Witt Bits

Bubbles

2012-02-08T21:20:00.000-08:00

In the middle of our weekly shopping adventure at our local Target last week, I paused to search the aisle of personal cleanliness. With the impatience of an eight year old, Little J asked why it was taking me so long and I told him I needed to find the perfect bubble bath. His response... "Grandma you're too old for bubble baths!"

And so we left without bubbles.

But I really wanted a bubble bath.

I looked online and found out how to make my own:

Homemade Bubble Bath
1/2 cup unscented shampoo
3/4 cup water
1/4 teas. table salt
a few drops fragrance oil

Meanwhile Grandpa was out and about. When he called to check in I told him what Little J said about old people and bubbles. I asked if he might bring home some unscented shampoo so I could experiment.

This is what Grandpa brought home... .

Now to carve out a wee bit of time to experience this luxurious (and expensive) bliss.

Reminder… Time to Check Out Newts

2012-02-05T19:49:00.001-08:00

Just a little reminder that it’s that time of year. It’s been 4 years since we checked them out. Must remember to schedule walk next weekend…. Oh, and the other reason to put this old picture up now… so I could link it to my labyrinth project in pinterest.

Today

2011-12-17T20:05:00.001-08:00

Dismal morning fog…

Rainbow brightens afternoon…

Wishing it lasted…

Add 3272...

2011-12-16T17:21:00.000-08:00

Ground Hogs Day 2003. Five years worth of rubber bands from the daily newspaper with maybe a few thrown in from brocolli or asparagus bundles.

3272 days later... something doesn't add up... wouldn't the circumference of the rubber band ball increase in the same proporation as the circumference of our Jelly Belly bellies?

Tiny Pencils

2011-09-09T11:35:00.000-07:00

While I procrastinate about writing my own book, my son continues to work on his. While I sit in my comfortable office, use a computer, access the internet, and pull from life's continuing experiences, he works in his tiny quarters, using tiny pencils, pulling ideas from memories or fantasies. I make excuses for not writing but he prods along, producing volumes of pencil written drafts and artwork. My current commitment is to process his words and send him encouragement and hope. Look for his fantasy novels soon. And if you have some encouragement and hope to share with him, let me know.

Summer... Gone In a Flash

2011-08-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

I picked up my camera today, blew off the dust and checked the batteries. Checking the contents, I see the last photos dated back to the beginning of summer when Little J and I took a trip to Virginia. What's wrong with this picture (or lack of pictures I should say)? It's not that I haven't taken any photos. There are a few "Where Am I"s posted on Facebook, taken with the iPhone, mostly at the prompting of Little J.

So what's up with this lack of enthusiasm to post here at Wittbits? It's kind of hard to explain but those who are close to me could give it a good guess. For the rest of you, let's just say I've been a bit bothered, bewildered and befuzzled. Sometimes life just gets that way.

So here we are at the beginning of another school year for Little J. 3rd Grade brings a new wealth of homework assignments but it seems they are starting gently. This weekend he had one task... make a collage of the things he likes, the purpose being something to stash in the front of his writing journal. 3rd Graders must write every day. So... I could use a little lesson here. Grandmas should be writing every day too. It's good for the soul.

Yesterday Little J and I got out a few of our treasures and some old magazines. Armed with scissors and glue sticks, we put together our favorite things collage. JJ's is a bit sparse but that's OK. The things he chose are a pretty good selection of just where he is at today... Yugioh cards, pizza, pancakes and fond remembrances of his big trip. The big green bookmark centered on the page... let's just say he really misses his uncle.

Now about my collage. Let's just say... I have a lot of catching up to do with my writing... and life.

Cleanliness Is Next To…

2011-05-09T11:31:00.001-07:00

A while back while on a quest for products to do the annual obligatory spring cleaning, I started my search with window cleaner in the aisle of Target, I heard a voice behind me. It was kind of an anonymous whisper, “Vinegar.” I turned around to see a 50ish kind of woman with long graying hair. In defiance I picked up the manufactured window cleaner containing ammonia and who knows what else that is bad for you.

Around the corner, I sought out bathroom cleaner. The voice again behind me squeaked, “Vinegar.” I recognized the plaid flannel shirt and worn out jean and shoved a can of aerosoled bathroom cleaner into the basket. I threw in some extra strength toilet bowl cleaner for good measure.

The shelves on the next aisle held a broad assortment of kitchen cleaners. I wanted something all purpose. Behind me again, I heard “Vinegar.” The voice was a bit louder and more persistent this time. I didn’t bother to look at the perpetrator and instead grabbed two bottles of bleach scented kitchen cleaners… one for counters and a stronger one for floors.

Pet odor eliminator was next on the list and the orange scented spray bottle of deodorizer seemed like it might do the trick. BUT, there she was right behind me. This time I beat her to it. “Vinegar,” I blurted out. She rolled her eyes in response and taunted, “No, baking soda.”

Funny thing, spring cleaning has been a slow process this year. Part of the reasoning is that I work fewer hours at “paying” work so now the house work doesn’t need to be a frantic weekend activity. Instead, I have a commitment to do at least one task on that spring cleaning list every day off from work. The list sits on the edge of the desk, most of the easy ones having already been tackled. What leaped out at me today was the dreaded window cleaning. Unfortunately, when I checked out the cleaning supply cabinet, I found someone had raided it. The ammonia cleaner was gone. The voice came back… “Vinegar.” Knowing a trip to the store would sabotage the agenda, I looked for a recipe on the internet: 1/4 cup undiluted white vinegar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 quarter warm water to be applied with a spray bottle and wiped dry with crumpled newspaper. With Monday newspaper short on pages and the Sunday news long gone to the recycle bin, I didn’t get far. The patio door and three kitchen windows are indeed streakless but with my new excuse of environmental consciousness, I refuse to get into the paper towels.

Now would someone please tell me how to get the newspaper ink out from under my fingernails?

Rusty Secrets

2011-04-08T14:05:00.001-07:00

Rusty bear and I have shared this journey through life for 61 years since his arrival in a package from Dad on my first birthday. I've lost count how many times he's been packed away to move from house to house. Over the years he has been a steady comfort, sharing pillows from crib to king size. (OK, so I don't sleep with him anymore but he does sit on my nightstand when darkness comes).

His body holds the secrets of our parallel lives. The fur that is matted and worn, bald in some spots, honors years of toddler cuddling, tweenage tea parties, teenage rants, newlywed neglect, new mom blues, and diminished house cleaning attempts. I remember when Mom gave him new button eyes in his early years; now he has only one, barely hanging by a thread. The zippered pocket sewn inside his left leg in the thirteenth year, held a stash of teenage secrets. Rusty and I may be well worn around the edges but as long as the stuffing doesn't fall out, I think the secrets are safe.

