This and That

I snapped this shot of the La Jolla Cove Suites, which looks over the bay, last week when picking up the Rock Star.  I thought the angles of the building against the sky, and the palm trees was so pretty.  Played with it a little in Photoshop to make it look like a painting and I'm just using it to fancy up this rather boring entry. 

Let's see.......what is going on? 

My Grandma Jessie has been moved to a "skilled nursing" facility, after the hospital decided she couldn't stay there if she wasn't able to participate in her physical therapy to recuperate from her broken leg/hip.  The thing is, she's just too weak to participate.  On top of everything, she's now got several bad bed sores and has about given up eating. 

My Aunt and Uncle just had to pack up her little apartment where she was when she fell, which was an "Assisted Living" facility.   I doubt that she'll ever be strong enough to live in that environment again.  How I wish I could be in Oklahoma to take care of her at home, because I hate the thought of her receiving the type of "care" that Papa got in the 48 hours he managed to withstand at the "skilled nursing" place he was at, before he called me in the middle of the night begging me to come get him.  "NOW!"  he said. 

I call my Aunt almost every day to see how Grandma's doing and it just doesn't sound good.  Last night while she was having dialysis, her blood pressure bottomed out and she just shook terribly the whole time she was on the machine.  Bless her heart, it's no wonder old people make up their minds to die.  It has to be awful to go through all of that. And for me..... I just dread the thought of losing another one of my family members so soon after Papa's death. 

Ab had two doctor's appointments down the mountain yesterday so I took the day off to get her there.  Going into work on a Tuesday after a 3 day weekend is so nice because you work a day and then all of a sudden, it's Wednesday and the week is half over!  As I approach retirement, I really like those reduced work weeks!

This past Sunday a friend and I headed north to an Indian Casino near Yosemite.  It rivals what you'd find in Las Vegas and it's half the distance.  Valet parking and everything!  The quarter slots were kind to me for the earliest part of the day, giving me enough small jackpots to play on for several hours. 

At one point I parlayed my $89.50 winnings into $350.00 by playing the dollar slots for a bit!  I hit a $250. 00 jackpot, gave my friend a hundred bucks and we played every bit of it away the rest of the afternoon!   Easy come, easy go. Yeah right!  Drat!  Thankfully, that's not something I do very often!

Picked up a bargain priced hard copy ($5.98/cheaper than paperback) of a new book that I had been wanting to read for sometime, at Barnes and Nobles yesterday.......The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters, by Elisabeth Robinson.  It's light, funny and a sometimes tearful story about Hollywood and a terminal illness, written in the entertaining and endearing style of our own Lotus Martini journalist!   I am enjoying it thoroughly and highly recommend it. 

Speaking of enjoyment, we have a new Sonic Drive-In here in town and tonight I chowed down on a double chili cheeseburger and a diet cherry limeaide which was outstanding.  Mmmmmm!   I am still trying to be faithful to my low carb diet and removed half the bun.  Heavenly! 

:)

 

 

La Jolla Coastline

A shot from last weeks trip to San Diego to pick up the Rock Star!  Beautiful spot isn't it?

Why I Journal

It began in 1976 or so. They sat opposite one another in the small office that was illuminated by the soft pink glow of her desk lamp, and the sparkling lights of the city below that she could see from her uncomfortable vantage point. It wasn’t like they pictured in those silly cartoons. You know; where the patient is laying on a chaise, spilling his troubled guts while the therapist nods knowingly and takes notes.

This was so different. Here, every Wednesday night at 6:30 she sat in a chair and the therapist sat in a chair just a foot or so away, facing her. Looking deep into her sad green eyes. Asking her tough questions and expecting answers. Sorta like a blistering hot seat she thought and she felt (did she just say “felt?”) it was so ironic that she was paying for this!

If Mrs. Boyer; wise, loving Mrs. Boyer at the Christian Counseling Service was supposed to make things better in her young life, why did it hurt so damn bad? Why were the sessions bringing her to tears each and every time? How long would it take for her to “find” herself and really know who she is?

And, what kind of bullshit-therapy-speak-stuff is that anyway…… WHO is Lisa?

