Monthly Archives: January 2023

Mom — Please read

Emotions, Memories, Things, ,

Another item not in a box from the attic knee walls — an apology note to my mom apparently after having a teenage temper tantrum.

It happened again, didn't it? 

I thought that that would never happen again. I know now that I caused it. I was a spectator watching my body move about the familiar pattern. I would be looking forward to something, or not expecting something -- in this case looking forward to a long lazy afternoon. Then the having to work, then not finding you. Then -- the final blow not getting my way. I had fully expected you to come get me -- to drop what you were doing and pick me up.

Why do I expect something as foolish as that?? Because I usually get my way -- and not getting it results in this scene.

Bob will have a story to tell you if you care to pry -- I'd rather you wouldn't -- it's just the usual screaming and swearing and throwing things around.

I really thought I had grown up -- I guess I haven't.

Again, I'm sorry for not being able to handle my emotions properly.

Dona

I’m thinking that this was written when I worked at Zayre discount store. I remember that the manager of the jewelry department where I worked called in sick most of the time and I covered for her. it turns out that she was stealing money and was fired, but not before I was called into work much more than I wanted.

I relied on my mom to pick me up and drop me off, otherwise I guess I might have taken the bus or maybe walked. It seems that my mom was not able to pick me up this time.

Bob is my cousin who was living with us at the time. We didn’t get along very well.

I still have the occasional screaming, swearing and throwing things tantrum, but mostly when no one is around.

Found Items: Playing Now…

Memories, Series, Things,

We’ve cleaned out the knee walls so the debris from the roof replacement won’t be so hard to clean up. Everything that was in the knee walls is now in the two attic rooms. I’d post a photo but it’s too depressing.

Between now and some near point in the future it is my job to go through dozens of boxes to see if I still want to keep the items in them.

This brochure/flyer/playbill? from one of my flights to or from England in the 1970s was not in a box, so it has priority in my not-so-defined rules.

Back in the olden days we were given head phones that plugged into the arm of the airplane seat and we had a choice of things to listen to. We also had films to watch, but if I remember correctly they were on high screens located throughout the airplane, not on the back of the seat in front of us. I don’t think I listened to much of this music, but maybe I did.

Since I have unlimited time today (that’s a joke) I sat down and made a playlist of everything I could find on Spotify for each section. Note you will need to have a Spotify account to access the playlists.

  1. Pop Rock
  2. Humour
  3. Just Jazz
  4. Children’s Hour
  5. Classical Concert
  6. Familiar Favorites
  7. Sentimental Journey

This will go in the recycling. There, one down and 999,999 to go.

SoCal Christmas: Palm Springs

Family, Travel,

Last year I blogged that I was afraid we’d never again celebrate Christmas in our house on Christmas day. That post caused Alex’s mom, Lisa, to call me and we had a nice chat about how to share Andrew and Alex for Christmas. We speculated that there would probably be a time when Andrew and Alex would want to spend Christmas at their own place. We also joked that maybe the parents (John, Lisa, Dean and I) would go to a warm beach somewhere.

That happened… Sort of. Since Dean and I spent Christmas with Andrew and Alex in Atlanta last year, we decided to spend this Christmas with Clare — but not in chilly Olympia. Somewhere warm, we thought. We decided on San Diego because we heard the weather was perfect much of the year. Then I read a book that mostly took place in Palm Springs and thought it seemed like a fun, quirky town, so suggested that to Clare. She liked the idea, especially since it was close to both Joshua Tree National Park and the Salton Sea, places she was interested in visiting.

When Andrew and Alex heard our plans they hinted they might like to go too. Then Alex’s folks and brother thought it might be fun. So, on December 22, the eight of us converged in Palm Springs.

Our Airbnb was nice. Not in Palm Springs proper, but about a half hour north, in Desert Hot Springs. The house (marked with a red star in the image below) was half a block from several mountain trails.

map of the area where our Airbnb was located

The Airbnb had a pool and connected hot tub. The view from the nearby cabana was spectacular.

Palm Springs was fun. We took a long hike at Tahquitz Canyon, paid our respects to Marilyn, and walked around downtown.

Clare, Dean, Dona, and Andrew pose in Tahquitz Canyon
Clare and Andrew pose in Tahquitz Canyon
Looking out over the canynon
hiking in the canyon
Statue of Marilyn Monroe by Seward Johnson
Rupert and Chum pose on Marilyn's toes

Christmas Eve was spent exploring Joshua Tree and visiting Pioneer town where we found a lively bar that was built by Gene Autrey and Roy Rogers! After that we relaxed in the hot tub at our Airbnb.

Christmas Day was spent preparing a festive dinner, and of course hanging out in the hot tub.

Lisa, Alex’s mom, made her traditional wassail, Eric, Alex’s brother, made two delicious pies. Andrew and Alex played Santa and filled our [clean] socks with fun treats after making a vegetarian lasagna — the centerpiece of our dinner.