I think it'll only take three so they'll be, in this order, thusly titled:
1. Tucson neighborhood, one of hundreds of beautiful ones.
2. The MOUNTAIN LION left his calling card.
3. I forget what the third title was, so will look for it after the others. If it will take a fourth, I'll put in my anonymous hosts...if they'll let me.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Eastward Ho and Back Again
Good morning!
I have been absent from this blog.
Precipitately we decided to go over to Tucson, and precipitately we went.
When I was first in San Diego, the freeway signs for East and West always confused me. How could Phoenix and Tucson, two cities which are the epitome of the West, be towards the east? But they are, and it always took a momentary re-orientation and readjustment for me to decide which direction to take.
But this is San Diego. Everything's east of here and I guess I finally realized it. Now I don't quite have the orientation problem. Quite.
The drive over was pleasant and easy. I was able to drive for about a third of the trip, which I enjoyed and Theodore needed. Coming back, I was too sleepy and didn't perform my duties well.
Tucson in the summer is not Tucson in the winter. In the winter, I can't think of a more perfect place. Sunny, clear, sparkling even. In summer, which season is just beginning, it is hot (reached 109 while we were there), dusty-seeming, and subject to irritating winds which stir up massive storms sometimes. But one seizes one's chance when one has it, no? I had a wonderful time.
My sister no. 3 and her husband live in the most perfect small house that's ever been. It has ceilings of 12 feet, I guess--there's more space over our heads than there is around us. But the little house is quite spacious and cleverly designed for maximum use and privacy. There are two bedrooms. There is a bathroom very near the guest room which is very near the laundry which is very near the kitchen. But--there's seclusion, discretion and privacy in these arrangements as well.
The master bedroom is spacious and its bath is just huge. HUGE. The bathroom is bigger than most bedrooms and if you figure cubic space, it's WAY bigger than most bedrooms. Or living rooms. There's a small paved back yard with a charming irregularly shaped swimming pool, surrounded by the stuccoed walls that surround everything in this complex. It was on that wall that I saw, yesterday morning, a young mountain lion perched, staring into the shadows of my sister's back yard. He was one hungry dude and his long search was unrewarded. After a time he jumped down and ran to a house behind my sister's where he leapt onto the wall and began to scan for something to eat there.
Later we found that he'd left scat and urine on two cushioned patio chairs. Was it a message or was he just caught out unawares? Must have been a message: or why choose a chair? I had my camera but didn't want to leave the cat to go to our room and bring it over.
Tucson is itself a masterpiece of planning, I think, One drives up and down the grid of streets amongst the mesquite and saguaro, with tons of subdivisions sequestered in there...all most well thought out. Driving at night is dark; civic rules keep out light and keep the stars open. There are no crosstown freeways, so the drives can get long, but I am so glad they have opted not to use the freeway option for getting around. Wonderful restaurants abound even in these poor times, and there are still the enclaves of delightful shops all over.
My sister is a wonderful cook of the Martha Stewart persuation. She made vegetable soup at my request. She made gazpacho. At my request for "a Mexican dish" she made the King Ranch Casserole, a Texas favorite with chicken, tortillas, canned soup, and Ro-Tel tomatoes and chilis. We had delightful sandwiches of Boar's Head meats on Tucson (or Tuscan) Bread from an unbeliveable bakery. We had salads, vegetables, brownies, Blue Bell ice cream, fabulous oranges, good coffee, and our choice of breakfasts. What more could a couple of lazy oldsters want? We were happy.
Our brother in law no. 3 had a birthday while we were there. We were happy to hear that they have some bugs over there because we'd brought him a spray bottle of Cedarcide, the organic pest control. I thought he'd like that as he likes things done right.
I got a few pictures so will put an addendum with pictures later on perhaps. Right now I am going to publish this before it evaporates into the place where this vacation did...leaving only a happy memory. YAZZYBEL
I have been absent from this blog.
Precipitately we decided to go over to Tucson, and precipitately we went.
When I was first in San Diego, the freeway signs for East and West always confused me. How could Phoenix and Tucson, two cities which are the epitome of the West, be towards the east? But they are, and it always took a momentary re-orientation and readjustment for me to decide which direction to take.