Birthday Cards

2011-04-07T13:50:00.001-07:00

I won’t see my son on my birthday this year; nor will I see him on his birthday five days later. But, he sends a card, a card that was artfully done with the only tools he has, short colored pencils and cheap white all purpose paper. There is a message attached to the card. He apologizes for not having enough money to buy me a ticket. As I look at the cartoon, I smile then laugh at the humor. The picture is worth much more to me than a ticket to the most costly of all concerts. Even more important, it appeases my sorrow knowing that my son can still maintain his sense of humor in his sad situation.

Mug Cakes 101

2011-03-11T14:07:00.001-08:00

OK so I weighed in this morning and was pleased to find that I was still 1.5 pounds under my goal weight. By noon I was craving a celebration and I remembered seeing something somewhere about a microwave cake in a mug. By 12:02 I found google results for hundreds of pounds of these tidbits. It seems everyone has their own variation somewhere in their blog. Everyone but me anyway.

I started mixing the basic ingredients: 4 tbsp flour, 4 tbsp sugar, and pinch of baking soda. I added the beaten egg and stirred thoroughly. Then I added the other basic ingredients one by one: 3 tbsp milk then 3 tbsp oil. Someone had suggested a splash of vanilla so I stirred that in too. I poured it into a well greased mug, stirred in a couple tablespoons of chocolate chips and stuck it in the microwave for 3 minutes. I dumped the lopsided cake (it's supposed to be that way) onto a plate immediately just like it said in the recipes. I let it cool... for about 15 minutes... if I had read the blog comments, I might have known better. Next time I'll dump and eat immediately to avoid chewing my way through a rubbery sugar fix.

No, I did not calculate the point value. I don't want to know.

Yesterday’s News

2011-02-15T07:45:00.001-08:00

We have a regular morning routine in our household. Just as I finish my morning bowl of mush, hubby takes the bowl away and brings my coffee. (Note: I have never asked him to do this… he just does it). Usually it’s about the same time that I turn to the obituary page. Usually he stands over my shoulder and picks out at least one picture and comments, “That guy looks familiar” or “Geeze they all look so young.” Yesterday as he looked over my shoulder he exclaimed, “Wow they changed the format of the obituaries, I don’t think I like it.”

”Look again,” I say “It’s the new survivors”…

Xfinity and Beyond

2010-11-25T10:56:00.001-08:00

Monday evening hubby and I settled in to my warm bed to watch the weekly episode of House. Half way through the program up popped an ad for an Iphone Xfinity App. Curious as to how I could remotely control my TV without an official Comcast remote, I promptly reached for the Iphone and downloaded the app. With a patient tweak here and there I discovered I could indeed control my TV DVR plus the one in the living room.

Little J was curled up on the sofa in the living room watching cartoon network. Hmmm, I thought, I could play a trick on him now. I could change the channel and he wouldn't have a clue as to what was going on. So I did. And it worked. Shrieks came out of the living room, "Grandma something happened to the TV." Hubby and I laughed as he came stomping into the room and we quickly confessed that Grandma discovered a new Iphone app and was just playing around to see if it worked. We assured him his show would be back on the living room TV before he could return to it. It worked.

Getting back from the distractions, House was moving right along and getting close to the final commercial break when the TV went haywire. It seemed to be searching for channels, flipping back and forth from cartoons to DVR to House. I tried to break the cycle and wondered if it had been a mistake to download an Iphone app and if perhaps the internet had taken over every TV in the house. I reached for the Comcast remote and turned the TV off. It flipped back on. I turned off the DVR. It flipped back on. I reached for the Iphone and turned it off. I missed the end of House and only hoped that the back up recording was in order. After a good ten minutes and with increasing frustration, I picked up the Iphone again thinking I would delete the app and all would be well. All of a sudden Little J appeared in our doorway, all giggles and grins, "It's all a joke Grandma." There he was with his remote control which just happened to work on my TV too. I'll never figure out how that little trickster managed to keep so quiet for so long.

This morning I reminded him that he had played the last trick so now it was my turn to get even. He looked at me with those sweet innocent brown eyes, "It's OK Grandma. I'm ready and I already have my next plan."

Possum Pie

2010-09-25T16:58:00.001-07:00

For years we have had deer roaming our hillside. Each spring we look forward to seeing the procession of does with new little Bambies and an occasional buck. We chuckle when they pass through the fenced in boundary of our neighbor’s yard to nibble on her latest delicate flowers.

There is the morning ritual that begins with the doling out of dry cat food to the cats, as we watch the sleepy eyed raccoon pop up from his little nest halfway up the hillside. I’m prepared as I huff back up the driveway to chase him away with the daily newspaper.

By noon the turkeys have polished off the latest dusting under the bird feeder and are strutting their way around our yard, evil glaring eyes daring us to try to get from the back door to our cars.

Owls keep us awake at night, blue jays torment the cats and someone in the neighborhood taught the mocking birds early morning wake up calls.

Skunks leave behind odiferous reminders as they pass through the yard, perhaps having been disturbed by one of the six cats that reside at our address.

I cringe when I think of the huge tarantula that I removed from middle of the kitchen last week. It managed to sneak in under the back door. I'm plagued with spiders but at least the termites are gone.

The cats earn their keep with weekly deposits of rat heads and tails on our doorstep. I've learned to look before I step these days.

But here's the latest. I'm searching the internet for a recipe for possum pie...

No Evil

2010-09-19T13:05:00.001-07:00

Makes a lot of sense to me…

Karate Beach Training

2010-09-11T16:22:00.001-07:00

It started out to be a chilly day under a thick layer of fog for the annual karate beach training day at Stinson. The kids (and sensei) worked hard to earn their beach BBQ hotdogs and a gourmet feast of accompaniments. As we finished up lunch, the fog burned off and we spent the afternoon basking on the sun warm beach.

Lavender

2010-08-16T14:46:00.001-07:00

It was a lavender plant. In my front yard. Not a good environment for a lavender plant. Sometimes I feel like this too.

I Ate It All

2010-08-01T17:54:00.001-07:00

Well, I ate almost all of it. I did save one little cookie for Little J. This was High Tea at Jacqueline’s in Petaluma. Next time I’ll go for something a bit more reasonable. Oops, there was a scone too, with all the trimmings, which is a must have at this tea place. That disappeared before we brought out the camera.

