I called the radio station

I dialed the number. There was a busy signal. I was not surprised. I dialed again expecting another busy signal. It rang. I panicked. Could I do this? I get so nervous. How could I speak on the radio? "Just get a grip," I told myself.

The young lady who answered was kind. "What kind of case are you calling about?"

"Guardianship," I said. She tells me to hold on.

Next voice is a man. "Tell me about the situation."

I gave him a brief synopsis. He said, "hold on you are next."

I panicked, wondered if I should hang up. Than I panicked more because I realized that I had divulged my real first name and city. Oh well. There could be lots of MZ's in this small town. But I doubt it. I am sure everyone I know will here this and they will know who I am and what is happening in my life.

Len Tillem (KGO810) picks up the phone. "We have MZ from L.... on the line. MZ tell me why do ya need a lawya."

I freeze. My throat closes up. No No I tell myself. I got this far. I will ask. So I asked about guardianship. I told him only the surface of the issue. He said I don't have enough to go on. I want to tell him more but I realize that I can't do that. Someone might hear me. Someone might know me. And so I let it go. I listen. He tells me, "Forget the guardianship. Help your son get custody. Then help him raise the kid."

After I hang up I realize there were certain details that I omitted that I really should have brought to his attention. Details that would probably have swayed his opinion. I never told him that I care for the kid every time the wind changes direction. In this area, the wind changes direction at least once a week.

Oh well, I did the best I could.

Purple Bears Etc

So now there is a Purple Polar Bear. I'm not kidding. Well, this is Friday, perhaps I am seeing things. You tell me.

No time to write this week. At least no time to write on my weblog. I have a notebook full of this weeks events. None of them are publishable here. Let's just say it's been one of those exhausting family crisis kind of weeks. Now for those of you who are totally curious about this situation, you can rest assured that everyone is still alive and reasonably well. It will get better...It will get better...It will get better.....

The best thing about the week of course is the company of Baby J for the last five days and nights. Who can resist the robust giggles of a 5 month old as he swings the "cat fishing" pole (with the help of Grandma of course) and gleefully watches Rusty trying his best to catch those feathers. It really was a riot. Baby J is just the cutest baby ever. I can say that because wherever we go with him there are always lots of comments to that effect. I insisted to my husband that this is because we are old people and everyone takes a second look at old people who are carrying a baby around. He insists it is not true. Baby J is the bestest.

I could use the baby as an excuse for all I did not accomplish this week. I didn't go to the gym and am now wondering why I paid them all that money. I get a much better workout playing flying baby with a 17 pound kid and pushing the stroller up and down the hills. I didn't do any of my side job work - the clients didn't bring it yet so guess what I'll be doing this week. I have not stuck to my diet and must weigh in tomorrow. The Ben & Jerry's habit has to stop ---except for the Oatmeal Cookie flavor - it is truly to die for (and I hate that expression). I didn't visit Uncle M in the nursing in because he insists he is coming home and I told him he is not ready so he's mad at me.

But tonight my husband and I got a brief reprieve. Baby J's parents decided they would be capable of babysitting their kid so we could go out to dinner. Is something amiss here?

Okay enough baby talk - did you check out the purple polar bear yet?

Mutterings Etc

Another super deoderant failure day. I'm suffering from heat exhaustion. And baby exhaustion. Baby J is lots of fun but what a handful. Even though he is the most perfect, best mannered, quiet, calm baby ever, I get exhausted just watching him. He slept all night last night. I slept half the night and watched him sleep the other half of the night.

Said goodbye to my physical therapist today. Seems our adventure is over. The insurance granted me six appointments. The pain is still there. Once again I go back and ask for an MRI (knowing that will not be a cure-all but I still want to know what those discs look like so I know it's not in my head). To top that off our company is probably going to change insurance plans... that's all I need.

In spite of the back pain, I am back at the gym. I must take care of those triceps and biceps by October 4th - you know, the day I must wear a flapper dress.

My sister is working hard at her sewing lessons. She took my scissors in to get them sharpened. Seems they are beyond repair and she was beyond consoling from the embarassment of showing up with those 35 year old paper cutting shears. Well, I know what I'm going to buy with that Joann's gift certificate now. Still looking for the perfect purple flapper material. Still waiting for the pattern to arrive.

Mystery Theatre last night was good for the attire. Flapper attire. Perfect. Now I have more details for my dress. And beads. And hat decor. What was the plot anyway... heck I don't even know what the mystery was.

A bit of mutterings, then I will hit the pool for the old ladies swim hour...Promise, we won't bark and howl tonight while doing the doggy paddle.

