08:00

Gram made it to California. Edie and I are excited to visit!
Rachel taught an incredible yoga sequence tonight focusing on shoulders and culminating with shoulder stand (salamba sarvangasana). I loved it and it was just what I needed. I swear my neck feels about two inches longer. I tend to carry a lot of stress in my shoulders so it feels good to let some of it out. Rachel Moss Mitchell is an incredible yoga teacher and her classes always inspire me. Maybe one day in a fit of boredom she'll google herself and stumble upon this entry in my blog, or worse yet, she'll be so bored she'll decide to read my blog. If so, Rachel I love u!!
It's been a slow week for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. I just had a phone order a few minutes ago but nothing else all day. This unusually long cold snap doesn't even phase me.

Cell Phones In Heaven

2010-01-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

I think Edie's observation of Gram's illness has made her astutely aware of my impermanence on this planet. She sometimes asks me if we will be in the same heaven and beseeches me to bring my cell phone to heaven so that she may call me at any time. I feel the same way about my mama. Tonight Edie said, " I sure love and miss Gram." and it stung me right smack in the center of my heart which was already heavy because tomorrow is the day Gram moves out of the house she has known and loved for over 20 years. She makes a long journey across the country but her final destination is an enviable one to be sure.... Santa Cruz, CALIFORNIA! She'll be living with my eldest sister and her family. I know she will be happy there and it will be a huge relief for all of us who worry about her so, but I'm a bit melancholy about the change. Bon Voyage Gram! We are always thinking about you!

Tomo&Edie on Channel Five News (except no Tomo)

2010-01-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

School was closed on Friday too as the millimeter of snow did not melt. For the second day in a row, Edie hung out with Jeff and the neighbors. As the girls played outside, the Channel 5 news crew came by and asked if they could take some footage of the girls playing in the snow --Jeff and Carrie said okay not knowing that the story would be about frostbite and falling on ice! Check it out here!

I laughed so hard watching it. I'm sure DHS will be at my door any minute.
But if they come, I'm sure Edie will regale them with stories of our magical night at the Nashville Symphony. We scored some complimentary tickets thanks to my friend Jack Silverman at the Nashville Scene. Hilary Hahn was criminally good. She could not have chosen a better dress to hold a 5 year old's attention. It was red and long and sparkly, and the effortlessness with which she made her violin make incredibly beautiful sounds made us both gasp in rapt admiration. During the intermission she signed Edie's program and told her she started playing violin using the Suzuki method just like Edie. She could not have been nicer and Edie stared at her autograph for the entire second half of the concert--the Organ Symphony. The Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville opened in 2006, and I have only been a handful of times but I have always wanted to hear the pipe organ. The Nashville Symphony pipe organ was made in San Francisco by Schoenstein & Co.. This custom-build concert organ is comprised of 47 voices, 64 ranks and 3,568 pipes. The organ has been designed with a rich palette of tonal colors and will be well-suited for a wide range of music repertoire, particularly for orchestra and organ works from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mozart called it the”king of instruments.” Nashville joins a growing roll of cities like L.A, Philadelphia, and Jacksonville that have recently added pipe organs to their symphony halls. It was a magical night-- especially because we found a free parking place right out front of the hall five minutes before the show started!

Snowwomen!

2010-01-07T19:18:00.000-08:00

So we awoke to approximately 0 (zero) inches of snow on the ground. Edie could not figure out why school was cancelled, but she was happy anyway. Later in the morning it began to snow and sidewalks and streets were dusted, but the grass--not so much. Nevertheless, Edie managed to make a snow(wo)man. It it is very much a traditional snow(wo)man-- three balls of snow placed from largest to smallest, but it measures about six inches in height. It is the most adorable snowwoman I have ever seen. If I could figure out how to use my new camera, I would take a picture. I know the snowwoman is still out back because it is so cold out, it could not have possibly melted. The yoga studio closed because of inclement weather, but I went down there anyway just in case any students showed up. One did-- my precious, good buddy, Sarah, so we practiced together. Edie and I are thinking about going to the symphony this weekend because a girl fiddle player is featured- Hilary Hahn We listened to her on line and Edie thought she was good but she said, " I think that one we watched this morning is a little bit better." It was Sarah Chang. Amazing.
Today I received a phone call from a customer who placed an order from our website and asked for express shipping. We emailed her and told that the package has been shipped but she should call us with her credit card to pay for the additional shipping charge. She did. I did not expect her to call, but at the same time, I thought she might. She could not say enough good things about our Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories!! It's so nice to hear.
School is cancelled for tomorrow because the millimeter of snow has not melted. psst: my mango is deep purple. shhhh

