The Napoleon and Ollie Show

I saw Napoleon and his "mom" on their usual street corner. It was after dark and about 40º. She was wearing a couple layers of t-shirts under her hoodie and they were both sitting on blankets to protect them from the cold cement. Napoleon, however, was styling. Decked out in a happening little rust colored vest with a fleece collar. From a distance, he looked like puppy.

I found out his vest was originally bought for a chihuahua, who promptly outgrew it and so the dog owner gave it to Napoleon, who loves it. Or at least didn't resist it and didn't let it restrict his motion. That's one of the best things about my involvement with Napoleon and his humans: seeing how generous my fellow Chicagoans can be. Mom was eating pizza from a Giordano's box -- clearly someone had shared their leftovers with her. And Napoleon's food, both canned and kibble, was plentiful.

While we were talking, a young woman came by with Ollie, a lively dog with a curly tail (a shiba inu?). He and Napoleon are good pals, and they were delightful together. Napoleon dropped to his back and wriggled on the sidewalk while Ollie nuzzled his tummy. Then he let Ollie sniff his butt -- but only for a Napoleon-prescribed period of time. Then he turned and gave his canine companion a swift slap on the nose. This commenced a brief interlude of rough house, interrupted when Ollie caught sight of Napoleon's food dish and decided cat food looked good to him. His owner intervened.

She also gave Napoleon a new shirt, a gift from Ollie. It's a tiny dog onesie that says, "I love my mom," and it's decorated with a pawprint. It delighted Napoleon's mom. "Get! Out!" she laughed in delight. I have learned that this is a happy part of her day: chatting with other women, purely as a pet mom. Not as a homeless woman.

Even though Napoleon virtually ignored me, I'm glad I got to see this performance of the Napoleon and Ollie Show. For it does look like the curtain will be coming down soon. Caleb, his wife and Napoleon expect to be on a bus to Cleveland tomorrow or Thursday. They are waiting for a form, duly signed by a judge, to come back to the Chicago Legal Clinic.

Getting Caleb's long-ago, teenage shoplifting conviction expunged from his record has turned out to be free and surprisingly easy -- once he learned how to do it. I'm proud that I was able to put him in touch with a lawyer who was able to handle to paperwork so now he can go on and get a job.

This job as a window washer means everything to Caleb and his little family. Those paychecks will make it possible for them to give up their tent and sleep indoors, where it's dry and warm. It will give them access to running water, so his wife can groom regularly. Then she can apply to pass the boards in Ohio and resume her career as a licensed hairstylist. Their goal is to begin 2018 in a furnished apartment.

"I have been talking to other people in our situation," she told me last night. "There are so many obstacles to a fresh start!" She was referring to how Caleb had gotten the window washing job, completed his internship, arranged for his union dues, and then at the last moment, during the routine background check, his minor conviction came back to haunt him. His prospective boss, who really believes in this young man, will still give Caleb the job ... as long as the conviction is expunged from his record.


"If it wasn't for your help, we might have given up."

Hearing that meant the world to me.

Sunday Stealing

SUNDAY STEALING: FIRST THINGS FIRST

{1} First thing you would do/buy if you won the lottery:
This makes me kinda sad, since I had long wanted to replace the fence at my mother's house with my lottery winnings. But she's gone and the house isn't hers anymore. SO I'll double my retirement savings and if there's any left over, I'll (finally!) finish my bathroom. If there's still any left over, I'll take my nephew to Washington DC. He so wants to go, and it would be the perfect high school graduation gift for him.

{2} First person you call when you get amazing news:
Depends on the news. My life is kinda compartmentalized.
 

Reynaldo can be very understanding

{3} First thing you do when you've had a bad day:
Reach for Reynaldo.
 
{4} First movie you went to without your parents:
A re-release of Hayley Mills' Parent Trap.
 
{5} First sport you played (Little League-style or in school):
Other than mandatory PE class, it would be volleyball. (I suck at sports.)
 
{6} First major injury:
When I was a preschooler, I fell down the stairs and broke my clavicle.

{7} First product I use in the shower: 
Aveeno Ultra Calming Facial Cleanser
 
{8} First apartment or house on your own (away from you parents!):
A studio with lovely hardwood floors and a spiral staircase. I was very happy there for a long time. But I'm glad I no longer rent. Amazingly, that little apartment costs more in rent than my current mortgage payment on a 2BR condo.
 