“Lisa is“………she thought. “Hmmmmm” she thought harder.

“Lisa is………….a 23 year old, wife and mother of two.”

Yeah. That’s it.

ME in a nut shell.

Me.

 

Boy was I horribly wrong and naïve. For several long years, Mrs. Boyer and I became a team as we peeled back the layers of a scared, scarred young woman who was discovering her ability to love and live truthfully and passionately. At times she was the mother figure I so desperately needed and other times she was my best friend, with whom I could share my sorrowful secrets or a hearty belly laugh. She was my cheerleader when I took baby steps or when the light bulb finally clicked on in my ever-expanding consciousness. When I couldn’t believe in God, she taught me to trust the “Forces of Good!” She gave me hope when I thought all was lost and she urged me forward when I wanted to hide in the corner.

Despite it all, I grew stronger, more confident and open to the lessons of the universe. I discovered that I was so much more than just a wife and a mother and I yearned to give life what I had to offer. It was then time to move on and leave my beloved Mrs. Boyer. Over the years, I would write to her to let her know my progress and to express my gratitude for all she did for me. It’s been many years since I have written and I am not sure that she’s still gracing this earth, but I keep on trying to figure out who I am.

In a way, my journaling has replaced Mrs. Boyer. I confide in my journal, share my sorrows and joy, and release my raw pain. I look for answers, comfort and validation of my feelings from my many wise Mother figures. I am challenged and encouraged from thoughtful comments regarding my photographs or my story-telling ability. I am strengthened by sharing in the lives of others who are just as flawed and uniquely human as me.

And thanks to journaling, I am still growing and learning who Lisa really is!

 

 

You can read more entries submitted to Judith Heartsong's Why I Keep a Journal essay contest here!

A Star is Born

Meet Rude Awakening! 

Here they are performing Samantha, their new "release" live at the San Diego State University amphitheatre! This awesome rock group is comprised of some really talented kids, including mine-the drummer, who accomplished amazing things in one weeks time! 

They wrote their own music and lyrics, and recorded their songs professionally and made a music video.  Then, the various groups showcased their accomplishments with a concert for family and friends on the last day of camp!  She had the time of her life, and gained so much self-confidence!  She even got over her stage fright! 

You can read more about Power Chord Academy here! 

 

San Diego and More!

My young rock star has been safely delivered to music camp and I am enjoying the quiet house. I took an extra day off from work to recuperate from my 24 hour vacation and to take care of some errands that must be done during normal business hours.  Although, I am getting a lazy start this morning. 

Ab and I managed to sneak some time in to snap photographs at Seaport Village, San Diego where the weather was "picture perfect!"  I shot this view of the harbor that I thought was so peaceful.  I could sit there for hours.  

Using her graduation gift; a new Vivitar, 5 mega-pixel digital camera, Ab happily snapped away at everything from a jellyfish and crabs that she spotted on hanging out on the rocks of the jetty, to angled skyscrapers.  It was so fun to watch her enthusiasm and see the fruits of her labor!   

Her young artistic eye is so impressive and I can't wait to see what shots she gets from camp!  There's certain to be some very colorful subject matter, including a variety of shocking hair colors on the staff and the teen campers.  Before she left, Ab managed to get a vibrant stripe of red along side of the hair that hangs down in her face.  She's going to fit right in! 

On Saturday night we met up with Cassy and her family, for an Italian dinner in Downtown San Diego, taking in the sights and people watching.  The area is filled with very busy restaurants of every kind, with sidewalk seating. 

The crowded streets are alive with all kinds of people who are shopping, entertaining or being entertained by the eclectic mix of street artists/musicians.  The skyscrapers and old architecture intermingle to house a variety of condos, businesses and offices, and of course the eating establishments. 

We finished dinner at nearly 11:00 pm, and decided to walk around.  I was surprised to see how many of the hip clothing stores and other little shops were still bustling with business.  At Urban Outfitters I managed to score a great little brushed leather purse in mauve, on clearance for $7.00 and a bright green leather wallet for $6.00, which was also a steal!

