The phone rang at 5 this morning

I am lost at Nona's house and a weird thing is happening with Clem, then AWAKE. Neighbor Joyce is ready to walk. I stagger out of bed, she's fast and can be at my door in moments. Sweat pants, sweat shirt, neck scarf, fleece hat, gloves, that should do it. She rings the bell as I am zipping up. We step off the curb in the still, cold Arizona air. Wonder what it's like to take a walk in the winter in Alaska, I say, we look at each other, all bundled up, and chuckle. It's 27 below in Montreal, or some such northy place, she say. They would be walking here in tank tops and shorts. I am pulling on my gloves.

I just checked the local temperature on the PC. It's 52 folks.

Ode to Rik and other junk thoughts I wrote this weeks ago and forgot to post

Rik at work said I need to make a new BLOG entry, maybe he's right. I don't find as much inspiring in Phoenix as I did in Napa.

Since returning, I have figured out a great deal about my life and home. I have learned that clutter makes me shut down and probably does make my butt bigger. (There is a book about that Rik, in case you haven't heard.) I have trouble sewing as much as I love to because there is too much stuff in the room where I sew.

About Rik, he does not have a noticably big butt, I'm not implying that he does. He has a wicked sense of humor. Once during a office reconfiguration they moved me into a temporary work space. Rik was my neighbor. He had me in stitches. Everyday was like Saturday Nite Live. He also comes by once in awhile an makes hoochy momma eyes at me. Rik, I don't believe you for a minute!



Another thing about life in Phoenix vs Napa. The heat is oppressive, depressive and awful in Phoenix. Mornings in Napa were cool, refreshing, and promising. Mornings here until mid October are hot, damn hot! Now it's cooled off some, the days are short and the holidays are almost here. Summer in Napa was like my fantasy summer, opening up the windows and doors and letting the breeze blow through the house. It was intoxicating.



Okay, I will give this to Phoenix. I was relaxing and crocheting in my recliner by an open window last week-end. I called Carolyn in Wyoming and said (after several months' silence) what'cha doing? She says sitting here watchin in snow. Ouch!



I must also admit that I missed people at work. Sitting alone at the computer is handy to the bathroom, toaster, and printer, but it is a bit lonely. It took me a week or so after returning to a normal schedule to get talked out. Maybe that's why I don't have the same urge to Blog. Hum.



I think by the time I figure out what I need to know about myself I'll be too old to remember what to do with the information.



Very important about Phoenix is this is where Bill is. It was nice to feel the freedom of my own place, but I am so happy to be back in the smoochiness and companionship of my spouse. Having someone to love that loves you too is one of life's greatest treasures. I am still comtemplating how to move forward my desire to be with all my family in Napa. It will happen when the time is right.

There is a life in Phoenix, too

Okay, at 110 degrees (if anyone knows how to type a symbol for degrees, please let me know) it's too hot for most stuff and drains my energy.

I have been home since August 30.

Although we dreaded driving on labor day weekend, the traffic was not too bad. It was a bit dreadful when we hit the outskirts of LA at about 5:15 on Friday afternoon. So many interchanges that back everything up. I was so glad Bill was driving. He has been driving about 35 miles to work for several years and has an instinct about where he should be and where the hell the rest of them are going to and coming from. I would have had to pull over and wait until the next day, but he patiently plodded on until we arrived in Cerritos at my friend's house where we spent the night. She was not home so we had no one to visit with. We got take out from California Pizza Kitchen which was a nice supper and went to bed about 9 PM. I drove leaving and it was not too bad. The road between Phoenix and LA is desolate and long but there was not much traffic. I am only good for about an hour of driving, then start getting sleepy.

Napa was such an unusual adventure, it was fun to write. Guess I see my regular life without any sense of awe. I am thinking more about what makes it special.

Hazel Bunton turned 91 and I went to a little family gathering for her. They are the closet things we have to cousins as they lived in Cody, and then Tucson and Phoenix. Their family is much larger than ours. Nancy, the oldest of their family is a great grandmother at about 65. The generations are kinda of jumbled in my mind as I don't see them that often. Our real cousins were either in another state and we barely knew them, or Uncle Arden's kids in Cody who were high school students when I was a little kid. So upon reflection, we spent much more time with the Buntons.

I made it through my first week (4 days only) at work. I felt a little tired of it everyday about 2:00, but I pushed on. Since there is a total change of venue, it seems normal to be in the office working 40 hours. I was happy to see the people I work with, some of them are pretty special to me. I did have a bit of trouble sitting down as everything (coffee, bathroom, printer) is a long walk and there are a lot of people I needed to check in with. I think everyone wastes a lot of time doing these things, plus smoking. I don't have that disctraction, thank God.

