The first post

It's Saturday. I've enjoyed one full week of my "summer sabbatical." Ahhh... I have to admit it's been hard trying to get up a little later. Thomas doesn't understand why I'd want to do that. A few days ago I managed to get up at 8 a.m., but only after staying up until 1 a.m. That's the secret - stay up very late. I don't think I can sustain it.

Last weekend for Father's Day we went to see 'La Vie en Rose' about Edith Piaf's life. Mickey would've had to twist my arm to sit through it under most circumstances. Thomas agreed to join - after all - as a way to celebrate dad, the Francophile. While I really knew nothing about the singer, watching this recent production made me wonder why anyone would make a movie about her. She was not a likable figure as depicted in this film. The acting performance was 'formidable' (say it the French way!), but the storyline with it's flash forwards and backwards (until all of us were so confused about the history and her life) made the experience an exercise in movie-viewing. Good for hours of post-viewing discussion, nevertheless.

I continue going through reams of paper in my study. I think I've got that disease of hording, but this time is allowing me to recycle tons (not really!) of papers that I haven't used in years. Useful sheets are being filed/refiled in notebooks. The ideal would be to scan everything and put it in my laptop, but I'm not that devoted to organization.

I've been doing 2 mile laps around the neighborhood, telling myself that it'll be great to be in shape for the Canadian Rockies. Some hills around here go for blocks. Being at the top of a hill has it's benefits (disadvantages). You have to walk up to get here from two of the three directions, so mostly no escape. That path which takes you downhill so speedily eventually forces you uphill. ;-)

The backyard offers hours of viewing and listening (to quail, hummingbirds, bees, assorted other birds not yet identified) pleasure. Sergio, the one person we bonded with from the now defunct Northshore Landscaping company, sporadically maintains our yard as he tries building his maintenance business while adjusting to a new full-time job. Recently the backyard is overgrown with various California natives (Salvias and Ceanothus), a few species of lavender, kangaroo paws, butterfly bush, and assorted plants of Asian gardens (Camellia, Azalea, Nandina, etc.) and standard shopping mall types (Agapanthus, Oleander, etc.).

I still love the beautiful flagstone from the state of Washington, and whenever I walk over it or touch it (yes, I do that!), I see another landscape - sometimes the southwest, sometimes the mountains.... Amazing how mentally soothing and healing that is for me. A yard blooming with color and life is allowing me to create "auom" without having to utter a sound...

Weeding has become a major activity of having a garden. I feel close to Mom and Dad then. I bought some gloves finally, but I still prefer to pull with my hands, where I can grasp and feel the texture of the plants against my skin. Occasionally, however, I get stuck with hairy prickles from weeds that seem to have evolved in response to human plucking behavior. Ouch! Since it's usually my right hand that gets stuck, I have to seek help from Mickey or Thomas with tweezers to remove the painful tiny spikes. Ah, the zen of weeding!

Tomorrow we head to the Del Mar Fair especially to attend the Mariachi Festival. After spending decades here in San Diego, I guess it's about time I attended the 'Fair.' The weather has been spectacular, so I'm looking forward to another day in 'Paradise.' Yippee!

Hope you're finding time to enjoy the feel of summer. Write when the spirit moves.