Dewey Details and Other Distracting Drivel

We Hoofed and They Honked

2006-06-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

Dateline: Sunday morning. Vasona Park. Los Gatos, California.

For about an hour, Justine and I trekked around the park with other grown ups and kids wearing matching blue shirts. All for a good cause - raising money for Kidsave. You can read more about the organization at www.kidsave.org . By the end of the trail, Justine had a cramp and I was ready to escape. We drifted off from the rest of the crowd and stopped for a bit on a bridge over the creek that meanders through the park. Suddenly there was raucous honking. We glanced down to find a whole flock of Canadian geese swimming our way. They brought the kids, too, and the whole family strutted up on to the bank just long enough for a photo op.

(Is it just me or do all my blog entries now revolve around feathers?)

The Plucky Piano Princess

2006-06-10T16:19:00.000-07:00

"June is a jolly time."
~ Justine Allegra Dewey

Sure `nough. Justine, her piano teacher (pictured above) and the whole family celebrated her completion of Suzuki Piano School Volume 1 with a solo recital in front of friends (i.e. Sara and Hannah) Friday night.

The spotlight was on our little miss as she tickled the ivories with such memorable hits as Au Clair du Lune and The Honeybee. Her fingers looked so dainty and her back so straight....I couldn't help but chuckle remembering agonizing practice sessions at home while she flopped around on the piano bench, banged the keys and then loudly and dramatically bemoaned her fate and the injustice of having to practice piano!

Practice does indeed make perfect. She did a great job.

P.S. Weird postscript to an otherwise family friendly entry.....all this talk of duck again this past week set me up for a bad, bad craving. Broke down today and took the kids to the local Asian grocery store deli and bought a cooked duck for dinner as well as some bok choy to sautee. Justine cried when she saw the chef chop up the duck with his large knife. He may as well have yelled "Bad mommy! Bad mommy!" as he slammed the knife down and ripped the greasy duck apart with his hands. I'm so sorry for the bad mother moment. Can't help it, though. I jones for the fatty, salty taste of duck at least once a year. Wherever you are, manDrake, and as much as I miss your strutting and your quack, please know that deep down inside, I'm really wondering how you might taste.

"Life is like inventing recipes: When the results are predictable, it's not half as fun."
~Val Weaver, former editor, Vegetarian Times

Weird Things on the World Wide Web

2006-06-08T19:09:00.000-07:00

Just too weird to even adequately comment on!
http://www.biography.com/home_page/dead_celebrity_soulmate.jsp

manDrake, Phone Home!!!!!

2006-06-07T18:24:00.000-07:00

An anonymous source sent me the following article today:

http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060602082109990015&ncid=NWS00010000000001

I realized with horror after reading it that it has been almost a month since I have seen Mr. and Mrs. Duck.

My last encounter, in fact, was with manDrake in the front yard shortly after the May 8th post. It was early in the morning and I had stepped outside to get something out of my car when I heard a loud, attention-grabbing QUACK and saw manDrake make a sharp left turn in flight (I kid you not) and head straight toward me, landing in the yard and demanding food and drink.

So what's happened to them? Where have they gone? Could it be them in the photos? And whose hand is that fondling their bloody livers?????!!!!

Just a Short Visit

2006-06-04T14:37:00.000-07:00

So I've been carrying around this quote from author Martha Beck all week and sharing it here and there with a few select friends who know I'm borderline nuts but still seem to like me:

~Your first priority of the day should be stillness, attention to what you really know and what you really feel. Don't 'network' into meaningless relationships with colleagues who bore you; find the people who can make you laugh all night, who turn on the lights in your heart and mind. Do whatever feeds your true self, even if it's not a safe bet, even if it looks like a crazy risk, even if everyone tells you you're wrong or bad or crazy~

This week I tried to follow my intuition more. It took me down a few exciting and scary hatches but in some instances it was definitely worth the adventure. In others, there seemed to be a necessary lesson to take away.

Today when I woke up my intuition told me to first spend some time with the kids; we are apart too much during the week with work and other activities. On the weekends they are wanting lots of Mom time and cuddling and attention. We resumed an old ritual that we hadn't performed in awhile - drove over to Noah's Bagels. I enjoyed watching them eat their giant toasted asiago cheese bagels. Justine polished hers off in a strategic yet dainty way. Jonathan....well, he had more of a "do what feels good" approach and by the end of breakfast had 8 out of 10 fingers covered in cream cheese.

It seems like they both had different but ultimately successful approaches. When Mark came home after tennis I followed their example and made a strategic- yet-dainty-do-what-feels-good intuitive decision and went to the nearby Quaker meeting for the first time.

This was a "silent meeting" where the Friends gather and sit in the silence of the presence of God. It's sort of like a Buddhist meditation, complete with the usual monkey mind going on inside for the approximately one hour meeting. Should I go the mall later? Oh, God. Is that my stomach growling? Look at that woman's toes. They are all painted different colors. Odd. I wonder if they let people borrow the books off the shelf over here. Am I staring at the books too much? FOCUS! Hey, wow, look at that guy's long beard!.....

About halfway through the meeting I noticed the sunlight in the trees outside and heard the cars on the local freeway, overlayed with the sounds of a squawking blue jay and chirping sparrows. Finally, the monkey inside settled down just a little and I understood why the silent service feels meaningful even when no big messages from God seem to be bolting into the consciousness.

At the end a few people stood up and shared inspirations and thoughts. Two people talked about bringing more balance into their lives. Finally, one man stood up and said (I am paraphrasing here):

"I have a contradictory thought to this talk of balance. I DON'T want balance. I want to be amazed! Recently I was camping in northwestern Nevada. It was sunny outside but when I stepped outside my tent the next morning I saw beautiful snow on the mountains. I... was... amazed!"

That's it, I thought. That's the message I came to hear.

I don't want balance. I don't want guarantees. I want to have more adventures, rock the boat a little and feel more deeply along the way.

Amaze me.

Mother's Day Missive

2006-05-14T08:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Lovely weather yesterday in the Bay Area. Looks like today will be beautiful, too. I know, I know....the weather again. How repetitive!

Mark's sister Barbara drove down from Lafayette yesterday for a Slugger's game. Justine and her team finally seem to be coming together now that the season is drawing to a close. They pulled off a 10-7 win. I'm so proud of them for hanging in there during losses and coming back every game and trying it again!

Later in the day, Barbara took us all to dinner at a favorite family-friendly restaurant at Santana Row. The kids decided to dress up and make it an extra special night - Jonathan even wore a vest and tie and Justine gave us a preview of her piano recital outfit. They looked great. Both getting so tall and grown up. Wish I'd gotten out my camera, but the moment is gone. Another time perhaps.

When Barbara gave us hugs goodbye, I felt a little sad. She and her husband will be moving away soon as his job is taking him more and more to far away places. She has been a frequent babysitter for the kids since Justine was born and a constant presence in our lives. I think I took her for granted too many times over the years and too often was a little jealous of the bond between her and Mark. Now that she's leaving soon, I'm appreciating her more. Isn't that always the way?

I'll be leaving, too, soon so this is the last blog entry for awhile. Need to take a hiatus to sort through some personal business ("Wait," you say. "You have a blog. Nothing is personal business anymore!"). And yet....I've found that some things ARE too personal to post on a blog! Check back in a couple of months and maybe I'll have dropped back in.

Let's just say the ducks made me do it.

The Dewey Doolittles

2006-05-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

Are the animal riffs getting old yet? Well, good! More where those came from!

Mrs. "Sophia Loren" Duck (hey, her initials are the same as mine - SLD!) and her new manDrake stopped by this evening. They waited out on the front lawn after we got home from work and school and stared at us plaintively through the window. Resolve weakened, I broke down as I imagined a half dozen starving duck babies hidden away somewhere in the neighbor's lilac bush. With a flourish I brought them a handful of bird seed and scattered it like a sacred offering on the freshly mowed lawn. Apparently, this was acceptable brown nosing on my part as they then let me get closer than ever while they ate - about three feet away. manDrake even looked tempted to take some seed from my hand a few times! After a few minutes of duck gossip and news, I went inside and got them a bowl of water which they lapped up appreciatively. I'm sure if they had brought their purses, fanny packs or wallets they would have left a large tip for my thoughtful service. In Duckville, though, large tips must involve crapping on the lawn as a gift to the compost gods. Well, I'll take what I can get!

After I served them, Mark and I peeked out the front window. manDrake was at the front step,trudging forward toward the door with the same determined look in his eye that I've seen coming from unwanted door-to-door solicitors.

"He looks like he's coming to knock on the front door!" I squealed as we watched. Sadly, he couldn't seem to figure out how to waddle up the six inch step and finally gave up his quest.

I like manDrake. Is this a new mate or a new and improved Mr. Duck - who knows? Maybe all that mating drama over the weekend made him appreciate Sophia even more and he's mellowed out in the process. Perhaps he's been working out at the gym, too. The cane is gone and the green feathers on his head look extra shiny.

