Desert Magnolia

First, an apology. For my very long silence. To say the last few weeks have been a blur would be a gross understatement, so I won't go there. I will say, however, that the frenzy leading up to the departure? Nutso. But here we are. Via Providence. And Paris. And now the Middle East. I bought and have been noting impressions of our experience in a journal...and there have been many, so I'll share over the next few weeks. We left Albuquerque on the 14th, Wednesday, and headed to Providence. Where we were gathered up by our daughter in a borrowed car. Can we just say, thank you so much Miss J.D. for entrusting our girl with your super cute Honda. Thank you thank you. We met the roommates, super sweet girls that are also soccer players and dedicated students. We met the neighbors, super cute boys that clearly adore our girl and her roommates..and with whom the girls have a really nice give and take relationship. This made us happy in a parental way.... We saw the traini...

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.    -Chinese Proverb

I did. Today. And I realized that it was the unexpected shock of a weird turn in a haircut that resulted in my going with a super short pixie in lieu of 'growing long layers into a bob.' Because sometimes, when layered on top of all the other crap that's going on, even if it's good crap? Enough is enough. The good news is my stylist and I worked through it all, just fine. I have supershort hair for my trip abroad, which may not be a bad thing anyway. So really the crying? Wasn't about the hair so much, as the shock of the new look, coupled with the realization that I'm leaving the country in one week (ONE), coupled with the knowledge that I have a butt ton of work to complete before I leave just so things stay moderately on track, coupled with my fear that I've forgotten at least one something significant but not knowing what that might be, of course, which simply adds another item to couple with the rest. And I think I may have just misused the t...

Right out of the pond. I'm not kidding!  8 healthy, beautiful, fat goldies. G.G. is beside himself, as am I. They were pets, those little swimmers. We're thinking it was a hawk or a coyote. Turns out they're everywhere, and they're always hungry. The alternative is that they staged an escape themselves, but since they hadn't come to us with demands for a bigger pond, more food, more pond plants, or any of that stuff? We're pretty sure they didn't think this up. Also, if our worst fears are true and someone actually came into our backyard with an intent to purloin said fishies, and carried through with their nefarious plan? We'd really lose faith in our neighbors. Just sayin'. Fishies, may you R.I.P. May you swim in a pond full of love and other happy fish for eternity.

..but not too big a breath because the To Do list is pretty long right now! First, there's work. Lots of setting things up to run while I'm away, of year-end closing and New Year planning and fulfilling old obligations, etc. But I'm doing my level best to not take on new stuff...before I head out. Because doing so would involve initiating, then abandoning (essentially) fledgling projects, and I do not like to do that. Then there's domestic stuff. Like planning clothes, packing, battening down the hatches at home in prep for being away for over two weeks, and so on. And getting a hair cut. And mani/pedi. And finishing up my portion of another big project I've undertaken. (details later). And trying to stay focused and calm and productive while inside I want to BE AWAY right now! Because Providence awaits. As does Paris. And beyond that Abu Dhabi. And then Kansas City on the return leg. Christmas abroad we've never done, but we're all really looking ...

If you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry. Happy Monday!

It's Thanksgiving Eve, and all through the house not a creature is stirring...oh wait, wrong holiday, but it's all coming together. 'It' being baking and prepping and bonding and generally settling in for a family event. Today included, but wasn't limited to: Breakfast Making NY Style cheesecake (came out looking very yummy) Going for a most amazing jog in the balmy warm early afternoon Hanging out with the girl..catching up, talking about life, college, boys, friends, etc. Taking a nap Baking pumpkin pie with the girl Relaxing and writing a blog post while G.G. and daughter work in the kitchen (dinner- G.G.'s famous green chili patty melts on rye-ummmmy!) Catching up on Modern Family (daughter) and watching other fun silly entertainment just because we can. That's pretty much it so far, but if this is any indicator of how the weekend is going to go, we're in a most amazing place. Happy Thanksgiving and big hugs to everyone!

"There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth... not going all the way, and not starting." -- Buddha Here's to starting down that path. And here's to going all the way down it. Happy Friday!

G.G. and I have been discussing just what needs to happen for the upcoming extravaganza at our casa, and mostly we're on the same page, which is nice. Because then we don't have to go through the fight and make up cycle while we're getting ready to host Thanksgiving. That cycle? Exhausting. Anyway, our menu currently looks like this...which, if you've seen my prior menus, is a little leaner. Kind of, but not in a material way... Turkey (herbed) Stuffing Gravy Twice baked sweet potatoes Garlic green beans Garlic mashed potatoes Cranberry relish, fresh Biscuits Mimosas Wine Cider w/cinnamon sticks Cheesecake Pumpkin pie w/whipped cream Apple or Cherry pie w/ice cream Coffee or tea or maybe brandy Did I miss anything? With any luck it will be nice out, and we can toss the football around after dinner/during halftime of the football game. That makes Turkey Day just about perfect. Well, that and a good family feud over who gets the last dollop o...

