Suzy Says

Ironically, after posting that last entry about how much I hate driving, I went to the DMV yesterday.

Ever since I got my license, I have renewed it by mail, but this year, I got a notice saying that I had to go in person. I couldn’t help wondering if it was because I’m about to be really old in a couple of weeks. After all, Jessica had observed a couple of years ago that I no longer look as youthful as the Self pictured on my license, and I imagine that the sands of time have not started rolling backwards in the meantime.

Not for the first time, I find it incredible that our only two options are old age and death. Isn’t there a nicer “none of the above”, where a girl can retain her cuteness and vigor?

Such deep thoughts occupied my shallow mind as I walked the two blocks to the DMV from the jobette. Already the Big Town DMV was ahead of the Oaktown DMV, which had to be driven to in a dismal area of town. Arriving at the office, there were two people sitting quietly reading the paper, instead of the disgruntled hordes in Oaktown.

I had an appointment, so I was able to jump the modest queue. I did an eye test, had my right thumb scanned (twice), and was relieved of $31 before having my picture taken. The photo part made me realize that I probably should have worn my contacts, but DMV pictures are notoriously bad and I am notoriously unphotogenic, besides already looking ancient to six year olds.

I was given a paper license, which looked a lot like my original permit, and was told that I could expect my new and unimproved license in the mail in a week or two.

The whole thing took about ten minutes, and nothing was stolen. Big Town: 1. Oaktown: 0.

Those in the know know that every April 15 is Jessica’s birthday. Far more important (and enjoyable) than filing income taxes is finding the right gift.

Despite the fact that Jessica is the least material of children – when Megan asked her what she wanted for Christmas last year, Jessica replied, “a candy cane” – I spent some time and thought on what to get her.

I ended up with this (allegedly) child’s ruffled scarf, which was actually big enough to tempt me into keeping it. Yes, I tried it on. It’s an angora blend from Benetton, and it’s pink (“you know, the kind of pink that I like”):

Later, I realized that Jessica had given me a scarf for Christmas, so maybe that and the fact that I wear the Jessica scarf fairly often made me think of giving her one, too.

On Etsy, I found the perfect card:

I even managed to wrap it fairly decently (while forgetting to photograph it for posterity) and mail it on time. Yay, Me! When I called Jessica on her birthday, she was absolutely delighted with everything. Even if I hadn’t sent her anything, her birthday would have been completely awesome, thanks to Erica.

Erica took Jessica to get her ears pierced. I asked Jessica if it hurt, and she said, “Oh, yeah!” When I asked her if she watched, she said, “Suzy, my eyes aren’t on the side of my head,” which was a good point.

In addition to the new earrings, Erica gave Jessica “The Three Musketeers” and “The Hobbit”, which was perfect since I had also sent her a little bookmark which matched her birthday card. Jessica said, “I miss my aunt-ourage. And my uncle-tourage.”

Jessica’s birthday cake was chocolate, layered with fresh strawberries and buttercream frosting with coconut and chopped almonds, decorated with candied violets. Just another Erica masterpiece.

As if that wasn’t enough, they went to Cirque du Soleil that evening, where the performers showered Jessica with butterfly-shaped confetti.

All in all, a good birthday*.

*Jessica asked me when mine was, and I told her. She was charmed by the fact that it’s the day before her mother’s. She asked me how old I would be this year, and I told her. She was quiet for a moment, and then said, “You’ll be half a century old!” as if her mind was completely blown, which I know mine is. I agreed, and she said, “But you seem like a kid.” Pause. “Maybe a teenager.”

This year was about change: getting the jobette; swimming lessons; having to make peace with driving a lot more. Change is good, right?

One deleterious effect of working more is reading less. I read 118 books in 2011, vs. 140 in 2010. The favorites of the year were Sue Grafton’s “V Is for Vengeance” and Candice Millard’s tour de force, “Destiny of the Republic”.

We are also getting a lot less rain this season. Last year, we totalled about 60 inches (or 153 centimeters), and already had half of that by December 31, 2010. This year, we’ve gotten about 11 inches (28 centimeters) so far. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb here by saying there’s probably a drought in my future. Number of power outages: 3. So far this season: 1, and an early one at that.

It was a great summer, though: lots of sun, little fog, no heat waves.

As far as last year’s resolutions went: not bad. I did a lot of work on the garden, though there are more things I’d like to do, given time and money, always in short supply. I still worry about the cats, and probably always will, to some extent. The loss of the beautiful and beloved June was traumatic, and, as Jessica pointed out to me, I’m a worrier. Maybe I should just embrace my inner (outer?) worrier.

This year’s resolutions are to reinstate Thursday dinners for my overworked sister – they fell by the wayside with the increased busy-ness of my schedule – and to spend more time with my brother when there’s no project to be done or special occasion to be celebrated. I always have a great time with him, but I don’t see him often enough.