In the meantime, inside our home, we've had another animal relationship miracle! Belle has fallen madly in love with her cat scratching post. You may remember that when we unveiled this gift earlier this year she sniffed it and greeted it with complete indifference. Last week she suddenly started curling up on the top perch, having an evening snooze. I don't know what changedbut it was sudden and swift. Maybe it had something to do with putting the bird feeder out back last week. She does get a better view of the action up there.

All in all, animal love is strange. I wonder if I'll ever understand it.

Head Spinners

2006-05-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

Just Who Are the Quakers? We've lived in Santa Clara for eight years. Before that I commuted regularly to SCU law school for three years. So I feel as though I know every nook and cranny of the city, every back road. And yet....and yet, a new surprise: The oldest Quaker meeting house in California is right here in Santa Clara, off of a road that I think I have passed by a thousand times. I was so stunned and intrigued by the discovery that I almost went to the meeting this morning just to experience it but chickened out at the last minute. Quakers apparently hold meetings in a very simple unadorned building and let the spirit move them rather than engaging in the kind of priestly-led rituals of the Episcopal Church and other religions. The thought of sitting there in a room not knowing what to expect or how to behave was a bit unnerving. But someday my curiosity will get the best of me. Expect a full report.

Duck Soap Opera - Mr. Duck has competition. Three drakes were chasing Mrs. Duck around the neighborhood yesterday, making quite a fuss over her. Belle was sitting near the door looking at me with her cat eyes open wide as if to say, "What in God's name is all that racket out there?!" I mean, isn't she elderly? But, vavavoom! She must be the Sophia Loren of Duckville. By this evening, she and the apparent winner of the day were out front under our gingko tree pecking for the seed that Jonathan scattered earlier for them (we moved the bird feeder out back so as not to annoy the neighbors - some of them are the types to cut down trees so they don't have to rake leaves....nevermind....trust me, it's just easier NOT to attract their attention). Honestly, despite a close examination from the window and front porch, I really couldn't tell you if this is a new guy or Mr. Duck. The only clue I have is that earlier in the day a lone drake showed up barking for seed and I could have sworn HE was Mr. Duck...His demanding duck voice seemed familiar and I kept expecting him to wave a cane around. The "Mr. Duck" who showed up tonight was more subdued and seemed more interested in quietly chatting with Mrs. Duck instead of ordering me around. Maybe she finally got tired of Mr. Duck taking his blood pressure and refusing to renew his Viagra prescription.

What's the Right Thing to Say - Whinny or Huh? I have to start taking my camera on walks! Yesterday I decided to trek on foot over to Santana Row - Mark and the kids gave me a one month pass to Club One gym for Mother's Day. En route, I walked past the Wells Fargo bank on busy Winchester Avenue and felt a pair of eyes following me. When I looked up, I stopped in my tracks - a brown gelding was standing on the asphalt peering around at me from the back of a horse trailer where he was tied up. Apparently, he stopped to get some cash out of the ATM. Either that or his owner likes to ride him to Westfield Valley Fair. I nodded to him and smiled and could have sworn he returned the greeting with a smirk on his horse lips.

Godiva To Die Fah - Justine and I were at the mall recently to indulge in her favorite hobby -shopping. Walking past Godiva (one of my hobbies is eating chocolate) I noticed a sign for a chocolate drink with whipped cream - Chocolixer. I dropped by today to try some. All I have to say is: oh.....my.....God!!!!!!!! Thank God I only get diabetec when pregnant. Life would be way to short to live without stuff like this.

Jonathan's Song - Jonathan wanted me to include some lines from his latest song writing effort: "Can you read my mind? A pickle a pepper juice. Can you believe my mind? A pickle of apple juice."

Countdown to Italia

2006-05-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

Go ahead. Do it. I know the thought's crossed your mind. Probably the last time you walked into a tourist trap packed with fellow travelers holding the same copy of Fodor's or Lonely Planet. Throw the guidebooks away. Or burn them in protest. Either way, your trips will improve dramatically.
--Honeymoon with My Brother
Franz Wisner

We're on the downhill slide to the Italy trip. Another sign that the year is moving swiftly.

Donde esta Susan? Ok, that's Spanish, not Italian (which I think would be "Dove e Susan?" but don't bet on it).

To my frustration and amazement, the seemingly forgotten Spanish that I learned 18 years ago in college is oddly leaking back into my brain while the Italian is barely sticking despite my studies. The other night during Italian lessons I referred to "las personas" instead of "le gente" for "people" when answering a question about what I could see out the window and my Italian teacher from Croatia burst out laughing. "Spanish again?" she said.

Oh, well. Hopefully our taxi drivers and wait staff will speak a little Spanish, too. Or be completely patient while I mangle their beautiful language and flip through pages in my pocket dictionary.

Sigh. I'm excited but scared, too. This trip has involved so much planning since the start of the year. Maybe too much planning. Like most every other part of my life, I've gone out of my way to make sure we know where we're going, know that we'll stay on the right roads and not get lost.

Maybe Wisner's right, though. The best trips are when you throw out the guidebook, follow your instincts and look for the delightful hidden places. And maybe the best times in life are like that, too - when you stop playing it safe and keep your eyes open for the unexpected.

But I am set on one plan: eating some gelato with the kids. They're going to love that part.

Field Notes

2006-05-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader,

The days are going by in a blur. How can it be May already?

I promised not to mention the weather again so let's just say most spare time has been spent on activities involving sunshine instead of planting my butt in front of the computer. Apologies if you relish more regular postings but as I haven't heard much screaming I'm not even sure anyone reads this other than those weirdo solicitors and spammers who post comments from time to time.

A few smatterings that may interest you:

1. Sports and More Sports - Justine's Sluggers are still slugging away - a few ties, a few wins, a few losses. Now the kids are starting swim team. I swear they need Palm Pilots to keep track of their busy schedules. And limo drivers to get them there [but wait - we have Mark and That G-----m Jeep! :-)].

2. Drake Intervention - Mr. and Mrs. Duck stopped by for lunch again today. I'm wondering if it would be appropriate to leave some pamphlets about eating disorders by the bird feeder. The drake didn't eat anything. He just sat there and watched his wife peck at the grass while sneaking glances at me to make sure I wasn't getting closer. He looks too skinny. What's the right thing to do here? Is there a hotline to call? At least he'll look less yummy to the neighborhood cats. And Frenchmen wanting cheap foie gras.

3. Piano Plunkin' - In between school, softball, swim team and socializing, Justine and Jonathan still manage piano lessons. Justine is graduating to the next level so at the behest of her teacher we're planning on a special piano recital later this month with some immediate family and friends attending. Will post some photos later this month for those far away who can't join. Wish we could video conference you in for the day!

4. David Sedaris - A friend and I went to see the humorist and writer this past Sunday. Wow! David, a North Carolina native who now resides in Europe, writes for the New Yorker and is the author of several books such as Me Talk Pretty One Day and Naked (he also provides colorful commentary from time to time on National Public Radio). Mostly David just writes about his life and he manages to either get himself in weird situations or find the humor in the mundane. It might be fun to be David for a day or at least write like him. My life just isn't weird enough yet and my mind isn't quite as quirky as his (although it seems to be progressing a little bit that way). Another blogger sums up her feelings about David as follows (go to http://itchystitchy.blogspot.com/2006/05/rainy-days-are-here-again.html for full post):

Lily of the valley has it all: beautiful, delicate blooms, broad verdant leaves that last all summer, and the fragrance.I have wanted to start a Book Report portion of this blog to accompany the list of recreational reading in the sidebar, but I just haven't had the inspiration yet. David Sedaris may be that inspiration. Me Talk Pretty One Day is an engaging memoir; the anecdotes are entertaining and paint a vivid description of a complex life, but more than that, David Sedaris makes me want to write. His stories recall, in a lot of ways, my more... colorful moments. It has reminded me that one of my (more recent) goals is to lead an interesting life. I want weird coworkers and customers. I want unusual situations and settings. I want the unbelievable juxaposed with the mundane. And I want to tell people about it.
But probably not in the weblog. Sorry.

Animal Magnetism

2006-04-27T06:16:00.000-07:00

We're having unusual wildlife encounters in our yard this year.

First there was that shocking, highly graphic mockingbird mating incident on the clothesline about a month ago (out of respect for my children, I destroyed the photos).

After our return from Vegas we had some wild goldfinches in the backyard, checking out the dill plant. They were more like an old married couple than the randy, lusty mockingbirds. Together, but maintaining a healthy distance in public.

And now we have Mr. and Mrs. Duck. They must be nearing retirement age or something. Like an elderly pair, they waddle slowly through the neighborhood and spend a lot of time quacking quietly at each other. No evidence of a nest or any mating behavior. Not that the elderly don't mate once in awhile (at least I hope they do now that I'm nearing 40 and it doesn't seem that far away).