Guest Post, from Annie

Sometimes life can be difficult. That’s when it’s good to have a mom. –Kevin Morehouse, Age 10

I haven’t seen my mom since Thursday night, and I don’t like that much. For years, I have envied my local friends who have parents in town to pinch hit when things get a little crazy. They go for long weekends with their spouse, and leave the kids with their parents. Thanksgiving doesn’t require a plane ticket, and there is always someone crying sweet tears with them at school plays and ceremonies.

This summer, I was lucky enough to have my mom here—lending a hand, tearing up at kindergarten “graduation”, and helping with projects. One of the first nights that she was here, after she had cooked dinner for my girls and I, my Tiny Child very sweetly said as we were backing out of the driveway “it’s fun to have family it town”. Indeed.

If you know my mom, and you’ve been reading this blog, you likely know that a little over a year ago, I left my marriage. It’s been one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life—and difficult from many more angles than I ever imagined. Working outside my home is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. There is no one else to stop for milk on the way home if I forget it, help with hair washing, take kids to swim lessons, or help with the laundry. This summer however, I had help with all of those things and much more.

Thank you mom, for rearranging your life to come and help us out with ours. Thank you for taking such sweet care of my girls and of me. Thank you for trips to the bookstore, library, toystore, swimming pool, and playground. Thank you for dinners, and coffee, and your company. Thank you for helping with the GIANT project for First Grade, and lots of dog sitting too (Syd will never forget the Shredded Wheat and Chicken Stock supper you made her). Thank you for offering help that I never knew I needed, never would have asked for, and won’t soon forget. I love you. We miss you.

Could you come back now please?

Napa population 74,116.5

I added myself as .5 as part of me will be here when my body migrates back to Phoenix. I picked Bill up at the airport yesterday. As hard as it is to leave, I must pack up my electronics and clothes so we can be on the road in the morning. This is my last blog from Napa as the modem goes back to Comcast and my internet is cancelled today.

It has been a darn good run. I am so grateful to have had this summer, this house, and my family to support me. I am grateful to Paul, my boss for letting me work part time from out of town. See you Tuesday in the office!

Sunday with Linda and a good night for sleeping

Linda and I met in about 1964. We moved to a new high school when our dad began training horses at Turf Paradise. Linda had seen us at the track and said, you're with us. I guess we were a big click but didn't know it. There were the racetrackers and the town kids. That was it.

She has lived in the bay area since 1969 I think. She came up to Napa for my birthday and I went to her house in San Ramon for a family gathering yesterday. Her son and his wife have a 5 month old son and live in Australia. They are visiting, her sister, her x husband's x wife and her kids, grandkids, families. It was fun to see everyone.

Linda's brother in law Carl has a hot red 1952 pick up that he has restored and updated.

I have been so busy. I took this week off work and am getting ready to make a haul back to Phoenix and working 40 hours a week. And living with my own husband, so I'm thinking there will be some adjustments to be made.

The night will be cool. I sleep with the sliding door open a little and have to use the comforter. This fun will come to a screaching hault when I get to Phoenix. Having windows open won't happen until at least October.

Thirty crayon cases

In the beginning of June the first grade teacher sent out a request for volunteers for sewing projects. I offered to help, so Annie volunteered to make 30 crayon cases for first graders.

The teacher cut out rectangles of red corduroy and a pretty print. They had to be sewn together, turned, corners shaped, pressed, 16 pockets sewed, name tags and ties. We honestly must have sewn 40 hours between us. Although we tried to get another sewing machine, our mechanical luck was poor and we only had one that stitched well enough. It looked and sounds fairly easy, but the rectangles were not the same size, we had trouble marking, on and on, it was a lot bigger project that we thought.

When Tina was here we enlisted her for a few hours one day. Bottom line, they weren't done and the teacher wanted them last Friday. Annie called and requested an extension and her and I hauled our bottoms on Saturday finishing about 8:30 PM. Annie delivered them to the teacher on Sunday.

Tess started school today. She is at Kelly's until tomorrow afternoon. She talked to her mom and wanted to know if we didn't get the cases done. The teacher didn't give them the crayon cases. Other than that, Tess had a terrific first day of school.

There was a Rose Ceremony this morning in which the new eighth graders gave the first graders each a rose. I guess they bigger kids kind of help out with the littles. They all lined up on a stage, we clapped, and they were off to class.

Chloe was nervous as she changed schools to attend the program Tess does. Her phone report also was that she had a teriffic day.