Seriously. My last post? Pathetic. I'm in the high-tech business! I know that information flows in at warp speed and part of my job is to manage it well. I guess I just wasn't managing it well right at that moment so I whined a little. I apologize. You guys deserve better than that. Like TV trivia, perhaps. Ok, so what about Dexter? Is anyone watching that right now? I am so hooked on that show, when Deborah dropped yet another f-bomb in a conversation in the last episode, I looked at G.G. and said, 'You know, she's charming in kind of a prickly, fresh, no bullshit way.' He just looked at me and said he didn't think she could be considered charming..that wasn't quite the right word. Ok, G.G. And what about House??? I love that show, I do, but I have to confess, it's starting to wear on me a little. I'm tiring of the incessant mind games, though I love the new characters, and the reintro of the older ones...that was cool. But it's star...

A few minutes ago, when I was on the phone, I received a text, an email popped into my Inbox and three people IM'd me AT THE VERY SAME TIME! Now I'm not a brain surgeon, and mostly incoming texts are from my family, which is nice, but emails generally require me to act on something or produce something and IM's? Always about 'needing just a teeny little bit of information to push forward on XYZ project.' Seriously, people. I'm turning off my phone. I'm shutting down my computer, and I'm going to try to get some real work done. Oh wait, the weird thing now? If you go offline, then people suddenly become motivated to find you and chat and deliver their very important info in person which would guarantee I'd get abso.lutely. nothing more done today. I'm screwed if I do, screwed if I don't. It's a techno conundrum.

So the Friars made it to the second round of the Big East Tournament this year, which is fabulous. They hadn't been to the tournament since 1994, so just getting there was cool. As was beating Rutgers in the first round, but not so much losing to Louisville in the second. But that's how soccer goes-there are highs, there are lows, there is brilliant strategy, there are accidental great moments and unbelievably low moments, from a morale standpoint, but mostly there is no end of drama and second guessing and generally just thinking about it. All the time. Until the season is over. So the season is over. Daughter assisted with some good goals, and made one of her own, her very first college goal and the only one scored in the game to advance her team to the tournament, which was super cool. She'll never forget that moment, ever in her entire life. And she's coming home for Thanksgiving-not something we were certain of until we heard her homesick voice again in a pho...

My friend and colleague MT is amazing. She's going through another special hell right now with yet another surgery on a leg that has been through, well, hell, already. And then some. See she was cruising along just fine with her new knee (did I mention she's already had a knee replacement in this leg???) when she opted to walk down some carpeted stairs, and then things just got complicated. And she ended up jacking up* her ankle to the point where it needs to be rebuilt. *technical term used when there are lots of gory details but really, why go there when our active imaginations are already fully engaged... Today was her surgery. I haven't heard yet how things went, but really, she could use some warm thoughts. And this weekend we'll be delivering some yummies to help her get through. Thanks guys! [Update on MT: I saw her yesterday, and she's on the mend! She's surrounded by her sweet pack of dogs, a cat named Jack, and a good supply of pain meds....

Why? Well, does there really need to be a reason? And what tea master was sitting around one day trying to come up with awesome variations on the tea theme and said, "I think I'll combine a nice Earl Grey with some steamed milk, add a little vanilla syrup, and for a top note add some Blue Eyes floral"? I really don't care the rationale behind the decision, I just completely, fully and wholeheartedly support the invention. I big pink puffy heart London Fogs with Blue Eyes. Cheers!

When G.G. was sorting through the mail the other night he stopped, then started to chuckle. And then he handed me an envelope in which a Jury Summons was contained. He chuckled because he has been called twice, and I have never been called. And for some reason he thought that wasn't right, or fair, or something. Well, I got mine. But it turns out I need to ask them a favor. To postpone my civic duty until after the holidays. Because before the holidays I am responsible for planning and overseeing and/or executing all year end marketing and PR for our little company, as well as publishing our final edition of an e-pub that now distributes to over 300K people each edition, so it needs to look good. And not have spelling errors and stuff. And then when that e-pub flies? I'll be flying, literally, to Providence, then to Europe and the Middle East. There's a lot to get done before I go, and I'm desperately hoping that our jury management system accepts my reque...