{9} First Roommate(s):  
I've never had a roommate. Never shared a room with my sister. Never went away to college so I wasn't in a dorm. While I've "shacked up" (as my parents' generation liked to say) with a man or two, I never gave up my own apartment.
 
{10} First Time Living Away from Home: 
The apartment mentioned in #8. 
 

I loved you, Bobby.

{11} First magazine subscription:
In junior high, I paid for a subscription to FAVE with my allowance.
 
{12} First real piece of jewelry you owned:
I have no precious stones of my own. When my mom died, my sisters decided I should have her engagement/wedding rings. I never wear them. I suppose if times get tough, I can sell them. (My parents did not have a happy marriage and it's hard for me to get sentimental about these rings.)

{13} First time staying home alone:
My parents and sisters went out to dinner but I begged to stay home and they let me. I looooooved it.
 
{14} First thing I reach for in the fridge:
Coke.
 
{15} First car accident or traffic violation:
I don't drive.

Bonus:  Toilet paper, over or under? 
Over. I feel very strongly about this. 

 

Or I could just sleep

This was one of those rainy days when nothing went right. I overslept ... the sky was gray and the drizzle was continuous ...  my optometrist stood me up (the office was locked tight and no one was answering the phone) ... I'm worried about my friend in California, and about Henry, who has fresh new money troubles on top of his ongoing ones ... The book I'm reading has become unremittingly sad ... I'm discouraged about my own inertia. I got a freelance assignment from a friend-of-a-friend and I just haven't done anything on it. I literally can't afford to be so lackadaisical about this side job.

So what did I do? I napped.

I woke up and ate dinner. Then I went back to bed.

Am I worn down by worry? Will all this sleep leave me feeling rejuvenated?

Or am I sliding into depression?

Stay tuned ...

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Suddenly I See (2005)

1) This song is a tribute to Patti Smith, the rocker who inspired KT Tunstall. What woman who has inspired you? JBKO. She handled everything life threw at her with grace: an alcoholic father, two complicated marriages,  five difficult pregnancies yet leaving the hospital only twice with a baby in her arms, one husband shot while sitting beside her, losing her favorite brother-in-law to murder, her own battle with cancer ... Somehow she made this dramatic and painful life look effortless. As one who can be ruled by emotion, and wears my heart on my sleeve, I admire Jackie so much.

2) In this video, you can see a turntable and an LP. When is the last time you played a record? I don't even remember. My turntable is no longer hooked up to the speakers. I should get rid of the damn thing.

3) Growing up, Ms. Tunstall seldom sang at home because her father is severely hearing impaired and music interfered with his sensitive hearing aid. Do you, or does anyone in your family, wear a hearing aid?  No

4) In high school, she got experience performing on street corners. Have you ever tipped a street musician? No. I'm always compelled to share my change with the homeless, instead.

5) When this song was popular, Microsoft introduced the Xbox 360 to North America. Are you into gaming? Farmville 2. Sometimes I play canasta on Pogo.

6)  In 2005, Prince Charles married his long-time love, Camilla Parker Bowles. At the time of their wedding, 73% of Brits said they disapproved of her. Today, her popularity has increased somewhat and her disapproval has dropped to 55%. Do you know anyone who married someone you didn't like? Did their spouse grow on you with time? A buddy of mine was dating a slightly older woman, divorced, with a son. My friend was crazy about her and wanted us to love her, too. It was hard, though, because every time we all got together, she was virtually silent. We thought she was aloof and elite, determined to incorporate him into her life but uninterested in becoming part of his life. When he said he was going to marry her, I nearly cried. That was in 2008. Here we are, nine years later, and they are still going strong. We have, as I feared, virtually "lost" him. They moved out to a distant suburb and had a baby and he doesn't have time or opportunity to hang out anymore. I miss him, but I'm glad he's happy with her, happier than I ever would have predicted.
 
7) Harry Potter ad the Goblet of Fire was popular in theaters. Who is your favorite "Harry Potter" character? I don't have a favorite character. I haven't read the books or seen the movies.

8) In 2005, YouTube was introduced by three young men who met while working at PayPal. What's the last thing you paid for using PayPal? Skincare from the Body Shop's website.
 