But this is San Diego. Everything's east of here and I guess I finally realized it. Now I don't quite have the orientation problem. Quite.
The drive over was pleasant and easy. I was able to drive for about a third of the trip, which I enjoyed and Theodore needed. Coming back, I was too sleepy and didn't perform my duties well.
Tucson in the summer is not Tucson in the winter. In the winter, I can't think of a more perfect place. Sunny, clear, sparkling even. In summer, which season is just beginning, it is hot (reached 109 while we were there), dusty-seeming, and subject to irritating winds which stir up massive storms sometimes. But one seizes one's chance when one has it, no? I had a wonderful time.
My sister no. 3 and her husband live in the most perfect small house that's ever been. It has ceilings of 12 feet, I guess--there's more space over our heads than there is around us. But the little house is quite spacious and cleverly designed for maximum use and privacy. There are two bedrooms. There is a bathroom very near the guest room which is very near the laundry which is very near the kitchen. But--there's seclusion, discretion and privacy in these arrangements as well.
The master bedroom is spacious and its bath is just huge. HUGE. The bathroom is bigger than most bedrooms and if you figure cubic space, it's WAY bigger than most bedrooms. Or living rooms. There's a small paved back yard with a charming irregularly shaped swimming pool, surrounded by the stuccoed walls that surround everything in this complex. It was on that wall that I saw, yesterday morning, a young mountain lion perched, staring into the shadows of my sister's back yard. He was one hungry dude and his long search was unrewarded. After a time he jumped down and ran to a house behind my sister's where he leapt onto the wall and began to scan for something to eat there.
Later we found that he'd left scat and urine on two cushioned patio chairs. Was it a message or was he just caught out unawares? Must have been a message: or why choose a chair? I had my camera but didn't want to leave the cat to go to our room and bring it over.
Tucson is itself a masterpiece of planning, I think, One drives up and down the grid of streets amongst the mesquite and saguaro, with tons of subdivisions sequestered in there...all most well thought out. Driving at night is dark; civic rules keep out light and keep the stars open. There are no crosstown freeways, so the drives can get long, but I am so glad they have opted not to use the freeway option for getting around. Wonderful restaurants abound even in these poor times, and there are still the enclaves of delightful shops all over.
My sister is a wonderful cook of the Martha Stewart persuation. She made vegetable soup at my request. She made gazpacho. At my request for "a Mexican dish" she made the King Ranch Casserole, a Texas favorite with chicken, tortillas, canned soup, and Ro-Tel tomatoes and chilis. We had delightful sandwiches of Boar's Head meats on Tucson (or Tuscan) Bread from an unbeliveable bakery. We had salads, vegetables, brownies, Blue Bell ice cream, fabulous oranges, good coffee, and our choice of breakfasts. What more could a couple of lazy oldsters want? We were happy.
Our brother in law no. 3 had a birthday while we were there. We were happy to hear that they have some bugs over there because we'd brought him a spray bottle of Cedarcide, the organic pest control. I thought he'd like that as he likes things done right.
I got a few pictures so will put an addendum with pictures later on perhaps. Right now I am going to publish this before it evaporates into the place where this vacation did...leaving only a happy memory. YAZZYBEL
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Return of Tomas and other factors
Good noonday.
News this morning was an email from the Dean of our Cathedral that he is taking off for a new job in San Francisco. What a shock. Although I have felt that there was something in the wind for a time. I am not among the cognocenti of the church by any means and wouldn't have any way to know the facts. I called a couple of friends and they had heard nothing. It is very sad for St Paul's, because Dean R. has brought a great loving spirit into our congregation.
However, I do think that when people want to move on it's best they do so. Concentrating on the positive, we'll have an Interim Dean for a while and the goings-on surrounding that choice will be interesting. Change is hard but it is also sometimes fun. Diverting, that's the word. We shall be diverted for a while. And we'll be further diverted by the choice of a new permanent Dean. Wild. Just when we thought there was nothing to shake us. Didn't we?
Tomas is here with an assistant, Osito, and they are putting in undercounter lighting that was supposed to be put in before but came in wrong or something. Our kitchen will be lighted up like Times Square when it's over. We will have more light than we need in that tiny space.