I tried to think of a clever title for this post but I can't. I'm simply out of clever for the week, I think. So what drives me crazy...is trying to be environmentally responsible, and trying to to eat right, and trying to learn about and replace personal care products that contain parabens. Just parabens right now, though as soon as I'm done cleaning house and getting paraben-free products they're sure to come up with something else that gives us cancer, mimics estrogen in our bodies, and/or is responsible for the deforestation of our precious Amazon. Or all of those. Please don't mistake this for a whine, because it's not that at all. Nor do I feel virtuous when I toss a plastic container into the recycling bin; it's my responsibility to do that, and I get it. What I'm talking about is learning more and more about what we as a society have decided to add to our foods, our lotions and potions, etc., and wondering what the hell we're thinking? ...

We've collected, or they've collected us, a group of really cool friends through the years. They run the gamut, these friends, and span every conceivable profession with the exception of psychiatry, though one of our friends has gone back to school and will be a practicing psychologist specializing in grief management once she gets through. Our friends are diverse, professionally as well as culturally, which makes for good conversation and spirited debates from time to time, as one might imagine. Two of these friends have been cohabbing for over a decade. A DECADE. He was married before, and apparently suffered so much emotional trauma during the breakup he vowed never to repeat that ever again.  She was also married before, under difficult circumstances, and divorced. She tried to save someone who wasn't ready to be saved, so when she left she was empty and sad. So when they got together and the sparks ignited and then they pursued their relationship and then they move...

The whole Primal Body, Primal Mind thing? Well, it's cool. I started out with an 'ok, I'll kinda try this and see how I feel' approach, and am steadily adopting more and more of the eating habits. G.G. has been uber supportive, though he's admitted he probably won't be going all out Primal because he does love his carbs, and eschewing them completely doesn't feel right to him right now. But our meals are now reflecting the approach more, and an awareness has been born that can only continue to flourish as positive results warrant. Things I've noticed: I'm sleeping better. My energy levels seem to be more even. My emotions are more level, too, which is never a bad thing. I'm not craving carbs. Seriously not, which is the biggest surprise to me. I haven't yet wanted to veer into a grocery store parking lot, purchase the biggest bag of chips that I can find and have a carb orgy in my car. I just haven't. I've realiz...

My morning began well, then progressed to better, then just continued on into awe.some. The propellant from better to awesome? A vanilla latte from The Grove. Andrew smiled at me as handed it to me, and I noticed he'd designed an absolutely beautiful, intricate leaf pattern into the foamy top. It made me grin like a loon, then thank him profusely for taking the time. Because we both knew he could have just plopped the lid on my cup and I'd never have known. But he didn't. He took the time, and for his effort received an enormous, appreciative grin. And then he grinned back and admitted that sometimes just a little gesture on someone's part can make a huge difference in a day. He was right. Thank you Andrew.

Really. I didn't really realize I was doing it, the breath holding thing, but I was, I really was. And I didn't know how I would react when my girl, who has been to hell and back with her knee injury/recovery, made her first college goal ever. To win a Big East Conference game against University of Southern Florida.  Time elapsed when she made the goal? 89:28. And with :32 left in a rainy, ugly, scoreless game, my daughter stayed composed, set her shoulders in that very cool way she does when she's sure she can do it, and put that ball in the net. She made it look easy. But we all know what it's taken to get her to where she was standing in front of that goal, rain pelting down, in a Big East Conference match in Tampa Bay last weekend. It was one day short of two years since she got hurt, and boy did she get that bad monkey off her back with style. And when that ball went in the net? I completely lost it. Completely. See, she was closer to her dream, a...

We're booked into a 'charming, 19th century style hotel with modern amenities' close to the Eiffel Tower. Which means we'll have somewhere to crash at the end of our days while exploring Gay Paris...which is a good thing. As I've read more of Primal Body, Primal Mind, I'm struck by how it's resonating for me in many ways. It's making more sense, and I'm trying to figure out how I might incorporate its wisdom into everyday life. But I'm pretty sure I won't be heading into a strict non-carb diet before our big trip - that would be silly. I fully intend to enjoy our big getaway, and if there's an occasional pastry involved, so be it. Knowledge is a funny thing, though. Once Pandora's box is opened, it's awfully hard to shut it again.

You hide. From the outside world mostly, but mostly you just 'be' and putter and water the garden and go for runs and do some yoga and do some laundry and nest a little and rewatch the season finale of True Blood, and then rewatch Vicky Christina Barcelona, and then go to the library, and then watch your daughter's soccer game on the college network and then rewatch your favorite Kathleen Madigan standup routine and then go to Trader Joe's and before it all (on Friday after work) stop on the way home and get a mani pedi. Oh, and while I was at Trader Joe's my friend JL called and I answered and because of her I tried some new crack yummy snacks- chile mango (dried), and wasabi wow trail mix. Holy yum! Those mean people who looked at me with angry eyes because I was talking on my cell at the hallowed Trader Joe's? Must not have realized that I was getting purchasing advice from my very good friend and fellow eclectic food lover or they would have just kept o...