And, you know, keep working on the garden and trying to minimize Calamity Suzy episodes.

Let me know what your resolutions are. And thanks for reading yet another year!

January:

How to plant tulips. Logging road walk. A check-up for the kittens. A walk with Schatzi. The beginning of A’s life-threatening illness. Another vet visit. A walk through the Village. A surprise visit from Jessica! Falling off a log really is easy. Dealing with two broken fingers: not so much. They still look freaky and witch-like. A brief trip to San Francisco. A is improving.

February:

Back in touch with the outside world. A finally gets out of Intensive Care. And I get the jobette! The boys make a windmill. Week One at the jobette. A’s slow recovery continues. Beautiful new garden chairs. A rare and magical snow day!

March:

A quick tour of the jobette. A graduates from Intensive Care to the HIghly Dependent Unit. Tragedy strikes our sister city in Japan. Doin’ it Rob style. Signs of spring. My beloved father’s 80th birthday. It’s not snow this time, it’s hail! The painting saga. Flooding. The week in pictures. Spring arrives in the garden.

April:

The painting problem is solved – at least, for now. Power outages. Little salon in the big woods. A is finally in a regular hospital ward, while Clyde is a little limpy. A nice little burn to go with my broken fingers. Jessica’s birthday! My blog’s 10th birthday! First BBQ of the year. A sad and loving farewell.

May:

The fabulous circus. New contact lenses. A walk through town. Star’s birthday. My tulips in bloom. Countrified. Fabulous garage sale finds. Girls’ night out. A short visit to San Francisco. The magnificent Balenciaga exhibit. Back home. Megan’s birthday. Car troubles – and a birthday celebration.

June:

Car trouble and bad weather. Truly rural. Bi-coastal. Rainy birthday to me. Happy first birthday to the boys! Rob is scheduled for more surgery. An evening with Erica and Jessica. Rose’s chicken curry. Unveiling the clock of ages. Rob’s surgery is rescheduled. The operation. Back home. Houdini lives!

July:

Audrey turns four. Found poetry. Both Rob and A are on the road to recovery. Kitty updates. Home improvements. Jessica visits the jobette. Musical contrasts. Erica and Jessica move to Portland (~sob~). The last Harry Potter movie ever.

August:

Propane prettifying. Encore de car. A change of address. Garden updates. The tenth anniversary of my father’s untimely and completely unnecessary death. I love you and miss you, Old Bear. More car fixing (or not). The bliss of Brian. Star meets quail.

September:

Mark’s seizure. He has epilepsy and is taking meds for it. So far, so good. Thank goodness. Free palms. The Houdini dog expands her repertoire. Planting the palms. The joys of aquafit. The delights of the County Fair. Clyde takes it on the chin. A visit from the generator fairy. A total meltdown.

October:

The car is finally fixed. I hope. Swimming clinic doesn’t go quite as swimmingly as I’d hoped. Car-share begins (and is still going on). The plague descends. My second anniversary of moving to Hooterville. The arrival of Turbo, Mark’s horse.

November:

Pool problems. Feeding the family. Meetings in San Francisco. Too tired to shop. A delightful day. Back home. The lowdown on high beams. Star and Megan are both stars. Thanksgiving Eve. A happy Thanksgiving. An early season blackout.

December:

Sunny days and sparkling nights. A look around the garden. An amazing experience. Girls’ Night In. A sudden loss. Up with the tree! An adventurous evening. And a tree adventure. Christmas cheer. A magical evening. The wit and wisdom of Jessica.

That’s it for 2011. Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year!

Of course, what you really want to hear about is Jessica.

As soon as she got out of the car, she ran to me and I picked her up and whirled her around, to both of our delights. As I mentioned earlier, she is so much taller now – about chin height, instead of heart height. When I asked her how she got prettier every day*, she said, “I have no idea!”

Erica and Jessica gave me my presents before Jessica dived into hers in the way that only kids can. Can I just say? These girls know me so well. Jessica gave me a scarf she had woven herself on her fingers (!), and to go with it, there was a compact with eyeshadow, blush, and lip gloss which looks like a little Sephora bag. So I’ll always have some Sephora, wherever I am. Also – the sold out everywhere Miss Piggy inspired OPI nail polish, Divine Swine!

It turns out that Jessica is a Candy Land shark. Now, Megan said that Jessica is too old for Candy Land, but I was pretty sure she wasn’t. Jarrett and I played three games with her before dinner, and Jessica won them all. She also got Princess Frostine in every single game, which surely defies the odds, especially since Jarrett shuffled the cards.

Here you see her wearing my red suede shoes (and also my huge wedding earrings, which are clip ons). The shoes are Italian, but I bought them in Russia 20 years ago. Hooray for glasnost! Jessica was also delighted by my Manolo Blahniks and exhibited a surprising ability to walk around in high heels and platforms. Who knew?

