Meet Our Houseguest

This cute little person is spending about 10 days living in our hall bathroom. He isn't our foster, he is Rosemary's. Since he has an issue and she will be out of town for just over a week, he is taking up temporary residence with us (she has a sitter for the other animals at her house). His name is Benjamin Buttons and he isn't much bigger than a button. BB has ringworm, so he can't mix in with the other cats. He knows that they are out there and sooooo wants to come out and play. They would love him, too. He has a huge purr that starts the minute you come into the room with him. He plays and plays with the available toys (there are a lot) and any willing people. He has to have salve applied daily and will need a bath twice a week. I understand he isn't too keen on the bathing bit, but he really likes the salve. He was all kitten and all boy until I started putting the salve on his face, then he settled down, rolled on his back, and went to sleep. He just loved it! I'm thinking it feels like a really lush kitty massage to him. I know I doze off when I have a massage. He is much cuter than Brad Pitt, by the way.

Molly and the 4th

This is Molly. She is the 1940s American Girl Doll -- a Mother's Day present in 2006. She is shown here all dressed for the Fourth of July and sitting in her chair with her pet skunk, Crabtree and Evelyn. Molly has lots of clothes: a Christmas dress, a cowgirl outfit, Halloween costume, nightie with bunny slippers, shorts set, sundress, and a school dress.

I love the American Girl dolls. Dolls should look like little girls, not starlets and fast women. Thus my discomfort with Barbies (my daughters would tell you that is a huge understatement) and complete dismay with Bratz. American Girl dolls enable little girls to act out so many fantasies -- among them having enough money to own and dress the doll, I suspect. This particular outfit was purchased on Ebay, by the way, for a very reasonable cost. Molly sits in our parlor and welcomes visitors in her always appropriate attire.

Years ago she would not have been the only family member dressed in her red white and blue best for the Fourth. We had a sort of block party in our driveway for years. The Eastmans brought their barbecue from next door to add to ours. We set up a table and lawn chairs and everybody brought something. There were never invitations, people just came. I made peanut brittle and divinity, when Robin (the Eastman's niece) was here she made fudge, the Sepulvedas brought an appetiser, our two bachelors brought soft drinks and wine. In the early days Ruth Eastman and I usually serenaded everyone with Beach Boys songs. We used to say we had a fan club of two, and they were both deaf. Everybody brought fireworks and invited friends. The older boys got to set off the fireworks and that's how we all knew they were really grown up. Henry was always in the middle of that, too. I think that evening he was just a bigger kid. Most everyone wore patriotic colors. We set off the fireworks in the street and were sure to greet the best ones with proper oohs and ahhs. Then a new neighbor moved in and the balance changed and the party became uncomfortable. The kids were grown and it was probably time to stop anyway.

Now I help with or join the Pocket Area Parade on that day. It's nice to be a part of the community effort, but I miss the old neighborhood party. Maybe next year we will see about doing something as a block again.

The Death of an Icon

That is what seems to be dominating the news the last couple of days. His death is getting as much press as the death of a world leader might. I think I'm showing my age when I say that I just don't get it.

Michael Jackson was a good, possibly great, performer in his time. In recent years, however, he seemed to have descended into some sort craziness. Like Elvis, he just wasn't what he had been in his youth. Most of my generation had found the middle-aged Michael simply disturbing. Apparently he was millions of dollars in debt, but still living a very large life. We were never convinced that he was innocent of the charges he faced a few years ago.

It is always sad when somebody dies an early death, but it was even sadder that he had become weird Michael Jackson. There is something positive to be said when our icons are allowed to fade into oblivion before they become odd caricatures of themselves.

Shopping for my skinny wardrobe

I am starting to build a wardrobe to fit this new body and took a trip to one of my favorite stores today. What did I buy? Two tee shirts and one shirt that can be worn as a lightweight jacket or, alone, as a shirt. On sale.

Not much of a departure for me. I live in jeans/crop pants and tee shirts. Some of my friends don't wear denim and wear real tops or shirts all of the time. As I buy new clothes I will probably have one pair of dark brown "dress" pants, a pair of khakis, and plenty of jeans. Oh yes, and my basic black slinky pants and top for fancy affairs -- but those still fit and won't need replacing. God Bless knits with elastic waists.

One of the new tee shirts, however, is a different style from what I usually wear. It's tapered to fit and has a big gold butterfly on the front. Verrrry jazzy! I look almost Palm Springs. Coldwater Creek has brown pants to match it and they will be my next purchase. This is going to be fun but I will have to keep a grip on my new tendency to want to buy everything. Please let the President know that I'm starting to stimulate the economy.

Just Daily Notes

I started blogging to get back into the habit of writing, not to keep everybody up on the oh-so-momentous happenings of my exciting life. A zillion years ago I had to come up with something for a column for the Daily Aztec -- even if I had a big zilch. Time to get back to that and try to say a little something every day or so. Earth-shaking words and side-splitting humor not guaranteed.


Sacramento summertimes are not conducive to doing anything, writing included. I'm looking out the window at the playground and it seems to be too hot even for the kids right now. The slides would probably melt their Pampers. Usually there are boys skateboarding and little kids riding bikes and teenagers sitting at the benches (smoking pot sometimes I think -- oh well) and young moms and not-so-young grandmas watching the littlest children play. Our own little girls enjoyed the playground and I used to be one of the watching moms not quite a zillion years ago. That's how I made my first Sacramento friends. We bought this house to be close to it and have never regretted that decision. My desk faces a window looking out at it and it still brings me much pleasure.

Here is to playgrounds and to hot summers. May the ice in your lemonade not melt until your straw makes slurping noises!

DMV

I haven't had to physically visit the DMV to update my license in 20 years. I just send them a check every few years and they send me a new license. Not this time. A trip to the office was called for.