Seriously. You'd think that arranging a trip the likes of ours would be a piece of cake. That travel agents would grab at the chance to book us. Apparently not. Apparently nobody seems to know where to stay in Paris, and unless they're getting a rather substantial cut of an airline fare, they don't look for good deals. This is a fact which has upset G.G. and caused a series of events to begin that include but certainly aren't all inclusive: We bitch and carry on and then do what we (probably) should have done in the first place, which is to do our research on our damned flights and book 'em. Period. There are hops and there are variables, but if you're a travel agent, aren't you supposed to take that in stride? I mean, what the hell else do you do all day but figure out options for your clients??? That's your frickin' job. We decide if we want to go through Boston or NYC, then choose. Just make a decision, and book. We concoct a meal tha...

Daughter's team is playing in DePaul this weekend. And also at Notre Dame. For many reasons, none of which seem solid to me right now,  I'm not going to see her play. But G. G. and his Mom are. G.G.'s fam is from that area of the world, so they'll be staying in a hotel one night and with relatives the next, so it's convenient and then his Mom is going to some kind of a reunion one night so G.G. may be able to hang with our girl a little then, too, which is a bonus. He misses his girl. And she misses her Dad. So, G. G. and Mominlaw are super excited about seeing the girl play. She's strengthening and focusing herself on the field and getting more minutes and all is well. And she loves it when her Dad watches her play..she always has. While I may not be there in body, I will most certainly be there in spirit. Which means I'm sending a goodie bag for the girl, some stuff she's requested, some I found and will be a surprise. Mostly it'll be some ...

Mom shared a book with me while she was here, Primal Body, Primal Mind, by Nora Gedgaudas.  Link to her Blog. Gedgaudas'  premise is that we are essentially the same beings we were when we were hunter gatherers, and aren't evolved enough to digest and utilize our diets that are so rich in grains and carbs and sugars and such. We're behind our very own supply chain, as it turns out. Mom said it was thought provoking, to say the least, and that it was helping her change her diet in a way that was already making her feel better, overall. She gave me a copy, and I began it last night. So far I'm kind of obsessed because it's incredibly well written, exhaustively researched and really gets to the core of why so many diets, and you can probably name 5 from recent fad history, don't work. Low fat high carb is essentially a toxic mix designed to leave you hungry and make you crave sugars. And the food pyramid, don't get her started on that beast that has...

I felt it this morning, on the trail, before the sun had fully risen. First long sleeved shirt run in months and months. Coolness...in the air, on my face..it was lovely. And the familiar sound of my tennies on pavement, rhythmic and steady, that made me happy too. Sometimes, particularly after an intense emotional period, simply being outside, in the fresh air, going for a nice run is just the ticket. Like today, for instance.

The Mom is gone. She looks sassy with her new Halle Berry 'do. She feels good about her Mom's progress and knows she'll be fine. She said she's looking forward to getting home to the house, the boat, her BF, and the ocean. She didn't say when she was coming back. She thanked me profusely for 'everything.' She hugged me and told me she loved me and to keep on being strong and having a good sense of humor and enjoying my family because they are a.mazing, one and all. And then she was gone.

As in to mend again. Or to mend a rend in the emotional fabric of our lives. A little background on this. My Mom and I have an interesting relationship borne of many things, but mostly conducted at a distance. A long distance. She lives far away, in Oregon now, but she's lived further away than that for decades now. Originally, she went with my step dad, a physicist, who needed special equipment to do his research. They went to Germany for 7 years, then to Brazil for another 3. During the Germany time both of my babies were born. And Mom came to visit for those events. And then they moved back for a bit. But though they lived in the same state as us, they lived 45 minutes away from us in a little town. In a weird little apartment attached to a much larger house sitting on a horse farm of sorts but not really a horse farm..they boarded, but there wasn't as much lush pasture as you'd expect at a horse farm. Maybe it was just kind of a desert version of a horse farm....

I have a very long bucket list. On said list are a multitude of international locations, some predictably so, some for more personal reasons like 'wanting to visit the homeland of my people' and that sort of thing. Some are on there for no apparent reason but a whim. Of all the types of locations, for all the reasons they appear upon my list, Abu Dhabi remained absent up until a month ago, when it not only was added, it was placed in the top two spot. Let me explain. Son is working over in the land of many sandstorms and camels and plentiful oil reserves and indoor ski slopes and where the bright shiny present crashes into the 5th century. Everywhere you look, I'm told. He said we should come visit, and that we should do it when the daily temps are somewhere below interior of the sun levels, which means in the winter. It should be around 80 degrees most days. At first we couldn't fathom a trip of that magnitude right now, but then we realized he was probably n...

