Characters One and All

My dad unaware he is wearing his dessert.

My sister going for a joy ride after having 

wheelchair-jacked one of the residents vehicles.

My mom and her cohort at the retirement village. Their first 

'crime' together was trying to unsuccessfully off father x-mas!

More on those two later.

Now, there's a thought!

Today at lunch one of my parents' friends asked my sister if she wasn't married because she is a vegetarian...and they were serious!!!
We about pee'd our pants.

Still Gloatin'!!!

Last night my sister and I whupped up on a pair of college age fellars in a Wimbledon worthy ping pong match. We thought we might be trounced as one of the guys plays for his east coast college tennis team and they obviously had the youth factor goin' for them!
However, maturity(!) and the good lord were on our side. There were a number of body-launching, dramatic points that, had there been an audience, would have had them on their feet cheering...or laughing...or calling 911!!!

Ladies Man!

My sister and I were standing on either side of my dad waiting for the elevator. As his friend exited the elevator he said to dad: "you surround yourself with beautiful women!"
My dad, a bit of a shy fella and totally NOT a player said: "that's the kind of lifestyle I lead!!!"

In other news here at the retirement community there was an old fella standing outside with his pj bottoms on waiting for a ride. I rolled down my window and told him that where I live he would fit right in with his outfit. At first he looked confused but then he smiled a big smile and said enthusiastically: "really?"
He was so dang cute.

And the bingo game...well, if you haven't yet played bingo with senior citizens you are missing out on a particularly unusual subculture. If you can stand the perfume, it's a gas.

Old Fellar

Is this what they mean by "coming apart at the seams?"

Reality Check

Some friends ordered a new coffee machine for their newly remodeled house...had paid for overnight shipping and it arrived 3 days later, broken.
They referred to this issue as "a first world problem."

Lucky, Fer Sure

Yesterday some gal pals and I had a spa day! Fer realz. As the four of us lay entirely buried with only our heads poking out in hot, hot cedar sawdust detoxifying, looking out onto a Japanese garden, our brows being gently wiped with cold washcloths and the bath attendant offering us drinks of water from a cup with a straw (good practice for getting old or infirmed) one of us said; "I am so lucky."
Then another said: "It's true and that is going to be my mantra." We carried on about ALL the reasons we are lucky. There are SO dang many...least of which has to do with a spa day. Makes me think of the book: The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnell.
Hope you are feeling that you're living a lucky life today.

Nope, Not Married

Instead of having a wedding some friends are having a "yay, we're together" celebration and the invite reads: lovebash!!!!

Dahliaville!

Piggy Bank

I am at that stage in life when my friend's parents are dying...
people I have known and loved my entire life and they me.
It's hard to describe the sense of loss...almost like losing a parent but not.
With the realization that there are going to be more of these deaths as time goes on it occurred to my practical Capricorn self that I ought to start a savings account just for such occasions so I can be with those friends and at those funerals. Seems a little morbid but as a Girl Scout flunkie I know it's important to be prepared!!! Guess I could call it the "Death Travel Fund."

Another Bumper Sticker

Love People
Cook Them Tasty Food

Quote of the Day

Heaven for climate
Hell for company!!!

Chocolate Love

On Friday night after the Occidental Farmer's Market was shutting down some friends and I had dinner and hung out. It was one of those spontaneous combustion hilarious events that you can't describe cuz it doesn't translate...but all of us left with our hearts having been seriously tickled!
This morning I saw one of the fellows who was there last night and he told me he had a present for me. Now, knowing this fellow as I do I was immediately suspicious. I thought I might be the butt of some practical joke. However, he set a package down in front of me and had a quasi earnest look on his face. I opened the package, looked in and busted out laughing. He had gone to the local groovy market and bought one of EVERY SINGLE CHOCOLATE BAR!!! Unbelievable. The gesture was so darn sweet I could hardly believe it.

Healing Sweetness

Max, my neighbor, landlord and one of my favorite cats who was featured in a previous blog video, recently got beat up by a roaming neighborhood cat. He spent the last few days curled up, sleeping and tucked very far inside. If you've been around sick or injured animals you know that sometimes when they go into that place it seems like they might not come back out. Yesterday, though, was the first day he appeared to respond to voice and touch...he even purred a bit :)
But this morning I went over to his house and when I went to use the bathroom he followed me in (he likes to accompany me there for showers, too!) he did some serious head bumps and then many a drive by on my legs with arched back and serious intention...and his little motor was a goin'.
Oh, it just melted my heart.

Resume Material?

A fella that I have been working with the last couple of weeks said to me (and I'm pretty sure it was compliment of sorts) : "Longwillow, you're not wrapped too tight!!!"

Of course, we both cracked up. I said I oughta put that on my resume :)

And then I decided if I were ever in a hiring position and someone had that on their resume, I would hire them on the spot!

Dr. Simon, Again...

I fell into bed last night exhausted from a really long work day. I also was feeling...kinda a full continuum of mixed emotions as well. When I let Simon in the door in the wee hours he came directly to my head and wanted under the covers. The next thing I remember he and I were literally face to face...i could feel and hear him breathing...even smell his breath and he probably mine. i remember feeling comforted and the sweetness of having our faces smooshed up together. it wasn't until today that i realized, once again, he was doctoring me up. hard to explain how that is but it felt really clear as the day wore on. i feel so deeply grateful to understand that and even more grateful that he, and most all our animal companions, are often making efforts on our behalf even though we may not recognize it.

Reasons To Live!

I decided that chocolate Coconut Bliss is one of the top five contenders.

