You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth.

And speaking of books…

Cynthia did come over last Sunday afternoon and a wonderful time was had by all. And by “all” I mean Cynthia, me and Erin. (Hey – remind me to tell you about Erin one of these days. Yikes.) Cynthia came in, sat down and gave Erin a mini back massage and a friend was made for life. She didn’t rub my back though – I’m thinking of cuttin’ her loose.

Ha! I would never cut someone loose who comes over to visit and then allows me to spend time taking pictures and then editing those pictures on the computer. Sure, she had her own selfish reasons (she wanted photos taken for her new blog profile) but whatever, I got to play with my camera and talk endlessly about photography. Fun for me!! She claimed to enjoy it too but we’ll see. If it takes her another 6+ months to come over again, well, then we’ll know the truth won’t we?

Another reason to keep her around is that she actually reads this blog. (At least she read up before coming over. Hey, I’ll take it.) And the book exchanges! She asked me about the books I’ve been reading and wanted to borrow a couple. So she left with a CD of portraits and 2 books. Overthrow and Legacy of Ashes: the History of the CIA. Oh dear. I’m really not sure that was such a good idea. She has a tender heart and I’m afraid even though she wants to know… well…she couldn’t stomach The Sandman books I lent her and those are fiction – how will she handle such a horrifying reality?! True, there are no graphic pictures but she’s an artist and the words will paint their own gruesome images. Hmm, maybe I’m concerned for nothing and she’ll take the recklessness with other peoples lives in stride. Maybe her walls won’t end up with dents in the plaster (that CIA book is big and heavy!). Maybe after the first book she’ll decide she’s just not as masochistic as I am and call it a day.

But maybe the bug will bite her too and then I can borrow her books. And when that happens I’ve got a list to give her.

The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here!

Actually the new library’s here! (Do they even make phone books anymore?) And Kyle and I couldn’t be happier. We’ve been missing a decent library since we moved in with Chris in ’04.

Before that, we had an apartment in Fair Oaks Village amongst the trees and the chickens. And we had the Fair Oaks Library! Which being in Sacramento County meant that it was a part of the Sacramento Public Library system. I could order any book on-line and have it delivered to our local branch. So very convenient. And boy howdy did we check out books. Life was good.

But Lincoln, Stinkin’ Lincoln, had only one old library located downtown in an historic building. All very small town quaint but the one time I went there it just didn’t live up to my snobby former big city library expectations. All of the books seemed old and it was just to cramped in there. I instead went back to spending all my hard earned cash at Borders. And our bookcases overfloweth.

All that is going to change now that the new Twelve Bridges Library is open! It's right around the corner from our house. And is part of a larger joint project with the Western Placer Unified School District and Sierra College. Someday there will be a new Lincoln High School and a second campus for Sierra College. And this library will serve them both. But more importantly it will serve me. And Kyle. Who has become a voracious reader. We have to tell him to put down the book and turn off his light every evening. I'm so proud.

We have been watching the construction for the past year and it finally opened on the 20th. Last Friday, after Kyle’s haircut, we went in. First off, the building is wonderful – spacious and full of light. The shelves are still fairly empty but I have high hopes and advise you to sell any Border’s stock you have. They are going to miss me!

I checked out some photography books because I’m still reading Charlie Wilson’s War* but I can always look at pretty pictures. And Kyle found this:

I’m raising that kid right after all.


*I’m enjoying the book but am bit disappointed that I don’t hate Wilson yet. Not even a little bit. And he’s from Texas! Strange.

Timing is Everything

And I thought it was Location Location Location.

I’ve wanted to put up a new post since last week but I had nothing. I blame the migraine that had me in bed for 2 days. Hey! – did you get the postcard I sent? The one that said “Greetings from Vicodinland”? No? Oh well, I was in no shape to be trying to figure out the new cost of postcard stamps anyways. I’m feeling better now. Thanks.

Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted – I wanted to write, I had some things to write about. But no. Nothing. It just wasn’t there. I don’t know how you people who write with deadlines looming over your heads do it. This is why I didn’t want to go into the graphic arts way back in college. Deadlines. My creativity just doesn’t work that way. (On re-reading that I kind of come off as one of those snooty fine artist types looking down their long noses at the wannabes who just don’t get it. Wow, these shoes feel good!)

What was I saying? Oh yeah, posting. I only bother to start typing after the post has written itself in my head. I edit in my sleep! And this is the problem. Saturday morning, early Saturday morning when I should have been sleeping, I caught my brain composing blog entries. And not just one – I had written at least 3! Can I remember them now? Not really. I remember the subject matter of a couple of them but not all the witty lines that were flowing out of my skull instead of the usual weird dreams I should have been having at that hour. And please don’t suggest I keep a pen and paper next to the bed. That’s never gonna happen. But hey, if making that suggestion means you actually comment on this blog – Please! By all means comment away. It’s awful lonely here.

But even after your welcome comments, I won’t do it. At those times I am desperately trying to shut my brain off so I can go back to sleep! The last thing I want to do is wake up entirely and start writing. As I’ve told Julie so many times – I don’t write. It ain't my thing. But I do enjoy keeping this blog. And I’ve kept it up for well over a year. Even through the pregnancy when I did absolutely nothing. Amazing. And look, I’ve babbled for 4 paragraphs and haven’t really told you anything. Maybe I can write! Ha! (That might not really be all that funny but I was amused. And my dad once told me that as look as I’m amused that’s all that’s important. And that may be a bit of a simplification but it worked for me when he said it and it’s working for me now!)

Maybe I should stop drinking coffee now. I’m sure there was a point to this…but what was it?

