So I'm trying to figure out how to live alone again.  It's got its good and bad points.  My grocery bill is way down, but I've got no one to talk to except the dog and cat.  Sometimes the quiet is nice, like after a busy day at school.  Other times, I end up spending too much time on the computer.  It will only get better, right?

My Little Girl

Molly and Julia now have their own apartment in Santa Cruz. My nest will be empty in just a couple of weeks. On the other hand, I now have a cool place to stay in Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz

From Ponderosa, I rented a car in Bakersfield and drove to Santa Cruz. I met Molly and she and I spent four days looking for and apartment for her to share with Julia while they go to school up there. Apartments were hard to come by. We are still waiting to hear back on one we applied for. But Santa Cruz was lovely and Molly and I had a fabulous time together. We laughed and sang and went to the farmer's market and explored up the coast. I am so lucky to have such a good friend as a daughter.

Ponderosa

Scott, Judy and Len and I went to a new area of the Sierras to hike and explore. Ponderosa is just South of the Sequoia National Forest (not Park). The hike we went on took us to groves of beautiful big trees.

My Patio - A work in progress

I meant to take a "before" picture, but I forgot and have to make do with a "during" picture.

From Redwood City to Portland

Meg and Al moved from the Bay area to Portland and I helped them. We worked hard and also had a great time. They have joined a co-housing community in a cool neighborhood called Overlook. I like it very much and look forward to spending more time with them in the future.

Catalina

I went to Catalina with Scott, Kathy, Steve and new friend John. We sailed all the way around the island - four days. We snorkeled everyday. I had the greatest time - the sea, the animals, the friends. I would go again tomorrow.

First, we went to Disneyland

Alix asked if we could go while she was down before she started summer school at UCSC. We had many laughs and adventures. I didn't go on Space Mountain and I never will again.

Eureka!

The kids and I went to the mountains yesterday. Our goal was gold mining at the Julian Mining Co., but the real goal was a short road trip with my two best buds. The greenery and wildflowers were unprecedented. We day dreamed about having a country place: goats, chickens, bees, and a horse each for Molly and John.

It was cold up there, and cloudy but not rainy. We were the only customers at the Mining Co. - the only ones the whole day! The guy was super nice and helpful. We learned a bit about local history and how to pan.

I got specks and the kids got only a little more, but we did get semi-precious stones that the Co. had 'seeded' the sluice with.

We ended with hot chocolate and pie from Duddley's Bakery. The best part was the drive and the baby goats.

Spring

I don't know why I am so excited about Spring this year. Maybe because of the warm weather after all the rain. The yards and canyons and hillsides of San diego are abloom!

Also health abounds in our family - a state I've learned not to take for granted this year. Anyway, I'm highly motivated to renew our home and create the perfect backdrop for all the good times on the horizon. I'm not posting any before pictures, but maybe I'll post after ones. Or better yet - invite you over for tea.

For Emmett

I'll be posting other pictures from this summer later, but I need to let Emmett see our home-made D&D set up John and Molly created while we were in Northern California.
I think my sorceress name was Mallorian. Note evil blue pig on right.

I have a lot to be thankful for

Or: How I spent my summer vacation

It's a bit ironic that my previous post was about how cool my mom is. The day after the last day of work, I received a call from my Stepfather/uncle. He was worried that he hadn't been able to raise my mom by phone. She has been living in Pomona (near LA) and he is in Maryland. I had him call the police & got in my car. By the time I got there, the police had come & gone, saying they could hear her inside but she didn't give them permission to enter. I tried to break the door - it looks so easy on TV - but ended up having to get the neighbor to help me crawl through the window.

Mom had been laying on the floor for at least twelve hours, semi unconscious. I called 911. At the hospital they diagnosed acute diverticulitis and a very bad bladder infection. I stayed at her house and took care of her ailing little dog (some of you know that story) for the rest of the week. Her house... I can't go into it, even now. Suffice it to say, it the dictionary under 'hoarder' is a picture of that house (Two story, 5 bedroom craftsman). The only place I could sleep was the couch.

The care at the hospital was spotty. Twice they gave her the wrong meds and once they neglected to do an important test. She doesn't remember even being there. I was wondering if she would be able to think clearly again.

But I am lucky. Our friend and md, John Dodge, recommended a nursing home in La Jolla, so I checked her out and brought her there. She stayed for a week, getting better and more lucid. At the end of the week, she wanted to come to my house. We got her a walker and some gear for the shower, etc.. A physical therapist came twice a week for awhile. She needed a lot of help, but luckily, I was off school and could focus on her pretty well.

I was determined to get her a new doctor. I wanted a gerontologist who would know what is normal aging and what needs to be fixed. Once again, I was lucky enough to have as a friend, Lisa Snyder, a researcher and social worker at the Alzheimer's Center at UCSD. She recommended the best old people's doc: Victor Legner. Dr. Legner set up lots of tests for a head to toe check up.

