Hot hot hot, that's what July has been so far. Fortunately our monsoons are beginning, which means some days we're fortunate enough to feel raindrops fall from the sky, wash the dust from the air and cool us down a bit.
Some days, though, those monsoons get a little carried away and stuff starts to wash away...
One time when I was a little girl, maybe 10 or so, I saw a VW Bug floating down an arroyo...just bobbing along. Apparently they'd tried to cross running water that was deceptively shallow looking in a dip in the road, but in which the water was surging with enormous force and speed....
Everything turned out ok. Nobody was hurt, but that was a strange sight and represents the kind of weirdness that happens when heavy rains fall in a desert like ours.
Anyway, it's hot.
This summer has been a blur of activity, mostly good, but some not so good. A litany follows....
-Daughter came home to visit (as I've already mentioned in an earlier post but still want to include in this one since her visit was amazing and we reconnected and I realized again what an incredible human being she is, and what a remarkable young adult she's become.) My heart nearly bursts with pride when I stop to think about her, to enjoy a moment reflecting her path, her fortitude and vision and stalwart belief in her ability to define and reach her very own dreams on her very own terms.
Little smarty pants also made the Dean's List at her school, a feat which pleased her parents, of course, but which made her big brother smile and say, 'Well diva finally learned to really study. It's a process, you know...' (he says this the all-knowing tone he now uses to describe the learning process and how students adapt to the college experience and eventually find their way...)
-Grandma Gin had a near miss involving her heart, restenosis of a graft from her 9 year old bypass, and an urge to ignore those pesky twinges she was feeling two Friday mornings ago. Suffice to say, if she had ignored those twinges, we may have lost her to a heart attack that her interventionist (who placed two stents in the clogged graft and came out to update us after the procedure) said would have happened 'within days'. And it most likely would have been fatal. Bottom line, when you're 92 and have a heart attack? Things are dire to say the least.
That prospect, of losing that dear, dark, fierce force of nature of a Grandma made me cry and realize how fortunate we are to have her with us still.
Son and I took her to a lovely little French restaurant for lunch this weekend, and she's just fine thankyouverymuch. Sassy as all getout, and, her words, 'good for the duration' after the tuneup.
-Speaking of son, he is here, has been here for a week, and what a great visit it's been. He's blazing trails and doing great things with his career, traveling the world, working his buns off, and having a pretty good time while he does it. In the past year he has been to Thailand (Bangkok), Israel, The Netherlands, and South Africa. He has a group of colleagues/friends he loves to travel with, so there's no shortage of entertainment while he's abroad.
He and I have shared some incredible moments this visit, reminiscing, discussing family, feminism, love, wine, food, passions, our favorite escapist cinema/TV, life in general, clothes, hair, the difference between cat and dog people, Buddhism, Catholicism, politics, literature, etc.
He leaves before dawn tomorrow, and my heart is already tight and sad. I wish wish wish I could get over the searing pain/sadness that the first few hours of separation brings, but I can't.
-Hubby, aka 'GG' (which is JL's nickname for him in reference to his gardening god skills), has outdone himself this year.
Our tomatoes (all 27 plants) are going apeshit, and have produced a handful of deliciousness already with much much more on the vine/on the way, which is awesome since this is the season of the Caprese Salad, no? He's planted a bunch of basil, too, which is super happy, as is the amazingly prolific zucchini, yellow squash and Japanese eggplant, peppers and jalapenos. He's promised to make his jalapeno poppers this weekend, which are a treat among treats. He stuffs said hot peppers with a magic blend of creamy cheese and spices, then wraps them in bacon and grills them...to create a culinary delight that will soothe your senses and take your roof off at the same time..it's food as entertainment, yes?
GG also completed our back patio (behind our bedroom) so when we get the hot tub (probably next year?), we'll have somewhere to put it.
And the grapes are going insane over the arbor...as is the wisteria over its own...and the gladiolas have erupted in a most amazing rainbow of colors and varieties, of late...our tables are adorned with riots of blooms in vases..no matter where you turn, there they are....
Life is mostly good.
We do need to keep brotherinlaw's mom in our warmest thoughts, though. Within the last two weeks she's discovered she has leukemia, is undergoing brutal chemo treatments and has developed congestive heart failure. That's a whole lot, and we're all hoping for the best. Fucking cancer....
Ok, that's all I have for now, but know I miss writing but most days cannot find a way to carve out a few minutes to vomit out an update, let along wax poetic. I'll try harder, but know you're in my thoughts...