The Ducks have been around our neighborhood for many years so that's why I assume the advancing age. Shortly after we moved here in 1998, I used to see them swimming in a baby pool that a neighbor behind us would put out every spring for them. The pool shut down two years ago when the neighbor moved. Since then they show up every spring, looking lost and forlorn.

This year it seems they've now taken to our street as their hangout. Perhaps partly due to the bird feeder we put out in the gingko tree out front about four months ago. In fact, on Monday I left the house during lunch time to run an errand and there they were sitting under the empty bird feeder. The drake gave me a stern look as if to say, "Can't you see my wife is HUNGRY?" He looked as though he might try to chase me down the sidewalk if I refused him so I quickly grabbed the bag of bird seed off the front porch and complied with his demands.

Jonathan has tried to befriend the drake a few times, going outside and crawling up to him making quacking sounds. The drake just waddles off in disgust and waits until the coast is clear again to move in for bird seed.

If Only We'd Stayed!

2006-04-25T06:07:00.000-07:00

Apparently we left Vegas a little too soon. Reportedly some more marital drama between Britney Spears and her hubby went down the weekend of our departure (and Paris Hilton was nearby too!). See http://www.eonline.com/Gossip/Awful/Daily2006/060425.html.

The Rest of the Tale.....

2006-04-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

So earlier today I posted some assorted photos from our trip but I was too tired to write anything that made sense. Now even more exhausted (why is it so tiring to come back from vacation?) I will babble in a near drunken fashion while I describe the photos starting from the top down:

1. Above - view of the South Rim and Colorado River at the foot of the Watchtower.
2. Earlier posting (below) - Ceiling view of the Watchtower at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It would have been a closer view with more detail but the photographer was crippled by an attack of vertigo about halfway up the tower stairs. For an external photo of this structure - built in the 1930s - go to http://scienceviews.com/parks/watchtower.html
3. (Below) Mom and kids at the South Rim. Mom was unable to stand up for several hours after this photo as her knees are no longer what they once were (and the growing kids are no longer the size of bread loaves).
4. (Below) Tired of waiting for Dad and Jonathan, Justine takes the wheel in Flagstaff, AZ and heads out to Route 66 (just kidding, local police....we were waiting in the parking lot and the engine was off...really!)
5. (Below) Jonathan mentally prepares for his scheduled tongue piercing session in Sedona, AZ.
5. (Last but not least) Mark - incognito in hat and sunglasses - takes a break from marathon, manly driving sessions out of California and Las Vegas to take in the view.

Overall, a good trip for one that was thrown together on a whim and on the cheap. Of course, like our Lake Tahoe trip earlier in the year, it did have its memorable moments! A few additional snapshots of the Las Vegas, Flagstaff and Sedona visits without the benefit of photo illustrations:

I'm Calling and I Can't Get Out. Not to overdo the use of the word "cheap" but I have a cautionary tale to tell. Our hotel in Las Vegas was definitely cheap cheap cheap. It shall remain nameless so as not to embarrass the hard working staff. We got a "deal" for reasons I won't bore you with here (ahem, tax season, upcoming Italy trip, post Christmas bills, etc.) In the effort to try to keep the trip's costs down perhaps I underestimated the old saying "you get what you pay for." My first realization that I had made a possible error in judgment was when the taxi from the airport took us down some streets to get there that looked like the back alley on a crime scene set (and not CSI). When we finally got in our room, after a long walk across a parking garage and dark side street with too many suitcases in tow, I fretted more. It got worse when I was trying to locate Mark - who had driven in from California that day (that's a whole `nother story). The cell phone reception was weak inside the room and he couldn't hear me on his cell phone. Before he hung up, I heard him tell me he would call back from the hotel house phone. Right on cue, about five minutes later the phone in the hotel room rang. I picked up expecting Mark but got dead air instead. It rang again. Dead air. Again. Dead air. Finally, muttering curse words, I picked up the receiver to call the front desk and report the problem. Well, DUH! No dial tone. Being the daughter of a long time BellSouth employee, I pride myself on knowing a thing or two about phones (or like to pretend I do). I fiddled with the jacks and wires. Still dead. It rang again and I slammed it down in frustration at the silence on the other end. I called the front desk on the cell and the cell went dead halfway through the call....And so on. Finally, after more calls and strategic repositioning of the cell phone, Mark got to the room and I got through to the front desk. Just as we were about to collapse with exhaustion on the beds, the handy man arrived with a new phone. Sigh. Not a good start.

Argh and Ahoy - A Pirate in a G-String? To entertain the kiddies, Mark suggested attending a free pirate show further down the Strip at Treasure Island on our second night there. We'd walked by TI earlier in the day and noticed the ships and pirate set out front of the hotel. Looked like it might be fun or at least an opportunity to waste some time after dinner rather than sitting in front of the TV. I guess we should have used a more descriptive guide book. Either that or I should have quizzed Mark more on what exactly he knew about the plot and the stars. I won't give away the "happy" ending but you can get a taste of the content here at http://www.sirensti.com/index_pop.html. After the show I spotted a couple of the more fully clothed "Sirens" shopping at a mall next door, apparently on a break in between shows. Justine, who loves to shop, declared that she wants to be a Siren when she grows up (dancing for money = getting to shop after the show!). Argh!

Tea Anyone? It's a long ride back and forth between the Grand Canyon and Vegas. We let the kids numb out on their Nintendo Gameboys periodically but in between thumb exercise sessions we let them entertain each other. The conversations in the back seat got interesting at times. At one point, somewhere outside of Laughlin, Justine offered her brother a dollar if he would treat her like a queen. "What will you do for me if I'm queen?" she asked, apparently showing him the dollar in her Limited Too purse to yield a positive response. Jonathan decided to put on his best "Londonish" accent: "Well, I would make you tea and then bring your mother in to hold you!" Turning to me, he tapped my shoulder and whispered theatrically: "Mom, would you help me make some tea when we get home tonight?"

Susan Was Mooned. Just a little tip if you ever visit Sedona - try a margarita at the Oaxaca! We drove there on a lark our first night in Flagstaff. The drive alone down the canyon past Slide Rock is spectacular! But finishing up at the Oaxaca with a view of the nearby mountains during sunset is a heavenly experience (and we didn't even have to check out any of the alleged energy vortexes to get our buzz on). I tried a drink called the Blue Moon (at least I have a vague recollection of a drink with a name like this), a heady concoction of blue curacao and tequila. The waiter "accidentally" brought me a large instead of a regular. Let's just say I left a big tip and lost all fear of Mark driving off a cliff on the way back to the hotel. More info about the Oaxaca - http://www.oaxacarestaurant.com/.

There's more tales to tell but it's best not to overload you with travel minutae all in one sitting! If Italy is even half as interesting as this trip we have a lot to look forward to (even the bad parts!).

April Travelogue

2006-04-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

The dramatic photos.... (check here later for equally dramatic text).

There's No Place Like....

2006-04-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

We're back. Worn out. Blistered. Sated.
And I have the photos to prove it.
More tomorrow, darlings.

Saturday Grab Bag Bonanza

2006-04-15T08:42:00.000-07:00

1. On the Baseball Front - The Sluggers aren't doing so well. Justine - who loves to win - is getting regular lessons on losing gracefully. She did make an excellent outfield catch last night, stopping a strong hit from heading out into the back of the ball field. Unfortunately her heroics weren't enough to slow down the other team, which had loaded up the bases late in the game.
2. Vegas Weather - Definitely itching for the trip now. Got a hotel reservation update that included a weather forecast for the days we'll be there. High 70s and sunny. Justine got so excited she ran back to her room and dug out her new swim suit from Aunt Andi to try it on.
3. Scenes from a Garden - Awhile back, I promised a photo of the tomato plants. One of them is on the left next to the alyssum although it's hard to see in this photo. On the right is the pot where the dill plant sprung up unexpectedly. I've been trying to grow dill from seed for several years and it never took. Have no idea how this got in here with the calendula, flax and other wildflowers. Maybe a passing bird dropped it off.
4. New Day, New Blog Name - I'm going to rename the blog soon. Not sure if this will change the URL or if you will get redirected automatically. I'll post the new name a few days before the change and if you want to make sure you get the new link, send me an e-mail and I'll forward it to you.

