It's 8 Minutes Until Tomorrow

December 11, 2018

That's when I began thinking about this post last night. I was waiting for one minute after Midnight in order to get a 'new day' of solitaire games.

A couple of days ago, I was coming back from pickle ball and I heard an acerbic voice, "Yeah, you think you're hot stuff don'tcha? Going to the gym and playing pickle ball right after?" [You should be hearing a Dorchester, MA accent.] I looked around and there was nobody in sight.

Then I looked down to see this:

It had been this guy. So I ate him.

He's delicious sliced into some Canadian Club and cubes. (Mom says I have to drink the CC because the big bottle is taking up too much room.)

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Last night we went to the Spa Casino downtown. I lost $60. I don't think I'll do that again soon!! But it was entertainment. They have a new (to me) slot machine that has cows in spaceships on  the top and they are determining if you win. The cartoons are pretty funny.

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Today I couldn't resist.

This is after I read it was 22 F. at about 11:30 a.m. in Amherst. (Apparently, it was that cold in other eastern places too.) Yes, PS is like Paradise. Even though the outside temp was about 55 F., the hot tub was wonderful. And it wasn't too cold when I got out because the sun warmed me.

These oranges were not ripe at all when I got here. They look good now. I may have to pick one. The grass, by the way, really is that green and it's the new re-seeded winter grass. Can you believe it? They scrape up the grass every fall and re-plant all new grass.

We're very happy that Mom's bouganvilla is flowering nicely. I don't know if you can see her weather vane against it. She bought that at the Old Deerfield Craft show many years ago.

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December 21, 2018

We were delighted to hear Christmas carolers last night! About a half dozen people were walking around the complex, singing carols. I heard the singing under the TV and alerted Mom. They had come specifically to serenade her, which I think is wonderful. I'm just glad that I was able to alert her to the singing.  
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Woo hoo! I just figured out how to get my phone photos into my new Chromebook! Here goes. Now if I could just figure out how to edit them, I'd be really happy!
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Two nights ago, Elaine and I went to see the Wild Lights at the Living Desert. It was wonderful and we walked around for over two hours enjoying the night filled with lights and animals. We got to see the real giraffes who decided to go for an evening snack. We were able to pick out some of the rams on a mini man-made mountain but I don't think they are visible in any of my pictures. It was very relaxing and fun.

The live music next to Santa was wonderful. This little girl was dancing.

 This is a projection of a giraffe with "Happy Holidays" written next to it. Can you see two rams?

The Road Runner gets his due. They are not really that big unless it's a mini cactus that he is standing next to.

We loved the Tunnel of Lights which kept changing colors in time to the beat of the music.

 These sculptures above appeared to be metal cut outs with the lights shining through spaces.

 Don't you love the zebras cavorting? We got to see some live ones but I think they were sleepy and not too thrilled with the noisy people and lights.

They were giving camel rides but that didn't look like fun to me. This little girl was having a blast, though.

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A couple of days earlier, Mom and I went to a happy hour at the Rowan hotel.

Front desk at the Rowan.

In anticipation of happy hour. We wish you all a Merry Christmas! 

It's 7:41 p.m. and it Feels Like Midnight

I love having a foster grand baby, but I had forgotten how tiring it is to be at the beck and call of a nine month old. And call he does. J is very vocal, trying out new sounds -- and his latest favorite is a high pitched squeal that puts dolphins to shame.

He's a very happy baby and only cries when he's hungry, which is a good thing. He has a genuine Buddah belly and he giggles if you tickle his belly. We have been having fun giving him new foods to eat. So far, he likes beef stew, does not like canned peas and carrots. (I don't blame him, I hate canned peas myself.) The baby foods that comes in a squeeze pouch are weird combinations in my humble opinion, but he eats them.

J is a joy, but at 22.5 pounds, he is difficult for me to lift. And Mom shouldn't really lift him, but I did put him in her lap because he's a very good snuggler. I will miss them terribly when Emily and J go back to Massachusetts on Thursday.