Do Not Enter

2010-07-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago when I wandered down the driveway for the morning newspaper our little raccoon friend decided it would be a good opportunity to raid the kitty bowls. The only problem was, he was not going to let me go back in the back door. Even a gentle prodding with a industrial sized broomstick didn’t encourage him to budge. I tried the bear trick, making myself appear bigger by wildly waving arms in an erratic frenzy. I threw in a few shrieks for good measure. No luck. Finally I headed to the front door and peaked in the window to see if the ruckus had aroused the rest of the family. It seems Little J thought we might be under attack… he met me at the front door with his bright green laser beam machine. This morning the feisty little critter greeted me with this fierce pose. I’m fixin to get me a raccoon skin hat.

School’s Out

2010-06-11T22:09:00.001-07:00

Little J brought home a treasure chest full of artwork in celebration of his successful completion of 1st grade. Elimination of clutter is a high priority for some of us so digital scrapbooking is the way to go. Now if only someone could show me how to organize my hard drive... it’s almost as out of control as a kid on the first day of summer vacation.

But wait… Now that I have studied this picture for a bit I’m wondering… at first I thought it was a flower but could there be a lady hidden in there? And if this is a rather svelte young lady , who might it be? Maybe I should save this one.

Uninvited Guests

2010-04-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

I returned home after a weekend escape to find uninvited guests of the less than desirable sort. It's not as if I didn't know they might show up. There had been some signs that they might be on the way. Just before I left on my weekend adventure, I saw evidence of their eminent arrival but I chose to set those thoughts aside in hopes of enjoying what may be one of my last getaways for quite some time. I knew the visit was going to cost me... plenty. These are the kind of guests that show up bent on creating a massive nuisance with their determination suck every morsel of your existence into little piles of dung...

It all started a couple of weeks ago when I discovered a few tiny little black specks on the ceramic tile in my bathroom. I simply cleaned them up and doused the cats with a toxic flea killing substance thinking the problem was resolved.

A week later I discovered a little mound of mud in the corner of my bathroom. My first thought was, what a talented cat I have. Further sniffling research however indicated there was no odiferous scent and the root cause of it was coming from the walls.

You probably guessed by now that I found a pile of wings in the corner by the time I got home from the weekend. That and plenty of little wingless ants encircling my toilet. UGH.

OK, so now we deal with it and here is where it helps to keep a sense of humor. Little J heard my screams of intolerance at these guests and rushed in to see the cause of the disturbance. "What are those things Grandma?" he asked as he closely observed the squirmy little pests.

Trying to keep it light I suggested that we maybe have some new little pets to take care of. As a typical seven year old who wants to save every living thing that comes his way, he asks, "what do they eat?"

I told him they have a big appetite for wood and judging from the number of them, my bathroom was likely to fall off the side of the house (ok so that's not keeping it light but I was starting to feel desperation). Little J told me to wait right there because he knew just how to help. A few moments later he returned with a piece of his wooden train tracks... "it's ok grandma, I don't need these tracks anymore, they can eat them instead of the house."

If only life could be so simple. Yes, I have called the hit men.

Minnie Begs For a Bath

2010-03-21T19:55:00.001-07:00

The Return of Wanda

2010-02-15T15:33:00.001-08:00

Followers of my blog might remember a couple of years ago when we were adopted by Wanda. Her antics frequently embellished this blog along with a tally as to how many of her nine lives remained. Maybe you thought she used them all up and we quietly eliminated the problem. We wouldn’t do that, really, I promise. Instead we live with her continuous assaults on the home front. We encourage her to spend more time on the hillside behind the house but once in a while she sneaks in through the broken screen door. She might have succeeded in hiding out in Little J’s top drawer with her stuffed companions if it weren’t for the ~~mews, news,~~ muse.

Groundhog... It's a Bummer

2010-02-02T15:23:00.000-08:00

Bummer... see Groundhog for details

I Want To Say The Cruise Was Perfect

2010-01-23T21:47:00.000-08:00

BUT... we had crabs in our room...

We sailed past Catalina even if this picture does suggest that we were there..

We sailed past Ensenada but had a beautiful sunny day in Cabo San Lucas...

And in the end we felt like a worn out...

No, it isn't the fault of the cruise line that things didn't go according to plan. The Captain did try to make the best of a bad situation during the torrential Southern California storms. We did the best we could with what we got.

Best Christmas Greetings

2009-12-22T09:16:00.000-08:00

This is the best Christmas gift this year! Little J loves to hear great Uncle Don reading the story to him. In fact, we all enjoy hearing this personalized edition of the book. Thank you Big Brother.

Christmas Greetings

2009-12-21T10:15:00.001-08:00

Little J’s work is a masterpiece of perfection from a child’s viewpoint and perhaps a reminder that Happy Holidays are possible even when all things are a bit out of kilter.

A Bit Elfish

2009-11-30T11:42:00.001-08:00

Little J looked a bit elfish during his visit to Santa. Perhaps trying to score points for his Christmas wish list?

Guess How Many Beads

2009-11-08T17:56:00.001-08:00

Little J is special student of the week in his class. He gets to bring in the guessing jar contents. So here’s your chance to outsmart the first grade class. Guess how many…

Nanowrimo Junior

2009-11-07T11:14:00.001-08:00

Dear Grandma,

The sun is out. Let’s go to the park. I didn’t mean to click on the delete key. Sorry. You did have a backup right? I’ll clean the carpet.

Mr. J

Nanowrimo Excuses

2009-11-07T11:11:00.001-08:00

The carpet cleaner will stay right there where it is for the rest of the month. The mess will remain on the desk. The work will stay in the box. Weather outside will be nice like today or stormy. No matter what, the plot must move on. Will she ever get out of that Nanowrimo shirt? Not for at least another 36,215 words.

Little I is 5!

2009-11-02T17:49:00.001-08:00

Toothless First Grader

2009-11-02T17:43:00.001-08:00

It’s a great picture but I thought perhaps he’d give us one of his toothless smiles.

Hubby Is In BIG Trouble

2009-10-31T21:34:00.001-07:00

Perhaps it was the Halloween spirits that made that tree jump out in front of hubby as he drove UP our driveway.

From Halloween 2008

2009-10-22T15:02:00.000-07:00

Let's hope Halloween 2009 paints a better picture...

No one is allowed to eat in the living room. Of course we all know rules are meant to be broken so here are the exceptions:

#1. Grandma makes the rules so she follows them at her own discretion
#2. If Grandma, in her supreme decision making process, determines it's for the better benefit of all parties involved
#3. If Grandma is away and all evidence of any transgression is completely eradicated before her return

Unfortunately Grandma got caught doing # 2. Since grandkids were entranced in a movie and therefore leaving Grandma the freedom to pursue her own business, it seemed a reasonable request to let them consume popcorn in front of the TV AS LONG AS the popcorn remained on the king sized purple sheet that Grandma placed on the floor in the middle of the room. Note, there were no beverages allowed. Drinks are NEVER allowed in the living room.