Big Hugs,
Stevie
Some days, though, those monsoons get a little carried away and stuff starts to wash away...
One time when I was a little girl, maybe 10 or so, I saw a VW Bug floating down an arroyo...just bobbing along. Apparently they'd tried to cross running water that was deceptively shallow looking in a dip in the road, but in which the water was surging with enormous force and speed....
Everything turned out ok. Nobody was hurt, but that was a strange sight and represents the kind of weirdness that happens when heavy rains fall in a desert like ours.
Anyway, it's hot.
This summer has been a blur of activity, mostly good, but some not so good. A litany follows....
-Daughter came home to visit (as I've already mentioned in an earlier post but still want to include in this one since her visit was amazing and we reconnected and I realized again what an incredible human being she is, and what a remarkable young adult she's become.) My heart nearly bursts with pride when I stop to think about her, to enjoy a moment reflecting her path, her fortitude and vision and stalwart belief in her ability to define and reach her very own dreams on her very own terms.
Little smarty pants also made the Dean's List at her school, a feat which pleased her parents, of course, but which made her big brother smile and say, 'Well diva finally learned to really study. It's a process, you know...' (he says this the all-knowing tone he now uses to describe the learning process and how students adapt to the college experience and eventually find their way...)
-Grandma Gin had a near miss involving her heart, restenosis of a graft from her 9 year old bypass, and an urge to ignore those pesky twinges she was feeling two Friday mornings ago. Suffice to say, if she had ignored those twinges, we may have lost her to a heart attack that her interventionist (who placed two stents in the clogged graft and came out to update us after the procedure) said would have happened 'within days'. And it most likely would have been fatal. Bottom line, when you're 92 and have a heart attack? Things are dire to say the least.
That prospect, of losing that dear, dark, fierce force of nature of a Grandma made me cry and realize how fortunate we are to have her with us still.
Son and I took her to a lovely little French restaurant for lunch this weekend, and she's just fine thankyouverymuch. Sassy as all getout, and, her words, 'good for the duration' after the tuneup.
-Speaking of son, he is here, has been here for a week, and what a great visit it's been. He's blazing trails and doing great things with his career, traveling the world, working his buns off, and having a pretty good time while he does it. In the past year he has been to Thailand (Bangkok), Israel, The Netherlands, and South Africa. He has a group of colleagues/friends he loves to travel with, so there's no shortage of entertainment while he's abroad.
He and I have shared some incredible moments this visit, reminiscing, discussing family, feminism, love, wine, food, passions, our favorite escapist cinema/TV, life in general, clothes, hair, the difference between cat and dog people, Buddhism, Catholicism, politics, literature, etc.
He leaves before dawn tomorrow, and my heart is already tight and sad. I wish wish wish I could get over the searing pain/sadness that the first few hours of separation brings, but I can't.
-Hubby, aka 'GG' (which is JL's nickname for him in reference to his gardening god skills), has outdone himself this year.
Our tomatoes (all 27 plants) are going apeshit, and have produced a handful of deliciousness already with much much more on the vine/on the way, which is awesome since this is the season of the Caprese Salad, no? He's planted a bunch of basil, too, which is super happy, as is the amazingly prolific zucchini, yellow squash and Japanese eggplant, peppers and jalapenos. He's promised to make his jalapeno poppers this weekend, which are a treat among treats. He stuffs said hot peppers with a magic blend of creamy cheese and spices, then wraps them in bacon and grills them...to create a culinary delight that will soothe your senses and take your roof off at the same time..it's food as entertainment, yes?
GG also completed our back patio (behind our bedroom) so when we get the hot tub (probably next year?), we'll have somewhere to put it.
And the grapes are going insane over the arbor...as is the wisteria over its own...and the gladiolas have erupted in a most amazing rainbow of colors and varieties, of late...our tables are adorned with riots of blooms in vases..no matter where you turn, there they are....
Life is mostly good.
We do need to keep brotherinlaw's mom in our warmest thoughts, though. Within the last two weeks she's discovered she has leukemia, is undergoing brutal chemo treatments and has developed congestive heart failure. That's a whole lot, and we're all hoping for the best. Fucking cancer....
Ok, that's all I have for now, but know I miss writing but most days cannot find a way to carve out a few minutes to vomit out an update, let along wax poetic. I'll try harder, but know you're in my thoughts...
Big Hugs,
Stevie
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