If Tomas isnt done by two I must kick him out so that Taterton and I can go for a visit to his diabetes techie. She will, I hope, be gratified by the results of his urine and blood tests done yesterday. If not, then we shall know what my skills at doctorin' actually are, as opposed to my autoimagen.
In further news from the front, Theo-Taterton was gratified by many cards and calls on his birthday. I took pictures and thought he looked awful. He looks much healthier than that in the flesh, thank goodness. His cake was from scratch, chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream icing and a filling of apricot jam. Yummo. He is now 78 years old, an age which I don't think he expected to attain.
News this morning was an email from the Dean of our Cathedral that he is taking off for a new job in San Francisco. What a shock. Although I have felt that there was something in the wind for a time. I am not among the cognocenti of the church by any means and wouldn't have any way to know the facts. I called a couple of friends and they had heard nothing. It is very sad for St Paul's, because Dean R. has brought a great loving spirit into our congregation.
However, I do think that when people want to move on it's best they do so. Concentrating on the positive, we'll have an Interim Dean for a while and the goings-on surrounding that choice will be interesting. Change is hard but it is also sometimes fun. Diverting, that's the word. We shall be diverted for a while. And we'll be further diverted by the choice of a new permanent Dean. Wild. Just when we thought there was nothing to shake us. Didn't we?
Tomas is here with an assistant, Osito, and they are putting in undercounter lighting that was supposed to be put in before but came in wrong or something. Our kitchen will be lighted up like Times Square when it's over. We will have more light than we need in that tiny space.
If Tomas isnt done by two I must kick him out so that Taterton and I can go for a visit to his diabetes techie. She will, I hope, be gratified by the results of his urine and blood tests done yesterday. If not, then we shall know what my skills at doctorin' actually are, as opposed to my autoimagen.
In further news from the front, Theo-Taterton was gratified by many cards and calls on his birthday. I took pictures and thought he looked awful. He looks much healthier than that in the flesh, thank goodness. His cake was from scratch, chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream icing and a filling of apricot jam. Yummo. He is now 78 years old, an age which I don't think he expected to attain.
Tangled Webs
Yesterday was the birthday of Theodore Neff. He turned 78 years old. He actually looks better than shown in the photograph. You see there his home made birthday made from scratch by me in the new kitchen. Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream, and apricot jam in the middle. Yummo. Three fourths of that cake is now in the freezer, awaiting daily inroads until it disappears. We had green tea too. It was a nice little teatime and he was gratified by the phone calls and cards he received from friends and family. All good.
Tomas is here finishing up the kitchen, maybe. Some electrical stuff. I do hope they get done (Osito is his worker) before we have to leave for Theo's diabetes techie appt. Otherwise they'll be back tomorrow. Adios for now. YAZZYBEL
Monday, May 14, 2012
Another Country Heard From
Good morning!
This morning, one of my sisters responded to my blog about our mother, and I asked her if she'd mind my publishing her remarks. She gave me permission, and gave me permission to use her name. She's no.2 and her name is Olive.
When someone would add a remark to an ongoing argument, my mama always said, "So! Another country heard from!" So here's what Olive had to say today.
This morning, one of my sisters responded to my blog about our mother, and I asked her if she'd mind my publishing her remarks. She gave me permission, and gave me permission to use her name. She's no.2 and her name is Olive.
When someone would add a remark to an ongoing argument, my mama always said, "So! Another country heard from!" So here's what Olive had to say today.
Yes Yaz--our mother was something else. I thank God for her selflessness. It was needed to raise "five ungrateful girls" -- all of whom had something of the prima donna in them. Haul to piano lessons. Haul to dancing lessons. Haul everywhere. Settle endless arguments. Wear the same dress so we could have new. And how admirable of her to tackle WW II with such aplomb. Armed with not only a mammoth grocery list, off to Pace's with those vile stamps to decide what to buy with them--round steak or ground beef. She opted for round steak and pounded them with a real hammer because her mother had done it. She had moxie too: Before ending the shopping, she always asked Jimmy Pace if he had put any goodies aside for her. He always had done so, because she paid her bill on time and "with all those kids, she needs this laundry soap or sack of sugar."