This post, I warn you now, may feel a little sentimental. So leave if you're just not in the mood. Oh, and I'm going to talk about an upcoming trip, too, so if you're into travel plans, just skip over the sentimental stuff. Unless I'm too clever and mix 'em up. Which I might, because it's that kind of a day. Chameleons...adapt. They protect themselves by blending into whatever background they happen to be against at any moment in time. What a fabulous evolutionary trait, and one that serves them very well. I mean, they're still around, right? That alone speaks to the effectiveness of blending and adapting to current environments. I believe we as humans do the same, only emotionally. At least I know I have, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing but it just seems to be how I manage my life. There was a time, in a former life (literally, I was married, briefly, before, at a very early age and have still not forgiven my parents f...

It's been awhile. I've mostly been in bed. Blowing my nose and NOT doing the otherwise sexy things that one does while in the throes of passion, which would be most awe.some, but while wrestling with the head cold from Hell. From Hell. I had to repeat the Hell because, really. So it's next week. Almost a week from the last time I wrote, and longer than I usually go, and for that I'm sorry. But I'm not dead, not even close. I'm on the better side of this ridiculous virus, and my strength and humor are beginning to return. Not necessarily in that order, because honestly, how can you NOT laugh at the red nose, puffy eyes, general feeling of discombobulation that occurs with a head cold? If you don't laugh, my friends, you cry, and I'm not in the mood to cry about a cold. What I am in the mood for, though, is the following, not necessarily in any order. This is a stream of consciousness list, which means importance isn't linear. Chocolate. De...

I know it's not Monday, I do. But it feels like it right now. First, there was the holiday weekend, which always throws thing off. Then the head cold from Hell moved in and blanketed my brain with mucous and ache and ick and so I opted to keep my germs and myself home yesterday. Have you ever noticed how sick days, when you're really down and just resting, trying to hydrate, blowing your nose, napping, etc., kind of just slide by and you wonder how you could possibly sleep that much and still be bone tired and how you could lose a day like that when there is so very much to do to keep up at work? So today feels like a Monday, when in fact it's not. And I need more tea and honey, cuz the voice? Not going to make it all the way through. And the head? Kind of gauzy feeling and I'm pretty sure if I handle anything important at all today I'm going to have at least two people check my work. It's that kind of a Monday, er, Tuesday, er Wednesday.

That Grandma of mine? Remarkable. During today's visit, which happened to be when the Occupational Therapist was there, I saw some of the fire and metal core that makes up my little granny. The OT did her thing, they practiced some stuff, etc., etc., and as Grandma walked across the room with her walker she did a little hip shimmy thing. I shit you not. My 91 year old granny shimmied. Twice.

There's no two ways around it, last week was a humdinger. But this one is alright and getting better. First, Grandma Gin has turned a corner in her recovery and is doing much much better today. Much. Got to take a shower, which was a biggie since we all know how ineffective sponge baths really are. She's been walking a good distance at a time now, which is a huge improvement. And most importantly, her spirits have lifted a bit. I think with each hurdle she overcomes we'll see more of the familiar sass back, and that, my friends, is awe.some. Second, the fish are fine. G.G. installed a new pond pump last night and did some general cleaning while he was at it and the pond is spic and span and everyone is happy happy. And there's a new little head on the water pipe that creates a gentle fountainlike spray, which is lovely. And last, G.G. and his fantasy football friends are picking teams tonight, so I'm flying solo after work. Which means I'll most likely pic...

This year has been one for the record books in terms of sequential over 90 degree days for us. It's been brutal. And it persists. Today we're supposed to hit 96....again. There's a possibility but not a probability of afternoon thunderstorms.  Let's cross our fingers for those-they're much needed respite and rare indeed. Grandma Gin is now in a rehab facility in which she'll remain for a week or so. They're going to work with her so she's stable on her feet and confident in her ability to move about and generally as self-sufficient as possible given that she's not been completely stable on her feet for years and that she's 91. They seem very competent, positive, warm, and I'm guessing they're demanding, too, which is a very good thing when it comes to empowering surgical patients. More family arrives beginning tomorrow, which will be good for her and also let the hometown gang of myself, my aunt and my cousin get a little bit of a bre...

