Friday Night

Luci is prancing around proudly after her spa day--a bath and a much-needed grooming for her shaggy little self.   Here she is with her new groomer, Penny, then at home, wondering what just happened!

A bow on my head?  Really??

In Virginia, Day, Tom and Marcus have spent their spring break visiting colleges.  Among others, they have visited VCU--where Jackson is a student--and Virginia tech, so far Marcus' favorite. 

Marcus wants to major in broadcast journalism--sports.  If all goes well, I'll be watching him play lacrosse this time next week!

Julia on HBO

Sarah Lancashire stars as Julia Childs in the HBO series, Julia. Her portrayal of the cook who brought country French cooking to the United States is brilliant!  

After Janet's February serving of Julia's Beef Bourguignon, and having seen Janet's spot-on imitation of Julia, I have realized all over again what a lazy cook I've become.  Both Janet's Julia and Lancashire's Julia have inspired me to try a single recipe and see if I can pull it off.

Jan, too, excels at cookery, and she's right next door.  I'm starting to pay more attention to what goes on behind the scenes, as it were, in making healthy delicious meals.  She's generously shared a few recipes and when I return from my Virginia trip, I plan to spread my wings and give cooking a go again. 

"I'm not a chef and I'm not French," Julia tells her audience on the pilot of her 1960s PBS show on French cooking.  But she's a terrific teacher and she radiates joy in cooking.

This series is streaming on HBO.  A fun trip back to the 1960s.  

Luci's Evil Twin

 Last night on a regular walk, Luci showed Jan and Carma and me her inner demon.  Out of nowhere, this sweet little dog who loves all people and animals so far, spied a cocker spaniel for whom she took an instant dislike.  She snarled and barked and lunged toward the poor little stranger as if she meant business.  

"Wow!" Jan said.  "I didn't know you had that in you, Luci!" We were stunned by her sudden fury.  Even Carma gave her a look of surprise. 

We had a little chat about it and I told her that cocker spaniels are good people, like her, but I'm not sure she got the gist of the talk.  

She's at the vet's this morning.  When I dropped her off at 8, she balked with her whole body and put on her doggie brakes with all her might.  Not all realities are pleasant.  Like shots and, apparently,  cocker spaniels.  

April 2--Fiesta-ish Catch-Up Blog Post

My blog page has been indecipherable since my last post.  It took Daniel, the computer man, about two minutes to switch it from "HTML view" to "Compose."  And five minutes more to fix my long-stalled printer.  Yay for smart people who know the innards of machines!  

Jan and I enjoyed an amazing dinner at her house tonight--our own duo Fiesta!  She made the most phenomenal spinach quiche ever, asparagus in ham, and a particularly wonderful salad, fruity and nutty and green.  We decided we wouldn't trade our quiet little Fiesta for all the crowds in the parks and streets of our fair city this week.

On Saturday, the Pooch Parade will start at 8:00 by the Alamo Heights Pool--a stone's throw from our doors--and it will bring out hundreds of dogs, some in flower-festooned wagons, some wearing colorful costumes.  Maybe I'll put a wreath of paper flowers around Luci's neck and experience some canine Fiesta.  

Today, I've cleaned out every closet in the house today and started spring cleaning.  I've walked Luci a couple of miles and watered my newly-planted beautiful back yard created by "My Garden Genie," the landscape artist Laren.  After last year's freeze and the extreme heat destroyed most of the plants Will and Veronica planted three years ago, it's a thrill to walk outside and see baby blooms on the new plants.  Soon, these small native plants will be lush and green and blooming Fiesta-colored flowers. 

On Friday, Bonnie, Joy, Freda and I celebrated Freda's birthday at Jardin (at the Botanical Gardens). We sat outside under a big umbrella and ordered mezze plates--a variety of appetizer-sized Mediterranean dishes--delish! Joy made each of us a beautiful  pin of a Ukrainian sunflower. 

Freda, Bonnie and Joy

On Wednesday, Luci visited Janet and her three pups, Mia and Val and Molly.  I left her there while I met my new tax preparer, a trial for her upcoming five days at Oglethorpe Doggie Camp.  Janet--who loves this pup almost as much as I do--was wonderfully generous in saying yes to keeping her while I travel to Virginia later this month.  [Her exact words: "Yes, yes, yes!] 

Janet sent me these reassuring photos to let me know that Luci was just fine in my absence.  Since Jan reports hearing howling at the window when I leave Luci alone, I was afraid she might do the same at Janet's window--but she looks happy as can be! 