Bruised Mango

2010-01-06T19:51:00.000-08:00

As much as I would like to post a picture of my bruised mango, I will abstain. This is, after all, a blog linked to Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. I think it would be in poor taste to post a picture of my butt-- no matter how impressive my big giant mango sized bruise is. The worst part about my fall is that I broke an AnnieGlass dish that my sister Gwen gave me almost 20 years ago. The Annieglass studio in Santa Cruz, California, was originally 400 square feet, and now is a manufacturing facility of more than 15,000 square feet employing thirty full time employees and resident artists in training, who handcraft more than 80,000 plates, bowls, serving dishes and decorative accessories annually. My dish came from the 400 square foot days and was signed by Annie. I often think I do not any attachments to material things, but I am wrong. I loved that dish-- it was a work of art.

I am reading Nurtured by Love by Shinichi Suzuki. You know, the guy who developed the Suzuki method of playing violin. It was written in 1969 so it is a little dated and a little self-serving (actually maybe a lot), but I appreciate what he says and even though he is talking about 5 year olds playing the violin, it is applicable to my life at 46. The book is littered with little mikimoto pearls of wisdom translated into blunt English. Like, "However little talent one has, one should at least try." or "To surrender at the thought of having no talent and give up the effort is cowardly" or "Look at the facts: Clumsiness is a result of wrong training." or " Ten years' effort can change inferiority into superior talent.' I could go on and on.

I will persevere with Tomo&Edie and maybe one day, like AnnieGlass, we will move operations from my spare bedroom into a storefront in Nashville, NYC and Tokyo.

I just got a message from School. It's closed tomorrow because it MIGHT snow. I'm so glad I have not made Edie's lunch yet!

Ice-pack Buttocks

2010-01-04T19:38:00.000-08:00

Oh my, my! I spend a lot of time worrying about my mother and other things so much that I am not as mindful and present as I should be. I would hate to think what I might be like if I did not have yoga in my life. Tonight I fell down the stairs. Not just a slight stumble but a full fledged out-of-control fall. I was carrying a dish and it smashed while I landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.
Several minutes passed before I could move. I was panting. Several more minutes passed before I noticed the blood everywhere. Edie stood over me crying repeating, " Mama, are you okay?" I told her to stay away because there were shards of glass everywhere. I sliced my fingers pretty good, and I have a knot just above my tailbone that is the size and feel of a mango, but otherwise I am okay. I sat there and cried. I love an opportunity to cry because I cry for much more than what it appears I am crying about. Eventually I picked myself up and put a movie in for Edie so that I could clean up the aftermath. At first I was feeling sorry for myself and then I felt lucky because it could have been so much worse. Most of all, I felt that I need to focus on me and my little girl and perhaps Gram from time to time. Nothing like a good fall to wake me up.
Don't misunderstand me.... I'm not saying I'm thankful I fell.
So after I put Edie to bed, I sat with an icepack on my butt and watched the movie Hangover. The movie is a perfect combination of absurd and stupid which makes me laugh aloud. Now I sit at the computer; it hurts my mango to sit, but alas, there were a couple of orders for Tomo&Edie organic kusakizome baby kimono! I smiled and winced simultaneously. Be careful Mama and I will be too. Don't fret, my fiddle career is not over; I have discovered New Skin!

Brrrrrrrrrr

2010-01-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

It's cold out there. Edie and I stayed at home all day until we took a late afternoon trip to the YMCA. I forgot about all the New Year's Resolutioners. The place was packed! I love getting all sweaty on the stairmaster and then doing some backbends. I hope no yogis are reading this blog. I'll be excommunicated from the community. And, that's just it: I don't care. I'm not an extremist or a purist. I think you just gotta pick and choose out of life what works for you.

So finally it's here. I've been wishing for an Iyengar Yoga blog or listserve and here it is. Hooray!

We had a couple of orders for Tomo&Edie kusakizome organic baby kimono. It always surprises me when orders come on a Sunday. Edie and I rented a couple of movies from the redbox. I love the redbox. She got Nancy Drew and I got Julie and Julia. Of course I had to cook something afterward. I made a sauce of fresh tomatoes, lots of garlic, onions green pepper, serrano pepper, and veggie Italian sausage over thin spaghetti. Maybe I was just hungry, but it was delicious.
And, in a moment of thinking I have more time than I actually have, I registered for a meditation class. It's Theravada Buddhist meditation and that is my very favorite kind of Buddhism. I guess it is quite fitting as Theravada Buddhism is about the "middle-way"-- the practice of non-extremism. See above. And below. And from side to side. Nothing's there but it's moving.