G.G.'s avid about hiking, has been for years, and has recently stepped up the whole effort by going every weekend for pretty much the entire summer. The only time he hasn't gone was when he and the Daughter were on the great national park tour and soccer tournament of 2011, and they hiked then, too. Did I mention that G.G. is a coach? And is all about encouraging others to enjoy what he enjoys? And he's pretty much relentless when he decides his cause is worth sharing? Are you figuring out where this is going yet? He recruited me. Me, the trail walker/jogger/part time yogi/stair walker wife. How did he do this? Boots, of course. He bought me boots. My old ones were fine, but heavy, and old, and mostly weren't the more modern form fitted design that bodes well for funky rocky surfaces and such. New Boots that GG bought me so I'd join his hiking club. But the lite version of the club, not the 21 miles along the Crest trail club. Because when you'...

Grandma Gin is a pip. She's mending, getting restless, almost headed for rehab today, has been micromanaging the medical team like nobody's business, and is, in general, heading in the right direction. Once I had taken care of a couple of her requests at lunch, including locating and recruiting the very patient and capable nurse tech who has been at Grandma's beck and call for several days now to help her back into her bed from her lunch chair, things got quiet. I turned off one of the lights in her room to make it a little more peaceful, we chatted about the clouds building in the distance, covered the stuff pertaining to her immediate comfort and forseeable future, and mostly just chilled a little. I tucked her blanket around her, and stroked her arm a bit, and could feel her relax into what would become her early afternoon nap. Before she faded, though, she said,'Honey, you're clearly working too hard. You have big dark circles under your eyes. You need...

Grandma Gin is on the mend, though the whole being 91 thing does in fact play into the process. Baby Girl is fine, and in fact today they're shopping at an outlet mall, 'because we have down day and there's absolutely nothing else to do'. Alrighty then. Tomorrow they head back to RI, though they won't until power is restored at school cuz why fly from sunny NC to powerless RI? I need another weekend, but other than that, this week is upon us. And I never got that latte the other day so I may have to grab one on my way back from visiting Grandma during my lunch. Happy Monday everyone!

This Irene thing is turning out to be a much bigger deal than originally anticipated. She's 430 miles across right now, and her eye has refined and organized to the point where it appears dome like from the space stations observing it. Daughter is in North Carolina, anticipating a game in ungodly heat with 100% humidity later today, and mentioned they'd probably not be heading back to Providence until Tuesday now due to the anticipated airport closures and other havoc wreaked by this storm. Awe.some. My question is really rather simple, and has to do with common sense. (I know, I always get into trouble when I start to question decisions that have clearly been made in a common sense vacuum...). Why on God's green Earth would not just one but TWO (presumably) college educated women's varsity soccer coaches IN THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE NO LESS decide to 'play on' in spite of the fact that a behemoth of a storm is headed directly their way within 48 hours?...

This isn't really one of them. Right now I'm annoyed at my Aunt who isn't answering texts from me about my Grandma's status. This shouldn't surprise me, but really? So I'm about to do some phone calling and investigating and information seeking on my own to just bypass the stupidity. How hard is it to hit Reply and say, 'She's fine, they're about to send her to Recovery', or something like that? I know. NOT hard. Also, I got a text from Daughter, who is 'safe on the ground' in North Carolina. Um, 'safe'? There's a hurricane headed that way and it's a big one. But I talked about that yesterday already, didn't I? Sometimes topics bear repeating. This is one of them. I have a headache that may be stress induced, but I'm not sure. I just ate lunch and it didn't go away so it's not a low blood sugar thing which happens too, but not today, not this time. I'm not sure which god to pray to right now, ...

Apparently so. Daughter's team is scheduled to fly to North Carolina tomorrow. Yes, the North Carolina WHERE THERE'S A HURRICANE ON THE WAY! Irene aka the Cat 3 bitch that's following my daughter. (Thank you NASA earth observatory for the image.) But I'm not freaking out, oh no. Not me. Not even a little. Because I know that the coaches will make the prudent decision, if warranted, and call off the games. Right? Bueller?

Grandma Gin is getting her bad old knee replaced with a shiny, new, bionic apparatus on Thursday. She's fought the good fight for years. She tried acupuncture, exercise of various types, shots of various types and anything else she could think of, including actively practicing denial for a looooong time, which was derailed by chronic pain that led to moderate depression that outed her. Anyway, it's happening. And the histrionics part? Not Grandma Gin, her dysfunctional, self-centered offspring whose meds are absolutely never in balance. Ever. And me, who's the offspring of the offspring that moved away as fast as she could possibly manage it. Like to Oregon, which followed a decade in Washington State, which followed a brief few months here at home, which followed three years in Brazil, which followed seven years in Germany. See, I'm not exaggerating this time. When my Mom decided to get out of Dodge? She went ahead and went. Which leaves me holding the bag a...