Before my blog went into spasms of indecipherable letters and symbols, I had wanted to write a HAPPY BIRTHDAY message to my friend-of-69-years, Betty Killebrew Davis.  This is the year we turn 74, but she arrived there in March, half a year ahead of me. 

Since she balks at the mention of photos, I'll have to rely on an oldie to wish her a Happy Birthday this year.

That's Betty in the winter coat.  I'm telling her something apparently hilarious and Bob is smoking a pipe. He has recently chosen to drop out of kindergarten.  Betty and I are in second grade and we're all standing in front of our framed house on Ann Street. The man in the background is Betty's daddy Charlie.  The man behind the camera is my daddy Lloyd. 

Betty's house is four blocks away.  Her phone number is 6627.  Mine is 2059.  Rotary phones, one per house, four digits to dial.  

We started talking when we were five and she's the main cause of my having to write "I will not talk" a hundred times a day through elementary school. There's just so much to say to a best friend whose desk is right across the aisle in almost every grade! 

More special memories from Georgia.

 

Elena playing in Nana's yard

Carlene and Luci watching church on Sunday morning

Jocelyn made a yummy strawberry shortcake for Lloyd's 100th birthday,
March 19th

Bob wore his FORD shirt the day we went to Monroe,
not knowing there would be a car show in the streets that day. 

Home and running-- after a wonderful trip to Georgia!

 

Jocelyn and Luci

Jocelyn and Bob at a car show in Monroe 

Luci was a great traveler and guest

So much fun to overlap my trip with Will and Bonnie and Elena

Carlene took us all out to dinner at Longhorn's

Jocelyn and Elena have been friends since Jocelyn's visit to Texas three years ago.  

Betty and I had a day to celebrate her March birthday, but she always gives me "the look" when I suggest taking pictures! 

Luci in a new lap!

Just a quick note from Georgia: We are having a good time all around!  I'll post pictures and details later--but for now, the most amazing photo of the trip.  Carlene has never been a dog person, but Luci has won her over.  

Interviews

The interviews by Maria Shriver on Sounds True are no longer there.  I liked watching them so much that I'd planned to watch again, but I waited too long. 

Here are a few of my takeaways:

Never stop being curious and creative and playful. The child part of us needs to be active every day.

Get good sleep, eat well and exercise--as good for the brain as for the body.

Instead of giving other people advice, say, "This is my experience."

Nurture your beginner's mind by doing things that are new.  One 95-year-old interviewee said that she loves to read books that are outside her comfort zone, books she has to strain to understand.

Friends and family are essential to good health.  Those who live alone should maintain friendships, maybe get a pet. 

Don't construct a life around the opinions of other people.  Do what you love to do.

Be a lifelong learner.  I'd like to add Carlene's adage that has helped me to avoid obsessing over regrets and mistakes: "Everything is tuition."  

March 8th

Today I booked a flight for Georgia, leaving on Thursday.  I'm excited and frenzied as I pack for ten days of winter and spring in a huge suitcase borrowed from Kate.  

My carry-on will be a doggie carrier and I'm slowly getting her accustomed to her traveling bag--as this is our first time to fly together.  Luckily, we got non-stop flights each way.  Coincidentally, Will's family will be in Georgia for part of the time I'll be there and they will be able to pick me up at the airport on Thursday night.  

I wish I'd arranged this sooner, so we could share a flight, but I had to wait and see if my epidurals did the trick.  I had planned to drive, but decided today that flying makes more sense.  I'll get to see my Georgia family and Betty and watch Elena explore Nana's house for the first time.  

As it happens, I have had no pain at all since the second epidural.  But I don't want to tempt a recurrence on the road alone.  

I'm so happy to get to share the date of March 19th with family--the day that would have been my daddy's 100th birthday! 

Inspirations

Over the years some of the people who have inspired me--like David Whyte, to name one of several--have come from CDs produced by Sounds True. (Now I don't play CDs, but the same writers are available for digital downloads).

This week--thanks to a link sent to me by Freda--I have gotten to listen to some amazing speakers talk in positive upbeat ways about aging.  Maria Shriver interviews Jamie Lee Lewis, Vanessa Williams, Anne Lamott and others during this free week of inspiration. 

They are talking about soulmates, marriage, creativity, curiosity, friendship, diet, exercise, meditation.  

If you are interested in this, you can go here:  summit.soundstrue.com