Of course, there was time for a tour of my jewelry box. I was wearing Jessica’s favorite diamond necklace, along with a diamond bracelet and diamond ring, but she wanted to explore the rest of the Suzy Collection. She was very interested in where things came from, and once again I realized how many things my father had brought me from exotic lands like China and India.

Jessica was taken with a necklace Dad brought me from India. She told me about Indian kings and myths as she tried on the necklace, which I wear often. It’s made of ruby beads of different shades, along with ornate silver beads. Jessica said, “Everyone who touched this necklace left some of their soul in it.” When she and Erica left, I gave it to her on indefinite loan. I like knowing that my Dad’s gift to his girl is now being worn by another beloved girl.

While we were looking at the jewelry, Jessica said, “All you need to be beautiful is be yourself – and add a little bling.” She paused and looked at me and added, “But you’re perfect just the way you are.”

Later she confided, “Your parents make great kids. I’m so glad you’re my adopted family.”

I have to say, having a rental kid makes your entire Christmas.

*Yesterday Jonathan and I talked about how we should stop telling her how beautiful and smart she is, in case she gets spoiled and/or full of herself, but it’s really hard. As Megan said, “If you could guarantee I’d get a kid like Jess, I’d seriously consider it.” Me, too.

The day after Christmas, I was surprised to be the first one up. I had expected the eight year old to be hopping and popping in the way that eight year olds do. Sometimes I think we’re born with all the energy we’re going to have and just use it up as we go along, dying when we finally run out of the supply. Certainly I was less bouncy at 48 than I was at 8. At least at 8 am.

Coming quietly down the stairs from the sleeping loft, I could see Paul asleep on the air mattress and Erica and Jessica looking like angels on the bed of nails, also known as the sofabed. When I apologized for the bed of nails-ness, Jessica said, “It’s like sleeping on air! And air is so comfortable!”

I was just pouring a second cup of coffee when I saw Jarrett walking by the sliding glass doors with a mountain of laundry. I went to meet him in the laundry room/pantry/cat dining room and we chatted for a while as he started the first of five loads of laundry. Somewhere between the third and fourth loads, I wondered how and when I had become Mom. At least I did it without stretchmarks and exorbitant college tuition.

By the time I returned to the living room, a second pot of coffee was being made and Erica was dispensing toast. Jessica was definitely the most lively at that point, the grown-ups, the house, and the garden looking a lot like that Katy Perry song “Last Friday Night”.

Caffeinated and toasted, Erica and Jessica started to pack up and get ready for the 12 hour road trip ahead of them. I tried to hide their gorgeous dog Lucy to no avail:

They adopted her from the pound many years ago, but she turns out to be some fancy breed called Munsterhound. She may well be the most beautiful and softest dog I have ever seen. All I can say is if there were a whole breed of Lucys, they would all be made into fur coats. Erica had the same thought.

It was hard not to cry as the car packed with fabulous girls made its way down the driveway, but Megan and I are hoping to drive up to Portland this summer.

Jarrett headed home in the early afternoon with a car full of clean clothes, but Paul stayed for a day or two, definitely helping that after Christmas let-down. He might also come back next week, so there’s still something to look forward to.

Aftermath

Maybe I always say this, but it was the best Christmas ever!

I spent the morning making cheese biscuits:

And salad dressing, in the majolica jug to the right of Grammie’s silver:

Later, the cheese biscuits were in the Wedgwood biscuit barrel and the salad in the Wedgwood bowl with matching serving tongs. It was so nice to use them! Also on the table are my American grandmother’s, Nana’s, wine glasses. So both sides of the family were represented.

And setting out the Christmas crackers:

The morning clouds gave way to sun, so Megan and I brought the yellow Adirondack chairs and the wooden outside table out of winter storage. It occurred to me that we could use the metal stove I burn paper in as a warmation device, so we hauled that over to the chairs and collected some wood. This worked out great, and really helped with the seating issues, since some people sat outside by the fire and some hung out inside.

Paul was the first to arrive, followed by Erica and Jessica. Jessica has gotten so tall! She is now up to my chin. She gave us presents she had made herself. Megan’s came with a really sweet note:

[Dear Megan, I miss you a lot! My mom and I are basically living in Beezus and Ramona land! I love you lots and lots! See you at Christmas! Love, Jessica K.]

By the time Jarrett arrived, it was time for presents and stockings. Jessica’s present from Santa was discovered on my front porch. Here you see her opening it:

It was a digital microscope. Apparently you can hook it up to your computer.

Jonathan made the glaze for the ham from maple syrup, bourbon, apple cider, and a secret blend of spices. The ham was glazed and smoked over apple wood we cut that morning. It was magically delicious. With it, we had garlic mashed potatoes, cheese biscuits, and a salad. The salad had endive, frisee, and other bitter greens, along with roasted Bosc pears and fresh pomegranate seeds, along with a dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and honey. It was a real hit, and the perfect balance for the richness of the other dishes.