Shinen Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu

2010-01-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from Tomo&Edie Organic Baby Kimono and Vintage Kimono Hair Accessories!

Edie and I spent New Years with friends eating chocolate fondu and playing board games. We shouted Happy New Year at midnite and gave hugs all around. Yesterday Edie said, "I feel a little confused because I stayed up so late." I felt a little confused too but that is normal for me. We have been doing backbends and handstands to open up our hearts and get out the cobwebs. Edie can do a backbend on her own now. We have been doing at least five a day....They are like pancakes: the first couple are throw aways.

Blue Moon and Larry Sparks

2009-12-31T13:39:00.000-08:00

Last day of the decade and it's a blue moon. It's hard not to feel reflective. I remember many, many years ago we had a blue moon party when it happened to fall on New Year's Eve. I'll never forget how Kevin, Kelly, Jeff and I danced in the living room after the guests left. It was one of those blissful moments that will probably flash through my head before I take my last breath. At least I hope it will.
I have been listening non-stop to Regina Spektor's latest CD, and I was beginning to think I had a problem so I ventured out for some Vietnamese noodles and a stop at McKay's used book and music store. I bought 4 bluegrass CDs, Flatt&Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, and the one I listen to now as I write: Larry Sparks. Listening to it I realize I do not have a Regina Spektor problem. I've seen Larry Sparks several times over the years, but just a couple of years ago I went to his show at the Station Inn and nearly died of goose bumps because it was sooo good. Another moment which I hope flashes before my eyes before I die.
Okay, enough talk about dying. I am not terribly unhappy despite my current state of sadness. I am hopeful that this next year will be a good one for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories and for my friends, my family, and me. As Edie says.... I love everyone, even people I don't know.

Sherlock Holmes

2009-12-27T20:00:00.000-08:00

I just got home from the movie Sherlock Holmes. It was okay. Of course I love Robert Downey Jr., but I might have been more impressed with Jude Law. Anyway, it was too Hollywood for me but thankfully it did not have an overwhelming, manipulative string section sound track. Those can completely ruin movies for me. Here's what I learned on my recent travels: 1) I am not delusional 2) When taking a road trip, listen to your child when she says she is going to throw-up.
And here's what slays me: Regina Spektor's latest CD "Far". I listened to it both to and from Florida. It's an exceptional piece of work and great driving music, especially at night. Something about the darkness, the white lines on the road, and Regina Spektor made my heart infinitely lighter.
We will soon be introducing some new stuff to Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories!

Peer Pressure

2009-12-24T16:21:00.000-08:00

Edie learned to ride a two wheeler in about 30 seconds today! The neighbor kid came over to play with Edie. I went in the backyard to pick some grapefruit and when I came back around front Edie was riding a bicycle. Sometimes peer pressure is good. I would have taken a picture but I smashed the digital camera earlier this week when it fell out of my pocket as I was engaged in a running race against Edie. I lost. Today we had some orders for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. One was from Craftsbury Kids. Craftsbury Kids has placed many, many orders from us over the years. I am a big fan of their website. Check it out here.

And today is Christmas Eve.... Before we left to see Gram, I made sure that the house was staged to look like Santa Claus had paid us a visit so that Edie would have a big surprise when we got home. But today Hisae, Tomo and Hiro went to my house to ship some kimono. Tomo could not figure out why Santa had already visited Edie.....

Acceptance

2009-12-23T17:01:00.000-08:00

I have never been one to go crazy over the holidays.... if anything, I tend to recoil at obligatory gift giving and thoughtless celebration. This year, I am struggling more than usual as I prepare to move my 80 year old mother out of the home she has loved for over 20 years. She does not want to leave but she has accepted that she cannot live alone any longer. I am in awe of her fierce sense of independence and her unwavering will. I hope I have absorbed some of it.

I continue to be touched by the kindness of people. It is only fitting that I should be with my mother yesterday as her feeding tube was removed, as I was with her when it was inserted over a year ago. We thought the day would never come. While I waited for her at the hospital, I got in a conversation with a volunteer worker at the reception desk. She is a retired school teacher and a single mother who raised three kids who are all grown. She had tears in her eyes as she spoke of her good fortune to be able to give back. I swear I think I was going to start bawling there at her desk but luckily another patient came up to ask her a question. And then there is Cha, my mother's next door neighbor. She has done so much for my mother that there is no way we could ever pay back the favor. And that's just it. Cha does not do it expecting anything in return. She does it out of love. We ate dinner tonight with Cha and her extended family which, I guess, includes us!