Yesterday, while driving home I made a couple of touristy stops on my own.  The first was to Tom's Farms, a huge and very busy place that's great for a day-trip.  In fact the place was filled with Harley riders who apparently had that idea in mind.

It has all kinds of restaurants, a farmer's market with fresh veggies and fruit, homemade candies and fresh baked goods.  There's also a store that has a big selection of beer, wine and cheese, pate', sliced meats and import foods, and everything imaginable that one might need for an impromptu picnic, including little plastic wine glasses!  There's also a huge furniture store with antique reproductions and gift shop, a garden shop with fountains and other yard art, and a section filled with kiddie rides. 

I bought some fresh cheddar cheese, some plump red strawberries, and a fruity bottle of wine to enjoy when I got home, then headed back on the road.

About 70 miles or so down the road I decided to stop again at Charlie Brown Farms in Littlerock.  It's mostly fresh fruits, veggies and gifts, but they also feature Cameo wines, from our own Antelope Valley.  I am learning to enjoy a glass of wine every once in awhile.  So as a novice wine drinker, I am anxious to know more about the different types, so I checked out the wine tasting room for a few little samples from a very knowlegeable woman.  I settled on two semi-sweet wines to add to my new wine rack, ready to enjoy for some special occasion in the future.

Then I stopped at In and Out Burger to fill up on some protein and enjoyed a tasty, fresh cheeseburger, wrapped "protein style" in lettuce!  Mmmmm!  You don't even miss the bun!  Full and again ready to hit the road, I headed home after a very enjoyable 24 hour mini-vacation. 

Off to San Diego

"We rest here while we can, but we hear the ocean calling in our dreams,
And we know by the morning, the wind will fill our sails to test the seams.
The calm is on the water and part of us would linger by the shore.
For ships are safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for."

~ Song "Ships" by Tom Kimmel & Michael Lille

 

Today we will hit the open road for beautiful San Diego. I rented a car for the trip….a spiffy, bright…hurt your eyes kind of RED….’05 Chevy Cobalt for a grand total of 80 bucks, thanks to Enterprise’s weekend special. It gets way better gas mileage than my car and I’ll put the miles on theirs.

Ab needs to check in to her music camp on Sunday between noon and two, so tonight we‘ll spend the night in a hotel and take in some of the sights. I’m thinking of it as a 24 hour vacation, with lots of photo opportunities. It’s been a rough week for Ab and the time alone for the two of us will be enjoyable. Our communication lately has been outstanding and I am hoping that it will continue on this trip. It’s nice to see her finally expressing her feelings and concerns in an appropriate manner.

Right now she’s expressing a great deal of fear. Especially at night. She’s leaving every light on in the house when she goes to bed. This normally near-agnostic child is now horribly concerned about the “left behind” aspects of the “Rapture” which she now thinks will occur next year, and “Bible codes.” She said, “Mom, you are going to go POOF and I will be left behind!” :: SIGH::

I don’t know where all of this is coming from because we’ve never gone along with any “fear based” aspects of religion in this family. She certainly doesn’t need those concerns after the loss that she’s had in the past year, so I assured her that OUR loving GOD is not going to handle things that way. I told her that she needs to believe that she is a beautiful, loving and gifted child that GOD loves and that GOD wants her to enjoy her life in a healthy, loving and positive manner.   Also, I again expressed my belief of the effect of saturating oneself with negative energy….such as the terribly dark lyrics and inappropriate sexual aspects in some music, horror movies, etc.  Garbage in…. garbage out.

I’ve always said that life is difficult enough as it is, without adding all that negative energy into your spirit. I believe we need to focus on the good in life…helping others, laughter, kindness, fun, nature and growing into the loving beings that God intended. I am hoping that I reassured her.  But, to be on the safe side, I still called her psych and expressed my concern.

She’s also terribly distraught about leaving her boyfriend for this week. Understandable, but she’s got a cell phone and can contact him whenever she feels the need. I am hoping that once she gets there she’ll be so very busy and involved that her mind is freed from anything that troubles her.

Well, I better go get us ready for our adventure.

Hometown Soldiers Honored

Our town honored the many hometown soldiers serving in the military this 4th of July!  My Fly Boy is pictured right there in the middle!  When I told him what photograph I'd selected to provide to the City for the display he said...."Mom, Why did you pick that one?  It makes my face look fat!"  I think he looks incredibly handsome and successful!

