Weather in the Tries: Oooh, we be gonna dip our toes into below freezing a couple of nights coming up (OK, it’s only 31F, still…) The ays for the next week will wander around between 51F and 58F. I look at my pictures often just to get warm. And drink hot tea. Methinks Winter is approaching, with a long siege in mind.
Part, The Last (unless…) Today’s post is mostly photos. Didn’t think you’d mind too much.
It took me a while to get this guy. We were at the park for the UNWRA 5K walk. These are from Dallas and Houston.
What’s a post without a kitty?
Red Hibiscus
Yellow flower
A ficus of some sort.
Now we skip into Arizona. (Skip phip. It was a long drive!) I’ve got an inordinate amount of shots–16 in all. Well, actually, I’ve got a lot more than that, but I narrowed them down to 16. I think I need to narrow a bit more, eh?
This is the entry to Good Friends Maryann and Dave’s house. I want one.
We went to a covered market in Tucson where they had a plethora of wonderful item for sale. This horse was one. I wonder if he was made from Saguaro ribs?
A friend of mine says she reminds him of Phyllis Diller. Isn’t she grand? I think she’s about 3′ tall. I didn’t see a price tag which is a good thing. I don’t a place to put her.
We had dinner at El Charro down the street a couple of blocks from the market. I had a ceviche tostada. The shrimp, etc were throughout the pile, not just on the outside! After dinner, we went to Cherrie’s home, and these shots were from her back yard.
This is a young saguaro. Like many little kids, he had to put everything in his mouth. He ate the moon, but apparently it didn’t tase good because he spit it out a few minutes later.
OK, that’s probably enough for today. There will be another Part, The End next week. Oh it was so warm down there. It will be warm, again, here. But not for several months.
from the desk of the brave dog; sheesh, but i don’t understand humans. she showed me some of her pictures and there’s not a smell to them. don’t they have dogs down there. what good is it to see something and have no accompanying smells. humans..
Today, Sunday, seems to be our last warm day at 65. The highs for the rest of the week are in the 50s, with the lows in the mid 30s and some higher. It was nice when I left on my Drive About and I’ve spent the week since coming home getting warm. How quickly I adapted to the warmth of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California. However, I have a dog (only 1) and an electric blanket, so on those 3-dog nights, I can turn it on and make up for the 2 dogs I don’t have, and that Sammy wouldn’t like, anyhow!
Part, The Second: It took 3 hours to drive to the rental in Dallas, all back roads until arriving at the Freeway in, around, through Fort Worth and Dallas. Siri got me through the obstacle course and to the house we’d rented. I arrived at 3pm, check in time. Two ladies were there, the fourth was in route to the airport to pick up our fifth lady. We got along fine drank lots of coffee, wine, tea, and told some great stories.
The culmination of our stay was a 5K Walk for Gaza, which I did not partake of, but waited and cheered them on. Then we left for Houston, where I stayed with Good Friend Terry and GF Dixie for two days, then up to Austin to stay with GF Patsy for two days, then a short drive to San Antonio to have breakfast with my Favorite Sister Melanie. Haven’t seen Melanie is ages, and breakfast was over too soon and she had things to do, and I had a long drive ahead of me.
I really looked forward to stoping at Rosa’s Cantina as I went through El Paso. Yes, that Rosa’s Cantina. It was an easy off and an easy on to the freeway, and I just wanted a couple of tee shirts. Alas, my phone overheated in the Texas sunshine, and it was out of commission, and to add to my misery it was rush hour and I couldn’t remember which exit, which on ramp, so I stayed in the inside lane and drove. And drove, and drove, and drove some more.
Spent a bit of time in Lordsburg NM, looking for a motel, finally found one, the lights were off, and the street was dark, and I misunderstood, the name of the town and thought it was Laurdesville, city of miracles as it was a miracle I found the motel.
The next morning, I drove into Tucson to see my Good Friends Maryann and Dave, and Good Friend Linda. We three gals, having pity on Dave, got a hotel room and had a ball. And Dave enjoyed the peace and quiet of a female-free three days. New Friend Cherie (Mary Ann’s daughter) took we three to old town Tucson, and a covered market, then to an excellent Mexican restaurant. It was all a bit of a change for me, the hotel put out an excellent breakfast, so I ate at 8 instead of 11, but managed to go until an early supper. Cherie took us to her house and the view was fantastic, especially as the sun set.
Then it was time to leave, and take a short trip up to Henderson NV and my old travel buddy, Kay. She is living with her son and dil (Tod and GeriLyn), and we had a few days of gossip, and more gossip, and then we just jawboned a bit. Kay made an appointment for me with the gal who does her pedicures, and oh. I think I died and went to foot heaven. GeriLyn took us out to dinner at an Italian restaurant close to where she works, and is known. The staff knows her, and the manager gave us complimentary appetizer, and special desserts. Check out the desserts and the icing art on the plates.