Sleep blog subjects: There was a post about The Ex Issue. I don’t think I’ll actually write this one up. The jist of it was that when you (this you is general not specific to any one person) ask my why I married Wes that makes me feel bad. Its like you are calling me stupid. I know that’s not the intention but that’s how it feels to me. Hey, I’m not the only person who has married someone who was ultimately wrong for him or her. I could try to explain it but I don’t feel like it. I was a different person then. It happened. Everyone makes mistakes. This is bringing me down and I’ll probably start sleep walking tonight to delete it.

There was a post about my new favorite TV show. I’ll save that one. And Erin is now 6 and a half months old and there is lots to say about that! I’ve also got a post brewing on the back burner about my dad. I just need to get the pictures from Michigan finished for that one.

Pictures! That is what I need to be working on while all this caffeine is zipping around my head. I’ve got the MI photos to finish. The car show photos from way back when. Last weekends Santa Cruz shots. Good gravy Mabel – I’ve got to get on it! And Cynthia will be here in an hour and I still haven’t gotten to the grocery store* this weekend.

*I could also tell you about the diet Chris and I are on. And all the damn cooking I’ve been doing. But not now. No time. Go here to see what the lovely Julie T has to say about it. Now she can write. I've got the books to prove it!

So I was driving through Chowchilla…

I went to a baby shower in Fresno last weekend. Chris’s cousin Gavin and his lovely wife Susan are expecting their first baby in December. More babies are a good thing. I hope they have lots of babies. Me? I’m done. I’ve told you that. Stop asking!



As always these photos are pulled from the set on Flickr. Enjoy.

Now I have to go home and pack for another weekend trip to Santa Cruz. Yeah! I don’t have to drive!! And I hear that Grandpa, who didn’t get his baby fix last weekend, is starting to twitch. And we can’t have that now can we?

And after bathing the baby at Aunt Rita’s last weekend, Grandma P went out and bought everything she’ll ever need and more to give Erin baths. Good. I’ve let her get extra dirty this week.

What are you selling today?

I don’t know what it’s like in your part of the world, but here in the suburbs of Northern California there are signs. And people reportedly paid $10 an hour to stand on the corner and wave said signs. Most signs are from developers advertising their new homes. Sometimes the signs are tempting you to get a nice toasted sub. But on Wednesday I noticed a new kind of sign. On a busy street corner I read:

I can’t live on this wage
(916) 216-????

And today’s sign read:

I deserve a better way of life
(916) 216-????

Spared

No, we did not go bowling - although that does sound fun. I wanted you to know that I finished Legacy of Ashes – my book on the CIA, and you somehow managed to be spared the ranting posts I had brewing for so long. Now poor Chris on the other hand wasn’t so lucky. You should send him flowers.

And, not only did I finish the huge and horrifying CIA book, I’m almost done with Licensed to Kill about the contractors of the private security industry. And I am already scouting Amazon for the next book to read. Chris suggested it might be time for some nice light fiction but I don’t think I’m ready for that yet. I can see him shaking his head now but I can't help it - I'm into it.

Although I’m not sure which trail I want to follow – stick with the CIA? Get the new Blackwater book? George Tenet’s autobiography? Or should I leave the current war on terror for the cold war and read about Cuba or the Kennedy’s? Maybe even delve back into Russia. So many choices – what’s a girl to do?!

I'm going to the bookstore this afternoon. Got any suggestions?


Update: I bought Charlie Wilson’s War. I like having someone specific to direct my ire at. As Chris says, let’s hope I never need to go to Washington D.C. because if I ever have to fly into the Dull-ass Airport my head will probably explode.

Guess who I finally got in a hotel room?!

Yes, after a failed attempt last summer - the Sain't and I finally got our picture taken in a hotel room.




Sure, it was a Marriott and my family was there, but hey - you take what you can get right?

The trick is not to plan anything! I called the Sain't as we were driving into the city. (Hey, I might not stop by to see you but I always call as I drive through. And I wave.) I wanted him to look out a window at the mighty fine sunset that was going on. But not only was he not near a west-facing window, he was down the bay in Fremont. Which puts him driving by our SFO hotel on his was home. And imagine that, he actually stopped by! So, I got to hang with another Detroiter* before we even left California. Fun for me. And then I saw my Aunt who lives Sacramento while I was in Detroit. So it goes.

* Sure, after 17 years he could be considered a former Detroiter but I'm counting it. We never really loose those mid-west sensibilities. Or accents.

Vacation Day 1

We decided to fly out of San Francisco on a direct flight to Detroit. We figured a 2 hour drive in the comfy van was better than a flight out of Sacramento with a connection. Less time in the air and no chance of missing that second flight. (And even with the rush hour traffic we hit on the drive home I think Chris would still tell you that this was the way to go - much less stressful.) And since our flight was at 8am Saturday morning, we drove to SFO Friday night and stayed in a hotel (Thanks P!). Thus enabling Chris's folks to stop by and get a baby fix.



And check out the new photo widget I found*. Very cool. Just click the large image to advance to the next photo. I am all about making things easy for you! Of course these photos are up on Flickr also.

And you'll never guess who else stopped by. Stay tuned for a special guest appearance!



* If the photos aren't showing up on your computer you might need to install the Flash Player plugin. Here is the link: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

Pop Quiz

Complete this sentence:

I came, I saw, I ______

a. took a gazillion pictures.
b. wept.
c. hightailed it back to Cali and the dry heat.
d. All of the above.

Yes, we are home safe and sound. Erin did great on the trip and Kyle only ended up grounded for a week. My family is well and I’m glad we decided to go to Michigan and not Florida again. My only complaint would be about the weather. Hot and humid is no way to live.

I’ll post more soon – complete with photos! In the meantime, I want to thank Brady and Michele for their hospitality and BBQ chicken! And Eric for his stellar tour guide services. Next time we’ll all go bowling. A/C and beer! You’ll be here next month right?!