Pretty Good Friday Update

2006-04-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

A colleague at work talked me and a few others into joining her and another employee at the employee's church today in East San Jose for Good Friday services.
What a head spinner!
Although Mark and I technically grew up south of the Mason-Dixon line (OK, Florida doesn't exactly have the Southern belle cachet of, say, the Carolinas, but....) we've never set foot in a Baptist church.
Episcopalians are a bit like Catholic lite - in fact, if my British history recollection is correct, we're a product of King Henry VIII's disatisfaction with the Pope. Our church has lots of rituals involving the body (bread) and blood (wine) of Christ, solemn prayers, kneeling, singing old English or Scottish hymns. Stiff stiff stiff!
Let me tell ya, the Baptists make the Episcopalians look like a bunch of mannequins.
I won't be converting (relax, Rev. E.A.....no need to rise from the grave for a dreamtime visit like you did to me in high school!) but it was an interesting experience to clap, sing, sway, hold hands and nod at the congregation yelling out "Amen" and "Well" and "Yes, Jesus" and admire their spirit.
It's so good to shake off the cobwebs once in awhile and do things a little differently. Spice it up. Let the spirit in. Think that will be my spring motto. Try it another way. Turn left instead of right (OK, wait....won't do this when driving). Wear shoes you don't normally wear. Try a new kind of food. Chat up a stranger. Read a different kind of book. Try some new music.
Happy Easter, everyone!

No More Weather Reports: I Promise

2006-04-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

My cubicle mate at work promised that next week when she gets back from her vacation (at an undisclosed location in the Pacific) the sun will be out for good.

I am holding her to it. Pranks will be played if she is wrong. Of course, I just hope that she doesn't bring back any flesh eating bacteria with her: http://starbulletin.com/2006/04/05/news/story02.html

Oops, just hinted at her previously undisclosed location!

I'm all for positive thinking at this point. After all, isn't today Good Friday when our thoughts turn to a crucifixion, a tomb and darkness....while knowing that a few pages later, the story alters with a miraculous transformation.

So let's all think positive! Our thoughts and words really do have creative power.

One of my favorite authors/speakers, Sonia Choquette, writes a lot about positive thinking, creative power and following your inner vibes. On feelings of discontent, she reflects that this is a sign that it's time to create anew.

So maybe yesterday's funk in the garden was a call to creative action. I'm just not quite sure what to do with it yet.

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don't go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don't go back to sleep.

-Rumi, from Spring Giddiness (Excerpts from The Essential Rumi, translations by Coleman Barks with John Moyne, 1995)

Look - Up in the Sky!

2006-04-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

The sun rewarded our collective misery today with a respite.

It felt so good that I worked at home today just to have the chance once in awhile to stick my head out of the cave and feel the rays on my face. Skin cancer be damned! God knows when we'll see this again. More rain forecasts for the Easter weekend.

The sun's siren call got the best of me and I sat outside during a conference call at noon and watched a mockingbird go back and forth, building its nest in a neighbor's podocarpus shrub on the other side of the fence. While the folks in the conference room on the other end of the phone asked the presenter questions, a ladybug crawled over the dill plant that has magically and unintentionally sprouted in an empty flowerpot in our yard. Meanwhile, bumblebees en route to the calendula and nasturtium patch behind me kept buzzing me like helicopter pilots gathering traffic footage for the six o'clock news.

A good day, noticing all of this natural world marching by in my own backyard.

And yet... a little wistful, too. A little sage reflection on the passing of time, the tides of my life and where they've brought me. During yesterday's gray skies and rain, a friend asked me some pointed questions during lunch about decisions I've made. I couldn't easily answer the questions - which took me by surprise (was I so transparent?) - without some not very convincing evasive maneuvers and a feeling of loss welling up to spoil the sense of fun. No malice was intended but the questions are still echoing inside me right now.

Why not choose differently? So much time has passed and life is indeed short.

As usual, as in most of the blog entries, I want to add a humorous twinge to entertain you and lighten the mood before I go.

But the joke book on my shelf just doesn't cover these particular subjects.

When loneliness comes stalking, go into the fields, consider the orderliness of the world. Noticesomething you have never noticed before....
- Mary Oliver, Flare

Rainy Day Activities

2006-04-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

We're finding ways to get through the wet, wet days:

1. Jonathan and Justine set up a rodeo in the living room tonight. Note the pillow padding Jonathan's rear end. They also stuffed tissues in his hat to prevent head injuries. Smart kids. Justine wants me to tell everyone: "It was all my idea. I'm the funny one."

2. Belle is making love constantly to her cardboard scratching post. I think she's afraid we're going to take it away. Either that or she's jonesing on the catnip the post is allegedly laced with. She's still not sure what to think of the "new" fancy carpeted cat scratching post we rescued out of a....ahem...."discard" pile during Santa Clara's cleanup days. I guess this is her way of getting through the upheaval. Like clinging to a life raft in a storm.

3. How can I put this delicately? Intra-family gas production contests amongst certain members. Probably has something to do with Mark's new blender that we're using to make a variety of smoothies. Due to strict nondisclosure agreements I can't list the participants or the scores.

4. Dancing to the iPod way too much. Currently Kelly Clarkson's new song, Walk Away, ranks #1 for some on the spot moonwalking and booty shaking on the kitchen floor. I dare you to watch the video without wanting to sneak in a move or two. You can find it at http://music.yahoo.com.

5. Fantasizing about what the sun used to look like. There was a sun once, wasn't there?

I Knew It

2006-04-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

Revised five day forecast today:
Saturday - Showers
Sunday - Showers.
I just hope it's sunny in Las Vegas for our trip or me and the kids'll be cryin' the whole time under the pool umbrella at Circus Circus.

I...Can't...Take...It...Any....More.....!!!!!

2006-04-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

Made the mistake of looking at the weather page in the newspaper this morning. Here's the first four days of the five day forecast:

1. Tuesday - Showers
2. Wednesday - Showers
3. Thursday - Showers
4. Friday -Showers

Ok, for day 5 the newspaper claims that Saturday will bring "Partly Cloudy" skies but I for one no longer believe it. Some wise person told me once that April showers bring May flowers but this violates all the rules of normalcy for California weather in April. We're just getting soggy and cranky waiting for the requisite sun and spring fever.

Miss Us?

2006-04-08T18:57:00.000-07:00

I know. I know. You check here every day for a fresh and exciting post.

Well, dammit, I am NOT a machine! I can't just churn these out at the drop of the hat. It's called creative gestation time. Yeesh.

It's been a strange week. Still more rain. A little sun here and there but not much. My rain coat has mildew on the hood.

What else? And I've lost track of how many days I've lasted as a vegetarian. Tonight, I even grilled some Philly steak meat for the kids and had no urge to sneak a piece.

Then there's Italian lessons. Me chiamo Susan is about as far as I've gotten. This morning I prepaid for a Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel tour for our trip in June. The instructions included strict dress code: no trousers, no shorts, no shirts that show bare arms, no outfits that show the lower legs, no short skirts. A long list. So what's left to wear? Maybe the Pope prefers to have visitors in the nude?

The Publicist Called

2006-04-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

Jonathan's publicist called to complain that his client is not getting nearly enough coverage on the blog lately.

He e-mailed us the latest glossy (right) and then made some idle threats about breaching some lucrative endorsement contracts and going to the media.

Sigh. What can I do? I must publish!

Autographed versions will be available on eBay beginning this Friday, girls. He won't be allowed to date, though, until he's 18 so don't even offer to get on the waiting list.

The Agony of...Well, You Know

2006-04-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

Well, darn. Second game of the season and Justine and the "Sluggers" got their butts whipped when their rivals made a comeback in the final innings.

Here she is in her uniform looking more like a young Jedi in training than a Purple Leprauchan. Our fierce lioness!

Brief break from the endless rain today but it's rumored to be circling back in for another round tomorrow. Yippee. More snails to kill in the garden.

Not much else in the Dewey News today worth passing on. We're counting down to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas trip.

Oh, there is one bit of news: I'm sad to report that Belle the cat and Mimi the hamster ran away on Thursday. They were last seen getting into a dark sedan driven by a mysterious stranger who bore an amazing resemblance to Derek Acorah from Most Haunted.

*

*

(You know what's coming.....)

*

*
APRIL FOOLS!

When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms...
I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

-Mary Oliver

Need Some More Graphics

2006-03-31T06:51:00.000-08:00

Some random shots from the files. Belle, our devoted cat, and the Battery Man's other "woman" (would "That G*****n Jeep" be an appropriate name for a family-inspired blog?).

Editor Guy e-mailed and said he was checking out the blog again last night - or trying to. It was down for maintenance or something. So I figure he might recommend some photos after perusing the latest. Dutifully, I dug around early this morning to see what was available since I haven't had time to take more photos.

So you've seen Belle - what? - about 100 times now. I like this picture because it shows her playful side. She LOVES wool. She is addicted to it. Sometimes she even picks it up and drags it over to Justine and sits in front of her, begging like a mute dog to get some play time. Here she is all by her lonesome trying to get the wool to move around enticingly.

As for That G*****n Jeep, she's sort of grown on me since Mark ran out on a whim (allegedly to find a more "gas saving vehicle" than the Chevy Silverado) and bought it. Even if we don't need a third car it is kind of fun to drive. She's the one woman I'll share him with as long as I get some time with her, too. However, I have one or two complaints to lodge: she seems to be getting a lot more time in the garage this winter than the Prius. OK, OK, she allegedly has a bad back (leaky roof?), but really. This is an OUTDOOR sporting vehicle. Like a flea-ridden hound dog, it belongs OUTSIDE. And, Mark, quit waxing and buffing her down when you think I'm not looking. `Kay?

