a polymath at 13

My 13 year old daughter has been tirelessly working on a project writing, illustrating, animating, directing and film editing a fantasy story about mystical wolves. The main character is an unusually powerful but misfit girl wolf who must discover her true self.

Here is the trailer for the future animated movie:

Her abilities amaze me, but it is her determination and passion that makes me the proud father I am.

To see more of her work, here is her YouTube channel:
Silvermoonwolfkaala

on sale now

A Pet for Petunia is finally published and available for purchase!

Do your neighborhood a favor and buy local.

If that isn't possible, buy here.

Falling

I don't even know how to begin describing what was the most terrifying, physically challenging and helpless 3 hours I have ever spent.

I fell as I was getting up from the toilet on my way to bed. What happened, I have no idea. Perhaps I missed the support bar on the wall or my right leg gave out. I have noticed it has become weaker lately and assume that is due to the nerve damage and my spinal stenosis.

Regardless, I fell on my left side, cut my elbow and quickly discovered I couldn't move or get up. I almost panicked and felt totally helpless. The main problem was that since my left shoulder has been frozen for the last 10 years, I have absolutely no strength in that arm. There was nothing I could use for leverage with my right arm. I spent about 15 minutes lying there trying to figure out what to do. I knew I had to find a way otherwise I could have been lying there for days or weeks. I should probably keep my answering machine hooked up.

I began rocking my hips end back and forth so I could eventually face the doorway. Don't know how long that took me. From that point on, I was able to inch myself forward slowly. Probably took me over an hour to reach my bedroom rug which I thought would provide more traction. I realized that I would never be able to reach my phone so calling 911 was useless. I need leverage in order to get up with my artificial knees. I can't kneel on them anyway.

So slowly I continued at my snails pace and eventually reached the side of my bed. The challenge then became how to get up and roll into it. I mustered all the strength I had left and managed to shift my position so I could use my bed and the night table for leverage with my right arm and then finally rolled into bed totally exhausted. This entire exercise took over 3 hours.

Falling is always what I have feared the most but I discovered how little strength I have left. It scares me. And how helpless I am when it happens.

This incident confirmed how tenacious, determined and how much pain I can endure. But don't want to repeat that lesson.

I slept well and woke up with some pain and bruises and rug burns on my elbow which I expect will continue to surface over the days.

Perhaps it is time to think about getting Lifeline. Seems quite necessary when one lives alone and with health problems. I will look into it.

Anyway, I am okay tonight Thank God. An angel must have been watching over me.

~ Tutte ~

The Best Thing About Dreams

The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake,
when you don't know the difference between reality and fantasy,
when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened.

~ Unknown Author ~

First Date

On our first date, my husband had a yellow rose bud in hand as he greeted me. Coincidentally, I wore a navy dress with tiny yellow rosebuds.

They became our symbol of love and needless to say were incorporated in my wedding bouquet and all the decorations.

On our first wedding anniversary I sent a bouquet to his office with the same flowes included in our wedding. Shortly after I received the same and assumed the Florist had made a mistake. I phoned and was told it had been delivered to the correct address, Needless to say, my husband had had the same thought. How synchronistic was that?

In my last letter to Arch the week he died, I included a yellow rosebud. The circle was complete. I will always treasure this flower for the Love it represents to me.

~ Tutte ~

par-tay!

Those wonderful people down at The Secret Garden Bookshop in Ballard are hosting a gathering to celebrate the publication of A Pet for Petunia, my first work as an author/illustrator.


Everyone is welcome, there will be foodstuffs and libations, I will sign books and be shy and nervous all evening.


Here's the nitty-gritty:

Thursday, January 27 at 7 pm

The Secret Garden Bookshop

2214 Northwest Market Street

Seattle, WA 98107-4024

(206) 789-5006

Stop in and say hello!

Today's Tragedy

Once again my heart bleeds. Today, on behalf of all the victims of the Tragedy in Tuscon, Arizona. 20 innocent people were gunned down, 6 dead. For what? Some deranged young person who bought into the vitriolic diatribe continously perpetrated on the Inernet, Radio and TV spewing fear and hatred for the sake of ratings and profits.

I become exponentially pissed off with the world we live in. Is there, will there ever be a solution? I doubt it. I'm so happy I'm as old as I am and remember a peaceful time when there was no fear, could leave home without locking a door and the focus was on our helping our neighbours.

A time prior to the advance of High Technology/Gadgets and where there was no fear of being observed or where our privacy was invaded. A time in which autonomy was a given.

Had a long precious chat with my son Ryan in Japan and this topic came up for discussion. His response to my concern about 'Big Brother' (High Tech) was the we are all still free to use it or not. One must become aware that whatever is posted on the NET, phones etc. is available to the Globe. If one wants to retain some form of anonimity it is based on our choices. As are most things in life, except what the forces of Nature brings our way. Everything in life seems to always come back out our choices and accountabilty.

Of course there are many exceptions, particularly in terms of birthplace, family, backgrounde etc. that makes life far more challenging for some than others. I don't have an answer to all the questions that percolate in my mind but life seems so unfair for so many. WHY? will always be my question.

This High Tech revolution is happening so exponentially that no one has enough time to really study the overall effects on Society as a in the long term. Who will set in place the moral parameters and guidelines to provide some foundation? More questions?

~ Tutte ~