Kay and I had wanted to spend a day or two in Death Valley, but the roads are still bad, so we gave that up. I’ll fly down for a few days later on, and we’ll go then. To make up for our disappointment, we talked some more.
Then it was again time for Siri to get me to Castaic CA and the Roadway Inn. I arrived two hours before I could have my room, so the manager brought out a couple of tables and chairs and I set up shop in the lobby. Two of my poetry friends from LA area came up and we spent three or four hours talking and on a zoom meeting. And, again, it was time for parting. But the meeting and visit with Zoom Friends Elizabeth and Will was good for us and good for our poetic souls.
The next morning was a drive up to Vallejo and a marvelous couple of days with my Favorite Brother Craig. He turned me onto a delightful series on Netflix, Blue Eye Samurai. He went to work the next day, so I binged on it. Watched the whole series. Great fun. It’s anime, so it’s much easier to up with put the violence and swordfights etc.
After a couple days, I drove to Vacaville, I think it was less than an hour by quite a bit, and spent some marvelous days with three of my cousins. Barb is a quilter, and we went shopping for fabric, and other fun things. I came home with lots of goodies. And ideas. Eventually, it was time to leave. I’d planned on taking two days to come home, but wasn’t tired so came on in to Kennewick and slept in my bed with a very snuggly dog.
I also brought fresh bay leaves from Cousin’s bay tree, a pomegranate off his tree, and some persimmons off another of his trees. I’ve never had persimmons before, or don’t remember if I have. They were quite interesting. Don’t think I’ve had pomegranate since elementary school
My body is here, and I have it on good authority my brain will catch up to it fairly soon. Perhaps this next week. Not sure where I left it, possibly at Cousin’s house. I haven’t miss it very much, but I do kinda sorta it would catch up with me. I do miss it. 😉
And there you have it, 4 weeks of travel condensed to two parts of blog. Long blog. Maybe a slog? I hope not.
Photos of the week:
The four gals who walked:
two views of an armless flier at the Mall we went to in Houston:
from the desk of the happy dance dog; my human is home, it’s so nice to have her to snuggle with, and to feed me and walk me in the mornings. housemate dan usually does it in the afternoon’s but that’s ok ’cause he always brings me back to my human.
Weather in the Tries: Got up to 107, again, yesterday. Today it’s only gonna be 100, then the temps will drop to 86 on Thursday and up to 93 by next Monday. IF the prediction holds true. That’s always iffy. Depends on how big the competition between the butterflies of Seoul and Hong Kong. I understand their teams have some of the most ferocious wing beaters going. Beijing’s aren’t too bad, either, but they lost the competition this year to Hong Kon and Seoul. Keep your rain gear handy. Yep, I’ll see your Olympics in France and raise you two teams of Pacific Rim Butterflies!
FMQ Looks Soooo Easy! Boy Howdy, I watch the Quilting Nerd show , I sit straight, make my hands follow hers to learn the motions, then go into my machine, it looks so farking easy, I work at it, then have to quit because I understand the salt of my tears will damage my machine. Besides, it’s too farking hot.
By the way, if you have a quilt you’d like professionally quilted, you might want to check her out. Her studio is here. She does both long arm, and domestic quilting.
Anyhow, I did figure out how to get my presser foot raised a wee bit last Monday, so didn’t have to take it to the sewing machine doctor (unfortunately, they aren’t covered on my health insurance). So I was/am able to practice. When it cools down somewhat.
The “What, Me Complain?” desert dog is still sleeping on the floor most of the night. He’s not complaining, but he says it’s warm enough. But our afternoon nap/snuggle on the bed, he’s right next to me, stretched out and snuggled to my thigh. Although, today, he did evenutally move away a couple inches.
Photos of the Past:
Egret across the slough where I used to live on the Columbia River
Osprey nest out in the Columbia river, just about the middle if I’m remembering correctly.
Cormorant on the shore of the Columbia. Like the Anhinga’s in Florida, they have no oil in their skin to help them stay afloat. After a few dives, they have to come out and sit in the sun (if they can) but hold their wings out to air dry.
from the desk of the hot dog; Sammy says he’ll write when he’s a few degrees cooler as my lap is just too hot to stay put.
TV Series of the Week: Netflix, Korean 16 episodes, My Demon. Lots of eye candy, and a fun story. And God is wonderful. She just damn near stole the show! A fun RomCom.5 stars! Excellent subtitles. Of course, if you’re fluent in Korean (Hangul?) you don’t need the subtitles 😉 The Asian Wiki has some info about the story and cast, here.
Music of the Week: Jesse Cook-rumba-flamenco music think I’m gonna have to save my pennies and buy a couple of his cds. Especially before I leave on my road trip!