Nuff soap boxing for one morning. Time to get ready for work.

This weekend, I promise, I will do my best to get a photo of The Purple Leprechaun. I know you've been waiting.

It's Frank and The Purple Leprechaun

2006-03-29T18:35:00.000-08:00

Justine has decided to name her orthodontic appliance. It's Frank. I considered taking a photo of it but I think the digital camera would have to have a long lens and maybe a small dental mirror on the end of it. Probably not a good idea.

She played her first softball game last night. Looks really cute in her purple and black uniform (I dubbed her The Purple Leprechaun and she danced a jig for me and Jonathan). Did her team win? But of course!

Record Breaking?

2006-03-28T06:12:00.000-08:00

It figures. The newspaper says we're just days away from breaking a rain record from 23 years ago for the month of March. Looks like no sun until Thursday. It feels like we're turning into a satellite city of the Pacific Northwest. I keep checking my skin for mold.

At least we don't have to water the tomatoes yet.

...And It Goes Bye Bye Again.

2006-03-27T19:35:00.001-08:00

It was all a cruel joke. A day of sun to tease us with possibility and now it's cloudy and raining again!

I'd weep in despair but I'm afraid the extra water would affect the local microclimate.

Big event of the day: Justine had a strange orthodontic appliance installed in her mouth this morning ( a "separator" is the fancy term....basically an "X" shaped device planted against the roof of the mouth). I haven't tried to take a photo yet for your viewing pleasure but just might if the rain keeps us indoors too long.

It's also Day 27 of vegetarianism for Lent. I'm mostly jonesing for seafood. A juicy tuna melt sandwich. Grilled shrimp. Wild Alaska salmon. Sushi and sashimi.

The homemade yellow split pea and kale soup just didn't do it for me so I sent Mark out with $10 to go get some hummous and pita chips from a local falafel joint to get me through the night.
My belly's full but I'll be dreaming of lobster claws and fishermen tonight.

Here Comes the Sun!

2006-03-26T19:06:00.000-08:00

There's nothing quite like a northern California spring. We packed up Dad's Chevy Silverado with lunch fixins' today and headed south to the Almaden Valley area. Lots of California poppies, lupine and mustard flowers dotted the rolling hills near the old mining area. We spotted plenty of horses, goats, a donkey or two and even some turkeys (as in gobble gobble!). Around noon we stopped near Calero Reservoir for a picnic. Demo photo included. When we came home I wanted to turn around and go back. The neighbors are starting to dump their spring cleaning in the street for the annual city cleanup. What a pig sty. It's horrifying how much we collect at the local Wal-Mart or Target....and then turn around a year later and send it to the dump, in the spirit of making the neighborhood "pretty." We made only a small contribution to the pile out front. It was much more pleasant to go hide out back in the garden where we've let the yellow mustard flowers grow tall in the fenced-in backyard. I checked on the tomato plants and planted some sprouting sunflower seeds, then tossed some lemons in the compost bin and hung the laundry out on the line. Now THAT felt more like the kind of spring cleaning I like! Only thing missing was a pony out back. Me and the kids could ride it down to the neighborhood park. And the manure would really come in handy for the tomatos.

Rained Out

2006-03-25T08:14:00.000-08:00

Snippets from a rainy Saturday.....

1. Batter Down. Justine joined a local softball team about a month ago. The first three games have been rained out. Bummer. She's ready. She's eager. She wants to go pound another team into the proverbial pitcher's mound with a single, powerful crack from her baseball bat. Our competitive little angel. We need some sun for this girl!

2. High School Musical. Despite all the rain keeping us cooped up, don't feel too bad for the kids. They manage to find ways to entertain themselves despite the foul weather. Feel bad for the parents! We're getting jittery from all the indoor activity. For instance, Justine used her allowance money last night at Border's book store to buy the CD to High School Musical, a Disney Channel froth about....about.....well, the best I can gather from looking over the kids' shoulders is that some cute basketball player named Troy teams up with an equally adorable chick named Gabriella (she's not popular like blondie Sharpay but she's brunette so I want to like her) and together they sing their way into the High School Musical http://psc.disney.go.com/disneychannel/originalmovies/highschoolmusical/. Jonathan and Justine have most of the songs on the CD memorized now and they sing along to it. Over and over and over again. If I hear that CD one more time I think I'm gonna grow DIMPLES!

3. The Possession of Derek. I know, I know. You're tiring of my obsession with Most Haunted on the Travel Channel. Well, me too. I'm over it, I tell you! Derek allegedly got "possessed" last night by a spirit and it just looked phony. Derek, you disappoint me! Here I was thinking of researching where you get your hair and eyebrows done in the UK and stopping by the same salon on my next pass through. Will have to find a new look to emulate now.

4. The Cat Network. Unbelievable. If you check out the "Empress" cat blog that I referenced a few days ago ( http://felinesovereign.blogspot.com/) it's like diving into another world. The Empress' blog is a crack up (the "memoirs" of an allegedly royal cat ripped from her homeland). What's even more amazing, though, are the number of links to other cat blogs and web sites. Empress tunnels you into a veritable international network of cats, many authoring their own blogs! Now, I ask you, why can't Belle get her rear end on my desk chair when we're out of the house and get to work? Think of the pet-related advertising we could sell! The book! The movie rights! But, noooo, all she wants to do is curl up on the ironing board or watch the crows picking at the trash on garbage day.

5. Kidsave. Warning: Justine and I will be passing the tin cup your way soon. We're participating in a walkathon in June to support the local chapter of Kidsave (www.kidsave.org ). It's an organization that helps bring orphans to the US to spend a summer with an American family, ideally leading to an adoption if desired by the family and feasible in the orphan's home country. We had pondered participating more fully (perhaps having a child from another country spend the summer with us) but our family life is already pretty full this year and we're not sure we're ready to commit. So instead we're going to support the sponsoring families in other ways. More soon.

Yummy

2006-03-24T06:21:00.000-08:00

It's my 24th day of vegetarianism for Lent.
The kids are starting to look delicious.
(OK, I'm kidding on the last part. Really!)

He's the Battery Man

2006-03-23T07:10:00.000-08:00

The Prius is running again! Mark combed the South Bay for an auxiliary battery and bought the last one in inventory at a local Toyota dealer (this after another dealer said it would take up to two weeks to get one in stock - uh oh). Then he spent the afternoon installing it. Those years of engineering school and technical marketing really paid off. Thanks for the charge, Battery Man. Next up: finish those car rooftop solar panel designs for our multimillion dollar patent portfolio.

Two Secrets

2006-03-22T06:58:00.000-08:00

Psssst....the Prius in on the fritz, darnit. Looks like a problem with the auxiliary battery that starts the vehicle (small battery in the trunk). Oh, yeah, and total subject change: Mark has a job interview on Friday! OK, it's in southern California, but I'm sure we can work something out with the commute issue. We have a Prius, you know.

Double Dog Darnit

2006-03-21T18:32:00.000-08:00

At last!
The secret revealed by sheer accident: blogger.com does not seem to be able to upload photos unless you already have inserted some text in your blog. DOH!

Gee whiz, this high tech stuff shore is somethin'! As is my usual, I figure it out not by following directions or manuals but just by stumbling around. I think that's called "experiential learning" by educators. This is a fancy way of saying "you're the type who won't read directions, farts around, tries different things and usually has a lot of dumb luck." Hey, works for me.

So here's the hubby and kids again. In the center Mark (eyes closed but genuinely smiling) and Jonathan with the usual grin (albeit hidden), working hard to make lasting and matching butt impressions on our living room couch. And Justine, tickled silly because she successfully finished an orthodontic appointment this morning with minimal torture and then managed to talk Mom out of taking a documentary photo of the complete state of disorder in her bedroom. And, finally, on the top Mom without makeup or flattering lighting after a long, long, REALLY LONG day at work. See what clients do to you after 7 1/2 years of lawyering? That's why I watch shows like Most Haunted, read Star magazine and go out and do stupid things like get my ear cartilage pierced.

Sigh. Not much commentary to add tonight. We're all glad spring is here. It rained violently yesterday of course so we wouldn't be fooled into thinking the spring equinox on the calendar has any control over Mother Nature. Even snowed on the Mt. Hamilton range again. But don't worry - the baby tomato plants are safe! I will bring you fascinating updates and photos as they progress. Perhaps even a glimpse into the hallowed worm bin.

Yawn. Damn, I need to find something more interesting to write about.

Once Upon a Time I Had a Digital Camera

2006-03-20T07:03:00.000-08:00

Not sure what's going on with the blogger site right now. I have this nice photo of Mark and Jonathan cuddling together on the couch, but after several attempts yesterday and today to download it (upload it?) I give up. It's not working. So in the meantime I'll redirect you to an entertaining blog starring a cat (ahem, Empress):

http://felinesovereign.blogspot.com/

Dear Diary...