Grandma may have been caught doing # 2 but the key is... there was no remaining evidence of this transgression. When the deed was done, she simply whisked up the stray popcorn into the sheet and provided nurishment for the birds outside.

It seems that Grandpa thought it was a good idea allowing popcorn in the living room so he could have a bit of tranquility during his tenure of the children when Grandma got sick this week. He carefully spread out the king sized purple sheet, brought out a huge bowl of sticky marshmallow popcorn and disappeared into his room. All was quiet. For about an hour. And then. Into Grandma's room. Came... a giggling purple ghost leaving a trail of sticky popcorn through the living room, hallway, kitchen, office, and bedroom.

Cat suicide

2009-10-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

Staying Healthy Into The Golden Years

2009-10-17T18:47:00.001-07:00

Well, I made the paper again. That’s me on the far right, keeping up with the other line dancers. So, this is what the golden years is all about?

Where Am I?

2009-10-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

Where am I

2009-10-09T10:16:00.000-07:00

Serious Sewers

2009-10-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

Right in our own backyard so all our neighborhood can flush with
confidence knowing all waste will get to the right place. A minor
inconvenience providing both education and entertainment for Little J.

One Fig Two Fig

2009-10-07T19:25:00.000-07:00

The object of Little J's homework was to find all the words possible
with these letters. Little J was not sure what a fig was but when
asked what would you have with more than one fig his answer was "a
tummy ache."

Face

2009-10-03T14:30:00.001-07:00

Note F A C E

Where Am I?

2009-10-03T10:41:00.001-07:00

Cat Comes Clean

2009-09-28T19:13:00.001-07:00

Imagine the shock when one opens the dishwasher to find a clean kitty.
For once it's not Wanda. And yes Wanda is still alive and well
despite her continuous bad behavior.

They grow so fast

2009-09-24T11:25:00.001-07:00

I’ve Changed My Style

2009-09-20T19:27:00.001-07:00

It was a miserably hot day at the Art & Wine Festival this afternoon. After meandering through the booths we searched for shade and a place to sit. The choice seemed to be a chiropractic assessment or a toe ring. Which way would you go? I only discovered the pedicure experience a few years ago. Now I got rings on my toe. OK I’m a late bloomer. What’s next… a tattoo???

Who Killed the Ivy?

2009-09-12T16:05:00.001-07:00

Many times I have admitted it. I cannot grow anything. Nothing. My thumbs are anything but green. Both of them. But I have owned this persistent little ivy plant for years. I know… it should trailing all over the kitchen, living room and at least two bedrooms by now. But this plant has been abused. It has never ever been fed and has received only smidgets of water, mostly whenever someone left behind a half full water bottle that all humans in the household were afraid to consume due to insufficient knowledge as to whose lips may have touched that bottle. It survived a change of environment at least twice, but always in the same pot. And then all of a sudden, a few days ago, the leaves were withered up and dropping to the floor. Once I got tired of scrunching on dead leaves on my nightly jaunt to the potty, I transported it to the outdoors, thinking perhaps a bit of fresh air and a good shower might revive the poor thing. I questioned all members of the household and frequent visitors about it’s demise. No one wanted to fess up. Of course my suspicions turned the direction of the cats but I determined not one of our cats would be agile enough to perform that kind of litter box maneuver and, I’ll admit, I did give it the sniff test. Finally the culprit, only out of concern that I might take drastic measures (like cooking) to extract the inevitable truth, came forward. Meekly he said, “I read somewhere that fish oil might help sickly plants, so the other night when I fried that fish… well hmmmm, I thought just maybe, if I poured the grease in the flower pot...” Hubby ran for cover as I reached for the cast iron fish frying pan and I haven’t seen him since. OK OK that’s a lie, I wouldn’t do that. I might not take care of my plants but I don’t want to be the cook either.

Slide

2009-09-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

Sliding on cardboard
Hillside of massive concrete
Not one broken bone

Dinner?

2009-09-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

Near our home the turkeys and deer roam, perfectly content, together.

First Grade First Day

2009-08-30T20:07:00.001-07:00

Grandma is a few days behind. Here is Little J showing off his cubby on the first day of 1st grade last Wednesday. At this age he is still happy to be back in school.

He is a few inches taller than last year and has a bit more confidence.

Legos On Display

2009-08-15T19:33:00.001-07:00

It was a wonderful adventure today to see what can be done with Legos. My only regret is that I didn’t think to bring my camera so we have to settle for a cell phone photo. All of us were astounded at structures bigger than Grandpa in this room full of projects. This guy has invested a lifetime into building with these tiny little bricks. One of our favorites of course was the train station. Trains ran circles around all the villages and exhibits full of everything from from farms to graveyards, space and beyond. The kids got plenty of time to express their own creativity too. Now if we can just keep Little J out of the Lego aisle.

Bunya Bunya

2009-07-31T09:15:00.001-07:00

On the way to daycare a couple of days ago I warned Little J that there was some sort of “egg” in my trunk. I told him it might hatch soon and he might want to be very careful while riding in the back seat. He of course thought I was kidding, especially when I told him the bunya bunya watches over little boys behaviors much like Santa and the Tooth Fairy.

Later that evening as he was sitting in front of the TV I asked him if he had done all the things he must do before turning on the set… getting ready for bed, brushing teeth, putting clothes in hamper, picking up the days toys (obviously he had not). I reminded him that the bunya bunya was still lurking in my car and could hatch at any moment. He just kind of sat there with that know it all grin. So, I did what any other grandma might do in this situation. I retrieved the bunya bunya from the trunk, brought the “wiggling” paper bag into the living room and dumped it onto the sofa. Didn’t have to say a word. Amazing how fast Little J finished his chores.

Sniff Test

2009-07-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Little J and I hiked a two mile train around Spooner Lake on the 4th of July. Six year olds are always curious and love to discover new things so it was no surprise when Little J skipped up to the “Sniff Test” box with boisterous ambition. “What do I do with this?” he asked. I suggested he try to read the directions but in his usual stubbornness he insisted he already knew how to do this experiment without instructions. So I let him. And he learned a lesson… Bark Beetles leave behind a most odiferous substance. Somehow I think he might now be ready to but a little more effort into reading.

I Am NOT Addicted to Gadgets

2009-06-12T11:38:00.001-07:00

Well, I can’t seem to find my desktop. But that’s OK, I didn’t want to do any work today anyway. Instead, I need to make my weekly trip to Trader Joe’s. I have to go today, Friday, for sure.

You see last week I went to TJ’s on Saturday when the parking lot was at it’s usual full capacity. As I got into my car to leave I noticed a couple cars backed up behind me waiting for my space. I also noticed that there were a few messages on my cell phone. So I did what all good friends do… I returned all the calls I missed while I was in TJ’s. As I hung up on the last call I ignored the the little beep beep behind me.

