Small Towns

Ha, Big Brother seems to think I should delete any references that might indicate that our family could possibly have a bad gene pool (see the last entry... I won't I won't I won't delete it).

Here's another one for Big Brother. I think Dad brought us to this place to escape the grasp of those ranting relatives. From what i see in this picture it hasn't changed since we lived there way back when. Last time I visited this place, maybe 20 years ago, I felt I was in some sort of Twilight Zone. I would imagine another visit would trigger the exact same feeling. Makes me wonder what life would be today if I had stayed there. I checked the website for this small town and see some familiar names. Just think, I could be one of them.

Feeling Nutz Is In The Family

Sometimes I feel like I'm going a bit nutz. A couple days ago I went to see Wishful Drinking. It's a one woman show where Carrie Fisher tells it like it is... all the sex, scandals and dysfunction of her movie star upbringing. There are no movie stars in my family but we do have our share of eccentric characters. So here I bare it all... this is where I get the crazy gene...

Several years ago I found an article in the SF Newspaper which described her out on her front porch in her nightgown and detailed her threats to end it all with a bottle carbolic acid. Now I find the secrets are out on the Chronicling America website.

"Starting four days after his marriage, which took place at Eureka, October 20, 1892, Albert A. Camitz, an insurance broker, with offices in the Lick building, has suffered from the jealousy and ungovernable temper of his wife, Dorothea, according to his divorce complaint filed yesterday. Since 1904, when they came to San Francisco, - Mrs. Camitz, according to her husband, would scream at him like a wildwoman, telling him to go to his "beauty" down town and marry her. Mrs. Camitz is accused of running frequently from their home at Sausalito and threatening to drown herself, but Camitz always followed and forced her to return."

Easter Eggs & Sunday Services

A couple of times a year we preacher's kids go to church together. When we were kids Mom used to pass Certs breath mints around about half way through the service. So just to make sure the memory sticks, Big Sister brought the mints...

After the service, Little J found his twin at the Easter Egg hunt...

Comfort Zone

You might wonder why a grown woman would carry around a purple beany bear. To make a long story short - The purple beany bear was only on the market for a short time but a few of us red hatters happened to get ours before it was removed from the shelves. When my friend Micky died last year we confiscated her bear and gave it to her daughter. Somewhere in the mix we determined that the bear was the reincarnation of Micky giving us the opportunity to take her with us on all our red hat adventures. Now we have been doing a lot of traveling with Micky lately and she is getting a bit tired. Last night one of my friends presented her (and her friend)with this bean bag lounge chair and sleeping bag...

I Ate What?

Ethiopian Food... These are only the veggies. They piled all sorts of chicken, lamb and steak between the veggies. It's on injera bread. It comes with rolls of injera bread. The bread is the only utensil you get (although they do promise to bring a fork if you really can't handle it). So, you take the bread, pick up the food, roll it up burrito style and enjoy. Would I go back? You bet!
Ethiopia Restaurant, 2955 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley

Sad News

A dear family friend has passed away...
KEVIN V. McCARTHY SEPT. 17, 1944 - MARCH 17, 2008 Kevin McCarthy passed away peacefully at his home in Castro Valley with family by his side. He is survived by his wife, Karen of 38 years, and children, Patrick and Erin; his father, Joseph McCarthy of Castro Valley; brother and sister-in-law, Joseph and Donna McCarthy of American Canyon; and sister-in-law, Sandra Ellingsworth of San Leandro as well as many other wonderful relatives and friends. His children were his greatest joy. Kevin lived life fully with his love of family, music, and cooking. His musical career began at the age of 14 when he was the youngest member of the Oakland Symphony, then played with Joe Smiell's Band for over 40 years. He was a talented percussionist and lived his passion for music up until his death. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of careers beginning with his first job at the Oakland Tribune, and after graduating from the San Francisco Culinary Academy he opened the First Street Café in Pleasanton, and finally retiring this year from the Fremont School District's payroll department. Throughout his illness he never lost his sense of humor. A memorial mass will be held on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Church, 3433 Somerset Ave., Castro Valley, CA. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Cat Butts and Elephants

Possibly this will save Wanda a few lives. Well, at least it might stifle the odor if she continues to use my carpet for toilet paper.
More idle threats: If she does continue her bad habits, I just happened to discover this at our new local Sweet Shoppe.

Where Is Wanda?

I was asked today if perhaps Wanda had lost her last life since she hasn't appeared in Wittbits since Christmas. The truth is Wanda has developed some rather disturbing habits. So disturbing that if I were to publicly admit them, I'd be forced follow through on that last life threat. But alas, the truth must come out. I am a doormat wimp who allows Wanda to shred hats and boas, rip through my morning newspaper, streak across my face at 4am, and use the carpet outside her litter box as butt wipes. I just can't face the ultimate demise of Wanda. She remains alive and well. The proof is here... Notice, I even tolerate her wearing my freshly laundered panties.

I'm Finally Getting It

It's been almost a year since a few of us red hatters decided we needed to learn to line dance. After much perseverance, I think it might be paying off. Today I heard someone tell a beginner, "Just watch the lady with the red shoes. She's good." These are my red shoes!!!

All Aboard Reno Fun Train

I'm just a little behind here. Last weekend we boarded our private car for the Fun Train trip to Reno. Little J is a little lady magnet. Of course it helped to bring along 8 hours worth of Scooby Doo.

Fish Food

Reno fish swallowed Little J

Snow

Left money in Reno. Returning home on the fun train.

Saints

Saints Peter and Paul. Not the church that I normally attend. It was a rather ornate setting for a performance for peace by the Sonoma Valley Chorale Chamber Ensemble. All in a Saturdat night. :-)