I was so happy to come home and find a couple of orders for Tomo&Edie kusakizome organic baby kimono.

BELIEVE

2009-12-21T17:32:00.000-08:00

We started our day with fresh squeezed organge juice. Yum. Edie is so good and loving with Gram. She even chastized me today when I was talking loudly on the phone while Gram was napping.... I guess she forgot that Gram does not hear that well, but it was touching to see her looking out for her. This evening we went to look at Christmas lights.... they were spectacular and Edie loved it. We came home and snuggled and watched Polar Express. We believe!

Gumdrop Patrol!

2009-12-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

Today was the big performance of Nutcracker.... it was an amazing production. Edie and Ava were gumdrops. My friend Omid came over afterwards. His girlfriend dances in the Nashville Ballet version.... he said she could get us backstage at tonite's show but I figured one Nutcracker a day is plenty. Edie got a splinter in her foot this morning so I was afraid that she might not be able to dance, but the show must go on and so it did and my little gumdrop danced around like no tomorrow.

After the show I had to hand deliver an order of Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. I shipped it on Monday but it never arrived so I hand delivered it to a customer in East Nashville. Edie and I were going to go to an Xmas party this evening but we decided to lay low and make presents for some friends and family.

“force is force...matter is matter...will is will...the infinite is the infinite...nothing is nothing” - tolstoy

Making Cookies and Thinking to God

2009-12-18T16:03:00.000-08:00

Edie made some cookies today with her baking set she got from Gram. She made sesame cookies and gingerbread cookies while listening to christmas music. Joy to the world may the Yuletide ring! On the way home from her fiddle lesson she did not say a word so I asked, "What are you thinking about, Edie?" She replied, "I am thinking to God." "About what?" I asked

"I'm asking him some questions." "What's his answer?" I asked. "God doesn't talk; he just listens." And what can I say to that? I just smiled.

I spoke to Pee Wee Herman today. He did not order any Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono or the vintage kimono hair accessories. Maybe next time!

Yoga is my friend; Jordan is Edie's friend

2009-12-17T12:05:00.000-08:00

This morning the kindergarten classes sang Christmas carols at the all-school assembly. I had not realized Edie knew so many songs. I could tell she was lip synching during some parts of the show, but I did not want my money back. She LOVES her friend Jordan and I think Jordan loves her back. It's hard to tell by this picture whether Jordan is made happpy or terrorized by Edie. Right now I listen to Norah Jones' new record and brace myself for the Nutcracker rehearsal this afternoon at TPAC. There is nothing like an auditorium full of screaming, dancing girls to knock you off your axis. And that is why yoga is my friend: it grounds me, it challenges me, it makes me face my demons, and it delivers me from sorrow. Yoga is my friend.

Oh and I almost forgot I have other friends.... a big shout out to my friends at POPO for yet another order of Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono. They say it is their "go to" item for people who need a present for a baby and they don't know the gender. The perfect unisex gift for a baby.

concentrating to forget

2009-12-13T19:41:00.000-08:00

I just finished a three day intensive yoga workshop with Dean Learner
The timing could not have been better. I always feel so blissed out after a workshop-- sore but in a good way-exhausted yet alert. He's one of my favorite Iyengar teachers because he is so normal and has such a gentle spirit.
We've had lots of holiday orders for our tomo&edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. The coolest thing is when people call me and tell me how much they love them. It's such a nice thing to hear.

well, well, well

2009-12-10T19:31:00.000-08:00

For the not so keen observer it would appear that I have not blogged for a couple of months. It's actually been about a year and a a couple of months. I do not wish to tell you what I have been doing but let's just say I am back.
My mama is still hanging in there and so am I, but most importantly so is Tomo&Edie.
We've had some really nice stores order from us and lots of good press like this one from Daily Candy
I heard even Tiger Woods had a Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono for his child.
Hiroki is nearly one. I think when I left off, Hisae san was still pregnant. It's FREEZING outside and we have slowed down for the winter to reflect in quiet contemplation. My head hurts from all the quiet contemplating....

More Orders Less Effort

2008-10-22T11:29:00.000-07:00

The orders keep trickling in and that's exciting. Yesterday we had an order from Hawaii and also Rhode Island. Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono are practically selling themselves.
The days are shorter, nights are colder and the leaves are turning colors. My mama continues her struggle to get better and Edie and I think about her all of the time. C'mon mama, get well.