Little J was in the back seat getting a bit restless so I retrieved the DVD player that had fallen below his feet and helped him search for a good movie. He had left the player on while we were shopping so the battery was drained. We finally found the car charger mixed in his pile of clothes we had retrieved from the school lost and found a couple of days before. Beep beep.

Just about then I realized that Little J had a play date and I had no idea where his friend lived. So, I called the Mom for the address. It only took a couple more minutes to figure out the route on the GPS. Was that another little beep I heard? I turned around to see three cars now waiting for parking spaces.

I never drive around without listening to a few tunes so I took a moment to plug in the IPOD and find something to meet my current mood which was slightly rushed having a few frozen foods in the trunk and with Little J getting a bit impatient about getting to his buddies house. Another beep... 4 cars in line now.

Little J complained that my music was too loud so I looked around and found his headphones buried in the seat pocket next to him.
Was that another beep? Hmmmm 5 cars now and the guy behind me had more forehead furrows than a GPS has streets.

As I reached under my front seat to retrieve my Kindle, I think I heard some morse code kind of beeps coming from behind. If I remember correctly a few longs... a few shorts... and that special mixture of longs and shorts signifies something like F*** U. Ah well, soon I'd be lost into the robotic but humorous words of the latest Janet Evanovich novel I'm reading/listening to.

I started to pull out of the space when the cell phone rang. Dang, I forgot to turn on the blue tooth so I pulled back into the space to answer the phone.

There was a tap on my window. I didn't want to look. Little J looked. He told me, "drive away quick gramma because some mean guy is trying to kidnap me and he has a ransom note." I looked out to see a hand pinning a note to my windows... "Gadget-aholic Meeting - Tuesday 8pm - in front of Fry's – plenty of parking”

Here Kitty Kitty

2009-05-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

Look closely near the middle of the picture. See those 2 little "lights". That's Fritz. I didn't let him out. I wasn't home. I went away and played for 4 days. But it seems there were visitors over the weekend and one of those visitors just happened to be a dog. Someone let the cat out. Called the fire department... they don't do cat rescues. Bought mackerel... Fritz can't smell that far away. Little J went to bed in tears (and it's not even his cat). I promised him Fritz would come down when he gets hungry enough. I promised him I wouldn't let Wanda out. I went out to check just now... Fritz has made his way a bit further up the tree. Somehow everyone blames grandma (that's me for those of you who don't already know) because she made a remark last week about "the beast" needing a new home. Oh yeah... the tree is right outside grandma's window... Grandma's gonna hear that CATerwauling all night long. Grandma always has to pay. Grandma is thinking - only 361 days until the four day escape to musical bliss at the 2010 Jazz Jubilee.

Jazz Jubilee

2009-05-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

It doesn't get any better than this!

It’s Only a Paper Hat

2009-05-01T17:42:00.001-07:00

Will I win the contest tomorrow????

Mother's Day Tea

2009-05-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

Little J's kindergarten class performed at their annual mother's day tea. Check out the ties and hats. Little J's tie has dice on it just like the one grandpa wears gambling.

Hat Craft

2009-05-01T15:50:00.000-07:00

Even a kindergartener can make these hats. I got full details how to make one from a young lady who sat next to me at the mother's day tea. Just in time for the red hat spring bonnet contest tomorrow!

In The Swim

2009-04-18T15:10:00.001-07:00

It started out to be a doubly cold week here… cold outdoors and colds in our noses. Fortunately we woke up today to a bright warm sunshine and reasonably unstuffed noses. Little J’s first swim lesson was a huge success.

Real Easter Eggs?

2009-04-12T15:52:00.001-07:00

In the midst of our annual church egg hunting Little J drew a crowd of attention when he discovered a nest. No one touched the egg speculating that possibly it is a real egg.

Turning 60

2009-04-10T11:28:00.001-07:00

So this is what happens when one turns 60. Pretty Scary huh? Big Brother is helping me find a place to spend my final decade and was so kind as to send me an article about an assisted living place near him… accompanied with a picture of a bunch of senior red hatters.

Jelly Belly

2009-04-04T18:00:00.001-07:00

Did someone mention Jelly Belly? After consuming a Jelly Belly pizza, Little J was anxious to get on with the Jelly Belly Factory tour. He found out it takes 7-21 days to make a jelly bean and less than a minute to eat one. There are over 50 flavors but he was impressed with only one…lemon-lime. Grandma got her bag of jelly flops and realizes that at 4 calories per jelly belly she will need to be careful with her portions lest that 20 pounds she just lost could reappear overnight. Grandpa decided to keep his personal jelly belly and headed straight for the giant chocolate rocky road muffins – they don’t tell you how many calories there are in those.

Spring Blossoms

2009-04-03T16:45:00.001-07:00

There are some strange things growing in the trees around here this spring.

East Bay Then and Now

2009-03-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

We made yet another trip to Mountain View Cemetery, the 3rd this week. This time we went to meet author Dennis Evanosky and purchased two of his books. Little J was intrigued to talk to Dennis and have our copies signed. His favorite of the two is Eastbay Then and Now and it kept him occupied for a good portion of the afternoon. His interest waned with Mountain View Cemetery when he couldn’t find the Grim Reaper in there.

Lipstick on my...

2009-03-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

Funny, I just saw Sunshine Cleaning, a movie about cleaning up the worst parts of life (and death). I have a minor cleaning problem (depending on how you look at it). When I got home I threw a load of dark clothes in the washer. I remembered to throw them in the dryer at dinner time. Half way through dinner we heard a "pop"... then another... and another. My first thought was to accuse Little J of storing microwave popcorn in the dryer. Then I thought it might be a maintenance issue with the dryer. By them time I got to the dryer I had this incredible fear of shrapnel injuries when opening the door. Well I mustered up the courage and as I was pulling out the clothes, out popped a lipstick tube, melted lipstick oozing out the sides. So now what do I do?... my clothes look like they've been attacked with paintball spatter. I re-washed them... no luck. Shall I tie dye them, see if I can start a new fad, or go shopping?

I did go online and search for lipstick stains... there's plenty of info out there for guilty men with lipstick on their collars but I'd be afraid to try toothpaste, ammonia, or alcohol on my dark clothes. Plus it would be an endless task to try to get to all the spots. HELP

Cemetaries and Feasts

2009-03-28T16:45:00.001-07:00

After yesterday's sad funeral for an old friend, today I returned to Mountain View Cemetary for the Tulip Exhibit. First I checked out the panoramic view of the bay area from our friend's gravesite high on the hill. It was truly a beautiful site on this glorious spring day, a spectacular final resting place. All the exhibits were colorful, imaginative and creative but for or some reason us red hatters were drawn to this. Rather than indulging in a bittersweet temptation, we hurried down the street for a caloric absorbtion of the extraordinary proportions at Fenton's Creamery.