Tonight we said goodbye to Deb and Paul because their return fight is at 5:45 a.m. tomorrow. I miss them already. Auntie Deb is wonderful with J and she couldn't resist buying him genuine boat shoes. Uncle Paul is a huge guy (he competes in Strong Man competitions and pulls trucks and can lift 400 pounds) and J loves him because Paul tosses him in the air. But also Paul lets J perch in the crook of his arm and they 'relax' together.
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So now it's tomorrow and Deb and Paul have been in the air for hours. It's a beautiful sunny day, predicted to go to 77 degrees. Mom's out, baby J is asleep and Emily is showering. Ah, a moment of peace and quiet! I am savoring it.

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Our next adventure will be to bring J to a park and see if he likes the baby swing. We already know he will love it because he loves 'riding' the swivel chair. We have given him two tastes of the pool, (It's heated to 86 degrees.) He loves to splash, splash, splash!

Edit -- days later. J loved the swing. We had fun in the well-appointed baby section at Demuth Park. We saw so many pickle ballers waiting for a court that I wondered if they were giving away crack.

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I just finished making online charitable donations -- it is Giving Tuesday, after all.

I'm feeling virtuous and stingy. Should I give more? Should I give to 10 charities instead of 4? Unfortunately, I like living well -- should I feel guilty?

I prefer to give my time as an "extra" but I have yet to find my niche in California. I think I'm going to have to look harder ...

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It's fun watching the hummingbirds outside of Mom's front door. She has put up a feeder with two pots of nectar. There is one male, however, who chases everyone away. I don't know why he can't figure out that there is plenty of nectar for all of them. As soon as it gets low, Mom replenishes it.

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So it's Saturday and Emily and J have been home since Thursday.  Sigh. The house is very quiet ...

Friday we had a luncheon and today we're waiting for the 1 p.m. reprise of the Met's Magic Flute (at the movies). Of course, we missed the time on the email and showed up for a 10 a.m. showing. That will teach me to read things more closely!

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The weather is still delightful for this New Englander. I was wearing a sleeveless shirt last night when we played pickle ball. Although, I have to say, it is a bit chilly in the mornings -- about 40 degrees. We did have a rain storm that was heavy for the desert but nothing like the downpour and flooding that Riverside County got.

And we were dismayed to hear of the Alaska earthquake. Mom thought she felt a tremor the other day -- I didn't -- but many of the paintings on the wall were askew. That's always the telltale sign of a bit of seismic activity.

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I have been using my new Chomebook successfully with Deb and Em's assistance. But using Google Docs in editing mode is totally new to me. Kate Flora has again entrusted me to edit one of her incipient books and I think I have to re-start and figure out the best way to use the editing part of Google Docs. I like the Office way of showing the edits. That way, she can zip right to anything that is highlighted. My excuse for not having progressed was having every waking moment take up by the baby. Now I have no excuse and need to wrestle that program to the ground. The reading/editing is a pleasure.

Cheers for now.

Happy Thanksgiving (a Bit Early)

I think I'm going to be a bit busy, so Happy Thanksgiving early! Deb and Paul have arrived in Palm Springs and they get to assemble the high chair tomorrow. So far we have extended our large table with two card tables and the linens are waiting for the dishes. It's fun planning for a houseful and it makes me realize how blessed we are. We have family, food, friends, and a good life.

I have been busy besides going to the gym and playing pickle ball.

I actually finished a scarf!! Okay, so it does have a nose on the side -- apparently I'm not good at fixing a dropped stitch. But at least it will be warm for LeeAnne when she takes her (LONG) morning walk. This California girl is freezing when it's 40 degrees F.

Chanukah Pot Holders or Table Trivet

Anybody recognize the pin cushion? Yes, it's left over from the bubble quilt of old.

The one above has different machine stitching. I haven't finished hand sewing the binding on the corners of this one. All of the potholders above can be used on a table. They have thinsulate inside, so a hot dish shouldn't mar your table.