Oof Da! Can you say: Sun? Can you say: Hot? Yep, that be us. Am listening to the ambient music, Miyamoto Musashi: Embracing Loneliness. Not that I’m lonely, but it’s raining in the video. You know, cool.
As you may imagine: Well, I imagine you can imagine this past week was not the bestest in my world. It took a few days for me to get over SCOTUS’ ruling on Monday. Maybe not over it, but through it. Through most of it.
On the sunny side of the street, I was in a bookstore the other day, and came home with two books. Yeah, I know, you’re so surprised. /snort/ One is a book of poetry by Margaret Atwater. I love her poetry, and haven’t seen a new book of hers in a long time. So I am reading Dearly before I turn the light out at night.
The second book is, The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. A small book, maybe 5” x 8”, filled with delightful 2-3 page essays he wrote over a year finding delights where he could, including memories. It is a delightful book, and just what the doctor ordered!
Should you find yourself wandering in a bookstore, wander over to the poetry/essay section and look through his book. Take the time to read a couple of his essays. Shucks, while you’re there, look at Dearly by Margaret Atwood, even if you don’t like poetry. Particularly if you don’t like poetry! Her poems are mini stories in a different form. Try a couple. Perhaps you will walk out of the store with two books (or more).
Also, I discovered some new-to-me channels on YouTube and I thoroughly enjoy them—woodturning and woodworking channels! Absolutely great ways to get my eyes and ears out of the news that is so damn depressing. My two favorite woodworking channels are Foureyes furniture and Blacktail Studio. The guys are fun, they explain what they are doing, what they did wrong, and how they fixed it. I love how they work, too. Would I ever spend $15K on a table? uh, no, but if I decided to, it would be from one of these two guys. And I must be learning something—on Sunday I decided to watch someone else make a table. I was quite taken with the top and I wanted to see how he made it. He made it cheaply. Where the guys above glue and clamp, this guy used way less glue and nails. Where Chris (?) and Cam (above furniture builders) take the time to get every join perfect, where they use several grits of sandpaper, where they spend time finishing their work, the table I was so taken by was very shoddily made. The joins did not match, the sanding was perfunctory, and the finish was sprayed on. I watch they guys for entertainment, but apparently, I’m also getting an education.
If you are in the market for some new and high quality furniture, I strongly suggest you watch a few episodes of the guys at the links above. Not that I’m recommending them to you (which I am) but to see how they work, and what to look for when you go shopping.
By the way, Cam at Blacktail Studio is the one who came up with the Damascus Denim Desk. Yes, a desk made out of denim. Check it out here. Talk about fabric art!!!
Photo of the Week: Yep, it’s me. I had to get some new headshots for the new book, Saying Goodbye to Thomas, which will be ready for pre-order probably in in Feb/Mar 2025. As you undoubtedly know, there are few things I hate worse than having my picture taken. From my POV, I look like Sophia Loren. From the camera’s POV, I look like me. God, what a let-down for all concerned.
photo by Katrina
from the desk of the hot dog; the one and only bad thing about the heat is sometimes the hard, black surface of the driveway where most of my walking is done, is too hot for my feets. otherwise, all this sun and hot is pure heaven for this desert dog. can you see my tail wag.
Music of the Week: Miyamoto Musashi: Embracing Loneliness. Great ambient music to have on, turned low, and write or study by. There are several pieces online for this music. I think if I could play it on the bedside radio I do not have, I could easily sleep with it. No, it doesn’t make me sleepy (couldn’t work or study if it did) but I think it would make great sleeping music.
Quote of the Week:
“Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.” —Walt Whitman
ps: Looking for a nightmare? Give this site a once or twice over: American Autocracy Threat Tracker. Truly scary stuff! But necessary. How sad is that?
Weather in the Tries: Oh my goodness gracious sakes alive! A week of sunshine is ahead of us. A tad cooler than yesterday, the temps will mostly be in the 80s until the weekend, when it will drop to the 70s. And the humidity, though higher in the morning and night, will be low enough that the heat will be heavenly.
Saying Goodbye to Thomas: In case you missed the wee bit in last week’s post about my chapbook being accepted, Finishing Line Press has accepted my chapbook, Saying Goodbye to Thomas. These are the poems I wrote, mostly in the final months of his life, about his dying. No, they are not all doom and gloom, you know me better than that. At any rate I think I’ve calmed down a wee bit from the excitement. It will spike again, when I get the contract. Then it will be really real;-)
Here is their acceptance. Well, a small portion thereof, I’m sure you don’t want to read the whole thing. This is the important part:
“Thank you for submitting to us. Your manuscript has been accepted for publication. We would love to publish your book.” Every time I read those three sentences I just get giddy all over again 😉
Please check Finishing Line Press out and consider buying a book. Small Press publishers are a mainstay for poets. Not sure which one to buy, get Finding Her by Kristie L. Williams. It’s a great book.