2006-03-19T07:56:00.000-08:00

Well, I was going to write tonight about sneakin' off to a Unity Church in San Jose. It's something this cradle Episcopalian has been doing for about six months in between visits to a comfortable Episcopal church nearby.

I'm sure my great grandfather, the Anglican priest, shudders in his grave when I go, but I'm very drawn to the positive faith. Today's lesson was about getting out of your comfort zone. We were reminded of the story of Peter who got out of the boat and tried to walk on water when he saw Jesus. The point was at least he tried....he was actually defying the laws of physics until he became afraid and started sinking!

"I worry more about the rest of them who stayed in the boat," the speaker said. "They didn't even try." She urged us to go home and make a list. Things we're afraid of....something we could do to push ourselves forward a bit or try something new to get the cobwebs off.

Sigh. But now I'm distracted. A police helicopter is flying a perimeter over Santa Clara and part of San Jose. An 8-year-old boy is missing, having ridden off on his bicycle in the springtime sunshine. Our kids were bicycling and skating up and down our sidewalk in the sun today, too. Earlier, Justine, who is 9 going on 15, asked if she could ride her bike around the corner to a spot where she would be momentarily out of my eyesight. She's at an age where she constantly pushes and prods for more freedom, more chances. Feeling like an over protective mother, I held my breath and let her go, counting the seconds until she rounded the corner and came back to our driveway.

But what if.....? I don't want to think about it. That's the thing with chances, with letting it rip. There are obvious dangers with some chances - skydiving, target shooting, flame throwing. With others....

I might make that list after all later tonight when the kids are tucked safely in bed. But when it comes to Justine and Jonathan and their longings to grow up at a breakneck speed, the brakes will still be on a bit longer.

The News Is In.....

2006-03-18T07:09:00.000-08:00

1. They Done Good. The kids brought home their report cards yesterday and - phew - they're still kickin' boo-tay in elementary school. We can put the military/boarding school money back into the college savings account for now.

2. The Big Ditch. On our last vacation I got this (crazy) idea that we needed to go to the Grand Canyon next. Unfortunately, Mark forgot to put my credit cards in the freezer. So, guess where we're headed next? Yep. With a two-day pit stop in Las Vegas at Circus Circus. Photos guaranteed.

3. Sproing! After days of rain and gray skies (and even snow) we were all wondering what that big yellow ball in the sky was today. Oh, yeah....the center of the solar system! I was so excited by the strange sensation of warmth on my skin that I went out and bought some exotically named heirloom tomato plants, a bay leaf plant, oregano and purple violas. Broke open the carefully tended home-grown vermicompost (worm poop, for those of you who don't garden) and leftover Starbucks coffee grounds and breathed a silent prayer of thanks when the shovel broke ground. Aaaaahhhhhh.....

4. Derek. Another episode of Most Haunted last night. Sigh. I'm really groovin' on this Derek Acorah fellow now ( http://www.derekacorah.org/), even if I did fall asleep in the middle of last night's episode before anything scary happened. No, it's not a crush. Maybe more like eyebrow grooming envy. How does he do it? Of course, I've started watching back episodes of The L Word on DVD, too, so I'm not really sure what all this says about my viewing habits. More bizarre by the day.

5. The Call from the Mall. Heard from Andrea today. Calling from some sort of DSL pay phone at a shopping center in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. For the non-family readers of the blog, Andrea is my sister and she and her husband Gerardo work for the US State Department. Less than four months until they ship out of there! I'm crossing my fingers that the Ivorians will keep their minds off of their anger at the French for awhile and that Andrea and Gerardo will stay away from poultry farms so as not to bring bird flu back with them. After a little time back stateside, their next post is in Jamaica. Hmmm. Beaches. Relaxation. I think we can spring a trip there next year. If Mark lets me have the credit cards back after the Italy trip this summer. If.

Wildlife Photography in the Living Room

2006-03-15T07:08:00.000-08:00

I have a newfound appreciation for those wildlife photographers who get really interesting, detailed closeup shots of field mice making little pyramids out of peanuts and corn or carrying their babies to safety as a fire approaches.

This is Mimi, our kids' hamster. And she absolutely would not sit still for a photograph last night after we cleaned her cage. I'd zig. She'd zag. My photography skills are pretty limited, even with a digital camera. Alas, this is the best I could do.

For those of you who didn't get our holiday newsletter (which used to be my primary forum for spilling family news in the annual Christmas card), Mimi the Hamster is a recent acquisition. Justine and I were on a routine trip to Petco in early December to pick up some cat food when we spied this orphaned rodent alone in a cage with a "Free to Good Home" sign on it. Justine has made an art form out of hypnotizing me into buying things for her....before I knew it we had a basket filled with cat food, hamster food, a hamster cage and other assorted rodent supplies....and one tiny, toothy "free" hamster who managed to chew her way out of her cardboard pet store carrier within seconds after we arrived home. She followed that up by nearly destroying a stack of National Geographic magazines (probably did not like the wildlife photography).

I don't think there's enough material for a book with this pet. But Mimi sure is cute. You'll have to take my word for it, though. She's not into posing for publicity shots.

Our Other Child

2006-03-14T07:17:00.000-08:00

"I am so bored, bored, BORED by it all....Now rub my tummy."
~ Belle Dewey

I just read a book called "Marley and Me" about a journalist in Florida and his insane but beloved purebred dog (one of his most noteable traits was ripping holes in walls during thunderstorms). There are a lot of dog story/hero/comedy books out there where the dog transforms the life of its owner and then dies at the end, leaving everyone bereft but proud to have had time with the dog. I can't think of the last time I read a cat book like that. Maybe there have been and they just haven't been big sellers. Hmmm, I smell a story here. Maybe it's time to start taking notes and following Belle around. I can enlist Mark and the kids, too, to track her activities in a journal when I'm at work.

Ain't They Cute?

2006-03-13T19:54:00.000-08:00

I won't waste too many words on this post. The pictures speak for themselves. It's so groovy when they're in a detente period! May it last a few more hours.

A Moment of Silence for Andy....

2006-03-11T20:26:00.000-08:00

Now, get your pens out, kids. I'm going to give away one of the answers away for yesterday's quiz.

Maybe I've been watching Most Haunted too much on Friday nights on the Travel Channel. That medium, Derek Acorah, is really starting to grow on me. He and what's-her-name (Yvette?) go running around in the dark in those haunted houses in the U.K.....and somehow their blond hairdos always looks fabulous even when they're getting the s*** scared out of them. Last night's show was especially creepy (more about the show at http://travel.discovery.com/fansites/mosthaunted/about.html).

For once the sound and visual qualities were better and I actually heard some of the weird noises and saw the same balls of light they were seeing. Yikes! Then I ended up having a really weird dream about getting stopped at a toll booth by a short-armed, blond attendant who wouldn't let me pass through until he inspected everything in my belongings....those floppy, rubbery little hands pawing through my suitcase and my purse. Wait, that sounds more like a Twin Peaks episode than Most Haunted.

But what was my point? Oh, yes. Something about dead people. See what happens when I have a steaming Saturday night cup of sake before I blog? Don't try this at home.

Well, tonight while the kids recovered in front of the TV after Jonathan's wild 7th birthday party, I was playing with the digital camera and doing some fine tuning on the blog.

For fun (hey, I have a low threshold for fun), I thought I would see what one could find if searching on blogger.com. The name Andy Gibb randomly popped into my head since I had just glanced at his name on the list from the previous day's blog.

Well, hell. Lots of people write about him...their adolescent crushes. Not just me! But one bit of blog info really sent me reeling (no, not the gratuitous poster with the exposed pinkish Gibb nipple - or is that a gibble?): the anniversary date of his death....March 10th, 1988... (see http://futility.typepad.com/futility/2006/03/andy_gibb.html or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Gibb ).

My God, I included him on the Guilty Dewey Pleasures list on March 10th!!!!

(Cue up spooky music).

Derek: Is he trying to contact me after all these years?

Does he know how I spent my adolescence waiting to grow up so I could go to Hollywood and meet him and rescue him from all those drugs and the women who let him down? We were going to move to Miami together, sing duets and live next door to Barry. I'll never forget the day he died. I was almost 22, a senior in college and working as a newspaper intern in Tallahassee, Florida, covering those bozo politicians in the state legislature. And yet when I heard the news I had to hide my tears all day, dutifully jotting down government blather in my reporter's notebook. No one would understand. No one.

Damn you, Andy! Damn you for leaving me!

Hmmm, maybe this is really the second contact. After all I went into labor with my son.... the afternoon of March 10th.

Don't you see the pattern here?!!!!

Don't you see the tongue firmly planted in my cheek?!!!!