Distractions and Yoga

2008-10-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well, I have been delinquent in my blog postings. I apologize to all three of you who read it. My mama continues her battle to get well. Hisae's san's belly is swelling like she has a oblong watermelon in it. My belly is shrinking thanks to my trainer, Don Jole. For whatever reason, two days a week I look forward to meeting 12 other women at the park down the street from my house at 6:15 AM. Yes, that's AM. There, we work out under Don's direction and whistle and he kicks our butts.
We are receiving lots of orders for Tomo&Edie from stores around the country. This puzzles both of us as we do almost nothing to promote our product. You can check out some of the stores that have placed orders recently
Oh Baby Austin
Kidz N More.... Garberville, Ca
WhipperSnappers.... Santa Monica, CA
The Green Egg..... Manchester, MA
Hatched.... Jamaica Plains, MA

And that is just from my pitiful memory.... Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono is slowly overtaking the onesie.

Back to Tomo&Edie Organic Baby Kimono

2008-09-29T16:14:00.000-07:00

Wow.... I'm back from my blogging hiatus, and I can't believe that my last post was about bra shopping. What a dufus I am.
I had several calls inquiring about Hisae san. I guess I left people hanging. I am stunned anyone actually reads my ramblings about nothing.... Anyway, Hisae san is fine. She continues to go to physical therapy where they teach her yoga like moves that she could have learned from me over the past 5 years....My mom, however, is not out of the woods yet. I spent an intense week with her for which I am grateful. It was just nice to be with her.
We've had several orders for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories, thanks to Allison and Ginger. No more writing about underwear, I promise.

Doctors and More

2008-09-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

Hisae had to get more tests done. They have yet to find the cause of her excruciating back pain. Gram continues to see at least one doctor a day, if not more. I was feeling a little left out so I went and had a mammogram. Looks like everything is okay on that front and I celebrated by buying myself a new bra. I love going to Rebecka Vaughn lingerie store where they measure you and make sure the bra fits.
I taught a yoga class tonight and I felt like the students were not liking it very much. Then after class, several people told me what a nice class it was. It's strange how different the teacher's experience can be from the students. One of my students even asked me if I would teach a yoga class for golfers if he set it up. I would love to because I think yoga could really help a person's golf game.

My former yoga guru is at home watching the Republican Convention. This is very disturbing. Her spouse claims to be a Libertarian and he says that McCain is the closest to being a Libertarian.

Babies and Bed Rest

2008-09-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

Hisae is on bed rest. Last Friday she had been complaining about her back hurting, but I did not think anything of it because she prepared at least 6 dishes using my vegetables from the barefoot farmer. She has more energy being pregnant and having back pain than I do on a good day. But today the pain was so bad she drove herself to the hospital where they ran several tests. Her baby is okay and she won't hear the results of the MRI until tomorrow. And despite it all she kept asking about how my mom is doing....
My mom had some doctor appointments as well. Her attitude is good and her outlook is even better. That's important when you're about to start radiation and chemotherapy.
My long lost friend in New Hampshire called. She's having a girl! She'll be getting Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories for sure!

PoPo and ZoeB

2008-08-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

More re-orders from ZoeB and PoPo.
PoPo says that the Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono is there go to item for people looking for gifts and don't know the gender of the baby. Our kimono go both ways.
Edie and I called Gram. I love listening to her talk to Gram. For Edie, there's no more magical a place than Gram's house. It could be because it is glistening clean and that seems magical to Edie.

Oprah, Allison and Gram

2008-08-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

Well I just haven't felt like writing... My heart is heavy with concern for my mom. Her illness is a little more complicated than what we originally thought. Edie and I are sending her vibes to get well. She a tough lady so we know she can pull through. Edie wants to have many more tea parties with Gram and so do I.

We keep getting orders and requests for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. Allison will have our stuff at the ABC show in Las Vegas next week. We hope to make it to Oprah!

Thinking About Gram

2008-08-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

Last night while Edie and I were on a run-- I was running and she was riding in her jogging stroller, I told her we should think about Gram because she is not feeling well. About an hour later after we got back home Edie said to me, "Mama, you don't have to tell me to think about Gram. I already know and am always thinking about her. "
ZoeB place a re-order for our organic baby kimono and so did Bebop Baby Shop in Essex Junction, Vermont. They placed an order for our vintage kimono hair accessories.

Full Moon Pesto

2008-08-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

Edie and I have been sending get well wishes to Gram. She painted her a picture today that we are going to send with her school picture. We cleaned our house all day today. Edie is a great helper once she gets focused. She helped me make a cake and some pesto for some friends who came over for dinner. Spunky Sprout placed another re-order but that's nothing new.

It's a BOY not a BABY GIRL!