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Lee Anne and I nearly broke ourselves at the gym yesterday, but we laughed a lot so it's o.k. The Planet Fitness here in Cathedral City is HUGE and I discovered a whole section for abs that I had never seen before. There were different instruments of torture than on the other circuit. (There are a bunch er of pieces of equipment and when the green light is on, you use that machine. You switch machines when the red light comes on.) 

I would read the instructions and LeeAnne would try a machine. We had a lot of, "You want me to do WHAT?" moments and after a while, you get silly. (Well, at least we did.) Somebody I know overdid it on a couple of machines. It was pretty funny listening to our grunts and groans as we got into her giant SUV. Her car always makes me feel short. Or like I should bring a step stool ... 

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I started this yesterday, so today, after the gym I am now spending some time with you.

We are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.

 Above is a quote from Edward Winslow, one of the original Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He was telling a backer in Holland about their Thanksgiving celebration wherein they invited 90 Indians to partake. The Indians were so grateful, they contributed four deer to the feast which lasted a week. As Theresa Hanafin, Editor of the Boston Globe's Fast Forward newsletter pointed out, even though the merry band of Pilgrims had been decimated by the long ocean crossing and illness, when they had a decent harvest, their first inclination was to share with their neighbors, the Indians. 

All of this is to say, I wish I could share with you in person, however, I can certainly share my wishes for you to have a wonderful Thanksgiving. And I also want to share that I have reached "enough." I have enough food, shelter, and material things. I'm still collecting love and good wishes, however.

So it is true that Mom and Deb are only showing us how big the apple pie from Costco is. However, it occurred to them that they needed to be sure that it tasted o.k. for Thanksgiving. Besides, we thought Deb deserved a reward for assembling the high chair and pack and play (crib). Apparently, the pie was good because nobody left it on their plates.
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Just a few more quilting stitches and Jay's new blanket will be ready. Animals on top and dinosaurs on the bottom for when he's older.

It's time for me to put on more suitable clothes for lunch. I'll try to take pictures of the light show at the Living Desert for you. Cheers!

It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

Thank you, Charles Dickens.

Yes, it was sad to say goodbye to Aunt Lorraine in Fall River. (She was 94 years young.) But the services were uplifting, celebrating Lorraine's life. When her husband passed away in his early 50s, she was left with 4 children and a clothing factory to run. She took on all challenges with humor and grace. Her volunteering and good deeds were enumerated and we realized that many people loved her, not just us. Rest in peace.

And it was "Hats Off to Lorraine," which was a sweet remembrance of her.




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Last Thursday I went to hear the a cappella singing by a UMass group called Wicked Pitch. I managed to get a video of a few seconds of their singing -- but the picture is upside down! And I don't think it will let me post it here.

Afterward, there was a program on The Black Cats which was a World War I group of ambulance drivers. A little over half of them were "Amherst College Boys."  They were sent on a ship to France and when they got there, they had to assemble the Model T Ford ambulances that they brought with them (in pieces). Jim Hamilton (also a graduate of Amherst College) gave a very engaging presentation. His grandfather, Hugh Hamilton, had been a Black Cat. Mr. Hamilton has written a book on The Black Cats after doing extensive research.

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And we had Halloween!

Brownie (above) was not at all happy with his costume, but he greeted me with his usual exuberance. The Ameen-McCabes were nice enough to let me 'help' give out candy so I only had to answer the door half of the time. Jon was supposed to be playing creepy music on their electric piano (it sounded like an organ), but the kids weren't impressed at all. We had a lot fewer kids than usual and I was surprised.

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And now for the joyous part of our reporting:

Matron of Honor, Big Sister Julie

Flower Girl, Vera, daughter of Julie and David

Here Comes the Bride!

Tomi (MOB) and David (FOB)

I was so thrilled that Tomi invited me! I had a great time. The service was at Grace Church (where the girls and I attended for many years) and the dinner was at the Lord Jeffery Amherst Inn. Although I think they recently changed the name to the Inn at Boltwood. 