Lichen appeared in time for dinner, bearing little bottles of tonic and a flask of Bombay Sapphire gin to mix it with. Jonathan’s friend Michaela brought cookies and a bottle of wine, which vanished almost immediately.

After dinner and before the pies (one cherry and one lemon), Jonathan read out loud to us, as is tradition. Jessica said she wanted to do the reading this year, so Jonathan proposed he read one page and Jessica read the next. But once he started reading and doing all the voices like Dad used to, she forgot all about it and listened raptly:

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Surrounded by my family and friends, I realized that Dad is still with us as I listened to his son read aloud the way he used to. And I felt so lucky and so happy.

It really was the best Christmas ever.

Well, Erica and Jessica are settled in their new (to them), century-old house, merrily ordering delivery dinners. Jessica has already made friends with the kids on her block. It makes me happy to know she’s going to grow up like Ramona the Pest, in a happy neighborhood with lots of kids and adventures to be had on her very own Klickitat Street.

Besides the farewell barbecue for the Dynamic Duo, it’s been hard for us to fit in seeing the new Harry Potter movie, even though we’ve been looking forward to it since Part I ended. Typically, we fit it in between errands on Friday. Rob tagged along, though in the way of many men when confronted with extended periods of shopping, he tended to bail on us when we were actually in the store.

We went to Safeway before the movie, loading up Miss Scarlett’s trunk while Star patiently waited in the backseat. She also had to wait in the car during the movie, but I think that dogs would rather wait in the parking lot than at home, since being in the car means a) being with the people; and 2) the possibility of fun. Also, Star hasn’t read the books.

Our timing was perfect, though: we arrived in the theater just as the last trailer ended, and the opening credits started just as we took our seats. I noticed that there were only two other people in the theater besides the three of us, and that was almost certainly a unique experience among viewers of this movie.

I enjoyed the movie very much, despite the darkness noted by critics. The one thing I really didn’t like was the epilogue, which I also disliked in the book. I think the three friends should have been left at the end of their victorious battle, on the brink of adulthood with all the rest of lives before them, rather than having their dull domesticity spelled out for us.

But that’s just me.

After the movie, we emerged blinking into the sunshine to take Star for a walk in a nearby field. Then we finished our errands, came home, and unloaded the car. Back to reality. It was nice to have that little break from the real world. That’s the magic of movies – and books.

On Saturday, we had a farewell barbecue for Erica and Jessica. I’ll have you know that saying goodbye to us was important enough to delay their departure. Despite living in the middle of nowhere – or on the edge of it – it was the only day that week that all three of us could get together. We are surprisingly busy despite living in obscurity*.

Or so we thought. Though we had the proceedings at our brother’s place, he ended up getting stuck at work and still hadn’t appeared by the time E & J drove off into the darkness. He only missed them by a few minutes and was really sorry, but it couldn’t be helped. Being a grown-up: not all it’s cracked up to be.**

Lu and L were there, though, and Lu brought her dogs, Marco and Harlow, who played with their friend Star. I was afraid it would be hard for L to see all the dogs bouncing around happily when dear Padawan is gone, but he was his usual sweet-spirited self. He is even talking about getting another dog, which is good.

I was sad to say goodbye. Even though they are now gracing Portland with their fabulousness, it doesn’t quite seem real to me. I held Jessica on my lap a lot that evening, talking as always, but also resting my cheek on her bright hair or holding her hand and thinking of how I wouldn’t see her grow up and how she won’t be part of my everyday life any more. It was hard not to cry as I hugged them goodbye.

But they’ve promised to come back for Christmas, and we’ve talked about Jessica coming for a couple of weeks next summer. Megan is already saying that it’s really only a ten hour drive, not twelve, and we could make it in one day…

*Another of life’s mysteries is how we all work all the time, but never have any money.

**Jessica observed that I’m “not a real grown-up. You’re more like…an old kid.”

Camera Face*

I was lucky enough to spend a little time with Jessica this week – while I was at the jobette.

That’s one of the many nice things about working there. Everyone is pretty relaxed, and they often bring their kids to work as part of the after school/activities chauffeuring so familiar to every parent. So it was no problem for Jessica to hang out with me while Erica had a date with her dentist.

Jessica looked like a little princess and was carrying her current book, “A Little Princess”. We talked about that for a while, and I told her how I’d just read “The Wilder Life”, about a woman who went in search of the locations in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House” books. Jessica said “You’re just too fabulous to be a prairie girl”, which made me laugh. I had to agree that I wouldn’t be very good at the hog slaughtering, wagon training aspects of Laura’s life.

And then there’s the complaining.

Jessica was very excited about her upcoming move. Sadly for the fabulous factor of Hooterville and environs, Erica and Jessica are decamping to Portland, Oregon, where Jessica will attend one of the best schools in town, a mere three blocks from their house. Also there’s a Trader Joe’s about a mile away, a Lush store, and Jessica recommends the walnut prawns at Powell’s Seafood restaurant.