Barbie's Red Hat Birthday

2009-03-10T06:43:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Barbie's qualification as a Red Hatter yesterday I brought out the Barbie's and her friends.

There is this box of old dolls, some of them Barbie's, tucked away on the top shelf of my closet. Little Sister wrote her name all over the top of the box. Then she gave the box to me for storage. The dolls are familiar. There's a bunch of hand made clothes in there, clothes that Grandma made out of bits and scraps of material. Now here's the kink in the story... Little Sister insists the dolls were hers. I insist they were mine. Some of the doll cloths match dresses Grandma made for me. I'm thinking now that maybe some of the dolls were mine and some hers. Hers would be the decapitated one, I'm sure of that.

Good News Bad News

2009-03-09T10:55:00.001-07:00

Little J snuggled under his covers last night, without a lot of drama much to my relief. It always feels like a miracle when the bedtime routine is accomplished in less than 20 minutes. But, in spite of my own exhaustion, I had to return to his room when he called me back with, "Grandma, don't you want to hear the good news bad news?"

It's not our usual routine to discuss good news bad news. We usually just do the what's-the-best-thing-that-happened-today routine. Curiosity brought me back to his bedside.

"OK, what is it?" I asked.

"Well do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?"

I thought for a minute before responding, "maybe you better give me the bad first to get it out of the way."

He squirmed a bit under the blanket. I'm thinking this must be really bad. "I dropped my new Pikachu toothbrush in the toilet." I'm thinking, well there goes another $6.99 toothbrush plus who knows what for the plumber. Before I could think any further, he follows up with the good news. "Grandma, here's the good news... I didn't flush the toilet."

StoryCircle Memoir Challenge # 2

2009-02-28T21:11:00.000-08:00

My 2nd review for the StoryCircle challenge to read 4 memoirs in 4 months and review in 4 sentences...

The Sitting Swing
by Irene Watson
Pub 2008 by Loving Healing Press
ISBN 9781932690675

Irene Watson begins her memoir with her introduction into the Avalon Center where she seeks guidance to heal the scarring of a painful and abusive childhood. Growing up in the shadow of an older brother who dies early, much of her trauma is a result of her parents mix of overprotectiveness blended with events they chose to conveniently overlook. Inside the walls of Avalon, we see Irene's struggle from her beginning denial and resistance to the breakthrough realization that healing doesn't begin until she faces the past, re-writes the script, and moves on. Irene tells her courageous story in honest and simple language, almost as if she were sitting in the room speaking to a close friend.

MZ Needs

2009-02-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Prompted by an entry that I found in my nieces Facebook notes, I decided to search google for my needs. First I used the name that most people call me and came up with this list:
1. needs to remember that to get rid of the fearful temper
2. Needs obit
3. Needs obit/Needs family history & genealogy message board
4. (needs a punch in the ...
5. needs your help
6. needs to laugh once in a while
7. needs a new business
8. needs legal aid
9. needs a home
10.needs to verbalize experiences

Using my birth certificate name provided slight different results:
1. needs a home environment that can provide her abundant structure
2. needs to...
3. needs a Mrs. Clause
4. needs a feeling of safety in her place
5. needs Obama to explain his position
6. needs bed bugs
7. needs a Valium
8. needs to know
9. needs to learn to love and value herself before she finds happiness in love
10. needs to get fierce photo into the real world

Good thing I have a keen sense of humor. Otherwise I would need to ask, "Is there any hope for me?"

Magnetic Energy

2009-02-14T20:48:00.000-08:00

So, Big Brother sends Little J a most generous gift for his birthday. Little J has been looking at the big box for days. Grandma keeps telling him, "It's not your birthday yet." Little J gets up this morning and plops down the package firmly stating, "Well now it's my birthday." Who can argue with that? Turned out it was all good. Little J was very pleased with his new building abilities and Grandma and Grandpa got some coffee time. As for the rest of the day, the party was great fun... for Little J. And that's a good thing. He deserves it. He and his friends were magnetized with Bakugan. We sent the kids home in the usual birthday party fashion... just wired enough on pizza and sugary birthday cake to keep their parents on their toes.

So the party is over. Time to go kick Wanda out of her hiding place. My turn.

Look for magnetic action here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL4gf8YTYkI

Where's Wanda?

2009-02-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day. Well, at least we think it's happy. Wanda isn't so sure. She realizes that it is also Little J's Birthday. She knows something's up. There was a flurry of activity around here this morning. As if changing the litter boxes wasn't enough, there was also that darn noisy carpet cleaner. Candles are lit and there's a dozen red roses on the table. The final straw... the Lysol spray. Gads, the house has been decontaminated and deordorized. After Wanda attacked the ribbons on Little J's birthday gift she was banished to the bedroom. Wanda doesn't seem to mind much though...one six year old boy is already one too many for her and she heard there will be a bunch more arriving any minute. Where are the other 3 cats? Under the bed perhaps.

Breast Cancer Awareness

2009-02-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

Red Hatters have been using red and purple bras for purses and hats for years. I posted this picture of my bra purse 4 years ago. Take a look at this fun and funny project for breast cancer awareness ... The Artful Bras Project . Be sure to read the captions - they are a hoot!

Ack... Something's Missing Here

2009-01-30T19:42:00.000-08:00

Do raccoons grow new tails???

Eat Pray Love Review

2009-01-27T16:25:00.000-08:00

As part of HerStories Memoir Challenge, here's the first 4 sentence review. (3 more to go):

Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir of her recovery from divorce and a severe bout of depression has three distinct parts. Through 108 tales (beads) she takes the reader on a lively, meditative and romantic memoir of travels to three countries, Italy, India and Indonesia. EAT seems at times to be a travelog of her three month quest in Italy to fill an insatiable appetite, PRAY is an intimate and honest revelation of soul searching in an Indian Ashram and LOVE brings everything together in Indonesian balance. The book is entertaining as well as informative, incorporates a full cast of interesting characters, and the sad and pensive moments are balanced with a good sense of humor.

Christmas 2008 in Oakland

2009-01-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

Reading... Not Writing

2009-01-02T11:57:00.000-08:00

The obvious... 2008 was dead on slow as far as blog entries for me. In 6 years (I didn't count 2002 where I started the blog in December) only one other year this slow with a mere 64 entries. Lack of interest? Definitely not. Lack of time? More likely. Writer's block? Even more likely. So what's up?... Perhaps it's time to do a bit of reading. Good timing considering StoryCircle's current challenge. I need to find 4 memoirs to indulge this challenge. Two are already on my nightstand so I'll start with those...