9) Random Question: After a long, exhausting day of travel, you check into a motel. The room is not at all to your liking. It's next to the ice machine, so you can hear cubes dropping noisily into metal buckets. Your view is of the parking lot. The bathtowels and thin and tiny. In short, you feel like you're being ripped off. Do you grab your bag, turn on your heel and check out, hoping there are better accommodations nearby? Or do you say, "What the hell, it's only one night," and climb into bed? I'd just say "What the hell." And mentally compose my TripAdvisor review, so that some other unsuspecting traveler doesn't find herself in this same predicament.

Dona Nobis Pacem

I live in a city awash in guns. Over 100 people were shot over the four-day July 4 holiday here in Chicago. 12 of those citizens died. Just another hot summer weekend in the Windy City.

It makes me sad. It makes me angry. Worst of all, it leaves me numb. I'm so inured to violence that when I heard about the San Bernadino shooting in 2015, I honest to God thought, "14 killed? What's the big deal?"

I actually have to remind myself to be appalled by the indifference to life displayed when one person points a firearm at another person and fires.

The September carnage in Las Vegas was so egregious it had the power to shock me. Yet when citizens tried to engage politicians in a conversation about guns in this country, all I heard was, "Now is not the time."

Apparently talking about Las Vegas is "politicizing" tragedy. Never mind that President Donald Trump and his spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee-Sanders, talk about Chicago all the time. The White House brings up our firearm homicides when talking about immigration and sanctuary cities. The White House brings up our firearm homicides when the subject of gun control comes up. "Politicizing" the deaths of our young people is acceptable, I guess, because our blood is shed 24/7, while the Las Vegas murders happened in a matter of minutes. "Politicizing" our deaths is OK  because Illinois is a blue state while Nevada is red.

The White House is wrong.

NOW IS THE TIME. Today and every day is the time to talk about bringing peace to our streets.

•  How did the NRA amass so much influence? Is it because of their money? Is it because of their ability to get single-issue voters to the polls? We should examine this.

•  What role does gerrymandering play in the election and re-election of staunchly pro-gun politicians? We deserve to know.

•  There's a chasm between urban and rural Americans when it comes to the subject of guns. We need to talk about this, and listen to one another with respect.

•  What impact does our approach to mental health have on this gun carnage? As our lawmakers talk about dismantling Obamacare, are they considering this?

NOW IS THE TIME. Today and every day is the time to talk about bringing peace to our streets.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BLOGGING FOR PEACE HERE.

We're a community of writers who believe words matter.

Who's the chick with Harry?

In Chicago, we're very proud of the Obamas. They're like our royal family.


Until, of course, an actual royal shows up.

This week, Prince Harry was in town! He was here for a summit, one of the first events sponsored by the Obama Presidential Center. He and the former FLOTUS took a side trip to Hyde Park Academy, a high school in the South Side neighborhood where Michelle grew up. Mrs. Obama and Mr. Windsor encouraged the students to "stay inspired and hopeful," and to use their voices to change the world.

To say Harry was a hit with the kids would be an understatement. His mother would be proud of his ability to relate and inspire everyone he meets.

 

 

 

 

Photos by the Obama Foundation

The list just got longer

There are artists whose films I simply refuse to pay to see. Until recently, the one I missed the most was Woody Allen. I loved his work. Perceptive, sharp. Romantic but wise. Funny and touching. He is a brilliant film maker and writer, and an abysmal human being. Forget the allegations Mia Farrow made about him molesting their little girl. Just look at what he admitted to: he seduced his lover's daughter ... he romanced the sister of his son and daughter. He destroyed a family, just because he was horny. I refuse to put money in this man's pocket.

And I feel betrayed because I enjoyed Woody Allen so very much.

Now we know that Kevin Spacey has a dark, dark side. Entertaining, clever and so very versatile. (Who else could quote both Bobby Darin song lyrics and Hamlet's soliloquy in the same conversation?) From the time I saw him in Glengarry Glen Ross, way back in 1992, when he told Alan Arkin to "go to lunch," I've never seen him give a bad performance.

But it turns out he is a very bad man. Again, as with Woody, I am basing this not on the allegations but on the admitted fact. He responded to charges that he tried to compromise a minor by first blaming booze and then coming out the closet. Really? Like alcoholic = pedophile, or homosexual = pedophile? No, Mr. Spacey, the only thing that equals pedophile is pedophile.

I'm done with Kevin Spacey, but it makes me sad.

Why does God bestow such extravagant gifts on such unworthy people?

