12 Oakdale

At o’dark hundred on Tuesday, we drove to our parking space at the Marriott to catch the hotel limo to the airport. Our 7:00 flight was delayed about an hour, while a mechanic fixed something or other. Slightly nerve racking since Alaska Air had a door come off inflight within the past month, then a wheel fell off another Boeing plane. I guess other people weren’t as sanguine as we were, since the plane was only 1/4 full. Grant and I each had an empty row. Would that the airline would lower its prices. I plan to watch to see if I can get some cheap flights. This time was our annual companion flies for $99 plus $37.63 of taxes.  I'd used previous years companion flight to go to Calgary for our Rocky Mountain train trip and Evelyn’s wedding. Going to California was the best I could do before the deadline to use the coupon came up. Next year, I plan to go to Fairbanks and see the northern lights. Or Hawaii, if the Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines goes through by then. Our project this vis...

It was the mosquito bite that was the one last pain that put me to weeping as I leaned against our bed, barely able to shuffle off to the bathroom. I was back to what I call T. Rex arms because I have to keep my elbows next to my sides to avoid sharp, stabbing pains. This is from having to lift myself up, rather than using my legs to stand. I tried using my walker, but my shoulders ache too much. I hadn’t found a place I can sit, and sleeping is impossible: I couldn’t lie on my back and turning from one side to the other was agonizing. I was a mess. And we have another damn set of screens out in the pool screen house. After more than 5 weeks of aching legs and a sore, but slightly better, upper back, I gave in and made an appointment with Kirsten at physical therapy and another one with my doctor. Thank goodness. I now have small exercises that relieve some of the pain in my legs, and which Kirsten says will strengthen my muscles and realign my pelvis. Don’t care how they work, I feel ...

We dyed eggs and made Rice Krispie treats with spring pastel colored sprinkles. Grant grilled butterflied lamb and served it with asparagus and smashed potatoes. Bella and I had rolled out and cut cookie dough that Mary mixed up. We were going to frost and decorate the bunny, chick and egg-shaped cookies, but we ate them before that happened. Best of all, I didn’t have to help the Easter Bunny hide eggs, never a parental duty I particularly enjoyed. In Fort Lauderdale, we hid 100+ eggs for the kids to find.  Nowadays, the eggs are all plastic, but when I was a child, my mother started about a month early and blew eggs which we dyed for decorations, in addition to a couple of dozen hard boiled eggs. These were hidden throughout the house along with some individually wrapped marshmallow eggs. Inevitably, an egg or two wouldn’t be found in the mad hunt Sunday morning. Eventually, our dog Bootsie would find and eat the missed ones, including shells or wrappers.  When our children ...