2008-08-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

It looks like Tomo is going to have a little brother! He'll be wearing Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono but probably not the vintage kimono hair accessories.
The other day, we received an order from the woman who owns Sassy Pants in Fairhope Alabama. We want to give her a shout out because us women owned small businesses have to help each other out!!
In other news, Gram is still feeling puny but seems to be getting closer to a solution for her maladies. Edie and I are giving Gram a shout out too! Get Well Soon Grandma! Edie demands.

Gram

2008-08-07T19:37:00.000-07:00

I'm in Florida with Gram. She's lost some weight but looks pretty good. She is giving me a hard time about everything from my hair to my toenails-. This is an excellent indicator that she is on the mend. It's a relief to see her and her perfect closet with every item of clothing perfectly pressed and arranged by color. I did not inherit the clean and organized closet gene.

Organic Baby Clothes

2008-08-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, sure is hot out there. I had a double mocha latte this morning and I have not stopped buzzing all day. Let's hope we're getting lots of orders for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories at the ENK show. The other day at my other job at the YWCA, I gave a co-worker one of my Tomo&Edie cards with my address on it. When I handed it to her she said, "Oh my God, That's you? " Apparently she has been to the website numerous times (but has never placed an order). It's funny because I see her everyday and she had no idea.

Gram is on the mend but it is slow. Today her next door neighbor, Cha, who is vacationing in Michigan, called me in a panic because she could not get a hold of my mother. Luckily, I knew she was at the doctor. Cha is the best neighbor in the universe. Not only does she check up on my mother daily but she makes her some of the most delicious home-cooked Thai food. I'm so thankful for Cha. She looks after my mom like she's her own mother. She is accruing a lot of good karma, that's for sure.

Batman and Tomo&Edie

2008-08-04T19:14:00.001-07:00

Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories are making their debut at the ENK show in New York City. It's a huge show with lots of stuff but nothing as cool and functional and our organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories.
I went to an incredible Jan Campbell yoga class tonight. She just got back from studying with Patricia Walden so she had some new material. It was great. Last Friday I hung out with my former yoga guru Rachel and she was smoking cigarillo cigars and talking about networking. I thought she was kidding when she asked me if I minded if she smoked a cigar but she wasn't. Apparently she has been smoking them for some time. I was speechless-- just as I was after watching Batman. It was so bad I could not think of anything to say. The sheer length of the movie and the relentlessly obnoxious sound track almost did me in.

Hot and Hot

2008-07-30T20:23:00.001-07:00

It's been spooky hot and humid here. The kind of hot that scares you and makes you reach for the water bottle. I don't remember this kind of hot as a kid. Yesterday mid afternoon, Edie and I set out to deliver the neighborhood newsletter and after half the block Edie said, "It's too hot mama, lets go home." That made me realize that my reaction to the heat is not age related. Edie is four and I am double four and we were both miserable.
Despite this heat, I have made some sales of Tomo&Edie organic kusakizome baby kimono!

Tomo&Edie and Angelina Jolie

2008-07-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

Gram is on the mend but Edie has a bug. She stayed home from school today and will tomorrow too. We went and saw Angelina Jolie in Kung Fu Panda. Edie enjoyed it and it elicited a couple of chuckles out of me. Monday is pick up day from the Barefoot farmer and I got some of the sweetest corn I've ever tasted. Edie and I shucked the corn on the front porch and she had to tell me not to eat the catepillar that was crawling on one ear as I devoured another ear raw. She also told me I should cover my eyes during a scary part of the movie. She's a good pal, to be sure.

TGIF

2008-07-25T20:30:00.001-07:00

Thank Goodness it's Friday. It's been a hectic week and I'm ready to clean my house! I've been told that July is the slowest month for baby boutique retailers. We've had a lot of hits to our website but not as many orders as we like. Surely people can see the beauty and functionality of our Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories! Edie talked to Gram on the phone. I think it did them both good.

Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono and gram

2008-07-24T19:55:00.001-07:00

I just got home from another "Burn the Mortgage" fundraiser. I have met such interesting people and had so much fun participating in these events. I am always amazed at the reaction and the excitement around helping other women get out of abusive situations. It seems that women are conditioned to tolerate unacceptable behavior and the trends are showing that it is only getting worse. All I can tell my sweet E is that she shouldn't play with kids that are not nice to her. She quotes me all of the time saying that. I think it might be the best advice I've ever given her. She doesn't heed my advice to not talk to strangers: she'll talk to anyone. I haven't really told her about Gram being sick but tonight while I was putting her to sleep she asked, "When are we going to Grams?" I replied, "When do you want to go to Gram's?" She answered, "How about in three days". I think she needs to check on the hedgehog, the tiny clock and the replica of Lester. I need to check on my Mama.