They are planning to leave next week, but Jessica says they still have a lot of packing and throwing out to do. “It’s stressful,” she said. Then she whispered behind her hand, “And my mama is not the best stress handler!” I’m not, either.

The time flew by, and suddenly Erica was there to pick Jessica up. We’ll see them tomorrow at their ~sob~ farewell dinner at my brother’s place. I wish Portland wasn’t a twelve hour drive away!

*Jessica said her mother doesn’t like her to do the “camera face” too much. When I asked her what it was, she demonstrated and then collapsed into giggles.

Jessica at dinner

Megan and I overcame severe attacks of The Sloths to meet up with Erica and Jessica yesterday evening in beautiful downtown Philo:

to have dinner at the always-delicious Libby’s:

Partly because Erica’s birthday is one day after mine (and ten days after Megan’s), and partly because Erica and Jessica are setting off on a great summer adventure in just a few days. After we hugged hello, Jessica noticed the scratch that Roscoe inflicted on my upper lip the night before. She said, “At first I thought you made a mistake with your lipstick. But I know you better than that.”

In preparation for the trip, Erica bought a van from our friend Lu. I’ve never seen inside it, but Lu, her boyfriend Rik, and Megan used to take it when they worked as medics at a reggae festival. It has a kitchenette and two beds and is supposed to be quite comfortable. Maybe it’s more of a mini-RV than a van. My knowledge of motor vehicles is pretty limited, and I like it that way.

The intrepid twosome is heading north, with stops in Portland and Seattle, maybe even venturing as far as exotic Vancouver*. When we asked Jessica what she was looking forward to the most, she exclaimed, “Science museums!”, bouncing in her chair with excitement. Later, she confided to me that “the scientific gears in my brain are always turning”. The imaginative one, she explained, holding her hands a few inches apart, was much bigger, but didn’t move as much.

She has just read the first Harry Potter book. She said that she hadn’t wanted to read it because of all the fuss about it. She “didn’t like it at first, but then I loved it!” From there, it was on to the joys of Calvin and Hobbes. I asked Jessica if she thought Hobbes was real. She thought about it, and then said “I think he’s real, but he turns into a stuffed tiger when people who don’t understand are there.”

Talk of the transmogrifier and duplicator in C&H led (naturally) to talk of time machines. I asked Jessica where she’d go if she had one, and she immediately replied, “I’d go and warn the Incas about the Spanish. Then I’d go and visit Laura Ingalls Wilder.”

Sometimes I have to remind myself that she just turned eight.

*J fans everywhere, rejoice! Jessica is going to start a blog while she’s on the road!

A very glamorous birthday girl

As the well-informed are well-aware, every April 15th is Jessica’s birthday, a day to be celebrated by all. The world would be a much less amusing and sparkly place without Miss J in it.

This year, she and her best friend Greta got their nails done:

and then had their hair curled. Jessica has not yet realized that her hair will never hold a curl. Having said that, it took me until I was nearly 30 to figure that one out. The last attempt I made was when attending a fancy wedding. I had my hair put in curlers, under the old school dryer and everything. The curls didn’t even make it to the reception.

They also had a streak of glittery ribbon and a streak of feathers sewn in their hair – you can just about see the pink feather strand in Jessica’s hair in the photo above – and I want to try that, too. Who needs curls when you can have glitter and feathers?

In keeping with the fancy theme, Erica took Jessica, Megan, Greta, Greta’s mother, and me to lunch at an elegant restaurant in the village. It is so fancy that I haven’t eaten there since my father took me to dinner more than a decade ago. I still remember that I had duck with huckleberry sauce and it was amazing. This time, I had crab cakes and Jessica had a quiche with wild mushrooms, bacon, and Gruyère. I toasted the birthday girl with a fabulous cocktail of Roederer sparkling wine, local peach syrup, and bitters. It was pink and fizzy, just like Jessica.

Erica made her own version of petits fours per Jessica’s request:

The bottom layer is chocolate génoise, the top vanilla génoise, and the filling is strawberry buttercream. The icing is vanilla buttercream, topped with sugar roses flavored with orange water and rose water. Erica put eight white candles on the cakes and lit them while we (quietly) sang the birthday song. Jessica closed her eyes tightly, and took so long deciding on a wish – you have to make it count – that Erica had to tell her to hurry up before the candles burned down. I hope it comes true.

I thanked Jessica for inviting me to her birthday lunch, and she said “I didn’t want a big party. Just a select group.”

I’ve finally made the A list. Though Jessica did confide in me during lunch, “Suzy, you are the silliest of all my aunties.” I don’t expect that to change anytime soon, if ever.

Happy birthday, princess. We love you!

Big River Beach

The beautiful weather has made walking the dogs even more of a pleasure. So far I’ve done pretty well at my “walk the dogs more often” resolution (though not as well at the “worry less about the cats” part. You can’t have everything). A couple of days ago, we met up with Lu and her dogs, Harlow and Marco, at Big River.