I’m a writer, I’m used to rejection. But sometimes, when enough come with no breaks, it’s hard to remember that editors aren’t rejecting me, they are rejecting my work. And they can reject it for a myriad of reasons. Maybe I used a word they don’t like, or I wrote about peace instead of war, or I wrote it in this form and they really love another form. Or, as so many rejection/pass letters state, my work just didn’t grab them. Any and all of those reasons are valid, plus the plethora I didn’t list.
It’s really nice when acceptance letters come in like rejections usually do. Within a month, I had something like 8 poems accepted/published. Huzzah! for editors 😉
Depending on your frame of mind, you may or may not want to download the WeCroak app. They will send you 5 messages a day to remind you, you are not a permanent fixture as a live person. It’s inspired by a Bhutanese folk saying: to be a happy person, one must contemplate death five times daily. I just went to the computer one, and they have “the final word on advice columns” you can ask Death for advice on current events, relationships, etc. and so forth. I’m enjoying it very much, but then, I’m weird. However, should you get it for your phone or ipad or watch or whatever, let me know what you think of it. They have both ios and android.
I keep hearing Johnny Mathis singing Chances Are. Yeah, I’m wearing that silly grin, but it’s not because I’m in love with some guy, it’s because my book about my Elder Brother of Choice is being published. Oh, happy dance, happy dance. Oh, wait. Yeah, I am in love with some guy. He’s a spoiled rescue dog!
Speaking of being a spoiled dog, he’s finally taking treats from my hand! That’s huge. I used to have to set them down and walk away, or gently toss them near him. Even the one that looks like a stick to him. Especially the stick one. Now he takes it from my hand. Sometimes it takes a bit. I’d sure like to know how badly he was abused. I think it’s worse than I imagine, which makes me want to hold him and cry and then go find the abuser and abuse him the same way he abused this poor puppy.
Photos of the Week:
Thomas loved watching the bunnies in the yard.
And he loved tossing peanuts out for the crows. One was fairly tame, Thomas called him Podjo, Old Friend.
This Rosemary plant is huge, and was right next to the outside door to Thomas’s area, and when the sun shone, and it was warm, we’d open the door and enjoy the perfume.
from the desk of the big chihuahua; my human seems tremendously happy i am now taking treats from her hand. i wish i could tell her why it took so long, but she has been patient. sometimes, i still can’t do it, but she doesn’t seem upset when i want it tossed to me.
Earworm of the week: Need you wonder? One of my girl-hood heart throbs, Johnny Mathis sings Chances Are.
Weather in the Tries: Days in the coming week will ge as high as 95F, or higher. In fact, we have 2 days scheduled in the 70s, 1 in the high 80s, with the last four in the 90s. I believe the swimming pools will be crowded 😉 We have two pools. This complex used to be large, and then the owners divorced and one got Clearwater Bay, the other got Herron Lake (sic) but about the time we moved in, they went back to one complex, but maintained the two names and two addresses. And each complex has their own pool. Isn’t that just a fascinating bit of trivia? Not.
Holidays and… New Title: Happy Dance! Happy Dance! Yessiree Bobcat, last Monday was a holiday and I took it. For those of us who used to work for The Boeing Company, it was our first 3-day weekend of the year. The company and our union negotiated trading the week ends until Memorial Day for the days off between Christmas and New Year. Having those days off in the winter were marvelous. If the days fell ‘right’ we could take a couple days of vacation and get two weeks off. It was worth the price! It gave us workers a great break, and the company a chance to do annual maintenance without us underfoot!
Last Thursday (30 May) was the first Deathversary for Thomas. I went back to the Dark Side and spent some time with my Bonus Sister. On Friday, we took some of Thomas’s ashes down to Golden Gardens Park. Bonus Sister Sheryl found a nice tunnel of greenery we walked through to the beach. It was quite windy on the water, but my Bonus Sister found a large, flat piece of seaweed and put the ashes in it, rolled it, and tossed it into the water. Sadness accompanied us, for a short time, but once he was back in the water, his beloved Puget Sound, we wore far more smiles than tears.
On the way back home, she stopped by the Nordic Museum, where we took photos of Frankie Feetsplinters, the resident troll, then went inside to the snack bar and had a very good Ginger Beer (Reed’s Extra—look for it) and a cookie. Then back home for happy hour with the two across-the-street neighbors who were so good to Thomas and Sheryl and me. It was so pleasant, we sat on the patio! There are trolls all over the western part of the state. Or at least Puget Sound area. All made from reclaimed wood. All made by Thomas Dambo.