1. Wizard of Oz:: Dorothy
   
2. Ford:: my first car
   
3. Wrinkles:: yes I have them
   
4. Extravagant:: fancy
   
5. Conventional:: normal
   
6. Stewart:: Martha
   
7. Offensive:: defensive
   
8. Heartbeat:: in a
   
9. Chaos:: my life
   
10. Jiffy:: Pop
    

Saturday Stuff

After frantically collecting all the proper red hat stuff, I did enjoy the RHS Molls picnic today.

It has been a busy week and also a sad week. Baby J's other grandma died on Friday. Baby J is handling it okay and gets to sample some solid foods.

The circulating journal has been dispatched to Hestia in Texas.

We are all suffering from the heat wave and waiting for a break. Felt as though we were back east last night with all the humidity. At least we have a bit of a breeze today.

More Fish Story

July 9th I said the fish disappeared. They didn't really. It got hot. They got too warm. They are at the bottom of the pool. The pond lady and my husband are going fishing tomorrow. I can see it now... Fishnets, rubber wadders, goggles, splashing in the dark green algae. "I just know they are there..."

Other stuff:
I found a pattern for the flapper dress at Patternworks.com Went shopping for purple fabric for the dress. No luck today. Just not inspired. However, I did find all sorts of other things to do. No, not yet, I have a trunk full of projects not even started.

I'm off to the gym for visit with my personal trainer. Gonna see if she can turn these wimpy arms into something worth showing in my flapper dress. But, my back is killing me from babysitting the last two days. Baby J is 17 pounds heavy.

Nimptopsical

Ben Franklin used this word in his list of 227 terms for the word Drunk

Hello

Hello to my fans Dick & Ann

Red Hat Murder Mystery Dinner

I have big ideas for the Murder Mystery Dinner I will attend in October. First of all, I must go as an official RHS Moll. Not a gun moll, More of a 20’s flapper moll. I already found the perfect red flapper hat complete with purple feather.

Next on the list is the flapper dress. I checked out all the Butterwick, Vogue, McCalls, and Simplicity patterns at my local fabric store and can’t find one that I like. Now doing some research on the internet. If anyone has a good pattern, I sure could use it. Thanks to my big brother I now have the funds to select the perfect purple fabric. Now all I need to do is oil the old Kenmore sewing machine, sharpen my high school home economics sewing scissors that have been used for the last 30 years for paper cutting, stock up on straight pins, and find out if I still know how to sew (I could ask my sister for help since she is taking lessons).

Then comes the body. Will use sun block the rest of the summer to get rid of farmer arms. If this fails, I’ll have to part with $30 and place my naked body in one of those tiny cubicles for a fake all over mist tan. I’ll have to spend extra time at the gym to get rid of upper arm flab and fallen knees.

I’m looking for the following items: fishnet stockings, cigarette holder, purple boa, red/purple bead necklaces, fur coat.

I have 3 months to do all this. I will not procrastinate. I will not procrastinate...

Where did all the fish go?

We had a swimming pool for 30 years. We got tired of it. A couple years ago we drained it with a plan to have it buried or removed. Meanwhile things got a bit unsettled in our household and the pool was quickly forgotten. Over the first winter the rains filled it up. Last spring my oldest son threw in a catfish and several goldfish. The goldfish thrived in the swampy green water, sucking up algae and cleaning the surface of mosquito larva... a good thing. A couple of weeks ago I gave up counting over 200 baby fish.

A friend of ours built a fish pond just for these prize fish. She was eager and ready for transfer a couple of days ago. We went out and bought the appropriate fishing gear, a simple net. The pool was too quiet when we approached the edge the next night. Not one fish could be seen. So we figured it was too late in the evening; they must all be asleep at the bottom.

The next morning we returned. Still no fish to be seen. We stirred up the water. Not even a glimpse of gold. We waited for the afternoon sunshine. They always surfaced to bask in the shallow end near the steps on hot sunny days. Not this time.

There are raccoons in the neighborhood. There are six cats residing in the back yard. But these furry friends are all unlikely suspects. The cats are well fed, seem to only hunt an occasional bird or mouse, and are terrified of the pool. The raccoons eat the cat food and haven't been near the pool since one of their buddies drowned in it a few years back (that's another story).

Perhaps the Canadian geese spotted them on the way to the reservoir and stopped off for a quick picnic. Maybe there was a hungry egret. Maybe there was a rubber booted biped lurking about.

While we are sad that the fish didn't get to live in their new pond, we are even sadder that we missed the show.

Of course we will be draining the pool again soon but we will watch out for that catfish lurking at the bottom. He must be three feet long by now... to be continued.

Circulating Journal

I'm making a blog for the Circulating Journal. Bookmark it and follow it's progress.