Tomo&Edie&Gram

2008-07-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

Today was busy, busy, busy. I did not get a chance to talk to Gram, but my sister Gwen told me she is getting stronger day by day. One thing is for sure: we do not want her in the hospital. We want her back on the lawn bowling greens showing the newcomers just what finesse means when it comes to handling bowls.
Edie dances all of the time. She has some sort of inherent grace that floors me.
Tomo&Edie played after school at my house with Calvin, Bram and Satoko. They had a blast. Hisae is starting to feel better but not much. When she talks to me I get the feeling that at any second she is going to make a mad dash for the bathroom to vomit. I guess this is not very nice talk for a blog, but it's true.
We got some orders today for Tomo&Edie vintage kimono hair accessories!

Bad Manners

2008-07-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

I was talking to someone this evening and he did not have the manners to put his iphone down and stop texting or responding to emails or whatever it was he was doing. i was so grossed out by the whole thing that I stopped in mid-sentence and walked away. I was repulsed by him. I think next time I talk to him, I'll bring a calculator and start adding numbers up while he's talking-- maybe bring a piece of paper and jot down equations and then occasionally look up at him before being summoned by my calculator to do some more math. That's how ridiculous it is. It had to be intentional because anyone knows how rude it is. Anyone.

We are working on our order for Red Balloon for kusakizome baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories.

Gram is feeling better but not back to her old self yet. Edie keeps asking to go visit.

Tomo&Edie

2008-07-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

Edie and I just got home from watching some jazz music on the lawn of Belle Meade Mansion with Ava and her mom, Hilary. Ava and Edie did some original free form dancing and I almost felt sorry for the band because all eyes were on Ava and Edie. One old guy said to me, " I was wondering if they were twins, but my wife said they get along too well to be siblings." Gram is getting stronger every day and Edie asks about her all of the time.

Gram and Red Balloon

2008-07-18T20:30:00.000-07:00

Things are looking up. Gram is feeling better and we got another re-order from Red Balloon.
They placed an order for our Tomo&Edie organic kusakizome baby kimono and our vintage kimono hair accessories.
Gram sounded much better today and was back to talking about food. That's a huge relief. I celebrated with some calamari and cold sake.

Thinking bout Gram

2008-07-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Edie thinks about Gram every day. Other parents are always asking me, "Are you going to Florida?" They ask this because Edie is always telling everyone that she is taking a trip to Florida. She loves going to Gram's house and making sure everything is still there: the glass hedgehog, the tiny clock, the replica of lester, the beach glass in a vase, and all of her toys in the basket. Most of all, she likes to make sure that Gram is ready to have a tea party.

Heavy Heart

2008-07-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight my heart is heavy as my mother, Edie's Gram, is sick. She already has CLL- chronic lympohocytic leukemia, but she has managed that like someone half her age- someone aged 39. But she got an ear infection and now is sidelined by pneumonia and is weak as a kitten. Thankfully my sister Gwen got there yesterday and came to her rescue. She needs some TLC and red blood cells, pronto. Edie loves her "Gram". In her pretend play, she is always going to Florida and sometimes she asks me to play the part of Gram. Gram has introduced Edie to some of the finer things in life: petifores, fine china and grape shears not to mention the OCEAN. I am inspired by the way my mother has embraced her life as a senior. She is active, well travelled, very social and extremely talented at her sport: lawn bowling. I aspire to do the same when I am her age. Wow, it just occured to me: Edie will be just about half my age!
I do not care about Angelina Jolie and whether or not her kids are in Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono. I just want Gram to get well soon. The picture is for Gram. It's Edie (and Ava) in front of the Maypole.

Angelina Jolie's Knox & Vivienne and Tomo&Edie

2008-07-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

Angelina Jolie had her twins and we can only hope that they are swathed in Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono.
Today we got an email from somebody trying to place an order for multiple items on our website. We are still trying to correct that problem, but this quote was at the end of the email. I love it.

"Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty"
"I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing."

Socrates

Earnshaw's and Tomo&Edie

2008-07-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

We are in the July issue of Earnshaw's magazine and we've already had several calls. We are thrilled that people so love our organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories. They are meant to be loved.

Did anyone give Nicole Kidman a Tomo&Edie Organic Baby Kimono?