Patterns in the sand

Megan has been working with Star to teach her to heel and not pull so much on the leash. She’s planning to enroll Star in a Canine Good Citizen class this spring, all in the hopes of finally finding an adoptive family for her. Megan says that if we can’t find a home for Star this summer, she’ll stop looking. It’s going to take a special family to adopt Star. She’s so sensitive and nervous, needs constant care in her diet (her nails break off unless she gets enough Omega-3s and protein), and lots of exercise and attention. In the meantime, though, Megan is working hard to make Star the best and happiest dog she can be.

We stopped at our brother’s place on the way home to check in on the boys and their latest projects. They have a new – really new, not just new to us – welder, and are working on making a windmill to join the solar panels.

Imagine our surprise when we were met by none other than Miss Jessica!

Erica had to take her car in to be repaired, so Jonathan had picked Jessica up from school. She was wearing a pink pom pom scarf her mother had made her, which I immediately tried on. It was a little small on me, and Jessica, fearing that I’d want to keep it anyway, said, “And PS, it doesn’t look too good on you,” which made me laugh so hard I almost cried.

I gave Jessica her scarf back and went to visit Henry. I found some flowers to put on her grave and talked to her as I always do, while Jessica brushed away leaves and then, sweetly, patted the ground as if petting Henry. “I think she’s happy here,” she said. Then she gathered flowers for the other occupants of the ground under the tree. She really is a sweet girl.

We brought Jessica back to my house to wait for her mother, and she set about making a fairy house in my garden. Here you see her picking rhododendron leaves for fairy beds:

When I took the picture, I said, “You look so serious, ” to which she replied, “I’m trying to look glamorous.” After a pause she added, “I can be both, you know.” And she can.

The stockings were hung – well, piled – by the “tree”. I bought it from an artist in Mexico many years ago.

Christmas crackers on my maternal grandmother’s platter. They didn’t pop very well, but they had good prizes (a tiny metal yoyo, a keychain with a faux diamond) and shiny metal crowns to wear during dinner.

My paternal grandmother’s ivory-handled silver and star dish, and my maternal grandmother’s wine glasses.

My world-famous cheese biscuits.

Erica’s amazing Yule Log. The mushrooms are meringue. Finally, a mushroom this family will eat!

Jessica opening the Lily Munster* doll I gave her…

…and dancing** to her new favorite song, “Airship Pilot” by Abney Park:

*Jessica first fell in love with La Lily this Halloween.

**I thought I took a movie of her dance moves, but alas, there were technical (read: user) difficulties.

Well, I committed a serious Tourist Error yesterday. Even worse than calling the city “Frisco” or “San Fran”, but not quite as bad as asking who the heck the Giants* are. I forgot to bring my camera with me when I met up with Erica and Jessica last night.

Needless to say, they looked lovely, Erica in a skirt she had made herself, and Jessica in a pink flowered dress and pearls. We relaxed in the lobby, with its deep, soft sofas by the fire, Erica and I having wine and Jessica a rare soda (she didn’t even know what Sprite was, and looked a little surprised after her first sip). Apparently, you get a free pizza with the drinks, so a good time was had by all.

The theater was right across the street, and it turned out to be same one I had gone to the last time I went to a play. This play was a musical, based on Neil Gaiman’s “Coraline”.

Since my addition to the party was last-minute, our seats weren’t together. We were expecting that, but we did not expect to be told that Erica’s and Jessica’s front-row center seats, bought before the tickets went on sale to the public, had been ripped out to make way for a prop well.

Their new and unimproved seats were several rows behind mine, in the second row. As the play progressed, I noticed that there were three open seats in front of me, so they could have corrected their error. As it was, Erica spoke with the Executive Director after the play, mentioning that Neal Gaiman himself had told Erica about the tickets in advance and said that Jessica would enjoy it.

Guess who’s getting front row tickets for a later performance?

This performance was a special one. It was a preview, so we were the first audience to ever see it (it opens on Saturday, officially). And as I said before, it’s a small space, so it feels very intimate and you really feel drawn into the story.

It was two hours past Miss Jessica’s bedtime, so I hopped in a cab and sped back to the hotel through the busy streets. It’s good to be home.

*So many windows, cars, and trucks have Giants signs displayed. Fire trucks are flying Giants pennants. So the excitement lives on!

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

When I finished my last meeting of the day, I found myself at Fisherman’s Wharf. I decided to walk back to the hotel via Aquatic Park. I love that place. I used to go there often when I lived here, especially if I was worried or troubled. I’d sit on the shallow stone wall at the beach with my feet in the sand and watch the waves. There was something soothing about it.

So today I did the same thing.