Daughter played in their first game of the regular season this weekend. After endless pain, rehab, recovery, a second surgery to 'just clean up some scar tissue and stuff', more rehab, more recovery, etc. My girl is back on the field, and I realized something as GG and I were digesting the post-game stats that the college so kindly provides. I think I've been holding my breath since the day she injured her knee..holding it and praying and hoping and nurturing her and encouraging her and cheering her small victories and bursting with pride as she's worked through the ridiculous rehab that affects not just a young body, but impacts a young psyche as well. GG and I high fived when we saw those stats yesterday. The girl, well she played 84 minutes. And, she assisted in one of the two goals that was scored by her team. And, she said she felt good. Not yet at the great level, but really good. I felt an exhale, then I breathed deeply in, and realized that until tha...

It has been pointed out to me that I tend to fixate. On food. On vampires. On movies. On shoes. On exercise. On writing. On life's purpose. All I have to say to that observation is, no shit. I mean, come on. Without food, vamps (and sex is intrinsically tied into that by the way, I didn't omit it by accident), shoes, working out and why we're here? What's the point? Some people. Just because I'm feeling a little obnoxious,  I'm going to share tonight's meal plan.  I think this might also prove the fixation point once and for all, in case there was ever any doubt. :-) It's been a long, weird week, so a gentle, cool dinner is in order. I think the patio will serve beautifully as the spot tonight, as dinner will be later than usual due to GG's team playing soccer down in Belen (aka the dark side of the moon) this afternoon. Chilled shrimp on ice, with hot cocktail sauce; Feta and grilled peppers (spread over the crustini); Sour...

GG's first day of school went fairly well. No big crises, no drama. Which is good, because the first day is sometimes dicey. Even when you're the teacher. My day has been ridiculously productive so far, which, I have to admit, is making me look over my shoulder for the the freight train to come and derail my efforts. But so far, no train. And a lovely cup of jasmine green tea with a little bit of honey have helped me sail through the afternoon as well. I realize I suffer from a condition not unlike PTSD, though I'm hardly a soldier, I'm simply a cog in the wheel at a startup and things gets nutso and tend to change very quickly and sometimes I get whiplash and a headache but that's getting better now. Things like early morning walks/jogs on the trail help. So do strolls in the garden, sitting and listening to the pond gurgle, petting Tipper Ann until she rumbles like a little motor boat and enjoying the coolness that accompanies darkness in the high desert. ...

Last week during a mid-week Trader Joe's run I saw figs. Fresh ones, two types, in their produce section. Seeing them made me remember a post-wedding brunch that some friends hosted. They'd served fresh, halved figs, accompanied by brie and honey..and I think port if you wanted that, or espresso. The delicate sweetness coupled with the cheese and honey? Amazing, a memory that even after all these years remains strong. So I had the flashback/memory, but passed the figs by. Until Saturday morning. I was pleased to see they had plenty left, and they looked lovely. At the same time I purchased figs, I also grabbed proscuitto. Which I then used to wrap the figs that I'd halved, then stuffed with feta...and then I broiled them. Result? Most delicious appetizer, enjoyed on patio, accompanied by a cranberry pomegranate martini while a soft rain fell. The smell of the rain and the wet earth, combined with the earthy delicate sweetness of the figs/feta/proscuitto? A.mazing. ...

Apparently one post isn't going to cut it for me today. Suffice to say, my head is chock full of randomness that I'm going to share with you! You're welcome. Anyway... So you know how it feels so very cool to have a stack of unread books by the bed? And how those books all came to be on that nightstand due to recommendations from good friends/colleagues/family who immediately thought of you when they read them and wanted to be sure you enjoy them too? And that at the very top of stack is one from your very best friend ever KS who just sent a box full of books last week stacked in the order they were to be read with pink post it notes adding her special commentary? And how it feels to have a Netflix movie waiting at home that's actually most likely NOT a stinker like the last couple G.G. made you watch  you were compelled to watch? (#1 , #2 . I'm not kidding.) And you know how great it is to have an episode of your favorite sexy vampire series loaded up and...

Actually, I'm ground crew for G.G. and his buddies, who have decided to spend nearly every Saturday this summer hiking. I'm on the pickup end, usually. And can I just say, some weeks are better than others. Hiking at our elevation (7,000 feet at the base of the mountain; 10,600 feet at the top) presents its own challenges, most of which the guys, who have been doing this a long time, have overcome. But sometimes one of them is dealing with an issue that surprises and annoys. Like a blister from new boots, addressed by (but not remedied-that takes a week or so) slipping on the old boots. Or like mild food poisoning that strikes about midway up a particularly steep portion of the hike and causes no end of angst, weakness, leaden legs, light headedness, and general malaise while it's running its course. Sometimes the challenges are simply about lifestyle choices made up to that point, like choosing to consume generous amounts of (fill in the blank) pizza, beer, cookies...