At least I could help

I saw Napoleon and his "parents" today, on their usual corner. This made me both happy and sad. Happy because petting this healthy and rambunctious little guy lifts my spirits. Sad because the nights are cold, and I really hoped all three of them were able to leave homelessness behind and start  their new life in Cleveland.

I found out what went wrong. When Caleb filled out all the paperwork for his new job as a window washer,  it was discovered that he had a criminal conviction for theft. The story behind it is painfully mundane. Eight years ago, when he was 18, he shoplifted a couple hundred dollars worth of electronics from a department store. It's the only stain on his record.

The company that interviewed him won't budge on this: he cannot have a criminal conviction in the last 10 years. If Caleb had been just months younger when he was arrested, it would have been a juvenile offense and couldn't be held against him. If the calendar read 2019, it would be a decade ago and wouldn't count. But as it is, he's a convicted criminal whose offense was eight years ago.

His prospective boss is doing everything he can to square this. He told Caleb that if he can get the conviction removed from his record, the company will agree to act as though it never happened. This boss has been a real mensch. He believes in this young man and wants to give him a chance to turn his life around. He's made allowances for his homelessness -- he knows Caleb can't show up for work pressed and dressed, that he doesn't have a phone at his fingertips and communication will be spotty and that without a car, he has to depend on buses and hitched rides. Even with all this, he's stuck with Caleb, and seems to be moved by how embarrassed the young man is by the youthful indiscretion coming back to haunt him.

That's all well and good, but now what? This morning, Caleb's wife asked me if I wouldn't mind looking up the process involved with getting the conviction removed. After all, they don't have easy access to the internet.

I was excited to find the Chicago Legal Clinic. They provide legal help at low or no cost to our underserved community. I checked them out and they are very legit. (One of their board members is the Cook County Treasurer.) I printed out the paperwork and left it with them at lunchtime.

On the way home this evening, I found that Caleb had already phoned CLC and, while it may take a while and could involve standing before a judge, getting a conviction like his expunged happens all the time. The attorney who specializes in this wasn't available today, but still, Caleb was taken seriously and treated with respect, which filled him with hope.

And personally, I found it very satisfying when they thanked me. His wife said, "We didn't know who else to ask." I've learned so much from knowing this little family. As much as food/money/shelter, they appreciate the normalcy and conversation that comes with being treated as people, not homeless people. They were afraid to ask anyone else for help because Caleb finds his conviction so humiliating, and is afraid that most of the people they see day in/day out would think less of him for it. I guess the time I've spent with them, telling them about my cats Reynaldo and Connie, discussing books and baseball, has mattered.

This makes me happy, too.

Now let's get them out of Chicago and on their way to Cleveland!

New isn't necessarily better

Sulfur has been around for centuries. It's in gunpowder and matches and fertilizer. It's so industrial and sounds so harsh that I have avoided using it on my skin.

I'm an idiot.

I felt another one of those ugly cysts forming, this time on the other side of my chin. I was desperate. So I reached for the Principal Secret Blemish Buster I ordered by accident and never returned out of laziness.

I began using it, sparingly, Friday night. By Sunday morning, all that remained was a flat, red spot.

The redness will last for a while. As I age, my skin is slower to heal. I'm not happy about that, of course, but it's sooooo much better than the raised, angry, unsightly cyst!

Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide failed me. But ancient sulfur came through. Lesson learned.

And this year's winner is ...

The Roberto Clemente Award goes to the major league baseball player who "best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

This year, the winner is the Chicago Cubs first baseman (and my favorite) Anthony Rizzo.  Yes, he hit 32 home runs this year and made just 3 errors in nearly 160 games. But he's raised literally millions of dollars for pediatric cancer research. A cancer survivor himself, he regularly visits Lurie Children's Hospital here in Chicago, inspiring kids who are fighting the disease and supporting their parents. His foundation funded the new family waiting room at Lurie. When it became known that a little girl in St. Louis, battling brain cancer, lost the Rizzo picture she kept in her hospital room, he sent another ... and a signed jersey ... and tickets to Opening Day 2018 at Wrigley Field.  As if all this weren't enough to make him a stellar role model for kids ...

He donated his prize money. $25,000 went to Puerto Rican hurricane relief, as Anthony Rizzo's personal tribute to Roberto Clemente.

I've seen Anthony Rizzo apologize to an umpire for his attitude, cry on camera when emotion overtakes him, and even threaten to take on the entire Cincinnati dugout when their reliever beaned his teammates. On the field and off, this kid exhibits nothing but heart.