Months ago, Bill and I had planned a trip to Mexico, to San Miguel de Allende, for the second week in July. Fortunately, my dear friends CJ, Don, and especially, Molly took care of mom while we were gone. We had the best time ever! Really, for both of us, it was literally the best vacation we have ever had. I'll post photos later.

When we returned, mom was feeling somewhat better and we began to talk about her future. Many of you know, I have 2 bedrooms. We have been juggling beds and the couch all summer. I want mom to get an apartment here, in San Diego. Uncle StepDad wants her to return to Maryland (he is 92). She wants to go back to Pomona and "Fix up her house." So, this week, I am going to take her up there for a trial run. Her next door neighbor has a helper who will clean up and make her dinner (she is resisting this a bit). My stepdaduncle is planning on flying out. She agrees that if she can't do all she needs, that we will get her a place down here, at least temporarily. I am hoping if this happens, that we'll be able to move her within the next two weeks, before I have to be back at work.

I am a little worn out. This week, Bill has been the sickest I've ever seen him (with the stomach flu), so I have been sleeping over there in Johnny's room, to be available if he needs me. Last week, I took John and Molly to Northern Ca to check out some colleges she wanted to visit. We had a great trip, but it was a long drive.

I am thankful my mom is alive and kicking.

I am thankful to have such a great partner and wonderful children.

I am thankful for my extended family: CJ and Don. What would I do without them?

I am thankful that the profession of teaching has maintained the tradition of allowing teachers to have time to take care of the rest of their lives in between taking care of their students. And I'm glad this all happened in the summer.

I am thankful to have so many generous friends with great connections.

And I'm thankful that this summer is almost over.

Mama

I know everyone thinks their mother is the best (except for those who don't), but my mother is really hard to beat.

For Mother's Day, my kinders wrote things they like about their moms. Here are mine:

1. Absolutely no one con make me laugh as hard as Mama. Tears run down my face and I loose the power of speech. Now Molly has joined the joke fest & we ALL roll around gasping for air.

2. She really does make the best fried chicken. Also cornbread. I've been following her recipe for years and hers is still way better than mine.

3. In my mamas eyes, I do nothing wrong. If I became an axe murderer, she would say, "Those people must have needed to be axe-murdered." This made my teen years a hoot.

4. She would give me (and has) the shirt off her back. I have to be careful when I complement her on something she is wearing, or she will give it to me. I say, "I like that ON YOU."

5. She is a fabulous Grama, possibly Molly's best friend. I do appreciate this, though it is hard sometimes - they have a tendency to gang up on me.

There are so many more. Most of the good qualities I have, the appreciations for the good things in life, were taught to me by my Mama. She's still teaching me to enjoy life. I hope she never stops.

Two hours east

The desert sure is pretty right now. Some friends and I went to Domelands, on the eastern edge of Anzo Borrego, on BLM land. We went there so we could take the dogs. We had a great hike up to some wind caves (I'm partial to caves). Molly took most of the photos. Unsurprisingly, she has a great eye for composition.

It was so peaceful & relaxing & fun to be with friends I don't see often enough. Can't wait till next time.

Get Peaceful

"Hearts for Peace": International Day of Peace Movie

Memories

Yesterday Bill and I went to lunch and to the Georgia O'Keefe & others exhibit at the museum of art. We had such a good time just being grown ups together. It reminds me that I want to share photos from our winter visit to the Dryers' magic cottage. Just looking at them makes my shoulders relax.

This short film says everything I believe about children and nature. Anyone up for a trip to Torrey Pines?

http://www.childrenandnature.org/news/detail/quest_series_focuses_on_nature_deficit_disorder

Welcome to the cat I said we'd never get

We have a new family member: Emma Alice Pen Kitty. She was adopted "temporarily" to intimidate the rodentia in our walls and attic (known as the 'bad rats' to differentiate from the 'good rats' - Molly's pets Antithesis and Antonymus), but she walked in and made herself so at home that she won my heart. She understands that Riley is no threat (to cat or rat), we keep our rats locked up and Patricia and Hoenheim on a high shelf, and everyone seems as happy as can be. I guess we have a cat.

Molly in College

My baby girl is enrolled in her first college class: Japanese 101 at Mesa this summer. She loves Japanes, loves learning languages, and loves not being at high school. I love her growing sense of competence in the world. It's a good thing I have my kinder friends to help me stave off pangs of empty nest syndrome.

It's Still the Del Mar Fair to me

Yesterday at the fair I experimented with a new parenting technique called, "Let them eat whatever they want." Between them, they ate: a Tower of caramel apples and whipped cream, a pizza on a stick, shaved ice, polish sausage, and deep fried oreos. In between pushing the bounds of gastronomic good sense we played games and watched the pig races, and just generally moseyed around. Now if we get to the beach this week, summer will have officially begun.