OK, it's true. I adored him. And I can laugh at myself now. The gibble, chest hair and gold necklace in the photo are sort of disturbing after all these years. Didn't his mother try to stop him? Anyway, even if I had lured him away from Victoria Principal, he'd probably be fat and bald now. Sort of like Elvis.

But my real point is: Jonathan, happy birthday. You rock, kiddo! If I'd known in 1988 that there was an even better anniversary date coming someday (March 11, 1999!) I wouldn't have cried myself to sleep on the couch back in Tallahassee (I didn't really, but it makes for a good story).

Son, just don't ever let anyone take any photos of you with your chest hair hanging out or I'll ground you for six weeks and make you watch back-to-back Most Haunted episodes with the lights off.

Guilty Dewey Pleasures

2006-03-10T06:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm up for some frolic and lightheartedness after those Freya Stark quotes and the riff on intuition the other day. Sigh. It's enough to drive one to drink heavily. But I'll sip slowly and blog instead. `Kay?

So, whaddya say?....I'll list the family's guilty pleasures or things about us you may not know and you try to guess the family member.

First one to guess at least nine out of ten correctly gets a blog entry written about them (flattering, humorous - no sniping) and some sort of trashy prize valued at less than $5 US (all blog and prize content at my sole discretion).

Wait. Nevermind. I'm probably violating some skills contest law in a jurisdiction somewhere in the world. Dang, sometimes I hate knowin' about da law!

Anyway, if you still want to take a stab at it - without the promise of a prize - here goes:

1. Has -by far- the longest lashes in the family.
2. Drives a 2002 dark blue Toyota Prius (laughing like a maniac while passing the gas station...again).
3. Loves primping in front of mirrors.
4. Taking tai chi, yoga and pilates.
5. Wishes Andy Gibb were stil alive to Shadow Dance (ooh la la) ...and likes the new duet by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw (check out Faith's bouffant in that video!)
6. Thinks root beer floats are divine.
7. Has two tattoos.
8. Knows simple skills on how to remote view and go on shamanic journeys (if you feel like you've been visited during the night....you probably have).
9. Loves Asian cuisine.
10. Has an irresistible urge to try perfume.

Good luck!

(So as not to piss off anyone else today - I seem to have bowled a perfect strike tonight several times in that regard - I will NOT....I repeat: I WILL NOT post the answers on this blog! But if you guess most of them right....or even half I might clue you in on one or two.)

P.S. D.C. has a link to a cat blog on her web site that was kinda cute....something about cat feng shui with pictures of cats giving advice about their preferences/recommendations (feng shui is an Asian art of placement of plants, furniture, mirrors, fountains, etc. to achieve good energy balance in a home or office). Here it is: http://isfullofcrap.com/oldcrap/2006/03/lets_ask_the_ca_224.html.

P.P.S. Another blog I like (makes me thank God every day that I never had to work in a law firm): http://anonymouslawyer.blogspot.com.

Belle of the Ball

2006-03-09T06:29:00.000-08:00

This is our cat, Belle. No, the one on the left. I have no idea who that interloper is on the right (she's not nearly as personable as Belle, but does like to hog photo ops).

Here are some things we have learned from our cat in the past five years:

1. If you take a nap on Mark's massage table, someone might come along and pet your belly or your back if you make cute faces.
2. Never turn your nose up at canned food. Paw lickin' good.
3. Spit baths can add a special shine to your hairdo.
4. It's OK to rub up against friendly strangers.
5. Justine has the nicest bed in the house.
6. A real, live hamster is far more fascinating than those weird little stuffed ones that the pet store makes.

We'll continue to update this list in the future. I hadn't thought of blogging about our pets until I read an old high school friend's blog. D.C., you take cat anecdotes to new heights! I hope to meet the crew one day if I ever get to Texas.

Appreciation Central and More Random Blather

2006-03-08T19:05:00.000-08:00

"I cannot put the whole of life into writing; it seems to me so very subsidiary to living."
-Passionate Nomad

Editor on the Shoulder. There's a saying amongst writers that when you get writer's block it's because you have an editor on the shoulder. In this case, I have a real one. Well, this person is not really my editor any more since I no longer work in the news biz, but at one time he was. We reconnected in recent years via e-mail....the best (cheapest!) way to stay in touch when you move far across the country from people you like. He sent me an e-mail today to let me know that he's enjoying the blog and praised my writing. Gulp. Even after all these years it means a lot to hear this from him. He always had a gift for encouraging reporters who worked for him and gave us chances to grow in our careers. His e-mail also reminded me that some people actually read this stuff....so now I am getting "editor on the shoulder" again! Gack! Who's reading this and what will they think? I won't embarrass him by naming names. But he knows who he is! And, along the lines of my last blog entry he's one of those other people I'm lucky enough to still be able to express appreciation to since we're both still alive and breathing. Thank you, Editor Guy. You have been very helpful with your wisdom on midlife crises and spiritual matters!

Birthday Boy. Jonathan turns seven years old on Saturday. SEVEN! I still remember when he was the size of a bread loaf...that little red bow of a mouth open and drooling on my tummy while he snoozed on me like a puppy. And Justine. Just a few months away from turning ten. A little woman already channels through her at times...which is totally spooky. Picturing both of them driving cars gives me heart palpitations. Damn, I feel old. But good. Mark and I somehow managed to get them out of babyhood without any major health crises or deep psychological wounds (that we know of - there was that time I accidentally bumped Justine's head into door jam when she was an infant....oops!).

Intuition. It would be interesting to hear some of your experiences with intuition if any of you care to "write in" sometime. Lately I have been getting some freaky sensitivity to other people's energy. It's hard to talk about unless I know someone is open to hearing about it (as a teen and young woman I had some strong experiences with clairvoyant dreams, but now it is less about seeing the future and seems to be more of a wakeful present "knowingness" when I am around someone). For instance, recently I had lunch with a potential new friend. We met through our respective careers about a year ago by phone. After meeting in person a few months ago it was one of those connections that just felt so comfortably karmic or something. I said in my last post that I am slow to make friends so it's a bit unnerving when I meet someone and just feel this sort of "Whoa!" It's like you suddenly find yourself floating next to someone in the same energetic tide but it's hard to reach out, let go and float and see where it goes. At lunch, to my disappointment, our conversation felt awkward and I started to shrink into myself further, wondering why I had shown up and if maybe my intuition had been just plain wrong. Other times I sensed that maybe I was overcompensating or trying too hard to keep talking given the intuitive hits I was trying to process and then mask so as not to seem like a woo-woo California freak. It's just not the kind of thing you blurt out to someone with bean sprouts and bread crumbs hanging out of your teeth. Anyway, getting confirmation from other "sensitive" folks would help me feel less kooky right now!

Note to Self: Need to find some more photos. Working for Editor Guy taught me to break up text with graphics.

How Long Do We Have?

2006-03-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

"One life is an absurdly small allowance."
~Passionate Nomad, The Life of Freya Stark
by Jane Fletcher Geniesse

Last night, I attended dinner at the home of a friend.

When did I meet her? In a law school class on racial injustice. While I spent most every class shrinking into an uncomfortable silence behind my white face as we learned more and more about disparate racial treatment under U.S. law, this very regal looking, dark-eyed brunette from Iran became more and more outspoken, often confronting issues passionately during class. I kept wondering, "Who IS that woman?!"

We finally found some common ground to speak to each other when we noticed both of our bellies were getting round - she, pregnant with her second daughter and me pregnant with Justine. That summer, our girls were born a week apart. Always slow to make new friends, I instantly liked and trusted this woman. Over time we have shared confidences, discussed spirituality and supported each other in the best way we knew how during respective marital and career upheavals and successes.

I hadn't counted the years until last night when someone asked how we knew each other. We were gathered around a table in her den near the fireplace, all women of varying ages and background, interests, professions and ethnic origins. When we held hands for a simple grace (which turned out to be a very feminist, eco-friendly grace that I've never heard in my traditional, stodgy church!) I wanted to freeze the moment.

Even though I had never met some of these women(my friend always seems to have lots of friends buzzing around her!) it was amazing to feel so instantly connected to everyone, with no need to keep my guard up as I normally do in social situations with new people. But this is how it always is at my friend's house. Everyone is greeted warmly, made to feel included, and offered tea and food. We shared stories, ate Turkish delight and strawberries dipped in fondue and chatted with strangers as if they were old and dear friends.

It occurred to me this morning that the past ten years wouldn't nearly been as rich had I not met my friend. I probably don't tell her nearly enough how much I appreciate her.

But that's the way it is sometime. We don't always "get" how much people mean to us until they are no longer around.

Luckily, she's still around. And, S.R., if you're reading this: I love you back! :-)

Jonathanism or Jonathanology?

2006-02-28T19:57:00.000-08:00

As hinted at in the travelogue from a few days ago, our kids love to sing. When Justine was a toddler I dubbed her "Ethel" after the famous Broadway singer Ethel Merman because she could really belt out songs as if she'd been on stage for years.