My friend John teases me that I act as though Rizz "sprang from my loins." I can only imagine how proud his mother must be of this son she raised.

Sunday Stealing

 Monster Mash

ghost: what would you like on your tombstone?
I don't want a tombstone. I'd like to be cremated and put in an urn. Or perhaps my remains will be of use to a hospital or medical school.

dracula: are you afraid of aging? or death?
Neither. I'm afraid of losing my faculties.

nosferatu: what, as a child, did you imagine went bump in the night?
I was afraid of be awoken by either a clown or a fire in my bedroom.

godzilla: what do you do when you are angry? are you ever destructive?
I get hostile and snappish.

the blob: do you collect anything? if so, what and why?
I collect books. Because they're books.

zombie: when was the last time you trusted your gut? was it successful?
Nothing comes to mind. Sorry.

mothra: what is something dangerous that attracts or fascinates you?
Whenever I go to the zoo, I find myself transfixed by the alligators.

 
king kong: what are some questionable choices you've made lately?
How about farting around on the internet when I could be doing housework, sorting laundry, organizing my bookshelves ...

alien: what is your strangest feature?
My sense of humor. I often find inappropriate things funny.

cthulhu: do you like the ocean? why or why not?
I like the ocean. Because it's vast and it compasses so many shades of blue and green (my two favorite colors).
  
nessie: have you ever felt invisible to people -- the feeling of not existing?
Yes. It happens more and more often as I get older.

mutant spider: what is one of your biggest fears?
Airline travel.

werewolf: if you could change into any nonhuman animal and back at will, what animal would you change into and why?
One of my cats. That way I would know better how to make my home happier for them.


golem: if you could make up an imaginary friend, what would they be like and why?
I object to this question. Why can't I make up an imaginary friend any time I wish to?

leprechaun: what is your "pot of gold" (or white whale, if you'd rather)
Peace of mind.


sharktopus: what is something you've done that was ridiculous or a bad decision?
I stayed in a relationship way too long. I think of him every time I hear the Huey Lewis song, "If This Is It." There's a line that goes: let me go or make me want to stay. That sums up that relationship.

robot: what is a habit you do without thinking?
I catch myself scratching the inside of my ear with a pen. I do it when I'm lost in thought and not paying attention. It's creepy and I wish it didn't.

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodnight

I don't think I'll ever see Napoleon the Cat again. On the one hand, this makes me happy. Of course. Five-month-old Napoleon and his humans had been living in a tent by the Chicago River, and it's simply getting too cold at night for them to be safe and comfortable.

Plus, Caleb and his wife are nice people. They deserve this opportunity that has come their way. This window-washing job in Cleveland will make it possible for all three of them to live indoors, in a shelter that has shower facilities. They can save enough money to move into a furnished apartment. Once they have plumbing and an address, she can take her boards, get licensed and resume her career as a hairstylist.

All good.

Yea!

So why aren't I happy?

I will miss them. These three souls have taken up residence in my thoughts, prayers and imagination. I spoke to them, and watched Napoleon grow, several times a week since Memorial Day. I enjoyed giving them books and then discussing the stories with them. I loved hearing how in love they are with the kitten they rescued, and telling them about my cat. I was happy to help them, with crumpled dollar bills, change, oversized plastic bags to keep their belongings dry, and cat food. I didn't take one of my coats to Goodwill because I thought Napoleon's mom might be able to make use of it.

Still, I hope they're gone from Chicago for good. I prefer the twinge of longing I feel when I look at the spots on the corners where they panhandled daily to the fear I feel about how living outdoors through a Chicago winter would be.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Monster Mash (1962)

1) In your younger days, did you ever trick or treat while dressed as a monster or ghoul? No. Never anything scary. I was almost always something store-bought, with a plastic mask held on with a very thin piece of elastic that I always broke.

2) Do you enjoy being frightened by celluloid boys-gone-bad, like Michael Myers

(Halloween) or Jason (Friday the 13th)? No. Though I have always wanted to watch Friday the 13th, since Jason's mama was played by Betsey Palmer. I grew up watching her as a smiling, sunny contestant on daytime game shows. I think it would be campy fun (no pun intended) to see her in something twisty.

But she seemed so nice on I've Got a Secret!