Rest in peace, Mama
Thank you, Olive! It give another facet of the big globe of love we all feel for both our parents. Wonderful to have another sister chime in and be heard from. YAZZYBEL
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Happy Mother's Day, Mama!
And have a happy day, everyone else, too.
I am cooking up a nice arroz con pollo in honor of my mother's Mother's Day...Where am I cooking it? In the garage, of course. I still have the electric skillet in there so it's the logical place. The new kitchen is too nice to cook in.
Anyway, I have been thinking about my mama today, as everyone else in the US is thinking about theirs. She was, as I've stated here, the most remarkable person. I was just in the bathroom looking for some nail polish remover to clean the label glue off the new oven window (why do they put that stuff on there?) and I noted how many boxes and trays of misc. make up items I have sitting around there.
My mama had one of those old fashioned dressing tables with a long triple folding mirror in the middle of it, and two small chests of drawers on either side...As long as I knew her and she had thta dresser, I knew what would be in her right hand drawer when I opened it. In that dresser were one box of Coty's L'Origan face powder, one velvet puff, and one Tangee natural lipstick. Period.
She was beautiful but not vain. Or, more likely, had given up vanity long ago when she saw that beauty doesnt always play to the hand of the possessor. She kept her hair permanented, which was too bad, because she had lustrous dark hair which would have been great these days in a long flowing mane. But that was not the way of her time and class. She needed a quick, short, practical hairdo that could withstand a constantly blowing 30 or 40 MPH Gulf breeze whenever she was out of the house.
Or in it, for that matter. There was no A/C in the days of my entire childhood, and you had to keep those windows open and that crossdraft flowing in order to tolerate the extremely warm temperatures of Brownsville, Texas. ("Not as bad as San Antonio by far! And don't even mention Houston!") So a short permanented hairdo was the answer for her and most of her cohorts.
Permanent or not, and just one lipstick and one box of face powder in your artillery, you were beautiful, Mama. We, your daughters, 1-2-3-4-and 5==we'll never forget you as long as we live. Today, on your day, I'm out in the garage making a nice arroz con pollo in the electric frying pan in your memory. In your memory because I am thinking of you as I do it...Love,YAZZYBEL
I am cooking up a nice arroz con pollo in honor of my mother's Mother's Day...Where am I cooking it? In the garage, of course. I still have the electric skillet in there so it's the logical place. The new kitchen is too nice to cook in.
Anyway, I have been thinking about my mama today, as everyone else in the US is thinking about theirs. She was, as I've stated here, the most remarkable person. I was just in the bathroom looking for some nail polish remover to clean the label glue off the new oven window (why do they put that stuff on there?) and I noted how many boxes and trays of misc. make up items I have sitting around there.
My mama had one of those old fashioned dressing tables with a long triple folding mirror in the middle of it, and two small chests of drawers on either side...As long as I knew her and she had thta dresser, I knew what would be in her right hand drawer when I opened it. In that dresser were one box of Coty's L'Origan face powder, one velvet puff, and one Tangee natural lipstick. Period.
She was beautiful but not vain. Or, more likely, had given up vanity long ago when she saw that beauty doesnt always play to the hand of the possessor. She kept her hair permanented, which was too bad, because she had lustrous dark hair which would have been great these days in a long flowing mane. But that was not the way of her time and class. She needed a quick, short, practical hairdo that could withstand a constantly blowing 30 or 40 MPH Gulf breeze whenever she was out of the house.
Or in it, for that matter. There was no A/C in the days of my entire childhood, and you had to keep those windows open and that crossdraft flowing in order to tolerate the extremely warm temperatures of Brownsville, Texas. ("Not as bad as San Antonio by far! And don't even mention Houston!") So a short permanented hairdo was the answer for her and most of her cohorts.
Permanent or not, and just one lipstick and one box of face powder in your artillery, you were beautiful, Mama. We, your daughters, 1-2-3-4-and 5==we'll never forget you as long as we live. Today, on your day, I'm out in the garage making a nice arroz con pollo in the electric frying pan in your memory. In your memory because I am thinking of you as I do it...Love,YAZZYBEL
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