Grace(Eventually) by Anne Lamott
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

I'll be checking StoryCircle website for the other two.

Not to say I won't write. Just waiting for that trigger.

Snow

2008-12-27T19:57:00.000-08:00

We lived dangerously this weekend. We chanced going to the mountains without chains. It's frustrating that Saturns are not made for chains. Or is it that chains are not made for Saturns? Anyway Saturn has it's own idea snow travel... spider spikes. Problem is, there was not a spider spike to be found in the entire bay area. We had promised Little J a trip to the snow so we had to come up with a solution. We drove to Placerville which just happens to be where the snow began and had son pick us up to drive into the snow country. I gambled figuring I'd just fork over money for chains for his car if we really had to. We got lucky. We made it to Sly Park on plowed roads. Son got the dirty car and a free lunch. Little J got his first opportunity ever to play in the snow. Grandma just had to buy lunch. Grandpa got to gamble. Everyone is happy.

Just a Little Christmas

2008-12-21T19:51:00.000-08:00

It might just be possible that my niece has more Christmas decorations than Big Bro has corkscrews. 23 trees worth and more. Everywhere. Inside and Outside. Even in the bathrooms. But that's not all. Check it out here. We were all in awe. Little J's comments sums it up well, "This is the best party ever."

Santa was there too. Little J checked the list. Twice. Nope, his name is not on it. Yet. He seems to be a bit concerned. Last night he asked if he could go to bed extra early. This just might work in my favor.

The Winning Ticket

2008-12-12T18:33:00.000-08:00

Little I seems to have found the winning ticket.

Santa Claus or Father Christmas?

2008-12-12T18:28:00.000-08:00

Little J is covering all bases this year. In English tradition he wrote out his wish list and placed it in the fireplace so Father Christmas can read the smoke. Just in case that didn't work, he went for the traditional mailing to the North Pole.

Xmas Deflation

2008-12-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

The holiday economy in this household is under drastic reconstruction...

Fortunately Little J is amused by the little things in life, and since he has never been to the snow (shame on me), he was in awe at the local weekend snow park...

Future Presidents

2008-11-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

Hubby was overjoyed at finding these posters today. For years he has insisted he would fly a flag if there's ever another Democrat President so I guess we'll be out shopping soon. Meanwhile, Little J thinks he might be a good fit in that big white house. He's pondering whether he should run in another 30 years or so...

Where is MZ?

2008-11-02T15:40:00.000-08:00

MZ refuses to cook...

but she thought she might try modeling for one of those "calendars"...

But the locals caught her in the act and quickly covered her assets...

and threw her in the clink...

Will she ever return?????

Seeing More Red

2008-10-28T09:09:00.000-07:00

Oh geeze... I'm gonna have to get out my knitting needles again... Look at this

Ghosts

2008-10-20T11:09:00.001-07:00

While in Savannah I had the opportunity to take one of the many famous ghost tours. Supposedly Savannah is the most haunted place and our tour guide told us to just keep taking pictures into the dark, don't delete anything, and once you load them on your computer you will see them. Voila... here is my photo taken straight into the dark of night graveyard... see those fuzzy "orbs". Our tour guide insists those are the ghosts. Wanting to investigate a bit further, I asked the only expert I know who happens to live in our house and claims there is a ghost in residence under his bed. Little J says, "no way, gramma... those are NOT ghosts."

Westminster

2008-10-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

A while back I started attending a church in Oakland; the main purpose at that time was to find a place where Little J would feel comfortable. This is a place that celebrates in it's diversity so the fit seemed perfect. An added bonus is that I really like the preacher.

Recently I made the decision to join the church. Right about the same time, the preacher announced that he would be leaving to go to Westminster Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids, MI. It is a good opportunity for him and I do wish him well but admit I feel a great deal of personal sadness.

But, I just couldn't stop thinking about how there must be some kind of connection here. So, I looked through my old photos and here it is. Me, age 3, July 6th, 1952 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids, MI.

(BTW...The guy kind of half into the photo on the right... that's big Bro)

The Perfect Scale

2008-09-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago there was this ice cream party idea. Five of us got together and enjoyed a potluck of home made ice cream, hot fudge sauce, real whipped cream, fresh nuts, bananas - all topped off with the traditional marachino cherry. That was on a Friday.

The following Thursday, I decided it was time to fess up at weight watchers. It had been nearly 3 years since I dared to enter the door because I knew I would have to pay. Even life time members slip up once in a while and it was time for this one to pay the duty. Funny thing though, 3 out of 5 of us seemed to show up that week. With a little luck and a few less weekends like this past one, I might get a free ride again in a few weeks.

But this weekend I blew it. I went away to Tahoe with 10 other women. We ate, cruised, ate, ziplined down the mountain, ate, shopped, ate, played slots, ate, partied, and ate some more. Before we went on the zipline we were required to weigh in. If only weight watchers used these guiltless scales...

With Friends Like These

2008-09-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

Once again we took an adventure to the Western Railway Museum. In the streetcar we traveled on today, this is one of the old ad posters. Not appropriate today but who knew back then about the devastating consequences that come with each strike...

3 X Minus 10, 1 Ten

2008-08-29T19:40:00.001-07:00

Cost $37.50 to get in plus $9.75 for popcorn and red vines. The 3 adults who accompanied Little J to this movie, squirmed in their seats, had to be excused to go potty, snoozed, and couldn't wait to get out of the theatre. Little J loved it. Maybe the big people just didn't get it.

Back to School

2008-08-26T20:50:00.000-07:00

I never thought I'd be doing this one again... taking a child to his first day of Kindergarten. Little J was a bit hesitant in the new surroundings but exhibited an amazing surge of energy the moment he saw his friend from the summer program. Mrs. T must have known they are good buddies... she assigned them tables at opposite ends of the room.

So here we are back in the same room where Little J's uncle went to Kindergarten 28 years ago. (Just remembered - Little J's daddy went to a different school so they could accommodate our schedule). Funny thing is, some things never change. We stood in long lines and went through the same registration process and filled out the same emergency forms. We went to the same new parent orientation yesterday. The room is the same and they still want a most generous donation plus volunteerism. Sorry but for me it's "just say no" to PTA duties. Been there. Done that. I'm too old. And I'm so looking forward to Back to School night. Oh geeze, perhaps grandma needs an attitude adjustment.

The dinner discussion: Little J likes his school, just as much as the summer daycare. So far, so good.

The Last Pizza

2008-08-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

12 more days and Pinky's Pizza is closing. This might be Little J's last bite. And it might be Grandpa's last chance to play the lottery here.