On Saturday, we were invited to a good friend’s houseboat on Lake Union, where we were feted with salmon grilled on a cedar plank. OMG! It was marvelous. cooked to perfection! We ate on the deck, watched the water traffic and had a marvelous visit. Thomas used to love going to the houseboat to visit and eat. We sat outside and after the other guests left, we watched the sunset, and dropped some more ashes into the lake, followed by a tequila toast to Thomas. Hope the fish appreciated that very good tequila! Sheryl found one of his poems, Water Remembers, one of the last ones he wrote, read it aloud, and then we left.
On Tuesday morning, I tried to post this blog, but as I discovered this morning, Word Press has gone in and changed things that weren’t broke and… Yes, Auntie Lenora got very frustrated, so she went to lunch with a good friend who used to live in the Tries, was forced to move to the Dark Side for personal reasons, and is looking at apartments to rent here, so she can move back. She thinks she found one, I hope so. It will be great to have another friend close by.
Got home from a great gab fest and then had some pooch time and a nap. Woke from the nap to an email that Finishing Line Press has accepted my chapbook, Saying Goodbye to Thomas. What a fantastical addition to the blog, eh? So, prepare yourself for updates. I do know one of the things they require are pre-sells, and when I find out more about it, I will be asking you all to buy a book. Or two or more. When I do ask, there are two things you should consider: 1. No, is an appropriate answer. (You won’t have to see me cry.) and 2. Remember, I am making no money off this book. All royalties will be divided in half, with half going to the ALS Association and the other half to End of Life Washington. Both of which brought a lot of help and succor to Thomas.
Pictures of the Week: Sheryl walking through the tunnel to the Sound
A sloop, as seen through the tunnel. Thomas had a sloop. The mountains in the back are the Olympics. They used to be white all year. Amazing what a hoax can do, isn’t it?
Frankie Feetsplinters, Troll
Crossing Lake Washington on one of the floating bridges with Mt. Rainier in the background
Sunset on Lake Union, Seattle
from the desk of the not lonesome anymore dog: my human came home. my human came home. she was gone like forever. i didn’t think she would ever come home, but she did. housemate dan said she would, but i wasn’t sure. it was so lonely, especially at night. it wasn’t warm, she wasn’t there. but she’s home now. see me do my happy dance.
“Life is a song – sing it. Life is a game – play it. Life is a challenge – meet it. Life is a dream – realize it. Life is a sacrifice – offer it. Life is love – enjoy.” ~ Sai Baba
Weather in the Tries: Yeah, it’s still out there with sun sometimes and either dark or cloudy the others. No more freezes, but still breezes.
Once again, I am the Late Auntie Lenora: It was a week. Last Monday, I drove Favorite Daughter and Favorite Grandcat Bruce, to the WSU Veterinarian Hospital for tests and a sleep over. Because Favorite Daughter has other cats at home, we drove home Monday to sleep in our own beds and then back to Pullman and WSU on Tuesday to collect Favorite Grandcat Bruce. He said the food was awful, and the sleepover ok, but he doesn’t want to do a repeat.
Actually, I don’t think I want to do a do-over, either. My allergies went bonkers and I’ve been fighting a sinus infection. Housemate Dan even went shopping for me and brought back some Afrin and some Nasocort. I do feel like I am actually coming back to feeling like a human. At least the sinus headache is down to a susurration.
Other than walking the Beast (aka Sammy) I haven’t been outside much. Did meet a friend for coffee yesterday and have a networking social this evening.
Did make my poetry critique group on Saturday, and finally have a long poem ready to be abandoned. (Poems are never finished, merely abandoned.)
I also woke at 3:00am and realized I hadn’t written, let alone posted, this week’s blog. I am dedicated, but not that dedicated. I rolled over and went back to sleep.
Listening to the music of Dune by Hans Zimmer. Dune are my ‘thumb sucking’ books, at least the original 6 by Frank Herbert. And try as I might, every time I’d get the litany against fear memorized, I’d mess it up somehow, and yet it was, and is, one of my favorite things. In one of the books, Reverend Mother Odrade said it took long to say, so she shortened it to: “Face your fear or it will climb over your back.” Yep, that one I can remember for more than two days running. The original, for those of you who may not remember it, is: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” ― Frank Herbert, Dune
But, back to the music, there are several parts of it on he www, not something I would want to listen to all the time, but great background for reading, writing, or sewing.
Photos of the Week: Not sure what this is, but it’s in the Vet School complex on the second or third floor. Break room? Lunch room? Reading room? Just thought it was an interesting picture.
