12 Oakdale

Our 2 missions: get bikes so Mary and kids can ride to the pool where they will swim, swim, swim, and get Bella able to ride a bike. We also helped Mary hang her wall panels. First up, a visit to Omega Bike Shop where Edith gamely talked bikes to us while the kids interrupted, and Bella was only interested in having a bike with a basket. We rolled out with 2 new-to-them for less than $500. Bella’s is a 21” with hand brakes. Probably a stretch. Grant and I bought the crystal-cover bell for bling.  Mary’s is a 26” mountain bike that had been donated to the shop. She needed a tag-a-long for Remi, if not used, then shipped overnight new. Lots were listed on the local swap shop.  But timeout to drive to LA to see the La Brea Tarpits and the new David Greffen addition to LACMA. A quick glance at the pits without going inside that museum, then lunch at Franny’s inside the Museum of Motion Pictures just up the block.  The reviewers of the new art museum loved or...

Up at 5:30 AM to begin the 7 hour drive to Mary’s. Originally we needed to be there by May 21st, because we agreed we would be at Remi’s kindergarten walk on the 22nd. After I’d made all my reservations, the walk got changed, probably to the 26th. Arrrggg. I should have broken the drive into 2 segments, but I thought we could power on. Ha! We stopped for coffee at River Rock Roasting Company’s drive through and bought 2 spicy corn and bacon quiche blossoms (a corn tortilla pressed into a gigantic muffin tin, then filled with quiche mixture) and 2 giant muffins. And the drive began. We had made such good time, I opted to hop off I-15 to do a tour through downtown Las Vegas so Grant could see the Sphere. Back on the road. In Utah, the speed limit was 80mph. Here 65-70, but still fast. Plus, changing to Pacific time, we gained an hour. In fact, rather than having Mary pick us up at my original estimated 4:00, we would be there by about 1:00. Except she was at her doctor appointment.  ...

No more snow driving from Bryce to Zion, just desert scrub. I’m still enjoying the heated seat and steering wheel. We saw a cattle drive off in the distance with cowboys on horses. A while later we passed another one right beside the road. Ten cowboys, 3 sheriff’s cars with flashing lights, many, many cows. I slowed down to a crawl, assuming that was the accepted protocol. From the cow poop in the road for the next 5 miles, it seemed if we had been a little earlier, we could have actually been in the midst of the herd as they headed east.  I’d come from Zion to Bryce when I traveled here with Peg and Bob maybe 10 years ago. But I was in the back of their camper and had limited views. This time, seeing the checkerboard cliffs from the front of the car, I was staggered by their beauty. Because traffic backed up, I ducked into the bathroom parking lot right before the tunnel. A chance to pee and to have a look around. The park was absolutely packed. Only shuttle buses allowed up canyo...

I have 7 layers on and am still cold here at Bryce Canyon National Park, but it is worth it. This morning we got up at 3:45 and saw the Milky Way at Sunrise Point. 22°. We were the only people there. Just as we got out of the car, I saw a meteorite. We walked out to the overlook and sat for a while on the bench. Then, throughly frozen, we drove to Farpoint to see the sunrise. Thank goodness for the heated seats and steering wheel in the Jeep Compass we rented. And thank goodness I made Grant buy a park sweatshirt since then he could give me his red windbreaker. Even with tights under my pants and 2 pairs of socks, my legs and feet are cold. Yes, we could have packed bulky warm clothes but we are only here overnight to see the dark skies. We started our trip flying into Salt Lake City 4 days ago to see new granddaughter Hazel Maeve and to attend the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival. 2 birds… Hazel is absolutely darling. I know, I know, a doting grandmother would say that, but she is. And s...

I bought a new turtle food which recommended feeding 1% to 4% body weight per day. Using the kitchen scales and turning them on their backs in a stainless steel bowl, William came in at 17.8 ounces, Robert at 11. While I was at it, and using our bathroom scales, Grace is a sleek 9 pounds, while I am a fluffy 166. William of course loves the new routine and has gobbled this new food right down. Robert is more reluctant to try it, but I assume will come around. He now comes charging at me whenever I near their pen. Gracie continues to eat 3/4 of the dried food we give her and some of the scraps Grant puts in her bowl.  Me? I’m with William. So to that end, I asked AI to devise meal plans for Grant and me that are lighter summer dinners heavy-ish on protein (all over news that old people don’t eat enough protein), flavor rich for Grant and textured for me, with the goal of our loosing about a half pound per week. Some vegetarian, some not. AI’s first results were pretty good. We liked...

The first day of our seventh year at 12 Oakdale Street. I hope this will be similar to the previous ones, with no surprises. At our age, surprises are rarely good. I will keep on shedding stuff, being optimistic about how much I will accomplish. I also continue shedding weight, since some crept back, definitely no surprise. Baking and eating sourdough bread has consequences. Will this year be when I get rid of all the grass paths? Sure, why not? Could happen. The freeze gave me an opportunity to rethink some of the plantings I’ve done. I will continue adding to my hedgerows on the north and especially south property lines. Since the lychee died back, I’m moving more bananas along the canal. Eventually that 2-story house will be built across from us. Grant is slowing down, although he is still doing his 2 mile, somewhat daily walks. I use a lot of my energy being patient (that’s definitely ironic). Sometimes I’m successful, often I’m not. A growth edge it would behoove me to work on. Bi...

  Time has become very elastic for me. Sometimes it seems very long, almost like a kid waiting for Christmas. Other times, it snaps back. We have been here 6 years. Can that be true? I read that people with dementia are confused about WHEN they are, so that is why they get so upset about WHERE they are. If I believed it was 1964, why am I here and not in my childhood home? I get it. Although I’m fairly sure I’m still coherent. Not positive, but fairly sure. It is just that some things seem like yesterday. Moving here. The kids are young, not approaching or hitting middle aged. I just bought that blouse.  Then, other events seem so long ago. I bought that shirt at Macys in Fort Lauderdale. When did we ever live there? Memories get reversed by importance? In any case, we are here, and we are well. About all I can ask for. More than my share.

Time for our annual get together: 6 high school girlfriends for a long weekend at Kathy’s house in Swanee, Georgia. I bought my airline ticket months ago. The week before kickoff, Mickie let the rest of know that she had thought about cancelling the reunion since she’d likely broken her foot while visiting Japan (Sue already knew of the accident since she was along on that trip.) She was using a knee scooter (again) and would soldier on. Then Thursday morning, right before she was to drive from Elijah, GA, Mary Bird texted that she had decided not to come so she could have “me” time. What? Is she okay? No one knows. On the home front, Monday Grant gouged a quarter-sized hole in his shin on a stick from a freeze-killed coffee plant that I had asked my yard person CC to cut to the ground. She had interpreted that to mean, “Please leave dead 12”-18” spikes sticking out off the ground when you cut back a plant.” Little swords just waiting for action. I had warned Grant to be careful when h...