3) When you were a kid, did you ever TP a neighbor's house or indulge in any other Halloween acts of vandalism? (Don't worry, the statute of limitations is up.) Nope

4) Will you be attending any Halloween parties this year? If so, will you dress up? No parties, but my movie group is meeting tonight for a special screening of Arsenic and Old Lace. It's a screwball comedy about a handsome young man (Cary Grant) who brings his best girl home to meet his dear old aunties and discovers the old girls are actually serial killers. No, really. It's very funny. And, in its way, wholesome. It was made by Frank Capra -- you know him from It's a Wonderful Life.

They don't look too scary, do they?

5) Can you see any Halloween decorations as you answer these 9 questions? Nope

6) While Halloween is most popular in the United States and Canada, and isn't really celebrated at all in Japan or South Korea. How would you explain our Halloween customs to a visitor from another land? It's all about fantasy. We can believe in the supernatural, or pretend to be someone we're not, and forget that candy has calories.

 

7) "Monster Mash" is one of Halloween's most played songs. Are you happy to hear it every year? Or does it set your teeth on edge? I'm glad we only hear it once a year.

8) This week's featured artist, Bobby "Boris" Pickett, started as a stand-up comedian who incorporated his imitations of Boris Karlof and Bela Lugosi into his act. Can you impersonate anyone? Nope

9) Dick Clark was an impossibly young looking 33 in this week's featured clip. Are you often told you look good for your age? Yes. I'm lucky that way. It's not like either of my parents or my sisters aged particularly well, so I can't credit it to good genes. Just good fortune.

The Friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.

From Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson.  This is the biography of Rosemary, JFK's sister, born in 1918. It was obvious to her family that Rosie was "different" (slow and physically uncoordinated). As she watched her younger brothers and sisters pass her intellectually and athletically, Rosemary's frustrations gave way to fits of rage. It was hard for her to live at home with the family.

Her parents loved and wanted to help their oldest daughter. But in 1930s America, there was little if any distinction made between "mentally challenged" and "mentally ill," and Joe and Rose Kennedy were horrified by the options available for Rosemary. From page 56:

Dark, dirty and disease- and rodent-infested, many institutions for the insane and disabled provided little more than shelter and some food. Medical care was spotty; occupational therapy and educational and vocational training was nonexistent. Patients and residents would sometimes spend days and nights caked in their own excrement.

    

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

1. What are you currently reading? Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Lawson. Joe and Rose Kennedy's third child and first daughter was an American tragedy. Early on, her parents were aware that Rosie was "different." She was clumsy and a slow learner. Her parents tried everything from prayer to tutors to special schools. Nothing worked. In 1941, her father unilaterally decided on a drastic remedy and, at the age of 23, she suffered a botched lobotomy. The tragedy of Rosemary inspired Eunice Kennedy Shriver's tireless efforts on behalf of the learning disabled and The Special Olympics.
 

That's the basic outline of the story, and pretty much as far as Kennedy lore takes us. We know very little about Rosemary the person. What was she like as a girl, before the surgery? How was she different after the operation? What was Rosie's impact on John, Robert and Ted Kennedy (and, therefore, our country)? This book sensitively endeavors to answer those questions.

2. What did you recently finish reading? The Starter Wife by Gigi Levangie Grazer.  Though it's written in a hip and cynical style, this is a fairy tale at heart. The Wife of a Producer suddenly, unexpectedly finds herself left behind. Over a summer she rebuilds her life with the help of good friends, a rent-free, luxury Malibu beach house, and a sexy stranger named Sam. And yes, she lives happily ever after.
 

This is entertaining Hollywood chicklit, nothing more. One of the more interesting things about it was unintentional. Written in 2007, it's already hopelessly dated. Much is made of our heroine's villainous husband's pretentious dependence on his cell phone. In 2017, when many households don't even have landlines anymore, America communicates on mobile. Also, when our heroine wants to know something about her well-heeled Malibu neighbors, she whispers questions to the guard in the gated community. Today she'd just log on and check Google.

3.  What will you read next? It will be time for a mystery.

 

I got a hug in the mail

I received the loveliest letter from Cousin Rose. Very thoughtful and heartfelt. Of course I'm "a nervous wreck" these days! I'm faced with losing my job! But now, Rose counsels, is a time for faith and positive thinking. She reminds me that God knows what's best, not us,* and shared this quote:

"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."

That Joseph Campbell quote is at the beginning of Dan Brown's Origin, which she just picked up after receiving my letter about St. Louis. Coincidence? Maybe. But she thought it was an important quote to share with me, right now.

