Thanks for the email

Dear Madonna,

It was great to open my inbox this week to see an email from you. And although the schedule change to your Buenos Aires concert dates doesn't really affect me, it's an interesting coincidence as my friend Beverley just got back from BA and sent me a lovely long email about her stay there. Another coincidence - Beverley and her husband, David lived in England for six years in a village not far from your estate. Oh - but are you moving back to the U.S. after the tour/divorce?

Beverley is a Tango afficionado and studies -very seriously - with an instructor in BA. I, on the other hand, am "Tango Girl, interrupted", having taken classes at Rhythm and Motion Studio for just over six months, then stopping and re-starting just last month. Thankfully one of the guys who comes to my weekly West Coast Swing practices drags me around for a Tango or two on Tuesday nights. It's really an exercise in submission, though, compared to West Coast.

Beverley insists that the "macho" reputation of the men in BA is overplayed, though she paints a picture of the Milongas where 60-year-old-men will only dance with 30-year-old women, and only when they - the men - ask (demand?) Where are these men's wives? Why does the culture prohibit a woman from asking a man to dance?

Busy week ahead and Christmas just around the corner....

Ciao,
Julie

Wanna Buy a TV?

Dear Madonna,

Silly question, I know, but may-be you can pawn it off on Guy in the divorce settlement rather than letting him have the all the state-of-the-art equipment from your home theatre. Mind you, he's probably the only one who watches television in your household anyway. Football matches with all his lager lout mates. I'm guessing you don't let the children sit mindlessly in front of a TV screen any more that you would allow them to eat cheese.

Anyway, I've just posted the TV on Craigslist and hope I can find a good home for it. Barb gave me hers, which has been replaced by a lavish flat-screen that fits over the fake fireplace in her new house. My TV belonged to my grandmother and when I repaired it a few years ago I was assured that sets of that era are actually worth fixing, as opposed to the more disposible varieties built and sold today.

Consumerism and the economy are certainly getting a great deal of attention these days. I went on little "VV Boutique" shopping spree with Theresa last week, and always feel a bit virtuous dropping off more items than I actually buy. As well, the things I do buy are truly recycled goods. (Although I now have to race Theresa to certain sections of the store as we seem to have the same taste and can often wear the same size.)

A busy, festive December is just around the corner....

Julie

Dear Madonna,

Well it seems like the absolute ultimate in vanities but I recently hired a professional photographer to take nude photographs of myself. Modesty prevents me from posting them here, but Joris also took a few shots of me clothed - including the one above. You can see examples of his art photography at: http://www.barenakedgallery.com/

And what am I going to do with these pictures? Well I'm not planning to use one of them for this year's Christmas card as my friend, Scotty suggested. Nor will I be putting together a coffee table book called "Sex" - LOL. My friend, Louise had Joris take pictures of her when she turned 50 and she has three of the more discreet ones displayed as a tryptich over her bed.

What's new and exciting with you? Oh, yeah. You're on the cover of every gossip magazine in print. Well at least you're busy on tour and I assume you have a lot of "people" to take care of all the divorce details.

By-the-way, the dress I'm wearing above is one of two aqcquired when Cava-Girl was here last May. The designers used to be swing dancers and their label is called Doll Factory by Damzels. You should check it out the next time you're in Toronto.

Gotta go...lots to do and it's a short week for me. I'm heading to Cape Cod next weekend for Swingin' New England.

Ciao for now,
Julie

Thanks, Madge!

Dear Madonna,

We just finished our Thanksgiving weekend - yes, it's earlier than the American Thankgsiving due our northern climate and earlier harvest. It's not quite as big a deal here, although most people do get together with family for turkey dinner. I didn't. I took on a long-planned painting project during the three days off, and went out dancing every night.

And then last night I joined my old friend Barb in her new home. Not old as in ancient - she's our age - but old as in I've known her for more than half my life. Barb just bought a house with a lovely backyard in the west end of the city. We sat in her vaulted-ceiling dining room on elephant hide (don't ask) chairs, drinking Cava, and she made an interesting comment about YOU. She said that you've done "us" a big favour letting the world know how hot 50-year-old women can be.

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'd just like to show our appreciation.

With gratitude,

Julie

Happy Feet

Dear Madonna,

I don't know if I told you or not, but I was approached by Dave and Linda Corke, dance teachers in Ottawa, to endorse some dance shoes. (Dave and Linda also sell shoes and run an embroidery business.)

So back in August at the Chicagoland Dance Festival I had Kermit Duke, a professional photographer who works a lot of the dance events, take a bunch of pictures of me in the shoes Dave and Linda provided. It was my idea to pose on the white piano outside the hotel's ballroom. We did a few shots of me lying on the piano (again my idea) and then with my feet on the keys (Kermit's idea). Dave and Linda finally chose one with me sitting, hugging my knees, ankles crossed, and blinged it up a bit for their use. What do you think?

How goes the tour?

Julie

Ahhh...Nino

Dear Madonna,

The Twosome Dance Event was another dance-filled weekend. In addition to my own classes, I "assisted" Nino Digiulio of Chicago with his. I also performed a demo with him on Saturday night, and Nino deejayed the Salsa/West Coast Swing room for late night dancing.

(He was a real class act in so many ways....recognizing me as the "local pro" and following up with a gracious thank you email this week. Check out his site: http://www.mayihavethisdance.com/)

I'm looking forward to a bit of a break, though. Tomorrow will be my first day off in nearly a month. I know, I know, it's not like I'm on a grueling multi-city concert tour, but c'mon...you've got people.

The weather has been awesome and I've been using any excuse to get out and enjoy it. But I do think it's time to deflate by balcony bed and get ready for Fall.

Julie

'Yes, I love Madonna!' declares Guy Ritchie

Dear Madonna,

So your hubby, Guy, is in town for the Toronto International Film Festival. You were missed at the opening and after parties, of course, but we all know you're on tour.

Great that his new film, RocknRolla, is getting good reviews, and he has been countering all the rumours about your rocky marriage by emphatically saying he still loves you. How sweet.

It's a short week for me. I'll travelling to Buffalo on Thursday for the Swing Niagara Dance Championships. My student dance team, which I've told you about, will be competing against a team from Ottawa. I'm also helping out with the hotel arrangements to give the Event Director, Maria Cirino, a bit of a break.

Hope you're having fun out there on the road.

Julie