Maybe when I retreated to the back of the house and watched multiple episodes at a time, all by myself, in the dark. You know, just to catch up with the series. Maybe when I started to understand, from both TB the series and multiple other paranormal romance novels in which vamps were often featured, that vamps can be made different ways. They're not all 'made' by the bite. Some, it seems, are in fact holdovers from Atlantis and their advanced technology involving nanos to keep everyone eternally young. Unfortunately, nanos feed off of blood cells, and most humans didn't produce enough to feed the nanos, so external blood was required, hence the birth of the vamp myth. What? I'm just sharing what I've 'heard'. And then there's the whole bonding thing. Holy gawd. If that whole 'feel what your bondmate feels at all times including when in the throes of passion' thing has any merit? I want to be a vamp NOW. Just sayin'. You...

Bear with me here, as I'm nearly at a decision point with this project. Really, I am. As I've reread and contemplated writing the finish, then going back and scrubbing and editing like crazy and generally attempting to update a piece I began so long ago, I've become exhausted. Repeatedly. Last night, in a text exchange with Daughter, I explained I'd picked up the manuscript again and was seriously thinking of finishing it. And she replied, 'Mom, you should just start something new. That thing is almost 20 years old now, and you're a completely different person than you were when you started it. Just know that I look forward to a finished project out of you one day, and really, why not go for something more current and stop wasting time on the old stuff you'll practically have to rewrite anyway? ' Out of the mouths of babes, right?

I don't have to elaborate on the fine mess we've made of our economy, or how the protracted effort by the Tea Party has distracted from so many of our greater concerns and created an opportunity for them to grandstand and make noise and add insult to injury when what we really need is collaboration. Collaboration.  Not a difficult concept to grasp, but certainly untenable when agenda driven assholes with conservative foci and a desire to destroy rather than create manage to continually burn resources that could and should be spent fixing. Fixing what has broken, rebuilding and generally redefining a new economic reality moving forward NOT belaboring old points and pointing endless fingers and refusing to assume any responsibility in the finanicial shitstorm that has ensued over the last few months and culminated in an S&P downgrade of our creditworthiness as a country and divided a house already in danger of permanent polarity. Really, Tea Party? You think by flexing yo...

Not that any of you wouldn't have noticed that it's Friday, but it is. So we have that going for us. We also have overcast skies with a good chance of showers throughout the day, which is awe.some. We totally need this moisture, and even though a big cloudburst will be bad for the garage sale that GG and his mom decide to have at our house, it's worth it.  And, they'll stay cool, which is a bonus. On deck for this weekend: Run a few errands. Tidy up the house. Laundry. Work out, ideally twice. GG's dad and his wife over for dinner Saturday night. GG's mom, and requisite sisterinlaw and her fam, over for dinner on Sunday to celebrate mominlaw's bday. (But we're not sure that's going to happen yet due to a possible dance competition that will take two or more of sisinlaw's fam out of town. Not sure when we'll know for sure...) Dust off my manuscript, read it, then begin the finish. Which could take awhile, but I'm d...

And since I have no free will, I sat through it. Another two hours I'll never get back. Plot summary per IMdb: Hall Pass (2011) A couple of married guys are always looking at other women, treating their own wives like trash. Their wives are fed up with their behavior, and grant them a ' hall pass ': a week off their marriage allowing them to do anything. But the guys take their time and their week is almost up. What they don't realize is that at the same time their wives make connections of their own. Really? 'nuff said. I'm tired of being snarky about movies, but giving this one a 2 on my 10 scale is a stretch. And I really like Jenna Fischer, who charmed me for years on The Office but couldn't pull this stinker out of the dumpster.

Sigh. So, Nicholas Cage can really only play one role, from what I can tell. You can set him in Medieval times, make him a passionate 'scientist' or cut off his hand and throw him into the mix with Cher and he 's still playing essentially the same role. Sometimes he's a little more angry, sometimes he's more passionate, but he's ever Nick Cage. This time he was doing his thing accompanied by Ron Perlman, an actor I've always liked for his self-deprecating humor. We have the Crusades to deal with, an epiphany for Cage when he has reached his tolerance for murdering in the name of the Church, a demonic possession eventually rectified when Cage wrestles the actual plague-inducing demon and ends up perforated by his own blades. But this sacrifice was somehow necessary, as Perlman's character, essentially Cage's wingman/right hand man, also dies by the demon's hand, only he's turned to ash. Which looks like a crappy way to die, BTW. An...