She believes this all might be a nice challenge for me, a way to shake me up and introduce me to things outside my comfort zone. She reminded me of all the ways her life was turned upside when her husband left her, of how her original plans for retirement had to be revised when her company reorganized. She knows I'll be blessed with right help at the right time.

This letter was Rose at her best. She has loved me forever and has always, always been there for me. She can be inflexible and judgemental. I think impatience with life is a result of her very painful divorce.

But she has been a generous constant in my life for as long as I can remember. Since my mother's death, Rosie is the one who has known and loved me the longest. Eleven years my senior, she looked out for me and was my lifeline when I was a disenfranchised, misunderstood teen. She seems willing to be my sherpa as I navigate the shoals of this life change.

Rose has always had my back. The older I get, the more I treasure that history.

*Something she realizes I believe, but must be reminded of!

Sunday Stealing

Sleepy Rambles


Have you ever eaten at restaurant and you realized you forgot your money? Yes. That's how I found out that the owner knew my name. I offered to leave my cellphone as "collateral" when I ran home to get my wallet but she said, "Oh, Gal, just pay next time you're in the neighborhood." I was so touched that of course I ran home as fast as my pudgy little legs could take me and returned with the money. It seems I was not only one of her first-ever customers, I left the restaurant's first YELP! review, the owner felt a kinship with me, even though we'd never spoken directly. Now, we chat every time we see one another.

True or false-you can pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time. Yes. But I never tried until just this moment. Who knew I was so gifted?

Do you prefer to drink out of cans or bottles? I think beer and soda from glass bottles taste better. There's a compelling argument, however, that cans have a smaller carbon footprint than bottles, so I more often buy cans. Just because that argument is convincing, it's not conclusive. So the most delicious and environmentally sound way to enjoy beer/soda is from the tap or fountain.

Do your socks match today? I'm sock free, at least right now. It's almost 70º outside. Unusual for October. I'm taking advantage of it and letting my toes breathe a little.

What was the last book you read? Would you recommend it? The last book I

A life cut tragically short

finished was Helter Skelter. I recommend it because it introduced me to Rosemary LaBianca. She was one of the Manson Family victims, and usually is described as "wife of." She was much more than that. In the 1950s, she found herself a divorced mother of two with no means of support. She went from carhop to entrepreneur, who built a boutique business all on her own that was worth $1 million when she retired and married Leno LaBianca. She was such a good mother and stepmother that Leno's first wife only spoke about Rosemary in the most glowing terms. (How rare is that?) It's a coincidence that as I was reading Helter Skelter, Leslie Van Houten was approved for parole. Van Houten admits to stabbing Rosemary LaBianca at least a dozen times. Right now the only thing between Van Houten and freedom is Governor Jerry Brown. I don't believe in the death penalty, but I firmly believe Leslie Van Houten is exactly where she belongs, and she has no right to live free. Not after her savage participation in denying Mrs. LaBianca the right to live at all.

Are you currently borrowing something from someone? I borrowed money from Chase to buy this condo. I'm more than halfway done paying them back.
Write an extremely random statement. East and east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce, they taste more like prunes than rhubarb does. (Groucho Marx)

Are there any major holidays you don’t celebrate? I'm not big on Easter. Oh, I celebrate and revere the Resurrection at church and in my heart. But I don't dress up, don't color eggs, don't eat ham .... If I celebrate it at all, beyond the obvious and overriding Christian significance, it's because it means I'm that much closer to Opening Day.

What is one thing you will never understand? Water displacement and how stuff floats.

Have you ever stepped on a bee? No. Considering I'm very allergic to bee sting, this is serious shit and not a mere hypothetical for me.

What helps you wake up in the morning? Reynaldo. He looks sweet in this photo, and at times he is terribly dear, but he is not shy about letting me know he gets bored and hungry during those overnight hours.

What did you have for breakfast this morning? Pumpkin spice Cheerios.

What is your favorite thing in your room? In this room? My favorite thing is the aforementioned Reynaldo.

Who was your first kiss with? David from up the block.

Do you worry about small things?  I worry about all things!

Again!

Saturday I went to the optometrist to get my contact lens prescription updated/renewed. After examining me, the doctor refused to do it.

Apparently, without my even noticing it, my "dry eye" is back. He says it makes it impossible for him to assess my prescription.

So it's two weeks of eyeglasses and eyedrops. Hopefully in November, I'll get a clear bill of optical health and a new contact lens prescription.