Lately Jonathan is letting more of his musical side out. We're studying him with amusement and wonder, usually with a smirk. Maybe the piano lessons primed the pump or he just wants to share the stage with his big sister. We're not sure but we're enjoying the show. His favorite hobby of late is to make up lyrics on the fly and break into a matching dance routine, often shaking his booty a la Ricky Martin pumped up on salsa music.

This morning while getting ready for school he suddenly burst into his latest song while swiveling his hips: I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE A SIGNATURE `CAUSE IT'S SO COOL TO HAVE A CHECKBOOK!

Pause Button

2006-02-27T07:24:00.000-08:00

Another story in the paper today about employers firing bloggers. I therefore promise you, gentle reader, that you will never see a blog: (1) making disparaging remarks about (much less even acknowledging) my current or past employers; (2) displaying any provocative photos of me or my husband (trust me, at our respective ages and after two children, this is really for the best) or (3) including confessionals about any present or past sins (if you know about them, dear reader, please keep them to yourself).

Having said all that, I suppose I'll now feel compelled to draft my online privacy policy and terms of use at some point.

Crazy Gloo

2006-02-26T16:26:00.000-08:00

Ah, the family vacation.

The temptation of course is to pretend all was perfect and to send out a closing dispatch consisting of a glowing travelogue complete with model-perfect photos. The happy family hits the road. We see a beautiful, remote California beach south of Morro Bay and learn lots of interesting things about a California mission in Lompoc, La Purisima. I find a sand dollar just when I was about to give up looking for them. The kids climb rock formations and dig for shells while getting pelted with ocean spray. After a day at home we head for "los montanas" to cap off the week with some skiing in Nevada.

After nine years of parenthood I understand even more why people get a chuckle out of those National Lampoon vacation movies starring Chevy Chase. Stuff happens. Some funny, some not so funny. We argue over stupid things. We get intimately familiar with each other's unique smells in a closed in space. We wonder if getting married and having children was a rational decision (no, there was absolutely nothing rational about either decision...we basically lost our minds). Our children alternate between complete parental adoration and comparisons to how much better other kids have it.

So I won't use up space on this site to describe the beautiful coastal scenery that looked like a painting or the way the sun reflected so brightly off the snow it brought tears to our eyes. I also won't lie and tell you that we all held hands every day, singing gospel tunes and spreading love and joy throughout California and Nevada. We didn't.

But there were sublime moments here and there to remind us that our family is important and even though we all know how to push each other's buttons and drive each other crazy, love keeps us all threaded together.

Some "pictures" I wish we would have or could have taken:

Justine and Jonathan setting up a tent in our condo with chairs and a sleeping bag and playing chess and card games underneath.
Teaching the kids duets of bad love songs with the iPod (and probably scaring away black bears outside).
Jonathan patiently explaining to Justine why he needed to find a potty instead of asking Mom and Dad to pull off on the side of the road near the beach because a bee might land on a certain body part.

Here's my favorite moment. For reasons too boring to explain (read: work related), Mark and the kids headed to Lake Tahoe first after the Morro Bay trip and I flew in to Reno to meet them. When they picked me up, I glanced in the back of the cab of Mark's truck and all I could see through the tinted window were two sets of teeth and two big grins. "Mommmeeee!" squealed Justine and Jonathan when I climbed in the cab. Kisses all around followed. And one of Mom's favorite beverages - a Starbucks iced tea (venti black unsweetened) - waiting in the cup holder. Daddy's idea, according to the kids.

It ain't a Harlequin romance novel, but it sure beats living alone in the woods with three cats.

New Day, New Snow

2006-02-18T19:41:00.000-08:00

Random meanderings wafting from a glass of California Shiraz....

1. "Clean as good!"
~ Jonathan, today after washing his hands.

2. Two weeks ago the groundhog seemed like an absolute crackpot. Suddenly sunny weather, breaking out the khaki shorts in February (OK, OK, Floridian relatives and friends....70 F is an unusual treat here in February, not a regular occurrence!). Yesterday, the mercury went into a dive bomb. After a lunchtime rain storm I peered out my fifth floor window at work to find white snow caps on the Mt. Hamilton range east of San Jose (this happens maybe 1x per winter at most).

3. Heading south to Morro Bay very soon for a family trip. Will try to post photos by March if any come out. In the meantime you can check out this site on Morro Bay http://www.morro-bay.net/. We'll also be helping Justine study a California mission for a school project.

4. Wonder if we'll see #84 again?......On a trip to a retreat center in Big Sur a few weeks ago, I was quite irritated when a car came to a full stop in front of me on Highway One. Yes, the view from the cliff overlooking the Monterey Bay and Pacific Ocean was indeed breathtaking, but the driver didn't need to lean out the window and point west. We could all see the view. Moron! But as my car crawled closer I realized what he was pointing at....two of the largest, ugliest turkey vultures sat on the stone wall that keeps cars from plunging below into the kelp beds. One peered at me as my car pulled up alongside him and I noticed the large yellow #84 painted on his left wing. He tipped his red, rubbery head and gave me a look that all but said "You dummy. Take a good look because you might never see me again." Of course - my first sighting of a rare California condor! My only hope is that the rest of the family will get to see one of these spectacularly ugly beasts someday, too. For more info on these birds check out: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-condor.html.

5. Don't ever blink. You might miss something.

Attention Junkies

2006-02-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

Here's the photo I was looking for the other day. Why did I spend so much time trying to upload and post this when I could have been doing something productive. You know.... stomach crunches....reading a good book....filing my nails....watching that British haunted house show on the Travel Channel.

What is it about blogging that appeals to people? I mean, why am I spending time posting random thoughts for all to see? Is this the same compulsion that drove the cave man to commit the first graffiti incident?

I think the title of this blog says it all.

The first step to healing is admitting your addiction. I'm not sure yet that it is an addiction, though. When I used the term "attention junkie" with a friend, I was told that maybe it's really about being a submerged writer and needing an outlet.

Is this explanation just an addict's denial?

Of course I won't even start in on the flip side: why on earth are you reading this?

Nevermind. I digress. This photo is of the family unit - Mark, Justine, Jonathan and me. From about two years ago.

So for those who haven't seen us in awhile, we've changed a little but not a lot. Mark has lost some weight, the kids have grown taller, my hair is a bit longer. But generally speaking we're still the same attractive looking bunch.

Pen and Paper, Keyboard and Blog

2006-02-09T20:08:00.000-08:00

It turns out that our Justine is showing signs of being a budding writer.

She brought home a writing assignment yesterday that was graded against state standards and was the only one in her class to get a perfect score. Her teacher tells us it's very difficult for children her age to get this score on state tests. The teacher read her story to the whole class.

Here's a tiny excerpt from "Sunny Carlsbad and the Pacific Ocean":

...The sounds of the waves comforted me as I picked up my boogie board. The sight was so beautiful, dolphins doing tricks and whales spouting water....The sand felt squishy on my toes as I walked and there was all but one little cloud in the sky....

Hmmm. So I'm thinking maybe I need to get her a blog, too. Reading her stuff sure beats having to read indemnity clauses all day (a little legal joke for you from the lawyer).

Of course, like most writers, she has a hard time getting disciplined about this whole process. We're a long way from shopping her around to literary agents until she gets a good stack of material going. Right now, instead of putting pen to paper she's burning up the clock watching SpongeBob Square Pants.

Where is the commitment?

But I must admit, despite my aversion to television, it's a rather hypnotic little cartoon.

Must.....go.....now..... Excellent SpongeBob campfire song on.

The Squirts

2006-02-08T18:11:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of the kids. Actually one of these was supposed to include a photo of Mark, too, but I accidentally uploaded the wrong image and can't figure out how to fix this.

Oh, well. Another day.

So back to my story. These kids are for sale. Cheap. Make me an offer.

Just kidding. I would never dream of selling them, even on our most challenging days together. Jonathan is looking over my shoulder right now and keeps asking to play on the computer so I thought I'd give him something interesting to read. He's six years old. Almost seven next month. And as cute as a bug with his two front teeth growing in, freckles dusting his nose and those long dark lashes that highlight his big blue eyes. Spoiled rotten too. :-)

Justine is our princess. I have been her personal valet for nine years and I love every minute of it. Sometimes she lets me hold her scepter. Ok, it's fun until she wants to run up bills on my credit card with shopping sprees. But even that's fun sometimes.

Don't get me wrong. I love to tease them and poke fun, but they are the best things that ever happened in my life and I thank God and my lucky stars every day for them.

More soon.

Welcome

2006-02-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

C'mon in, put your feet up and have a cup of tea (or something stronger if we have it). This is my first attempt at blogging so be patient. When I get the digicam up and running will have a gallery of photos along with occasional smatterings of random thoughts or other gems (an exaggeration but it is my blog!). Stand by also for news and updates on the family.