As you can see, it was a beautiful day. In this picture, you can see the Balclutha, one of the grand old ships at Hyde Street Pier. My brother used to work there. They had a great program where inner city kids would come and stay overnight on one of these old ships. They’d each take on a role (cook, able seaman, etc.) and have to do it using only materials available when the ship was active, in the mid 1800s. My brother loved doing it, and the kids did, too.

The cement seawall you see in the first picture is the Town Pier. You can walk all the way out on it. Some people fish off it, but given the fact that the number of Bay-caught fish you can eat in a year is restricted due to the pollution, it doesn’t seem like the best idea, but to each his own.

I called Rob to check in with him about the kitties. They were all fine, he said. He kept them all in after he gave them dinner last night, and hung out a while, petting them and watching TV. I knew it was a little silly to call – after all, as Rob pointed out, if there was something wrong, would I just pack up the car and come home – but I couldn’t help it. I’m sorry to say that I probably would pack up the car and come home. Jessica is right: I’m a worrier.

Speaking of Jessica: I am going to meet Jessica and Erica this evening for dinner and a play! Just when you thought this trip couldn’t get any better!

Before we get back to our regularly scheduled post, I just have to say (well, shout):

I followed the game’s finale with the final two episodes of this season’s “Mad Men”, and without giving away the plot, I’ll just say that I found the ending unconvincing and weird. Also that it was the bleakest season yet. Can’t wait for next season, though. Same goes for the Giants.

And now back to Halloween…

Roscoe gets in the Halloween spirit

On Halloween morning, I introduced Jessica and the kittens to “The Munsters”. Jessica was immediately captivated, especially by Lily*, seeing through the make-up and finding her beautiful. She also liked Lily’s signature bat necklace, saying “And it’s bling, which we love.”

Megan came by to pick us up, and we started our grand Halloween tour in town, where there was a party at a pet food emporium. We met up with Lu and Harlow:

You can see that Harlow is much bigger than last year.

In addition to bobbing for hot dogs for the dogs, gift bags for all, raffles, and games, there was face painting. Jessica got in the Halloween spirit with a spider:

Then we stopped in at the Town Hall to see the Day of the Dead exhibits. It was so wonderful that it deserves its own post.

Finally, we all repaired to Lu’s house so Jessica could get ready. I was charged with putting make-up on around the spider. The white make-up supposedly glowed in the dark, but it didn’t seem to when the time came. It was kind of a challenge blending the white with the green and the spider. Also, Jessica’s skin is so fair it’s almost translucent, and utterly smooth and flawless.

She wouldn’t let me give her witchy eyebrows, so I just darkened hers:

It’s hard to tell from the picture, but there are glow sticks around her wrist and ankle. Needless to say, her mother made the dress:

I have to admit I was a little surprised that Jessica didn’t want to be something more unusual. But she looked adorable.

In the village, Dr. Karen’s office was open and decorated to the nines (or thirteens). She was dressed as a mad scientist and dispensed treats for dogs, cats, and kids as well as grown-ups, in the form of free wine. We went on to the street fair, where the Flynn Creek Circus performed:

You can see that the weather had finally cleared up after trick or treating us with ten inches of early rain. As the evening went on, the stars were out in full force, as if they had missed us.

Despite the starlight, trick or treating in the dark was tricky for Self, though Megan and Jessica had no problem bouncing along the village streets. I lagged behind, convinced that I’d trip over something or fall into a hole, but I managed to survive this particular Halloween unscathed, unlike last year.

We ended up at the historic Crown Hall, where there was a costume judging contest for the kids. I can’t begin to describe the racket in that place. Not for the first time, I marveled at parents and their patience, and wondered how my own put up with so many kids and so many Halloweens, so long ago.

*Played by the lovely Yvonne De Carlo. She was the secret Canadian in the show. You’ll find one in every TV show. You’ll see.

I know it’s not very Halloween-y, but my new purple honeysuckle just started blooming on Saturday!

In a more Halloween spirit, Megan and I spent the weekend with none other than Miss Jessica. We picked her up in Navarro, so Erica wouldn’t have to drive all the way to Hooterville and back, something she already does five times a week, every week. The life of a single mother is always intense.

Megan and I arrived first, so we had plenty of time to play “There’s your boyfriend” in the general store’s parking lot. I’d say approximately 90% of the 69 people who populate Navarro could easily have been extras in “Deliverance”. Before we could decide between the toothless guy and the one with the ZZ Top beard, Erica and Jessica arrived, injecting a much-needed note of loveliness to the proceedings.

Jessica hopped into Megan’s car without a backward glance. Unlike many kids her age, she’s perfectly comfortable staying overnight with us, which is nice.

Jessica came equipped with a bag large enough for a visiting Anna Wintour, along with a pumpkin and a book of designs. Needless to say, she had her heart set on the most difficult design of all. Megan and I cleaned out the guck and grossness while Jessica supervised. Once again I wonder how Dad put up with it when we were kids. Though maybe scientists aren’t all that easily grossed out.