Bargin' In

2008-08-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

Times are getting tough out here in foreclosure country. Monetary decisions get to the point that at times it's a choice between a gallon of gas and a gallon of milk. Considering we had no change of luck on 08/08/08 and it's unlikely that we will win the lottery, we are curious as to what life would bring on the right coast. Surely these people wouldn't mind if we pull the Marge Barge up to their dock for a bit. Right Big Bro?

Lucky 8s

2008-08-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

For some it may be their lucky day and Chris is ready to pay them off. My turn to brag: Looky here... my son is in the news, page 3! He loves his job.

National Underwear Day

2008-08-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

I'm so sad. I'm not in New York. I don't get to watch this . OK, the video is, well, shall we say... interesting? I'm old, not trendy. Recently, at a red hat convention, one thing led to another and we ended up having a lively after-dinner discussion equivalent to the old boxer or brief kind of thing. I'll let you in on a secret. Here's what's in our drawers...

Kids Eye View

2008-07-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

Little J and are fortunate to take a trip to Stinson Beach this weekend. Stinson is a place that is kind of hit or miss weatherwise and we were lucky to be greeted by warm sunshine and a gentle breeze, perfect high seventies beach weather. Little J enjoyed the surf and built sandcastles and tunnels. We had delicious servings of Fish and Chips for me and and Chicken Strips and Chips for Little J, complete with live jazz at the Parkside Cafe.

On the way home this morning we stopped off in Mill Valley at Mama's Royal Cafe to listen to Caroline at the piano. It's kind of a funky place that I have written about before. Little J was getting a bit anxious about getting home so I turned him loose with my camera. Got an interesting assortment of 30 or so pictures: this one intrigues Little J the most. He seems to think it has something to do with Sponge Bob but Little J's biggest question is... who gets to sit upside down and eat off the ceiling?

Demolishing the Worst Year

2008-07-22T15:49:00.000-07:00

At 13 I thought it was the worst year of my life when my family moved from the comfort of a small Michigan town to Birmingham. It was traumatic enough to have this happen mid-year of 8th grade but arriving with the curse of multiple chicken pox scars nearly scarred me for the rest of my life. I endured the cruel and blatant remarks of pubescent teenage boys. I survived chorus tryouts in front of 30 new-to-me classmates and being sent down to the music study room since I couldn't carry a tune. I hid behind the navy shorts and white gym shirt, humiliated as the last to be chosen for any team. I learned that if I told the gym teacher that it was "that time of the month" that I could skip swim class and leave the ugly black tank suit hanging in the locker room... that is until Mom got a note from the school expressing concern over the frequency of these periods. I escaped the clasps of the class bully when she taunted me the day I wore my badgeless green girl scout uniform to school. I had one friend but as much as we were best friends, due to some kind of misunderstanding, we became worst enemies and I'll probably never know why (are you still around Mary? - maybe I owe you an apology? Fill me in please).

Anyway, I missed the chance to drive by the old school when I was in Michigan last week. According to the Detroit Free Press, "It's all over for Birmingham's old Barnum School... City Commission voted 6-1 to knock down all of the original 1912 schoolhouse..." OK, maybe that's sad. I wish I could have been there to throw the first rock. Oops, sorry. But somehow the mental image of that first wrecking ball smashing all those bad memories to smithereens rings bittersweet.

Paper Journals

2008-07-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

My relationship to journals has always be kind of an on again/off again process from the small five year locking diary during the teen years to computer driven entries of the present. Last week when I journeyed to Michigan, I didn't take my computer. It just didn't seem worth the trouble to lug it around 3 airplane hops each direction especially with my Treo that works fine for email and blogging purposes while traveling. I figured I wouldn't have a lot of time to write memoirs on this trip anyway.

The second day into the trip, giving into a bit of nostalgia, I got that old yearning to keep a travel log. I found these "Write it Down" journals in the museum store in Frankenmuth. Thinking I would write, but not wanting to feel compelled to writing a "book" about this trip, I purchased a mini blank journal. It is a good size (3" x 5 1/2") to carry around for quick notes but got to be a bit of a wrist breaker when my first entry exceeded 20 pages of very fine print between the 3/16" lines. I do appreciate quality of the journal with it's substantial cardboard cover and smooth pages. I managed to fill up 3/4 of the pages during the week and plan to finish it up with perhaps a "Bucket List" of things to do next time I'm in the area as well as thoughts that keep popping in my head that I just know I forgot to write down.

And now, since I have gotten into the habit of "writing" instead of typing, I just had to order another full sized one. When I went online to the Journals Unlimited website, I discovered that it is a Michigan company. I think I have seen the journals in stores around here but somehow purchasing this one little journal in Michigan, not far from where it originated, makes it that much more special.

Old Neighborhoods

2008-07-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

I had a chance to explore the old neighborhood where I spent my high school years. Was interesting to find our house with a for sale sign in front of it. Since I was just dying of curiosity I did the natural thing and put in a call to Sue, the realtor, to find out the asking price. Judging from the pictures on the flyer and also looking at the exterior, it seemed like it was pretty much as it was when we lived there, except for the new front door. When Sue called back she was curious as to why someone from California would be interested in a Michigan residence; her thoughts that it would be a bit of a backwards kind of deal. Anyway $175K was the original asking price. Current listing is $159K. I told her I'd offer nothing more than the $18K that Dad paid for the place in 1964. Sue told me she needed to take another call.

I considered if this might be an interesting move to make. Then we turned the corner and saw the Salvation Army and check cashing place next to the spot where we used to catch the school bus. Then I heard about the shooting that happened just down the street the previous weekend. I remember when Dad finished off the basement, paneling the walls with doors that he bargained for on the lumber lot, fixing it up as a place to escape the heat in the summer and burrow into in the winter. (At least he didn't do the ceiling in egg cartons like the previous residence). Could be a good safe hibernating place. Naw, I think I'll pass.

Enlightened Explorations

2008-07-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

While Grandma was out exploring Mackinac Island, Grandpa and Little J had their own expedition. Somewhere in the lower Sierras they found an old railroad tunnel. I knew they were off to this adventure and suggested they might want to take along my old digital camera but since Grandpa would never have figured out how to charge the thing, he ended up purchasing one of those old fashioned disposable film type cameras. They brought back an interesting assortment of photos. This one has a special glow about it. Grandpa thinks it's the most artistic photo he has ever taken. Maybe it is. He was so proud of this accomplishment that he had it blown up into a shiny 8 X 10. I'm surprised I didn't find it poster sized hanging above the fireplace.

Little J was impressed by the abandoned tunnel but not so impressed as he was by the Circus Circus Casino arcade in Reno. He came home with his most prized possession, a Lava Lamp. Say what? Did someone clean out their abandoned '60s warehouse? And it cost Grandpa how many quarters?