This is the first of two bas relief (?) curved glass panels that greet one when entering the small animal clinic. The represent the wetlands, and the floor, which I did not shoot, was set with the foot prints of 17 animals who would be found in the wetlands and wave lines. There was a coffee pot and hot water pot with teas and hot coco available. Very nice set up. (There are three entrances—wildlife rescue, small animal, and large animal. Mostly in the small animal, we saw dogs and cats, but also bunny and ferret. The bunny people came from Seattle. The school has a very high reputation.)
from the desk of the spoiled beast; my humans spoil me. if housemate dan gets up early, my pestering him will get me breakfast and a walk earlier than if I pester mom. she thinks my tummy is on a schedule. well, I guess it is. the schedule is when it’s hollow and empty it needs food. or when I’m up and see my empty bowl. she’s always saying she ordered a cat and got me, so I don’t understand why she doesn’t love me more when I act like a cat. humans are really strange.
Quotes from Bill Nye: “Television isn’t inherently good or bad. You go to a bookstore, there are how many thousands of books, but how many of those do you want? Five? Television’s the same way. If you’re going to show people stuff, television is the way to go. Words and pictures show things.” – Bill Nye
“If the Earth gets hit by an asteroid, it’s game over. It’s control-alt-delete for civilization.” – Bill Nye
Weather in the Tries: Yaaaayyy!!! the days of the coming week will be high 40s and low 50s! WaaHoo! And the nights above freezing. Oh, be still my heart. Well, it can’t be all goodness, I suppose. We do have 3 days with rain on the agenda. Some desert this is turning out to be! I don’t mind the rain all that much, but my short legged friend doesn’t like it at all.
Love in the Dungeon, encore: It must be the coming of Valentine’s Day, but I’ve been thinking of my days at Couch School in Portland, Oregon. Probably because I recently listened to a book, Lucky Supreme, that takes place in Portland, and the narrator pronounced Couch Street as Cowch Street. Uh, no. It really is Cooch Street. Anyhow, here is an encore read for you. Please enjoy it all over again for the first time.
Couch School, built in 1914, was one of four elementary schools in Portland, Oregon to contain an official school-board-sanctioned dungeon in its basement—with an Olympic sized swimming pool, into which all students were forcedto descend for weekly swimming lessons. Water terrified me. I did not enjoy playing in water deeper than my ankles. The lifeguard, rather than instilling confidence, instilled Terror, with a capital ‘T.’ I remained terrified of both the water and the lifeguard, and refused to learn how to swim. People would walk on the moon before I would learn to swim! Had I been a gambler, you could have made book on that statement!
Summer came, school emptied, and Mother and I moved. Again. This time to a small apartment only two blocks from Couch, so I didn’t have to give up my friends. By summer’s end, every kid I knew looked forward to returning to school, and structure, and learning–even me. But I did not look forward to the swimming lessons.
Too soon, the dreaded day came. Once again, I had to descend the dark brown stairs to the dank and smelly dungeon. Once again, I must face the dreaded lifeguard and her insistence that I learn to swim. Barely holding back tears, I joined my eager classmates, descended the steps to the girl’s locker room, squirmed into my hideous flowered swimsuit, showered, and prepared to face the she-devil in the pool area.
To my delight, a new devil awaited my arrival. There, by the pool, stood Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard. In my young body hormones began to stir, albeit sluggishly. I gazed upon the young Apollo, and fell in love. If Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard had asked, I would have jumped into either end of the pool and walked the full length to emerge at the other end. Fortunately, he didn’t ask.
But he did ask me to learn to swim, and with great patience he taught, and I learned. I assume he taught my classmates, but don’t know that for a fact as I remained blissfully unaware of them. I saw and heard only my beloved, my first love, Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard.
As weeks passed, I discovered he was single. Now, this was a good news-bad news type of situation. Yes, Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard was single, but I was no dummy. I knew I faced years of growth before he would even consider marrying me. But, O Joy! Mother was single. I began to plot. How could I introduce Mother to Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard? Especially since Mother also feared the water.
Then, one day, my dearly beloved announced to the class he would teach a Thursday evening Beginning Swimming class for adults. The solution to my problem. Mother couldn’t swim.
I begged, I wheedled, I whined, and I even shed some tears, until Mother, more fearful of water than I, agreed to take the classes. Harvey Anderson, wise to the teasing ways of his young students, locked the doors so we couldn’t come in and laugh at our floundering parents. Therefore, I missed the long-anticipated meeting of Mother and Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard. How transparent my childish machinations must have been to those adults, as they tolerated my feeble attempts at matchmaking.
Mother did learn to swim, but unlike me, she never enjoyed it. Once I could swim, and knew Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard (I always think of him with full name and title. Yes, even today.) would save me should I need saving, I became a water child they had to run out of the pool at closing time.
To me, Mother had always been young and beautiful. To me, Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard was handsome and old. In reality, there were far more years between them, with Mother by far the eldest, than between Harvey and me. When romance between them failed to bloom, my heart broke. Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard would not be my dad, and he was way too old to be my boyfriend, and way too young to be her husband. I found solace in swimming and in visiting the library for more and ever more books.