If you have to take yourself to them, I highly recommend the Davis office because

1. Davis is a cute little town and you can go there after your appointment and mess around.
2. Nobody else gets their DMV business taken care of there, so they aren't busy at all. It's a quick in and out. I waited only about 10 minutes.
3. It feels so much cleaner and less threatening than our Sacto DMV

I was really nervous about taking a test and whatever. This last time Alex had to renew they made him jump through hoops and I was sort of expecting the same. Not a bit of that. They took my money, made me take an eye test, thumb printed and photographed me, and sent me on my way. No written testing.

With the thought that I may be carrying this photo around in my purse for another 20 years I was ready. I had enough makeup on -- very carefully applied -- that I looked like somebody must be videotaping me. I wore an old but fairly flattering shirt (anything newer is probably a tee shirt). I blew dry my hair and used hairspray. I may even decide to figure a way to have that picture blown up for posterity.

After the DMV I did meet a friend at Peet's in Downtown Davis and we sat and talked for a couple of hours over cups of tea. Davis is a small town with lots of trees and great arboretum. It is flavored by all of the "ies" -- hippie, yuppie, preppie. They build tunnels for frogs to cross the street. It's sort of a smaller, cleaner Berkeley. I should go there more often, even if I don't need to go to DMV.

Retraining

One of the kitchen fatalities (not as expensive as a dead refrigerator) last holiday season was our nearly 30-year-old Cuisinart. It failed to be revived right in the middle of Christmas baking/candy making. I managed by crumbing graham crackers and chopping nuts in the mini-processor that came with our blender, but did replace the big guy at Macy's January sale.

The new processor is made in China, like everything else we own, and is fancier and bigger than the old one. I watched the video, tried a few chores, then didn't use it at all. In February I started the Food Addicts in Recovery program and I simply don't cook those things any more.

Yesterday there was a Father's Day feast at the McCarrolls' and I volunteered to bring the veggies and the salad. I decided to get out that shiny new Cuisinart to grate carrots and slice radishes for the the salad. How efficient it would be to do all of this slicing and grating with my high-powered machine. I couldn't remember how to use the silly thing. Had to get the manual out before I could slice or grate anything. I would have been easier to do it by hand.

So Much is Happening

Have you noticed that when you actually have something to blog about you simply don't have time to be on the computer? We spent 10 days in San Diego doing things with and for Mom, then returned to a flurry of activity so I have been quiet.

The tree is a Jacaranda (I'm just guessing at the spelling). I loved them as a child and a young adult, but haven't seen them in bloom for years and I had to take a picture. It doesn't do the tree justice. In real life, the blossoms are a brilliant purple.

We did have time while we were in Southern California to make a visit to the harbor and take in a showing at the art gallery (floral interpretations of many of their paintings and it was marvelous). We also got Mom to several of those pesky medical visits, a visit with old friends in east county, and a little shopping trip. She will be moving to be closer to us within a month. There will be a couple more working vacations to get her moved and facilitate the selling of her condo. After that, any trips to San Diego will be just vacation time.

First day home I just slept all day. Then the round of local activities started. There was memorial service for a young man who died in unfortunate circumstances that helped us remember each person makes a significant contribution, no matter what his or her circumstances. There have been three meetings, a dinner with friends, a reception for local homeless women, and a quick allergist visit for me. The cats are really ticked that I'm not spending time with them. Monday I have to go to DMV and test for a new driver's license. The good news -- I weigh less than I did 20 years ago when I had to actually take my person to DMV for an updated picture and stats. Maybe it is worth never getting to have a brownie or a chocolate chip cookie again. Now if I can just pass the stupid test. I guess I'm thankful that I'm even able to get a DMV appointment. The State of California is cutting services so deeply that one of these days we will simply find all State offices closed.

A Food Addict's monthly inventory

In my 12-step program (Food Addicts in Recovery) we weigh ourselves the first of each month and I have decided that this would also be a good time to recheck my progress to yearly goals. Here goes!

• My weight goal was reached about a month ago. I have now surpassed it by seven pounds and am within healthy weight range for the first time in about 15 years. I have reset the goal and have about 10 pounds to go to reach that one. Then we need to start readjusting my food so that I stop losing weight, but don't gain the old pounds back. This will mean adding healthy starches -- not ice cream and brownies and apple pie and peanut butter sandwiches. I miss those things, but I must say I'm enjoying the way my clothes fit and the way I feel even more than chocolate.
• The combination of the non-food aspects of the FA program and the situation with mom has forced me to rethink my commitments. I need to make time for myself (meditation, phone calls to bolster my resolve, meetings etc) to be successful in my program. I want to be able to spend time with my mother while I still have her and need to be able to see to some of her needs (laundry, transportation, just getting out to shop or have fun). My brother-in-law will be keeping his Nevada job, so Mom will be moving to be closer to Alex and me and Nancy and Ryan.
• The weight loss is impacting the closet part of my storage. No problem there. I am going to make a serious effort to inventory my cupboards and can promise that will result in better organization and getting rid of several things. If you need any kitchen gadgets, let me know. I've got a zillion of them and will be getting rid of many. Ditto vases and craft supplies. Goodness knows what else is in my cupboards. We have three linen closets in our house -- one actually used for linens -- and there is a 20 year pack rat buildup lurking in them.
• I am proud of my accomplishment in losing the weight. It has been hard sometimes. My program also requires some soul searching and I'm learning more about who I am -- and who I am not. I have already been a part of something else that makes me very proud. I don't know how much I had to do with it, but there are two young women who are both amazing. They made themselves who they are by their own hard work, but I gave birth to them and kept them safe so that they could become.

For the first time in 66 years, I seem to be keeping my New Years resolutions. Whoo hoo! This month's inventory shows good progress.