The military families were asked to stop by the display and pick up some gifts from the City.  All we had to do was provide our soldiers name and we received a patriotic license plate frame, car magnet, certificate of appreciation and an American Flag!  We were able to recognize all the soldier's families by the items they were carrying in their hands, since they were just for us!  Is that cool or what!  This is a great town and I am so happy to live in such a wonderful community!

Ember Rocks Out!

Ab and Noel, both aspiring Rock Stars walked their decorated lambs in the parade yesterday.  Since Ab wasn't allowed to do the "Anarchy" symbol, as we had previously discussed, she decided to put the name of one of her favorite hard rock bands...SLIPKNOT!   I was not happy when I arrived at the parade and saw what she'd done, but I kind of softened up a bit when I saw Noel had written Lamb of God on hers.....that is, until I found out it was also the name of a rock band.  You can't take those girls anywhere!   

Weekend Assignment from Scalzi

Weekend Assignment #66: July 4 Haiku! A 17-syllable holiday poem, please!

What is haiku?
Poems with this syllable count:
Five, seven, then five.

And for these haiku
Imagine holiday fun
Then share it, briefly.

Or simply tell us
What our nation's holiday
Represents for you.

(Non-USA folks:
Write a haiku all about
Your home country, too!)

Extra credit: Patriotic pictures!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, that's the assignment and as an ARMY mom, I am all over this one:

This Mom's Flag will wave

When Fly Boy comes marching home!

Glory Halleluia!

Happy Holiday!

I spent most of today working on the house, then resting when the spirit moved me.  Ab had spent the night with a friend, so my freshly cleaned kitchen managed to stay that way!  I made two 36- mile round trips into Bear Valley to pick up Ab and then to take the friend back to her house this afternoon.   The family lives at about 6000' and it was nice and cool at that elevation, compared to what we're experiencing at the 4000' level.  It made for a beautiful drive, but my car is acting up and it's kind of scaring me.  It's time to get it checked before it MAKES me get it to the dealership.  Since Ab's going to camp in San Diego next week, I either have to get it fixed or rent a car for the 5 hour drive.  Maybe I'll try to go the night before and make a little weekend adventure out of it because I can't stand the thought of a 10 hour round-trip.  Besides, I need some new photo ops so I can post some new pics in my other journal.

Tomorrow our community will have its annual 4th of July celebration, complete with a parade and festivities at our City park.  Ab will be walking her new black lamb, appropriately named Ember in the parade with the other kids in her group that are raising market lambs again this year for the county fair.  The kids have to be at the sponsor's home at 6 a.m. to wash and decorate their lambs before for heading to the staging area.  Ember will be "decorated" with blue hair spray, since that's all we could find. Hopefully, she'll make polka dots, instead of the "Anarchy" symbol that she first suggested.  I firmly explained that such nonsense would not be appropriate for a patriotic parade. That child just insists on pushing the envelope!  :)

When I returned from one of my little trips today, I discovered that my boxer dogs enjoyed a little rest and relaxation in my newly decorated game room! 

They snuck in the back door and made themselves right at home on my new buttery yellow leather sofa!  Grrrrrrr!  They tore up a feather pillow, and when they weren't sprawled out on sofa, they were on the floor on some clean bedding(washed but not yet folded) that they'd pushed off the couch.  Somehow they'd even managed to find a package of beef jerky to snack on.  All that fun and to think I didn't have the courtesy to leave the wide screen television on for their viewing pleasure!

My Grandmother Jessie is once again in the hospital, recuperating from surgery to repair a broken leg.  For all intents and purposes we could call it a broken hip since it was broken very close to the socket.  But they were able to repair it surgically by using a metal rod.  She's having a hard time of it though, with lots of nausea and fever.  I hope she can pull through.  At nearly 89, she's very tired and fragile.  This injury on top of kidney dialysis can't be fun.  Poor Grandma! 

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday!  Please keep Fly Boy and his fellow soldiers in your thoughts and prayers while celebrating your freedom!