Years later, Mother and I had many chuckles over this love lost. Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard moved from Couch, as did Mother and I. Mother re-married, I grew up. Mother grew old and died, and now I am also old, and lie alone in my bed at night surrounded by my beloved books, and wonder if Harvey Anderson, once a Lifeguard and a Heart Throb, ever thinks back to the time one of his students tried to marry him off to her mother and smiles. I hope he smiles.
∞
About this memoir: Harvey Anderson, Lifeguard was originally published in a now defunct blog under the title Days at Couch. I did track down Harvey Anderson to send him a copy only to discover he had died a couple years before I wrote it. Couch School is still in Portland, but is now an office building. I wonder if the pool is maintained and used or if it was filled in and is now used for additional office space? Wouldn’t you like to work in an office building with a bona fide dungeon in the basement? and a pool? I would. Hmmm, I wonder if there are ghosts? or dragons?
Photo of the Week: Fibonacci Sequence, pattern by Carolina Oneto https://carolinaoneto.com This is easy enough for a beginner, it is 32” square.
From the Paws of the Big Chihuahua: the ice is melting, and the snow is disappearing. the days are warmer but the wind is still cold. this dog still likes naps, especially when my human snuggles with me. the sun comes out from hiding more often now. my human says winter won’t last much longer. maybe two more months. like what does that mean? how long is a month. and she says this year is a leap year. do I have to leap? how far? when? why? as long as I don’t have to leap into the ducks pond…
Trust me when I say that Fall has Fell. Leaves are yellow and all over the ground, but so far, none have resurrected to zombie statehood. Days are much cooler, nights even more so. Love it! Days will be in the high 60s to mid 70s. Nights mostly in the high 40s to mid 50s. Not coat weather yet, but a sweater or light jacket isn’t amiss, especially with the sun goes down.
Happiness is:
I found a photo the other day I don’t remember taking, but it is now one of my wallpapers. It was taken about a year ago when I was with Thomas. Sheryl and I were obviously talking, and one of us said something and she looks like she just said a word she never, ever says, and Thomas looks at her as if to say, You said That??? What a funny disgusted shocked expression on his face. I look it it during the day and can’t help but chuckle. It certainly helps the grief go away. He must have been getting ready for a shave with the towel around him. Sent it to Sheryl, and she can’t remember what we were talking about, either. Anyhow, enjoy.
Not Happiness is:
Sammy Brave Dog was sick for about three days, and I couldn’t get him in to see his regular doctor, and the office suggested if he was really sick, to take him to an urgent care. Huh? Urgent care for animals? Well, I looked them up, and they exist, and are just down the road maybe a mile. He’d been dancing the green apple two step for 3 days, maybe a tad more, so they called his regular doctor and got his chart sent over, and we decided it was a good time to update a few things. They have him a fluid injection, drew blood and tested him for the regular stuff as well as some things like pancreatitis (he free of that), and sent us home with a fecal collection kit. Well, I guess he didn’t like all the poking and prodding, and indignities heaped upon him, because he didn’t do anything until this morning. It was normal. I took the sample in, and he has nothing wrong with him. So, I’m to continue giving him some stuff and not worry about the antibiotics.
The worst thing is, Housemate Dan can no longer give him Costco Chicken with Sammy’s dinner. Both he and Sammy love that, but the Doctor said NO more people food, except for sweet spud or pumpkin. But he can give him sweet spud with his dinner, and Sammy really loves sweet spud.
Deathcare:
I am quite confused in my poor little mind as to what we learned through A Sacred Passing on Mon & Wed night, v. what we learned during the first four of five Buddhist classes on Death, Love, Wisdom Summit classes. Worth getting up at 0530 to be at the computer by 0600. I’ve got pages of notes I want to transcribe and put in my notebook. Tomorrow (Monday, so I guess it’s today) is the final class, which I think will be heavy on meditation, but that’s okay. So far the classes have been on Making Peace With Death, End of Life Care, Right here With You: Care at the Time of Death, and Grief and Bereavement Support. All good stuff.
Our pond with a few of the none zombie leaves.
From the Paws of the Big Chihuahua:
My tummy wasn’t feeling very good and my human took me to a new doctor. She poked me, but was pretty nice, and ran some tests which was funny because she didn’t run at all. She walked. Anyhow, I no longer get chicken. Housemate Dan and I are both sad about that, BUT I get all the sweet potato or pumpkin I want. Well, the doctor said something about 4 cubic inches a day, but that sounds like a lot to me. And my tummy feels much, much better now.
Monday 78, Tues/ Wed 50% rain. It will rain 50% of the day, or there is a 50-50 chance of getting it? The rest of the week will be in the 60s, with the lows in the 50s and 50s. Yippers, methinks Fall has done started to fell.