2008-07-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

That's the big question. She had her baby this morning-- Sunday Rose is her name. I think it's a lovely name. I have a friend whose wife is named Sunday. It's a lot better than Monday, that's for sure or February for that matter. I've never been a big fan of either.

Instant Gratitude

2008-07-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

Edie was right. She felt better this morning. She woke me up saying, "Mommy, it's time to get up." She was right next to me and we snuggled and then I saw a darkness come over her face as she remembered her tumble and pulled the covers off of her knee and and examined her boo boo. We talked about the fireworks and the big boy who ran her over and then we got up and started our day much like we do everyday-- we made some tea, let the dogs out and then sat in the chair and marvelled at our good fortune. This basking in gratitude does not last long because Lester, our pug, is usually scratching on the door ready to come in and eat.
We have a new sales rep on the east cost: Ginger. We are excited to work with her so I spent part of the day getting some samples of Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono, kusakizome organic baby kimono and vintage kimono hair accessories ready to ship to her.

Fireworks

2008-07-05T20:53:00.000-07:00

Tonite Edie and I went to the Nashville Sounds baseball game to see the fireworks. We timed it perfectly. We got there at the top of the 8th inning. So not only did we get to park right next to the entrance but they were no longer charging to get in. So we watched two innings of baseball and then watched an awesome fireworks display. It's great because you can sit in your stadium seat and watch the fireworks directly above you. Edie loved it. Then they let the kids run the bases. Edie wanted to do that so I went down with her and then told her she could run by herself. She started off and before she got three steps down the first base line, a big kid ran her down and she went face down. He realized what he had done and turned around to make sure she was okay, and she got up grabbed my hand and continued running. But her knee and hand were scraped and bloody and her pink dress had red dirt all over it. I was mad at myself for not assessing the situation better. I should have waited with her a little bit so that all the big kids had finished and then let her do it. Also, I was mad at that big kid for plowing her down. She was so shaken and demoralized. It made me sad, but I was also proud-- she got up and kept running. I know life's trials and tribulations will knock her down over and over again... but the important thing is she got up, dusted herself off and kept running. She said, "I just want to go to bed. I'll feel better in the morning." Her wisdom takes my breath away.

Majestic Logwood Baby Kimono and Angelina Jolie

2008-07-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

Tonight I taught my yoga basics class. I love teaching that class because I know how it feels to be a beginner at yoga. I think I feel that way every day of my life. I'm impressed by my students' aptitude and body awareness. I would like to credit it to my brilliant instructions but I know better. I just read that Angelina Jolie is in a hospital on the Meditteranean near Nice in the South of France. I was tempted to expedite some Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono to the location, but I refuse on principle. She can afford to buy her own Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono. As I write this, I am washing our latest logwood kusakizome organic baby kimono, and I think Angelina Jolie would love to wrap her twins in these. The color is majestic and unisex. Lovely, if I do say so myself!

Organic Baby Kimono Tomo&Edie and Birthdays

2008-06-30T18:56:00.001-07:00

I took Edie to a birthday party today. One of her classmates turned six. Edie is four but she can hold her own. I marveled at the way she asserted herself. She tells people exactly what she wants and needs and she says it loudly with no apologies. She does not allow anyone to help her do anything and if they try she yells, "I can do it myself". She says this even if she can't or has never done it or seen it before. It's remarkable really and I guess that is why I am remarking on it. One thing that makes me incredibly happy is that I know she will never settle for scraps. She wants the cheek of the fish and the heart of the artichoke and nothing less.
I looked up and saw her sailing across the backyard on a zip line, just like Dora the Explorer. She amazes me.

Yoga, Nap, Sushi and a Movie

2008-06-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

That was on my list today and I accomplished everything and then some. I even did some promotional stuff for Tomo&Edie organic baby kimono.

Practicing Detachment

2008-06-25T20:03:00.001-07:00

I went to Kinkos to get something laminated. They told me that it was risky because it was big and wrinkled but I decided to do it anyway. I think Kinkos is excrutiatingly overpriced and I was stunned at the price they quoted, but I went ahead with the project. Then the woman from Kinkos called me to tell me that it probably couldn't be done and if she did laminate it, there would probably be a giant air bubble in the middle. I said, "it is what it is". I got the impression that she was expecting me to be angry. She said I was very zen-like in my attitude-- from the very start when the guy at the counter told me it couldn't be done and then she told me it was too big, I did not resist but just kept focused on my goal of getting it laminated. Eventually she acquiesced and agreed to take on the project but that was before the air bubble. The fact is I was not emotionally invested in the outcome and was not grasping at a particular result, but at the same time I did not give up. I wish I could face all things in my life with similar detachment and grace.