Some of the residents have become squeamish because it's rumored that Lord Jeffery Amherst tried to eradicate the local Native Americans by giving them smallpox infected blankets. He was the British commanding general during the French and Indian war, and there was a smallpox epidemic among the Indians. But it's not known if he personally handed out blankets, condoned the practice, or the epidemic was started by a sick soldier. At any rate, some current people want to drop the name of Amherst altogether. 

"The town of Amherst, Massachusetts, was named for Lord Jeff even before he became a Lord. Amherst College was later named after the town. It is said the local inhabitants who formed the town preferred another name, Norwottuck, after the Indians whose land it had been; the colonial governor substituted his choice for theirs. Frank Prentice Rand, in his book, The Village of Amherst: A Landmark of Light[Amherst, MA: Amherst Historical Society, 1958], says that at the time of the naming, Amherst was "the most glamorous military hero in the New World. ... ...the name was so obvious in 1759 as to be almost inevitable." [p. 15]" From Wikipedia

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We finally got some sun today after what seemed like many days of rain. It's currently 33.3 F. at 9:12 p.m. Yes, Mom, I have a sweater on.  I even put the heat up to 66, lol. 

Well, I have to put batteries in the bedroom universal remote. I sure hope that works! I couldn't shut the TV off at all. I had to use the TV remote. Oh, the angst!

Cheers! Have a great week.

October 17 is National Pasta Day!

And I know that is true because Sandra Boynton told me so on FaceBook. I am celebrating by not eating pasta, but if Mom has some, she may give me a bite. Evil grin.

As usual, I am not up to date on posting, but that's the great thing about pictures: they don't get stale. So here's my semi random collection ...

Last Friday, I bemusedly watched the clouds rolling in. This was the morning and clouds have produced no rain so many times, I didn't think much of the clouds. However, by late evening, the downpour began. I have never seen it rain so hard here and at the end of a very fierce lightning storm, Palm Springs had accumulated almost one inch of rain. (Last year, they had 1.42 inches of rain for the whole year, but that is still drought conditions.)

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Lee Anne is back from her stint as a guest at a wedding so we played pickle ball last night. We like it when the sun goes down. Last night it was very colorful. 

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On Sunday, Mom and I went to see the Crawling Babies, which are an outdoor installation opposite the Palm Springs Art Museum. The Babies are by Cerny.

The Babies don't have faces, it's a vertical bar code which is part of the artist's comment on dehumanization.

Main entrance to the Palm Springs Art Museum, with my back to the fence surrounding the Crawling Babies. (We enter from the right where there is a ramp and elevator to the main floor.)

Before we went in, the PS Water company took our picture and gave us free reusable water bottles!

And, much to my delight, the ongoing glass sculpture exhibit had changed!

This was my favorite.

For some reason, I see this as a portrait of the artist's mother when her mother was a young girl. I really like it.

I also love baskets. I can imagine the woman laboring to make these exquisite baskets.

This "basket" below is huge -- about 8 feet top to bottom. (Is that two radii?) It is made up entirely of crushed soda and beer cans. 

Stupidly, I saw the heading "Basket" on the wall caption and thought it did not pertain to this. So I have no information. But it's quite a sight!


Below is another favorite. I sat on a bench with Mom and we just gazed at it for a long time. It's all hand woven. How was that done? To me it's a masterpiece and reminds me of my favorite Dali melting clocks.

I'm not a big fan of Dale Chilhuly's later works such as this one on the bottom of the picture -- it reminds me too much of snakes. (I do like his flowers on the Bellagio ceiling though.) Anyway, I posted this picture so Lee Anne can see the yellow wall thing on the top left. It doesn't move, but as you move an optical illusion makes you think the squares have moved. (Remember, if you click on the picture, it will enlarge.)

These guys always mystify me. Maybe one day I'll find the explanatory card ...

Finally, I have a really bad picture for you, but it's an object that I love.

It's in the Modernism section. Now I have to go back and get a better picture. I have a lot more pictures, but this process of uploading them is tedious. And Mom needs her computer. 

Ciao! Have a great week!