On A Lighter Note:
I met with my personal trainer on Wednesday, and Boy Howdy! did he put me through the paces. In fact, we couldn’t finish. Okay, I couldn’t finish! I will have a 4-day workout. Monday, I’ll do what Trainer Daniel taught me. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I’ll take a pool class for those of us who have arthritis, and Saturday, if I’m still alive, will be free swimming. I may also swim after the Thursday class, but after the Tuesday class I go to breakfast! Fruit plate & 2 slices burned toast.
Yes, that’s what she writes on the order. Cookie can’t bring him/herself to actually burn it, but s/he gets it very well toasted—crunchy all the way through. Yummm. I usually eat one slice toast and a tad less than half of the fruit. Then I take all leftovers home and have the rest either for dinner or breakfast the next day. Yummmm 2 times over.
Favorite Son came for a visit and a walk on Thursday. We walked something like 2 miles. Had a great visit and stopped at Popular Donuts at the half-way point. I had coffee and ONE donut hole. He had a soda. Then we walked home. I can’t believe I only had one, but that’s all I ordered. Yes, I am patting myself on my back. At least what I can reach of it.
Saturday, I went to the gym to go swimming. BWAHAHAHAHAHA! It’s been about 30 years since I’ve been swimming. Boy Howdy!!! Am I out of shape! I could remember how to make the strokes, but my body couldn’t remember how it should move. I could move my head and arms, but I couldn’t keep my pelvis and shoulders in correct alignment. I did get two laps in. Somehow. (The pool is 25 meters long, Olympic sized) Helpful Housemate Dan says I should try the Butterfly Stroke. 😉
And Sunday Favorite Offspring and Favorite Grandson, Good Friend, and Auntie Lenora, met for lunch at The Tav in Ellensburg for a grand lunch. I was totally bad—ate two small fried mozzarella string cheese, a fistful (thank goodness I have a small fist) of deep fried green beans, a half a hamburger, half my fries. Brought the other half fries and burger home for lunch the next day.
I’ve also found a way to have ice cream and feel virtuous, not guilty! My morning meds are taken with coffee. My endocrinologist blessed it. But my noon and evening meds (vitamins) have been more forgotten than taken because the larger ones are too uncomfortable to swallow. Hmmm, maybe if my throat was cold??? So, I got a spoonful of ice cream put part in my mouth, added the pill, and swallowed. Finished the ice cream with the other pill. Perfecto Mundo!!!Goallllllllll!!!!! So, I get two spoonsful of ice cream a day. And I’m using the teaspoon not the soupspoon! And I’m finally dropping some weight. Isn’t there a song about a spoonful of ice cream helps the medicine go down…??
Deathcare:
We talked about paperwork. Isn’t that exciting? Actually it kinda was. Wills, Advance Directives that outline wishes for EOL care—comfort, pain, etc. Living Will and Healthcare proxy or agent. And a Funeral Agent! Did you know about a funeral agent? I hadn’t. But a funeral agent is a person legally entrusted by the dying person who is responsible for post death logistics.
The funeral agent will be quipped with your dreams. This varies state by state, so put it in your Will! List your wishes for funeral, clothes you will wear, name you will go by, who will be your preferred speaker. That person may or may not be your partner, your parents, your children.
Then we talked about a Death Plan. Again, most of us had never heard of one, let alone completed one. It’s recommended we fill out four—plan A, B, C, D. A is best case scenario, B is under limiting circumstances, C for traumatic, accidental, and D is for violent post death only. This Death Plan is to communicate your wishes, what you want and your person is trusted to carry your wishes out.
A death plan should be updated every year or so (like on your birthday?) because your situation will change. Kids will grow and go, divorce happens, other people die, your taste in music, speaker, etc. change.
From Sunday’s Drive:
Favorite Son drove today, so for once I was a passenger and could take photos from the car.
These are the Horse Heaven Hills. There were a couple good-sized fires as you can see in the bottom picture. Hard to believe since the hills are so brown, but they were named for the lush growth of Bunch Grass and Sagebrush on them. The Cayuse would bring their horses over to the hills to eat, get fat, and a glossy coat. Hence the name, Horse Heaven Hills.
From the Paws of the Big Chihuahua:
My human went away yesterday, and she says I have to go with her tomorrow to get my shampoo and set. I like the people okay, but I don’t like the water. Can’t they use cornstarch or something that isn’t wet to get me clean? Why do humans like water so much? They stand in it, like an indoor rain, and sing because they’re so happy. And they swim in it, too. Humans are really strange. But, as long as my human loves me, I’ll try to keep her warm at night.:-)
“When you surround an army, leave an outlet free.
Do not press a desperate foe too hard.” ―sun tzu, The Art of War