Megan set aside some seeds for Jessica to grow next year, and roasted the remainder. We ate the roasted ones while watching “The Witches”, based on Roald Dahl’s novel and starring a wonderfully wicked Queen Witch, Anjelica Huston.

Rob came home and carved the pumpkin in true Rob style. I think he enjoyed it:

After dinner, I read “The Princess and the Goblin” aloud. I remember reading it when I was little. Though I was a little surprised that Jessica knew what “inundation” meant. I probably shouldn’t have been.

Clyde in a box! Shipping not included.

You’d think this seemingly endless parade of cold, rainy days would inspire me to clean up the house, but you’d be wrong. I’m much more inspired to clean on sunny days, when I can have the doors open to dry things off and cheer me up. Whereas gloomy weather plunges me into ennui and lassitude. If I didn’t have so much work to do, I’d spend the whole day lying around awash in regret and gloom, impatiently waiting for cocktail time.

As it is, I have work to do which may spill over into the weekend, and I really should tidy up the house, because Miss Jessica is arriving for a sleepover tomorrow. Then I get to go trick-or-treating with her on Sunday. I figure a girl who mentally decorated my balcony will probably notice if the house is untidy, though she will probably be too polite to say so.

On the bright side of the gloom, all this rain means that I don’t have to water the plants with my leaking hose. I think I’m going to have to invest in a new hose this spring, and they are surprisingly expensive, like tires, and almost as fun. I hate spending money on non-frivolous items.

And in other good news, the Giants have won the first two games of the World Series and are now only two away from the big prize. They didn’t get rained out last night, and the game was incredibly entertaining, with the Giants scoring an astonishing seven runs in the eighth inning. The kittens and I could hardly believe our eyes. The Giants won 9-0, and are on their way to Texas for tomorrow night’s game. Stay tuned!

A year ago today, I moved to Hooterville.

Last year, it was warm and sunny. This year, it’s cold and rainy*.

Last year, I had my beautiful June Bug and my sweet little Henry Etta. Now they are gone, and I have the two rambunctious kittens to make me laugh, drive me crazy, and ease the aching of my heart. My precious Audrey is the same as ever, thankfully.

Last year, I had the moving-related knee injury and the gravity-related full body injury. This year, I’ve managed to remain major injury free (touch wood), though of course there have been the occasional Calamity Suzy incidents. It just wouldn’t be me otherwise.

Last year, I was too injured to go trick-or-treating with Jessica. This year, try and stop me. Erica asked Jessica if she’d rather go with her friends this year. Jessica said, “But Mom! I need my entourage!”

Last year, there was a lot to do in the house and garden. This year, there’s just the bathroom floor to paint, the new heater to install, and plans for the garden for next year. I’d like to have a table and chairs in the garden, and some lounging chairs on the balcony, as suggested by Jessica**.

Over the past year, I have come to appreciate and love my little family even more than I already did. Last night, I thought about how many things that make my house more comfortable and livable were brought to me by Rob. The Suzy proofed loft; the curtain rods; the CD shelves; the cat doors; the towel bars and shower curtain rod in the bathroom, to name a few. Looking around, I am surrounded by love.

*Everyone is blaming me for bringing down some kind of bad weather curse on Hooterville. Maybe Christine O’Donnell can help.

**While doing her homework the other day, she asked her mother if she had spelled “manifest destiny” correctly.

Study in pink*

Thursday was an exciting day.

Mark came by in the morning and said he was ready to put the new carpet in the sleeping loft. I ran upstairs and started hauling everything I could onto the balcony. It’s a good thing that the balcony is so big and so close. I’m pretty sure the balcony is actually bigger than the loft.

I needed help with the bed, bureau, and wardrobe, though. Mark took the headboard off and then we could move the bed onto the balcony and be horrified by all the spiderwebs behind it. Even Martha Stewart would find it hard to wiggle behind the bed and dust where the curved walls are about one foot high.

When Erica and Jessica stopped by, they were greeted by the old carpet and under padding, which had been tossed off the balcony to the graveled parking area in front of the house.

While Mark worked on the carpet, Jessica and I picked and ate huckleberries and talked about life in general. She finds school too easy, and says the teacher isn’t strict enough. This is something I would never have said at the age of seven. Or any age, really.

While Jessica and I hung out, Erica was at Jessica’s school, getting their version of things. Jessica is the smartest kid in the class (and probably the school), but doesn’t want to bother spending time on the boring, easy work. She wants to jump ahead to fun things, like cursive and advanced math.

When Erica got back to my place, she explained to Jessica that she’ll have to do the boring work first, and only then will she get to do the fun things. She suggested that Jessica see how fast she can get it out of the way, so she can spend more time on fun activities. Somehow I feel there’s some kind of lesson here for me, too.

*Erica made the coat out of faux fur. Isn’t it fabulous? It wouldn’t look out of place with that recent Vogue pictorial.