Anthony Victor Mann, Deceased, Brother of Tee Mann

From Tee's FaceBook page.

We are the issue of Justine and Isham Mann, pictured here on a happier day. From left, Anthony Victor, Tarpley Blair and Timothy Isham. Last night Tim and I lost our brother to interstitial lung disease. He came to visit for Thanksgiving, developed shortness of breath, was hospitalized and remained in ICU until he died. In addition to his siblings he is survived by three nieces, a nephew, and six great nieces and nephews and his girlfriend of ten years, Joy Sawyer. Life events alter one's perspective. Basically, all I need is the air that I breathe. And, to love.

O God our Father, Creator of all the living,
we entrust to Your gentle care
all those we love who have gone before us;
and have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again. . . .

Eternal rest, grant unto Anthony Victor Mann, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May the souls of the faithful departed
through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

Where's Tarpley?

I think this photo is stunning and one that should be featured in Tee's home.  Yes, this is our Tee.  It was taken at the Grand Mosque in Oman.

Tee is on a grand journey, and you may follow her on her blog:  http://wherestarpley.com/ .

Here is another photo from the Grand Mosque, made in the main prayer room.  

The chandelier is one of the largest ever made, and the silk carpet in the room is the largest single Persian carpet ever made.

Tee Mann Long & Grandson Simon

In the French Quarter, New Orleans

Tee, Judy, Lyle and Family Members at Commander's Palace

Lunch at Commander's Palace in New Orleans this afternoon. Am seated between (on my left) my first BFF, Lyle, when we were 5 and Judy, BFF beginning in 5th grade. Next to Judy is her husband Frank and grandson, Andy. Next to Lyle is my daughter, Jocelyn, and grandson, Simon. Rain, rain and more rain but this did not stop us from an open air speedboat through the swamps and the St Louis cemetery tour!

Tee Mann is Starring in "Margherita"

 

Tee is cast as Margherita Sarfatti, Mussolini's muse and mistress in the play, "Margherita," in a staged reading of this play at the Kennedy Center on Saturday, August 30th at 1 pm. Those of you in the DC area, please come. Free admission to this annual Page to Stage event. Tell your friends! Here is a clip from the first rehearsal.

The Production of "Tony and Gary"

Two years ago I met at a social gathering a young documentary filmmaker. Having watched an unusual story unfold over 20 years, I wrote to her a week after the party and proposed a film idea, told her I would pay her expenses to and from New York and that my brother would house and feed her for three days. She was excited about the story, went to Georgia, shot 12 hours of footage and, then, I did not hear from her again until a few weeks ago when she sent me the completed film.

The back story of this film is that my younger brother, Tony, became the legal guardian of Gary, a mentally retarded, paranoid schizophrenic, after he read in the newspaper that the fate of this unfortunate man, who regularly came into the studio to watch Tony make furniture, was to be a ward of the state of Georgia, i.e., institutionalized. Tony went to court and petitioned to become Gary's legal guardian so that Gary could live in the home that he grew up in.

This is a tender snapshot of the relationship between two artists, one who has an MFA in sculpture and the other who collects and displays halloween decorations.

Tony and Gary

(Note from Ouida: Tee's film follows this post or you can watch on YouTube.)

Tee Mann - Autobiography

Tee At Home In Meridian

You say you don't remember a cascading fountain in Meridian? I'm referring to another Meridian, a neighborhood, fifteen blocks north of The White House on 16th street, or the "Avenue of the Presidents", where I moved in 2005. I live across the street from this beautiful spot in a new townhouse that has panoramic views from the east, overlooking the Capital to south, the Washington Monument, west to the new Air Force Memorial and all the way north to the National Cathedral.

I was drawn to investigate living here for two reasons. The first is obvious: I grew up in a town I loved named Meridian. Second, is a piece of family history. Where I am sitting is where my father proposed to my mother in 1933. Meridian Hill Park was closed from 1968 (following the riots in DC when Martin Luther King was assassinated) until 2005. Fate brings me to this place.

Other news since 2003 is that I continue to have the good fortune of excellent health, as do both of my daughters , their husbands, my six grandchildren, my 92 year old mother and my two brothers and their families. My former and current spouse have not had the same good luck. Ed, my ex-husband, father of my daughters, was diagnosed in November, 2007, with aggressive, light-chaining, multiple myeloma of the spine. He is quite diminished, is in a nursing home, and my older daughter, who had a baby in February, is his conservator. Ed and I are on good terms, so I have been involved in his care, primarily helping my daughter and Ed's wife. Jay, my second husband, has emphysema/COPD and has been hospitalized numerous times in 2008 for inability to breathe. Both Ed and Jay are wonderful men so I am saddened by their failing health.

Today is June 27th. So far, my pick for the best film in 2008 is "The Edge of Heaven" and the best read is, "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle."

Enjoy summer.

Tee Mann

Can't wait to see how this posting turns out! First try and with Ouida's help, I did get the photos up, but, now I can't see them and already have forgotten which ones I highlighted. Think the first one was of my 93 year old mother and me, taken on Mother's Day, 2008. We are windblown, having just emerged from a spin in my brother's porsche 911, top down, and 90 mph.

The second photo is of me with my six grandchildren taken in March,2008. No, I am not all bent over, just trying to keep my balance as I hold a 23 pound child on my hip and try to not slide down a 75 degree hill. Now I am curious to see if my text matches my photo post. Probably not. Anyway, hello. Am enjoying seeing the pictures all of you send in.