Beauty Words

To Love the World You know you love the world When the scent of pine pitch makes you cry When the sound of grass in wind Is as good as heaven Stream water feels like as a lover’s touch And going indoors is hard to bear You know you love the world When wind through a hillside of cypresses Sounds like God laughing And breaking waves upon the shore is your own pulse, ln your own body Sounding on. You know you love the world When a swift, streaking overhead, Carries you out into open space And granite in your hand Silently teaches you The most ancient of religions Garth Gilchrist

HarveyLee

My 94, very soon to be 95 year old friend, HarveyLee was reminiscing about being a child.
She said people used to call her stubborn.
Now, at this ripe old age stubborn has morphed into determined. I guess if you live long enough your less than stellar qualities eventually become attributes. I'm not sure I'm unna live THAT long!!!

More from Sunset's Western Hostess Guide!

Breakfast Birthday Parties

"Your teen age daughter will be pleased as Punch with a birthday party at breakfast time.
Set the time for nine o'clock or thereabouts, and plan a morning of tennis or swimming or badminton to follow. And remember that there simply must be a birthday cake to make it a proper sort of party. Your young hostess and her guests are sure to think that a big fluffy angel food is quite the right touch."

Butt Crack Etiquette!

Ok, I know this is a weird subject, however I'm guessing we all wonder about this issue to ourselves!
Here's the deal. I know some folks have tattoos on their lower back just so that when they bend over you will look THERE! The thing is, I'm just not sure about everyone else. Do they know? Do they care? Heck, maybe they think that's the absolute best part of their body and hope that people check it out. But what about those folks who maybe don't know IT'S showing...are you supposed to mention IT? And how do you bring that up casually in conversation. "Gosh, it's a beauty-full day and your butt crack shows when you bend over." Is it better to send an e-mail? Would that soften the embarrassment?
I suppose you could leave an anonymous note...
Or it could be the opening line to ask someone out on a date.
Seems there are as many options as there are people and you have to decide case by case.
If you have any big opinions feel free to let me know, of course!

Little Vision

Quote by a scientist whose name I never got to hear:
"Human time is silly and short."
Now there's a perspective for ya!!

Boy Progress?!!!

You know how I love to report on entertaining animal haps in my world, both domestic and wild?
Well...
Here's a bit of backstory which may lend itself to appreciating todays "event" a bit more!
If you read this blog you know that Simon is my boy cat and that he is an eternal love bucket. In his previous home he had a best dog friend named Jasper. When Simon walked into the house he would stand on his hind legs and put his arms around Jasper's neck (without fail, Jasper's eyes would about bulge out of his head and he would stand very, very still...) They would also sleep touching each other. It was so dang sweet. When Simon came to live with Liza and I, well he had a different
reception. Liza, as you read, was VERY fond of hauling off and swatting Simon!!! So, he never got to really snuggle up with her except on a very rare occasion he could maybe touch her furz while they were asleep but I'm pretty sure she didn't realize it because it happened after she was already asleep!
Now, we share a property with a human, a dog (she's another story for another time!) and Max, who you saw in a video a few entries back. Simon and Max have been cordial to one another. In fact, Max has been very generous in sharing both his outside and inside space with Simon. And Simon, he had Max over for dinner once and several times for more, shall we say, casual visiting! But today was different. Max was over visiting (he's lonesome cuz his person has been away for awhile)
I was laying on the bed and Max hopped up for a little nappy poo but not right next to me. As Max slept I kept talking to Simon and inviting him onto the bed. Finally, he got up, walked way around Max so as not to be detected and curled up under my right armpit and laid his head on my chest. There we three lie enjoying our rest period. (well, i was enjoying it but I guess I shouldn't speak for the boys!!!) Anyways, at some point Max woke up, meowed and wanted to come closer to me. In the past that has resulted in Simon getting off the bed...so I just kept talking to Simon and kept Max from getting too in his space. Max changed his mind and retreated back to where he was and resumed his napping as did Simon and I. A little while later, Max got up again, meowed and walked closer to us. This time he just sniffed Simon across my body and decided to relocate next to my left shoulder. I was so tickled. Both boys were purring and I was smiling. After a bit I decided to get up. I did so v e r y slowly so as not to disturb the nappers. But as I did, Simon decided to take a risk and moved closer to Max, giving him a good sniff first and then layed so they were just about touching. I grabbed my camera, of course. Occasionally, Max would wake up and give Simon the stink eye but for some reason Simon didn't engage today. Just kept his "it's all good" manners on! I guess the possibility of ALMOST snuggling encouraged him to behave!!!
Though the photos aren't great quality, they give you an idea of what happened. Now, about 45 minutes later, the boys remain asleep on my sleeping bag, one occasionally waking up to clean himself or shift positions. But they remain a paws length or less apart!

Max reaching out and "touching" the very, very tip of Simon's furz!!!

Said "stink eye" and "it's all good" from right to left!

In the time it took me to download these photos, the boys woke up, shared mutual hissiness and Simon jumped off the bed. Now, they sit on either side of the sliding sliding glass door staring at each other!!!

Reality Check...

I was visiting with a fella who is originally from El Salvador. He left when he was 12 to come to California and has lived here ever since. He was telling me some about spending 3 months in a small town in Texas to visit a sick friend...said he got stopped in his car many, many times by police. On one occasion the cop gave him a ticket for going 2 whole miles over the speed limit. On another, the cop asked him if he spoke English. He replied: "I think so!!!"
It's SO, SO easy to take things for granted when we live in white skin.